Fear &
Loathing
Las Vegas,
NV
Andrea
Braham
Paintings & Photographs
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Too Weird to Live; Too Rare to Die
Featured
artists: Frida Kahlo, Dimitri Tsykalov, Sylvia Ji, Salvador Dali, Audrey
Kawasaki, Diego Rivera,
Damien Hirst, Edvard Munch Harmen Steenwyc, & Pieter
Brugel the Elder
About the exhibition: The show is about pieces of art that are out of the ordinary. I choose works that would be considered strange to the average person and would cause a big intrigue to the audience. I want people to see the exhibition and say what is the meaning behind this piece and how could someone sane create this. I wanted to focus on works of art that were macabre inspired. Macabre means “gruesome and horrifying; ghastly; horrible”(www.dictionary.com). I wanted to focus on art that was shocking and grim. I think that really sparked my inspiration was The movie/novel “Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas” and the music of Avenged Sevenfold. Fear & Loathing is such an off the wall movie/book and I think that it takes a certain type of person to fully enjoy it but I was intrigued but how strange it was which is a theme I tried to incorporate into my exhibit. With the music of Avenged they tend to have very macabre songs such as “A Little Piece of Heaven” and this was something I wanted to add as a theme because I feel as though people start to get strange when they speak of death or anything grim and that’s those are the type of art pieces I wanted to represent, strange and grim.
Frida Kahlo
Mini Bio: She was born and raised in a Mexico
City outskirt July 6, 1907. She contracted polio at the age of 6 which caused
one of her legs to be permanently thinner than the other. She was in a traffic
accident that caused her lifelong health issues. After the accident, she was
immobile for 3 months. During this time, she was productive and began painting.
Her ailments and suffering were represented in her works of art. Another aspect
of her life that she painted was her emotional marriage to artist Diego Rivera.
There was about a 20 years age gap between the two of them and they got
divorced then married once more. Her health problems finally caught up to her
and she passed away July 13, 1954. Upon her death she wrote, “I hope the exit
is joyful-and I hope to never return”.
The Suicide of Dorothy Hale
1938
Oil on
masonite
60.4 x 48.6
cm
Background information: Dorothy Hale was an actress and show
girl. When her husband was killed in an accident she couldn’t bear to live
anymore and decided to take her own life. She threw herself out of a skyscraper
window. This was a “retablo” that was to be painted by Kahlo. The painting
itself is very gruesome. Frida paints 3 freeze frame snapshots of Hale’s
suicide; initial jump, the fall and final bloody moment.
Commentary on work: “I could not have requested such a
gory picture of my worst enemy, much less of my unfortunate friend…”
Relation to exhibition:The main focus of this painting is
death and suffering. Kahlo seems to glamorize Hale’s suicide by making her look
so flawless even when she is bloodied up. It is a strange way to pay respects
to someone who has just committed suicide. I feel as though Kahlo created the
piece as though Hale’s suicide was captured on film. Even in her lifeless face
you can still see the pain and suffering in her eyes.
Dimitri Tsykalov
Mini Biography: Tsykalov was born in Moscow in 1963.
He received his education from Polygraphic Institute of Moscow. He currently
lives and works in Paris. He is an artist who likes to experiment and shock his
audience. “I enjoy working with my hands and prefer using meat, vegetables, and
fruits instead of marble, clay and wood”.
Colt 45
Lambda Print
120cm x
160cm
2007
Commentary on work:“Guns contrasted out of raw, bloody
meat. Whoa. Demonstrates the brutality and the simplicity of the gun”.
Background information: Tsykalov uses edible food to make a statement
about world hunger and animal brutality. "In these
pictures I recognize the murderess within me, I recognize love and death within
me; in these pictures I recognize my flesh as the cannon fodder it is and will
be for the rest of my life. In contrast the secondary meat in these shots - the
one that rots and that kills, the animal meat that is used to create the fleshy
weapons - seems unscathed, sanguine and elegiac. It is incredibly alive,
it is cannon flesh and we are already mortal."
Relation to Exhibition: Many people find
raw meat to be gross and the fact that Tsykalov uses it as art is just plain outlandish. You can see the blood
dripping from the gun which represents the death it has caused throughout the
world. Just as the meat, violence is raw and this gets people to think about
how much blood we spill on a daily basis and not just human vs human but our
brutality towards animals as well. As much as we say we don’t like death, we
tend to cause it a lot.
Sylvia Ji
Mini Biography: Ji was born in 1082 in San Francisco,
California. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Academy of Art University
in 2005. She then relocated in Los Angeles where she still currently works and
resides. “Ji’s work encapsulates an alluring beauty that is both cutting edge
and a nod to time honored technique”.
La Catrina
Acrylic/Mixed
on wood
2007
24” x 24” in
Commentary on work: “The iconic image of ‘La Catrina’
created by Jose Posada has been around for nearly a century. Through research I
was introduced again to that image and was instantly drawn into the idea of
death as a woman and how beauty and life is fleeting”.
Background information: “A
master of capturing the dark side of the beautiful and the sublime.Macabre ‘Day
of the Dead’ catrinas intermingle with exotic empresses, with a regal elegance.
Ji’s imagery is a visual elixir of life and death, combining sacred symbolism
with mystical glamour and opulence. Influenced by historical costumery, Ji
incorporates baroque detailing such as luxurious tapestries, ornamental
feathers, and gold leafing into her work for a more elaborate and decorative
effect.”
Relation to
exhibition: The day of the dead is a celebration of those who have
passed. Ji captures the fascination that we have with the dead. This holiday is
not celebrated by everyone and may even seem strange. Those who do celebrate it
do so by acting as though they deceased is still there by bringing them food
and presents. I think that this may seem a bit cryptic to some but Ji captures
the essence just right.
Salvador Dali
Mini Biography: Salvador Dali was
born May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Spain. Dali was a prominent Spanish surrealist artist.
He was known for his crazy antics outside of his art. He thought very highly of
himself and believed that he was overqualified for formal education. Gala, a
Russian immigrant, was an important influence in his life. She was the rock and
muse of his life. In 1940 Dali moved to the United States. Here he became the
the darling of the American High Society. Though he had a great amount of success
and wanted to continue it, he had palsy, a motor disease, which caused him to
go into retirement in 1980. Dali has 2 museums dedicated to his works through
his lifetime.
Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second
Before Awakening
1944
Oil
on Wood
20
1/8 in x 16 1/8 in
Commentary on the work: "To
express for the first time in images Freud's discovery of the typical dream with a
lengthy narrative, the consequence of the instantaneousness of a chance event
which causes the sleeper to wake up. Thus, as a bar might fall on the neck of a
sleeping person, causing them to wake up and for a long dream to end with the
guillotine blade falling on them, the noise of the bee here provokes the
sensation of the sting which will awaken Gala."
Background information: Since
Dali was a surrealist, he was very interested in psychology and the unconscious
mind. His fascination with the occurrences during the dream-state was the
inspiration behind the painting. He also took into account the theories of
Sigmund Frued when creating this piece.
Relation to the exhibition: The dream world is an untapped knowledge. It is a strange
world that we as the dream creators really don’t know anything about. We are unable
to control what comes out in our dreams. They can reveal our innermost thoughts
or just be plain bizarre. I think that this fits the theme of macabre because
of how shocking he depicts dreams and how eccentric they can be.
Audrey Kawasaki
Mini Biography: Audrey
was born March 31, 1982 in Los Angeles. She studied at Pratt Institute for 2
years but did not complete her degree. Her artwork is a mix of Japanese Magna
and art nouveau. She focuses on painting young women who are portrayed as very
erotic. She has a muse that she has
created to help her flow her artwork on to her wood panels.
Charlotte
24” x 24”
Graphite and Oil on wood panel
2011
Commentary on the work: “…Youth
and innocence with death-elements of decay, bones and natures. It’s a reminder
that all things are temporary, that life is sleeting”.
Background information: Kawasaki has always been intrigued by
macabre beauty. This piece was a part of a series that heavily reflected her
personal life. At the time she was feeling very distant and empty which is why
she painted in such monotone colors. She
began to lose focus and became an unfamiliar person to herself. Despite these
setbacks she was still able to create a beautiful masterpiece.
Relation to the exhibition: This piece goes into a grim fantasy
world. The girl looks so innocent and vulnerable. She is surrounded by decaying
bones which shows that she is comfortable with the idea of death. I think that
this is also a dream-like state of mind but a gloomy one.
Diego Rivera
Mini Biography: He was born in Mexico City in 1866.
Rivera started studying painting in 1907 and spent about 14 years in Paris. Renaissance
frescoes of Italy inspired Diego and he then returned to Mexico with his new
found inspiration. He was able to have a wider audience because of the medium
he chose. He was married to Frida Kahlo whom was featured in his works of art.
Rivera helped begin the Mexican mural movement.
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in Alameda Park
1947-48
Fresco
50ft x 13ft
Commentary on work: “To affirm God does not exist, I do
not have to hide behind Don Ignacio Ramirez. I am an Atheist and I consider
religions to be a form of collective neurosis”.
Background information: The mural is representative of the principle
eras of Mexican History: The conquest, the Porfiriato dictatorship and the
revolution of 1910. It was a way for Rivera to show that there is still
struggle in Mexico but there will be a time for their freedom.
Relation to the exhibition: La Cantina is represented in the
mural along with past warriors of Mexico. La Cantina represents the “muerto” or
the dead in Mexico and in the mural you can see how the dead are embraced more
so than feared.
Damien Hirst
Mini Biography: Hirst was born in Bristol in 1965. He
started becoming intrigued with death as a teenager. When he was 16 he began to
make frequent visits to Leeds Medical School to create life drawings. In 1989
he graduated from Goldsmiths College in London. There he learned the
significant difference between painting and sculpting. With his works he tries
to explore death life, religion, beauty and science.
With Dead
Head
1911
Photographic
Print on Aluminum
22.5 x 30 in
Commentary on work: “‘With Dead Head’ is
an expression of the difficulties inherent in attempting to understand our own
mortality, and in dealing with the “unacceptable idea” of death.[2] Hirst
explains: “To me, the smile and everything seemed to sum up this problem
between life and death. It was such a ridiculous way of being at the point of
trying to come to terms with it, especially being sixteen [...] This is life
and this is death.”
Background
information: His curiosity of death inspired this piece of art. He visited
the morgue to learn more about death. At first he was scared and it made him
feel sick but later he was able to become somewhat comfortable with the idea of
life and death. This photo was taken of him and a head when he was 16 years
old.
Relation to the
exhibition: This peculiar piece fits into the exhibition quite well
because of its focus on the dead. Also it is astonishing how someone so young
can be so enticed by the complex nature of death. It is not every day that
teenagers go and take a picture with a decapitated head. Hirst proves the line
between life and death by having so much energy next to someone who has just
had their life taken away from them.
Edvard Munch
Mini biography: Munch was born in
1863 in Norway. His paintings personified his emotions. His upbringing was
heavily reflected in his art which focused on illness, death and grief. After
1909 his works became less intense due to a mental breakdown that he received extensive
therapy for.
The Scream
1893
Tempra Pastels on Cardboard
35 ¾ x 29 in
Commentary on the
work: “The actual mental image of the existential angst of civilized man”.
Background
information: “The Scream” is part of the series “The Frieze of Life”. The
series as a whole focuses on life, death, love of mysticism. The emotion of
anxiety is clearly distinct in the painting which is something that Munch
suffered from. According to Munch’s diary entry the idea behind the painting
was that, “One evening I was walking along a path, the
city was on one side and the fjord below. I felt tired and ill. I stopped and
looked out over the fjord—the sun was setting, and the clouds turning blood
red. I sensed a scream passing through nature; it seemed to me that I heard the
scream. I painted this picture, painted the clouds as actual blood. The color
shrieked. This became The Scream.”
Relation to the exhibition: The intense emotions you get from looking and analyzing the
painting is why I have picked it for my exhibition. It is filled with such
negative energy and gives the audience an uneasy feeling. It seems to be a grim
state of mind.
Harmen Steenwyck
Mini Biography: He
was born in Delft. His brother is also a vanitas artist and they were both
informally taught by their uncle. He was a painter of the Dutch Golden Age and mainly
focused on still life.
Still Life – An Allegory of the Vanities of
Human Life
1640
Oil on Oak
39.2 x 50.7 cm
Commentary on the work: “…[A] classical example of a Dutch vanitas painting.
It is essentially a religious works in guise of a still life”.
Background information: The objects that he has chosen to paint connect to
the biblical passage of Matthew 6:18-21 in regards to the vanitas message. Each aspect of the painting has a different symbolic
meaning. The skull is the symbol of death. The oil lamp and the pocket watch
represent time duration of life and it passing. The shell shows wealth, birth and
fertility. The books symbolize human knowledge along with the musical instruments
which also show pleasure. The sword represents power and physical luxury is
shown by the purple silk. Lastly the jar
shows life because without it you cannot have death.
Relation to the exhibition: I think that this fits well into the exhibition
because it directly relates to death. He wanted to show all the materialistic
items that people tend to care about when they are alive. People want to show
off and be the best but where does all this stuff go once we are gone? That is
the dismal
message that he attempts to portray in his painting.
Pieter Brugel the Elder
Mini Biography: He was a Flemish painter
of the 16th century. His paintings focused on narratives. He was influenced the Italian renaissance art
towards the latter part of his life and career.
Triumph of Death
1562
Oil on Panel
46 x 63.8 in
Commentary on work: “In an era where heaven and the grace of God
were axiomatic, this painting was and is shocking in its irreverence. Bruegel’s
harsh imagery makes viewers confront and scrutinize their faith in religion and
the eternal life of the soul.”
Background
information: The painting represents the apocalypse and the
complete end of human life. There are different social classes depicted in the
painting that all get destroyed by death. There are two narratives in the
painting that of the all mighty death and that of all the individuals.
Relation to the
exhibition: This depicts death in its raw state. There was no mercy for
anyone which I think can instill a sense of fear in people. I feel as though
this is a very brutal massacre amongst the human race and it shows the reality
of how one cannot fight death.
Conclusion
I found this assignment very challenging. It did not come easy to me at
all. I had to really think about how I was going to connect 10 different
artists and pick a theme that I found interesting. I cannot imagine doing this
as a living. The research was very tedious and frustrating at times. I learned
that finding a common ground between can be difficult. I changed my theme a few
times to get it right. I had to research different artists and then analyze different
pieces of their work and see how it made me feel and think as an individual before
I accepted it as part of my exhibition. The connections that I found between
the artists I realize might not be seen by everyone even with an explanation.
Art is depicted differently among individuals but I tried to explain my envisions
and have that relation with my audience. I think that overall for not having
any experience as a curator I put together a very interesting gallery. I am
proud of the work that I have accomplished although I don’t think that I would
want to try and create this again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)