Class Exercise

Class Exercise

Project 1 Original Photo

Artists

Jeff Wall

Of these four artists' work, Wall's seems to be the one most concerned with realism.  Each of his images features a scene that could take place on any day, and the artistic alterations made are not used to create a surreal or an eerie tone.  It is difficult to even tell where Wall changed the photograph in many of these works, because they appear to be so natural.  I like these works, especially the ones which capture movement, such as this one, but overall I find them less interesting than the work of the following three artists.

Cindy Sherman

Sherman's photographs feature her posing in varying scenes which may be stills from films.  These black and white photos make a statement about the stereotypical role women played in films during the 50s and 60s.  Because each photo features the artist herself, the angles of the shots are chosen for artistic purposes, and the work comments on society, these were considered highly important pieces of postmodern art.  I appreciate these works not only because of the statement they made about female roles in popular culture, but for their artistic qualities.  

Gregory Crewsdon

There is something cinematic about Crewsdon's work.  Each piece feels as though it might be a still shot from a movie.  The pictures are composed in such a way to evoke a feeling of isolation and fear in the viewer.  Many of the shots feature a strange scene, sometimes one with symbolic human figures or settings, and have been altered to seem eerie and unnatural.  The lighting is an important aspect of the work, and it is used to create these emotional responses in the viewer, for example, this street is dark and foreboding, yet there is an unnatural spotlight on the abandoned car.  While I am not personally drawn to these pieces, I do find them interesting, and I understand the artistic intention behind them.  I think they are successful because they cause the viewer to experience an emotional reaction, and to think about the meaning behind each one.

Teun Hocks

Of the four artists here, Hocks is my favorite.  His work seems to be a response to the Surrealist movement, which I have always loved.  I really appreciate Hocks' unique process of painting with oils on top of an original photograph.  The medium helps to create the whimsical feeling in the pieces- the settings are never realistic because of the soft, painterly tones.  These works also portray emotion; Hocks is seen in each work performing some task, and while the paintings are surreal, there is a relatable human quality in each one, and a sense of humor.  I love the playfulness of the scene here, but I also really enjoy the technical decisions Hocks made, from the softness of the sky to the intriguing shape the poured water creates, to the gentle suggestion of the skyline in the far background.  The playfulness of the subjects in combination with the unique use of materials is what makes Hocks' work so interesting to me.