Although there is an expectation for dramatic improvement as far as the senior thesis is concerned, I found the first critique to be both lacking and unhelpful this early in the semester. While I can confidently say that there is a improvement in my quality of work and more of a focus on the direction of my thesis, I don't believe I have had adequate time to produce the work to properly convey my ideas.
I was able to talk through my concept, which was a big release because it forced me to put into words the direction I am going. Masculinity is still the core of my thesis. I want to complicate it, use elements of queer culture and non-normative masculine display in order to articulate and create a space within art for masculinity that falls between hyper-masculine, machismo and drag, camp and kitsch. I am not trying to create kitsch. Unfortunately, I did not feel as though the giant penis I am painting is able to be read as something other than comedic at the current moment (it is the first piece to an installation i am working on for thesis). That said, I do not feel as though critiques are effective from my peers. Either I have had class with them already, they are disturbed by my work or they cant look past the fact that i am a faggot (i prefer faggot to homosexual, it is more aggressive and less clinical sounding). I do understand that most students are not interested in queer culture, but I would appreciate some feedback other than "the colors are nice" ask me questions, I would love to educate and help me make a clearer statement. If you do not understand my work, ask me, i would be glad to answer and address issues of clarity in future pieces.
To be fair, I do believe I talked to much during my critique to let anyone interject. I did learn that my work is provocative on the plus size, as a negative, it reads as more comical and less serious, please help and give suggestions.
I am interested in the double meaning of language, particularly the language of representation.
abstract vs representational painting
"straight' masculinity vs "gay" masculinity
feminism
deconstructing painting/essential elements of painting
A FUCKING REALITY CHECK, SERIOUSLY WAY TO FULL OF MYSELF, now is your chance to give me a piece of your mind :P
look forward to comments!
Howe, Leslie A. "Self and Pretence: Playing with Identity." Journal of Social Philosophy 39.4
ReplyDelete(2008): 564-82. Print.
This is a reading I did for my thesis with identity. It delves into a lot of things you are studying with your thesis. Amazing read!! It covers play as another world where one can try out different self identities, but more importantly for you it studies gender play and the points it makes are very well written.
As for your critique, I thought you worded yourself very strongly and that there was no need for for giggling. There is a difference between painting "a giant dick" and painting a statement that depicts a type a journey of discovery, looking for some meaning. That is how your style and painting reads, nothing funny about it. The way you suggested rotating the painting to deepen the meaning and advance the meaning was brilliant.
I think you are working on something very meaningful and you are going about it very successfully.
I spent a lot of time thinking about what you said in regards to “turning the male gaze upon itself” and found it very clever, especially since the male gaze and being subjected to it is such a prevalent topic and theme throughout the history of art. I feel that you spoke very well about exactly you are trying to achieve, but based on the paintings that were shown I am not sure I would immediately get that from your work without hearing you speak about it. However I do not find the work to be kitsch at all. I cannot say I have ever really heard of anyone trying to tackle such a topic with their art, to complicate masculinity, and I really enjoyed it, especially your references to Abstract Expressionism, which is supposedly the ‘epitome’ of masculinity. I feel that you have an extremely solid, as well as complicated idea by how you spoke about it and I am interested in seeing your development in the greater expression of this notion.
ReplyDeleteI've talked with you a lot about your concepts after this first critique and I think that even though it wasn't the most beneficial critique you are now allowing for more conceptual ideas to be incorporated into your work. You are very well spoken and can explain and discuss your art with anyone, however I think that it's very big step in the right direction to be allowing your art to speak more for itself in a more subtle way. I am always more than excited to see what you produce!
ReplyDelete