Last night (10/1/15), I finished this 15.5 in x 12 in drawing of my dad and my brother that was originally supposed to be a Father's Day gift. It is mostly done in pen and prismacolor pencils with a little bit of watercolor for the clothes and black marker for the outlines. The photo I worked off of was very old and was taken the moment before my dad realized my brother was dropping scoops of ice cream onto his head. Because they were barbecuing, the background was a muddy, forest green. I didn't like that very much, so instead I drew a Japanese arrow feather pattern in the background with a few colorful balls so it would not look too plain.
The two articles, “Art v Critics” and “Arab Spring: Modern Middle Eastern Art Finds a New Audience in the West” attempt to reveal the struggle of modern art and the backlash during its rise. Certain individuals failed to recognize the value of modern art and denounced some artists as just “copying Picasso or Braque (Arab Spring, 2).” Although I do not have the same hatred towards James Abbott McNeill Whistler as John Ruskin, I though it was strange how an art critic could be sued and lose a court case just because he was doing his job.I was curious as to what Ruskin exactly said about Whistler when Ruskin "dismissed him as a fraud." I did not agree with Venetia Porter’s statement, that rising prices of Middle Eastern art is “an issue” because of how it is becoming increasingly more difficult to compete for top quality work to display in museums. The rising price means that more individuals are starting to recognize and appreciate the quality of work that is being produced. As someone who works in a museum and is supposed to love art, I felt as though Porter should respect the growing success of these Middle Eastern artists who were previously unknown to the art community and not see it as just a burden to the museum. I thought that “Art v Critics” was a pedantic, somewhat vague article to read. Although I understand that the author was trying the add imagery to the article to engage the reader, the quotes below made it seem as though the author was trying too hard. "Modern Painters is truly modern. It is modernist…..What you take away from Modern Painters is a stressed and strained sense of life as oceanic tide, as whirlpool, as rock: a harsh strength and ecstatic recognition of form at its most strained.” (Artists v Critics, p.4) "Ever since 1878, the serious and introspective modern artist has been haunted by a nocturnal double who delights in art as ephemeral public performance, as blazing row, as incendiary glitz - as fireworks” (Artists v Critics, p.5) From reading the case between Whistler and Ruskin, I was curious and looked up some of Whistler's paintings, and I actually loved them. This one is called "The White Symphony: Three Girls." |
AuthorMaggie L. Walker Governor's School Student in Art IV. Archives
May 2017
Categories |