Adventure with Hunter Art Gallery

Adventure with Hunter Art Gallery

George Segal's "Couple on Two Park Benches" is non-objective and is nothing out of the ordinary. The artist took everyday events like a man and a woman getting together and talking and made an interesting piece of art out of it. The medium is bronze with white petina and metal benches. It took four years from the beginning to come into existence. Plans were started in 1985 and ended with casting in 1989. The Hunter Art Gallery purchased the piece with help from the Art Acquisition Foundation. George Segal has another similar piece entitled "Three People on Four Benches." It is similar and life sized in comparison to "Couple on Two Park Benches." Segal's works are said to be strong and subtle and his painting talents come through in other works. It is possible that this could work to his disadvantage in the eyes of the viewer. Other times it does not matter as much. He captured the norm in this particular piece and the public does not seem to have a problem with it. While there, people kept coming up to the artwork, getting photographs of it or with it. It is on an outside wing of the museum overlooking the Tennessee River. The artist is also known for painting and drawing.

"Couple on Two Park Benches" photographed by Marlene Bell

Deborah Butterfield's "Boreal" is a representational piece. It's kind of abstract and modern all in one piece. The piece is representative of a horse and appears wooden at first glance. It is said to never judge a book by its cover. Upon further examination we find this piece is made of bronze, with petina added, just as Segal's piece has. It was purposely made to look weather beaten. Just to the right of it the walking bridge is in view, which adds to the beauty of this piece. Again, this was purchased by the Hunter Art Gallery (no outside help known).

"Boreal" photographed by Marlene Bell

In comparison, both pieces have a laid back and relaxed feel and/or atmosphere about them. The horse is looking downward, as if it is grazing and the woman on the bench has her legs crossed with the man's arm proppe up, as if engaged in conversation. The park benches leave the thought that the two are at a park enjoying their day. Both pieces are part of everyday life. They are complementary to each other and are made of the same materials. People love talking and getting out of the house, as well as engaging in activity like riding horses. People and animals have always been together.

In my experience, I absolutely loved both pieces. The "Couple on Two Park Benches" was the favorite. The reason being, I like being around other people. Getting back to the topic, the overall experience was pleasant and the way the piece is set up no one has to be afraid to come up to it and touch it. People of all ages, young and old, can sit with the plastered couple and rest or have a picture made.

For the "Boreal" piece, the overall experience was one of pleasantry and curiosity. The horse peaked the curiosity because a horse like that (and that large) had never been seen before. I didn't pay close enough attention to detail while there, admittedly, because I didn't know until doing research for this that the horse was bronze and not wooden. The date for "Boreal" is 2001.

Please note that all of the pictures submitted were taken by me and proof of having been there is in the fact that my son and one of his buddies appear in the pictures. We went earlier in the season when the weather was a little colder (probably fall) as indictated by the bare branches on the trees next to the "Couple on Two Park Benches" and the fact coats are worn.

Unidentified piece photographed by Marlene Bell

Windup car in the Hunter gift shop

Works Cited

Glueck, Grace. New York: New York Times, 1984. Accessed September 16, 2014.

           http://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/27/arts/art-george-segal-s-plaster-people.html.

Hunter Art Gallery. Accessed September 16, 2014. http://www.huntermuseum.org/.

Mawrtyr, Hannah. New York: Tumblr, 2014. Accessed September 16, 2014.

           http://likeagrapefruit.tumblr.com/post/46535477201/wethecommon-deborah-butterfield-boreal.

Reflective Analysis Pictures

Reflective and Comparative Analysis

Visiting the Hunter Museum is always an enlightening experience that provides the guest with a spectrum of visual art in a causal and contemporary manner. I never feel pressured to be dressed to the nines when I go, relaxed in my gallery explorations and discoveries. The rift between the surreal and the realist perspective is complicated and lengthy The objective piece I chose was the painting, Il Mostro, by Tony Scherman. The face's gaze is what caught my attention from across the Hunter's gallery. The eyes are full of emotion, glazed and grey, raising questions about the memories of the being in front of me. The sheer size and completeness of skin tone on the canvas' surface is intimidating, overwhelming, and endearing all in a moment. The cools present in the work along with the warms and association of an assumingly live human's face are intriguing to me and make me feel empathy for whoever the mystery being might be. The fact that the facial features are centered compositionally and that their enormity is so apparent is what makes the work humbling. The grey eyes and furrowed brow allow the viewer to presume the being to be apathetic or at least melancholy but I subconsciously project my own fantasy of what their life consisted of. I create my own whirlpool of emotion as I stand in front of the stare on the canvas. Scherman's use of expression and the idiom of his paint marks were particularly interesting to me. The colors available in this piece are similar to those one would find in the human anatomy with flesh tones, reds, and blues, creating a volume. The color combination helps allow the viewer to have an almost social connection with the painting, as I did viewing it from across the room.

 

            Tony Scherman, Il Mostro, encaustic on canvas, 1998

 

            In contrast to the humanistic endeavors of II Mostro is Richard Hunt's Untitled in the main gallery hallway. Hunt takes organic shapes and arranges them in an unrecognizable manner in the pieces that I saw at Hunter. His work is almost typographical in form, keeping his compositions in mainly black and white, high contrast forms. The linear forms here are sporadic but planned, and these lines complete a composition worth studying. This piece isn't as emotionally provoking as Il Mostro but is visually intriguing. I really enjoyed the shapes my eye found within the composition and the pleasurable anxiety that my brain recognizes in the chaotic repetitions. This raises questions about what the artist was thinking or feeling when composing the piece. I thought that the cold black and white composition was a comparable difference to the seemingly alive Scherman piece. The disparity of line and design in this piece allows the viewer to make their own assumptions about what the work means instead of having an immediate association thrust upon them. I was especially interested in the layering work that both artists displayed, either through paint or lithography, creating depth and density in their pieces. I really enjoyed the opportunity to visit the Museum again and encounter as well as interpret these artworks and those to come.

 

Richard Hunt, Untitled, lithograph, printed in brown-black on Arches, buff, 22/25, 1978

Selfie

Two be honest..

         I have to be honest this was my first time visiting the Hunter Museum of American Art. And I was somewhat nervous because most of the art museums I have visited in the past I found intimidating. But the Hunter Museum was quite and empty when I visited and for some reason I felt comfortable to roam alone without feeling like I was in the way of another visitor's view. I appreciated the silence so I could focus in on each individual work of art. There were so many different kinds of pieces as I went from room to room, I became disappointed that this was only my first time visiting the Hunter Museum. I look forward to my future visits. 

Whenever I really like an artist's work I can automatically tell because I am pulled to it. I feel the gravity of the piece and I do not want to move. I have to force myself to walk away from the painting and take in other pieces. 

Robert Henri (1865-1929) Pet, (1927) oil on canvas

The first painting that grabbed my attention was Pet by Robert Henri. I think it might of been the color of her cheeks, but what's funny is I thought it was a little boy until I read that the painting was also known as Wee Annie Lavelle. I think I love the idea of children more than I actually love children to be honest. Childhood is something I think we as adults idolize, the days before we lost our innocence. So what grabbed me, about this painting, might have been due to the fact that somewhere in history children were expected to act as adults. And while this little girl has a serious tone on her face you know she still has her innocence. Simply due to the fact of her age, the age I would love to go back to. It may be because currently I am a junior in college and wondering where the time went, but for sure I loved taking in the view of this painting. 

You could tell the paint was laid on thick and I love that you can sense where the brush made its mark. I love the texture a paint brush leaves on a painting. I understand certain techniques require a smooth texture but I personally prefer to see what the artist used to create something wonderful. This painting is obviously representational because it is a portrait. A painting that focuses on the face can hold a lot of emotion or assumption. I think Henri did an excellent job with this because he made the little girl's face the focal point of the canvas. You can tell by how he used the light to draw the viewer's attention there first before they noticed anything else about the painting. By light I mean warm colors, which he frames with cool colors. This is where I will tie in my abstract painting in comparison. The use of warm and cool colors together in one space helps define the piece. 

George Cress (1921-2008) I-75, (1970) acrylic on canvas

Originally I thought I was going to choose a different abstract piece but then saw this while wandering on my way out. At first I thought it was a butterfly and then I thought it might be a girl dancing? But then once I read the title my whole view changed, I can see maybe a busy road disappearing into the hills in the distance. 

Yes this painting is mostly cool colors but so is the Henri, although in the Henri you are directly pulled to the warm colors on the canvas. In this abstract painting the lines pull you more to the triangular shape in the front. Which is actually what I thought was the butterfly wing. The warm colors to the left are what I thought could be a girl dancing. This is where my eyes went second after looking at the painting. I think it is important to pay attention to what draws the eye in each piece you look at because when you try to describe it to someone else that is the part of the puzzle you should describe first so that they can picture it the same way you did yourself. 

Both these pieces have in common that they are each a painting and each on canvas. But the realistic Pet is done with oil paint, giving Henri the opportunity to work on it at different times and still have it be wet while he is painting it. From my own experience oil paint blends more so on the canvas than acrylic. Acrylic paint kinda has to be layered on top of itself which is good because if you mess up you can always paint over it once it dries. Acrylic paint dries considerably faster than oil paint. The textures of each of these paintings are unique when compared to each other. You can tell that the Cress is done in acrylic paint because it does not have the same glossy finish as the Henri. 

Overall I really did enjoy my visit to the Hunter Museum, I love the variety of works that they have there. I am not sure why but when I think of "American Art" I think of maybe folk art or southern landscapes. That's just the first thing that comes to mind. But like when you view a painting once you read the title or actually go inside the museum your whole assumption can change. I made my assumptions on the paintings based on what I saw and how they made me feel when I visited them in person. The pictures don't really do them justice.  

And of course I could not leave without taking my selfies! 

Alli Taylor

To be honest...

         I have to be honest this was my first time visiting the Hunter Museum of American Art. And I was somewhat nervous because most of the art museums I have visited in the past I found intimidating. But the Hunter Museum was quite and empty when I visited and for some reason I felt comfortable to roam alone without feeling like I was in the way of another visitor's view. I appreciated the silence so I could focus in on each individual work of art. There were so many different kinds of pieces as I went from room to room, I became disappointed that this was only my first time visiting the Hunter Museum. I look forward to my future visits. 

Whenever I really like an artist's work I can automatically tell because I am pulled to it. I feel the gravity of the piece and I do not want to move. I have to force myself to walk away from the painting and take in other pieces. 

Robert Henri (1865-1929) Pet, (1927) oil on canvas

The first painting that grabbed my attention was Pet by Robert Henri. I think it might of been the color of her cheeks, but what's funny is I thought it was a little boy until I read that the painting was also known as Wee Annie Lavelle. I think I love the idea of children more than I actually love children to be honest. Childhood is something I think we as adults idolize, the days before we lost our innocence. So what grabbed me, about this painting, might have been due to the fact that somewhere in history children were expected to act as adults. And while this little girl has a serious tone on her face you know she still has her innocence. Simply due to the fact of her age, the age I would love to go back to. It may be because currently I am a junior in college and wondering where the time went, but for sure I loved taking in the view of this painting. 

You could tell the paint was laid on thick and I love that you can sense where the brush made its mark. I love the texture a paint brush leaves on a painting. I understand certain techniques require a smooth texture but I personally prefer to see what the artist used to create something wonderful. This painting is obviously representational because it is a portrait. A painting that focuses on the face can hold a lot of emotion or assumption. I think Henri did an excellent job with this because he made the little girl's face the focal point of the canvas. You can tell by how he used the light to draw the viewer's attention there first before they noticed anything else about the painting. By light I mean warm colors, which he frames with cool colors. This is where I will tie in my abstract painting in comparison. The use of warm and cool colors together in one space helps define the piece. 

George Cress (1921-2008) I-75, (1970) acrylic on canvas

Originally I thought I was going to choose a different abstract piece but then saw this while wandering on my way out. At first I thought it was a butterfly and then I thought it might be a girl dancing? But then once I read the title my whole view changed, I can see maybe a busy road disappearing into the hills in the distance. 

Yes this painting is mostly cool colors but so is the Henri, although in the Henri you are directly pulled to the warm colors on the canvas. In this abstract painting the lines pull you more to the triangular shape in the front. Which is actually what I thought was the butterfly wing. The warm colors to the left are what I thought could be a girl dancing. This is where my eyes went second after looking at the painting. I think it is important to pay attention to what draws the eye in each piece you look at because when you try to describe it to someone else that is the part of the puzzle you should describe first so that they can picture it the same way you did yourself. 

Both these pieces have in common that they are each a painting and each on canvas. But the realistic Pet is done with oil paint, giving Henri the opportunity to work on it at different times and still have it be wet while he is painting it. From my own experience oil paint blends more so on the canvas than acrylic. Acrylic paint kinda has to be layered on top of itself which is good because if you mess up you can always paint over it once it dries. Acrylic paint dries considerably faster than oil paint. The textures of each of these paintings are unique when compared to each other. You can tell that the Cress is done in acrylic paint because it does not have the same glossy finish as the Henri. 

Overall I really did enjoy my visit to the Hunter Museum, I love the variety of works that they have there. I am not sure why but when I think of "American Art" I think of maybe folk art or southern landscapes. That's just the first thing that comes to mind. But like when you view a painting once you read the title or actually go inside the museum your whole assumption can change. I made my assumptions on the paintings based on what I saw and how they made me feel when I visited them in person. The pictures don't really do them justice.  

  

And of course I could not leave without taking my selfies! 

Alli Taylor

Buddy Blog

JERED SPRECHER

Memory Device Memory Device, 46" x 36", oil on canvas, 2013.

 

Memory Device Memory Device has a very technological feel to it. Most of Sprecher's work has a digital and it is the processes behind his work that gives us that feeling.  The strokes he uses for his background colors align with the idea of components or hardware in a computer.

            It is an interesting contrast between the representational image of the bird and the conceptuality behind making the brush strokes to imitate. It's also interesting the careful detail Sprecher used in creating a boarder around the image of the bird, but he deconstructed it with aggressive marks coming from all directions.

            Multiple themes seem to be happening such as the idea of nature verses a digital age. There is a sort of melancholy tone to this piece when it is represented in this fashion.

Color choice in Memory Device Memory Device is set as a gradient that gradates warm and cool colors; this evokes a feeling of cohesiveness in the piece. 

Robert Motherwell

Gesture 1, color, sugarlift, aquatint, 1976

 

Motherwell's piece is very indicative of process and materials. Simply naming it Gesture 1 creates a narrative of the artist's gesture; the big centralized gesture is then mimicked be small outlining gestures, which truly makes this piece non representational. It makes the viewer wonder if this was a full body gesture of something delicately done with simple hand gestures and techniques.

There also seems to be tension in this piece with the decision to make the composition this cropped piece of something that was obviously larger.

Comparatively the styles of paintings are very similar; both are very gestural.  And have an ethereal unreal feel to them. The colors of Gesture 1 are especially representative of this because of the earth dark tones.  Delicate detail is in both paintings as well. These details are very different between the paintings; Sprecher's detail is in emphasizing the birds with color and texture while Motherwell's painting emphasizes on composition and small splatter marks within the piece.

Buddy Blog Post 1

JERED SPRECHER

Memory Device Memory Device, 46" x 36", oil on canvas, 2013.

 

Memory Device Memory Device has a very technological feel to it. Most of Sprecher's work has a digital and it is the processes behind his work that gives us that feeling.  The strokes he uses for his background colors align with the idea of components or hardware in a computer.

            It is an interesting contrast between the representational image of the bird and the conceptuality behind making the brush strokes to imitate. It's also interesting the careful detail Sprecher used in creating a boarder around the image of the bird, but he deconstructed it with aggressive marks coming from all directions.

            Multiple themes seem to be happening such as the idea of nature verses a digital age. There is a sort of melancholy tone to this piece when it is represented in this fashion.

Color choice in Memory Device Memory Device is set as a gradient that gradates warm and cool colors; this evokes a feeling of cohesiveness in the piece.

Robert Motherwell

Gesture 1, color, sugarlift, aquatint, 1976

 

Motherwell's piece is very indicative of process and materials. Simply naming it Gesture 1 creates a narrative of the artist's gesture; the big centralized gesture is then mimicked be small outlining gestures, which truly makes this piece non representational. It makes the viewer wonder if this was a full body gesture of something delicately done with simple hand gestures and techniques.

There also seems to be tension in this piece with the decision to make the composition this cropped piece of something that was obviously larger.

 Comparatively the styles of paintings are very similar; both are very gestural.  And have an ethereal unreal feel to them. The colors of Gesture 1 are especially representative of this because of the earth dark tones.  Delicate detail is in both paintings as well. These details are very different between the paintings; Sprecher's detail is in emphasizing the birds with color and texture while Motherwell's painting emphasizes on composition and small splatter marks within the piece.

 

Simpson_Buddy Blog Post

           

JERED SPRECHER

Memory Device Memory Device, 46" x 36", oil on canvas, 2013.

 

Memory Device Memory Device has a very technological feel to it. Most of Sprecher's work has a digital and it is the processes behind his work that gives us that feeling.  The strokes he uses for his background colors align with the idea of components or hardware in a computer.

            It is an interesting contrast between the representational image of the bird and the conceptuality behind making the brush strokes to imitate. It's also interesting the careful detail Sprecher used in creating a boarder around the image of the bird, but he deconstructed it with aggressive marks coming from all directions.

            Multiple themes seem to be happening such as the idea of nature verses a digital age. There is a sort of melancholy tone to this piece when it is represented in this fashion.

Color choice in Memory Device Memory Device is set as a gradient that gradates warm and cool colors; this evokes a feeling of cohesiveness in the piece.

 

Robert Motherwell

Gesture 1, color, sugarlift, aquatint, 1976

 

Motherwell's piece is very indicative of process and materials. Simply naming it Gesture 1 creates a narrative of the artist's gesture; the big centralized gesture is then mimicked be small outlining gestures, which truly makes this piece non representational. It makes the viewer wonder if this was a full body gesture of something delicately done with simple hand gestures and techniques.

There also seems to be tension in this piece with the decision to make the composition this cropped piece of something that was obviously larger.

 

            Comparatively the styles of paintings are very similar; both are very gestural.  And have an ethereal unreal feel to them. The colors of Gesture 1 are especially representative of this because of the earth dark tones.  Delicate detail is in both paintings as well. These details are very different between the paintings; Sprecher's detail is in emphasizing the birds with color and texture while Motherwell's painting emphasizes on composition and small splatter marks within the piece. 

BLOG POST 1

Chloe George

 

Pink Debris is what I would consider to be a non-objective piece. There are no recognizable figures or forms, just very abstract geometric shapes and organic lines. I really enjoyed the bright shapes contrasted with the more muted brushstrokes in the background. They create a noticeable but beautiful tension within the piece. Observing the relationship between the shapes and the background was really interesting, and trying to recognize a concept behind such an abstract piece was challenging. When a piece is so abstract, things can seem random and unorganized, but it seems like every one of Chenoweth's marks are intentional and well thought out. There is a balance between the two bold lines, centered by the pink shape.

 

 

Pink Debris (top)  Jan Chenoweth (b. 1945)

acrylic and latex on panel

photographed at the Hunter Museum of American Art

 

 

 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I Think That There is Just Too Much Negative Space in the Sky is extremely representational. Rosenblum posted her photographs on social media and incorporated people's critical comments on the work into her pieces. As an artist, I think that being able to acknowledge the criticisms that your work receives is very important. The fact that Rosenblum recognizes them to the point of incorporating them into her work is not only humorous but also respectable. I appreciate the fact that she has a very deeply thought out conceptuality behind her pieces. The piece itself is also visually appealing content wise. The use of complimentary colors and the offset balance between the open sky and clouds creates a really interesting relationship within the piece.

 

 

 

I Think There is Just Too Much Negative Space in the Sky  Diane Rosenblum

photograph 1/5

photographed at the Hunter Museum of American Art

 

 

 

Both Chenoweth and Rosenblum's pieces are incredible and are very different composition wise, but I think that they both share the fact that they are very abstract in their own ways. Out of all the pieces in the Hunter Museum, these two caught my eye because they both take very individual approaches to their pieces. Representational art and non-objective art differ greatly, but both should be recognized and appreciated for their individual elements. I think its fascinating how contemporary art has evolved and become so diverse to the point of almost being unrecognizable and difficult to pinpoint in comparison to styles of the past. The horizons of art are broadening, and I am excited to watch it evolve even more over time.

JERED SPRECHER

Memory Device Memory Device, 46" x 36", oil on canvas, 2013.

 

Memory Device Memory Device has a very technological feel to it. Most of Sprecher's work has a digital and it is the processes behind his work that gives us that feeling.  The strokes he uses for his background colors align with the idea of components or hardware in a computer.

            It is an interesting contrast between the representational image of the bird and the conceptuality behind making the brush strokes to imitate. It's also interesting the careful detail Sprecher used in creating a boarder around the image of the bird, but he deconstructed it with aggressive marks coming from all directions.

            Multiple themes seem to be happening such as the idea of nature verses a digital age. There is a sort of melancholy tone to this piece when it is represented in this fashion.

Color choice in Memory Device Memory Device is set as a gradient that gradates warm and cool colors; this evokes a feeling of cohesiveness in the piece.

 

Robert Motherwell

Gesture 1, color, sugarlift, aquatint, 1976

 

Motherwell's piece is very indicative of process and materials. Simply naming it Gesture 1 creates a narrative of the artist's gesture; the big centralized gesture is then mimicked be small outlining gestures, which truly makes this piece non representational. It makes the viewer wonder if this was a full body gesture of something delicately done with simple hand gestures and techniques.

There also seems to be tension in this piece with the decision to make the composition this cropped piece of something that was obviously larger.

 

            Comparatively the styles of paintings are very similar; both are very gestural.  And have an ethereal unreal feel to them. The colors of Gesture 1 are especially representative of this because of the earth dark tones.  Delicate detail is in both paintings as well. These details are very different between the paintings; Sprecher's detail is in emphasizing the birds with color and texture while Motherwell's painting emphasizes on composition and small splatter marks within the piece. 

​ There is an idea that history is like a pendulum—it swings from one extreme to the other while rarely stopping in between. Art has undergone many pendulum swings in its time—one of the most significant swings was the transformation from purely realistic, representational art to entirely non-objective art. I feel that contemporary artists are finally able to find a space in between those two extremes, and I found that at my visit to the Hunter those were the pieces that I connected to the most.  Despite my instant connection to pieces that incorporated aspects of abstraction or non-objection with a more realistic style, I also found specific pieces that used pure realism or non-objection that were also fascinating to me. 

For example, George Cress's painting, I-75, was extremely interesting to me. The dynamic and organic brush strokes that Cress uses is fascinating—an approach that is difficult to use in realistic art to such a striking degree due to the difficulty of keeping a realistic portrayal with such organic, overwhelming marks. His use of color is also striking due to the combination of vibrant, highly saturated hues. He subtly keeps these colors under control by using a version of a limited palate despite all of the colors. Cress keeps the colors under control by using mostly highly saturated yellows, reds, blues and greens.

George Cress, 1-75, 1970, acrylic on canvas, photographed in situ at the Hunter Museum of American Art

The careful separation of colors also keeps this piece from becoming a nonsensical combination of colors or visually mixing to a dull brown. When viewing this painting I loved the dynamic sense it captures with every color, mark, and the general composition—what kept me studying it longer was the surprising sense of depth, control, and design one continually discovers in it even though it first appears to be a random assortment of marks and color.

On the other side of the style spectrum sits Bo Bartlett's, The Babysitter. This painting has a sense of energy created by the overall style of the piece, realism covered with a soft, glowing light, paired with its provocative, high-tension content. It is interesting to compare to Cress's piece—both hold a strong sense of energy or tension but these energies are created by completely different formal decisions and styles. What captivated me most about this piece was the contrast of the high tension between girl—her intense, almost condescending glare and the questionable content she suggests—with the overall soft, inviting feel of the painting. Also like Cress's painting, this painting reveals more layers the longer you study it—you discover seemingly inviting scene is made out of mostly contrasting reds and greens that only add to the tension, note the clothing of the girl to resemble a school uniform, and notice details such as her awkwardly placed feet and clenched together knees. 

Bo Bartlett, The Babysitter, 1999, oil on linen, photographed in situ at the Hunter Museum of American Art

Although both of these pieces kept me studying them for several minutes, my favorites, and not surprisingly most similar to my own style, were the pieces that combined abstraction, non-objection, and realism to create an extremely interesting and dynamic final composition. For example the realistic figures in Hung Liu's Pullman interacting with the compositionally fascinating background that uses abstraction and a strong sense of negative space.

Hung Liu, Pullman, 2004, oil on canvas, photographed in situ at the Hunter Museum of American Art

Besides works that combined realism with non-objection the pieces that drew in my attention were pieces that, intentionally or unintentionally, especially engaged the viewer. For example, the enormous pieces like Pullman that towered over you. There were a surprisingly large number of works that somehow engaged the viewer's own reflection in the Hunter this visit. These included several works with mirrors or shiny, reflective surfaces as well as a few that unexpectedly and unintentionally involved the viewer's reflection.

For example in Robert Motherwell's piece, Gesture 1, the dark black of the ink marks paired with the glass of the frame created an unintentional interactive and reflective aspect to the work.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of all the different styles I found at the Hunter and remembered how striking the combination of representational and non-objective can be—a useful observation to apply to my own work.

Lydia Fogo

Robert Motherwell, Gesture 1, 1976, color, sugarlift, aquatint, photographed in situ at the Hunter Museum of American A  

Fwd: blog

Portrait with Red Chair

&

 Scintillating Blue

Homer Boss

Portrait with Red Chair

1920

Oil on canvas

          In Boss' painting, he depicts a black haired woman sitting in a red chair. In the background is a red, blue, and green wallpaper. Everything in the composition blends together naturally with the exception of the red chair. The red chair is painted with sharp lines and definite strokes, giving it the chair an almost cartoonish feeling.

          The woman's features are exaggerated and harshly outlined while everything within the outlines is beautifully blended with a variety of muted colors. This gives the painting a feeling of contradiction with acceptance.

          The lady is in a relaxed hunch and stares off into the distance as if she's by herself, disinterested in anything and indulged in her own thoughts. It gives the viewer a sense of curiosity.

 

​

Hans Hoffman

Scintillating Blue 38-30

1956

Oil on canvas

 

          To some people, this painting may just look like a bunch of paint smeared on  a canvas, but if you look throughout the painting and let your eyes meander their way, you see a variety of layers, texture, brush strokes, and color combinations. The piece comes off as very fun and experimental. For me ( someone new to oil paints) it's a very easy piece to relate to.

          As you look at different parts of the painting you gain more familiarity with it. Although there's an abundance of blues in the painting, there isn't  really any set color scheme, and color you could imagine makes an appearance. It's a very fun, playful, almost whimsical piece. There's no sense of direction with what the artist intended which leaves a sense of openness to the viewer.

 

           For me, I can appreciate both of these pieces equally, just from a different perspective. Portrait with Red Chair is a representational composition which you would think would be more straight forward, but instead leaves you with an endless list of thoughts and efforts of trying to put yourself into the composition. Scintillating Blue is an abstract composition exploring a medium. I can automatically appreciate the playfulness of this piece without over thinking it.These are two very different pieces, done equally well, with separate effects.

 

 

Here's a selfie to prove I went to the Hunter.

​

Cassidy C. 

Re: Reflective and Comparative Analysis

Anne Daniels

​

Pullman, oil on canvas, by Hung Liu, 2004. (2nd photo) 

 

         When I first saw this representational painting, I was drawn in immediately. I could probably sit down and look at this painting for hours. The dripping of paint, and the beautiful textures of light oranges and yellows really intrigued my eye. As you look at it you see circles, which contrast the shapes of the men's heads. My eyes moved from left to right, following the two linear marks towards the men. The men seem to be pulling an object of some kind. The object you can't see or know because the focus is on the two men's figures and how they are positioned. You can tell the object is a lot bigger and extremely heavy beings the way they are leaning forward, indicating force. I love his different use of strokes and manipulation of the oil paint. He uses it in a wash like look coming down from the figures and in the background, and then he uses the gestural marking throughout the entire piece.

I really like how Hung Liu places a picture of an interesting and very decorative glass vase in the painting. The vase being so random makes you think about what exactly is the true reason behind it being there. I see the two men representing the hard work of perhaps slavery and the simple vase as a small but representation of how slavery doesn't define their humanity. The vase is a symbol of life, how very precious life is. How anyone can come by and push the vase over and instantly the vase will shatter. I see that the heavy force the men use will be their downfall if they push themselves to far, they will be like the shattered vase. Going back to the dripping of paint, it could contrast how the men are deteriorating as they pull this heavy object behind them. The dripping is their sweat, blood and tears.

Around the Clock with Red, acrylic on canvas, Helen Frankenthaler, 1983. (1st photo)

 

         I really like this abstract painting. Whenever I would come into the Hunter prior to this assignment, I would always sit in front of this piece and look at it. I don't exactly know why I found this specific painting to be so interesting but it really moves me. I love the colors and the different value and hues of reds. I really love how there are no exact brush marks, it all flows really nicely with bold hints of the dark magenta colors. I like the random lighter areas as well. This piece really attracts the eye and every time you look at it you find something new. Even now as I am observing my picture for this post I can see new little pops of color and marks. I didn't read what the meaning behind this painting was because I didn't want it to alter what I see but I feel that it was produced out of expression. I see lots of different layers and movements. By the title I can imagine this painting being a time effort piece since it was done in acrylic, it had to be applied quickly since acrylic dries rather fast.

 

After digging deep into both of these paintings, non-representational and representational, I found it very interesting seeing what they had in common in the end. Both Helen Frankenthaler and Hung Liu used very expressive brushstrokes and gestural marks. The way they both captured someone's interest; allowing the eye to go back constantly seeing a new object was remarkable to me. They also showed signs of layering in their work but using different mediums. I enjoyed looking at both of these paintings. They really moved me.