Speaking in Metaphor

Of all the tools utilized in artwork, (written, visual and/or auditory), metaphor is my favorite. This is because not only does it employ symbology (see previous posts), but it often makes the statement or message much stronger than it would have been, had it been stated in a more straightforward manner. "Metaphorical thinking can be used to connect an image and an idea". (Stewart, 2012, pg. 167). This is the simplest depiction of the role of metaphor in artwork, but on a more profound level it can express emotions, longing, and passion perhaps the most strongly of any other artistic tool, while also being one of the most integral to the essence of the artwork. Consider the picture below. The image of the universe, although not stated explicitly, is a metaphorical representation of the author's thoughts, or mind. Thus, it depicts not merely a single fleeting thought, but an absolute infinite consumption with the person stated in the phrase.

Beautifully Alive

I love Stewart's (2012) comparison of the contrast between the two words anesthetic and aesthetic. As touched upon briefly in the previous post, language can convey a lot of the present day culture's symbology and subconscious processes through its structure and composition. The words anesthetic and aesthetic are separated only by a single letter, however, their definitions are completely opposite in meaning. An anesthetic "is used to induce insensitivity or unconsciousness". (pg. 169) It numbs us and deprives us of feeling. An aesthetic experience, on the other hand is characterized by, "enhanced feelings and expanded understanding". (pg. 169). Thus, the simple, yet profound reason we seek out and find ourselves attracted to beauty is because it makes us feel alive. The simple act of being an artist who creates a beautiful piece of art, is one of the most enlivening experiences on the planet.

Symbology- Language of the Subconcious

Iconography; Literally "describing images". The study of symbolic visual systems. (Stewart, 2012, pg. 159).

Symbology has been around just about as long as humanity itself. Cultural, historical and even psychological references are subtly imbued in otherwise meaningless icons and convey trends and values associated with a given time era and/or culture. Thus, iconographic artwork is rife with messages, only because of the widespread meanings assigned to those images. Below, is one of the most common pieces of iconographic artwork in our modern day culture. Instantly, regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, etc. the viewer is familiar with the individual in the painting, even though it is not explicitly stated. Interestingly, if we were detached from our present day culture and the history of that culture, all we would see is a random man.

Consumerist Propoganda

This poster I created is a reflection of the subtle psychological repercussions of capitalism on the psyche of our collective culture. With a predisposition to judge others according to their possessions, we oftentimes become consumed with the idea of creating an identity for ourselves rooted in the materials we accrue over a lifetime. Rather than thinking for ourselves we become consumed with the constant flow of advertisements, the reputation of certain brands, and what our belongings convey to others about who we are. In order to truly experience life and think critically about the world around us and the meaning of our personal lives, we must break out of this mind set and stop being so consumed with this materialistic lifestyle.

The Power of Change

Ideas are interesting things, they are malleable, complex, and have potential to be insightful. We don't always notice how powerful change can be, especially when incorporated into artwork, but with just a few tweaks to the background and/or nature of the art piece, a whole new idea can be portrayed. Stewart (2012) states, "any compositional change affects the conceptual impact of an artwork." That's right, even the miniscule, last minute changes make a difference. The below artpiece is a reflection of how conceptual variations can influence artwork. By adding the turning gears it gives the mind a mechanistic, almost robotic quality.

More than the Sum of its Parts

Art is like a puzzle. The pieces by itself may not be particularly meaningful, or even look like anything at all for that matter, but placed together in the right sequence, it can become something spectacular. Stewart (2012) suggests that oftentimes it is better to look at art in terms of its conglomerate parts while in the constructive phases, rather than as a whole, so as to avoid creative paralysis. (pg. 132)I can attest to this concept as it applies in writing also. When composing a novel it is difficult to envision how every scene will fit together to convey the overall plot line most effectively, but if instead you only focus on the individual scene you are writing, then eventually it will find a way to come together sometimes even more perfectly than you imagined.

I chose this art piece below because you can clearly see that the artist constructed the image piece-by-piece to create a captivating image of a young girl, who looks like she has a fascinating tale to tell. However, if the artist had become too fixated on the end product, the artwork might not have turned out so beautifully.

Art with a Message

The 21st century is ripe with socio-economic-political issues. Art is one medium to express dissatisfaction with the current zeitgeist and propel the audience into action. A successful artist connects the audience not only with the piece at hand, but with the deeper meaning of the artwork as it relates to the subtle idiosyncrasies of the current dystopian elements of our world. I love political art that pulls people out of their comfort zone and asks them to question the cultural norms that seem so natural and real to us. Only then can we more objectively examine the fish bowl we reside within.

Stewart (2012) describes this type of artist as an artist with conviction. "Creative people value existing knowledge. Since new ideas are often derived from old ideas, it is foolish to ignore or dismiss the past. However, creative people also love change. Never satisfied with routine answers to familiar questions, they constantly consider new possibilities and often challenge the status quo." (pg. 129).

I'll let the following example speak for itself. Does it make you question a lifestyle you believe is natural or normal?

Etc...

This piece is an abstraction of the word Etc.

Etc. is an abbreviation which can have nearly endless implications, so with this piece I wanted to portray three different scenarios or possibilities. The first is a flowery, artistic abstraction, the second has sharper edges and is composed of arrows implying directionality. The last letter reminds me and the Yin and Yang symbol and is a bright reminder of the variety of life and shapes in the world.I would have liked to do more with this piece, but this is the second rendition of my original piece which I like a lot better, but am not fully satisfied with. If given more time, I would have experimented more with the background colors and would have made the E and possibly T more abstract. This piece was created using the stroke, paintbrush, borders, gradient, rectangle, and spray can tools in Illustrator.

The Power of Creativity

We are often told as children to stop daydreaming, get our head out of our clouds, and pay attention in school. This is part of the process of robbing us of our imagination (see previous post), and one in which none of us are completely immune to. As time progresses we learn to learn what we are taught by our parents and school; passively receiving and regurgitating information, and basically ignore our nonsensical childish whims.  However, there is untapped potential in creativity. It is what makes us human, what makes us unique, and what equips us to be instigators of change. Curiosity prompts us to explore our world, question what we are taught, and genuinely enjoy the experiences we encounter. Stewart (2012) describes a good designer as one who brings an insatiable curiosity to each project. I truly, genuinely hope that humanity, has a resurgence of curiosity and imagination, because ultimately, I believe it would make our world a more beautiful, interesting, and exciting place to live.

Divergent vs. Convergent Thinking

"Convergent thinking involves the pursuit of a pre-determined goal, usually in a linear progression and through a highly focused problem-solving technique," (Stewart, 2012, pg. 117). 

"In divergent thinking, the means determines the end. The process is more open-ended; specific results are hard to predict." (Stewart, 2012, pg. 119).

I really don't want to go off on a tangent on this post, since this issue is one which I feel strongly about, so I will do my best to be short and concise. There is nothing inherently "right" or "wrong" about either of these forms of thinking, however, if we have too much of one or another it can lead to psychological and/or societal consequences. I believe the reason modern society is so intrigued with literature, art, and film which portrays divergent forms of thinking is likely due to the strong pressure in many facets of our social lives to exhibit ONLY convergent thinking. For instance, creativity is only encouraged so long as it falls neatly into socially acceptable forms (for example: in STEM disciplines, whereas creativity in artistic or social disciplines is mostly ignored, or at least not highly esteemed).

Art is a beautiful medium of expression because it forces us in many respects to think divergently, drawing on our own thoughts and ideas rather than someone else's.

I highly encourage anyone that hasn't, to watch this phenomenal Ted Talk by Ken Robinson, illustrating in more depth the complex issue I've mentioned briefly above.

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity

How abstract is abstract art?

I'm going to be a bit of a devil's advocate here, because, as mentioned previously, I'm a psych major by trade. The subject matter I'm going to address is one that, in a way, is rather humorous to me; abstract art. I know some people derive a great deal of satisfaction from abstract art, but some of it just seems silly to me. I remember when me and my now-fiance first started dating I stumbled across an abstract painting that looked like someone had just gotten pissed off and thrown random splatters of paint across a canvas. But, for whatever reason, he seemed to enjoy it.

Here's where my psychoanalytic though-process comes in.

The mind, by definition, is an organization-initiating mechanism. It makes sense of things. So to create something with no definitive purpose or explanation, is that really true artistic ability, or careless lack of inspiration? Or, on a deeper level, perhaps a portrayal of subconscious processes, which then, would give it a meaning? And, if the piece does indeed mean something tangible to the artist, does that make it any less abstract? Or, would it make it less abstract if the viewer knew about the purpose behind the seemingly random strokes? Or is it simply up to interpretation?

Hmm...

Stewart (2012) states "regardless of the initial motivation for their work, both artists and designers constantly scan their surroundings in an omnivorous search for images and ideas. (. . .) The most improbable object or idea may inspire motivation." (pg. 114).

So, perhaps, abstract art is simply the unlikely interpretation of an improbable idea. At least, that's the best definition I can come up with.