Art History essay writing

A space that displays the world’s monsters

I recently visited a contemporary art exhibition at the Carlos Museum. Emory’s campus museum does a fantastic job of featuring enlightening artists who share unique stories. I have seen posters for a show And I Must Scream for the past month and the title stuck out to me. It seemed like a creative approach of confronting political world issues. I connected with the exhibition much more than I expected. As a mixed-media artist myself, multidiscipline shows are always captivating to me. This exhibition featured photographs, sculptures, paintings, drawings, and site-specific instillations. The complexity of the works highlighted the difficulty of the issues addressed. I also was touched by the decomposition of the term ‘monster’. This exhibition depicts monsters in a much more dynamic and complex way than I would have ever imagined. And I Must Scream: The Monstruous expression of our Global Crises is a major exhibition on show at the Carlos Museum during the Winter and Spring of 2022, curated by Hellman. It features work from ten local, national, and international contemporary artists. These include: Adjovi, Yoeu Ali, Bandoma, Esslinger, Ganzeer, Luger, Mejri, Selesnick, Shonibare, and Monteiro. Later, I will comment on Adjovi, Yoeu Ali, Esslinger, Selesnick, Shonibare and Monteiro’s works. The show can be sectioned into three parts: the first room that featured Yoeu Ali’s instillation, the second room that had Esslinger and Selesnick’s works, and a darker room that featured Adjovi’s art and had panels of the show’s statements.

If this exhibition does one thing, it creates monsters. It features many different kinds of monstruous forms that confront crises. The show illustrates five scenes: corruption and human rights violations, displacement, environmental destruction, pandemics, and renewal. The statement states the ‘monsters [are] of our own making (…) monsters are captivating yet horrifying’. The figures in the show are bluntly grotesque. They’re created from what belongs to us and artificial waste. By definition, monsters are therefore horrid beings with bad intentions. This show played with a word that is overlooked and elevated it. The exhibition illustrates monsters to be the consequences of humans’ actions and a supernatural eerie force. As I walked into the first room of the show, I was immediately submerged into confusion. There was a visual, its sound, photos, murals, an instillation, and mannequins. It felt as if I was in the world of the photos or the film. A large red-orange figure stretched and turned across the room. It was Yoeu’s Buddhist bug that represents the path to healing. Its color radiateed across the enclosed room and somewhat echoes the sounds. On the walls, there were photos that captured the bug in common places. The bug was a costume of an older women. She faced the camera and was surreal. The film that was projected mirrored the two fabric mannequins. They themselves were anonymous monster-like large-scale creatures. Shonibare in these, references Goya’s eponymous Colonization of Africa. She mixes European textile and African fashion. This section illustrated monsters as excluded creatures. As I reached the second room, the theme was much more somber. Its objective was to illustrate the ‘pandemic and environmental destruction in a personal way’. The works present were murals by Esslinger and pigment prints by Selesnick and Shonibare. The two patchwork murals contrasted the portrait pigment prints, yet they had an ominous effect. The murals were made from beads, fabric, and patterns to mimic ‘virus like instillations. They were overwhelmingly colorful and had possibly nine layers. In addition, there were surreal photos by Shonibare and Selesnick that were symbolic and haunting. They featured wondrous animals and undefined characters. In one of the photos, there is Constitution-derived writing in French. Moreover, there were five of Monteiro’s prints. The artist sought to show the destruction of the planet by embodying it by a female “imposing” and “zombie-like” monster. Anonymity Prophecy #11 showed the destruction of technological equipment. Prophecy #2 illustrated the oil spillage. Prophecy #8 embodied ocean trash. Prophecy #5 echoed a sense of fantasy by a partly metal figure. And lastly, Prophecy #4 was a portrait of her by a rocky shore. Each photo was distinct, yet had the same jarring effect. The artist played with movement and natural elements. This part of the exhibition showed monsters to be ambiguously bad creatures. The evilness was more in relation to the space around them. The last set of rooms was even more morbid. One of the statements said its theme was the denouncing of humanity to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was complemented by the black walls and its open space. Works featured were mixed media portraits, murals of babies and skulls, and a poem and portraits by Adjovi. The portraits represented death, destruction, and the enemy. Adjovi’s works were set apart in another room. The poem was titled ‘My Name is Malaika Dotou Sankofa’. It was written in a simple manner and its Anaphoras of “I am” created a sense of Ethos. Adjovi had complementing portraits of a black man with large colorful and traditional wings. Each photo depicted scenes where he was in common places. Yet, he was absent in the last photo and there was an empty office and splattered vibrant watermelons. It was oxymoronic how colors created fear. In this room, it was clear that the theme ‘monster’ was appointed to actions of humans. The theme of monstrosity is something that’s created by a multiplicity of events and actions.

I believe this exhibition was successful in catching the eye of its audience. Its audience is possibly Emory students and local artists. They are individuals who are distant, yet active in relation to social issues abroad. Regarding its design, it was dynamic. Although it was overwhelming that the show was composed of many artists and mediums, it was all complementing. Each room addressed one of the five themes. Drama was created by the white and black walls and the higher the viewer moved through the show, the more engaged they became. The enclosed space, with no windows, added suspense. In regards to improvement, the first room was a little confusing. I spoke to the assistants about there not being any reference to the audio playing in the background. I personally, believed it could have been a voice over in English of the statements. Overall, I enjoyed this show very much and would suggest it to anyone who’s curious about world issues.

Cold playfulness, where form contradicts meaning  

Historically, sculpture is employed to honor figures or complement works of art. Farlowe’s bench sculpture is a captivating work of art as it contradicts this. The public artwork Emory bench sculpture was made by Horace Farlowe. It was created between the years 1933 and 2006. The context that it was made in was 100 years after the foundation of the university. The structure is made out of Georgia marble and is placed on Fishburne Drive, Baker Woodland. It is roughly eight by four feet in dimension. This site-specific work is made up of three rectangular slabs, topped with two circles, and placed on four circular pillars. It is composed of circles, rounded and flat rectangular white marble slabs, and a cylinder. Some of the shapes are conventional and others are unique. The shapes of the slabs and bases are more complex than generic squares and circles. Contrast is shown through the mix of rounded and flat surfaces. The public artwork is unique as it is abstract and not figural. It gives importance to simple shapes. The sculpture is made out of smooth and pale white marble. Its material reflets any light shining on it. It is also intriguing that the choice of marble is durable, yet dainty. A point of contrast is an etching on the middle slab. Its meaning is abstract. Solid figures and material oppose its exposure to nature. Farlowe’s bench is striking for its shape, medium, and placement. The shape contradicts the medium of the sculpture. Its abstract form and placement are also intriguing. In addition, its interactive form, as a bench, draws the viewer in.

This sculpture is as refined as it is bold. Its medium is rich, yet its form can be viewed as less sophisticated. It is mostly used in architecture and sculpture to display grandness. Marble alludes to Baroque art, chapels by Bernini, and Roman churches. It is a representation of wealth and is used to illustrate the divine. Usually, it is used in sculptures of divine or heroic figures. In opposition, the rounded form of the circles and pillars is playful. The artist wanted to give importance to figures of less significance. Therefore, I can classify this work as similar to Minimalism or Formalism. The sculpture is placed near the main entrance of Emory University, a busy, yet quiet place. Surrounding there, is a woodland that is remote from campus. This choice is influential as it is at the center of viewer’s attention, yet is distant to the core of campus. On the one hand, it contrasts the wild nature of the natural space. On the other, it is made out of Georgia marble, that like the forest, embodies the geographical location of the artwork. In another way, it mirrors the playground that is on its right-hand side. The first couple of times I viewed this work, I thought it represented children playing on a balancing structure. Then, my perception changed and I viewed it as a mathematical and physics related structure. It can allude to gravity and suspension physics rules. On the other hand, its architecture is quite abstract. It represents geometric shapes. This allows for interpretation and larger meaning. The artwork represents balance. This is represented through an arrangement of shapes. Furthermore, the sculpture is a clash of medium and shape, placement, and meaning. These elements make it unique. It can be interpreted as children playing, a physics representation, or as an abstract work. The nature of this artwork is an installation piece. Therefore, its interaction with the space around it is as impactful as its content. The fact that it is named a bench invites the viewer to interact with it. I have seen the public use it as a bench. It seemed accommodating and as if it could fit about 4 people. One of the shapes even resembles a pillow. The purpose of the bench is to bring people together, or possible evoke tranquility. The choice of a marble abstract sculpture near a wild environment evokes contradictions. As simple as this artwork is, it raises mystery. Farlowe seemed to want to create a work that draws the viewer in. It embodies what a public artwork is supposed to do: complement its environment, yet stand out. The sculpture can be interpreted in many ways. I wonder about the meaning, choice of medium, choice of artist, and placement of the piece. What makes public art fascinating is that what matters is the interpretation of the viewer. It is made by an artist for the greater public.

Artists’ use of color as a method of expression:

extension of meaning and depth

In the creation of an artwork, attention to color is crucial. Color not only has a symbolic significance, but a formal one. Three works from three different periods during the 20th century, show this. I will be focusing on a photo by Samuel Fosso, a postcolonial artist from continental Africa, then a painting by the European Abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky, and finally an Abstract Expressionist painting by Jackson Pollock. These artworks demonstrate that color in an artwork facilitates expression.

Samuel Fosso’s use of color makes certain elements stand out. These elements illustrate how his identity is as natural as it is material. Colors therefore help express identity. Fosso is a studio photographer from Cameroon and Nigeria. Most of his work consists of self-portraits. This intimacy allows him to be bold. One of his objectives is to illustrate his African roots. The creation of art is therefore a method of resistance and expression of his identity. The work, The Chief who Sold Africa, made in 1997, alludes to collage style and is direct. It belongs to a series of photos that mirror African photographers. This photo depicts Fosso, himself, sitting on a throne and looking directly at the camera. The frame contains symbolic elements, such as colorful traditional African patterns, sunflowers, and leopard furs. The photo has colorful and bright attributes. In this work, Fosso’s use of bright objects help him reflect his identity and tell the story of his life and a world that is as natural as it is artificial. Cat furs, flowers, and his naked body allude to the natural world. On the only hand, the jewelry and throne evoke a contradiction. The artist is covered in bangles, sunglasses, necklaces, and rings, which allude to wealth and the material. The statement of the photo seems to be African riches. Moreover, the choice of not wearing shoes, yet posing next to them, shows defiance. He is accepting the material world, as much as he rejecting it. Fosso poses for the viewer and forces them to judge his appearance.

On the other hand, Wassily Kandinsky is an artist that is known for his use of color as a means of abstract expression. He is a Russian painter that belongs to the European Abstraction movement from the early 20th century. His work, Composition VII, produced in 1913, makes use of colorful geometric forms to evoke dimension. This series contains painting that are continuations of each other. This seems to be one of his most colorful works. This painting is representative of the Abstract movement as the work focuses on form and expression rather than meaning. Though this work is not formally symbolic, the focus is more on its form. The layers of shape and color add a sensation of eternal dimensions. This painting is filled. The acrylic paint colors that are most prominent are blue and red, primary colors. In addition, there is a variety of colors, including teal, ochre, light pink, purple, and bright pink. Abstract shapes are delimited by thin and thick black strokes. Kandinsky proves that shape and color can have an important influence. He painted in many directions, alluding to a spiral. Moreover, the themes depicted are indefinite. Abstract interpretations include a criticism of the material world, illustrations of biblical and natural allusions, and an allusion to The Fall of Rebel Angels, made in 1562 by Bruegel. Therefore, Kandinsky blurs the line between art that is symbolic and formal.

Similarly, Jackson Pollock’s paintings evoke a sense of movement. Yet, his gestural stokes imply life within the works. Abstract Expressionism refers to new forms of abstractionism in the 1940s and 1950s. Pollock’s splatter paintings, a series from the 1950s, are synonymous to the movement. Pollock expanded the meaning of Abstractionism. Abstract art refers more to its creation than effect. He emphasized the act of creation. The acrylic piece, one: Number 31, produced in 1950, contains splatters on a beige paper. The colors used are be black, white, ochre, green, and blue. This painting embodies the Abstract Expressionism movement. This period of art sought to continue to push the boundaries of art creation. Art became more individualized in a way, conveying unique expression. This painting has a formal significance. Pollock strived for creation of expression. His meaning of the term expression alludes to a representation of himself in a specific moment. The strokes made are acts of spontaneity. The influence of the colors is within their lines. The painting is abstract to the viewer and to the artist. The viewer’s perception therefore is even more unique.

The use of color can be effective in numerous ways. These three works demonstrate how it can be used as a means of expression. One work proves how color can help emphasize certain elements depicted, and two works prove how color helps form expression. Therefore, color is a means of expression symbolically and formally.

[ Fosso, The Chief who Sold Africa, 1997

 Kandinsky, Composition VII, 1913

 Pollock, One: Number 21, 1950 ]