Falling Landscape IV

The first piece of artwork I've decided to write about is "Falling Landscape IV" by Evon Streetman and was created in 1994. It was roughly the same height as me, and was nearly 4 feet wide. It was a large piece, which was wonderful for exaggerating the features and details. The medium used was cibachrome, which is a positive-to-positive process used to reproduce film transparencies on photographic paper.
I think "Falling Landscape IV" was the most beautiful piece in the entire museum, and I enjoyed looking at each detail within it. The piece consisted of floating leaves, covering a background of deep blue water. There were many bubbles, and different types of fall leaves cascading throughout the image. There were also a few flowers, which
resemble cherry blossoms. An interesting details is the reflection of water droplets on the closest part of the image. These water droplets appear to be condensation, as if the water was outside of a window. The leaves appear to be floating in a pond, but once I made that observation it appears that the water is on the other side of glass which is facing the viewer.
The piece contains lots of repetition, from how the leaves were placed to the size of the bubbles throughout the photo.
Repetition is also exhibited in the placement of the condensation on the glass. There was also a lot of emphasis on the bubbles because of their white contrast against the blue water. The use of emphasis continues throughout the placement of the leaves on the other side of the glass as there are no overlapping leaves.There is asymmetrical balance, as well as no implied lines. The illusion of space is shown throughout the entire piece as the glass overlaps the image, and the leaves cover the water. There is obviously leaves and foliage in the farther point behind the image, and the flowers seem to be in the same level as the leaves on the piece. Some of the leaves appear to be larger than others, so I perceive them as closer. Value is used heavily through the piece. For example, the water appears much darker near the bottom of the photo. So, the top appears to have light cascading into it. You can see light shining through tree branches, and the bubbles within the water. Color is also a wonderful addition to the piece as it gives it a fall feeling. The leaves are all fall colors, and the water appears to be a deep
blue.
This piece was placed in "Framing Nature". Surrounding it were other pieces which showed the beauty and elegance throughout nature as the artist planned to portray it. This piece was similar to the others as it showed the beautiful sight of nature. I thought this piece was interesting because it was not photoshopped. The artist used many different techniques throughout her career, and created her art in darkrooms. They are "painstakingly arranged and layered". Her inspiration came from her rural childhood. The photo is just enjoyable to look at. I thought of how nature connects, and intertwines. Trees sink their roots into soil, and are nourished by the cold water they receive when it rains. Nature corresponds with each other, and this piece makes me think of the way the each part of nature works together to create something beautiful. Each leaf came from a tree which took years to grow. And each flowers bloomed with the help of rain and soil. It's fascinating how Streetman portrayed each plant and leaf as something beautiful-as it is meant to be. It evokes a powerful emotion concerning the current state of our environment. I feel as if the artist was trying to portray how beautiful nature was, but it is sad because of how quickly our planet is being soiled by selfishness. I love this piece, and think it was meant to carry a heavy meaning. The next piece I've chosen is titled "Old Man's Cloth" by El Anatsui. It was created in 2003, and is nearly the same size as the whiteboard used in a classes. The piece was created using aluminum and copper wire. It was made from bottle tops, and liquor bottles. The tops were flattened and then tied together using kente cloth.
This piece was huge! It covered most of the wall's surface in the museum, and was wonderful to look at. From far away, it really appears to be a large piece of cloth that has lapping pieces and folds. When looked at closer, you can tell each piece of the "cloth" is made from bottles, cans, and bottle caps. I thought at first they were pieces of CD because of how shiny the metal is, and then when we moved closer I was amazed at how complex the piece is. I can appreciate how long I'm sure the piece took to make, and I love the complexity of the colors used throughout the display. While the display was too big to look at every inch, the bottom was around eye level so you are able to view the pieces of metals used.
Repetition is heavily used throughout the display, as the pieces of metal are placed in lines along each other. Countless pieces of cans and caps are used, and placed in a way that creates a complete piece of "cloth". There are folds and jags in the metal scraps that help to portray the intended appearance of cloth. Contrast is used in the piece as well when only some pieces are folded against each other, reflecting the pieces that lie flat against the wall. These folds are isolated from the other parts of the piece. The piece is asymmetrical, and shows no balance. The folds are unpredictable, and random. The texture of the metal seems to be smooth from a distance, but up close it looks sharp and reasonably grungy. I could tell the intended vibe was to be dismantled, or dirty. Illusion of space occurs as the folds overlap each other, covering parts of the display and revealing or emphasizing others. Finally, the value is interesting – there is natural shadow cast under the folds of the metal but light is reflected and shows colors changing and cascading at different angles. The colors are random, but mostly a dingy yellow.
I believe that the pieces were placed together to reflect a prominent idea-"Contesting Terrain" shows many stories about politics, poverty, and the areas of the world many do not get to experience.
"Old Man's Cloth" fits in perfectly with the other pieces as it presents a thought-what do I take advantage of? While I was walking through the exhibit, I noticed a common theme. Many of the people within the pieces experienced poverty. They were cold, hungry, and dirty. But each child seemed happy to be alive, and fascinated by the camera held in front of their faces. Their fascination sparked a bit of curiosity I did not have before seeing "Old Man's Cloth". What could this piece possible aim to portray? Dirty bottles which once held liquor, things that people view as trash was transformed into an interesting piece displayed in a museum. I believe the piece was meant to portray poverty, and especially the underlying problems with waste. "In the Los Angeles area alone, 10 metric tons of plastic fragments—like grocery bags, straws and soda bottles—are carried into the Pacific Ocean every day" (ecowatch). How can we waste so much and watch our world get torn away by the variable we created? This piece helped me realize the amount of waste that each household produces. I believe if others realized the message this piece conveyed, many people would make an effort to change their amount of
waste.