The first order of business is the Homage to Kurt Seligmann. Steven has already mentioned in a post here about this tribute exhibition that is being held in Orange County to honor Kurt Seligmann. Seligmann was not a collagist, but instead a major player in the growth of surrealism. He did paintings, etchings....and he was an inspiration in all things surreal. Jonathan Talbot asked me if I would like to participate and of course it happens when I am so busy that I can barely find the time to meet the challenge.
I had such a hard time with this. I am rarely asked to to anything specific, and I really enjoy my art freedom, portraying whatever subject I want and whenever I want! I took this project on like I was a student in my own Design class. It's HOMEWORK! I had a deadline, and I had specific objectives I had to meet. I struggled a lot with it. I am an all or none type of gal, so I either wanted to re-create his piece of make it entirely mine. In the end, I came to a compromise with myself. I would set up some restraints, like Matthew Barney in his series Drawing Restraint.
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| Seligmann's painting |
I picked one piece that fascinated me both in visual and intellectual content. The piece Acteon was a painting (and I think he also did a variation in an etching) that Seligmann did depicting the tale of Ovid. The person was turning into a deer and being devoured by his hounds and his environment. Cool! The theme was right up my ally. I chose to follow Seligmanns lead both in color set and object placement. Even these simple rules made me crazy, but in the end I triumphed and completed this piece.
It hangs next to Steven's in Orange County. I look forward to going down and seeing this exhibit in person next week!
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| Acteon |
will open on March 15th, 2012.
The Reception will be on Friday, March 30th, from 6 - 7:30 PM
2 comments:
I didn't realize the piece was modelled after a painting by Seligmann. I liked the piece before I knew that; now I like it even more! It's a great piece! I suppose it is important for us to have "homework" once in a while so that we remember what the students might be going through when we ask them to do things for our classes ;-)
HA! Indeed, only this experience didn't stop me from assigning homework!
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