Art theory BVA313

Art theory BVA313

Draft of Seminar

Question: 

• How do I to create a new family from the birth of a new identity through portraits? Can the connection of past background trauma effect the development of this new identity?

Processing trauma through artist making?

How do I portray a healing process of a child hood trauma through a evisceration of organic forms?

pulling body apart and forming it again

how what when where why?

what does this have to do with this as it shows up in my art.

Key words...

• Identity
• Trauma
• connection
• Portraits

key theoretical text: 

• Empathic Vision: Affect, Trauma, and Contemporary Art (Jill Bennett Stanford University Press, 2005 - Art - 188 pages) below...

Trauma and contemporary art... I came across this scholar texts by searing on google scholar and found that she talks about her curation of an exhibition only containing works from contemporary artist who deal with past trauma's through the use of art. Relating to topics of the memory of Trauma's in the past. She became aware that the works that was emerging from this were interesting with the emerging ideas that they have come from a traumatic background, along with how identifiable they are with different traumatic situations from child abandonment ,PTSD, Holocaust survivors to even worse situations etc... and how they artist dealt with it through the use of art and unlocking the memory of it. Bennett explains that most of the works relate to fantasy and fictional narratives creating a story from a new identity. Becoming what she calls a "Visual language" from the experiences of the trauma relating to the conflicts of loss and well-being.


• Gustuv Jung - A theorist of analytical psychiatry Carl G. Jung who I have chosen as one of my main art theorist has a diverged himself in the idea of the creation of the personality theory of the ego (conscious mind), Personal unconsciousness (personal memories and ideas) and collective consciousness (memories and ideas shared by society). Along with looking at what makes the "psyche" such as the persona - image of yourself that we present to the world. Shadow - Hidden anxieties and repressed thoughts - and the Anima/Animus - Male/female alter egos (World, 2019) . Jung also explains in in his book of his own adapted notes and the adaptation of associated theorist. “Man, of his symbols” (Jung C. G., 1964)  Is the “approach to the unconscious” and the “Importance of dreams”. Why is this important? Jung explains that the expression of written, spoken words or the visual idea show the meaning of what they want to convey, and the aspects of the unconsciousness perceives our reality. Jung also explains the general rule is always in a “form of a dream”, That the aspects of any event is related to the consciousness. Which is revealed to us in the mind as a dream and not appearing as a rationalized thought but maybe as a form of a symbolic image (Jung C. G., 1964)

•  Gustuv Jung - How does Carl G. Jung relate to my questioning of my body of works? His in-depth idea of the attention of the “Psyche” and the idea of the “Importance of dreams”. Recently I have finished a portrait of my own depiction of my model Ema, who in relation to myself is my best friend. Which links the idea of a relationship between portrait and artist. This can relate to my work due to the idea of my own sub-consciousness depicting what I, Myself to perceive the idea of what “Ema” is to me and what she looks like in my own head. Along with the personality relationship between each other as friends but as artist and portrait. (C.G.JUNG edited by SONU SHAMDASANI, 2009)

• Carl Gustav Jung, A well-known Swiss psychiatrist once said, “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.” (Jung C. G., 1933) As one of my art theorist I embrace this quote inevitably. As it helps me understand a little just what I am trying to create with my portraits. The idea of a new identity or personality between the sister-hood of three woman (myself included). To create that "chemical reaction" and to "transform” it into a new identity. (C.G.JUNG edited by SONU SHAMDASANI, 2009) (Jung C. G., 1964)

• Heuristic thinking is how I work within my art. This is the act of doing or doing the work without thinking. In the case of not knowing what I am doing I will be writing down notes of why I did it that way or how? Along with consistently sketching ideas to help form a structure to draw ideas for my exhibited works. This helps enable me to do this artwork and figure out what I am trying to answer myself. I will be answering questions Such as why have I used the idea of ribs? Does it mean anything to me? Or do I like the aesthetic look of the shape of ribs? To try and understand why my own sub-consciousness is portraying it that way.
  
  
  Heuristic thinking is how I work within my art. This is the act of doing or doing the work without thinking. Which helps enable me to do this artwork and figure out what I am trying to answer myself. Peter Fenoglio explains in his section of the journal Studio Research #0 (Fenoglio, 2011), that the idea of the artist studio is their research. He argues that this is artist’s time to “research” by that he means to investigate, make, create and to find out what works? what did not? why? and how? Then to proceed further research by recording or noting down as the artist goes to then either to blog or annotate about (Fenoglio, 2011).
  With using Heuristic research in the visual art’s sector, Fenoglio then describes the idea to have this question or statement at first.  Then to draw your ideas, exploration’s test’s and argument’s from, and to bounce off each other to help create a finalised “Creative Synthesis” or a conclusion of why you did this work and how you answered that question (Fenoglio, 2011). Fenoglio explains “To acknowledge a heuristic methodology for social commentary or social-activist art is to acknowledge that your ‘studio’ is the space you are in, wherever and whenever you are engaged with the topic.” (Fenoglio, 2011).

artist models:

• Ehren Tool - 

A article from "The New York Times Magazines" written by By C. J. Chivers suggest that "Ehren Tool wants his visually brutal stoneware cups to start conversations about the grief and suffering of armed conflict. But his work can’t be bought." (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/magazine/ehren-tool-

Ehren Tool is a ceramics potter artist whose heavily influenced by his own services in the Marine Corps. Then leading into the real world of civilization he didn't know what he wanted to do and what the world is without the Marine Corps.

 Talks about the horrors of war that he has seen. 

• He then took classes in pottery and ceramics and his influence and memory from the Marine Corps came into contact with his art. His subject ct and themes are politically based and puts his emotion and feeling of his traumatic stress and opinions into his art. 

• war-cups-smithsonian.html 
• • May 1, 2019) - giving the public the sign that hes putting his own emotions and feelings of his own past trauma's and experiences into his works.
  • Putting his feeling and emotions into his works reflects to my own work because a lot of my own influences are from my own traumatic stresses and backgrounds. To push my opinion and subject matter through. Giving me an emotional identity and making my own new identity with my own background.

• Frida Khalo - 

• This oil painting by Frida Kahlo “The two Frida’s” (1939) (www.FridaKahlo.org, www.FridaKahlo.org, 2011) was created after her divorce with Diego Rivera. Perceiving two different personalities one of a traditional subjective of her in a “Tehuana” outfit and the other Frida is dressed up in a modern outfit. It was expressed in her diary that this depiction was originally from her memory as a “childhood friend” but later she then admitted it to be her expression of loneliness and vulnerability from the divorce of her love Diego. (www.FridaKahlo.org, www.FridaKahlo.org, 2011)
  They both have shown visible hearts but the heart on the left Frida is torn open with blood flowing onto her white dress. Where-as the Frida on the right is full hearted and unbroken. While the background of the dull stormy sky reflects on her inner self of her trauma’s and chaos.  This is very expressionist and borderline surrealism of how the painting is depicted but for my work especially it gives this portrait me personally the feeling of feeling the raw emotions and trauma. This reflects my own practice as I am creating my own visual identity with the ones closes to me. Creating an emotional attachment and giving the portrait vulnerability and emotion from my own personal up-bringing’s. 

• Emma Hopkins

Focusing on nude portraits of the human body and the study of the human flesh Emma Hopkins (1989, Brighton). Creates significant portraits with themes of anatomy and the idea to discover the hidden relationships of the body, inner self, emotions and mind. (Hopkins, n.d.)

She quotes ‘I want to understand as much as I can about what it means to be human,’ - ‘We are not just the clothed person we present to the world. We are the mind and body that we inhabit. There are aspects that connect us all and we are also unique individuals. I moved into painting portraits because it is a celebration of this.’ (Hopkins, n.d.)

 – This relates to my own artwork as My work now has evolved into a vulnerable body and manifestation of the bodily pieces moulding and merging together to create a new construct of humanity and identity.

With the series I have created called “The Triage.” I have focused on the folding and moulding and creases of the skin. The skin then peeling off to expose the bones and the blood vessels behind it.

The skin is one of the main focuses as it covers us as one and protects us as one identity. Hopkins idea of “We are the mind and body that we inhabit. There are aspects that connect us all and we are also unique individuals.” (Hopkins, n.d.) Connecting this to my own works helps me describe the understanding of my project. Yes, the three of us are individual people but to mould us into one. I have created this “Bond” that this new identity has inhabited with the combination of our minds and bodies. 

• Louise Bourgeois

The installation of the cast aluminium “Couples” – Louise Bourgeois (2003) – is the depiction of the melding of eternity, always holding each other to the end (Art, 2003-2017). The life of Bourgeois was harsh, and her early childhood was full of abandonment and disclosure. This is one of Bourgeois “couple sculpture’s” which is the expression of her potential love loss and anxiety. A lot of her works have the expression of movement with her rotating figures and express the idea of body, form and identity.  

“I need to make things. The physical interaction with the medium has a curative effect. I need the physical acting out. I need to have these objects exist in relation to my body.” -Louise Bourgeois. (TATE, n.d.) (Foundation, n.d.) – This is a key quote to use in my own research as it is a very physical molding of two people. With my own work I am reaction to my own body as Bourgeois is doing for her works. Though I am not fully focusing on the sculptural aspect but more of the installation aspect that can make my own works sculptural in its own way. With the merging of the bodies and the feeling of movement and rotation of “The Triage”. I can really relate to the idea of a “Physical” effect to create my own paintings carnal.

Scott Hutchison

As I follow Scott hutchison on Facebook he recently posted about this piece with the description of ...

"A Curve, A Presence and the Space between" Oil on aluminum. 28" x 38". Is almost complete! As with most of my work, I'm really interested in time, memory, and identity." @https://www.facebook.com/scotthutchisonart/ 

In relation to my own portraits I have referenced the idea of Hutchison’s work by creating my own metamorphism. The contrasting colours in Hutchison’s work gives the illusion that it is moving and evolving. Along with the black/navy blue backgrounds it feels as though his work has vulnerability and emotion with it. Relating to my own portraits of how vulnerable standing alone in the void of this eternal space.

The background I feel is the most important part of my portrait’s as it exposes their vulnerabilities and feels as though they are functioning organs floating in the void, with nothing to protect the state of mind, soul and body.

where art is at:

 With my three new pieces combining into one called the “Triage” I have focused on the folding moulding, melding and creases of the skin. The skin then peeling off to expose the bones and the blood vessels behind it.

The body of work is all about the shape and form of pieces related to the mind, the heart, the soul and how these three female figures in my life connect as one. The blood vessels in my work for me connects us together, which makes us to be a functioning person or functioning identity. While the bones contain our personality and holds us together to protect the soul and the vulnerability of our personality. Showing the femininity of the breast and the roundness of how the skin falls, lays and moulds into the skin exposing everything yet protecting everything. While the swerves and curves of the curtain of our skin moulds the form and layers us together. The idea behind the visible and un-shown faces in the painting show that in a way we are a many-faced personality. each face comes out when each personality shows between each other. 

The whole idea behind the name “The Triage” is the use of using three, three boards, three forms, three identities’, the mind, body and soul, three models (myself, Ema and Sam). Just using the three bases of three. Along with the name “triage” it comes from a medical background so am playing around with the name and the use of organic bodily forms. Showing the femininity of the breast and the roundness of how the skin falls, lays and melds into the skin exposing everything yet protecting everything. While the swerves and curves of the curtain of our skin moulds the form and layers us together. The idea behind the visible and hidden faces in the painting show that in a way we are a many-faced personality. each face comes out when each personality shows between each other. 

Visually morphing the three of us together created this “Metamorphosis”. This term comes from the idea of morphing or transforming different subjects into another and creating this shape-shifting form (Abrahams, n.d.). The idea behind my sketches came from a late night watching the classic horror movie “The Thing” (2011) (Jr., 2011). The sculptural aspect of the creature (villain) of the movie being a virus inside a human to morph and transform themselves into either this metamorphosis beast with different body parts from the victim. Or back into the human form hiding itself from its food source.

Paul Komoda, the concept artist behind the creature (studioADI, 2013) created this metamorphosis of different body arms and faces merging into the other.  This relates to my own work with merging of the organic body forms, bones, skin, blood and other organs. Constantly evolving the ideas from a female form, a breast, a rib, skin, a curtain, a ribbon or a blood vessel. Trying to push new and hidden meanings or forms to give a new interpretation to the dream i have for my own creation of my family.

The background I feel is the most important part of my work as it exposes their vulnerabilities and feels as though they are functioning organs floating in the void, with nothing to protect the state of mind, body and soul.

Issue of Authorship:

• myself, personal identity and point of view as an artist why is it the story i want to tell.

• The authorship of my own family and history background... The abandonment of my real mother and having to create my own family and new identity from the past traumas of abandonment

•  “psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express the actual functioning of thought. Dictated by thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern.” Andre Breton quoted from his first manifesto of surrealism (Breton, 1924). Explains that the idea of Automatism- which is the suppression of conscious control, letting the un-conscious mind take over tin the art practice. (TATE, n.d.) – in the purest state can express the “Functioning Thought” (Breton, 1924)with the absence and loss of control. This is exorcised in my own practice as I am trying to explore my own un-conscious mind to construct and emotional bond between myself and the models in the painting. To express my own surreal automatist thoughts and thinking to show how I depict we are as one identity. 

Issue of Reception:

• how it's received along with how the viewer is interaction or viewing it

• If the audience can see the relationship and the connection between our friendship or the "bond" between each other.

The gaze from the audience - reception - how it's received along with how the viewer is interaction or viewing it

• This is not just a portrait, it’s a paradoxical portrait. Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez (1656 – Baroque.) (Searle, 1980) created this diverse scene of multiple portraits that invite the audience to be apart of this scene. With this Paradoxical aspect to these “Classical pictorial representation” (Searle, 1980) As J. R. Searle explained in his article, he feels as though its constant watching of the portrait’s creates this paradox feeling that you are being transported into that time. The involvement of the painting is set in the same position as when you investigate the painting. Giving a relationship between the figures of the painting and the audience looking into it, Like a constraint or a glimpse of time (Snyder, 1985).

• The reason why I react to this painting in relation to my own work’s is that I wanted to create that bond with the audience like Velázquez has in his painting. To help explain to them that it’s not just a painting of a portrait but it’s a reflection of myself and these other people as a portrait and not of the single person. To invite the audience into the scene to create this link and to know the relationship between each other. Perhaps this could not be edited out as there are more relevant arguments in your dissertation that could be further elaborated on.