8 Artists and Pics

Abstract Expressionism

• Vincent Pepi (1926-)  I can't find titles for his work.  The only thing I saw was #504 Abstracton for the one on the left.  I like these because they remind me of graffiti with that bright but washed out look to them.  I think they are more toward chaos than harmony because it has this weird jumbled up look to it but I believe it is completely chaotic.  It does look a bit controlled and intended in the strokes.  There is a consistent contrast in light colors and dark colors that is not overpowering.  However it is hard to look at both of these paintings at the same time.

•  Sean Scully (1945-)  The first was is "Small Chelsea" I believe and the other is the"Wall of Light"  I like these because they are so simple and not overly complicated and they actually look like they go together.  There is definitely a monotonous look to these, but the small shifts in the orientation of the patterns make the paintings more bearable to look at.  Every time I see this it reminds me of tiles on someones kitchen or bathroom floor and I guess that's why it seems more monotonous to me.

Minimalism

•  Walter de Maria (1935-)  The first one is called "The Lightning Field" and I think the way the clouds look in the background look is awesome because it almosts glows the more so than the lightning.  The second one is called the "Earth Room" and think the reason I like it is because it looks so simple like a burger with pickles and lettuce; that's everything you need.  There is a nice harmony to this image with the pattern of the poles in the background and the lightning giving you all the non-straight lines you ever want to see.  Even the grass has a nice flow to it with slight fluctuations in height and color.  The sort of mirror effect with the two white walls is also nice to see because it's just enough repetition to make the picture look ordinary but different than just something blocking the hallway.  The contrast between the color of the walls and the obstruction is also appealing to the eye and makes the piece seem more harmonious than if he would have had splatter-painted walls.   The subtlety in his repetition makes this picture look a lot less monotonous than the pictures above.

• Robert Smithson (1938-1973)  I really like "The Broken Circle" and "The Spiral" because it's so unique and amazing to gaze upon.  I would like to see them in person to really get a feel how beautiful it truly is because I just don't looking at the picture is the same as being there.I would say this is definitely not chaotic or monotonous.  It has a near perfect harmony to it.  The way the water hits these compositions is a very nice touch that provides a natural repetition that has a good variance.  Even looking at these compositions when the water is not hitting makes the piece interesting to see because it sets a peaceful tone.  The repetitions in these pieces have a good amount of closure to them for me.  I know "The Spiral" reminds me of this twirl animation I did once before and I can imagine the structure to literally start spinning; "The Broken Circle" reminds me of a tattoo and it would not surprise me at all if I see someone walking down the street with this on their arm.

PostMinimalism

•  Martin Puryear (1941-?) The first on is called "Plenty's Boast" and it is ginormous.  I could fit inside of that thing.  The second is called "Ladder for BookerT. Washington" and I like that the ladder is not completely straight on the outside parts but the steps are straight.  I think these are more harmonious than anything and have a really nice rhythm to them so the eye can easily look at the sculptures in their fullness.  The way these flow it makes me want to walk around them and see them from every angle similarly to Jake's ping-pong ball modular madness piece.

• Mona Hatoum (1952-)  I think the frst one is called "Roadworks" and I like it because I would have never thought to do that.  It's like one of those things that seems so easy you think someone would have done already but they haven't yet.  I like the second one because of its title "Over My Dead Body" and it has a nice contrast between dark and light.  These almost look monotonous to me but I know they are not completely monotonous.  The way the shoes are a reflection of her feet and the way she is walking gives the piece a somber feel to it which makes me think of it as monotonous.  The second picture however, looks as though most of it is the same old pattern but it has a very nice look to it so even though it looks like it was created in a monotonous fashion it does not seem boring to me.

Today

• Leonard van Munster (1972- ) I think "The Surrender of Reinaert the Fox" is just so adorable because it reminds me of "Fox and the Hound"  There's supposed to be an upload of a video that he made called "The Dancing White Man" that is actually really interesting to watch and I'm sorry if it doesn't show but it's on this website http://vimeo.com/1991582  These seem very much like harmony and they have a good variety so that you keep looking or watching the pieces.  In "The Dancing White Man" he barely moves from left to right but it still has an interesting look to it because he kind of starts the same way and adds a little bit more to the dance as the time passes and then he just stops and the way he hangs at the end even has an enjoyable repetition as he shakes very slightly from left to right.  " "The Surrender of Reinaert the Fox" has a nice rhythmatic element to it through with the trees and the ripples in the water, but since it is a natural rhythm it does not seem monotonous and it has a nice variety.  The fox itself also does well to break the monotony and provides a good focal point of interest.

• Victor Sloan (?-?) The first is called "The Magazine Gate, Derry" I guess I like it because it's so weird I can't tell what it is.  I think the brown blobs are people but I'm not entirely sure.  I really like the way he used the light against darkness contrast.  The second one is "Untitled II (Lexus)).  I like the ribbonlike material on the side because it doesn't look exactly neat but it does look intentional.  Even though there does not seem to be a planned order to me I cannot say that it is chaotic.  Some of these strokes like the thick dark ones seem intended which give it a harmonic look, but the second one looks monotonous to me because of the repetition of the lines of the walls and the structure of the walls.  The repetition in the first one with the outline looking blobs break up the boring for me and make this piece more enjoyable to see because I don't like looking  at boring stuff like the second.  It just looks like someone's kitchen wall.  Yeah the ribbon breaks up the pattern of the same vertical line but it still looks boring to me and I think I would pass this up at a museum.  Maybe I don't like it because it looks too ordinary and there does not seem to be any imagination going on for the second as opposed to the first one.