Project # 11 Looking At and Talking About Art

 

"Architecture and Morality" Oil on panel by Glenn Brown

Oil painting by Anna Kincaide

"South African Antoinette" Acrylic painting by Olaf Hajek

"Overgrowing Emptiness" Photograph by Moritz Aust

As an instructor, I have found that one of the most important parts of learning about art is observing and talking about it.  Whether it is a critique in the classroom or looking at and talking about the artworks by professional artists.  It is all about observation and critical thinking.  Observing someone else's artwork and talking about it can teach you a lot about your own artwork.

The four artworks above are very similar in that they all could be called Flowerheads.  All of the artists used part of the human body and flowers covering all or part of the head as their subject.  There are similarities but there are also a lot of differences.  Look carefully at each one and think about or discuss with someone what the similarities and differences are.  

Here are some questions to help you out: 

What is the overall mood of each artwork? 

Three are painted, how do their styles differ?

Can you see the face of the person?  What do you think that means?  How does it make you feel?

One is a photograph?  Do you think the photograph has been manipulated?

What message do you think each artist was trying to convey?  Explain why you think that. Position of the person? Colors? Background? Other elements in the artwork? The style that it was painted or photographed?