The Roving Eye: Aura & the Contemporary Portrait
Oakland University
www.ouartgallery.org
"This exhibition explores the work of international contemporary artists fixated with portraiture. It considers: the sitter, the artist and, you, the viewer. It proposes to facilitate a fresh look at portraiture, to re-evaluate and reclaim it as a practice central to the artist rather than the amateur. In this context the artist is the only genuine author of authenticity. To glean an authentic essence or presence, each artist must liberate the genuine aura of the sitter: this elusive thing that possesses immense psychological and emotional octane. An effective portrait captures something essential that can only be seen and felt by the viewer in the presence of the likeness. If we value portraiture, we must nurture the form, reconsider its role within the context of contemporary art, re-presented it, and support its practitioners." www.ouartgallery.org/exhibitions/
It seems to me that the most notable aspect of both A Dozen Useless actions for grieving blondes #1 and Sleep is the inherent relatable features that each contain within itself. In Sleep, due to the video being line animation, it is not very relatable to the audience. However, its generality does afford it some ability for the reader to envision themselves as the subject. The other piece, however, is very striking in this regard. The photograph pictures the young woman in such disarray and so close up that it is very powerful to the viewer, even to a personal level. Dick Goody illuminates one reason for this, stating, “Portraits that meet our gaze possess a distinct advantage. They have already pre-empted us, because when we stare back at them their expression remains infinitely impervious. Winning them over is impossible” (Goody, The Roving Eye: Aura and the Contemporary Portrait, p.5). In addition to the sitter being so visually large and creating eye contact with the viewer, she also exhibits such powerful emotive forces within the viewer due to the extreme distress she appears to be under. This only lends more power to the photograph as it stares down the viewer with such dominating forces governing it. Sleep does lend itself some unique qualities in its demonstration of motion. The use of motion here captures not just a mere moment, like in a photograph, but an action, a process which we all can understand and grasp. This means rather than just a moment being on display, it render unto us a more 3-dimensional understanding of what is happening, creating its own sense of power. In these ways each work of art lends its own distinct qualities to the perceiver, conveying differing responses.
Sleep (2008)
David Shrigley
8:00.00
DVD, Edition 3/6
www.davidshrigley.com
A Dozen Useless actions for grieving blondes #1 (2009)
Rosemary Laing
C Type photograph
30.5 x 52.56 inches (77.5 x 133.5 cm)
Edition of 8
www.galerielelong.com/exhibition_works/467
I also felt very connected to the grieving blondes photos. You pointed out the fact that due to their size and the fact that the sitter is gazing at you we become automatically involved in the piece when we stare back. On the other hand with 'Sleep" we tend to feel more disengaged because the video is nothing but a line drawing. Perhaps if the sitter were human you would have more of a connection with the piece? I feel as if the video were of a human being we would be more involved with the piece even if we didnt feel like we were because the piece would take on more of a voyeuristic quality. We would be watching the sitter even though we are not supposed to.
ReplyDeleteI like the comparison of the two pieces I agree that both pieces have different dimensions being shown. I would have like to see more detail from the animation so id=t could better compare to the information in the photo's, from the blog i feel you might agree with me. I also thought it was interesting how you felt less connection to the line animation because it was just a line drawing by that reasoning I could say the same to the portraits because their of an emotional women, something i know little about. but i do see your point it takes a lot more to get into a piece the less realistic it seems to be.
ReplyDeleteI connected with your reaction of Dozen Useless actions for grieving blondes #1, "The photograph pictures the young woman in such disarray and so close up that it is very powerful to the viewer, even to a personal level." The work is very jarring, the viewer is deeply impacted by the work upon initially seeing it. I also connected with Dick Goody's commentary on this phenomenon: "They have already pre-empted us, because when we stare back at them their expression remains infinitely impervious. Winning them over is impossible.” This of course considers the idea that the sitters are "real" to us, another theme I found common works.
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