Project 2 Concept

After speaking with Professor Miller, I've decided to do a collage in the form of a mural for my self-visualization project.  It will be short in height, but long in length, looking like a long, rectangular mural.  The images will be somewhat random, a combination of photos edited in Photoshop and drawings done in Illustrator, all which relate to me or describe me.  Right now I am working on taking photos and editing them, as well as sketching more specific ideas about arranging these items on the mural.

Project 1: Photoshop & Illustrator

Photoshop:



















Illustrator:

Kahlo/Sherman/Xiuwen Comparison

Kahlo:

Sherman:

Xiuwen:

Each of these artists uses her work to make a statement about the portrayal of females in art, and the role of women in society.  The first major difference between these three artists is the medium used in their work.  While Kahlo paints, Sherman uses traditional photography with herself as the subject, and Xiuwen uses altered photographs.  Kahlo's works are truly meant to be self-portraits; they feature her placed in a setting, often with surreal or symbolic backgrounds.  This altered realism was used to express Kahlo's self and her experiences.  Her expression is often intense and serious, and her clothing is ornate.  She looks directly at the speaker, but is usually alone in the work, perhaps showing her feelings of isolation and physical suffering.  Artistically, her work features bold colors and flat shapes; her work is not meant to be realistic, but rather to be symbolic.  Cindy Sherman was doing something different with her work.  Although she too is the central figure in the art, posing in the photographs herself, these works are less about self-portrait and more about the portrayal of females in mass media of the time, especially in film and television.  Sherman placed herself in roles that were typical for women to play, concealing her own identity to make a social commentary.  She questioned stereotypes for women, and played with the idea of what was expected of women at the time, both with this Film Stills series, and with her editorial work.  Finally, Xiuwen is using her work in a more recent time to make a similar social statement as Sherman was.  Her series 'Angel' makes a radical statement about womanhood, pregnancy, and maternity.  This is an especially interesting statement to make because she is a Chinese artist, and the role of females is different in that culture.  As opposed to Kahlo and Sherman's work, the emotion in these pieces is clear.  Where Kahlo and Sherman are the sole figure in most of their work, Xiuwen alters the photographs, repeating the image of the pregnant girl over and over in various positions.  Her work shows the vulnerability and anxiety this girl is feeling, and the viewer understands this emotion, as opposed to Kahlo's work, where the expression is often somber.  Like Kahlo and Sherman, Xiuwen comments on themes of gender and sexuality, and this is what makes the work of these female artists relatable.  Each one comments on a woman's role in art and in society.