Designer Analysis - Jones, Allen

Jones, Allen
Man Woman, 'Hermaphrodite' series

Allen Jones a British Sculpture born in 1937. His worked revolved around the Jungian psychology and the philosophy of Nietzche. He focused on the creation of art and the ability to integrate male and female elements. His work can be seen as part of the British Pop Art movement which started in the mid 1950s and peaked in the 1960s.


The Pop Art movement draws from sources in popular and commercial culture, such as movies, advertising, packaging, pop music and comic books, to form the perspective of fine art. Often using objects to represent the subject then engage with an combine to produce contemplations. but the subject itself isn't about the techniques it is about the attitude of challenging tradition. It is one of the first examples of postmodernism. Often the artists used low subject matter and treated it uncritically. Jones exploring the topic of hermaphrodites in this manner is an example of how new subject matter can be developed in new ways when presenting art.


Jones's Man Woman painting from his 'Hermaphrodite' series is a self portrait, the mans body is Jones and he is connected to an unknown woman, The word Hermaphrodite can mean male and female bodies melting into each other. Jones is portraying the unity of a sexual act.


Within the picture there is a representation of a male and female then body connected as if he has his arm around her as they are sitting down, an innocent act of affection.


The bodies do not have heads, which takes away most of their identity emphasising there choice of clothing to discover any characteristics. The man is wearing a typical everyday brown suit worn by most of the British office users in 1960 when they head. She appears less professional but very femine, a v-cut neck forms part of her dress or skirt arrangement; it appears ruffled, designed, colourful and exciting. In the scene it has been hitched up to reveal the whole of her right leg: tights, suggested stockings and heels. If I was to read into the story told by the painting and make my own subjective assumptions I would guess that this was an office love story of lust, affection and betrayal as the employee has an affair with the sectary.


Block colour has been used to create the image; appearing almost cut out. A mixture of about ten pastels. On her evenly distributed to make up her dress: a brown dirty and a lighter sunnier shade of yellow, two soft lake greens and a sky blue. Then an almost violet blue for her covered leg, and for the reveled, a fresh, skin, peach and a soft, deep, velvet, purple for her thigh. On him less colour is used: a pinkie, peachy chest, then a brown trouser and shirt, and a dirtier, darker brown for his jacket. His tie however is thinly striped and echos colours from her dress. she is sitting on a navy seat and he is perched on her which is emphasised but the gap between his legs and body where there is nothing. Although cutout, the colours disperse slightly at the edges and there is occasional blurring.

Designer Analysis - Hayter, Stanley William

Hayter, Stanley William

Claduegne

Stanley William Hayter was a British Painter and printmaker born in London in 1901, who set up the Atelier17 studio. His work in the 1930 was associated with the Surrealist movement, launched in Paris in 1924. The aim of surrealism was to reveal the unconscious and translate it into art. There was no single style of Surrealist art but two broad types can be assumed: (i) oneiric (dream-like) (ii) automatism. The work features the element of surprise, juxtapositions and the unexpected. He then developed his work and became renown as an innovator of printmaking and engraving.

The picture above shows one of Hayters Prints, Claduegne. The picture is of a collection of ribbon like bands that form a grid structure. The grid isn't flat, the ribbons run at an angle facing down from the bottom left to almost the top right. but instead finish in the top corner with a sleep incline. Each line appears interwoven at a 45 0 angle. It isn't rigid, although I have described the page as a grid, the ribbons appear to flow across the page making slight wave like curving movements from left to right.

More interesting then the form is how it relates to the colours. Fluorescent, sharp almost electric seems to be the theme for the colour pallet. Four colours are primary. the background a carpeted deep purple with a vertical lines of a very faded turquoise. As the ribbons descend this purple is covered with a soft red that appears as a light rather then a colour. areas have been scraped away or worn and parts of the carpet is reveled. The ribbons on this surface are the same electric turquoise blue that runs through the purple. As they twist or overlap the colour is removed to produce a checked pattern. The ribbons running upright look to have a colour descended from the red, they are a fluorescent pink and produce the same transparent pattern as they cross another subject. All the colours are acidic.

On a whole there is a grubby, uncleaned sanded texture as if the colours have been overlapped in the wrong order and had to undergo a peeling procedure to readjust the image; parts therefore worn off or stuck in the process.

There is no beginning or end to the study, it looks instead as if it is a snapshot of a larger sample study.

Designer Analysis - Gabo, Naum

Gabo, Naum
Linear Construction in Space No. 2

Naum Gabo was a sculpture born in Russia in 1890 he then moved in 1922 spent time in Berlin and Paris before becoming an American Citizen. His work is seen as part of the Constructivist movement because he can capture the idear of the infinite expansion of space. Constructivism originated in Russia from 1919 until around 1934, artist and architects rejected the idea of "art for art's sake" instead used art as a practice directed towards social purposes.

Gabo's Sculpture Linear Construction in Space No.2 is made using a curved perspex frame and nylon string. There are four Perspex arms joined at the bottom in a small stand, connected to the table surface to keep it stable. Each arm goes in a different compass direction but upright so they connect directly above the original standing position. Within this stretched oblong frame there is a reduced version floating. There appears also to be a central pole. this structural set up make the sculpture look as if it's floating or balancing in it's upright position as if an invisible cord is it's secret.

Looking at the picture (above) it gives a clear perspective of looking directly at one of the 4 arms. parallel you can see it's east and west counterparts. The Nylon string is wrapped around every edge of the arms and then directs towards the central cadge, where it is redirected towards another edge. Twisting, turning almost fighting the other cords to get there, the strings forms beautiful concave and convex folds. None of the cords are overlapped or tangled, they are all tight, aligned and organised.


The materials used are clear, thin, and light so the overall structure has a delicate, transparent finish which appears almost weightless. There is no beginning or end to the sculpture, and because of the extent or number of cords used you cannot unconsciously tract or follow it's direction. It appears infinite.

Designer Analysis - Christo Javacheff

Christo Javacheff
The Pont Neuf, Paris

Christo Javacheff was born in 1935 in Bulgeria. He is famous for his works he often did with list late wife Jeanne-Claude Christo where they would wrap up structures and landscapes on a large scale using materials and rope. The work can be described as similar to the work of New realists (Nouveaux Réalistes) a French movement founded in 1960 by Pierre Restany. The movement is famously described as new ways of perceiving the real. and is closely associated with the European Pop art movement. Artists use collage and assemblage or real objects in their work. this incorporation allows the artist to see the world as an image, from which they would then take objects from or as Christo does take his work to a real life subject both situation allow the artists to bring art and life closer together.

The above photograph shows a sculpture piece created 1985 and left for two weeks before it was dismantled. Christo wrapped up- The Pont Neuf - Paris's oldest bridge, in a thick canvas and secured it with rope. This was considered an exciting new way to create a sculpture.
The odd temporary engagement allows the viewer to be drawn in to the sculptural details of the bridge and engage with the new surface.

The work can be considered as holding a theme of preserving and restoration. The only other time you may see something covered in a similar textile would be if restoration work was taking place. Christo work may spark this association. Or similarly the beauty captured by his work argues reason for the preservation of the historical structure. The attention also creates a refreshed media hype to something sceptical but maybe forgotten because of it's historical construction date, reviving the original beauty.

Designer Analysis - Moholy-Nagy Laszlo

Moholy-Nagy Laszlo

CHX

Laszlo Moholy-Nagy was a Jewish-Hungarian painter between 1895 and 1946. He worked as a lecturer in the Bauhaus school. His work is considered as part of the Constructivism movement. Constructivism originated in Russia from 1919 until around 1934, artist and architects rejected the idea of "art for art's sake" instead used art as a practice directed towards social purposes.

In CHX Laszlo has drawn four shapes and then surrounded them within the space using four geometric lined grids. This gives the illusion of them being suspended within the space. The environment appears infinite.
The main shape comprises two Z shaped bubbles connected by a rectangular textured box the top Z is misshaped to appear reaching upwards. The other three shapes can be described as rectangles warped into position and the corners rounded, they sit in three different corners of the page.

The grids do not follow the same horizons; each one is adjusted according to its shapes direction. As you focus on each different shape, I find you naturally twist your head so can view it on its natural plain. This I feel is the main contributor to the shapes appearing within their own space.
Only the three primary colours have been used, however their strength is altered. The most prominent is the red that almost surrounds the main shape. At first sight I would describe it as a bleeding texture. Prominent in the centre and them equally diffusing at the edges in a splutter of fragmented but soft droplets. As it spreads to wards two of the other shapes it curls around their edges as if affected by them.

The red also combines with white to make the streaky pattern within the main shapes box. Pictured like a zebra stripe or a scientific magnified image of a voluntary muscle found in human biology books. The pattern doesn't fit with the overall themes of constructivism, adding form to the almost scientific study.

The bottom Z is coloured yellow with the red blotching its bottom corner. The top Z is coloured white with a deep navy blue lining the top right side diffusing across to the white side. Blue is also found with top right box contained within a curved block.

I think the most influential colouring within the image is the yellow surrounded by the larger red. This creating a Simultaneous contrast effect and propels the yellow shape away from the page to create an illusion of its direction. This is them emphasised by the misshaped top Z the top corner which is misshaped and highlighted blue which gives the illusion of it propelling upwards.

Overall the image is a brilliant example of a successful study into the form and colour can be simplified to explore space and volume.

Designer Analysis - Riley Bridget

Riley, Bridget

Cataract 3

Bridget Riley is a painter from London who work was recognised since the mid 1960's. Her work has been associated with the Op Art movement. Optical illusions are abstract images. The interactions between the pictures plains are manipulated to create the illusions. The viewer is entertained by their understanding and what they are actually seeing. Illusions include movement, flashing, swelling, warping, hidden images and patterns. Mainly in black and white, Riley is on of the front artist who progressed with colour.

It is our own vision and human ability to see that makes exploring techniques within this movement so interesting, the retina for example records colour input differently as it receives the different light inputs. Manipulating this can create an interesting study.

In Cataract 3 waves horizontally drawn across the page by combining a wide arc with a very steep front to create hills sliding down the page in a south east direction. A uniform sequence with no mistakes.

Initially a black and white colour pallet is apparent that alternates between each block of wave. However within the image there is a red tinge diffused vertically and subtly across the eye line. The back turns more to a grey, then both initial colours make room for a new red line that echoes exactly the same movement. The intensity of the red changes, I think it has been mixed slightly with a black to change it's darkness as it gets closer to the top and bottom of the eye line. Resulting in an assimilation contrast.

Initially the images may remind the current generation of a faulty computer inject printout where the ink is low that gives red colour interruptions.

The artist has limited herself to a few elements a basic lines and a pattern. She therefore arguably has to be creative to produce a painting.

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Colour interaction
(i) Simultaneous contrast
When one area of colour is surrounded by another area of a different colour. Initially it enhances the difference in brightness and/or colour. Also if the surround area is larger or more intense than the area it encloses, then the contrast is out of balance, resulting in exerting one of the colours.
(ii) In successive contrast.
One colour is viewed and then another, achieved by shifting fixation from one colour to another.
(iii) Assimilation contrast
The lightness of white or the darkness of black may seem to spread into neighbouring regions. Similarly, colours may appear to spread into or become assimilated into neighbouring areas. Resulting in neighbouring areas appear more alike

Designer analysis - Schiele Egon

Schiel, Egon

Seated Woman with Bent Knee

Egon Schiele was an Austrian painter during the early 19th century. His work has been associated as part of the expressionism movement that originated in German at the start of the 20th century. The ideals of expressionism are to present a subjective perspective, distorting a subject for emotional effect, promoting a response and ignoring the physical reality. I think this movement description is important in analysing this piece of his works.

The painting is a portrait of a young and beautiful woman, as titled; she is seated in an informal position with her knee bent on the ground. Her head resting upon it as she loosely curls her arms around her leg. The other leg opens out her body position exposing herself. This accompanied with the head facing towards the artist expands the woman's body language and allows the viewer to feel engaged with the subject.

Many of her features suggest personality traits of a vibrant, adventurous, unafraid, and mischievous person; distinctively her short, thick, uncontrollable, bouncy, albany curls.

Her facial expression is serious but also flirty. The raised eyebrows and pouting lips contribute to the erotic salutations but it is the gaze that is most exciting, I feel as if her wide eyes are almost asking a question and demanding the answer. This gaze could feels almost threatening.

The body proportions aren't exact. the neck is elongated and her legs and hips look larger then a normal perspective, this allows her body to sit comfortably in the lounged position.

The pallet is purposely limited in the painting upon the white background. The colour is focused on the orange albany hair, the turquoise green sleeveless top and black leggings. The rest of the image is comprised of her pale cream skin, muffled white shorts and unpainted shoes. The only other colour focus point is her red lips.
Upon the bright colours of her hair, top and leggings, the brush strokes are exaggerated almost scraped onto the canvas creating dense, long, thick irrigated lines.

The softer parts of the painting have mainly, unnoticeable brush marks. Her skin has instead a blotchy texture of occasional browns and albans creating blemishes, dirt marks or shading, giving an unwashed finished. The shorts look almost unpainted the outlines are a strong array or thin lines and the fill is merely a white speckle.

The two colour differences create a balance between the positive and negative spaces in the image. if the figure had been entirely finished it would not seat into the background comfortably.