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-1Veronica Camara

MU 2313 Section 3 Introduction to the Fine Arts


Art Galleries I and II of J.C. Mitte
09/17/2010

Art Critique

While I may not have been moved to tears, or anger, or any other intense emotion
when I visited the Art Galleries I and II, I was at least captivated. The technique in the
paintings was impressive, as was the artist’s vision; the idea behind the sculptures was an
interesting one, and at the very least it made me stop and think. This art was not
canonical, but it was at least worth the visit. My three favorite pieces throughout both of
the Galleries were Monolithic Insanity by Grayson Lawrence, Face Mask, Male by
Arielle de Pinto, and Photograph of Body Bubble by Courtney Starrett.
The first piece Monolithic Insanity was a calendar-turned-emotional-fiasco that I
found very relatable and emotionally affecting. It was quirky, clever, different, and
simple. It made me feel like I had stumbled across someone’s personal journal and was
permitted to peak inside, giving me a small yet significant glimpse into their journey. It
made me consider the definition of art, because it was just a calendar with ink and
photographs pasted on, and I like that it made me think deeply about the meaning of art.
It was successful in arousing some type of emotion in the audience, and although I
wouldn’t buy it, I feel that it gave me an understanding of the human condition in the way
that emotional growth was expressed throughout the months of the calendar.
The information that accompanied the next piece that I really enjoyed described
that Arielle de Pinto’s Face Mask, Male had practical purposes, serving as an illusion to
your foe. Despite it’s deceitful appearance, the wearer of the mask can still see, though it
looks like they can’t. I thought that was pretty sneaky, and it really made me wish I had a
mask as well as a reason to wear one. I don’t think that crocheted silver and gold chain
masks are going to be the next fashion craze, or the next big thing in ANY category, but it
at least made me walk out of there thinking about chain mail and the psychology of war.
It made me consider something about human nature: without being able to see someone’s
facial expressions, a large portion of human communication is cut off. The piece ignited
questions such as “Does not being able to see your opponent’s face make it easier to hurt
them, because without facial expressions it’s almost impossible to communicate human
emotions?” I think that the message of the piece was expressed well, and that it affected
my thoughts on the subject matter for at least the day.
The next piece was in my favorite artistic medium - photography. I love
photography for two reasons: one, because photography captures a moment in time,
which is utterly amazing to me. Second, because really good portraiture has the
incredible ability to capture a person’s essence, or so it seems. Courtney Starrett’s
photograph entitled Photograph of Body Bubble was a woman encased in a silicone
rubber bubble, similar to a placenta that unborn babies are in when in the womb. This
evoked an especially strong emotion for me in particular, because my younger sister was
actually born while still inside of the placenta, which is very rare, so I immediately was
reminded of my sister and felt connected in some way to the photograph. After more
consideration of the photograph, I came to the realization that perhaps all people remain
in their own little bubble for quite some time after they are born, despite the
disappearance of the physical bubble we all burst out of at birth. For some people, myself
included, that bubble stays with us for a very long time, and even reappears later in life.
For me the photograph was a literal expression of the metaphorical feeling of being
trapped in a bubble and struggling to get out, and I really liked it.
While I wouldn’t go back to visit this same exhibit twice, I’d definitely
recommend it to any art lovers. It wasn’t art that will go down in history; but at the very
least it was art that made me think, made me feel, and inspired me artistically, and in that
sense it succeeded in the technical purpose of art.

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