Other interpretations: "Surrender"

Interpretation 1- Fellow student:

The artist suggests that the women tends to feel vulnerable and skeptical of people thoughts when she is taking a minimalist approach to life (hence the absence of furniture and belongings). She is hiding behind the handkerchief as her association with a lifestyle different to most women is not wanted.

Interpretation 2- younger child :

The subject seems scared and shy, indicating that she might know what she might see behind the material. She seems almost confused or abashed that she is responding this way, yet the dim and dappled lighting gives off a dreamy atmosphere. In a ways she seems like she is within an annoying doze or highly diluted nightmare, she doesn't not seem that scared.

Other Interpretations of "Call of the Wild"

Interpretation 1- fellow student:

The girl looks as if she has put her trust in the dogs to protect her from any dangers of an unfamiliar place. The expression of harshness in the dogs face doesn’t seem as it is directed towards the girl but rather in the direction of the barren space around them. Her being blindfolded suggests that extra emphasis of her trusting in replacing her sense of sight with that of the dogs. The dogs agitation is sensed by the girl and she is now feeling a little uncomfortable of what they are seeing despite her confidence in them.

Interpretation 2- younger child:

The girl does look terrified, but it seems the emotion is more so from the pack’s perspective. They look agitated, torn between the action of abandoning the girl or protecting her from the unknown. This is as some seem to be encircling her, whereas another seems to be leaving, indicating a conflict in decision making.

Interpretation 3- adult:

The girl seems like she is experiencing heightened emotional arousal, due to the loss of her most reliable sense, she is left completely vulnerable to the dogs and the unfamiliar field. Frozen with fear and confusion, she is trying to defend herself by trying to decide within the chaos whether to fight or take flight into the intimidating unknown.

Task 3- Preliminary reading of each piece

28x28, Edited photograph

“Call of the wild” depicts a girl standing blindfolded amidst a pack of dogs, within an urban field. However specific art elements and principles help determine an inner meaning and deeper interpretation of the piece. Firstly in terms of elements, form is portrayed as mainly organic and drifted, despite it being a photograph. This is partly determined by the use of dim light as well as the mix of cool and warms colours such as brown and blue to create a natural and murky atmosphere. Simulated texture can be found throughout the piece, from the dog’s tawny fur to the moist padded grass, as well as the lightly billowing white dress. The white dress is also sunken further back into the background as it’s colour matches the further background, displayed as the sky and forest that borderlines the field. This emphasises the value within the picture, in which the warm colours of the dogs and the grass represent the foreground in comparison to the background, consisting of cool creams, blues and light lilacs peppered on the trees and clouds. In addition the negative space seen mainly within the background also assists in creating depth within the picture. As for principles, the girl’s black hair against the white sky creates an ultimate contrast, therefore representing the focal point of the piece. Balance is accomplished with the right combination of negative and positive spaces as well as the choice of colours which stand out as well as trickle into each other. This also creates a sense of harmony as there are no abstract areas. Variety is yet determined by the complexity of tone found within the work, which also accentuates movement. The movement is specifically portrayed in the way the colours brown and black stream across the picture, in blurred dogs’ fur as they partake a wild frenzy. This seemingly unifies the work with the interconnecting variety of tones and colours as well as a sense of rhythm. Subsequently with the analysis of certain elements and principles we are able to fully understand what Chambers has intended us to see. The girl represents the human race with the blindfold representing adult reality. The similar colours and tones displayed on the distant trees and clouds represents the connections regarding the concentrated (clumped trees) and ambition (high clouds) of the unreality, the reality that is created. However the warm, vast field and the pack of dogs represent the tribe perspective of humanity and incredible vastness of nature. Yet as the human has strayed from nature, it consequently feels alienated from its home, which is why there is a direct distinction with the two realities. This creates a sense of confusion and alienation.

28x28, edited photograph

Within the work surrender, Chambers creates an atmosphere where a girl is portrayed as hiding herself behind a white handkerchief with the light from the background window shining through, lightening up the dim room. A variety of art elements help to portray this idea and are assisted with coinciding principles. In terms of form, the dim dappled lights create patterns of subtly organic shapes and tones, rounding every edge. Line is portrayed as sharp and or illdefined, depending on the position of the light. The colours featured in the piece are monochromatic and pastel, creating a dreamlike mood. Texture is evident and simulated, with the main example including the ‘knitted’ patterns upon the girls dress as well as the embroidery upon the handkerchief. Negative space has a major part within this piece, yet this does not mean it is without purpose, as it allows the viewer to focus on the intricate details found elsewhere. Value is achieved through the use of the negative space, where the foreground is actively occupied with the girl whereas the window and the contrasting field outside the room are categorized as the background and further background. Principles such as emphasis is evident, in the distinctively contrasting white handkerchief in the foreground is the focal point. Balance is accomplished with use of tone is relevance to detail. For example; the far left of the picture is filled with window edges and pasty walls, so these patterns fill the space. However the far right lacks patterns so it is shaded darkly to compensate and balance the complexion of the piece. Movement is compensated by the almost drifting light within the space, as everything else, including the subject, appears stationary and almost theatrical. The light nevertheless helps in the unifying of the work as the tones assist in creating the picture a invigorating piece. Consequently the use of light has an exponential influence on the interpretation of the piece. The light background represents the preconceived ideas of the adolescent subject. These ideas are filtered through the handkerchief, highlighting how preconceived ideas determine how one interprets the world, or their reality. The ‘light’ helps the subject to see the dark areas or life, in which is where the photographer is situated. Therefore represents the dark depths of reality and how shaky and ill conceived one’s reality might be to another.

28x28, Edited photograph

Within “Springs Landfall” a girl is seated blindfolded within a boat filled with flowers, amidst a wheat field. Yet with the analysis of art elements and principles, one can begin to understand the inner message of this work. Firstly, form is displayed mainly with the presence of organic shapes such as the clouds, yet the boat edges also present geometric design. Line is sometimes defined, such as along the boat edges, as well as free and almost brushstrokes like, mainly seen on the close-ups of each individual wheat strain. This also creates simulated texture. Colour is slightly pastel and almost monochromatic, with the majority being subtle greens and light browns. There is little complete negative space, yet the position of the boat is directly in the middle of the foreground, which indicates a direct barrier between the foreground and the slightly empty background, portraying value and balance. In terms of principles, the focal point becomes the subject as the pink pastel contrasts against the natural greens and browns. Movement is created with the slant of the boat, as well as the pushing backward of the oars, which also creates rhythm. The range of colours, textures and forms consequently unifies the piece. Furthermore the interpretation becomes more evident with analysis. The picture clearly captivates the girl’s vulnerability of her surroundings and the alienation displayed with the contrast of colours. The boat clearly exemplifies her bubble of reality, with the flowers representing lush hope and desire. The environment however represents the true reality, as it is obviously atypically a place to find a boat. The contrast of natural and desert tones reinforces this contrast, breaking up the two realities, yet morphing them together.

Patricia Piccinini- reflections

Piccinini’s work mainly revolves around a Hybrid focus. It specifically targets the act of genetic modification, and the subsequent ethical arguments. Do the many ’guinea pigs’ in laboratories around the world feel the pain? Should they, being technically part human have similar rights? As the continuity of research and science does not seem able to cease, Piccinini claws at our emotions searching for a sympathetic response at these confronting images of mutilated creatures. The idea of the “other and lesser being” definitely is portrayed throughout her work, with the question; “who truly has the right to be superior?” echoed in hushed tones. The works encourage us to endeavor into our species past where race and even gender had been marked inferior, what makes an animal’s cause any less important? The creatures are represented with gentle and relaxed body language, which predicates emotions of hopelessness and innocence. The children represented with the creatures aid these emotions as they give each piece a raw perception with compassion and refuse to the illogical. This causes us to think; What is truly the reality? Is it their hopelessness or our ignorance?

Tom Chambers-Question 1, Intial Interpretations

Call of the wild

The initial interpretation I had first achieved with Call of the wild was a simple sense of a human’s alienation to the wild. The idea of the blindfold hindering the elaborately dressed human confuses the wearer as she struggles to feel a connection to the raw earth with her processed and technological lifestyle. The dogs surround her with the sense of teamwork and symbiosis toward each over, yet she cannot take part as her reality has been too deeply developed to suit a more ‘lone wolf’ lifestyle.

Spring's Landfall

With Spring’s Landfall, I immediately related the picture to an exploration of reality. To me, the image at first glance was a transition from childhood fantasy to adult hard core reality. The girl in the boat represents the traveler or the soul as she moves from the fantasy, trying to string along some of her openness to the barren, closed mind of an adult. In addition this juxtaposition represents a fish out of water response, in which a teenager experiences after when he/she has this adventure, tries to recreate their identity to be compatible to their new environment.

Surrender

Surrender reminded me of our sub-consciousness and the way we see around us, the way we determine the reality. The handkerchief is represented as a filter; with the light behind the girl representing the subject’s preconceived ideas, which determine what areas of the world we choose to see. The shadow on the cloth is almost a physical representation of the subconscious, only covering what it need to, while the rest of the world (which is represented as the light around the shadow) is waiting to be considered. This is similar to the psychological ‘filter’ of an adult, who only sees what he or she wants to see, with the influence of the media and developed preconceived ideas. In contrast, children tend to see the bigger picture, like a cloud’s silver lining.

Bill Viola-reflection

Bill Viola gives meanings to his works within a social and psychological context. When observing his pieces, you are simply exposed to the labyrinth of the human consciousness. Viola cleverly explores the world we live in with the observance of human behaviour as well as of interpretation of religion, opening our eyes to the elaborate environment we have gradually developed. How is it that over the years we as a species have grown further distant from each over, separated by our own personal islands like at a bus stop? Yet when we are faced with trauma, we suddenly have the need to assist and care, only then does the ‘look after the herd’ instinct catch in? His various presentations range from the double edged sword of the elements in terms of water fire and earth to simple captivations of time and place which delicately awe us, despite having so much to do with everyday life. He uses realistic emotion to do this, like the wring of the hands in grief, each movement has a simple and then deeper purpose. In the end, he focuses on the whole of life itself, unravelling the simple sediments, to search into deeper meaning. With the main focus of ‘what is real?’ he laments that our usual lives are engrossed in a simple “no surprises” comatose. Everything yet to be discovered has been discovered, so we need to find a direction, a new perspective. He gently implies that the only obstacles we have not yet conquered is life itself and in peeling back the meaning, with the raw idea we can finally redeem ourselves and move forward.

Into the labyrinth