Haunting

Happy Halloween everyone!

Experiments With Symmetry

The other day I was at my friend's house and we were watching skiiing videos. I had never actually sat down and watched one before but when I did, honestly, it was so amazingly beautiful. So I decided I'd experiment with symmetry with skiing footage. Tom, thank you for exposing me to such things!

Must Be The Feeling

Swim in the sea • Kiss someone you love • Listen to music • Sit on a sandy beach • Count the stars • Drink chai in a nice place • Relax like never before • Camp outdoors • Sit by the pool • Get high • Cook a meal for friends • Sing loudly into the night • Eat avocado • Eat fish and chips from the paper • Dance without inhibitions • Forget Your Problems • Make a hungover breakfast for friends • Take photographs • Drive somewhere far away • Fall asleep in the arms of someone you love • Have a picnic • Watch a sunrise • Watch a sunset • Laugh with your friends • Get drunk

Sand In Your Pockets and Nothing On Your Mind

Do Not Come To Give Me Council, You Should Beg Forgiveness

Damien Hirst

How on earth did I pass up researching Damien Hirst until just now when I've been working with skulls? It truly defies logic. However now I shall. Hirst's 'For The Love Of God' is essentially a skull covered in diamonds. It cost £14 million to produce and the later asking price when it was exhibited was £50 million. This would make it the single most valuable piece of art sold by a living artist. Hirst has used the symbolism of a skull, connoting death and created something beautiful. He has made something extravagant from something which is representative of the absolute nil of a human. I find this interesting. I hope to create something more from the skulls I use than simply a representation of death.

References

Hirst, Damien. 2007. "For The Love Of God: The Making Of The Diamond Skull" California, Other Criteria/White Cube.

Diane Arbus

Diane Arbus was a photographer who primarily documented people. She was known for her black and white square photographs. She was also known for her photos of the 'freaks' in society, those who are marginalized by the community around them or those people who she felt has a 'surreal' kind of reality to them. She aimed to document people as they were, not as flattering reproductions. They lead you to want to know more about what is happening, find out the story behind the person. She obviously has a knack for finding intriguing characters in society.

When looking through her works it is obvious to me that she also had a fascination with relationships. Much of her work consists of pairs or groups of people. They also seem to focus on the similarities they have with each other using symmetry (although somehow flawed).

Her use of the square photograph format allows her to explore her subjects with symmetry without artificially editing afterwards. Perhaps I will attempt to use this sort of method as a continuation of my current work.




References

Arbus, Diane. "The Photography of Diane Arbus" Accessed June 2, 2011. http://diane-arbus-photography.com/

Bosworth, Patricia. 2005. Diane Arbus: A Biography. New York: W.W. Norton.

Lee, Anthony W and John Pultz. 2003. Diane Arbus: Family Albums. Kansas: Yale University Press, in association with the Mount Holyoke College Museum of Art and the Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas.

Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali's "Metamorphosis of Narcissus" is a perfect example of a flawed type of symmetry. Dali is obviously using symmetry in this work to draw attention to the similarities between the two forms. He also mainly uses reds, blues and yellows, in a more detailed way than I have but it is a similarity nonetheless. Obviously, being a part of the surrealism movement, the images depicts a dream-like landscape. It uses symbolism to create a narrative. In my work lately, the symbolism of skulls and other icons related to death and such have become very apparent. I think this is where, if anywhere, meaning will be derived.

References

Rojas, Carlos. 1993. "Salvador Dalí, or The art of spitting on your mother's portrait" Pennsylvania, Penn State Press

Maurits Cornelis Escher

M. C. Escher (1898 – 1972) was an illustrator who used symmetry (sometimes slightly flawed symmetry) to create highly effective pieces of art. Using black and white he used symmetry to create dream-like surrealist worlds with extreme skill and precision. My drawings and photos, although lacking in the realism displayed in Escher's works, use symmetry to suggest the surreal and use familiar images to estrange the viewer, also known as the uncanny. I think these works are successful because of the impossible nature of the things pictured, Escher brings to life what couldn't be brought to life in reality.



References

Cornelis Escher, Maurits and Doris Schattschneider. 2004. "M. C. Escher: Visions of Symmetry" New York, Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

Cornelis Escher, Maurits. 2001. "M. C. Escher, The Graphic Work" Cologne, Taschen Publishing.

José Guadalupe Posada

José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) was a Mexican engraver who used skull iconography within his most well-known works, his 'calaveras'. Within these works the skeletons generally assumed different costumes, many specific to Mexican culture and religion. His images were mostly satirical in nature and critical of Mexican government however after his death his images have become associated with the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos also known as the "Day of the Dead".

His line work is much like mine although I simplify my images much more. His modification of skull iconography is similar to my work, adding familiar imagery to interest the viewer.

References

Ades, Dawn. 1989. "Art in Latin America: The Modern Era" New Haven, Yale University Press.

Don't You Dare Give Up

Shepard Fairey

Ah Shepard Fairey, you wonderful man you. Known for his 'OBEY' sticker campaign and Obama , Fairey is an American graphic designer and illustrator. Originating in the skateboarding scene his works often use a stencil like effect reminiscent of street artist's such as Banksy and bold lettering. He has only recently been used as artist inspiration for me as I used his wording 'OBEY' in one of my latest framed works, however I changed its context. Looking at more of his work now has alerted me to other similarities between our works such as the use of block colour, especially primary colours. Fairey uses red constantly throughout his works, I have used red sparingly, however it is present in most of the works. He also uses popular culture references and important figures to demonstrate his point. In my framed work Where's Wally arms are present, in my collage the presence of Mickey Mouse ears and other popular Disney characters creates a juxtaposition and a conflict between the accepted view of Disney characters and the anger and angst portrayed within both works, one portraying symbols of death and mystery, the other of anger, conflict and religion.





References

Fairey, Shepard. "OBEY GIANT - WORLDWIDE PROPAGANDA DELIVERY" Accessed October 13, 2011. http://obeygiant.com/.

Fairey, Shepard. 2009. Obey: Supply and Demand, The Art of Shepard Fairey. USA: Gingko Press.

Pat Perry

Pat Perry is an illustrator from Michigan, United States.He works primarily with pen, ink and paint. He's been a huge inspiration in my latest drawings. His attention to detail and painstaking skill is amazing. His use of colour is also influential to my work, using bright watercolour colours to highlight and colour his highly intricate drawings. His process is also similar to mine in that (as an assumption from his time lapse videos) he sits and does one piece at a time all in one large block rather than beginning to draw, stopping and then coming back to it. A vital difference between our work however is scale. Although Perry does do small scale works he primarily does large scale images. This is something I would definitely consider moving into in the future however at the moment I feel that university does not permit it time-wise. His works have a surrealist dream-like quality to them which I also rather enjoy and endeavor to recreate in my work. I have been blown away by these drawings, I honestly cannot believe his skill and imagination.



References

Danilo. "Surrealist Artworks by Pat Perry" Accessed October 13, 2011. http://koikoikoi.com/2010/04/surrealist-artworks-by-pat-perry/

Perry, Pat. "P@ Perry" Accessed October 13, 2011. http://www.patperry.net/.

Perry, Pat. "P@ Perry- Blog" Accessed October 13, 2011. http://www.patperry.net/blog/.

Philip Taaffe

Although working in painting Taffe's work shows the same obsession with symmetry as is shown in my own. I really enjoy this work because of the pure aesthetic nature of it. It's pretty. His attention to detail and colour makes for an image which, in the eye of the viewer, is next to perfect. These works, while being almost purely decorative, have a skill which is hard to see past.

A liking for the circular is also evident as it is in my works. I suppose this isn't surprising as circles are technically the most symmetrical of all shapes. The use of symmetry, repetition and colour makes these works truly successful.




References

Coen, Vittoria. 2001. Philip Taffe. Italy, Mazzotta Publishing

Taaffe, Philip. 2011. "The Official Website of Philip Taaffe" Accessed August 28. http://www.philiptaaffe.info/

Faster Than My Bullet

A collection of my latest work and stuff. I seem to have gravitated towards skulls in my search for the figurative. I think I just like them aesthetically and I can work them in lots of different styles. I can't see myself getting sick of them.

This Life Turned Out Nothing Like I Had Planned

Experimenting with video and symmetry.

Andy Warhol

Although not necessarily using symmetry within his work, Warhol's use of block colours has inspired some of my latest pieces. I love that, although not using a huge amount of detail, Warhol is able to create striking works of art. Perhaps this is the reason for their success. By using simplified shapes and colours in his famous pop art style I also hope to create pieces that instantly jump out to the viewer.I've been a long time admirer of Warhol's work and I believe he has had a great impact and influence upon my art for many, many years.



References

Queensland Art Gallery. 2007. Andy Warhol Exhibition Catalogue, 2007. Queensland: Queensland Art Gallery

Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts. 2011. "Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts." Accessed October 12, 2011. http://www.warholfoundation.org/.

Lovely Bloodflow

My 30 second video for studio! An appropriation of this 55 Diesel t-shirt design by Leif Podhajsky.

Leif Podhajsky

Sparkly from Young Magic on Vimeo.

Leif Podhajsky is a digital artist who primarily works with the concept of symmetry. I love his work, by overlapping and reproducing images within his work he creates beautiful, colourful dream-like images. His images lean towards the surreal and evoke a feeling of mystery and wonder. He has designed amazing album covers for Tame Impala, Lykke Li, Miami Horror and Gypsy and the Cat

"By mimicking different types of symmetry in nature I wish to extend to the viewer the idea that we need to pay more attention to nature as a source of life and harmony. Symmetry is also proportionally pleasing and a reflection of beauty and perfection. Art, religion, architecture, mathematics and music all use symmetry to play to these ideals. A tool for self adjustment and reflection." -Leif Podhajsky

References

Podhajsky, Leif. "Leif Podhajsky- Official Website" Accessed October 11, 2011. http://leifpodhajsky.com/.

We've seen it all, bonfires of trust and flash floods of pain

My room is relatively clean today! Yay! Only because I had some lovely people chill in it last night. We played centurion and sang to old school Black Eyed Peas (which is obviously superior to current Black Eyed Peas). It was a wonderful night!

But now that my room is 'clean' I took a few snaps of it! It's ridiculously cluttered and has no order or flow, but I love it because it's my space.