Unit 3 Project: Slow Down Freight Train

Hey everyone! In today’s post I’m going to analyze a painting I saw the other day at Ackland Art Museum, the art museum on campus here at UNC. The piece is called Slow Down Freight Train, and was painted by Rose Piper in 1946. In Slow Down Freight Train, Piper is able to manifest the struggles African-Americans felt during the early and middle 20^th century by creating a feeling of sorrow through her use of neutral colors and abstract figures.

The painting is oil on canvas and is about three feet by two feet in size. Overall the scene depicted in Slow Down Freight Train is rather simple and includes few points of interest other than the African-American man taking up mostly the left side of a train car. He was clearly painted to appear abstract rather than realistic. He is sitting or crouching faced toward the viewer but his elongated neck is turned away. His face appears to be looking outside toward rolling green fields. His skin is a brownish-green and his hair black. The man is wearing a red shirt and black pants, and his left arm is holding onto some sort of tall object in front of him that hides the right side of his body. The face of the man seems mostly empty, but it could be because of the angle his head is at.

The man is in a train car with what appears to be light-colored wooden floors with boards that run vertically. On the right there’s an opening in the car, and rolling green hills and power lines can be seen. The back wall behind the man is black on either side, but in the middle there are six horizontal sections that from the top to bottom fade from a dull yellow to a dark, ugly brown. This is an interesting addition to the painting and seems a bit random and out-of-place.

The balance in Slow Down Freight Train is interesting. The man is close to the front of the scene on the left, and it looks almost two-dimensional. However, there is a more spatial and three-dimensional aspect on the right side, with the hills and power lines being the most apparent. Piper probably did this to make the struggling man the focal point of the painting.

Piper makes great use of abstract shapes and lines in Slow Down Freight Train. I feel like cubism could have inspired Piper to some extent as these elements dominate the image; she really has her own very unique style. Almost all lines seem to flow, especially the ones that make up the man. They are the only curved lines in the entire painting. These seem to represent quietness or sadness, whereas the rigid lines and hard angles of the room surrounding the man represent some type of stress or anger. This could be described as a very geometric painting, as all lines make shapes that represent shapes. What I really like about this painting is that it is abstract, but only to a degree where it is easy to see what is occurring. Some works are so abstract it can be hard for a viewer to detect what the painting depicts.

Another major element that really sets the tone in this piece is the choice of colors Piper chose to use. With the exception of the man’s shirt, all colors used are dull, neutral hues that express a sort of sadness or longing feeling. Green seems to represent growth, health, and rebirth, but because it is dulled down it seems to mean the death and despair. I described earlier how there was a section of yellow that faded downward into an ugly brown; to me this is a representation of how the man’s happiness and joy has diminished. All these colors surround the faceless man in his bright red shirt. The shirt contrasts with the dark background and his black leg contrasts with the beige floor, making him stand out from the rest of the painting. I think the red in his shirt shows an inner-anger or frustration the man has, or perhaps even love and longing for his family, as he is on the train alone. Maybe both!

It isn’t hard for the viewer to recognize that Piper created this work for a reason. Before knowing any background information one can see that it displays helplessness or sorrow. I personally like the painting; it is simple yet clearly has a deeper meaning to it. There is also an element of mysteriousness to it; it causes me to think when I see it. However, there are a few components of the piece I don’t understand or that seem random. The fading yellow rectangles is one of them; it just doesn’t please my eye and seems out of place. It could be a representation of an idea or emotion, or just simply put there because Piper didn’t know what to do with the extra space.

Overall I think that this painting is a representation of how African-Americans were treated in the early and middle 20^th century. They were given very few rights in comparison to whites at the time. The man’s red shirt and the rigid lines of the inside of the car convey a strong sense of frustration and angst, while the softer, curvy lines of his body and the neutral colors of the room express sorrow or tenderness. I do think there is a more specific meaning to it though; the title seems to encourage that idea. Piper wanting the freight train to slow down could by symbolic of something—perhaps the train is speeding into the future and the man is scared of what is to come for his family or something of the sort. Either way it makes sense in that Piper was an African-American living in the United States at this time. It’s almost like she created this piece as an SOS. The meaning of Slow Down Freight Train is surely rooted in the African American experience.

Art is a very powerful way to convey a message. Piper kept action to a minimum in her work; she was able to express her ideas through mostly just color, shape, and line. Slow Down Freight Train helps us understand how African-Americans felt at this time in history without using a single word. If you’d like to take a look and see what you think about it, look just below this post! And remember all art museums contain cool and interesting pieces, so check out your local museum sometime!

-Jake

What was Jacob Lawrence's Goal?

A piece of art does not always consist of one single painting. It can consist of multiple paintings that come together as one single piece. A piece of art can also consist of additional parts such as words and labels. Jacob Lawrence wanted to tell a complex story of a man’s life so he used multiple images and text to emphasis the complex nature of John Brown’s story. Jacob Lawrence, a twentieth century well-known African-American painter, created a series of twenty-two series of screen print paintings named The Legend of John Brown. John Brown, a white abolitionist, became a famous American figure for his lifelong strive to end slavery in the nineteenth century. Brown believed he was an instrument of God. He felt as if God had chosen him to eliminate slavery. Brown believed God was directing Brown lead attacks, fights, and killings in order to put a stop to slavery in America. These details of Brown’s life are evident in Lawrence’s artwork. Jacob Lawrence’s goal is to document John Brown’s life story through a string of paintings that show Brown’s struggle to please God’s desire for Brown to abolish slavery.

Jacob Lawrence’s The Legend of John Brown is very unique in that the piece does not consist of just a single painting, but a series of paintings as well as a written story. Each painting consists of a caption and a number as part of the medium of the art. The caption helps to emphasize the story that Lawrence is telling through his art. The text also often includes setting, such as the exact place and date, to emphasize the true historical meaning behind the art. For example, painting number 19 states “Sunday, October 16, 1859, John Brown with a company of 21 men, white and black, marched on Harpers Ferry.” Numbers are included with each painting to increase clarity. The numbers give the series of paintings an obvious timeline.

Lawrence’s medium of silk screen prints that consist of “large flat forms, bold diagonals, pure colors, and [little of detail]” that add to Lawrence’s artwork’s clarity. Lawrence’s use distinct lines and colors in all of his pieces add to Lawrence’s apparent and understandable illustration of Brown’s life. In addition, most of the frames concentrate on the figure of John Brown. Lawrence succeeds in maintaining the focus of the paintings on John Brown’s life story. There is no question in what he Lawrence is trying to depict in each of his paintings. These repeated themes of style create a recurring pattern that links all of the episodes together into one single piece of artwork.

The first piece in Jacob Lawrence’s series is labeled “John Brown, a man who had a fanatical belief that he was chosen by God to overthrow black slavery in America.” Lawrence wanted his artwork’s audience to know right off the bat that John Brown felt as if he was an instrument of God. Although this is stated directly, it is shown in the artwork itself. A man, John Brown, is nailed by hands and feet to a distinct black cross. A bold flow of red color, representing blood, comes from his ankles where he is pinned. The image is extremely similar to the famous image of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion on the cross. On the other hand, viewers could interpret this image as Jesus Christ himself, not John Brown. Regardless, the audience is initially aware of the influence of the Christian religion in Brown’s life. His painting sends the message that Brown will take any action in behalf of God, even bloodshed and death, to please and follow God’s plan for him to end slavery. The image of the cross is evident throughout the series of paintings to remind viewers of John Brown’s motivation.

The paintings continue to describe John Brown’s life story. They illustrate John Brown reflecting and praying about God’s wishes, as shown in painting numbers two and four. The reoccurring theme of the black cross in these paintings puts an emphasis on God’s influence on Brown. The paintings continue to tell the Brown’s story by showing Brown discussing his plans to abolish slavery with others, as shown in painting numbers five, six, and seven. The art’s viewers would not completely understand this concept without the captions to explain this. The story of John Brown is apparent through Jacob Lawrence’s captions as well as the prints themselves.

Painting number fourteen also demonstrates Lawrence’s goal to a large extinct. It continues the theme of solid lines, clear points, and distinction so that the viewers have no doubt on what he story he is telling. The John Brown figure is clearly the focal point of the piece. Brown is in the heart of the painting, with three definite walls surrounding him. The wall on the left shows the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus. This displays the innocence of John Brown’s actions in the beginning of journey to put a stop to slavery. The image of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is shown on the wall on the right. This, again, shows John Brown’s willingness to sacrifice himself in order to abide by God’s wishes. It gives the viewers a sense of foreshadowing that he will in the end die for this pursuit to end slavery. The center wall is painted a bold blue, to keep the emphasis on the figure of John Brown. John Brown is holding out his over a small table with a few coins as if to ask for money. His wide eyes show that he is pleading for the financial support from others. It shows his passion and his hope his strive to end slavery. The religious images on each side of him emphasize his religious driving force in his actions.

The paintings to that follow painting number fourteen illustrate John Brown’s continuing voyage to terminate slavery. Jacob Lawrence focuses on the raid of Harper’s Island in the last few paintings of the series. Paintings numbered fifteen through eighteen show Brown planning and organizing his raid, while paintings numbered nineteen and twenty show the actual Harper’s Island raid. The Legend of John Brown concludes with the death of John Brown in the painting number twenty-two. The foreshadowing of his death in the painting number one and number fourteen is confirmed. Painting number twenty two displays Brown being hung by a rope by his neck for his illegal raid on Harper’s Island.

Through his twenty-two series of paintings and captions, Jacob Lawrence tells a detailed story of the historical legend, John Brown. Lawrence successfully achieves his goal to document John Brown’s endeavor to end slavery by the direction of God. As mentioned previously, his use of distinct lines and bold colors make his images clear and easy to understand. In addition, the detailed description underneath the actual print gives the viewers an exact timeline of Brown’s life, leaving no room for uncertainty. With the help of your parents, look online to view his paintings! Do you think he is successful in his goal?

Fun Links

The Legend of John Brown, by Jacob Lawrence. 1977. http://www.arts.wa.gov/public-art/legend-of-john-brown/index.html

-Anna Perez

Feeder 3.2

Hey everyone! Today I’m going to compare an interpretation of Pablo Picasso’s famous painting, Guernica, to that of my own. Sometimes art is very straightforward and easy to interpret, other times it is deeper and has symbolic and/or metaphoric meanings to it. Unless the artist says what he or she means in the painting, nobody can truly know. Guernica is an interesting painting that tends to have several different interpretations.

In the article “Visual Analysis: Pablo Picasso, Guernica,” Nathan Beaver takes into consideration several aspects of the painting such as the scene that is depicted, the colors used, the size of the painting, and the lines and shapes present.

Overall Beaver is able to summarize the painting using the words “mayhem” and “destruction.” Even by taking a quick look at Guernica one can come to a similar conclusion. The injured horse, the dead soldier lying on the ground, the weeping mother holding her dead child in her arms, among others make this pretty indisputable.

He continues by explaining that the entire painting is “dark with cool colors and really no sign of warmth.” Considering the fact that the painting is black and white, I must disagree with the statement about the colors being “cool.” However, the painting does seems “dark” due to the amount of pain and overall negativity of the image. Beaver also states that through Picasso’s use of shading he is able to create the feeling of “space” between the figures. To me, though, the figures still seem jumbled, regardless of how Picasso shaded them.

Beaver continues by adding that the use of curved shapes and lines adds a sense of “unity” to the image. This aspect of the painting is hard for me to decide on; I feel that the lines and shapes could potentially symbolize unity, yet the context of the painting seems to contradict any sense of unity. To me the overlapping shapes and lines add to the “confusion” and “mayhem” Beaver talked about earlier. Some figures are hard to distinguish because they are overlapped and it can become quite confusing. Either way, both are plausible in my mind.

Also, according to Beaver the painting is very big (eleven feet tall and twenty-six feet across. He says that the sheer enormity of the painting made him feel engulfed by it and that it added to the power of it. I’ve only seen the image on my computer screen, and it even that was able to move me. I would agree that seeing the painting up close would make the viewer feel as though he or she was in the scene.

Overall many of the claims made by Nathan Beaver are plausible, though when interpreting paintings there is no right answer unless the painter explains the meaning behind the piece. Picasso rarely told the public the meanings behind his paintings, believing everyone should have their own opinions. Take a look at the photo below to decide what you think, and if you want to read Nathan Beaver’s full interpretation click the link below!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/770405/visual_analysis_pablo_picasso_guernica.html?cat=2

Also, HERE is a link to a picture of the painting.

-Jake

Hallways as Art?

Did you know that art can consist of the way a room or a hallway is set up and painted? Gregor Scheider, a controversial German artist, displays a very dark tone in his work. His artwork does not usually consist of paintings, rather constructed rooms, making him one of a kind. Due to unique, dark, and mostly colorless style his artwork has a large emotional impact on those who view them.

Gregor Schneider’s recent artwork presents viewers with a creepy atmosphere. For example, his artwork named Dead House, which is set in an empty hallway, uses grays, blacks, and whites to create a colorless and dreary atmosphere. White Torture also displays his dreary style. White Torture, a colorless piece of work, is set inside a prison. Schneider changed the visitor’s state of mind when they entered this scene. The prison scene shocked the audience and made them feel isolated. The bare room he designed, without the use of color and without scars or bloodshed, conveyed this message. “Anxiety, fear and [panic]” describe the feelings that the exhibit conveys, says David Ebony.

Another piece his work utilized hallways to portray these feelings. With the help of Julian Heynen and Brigitte Kollle, Gregor Schneider transformed Schneider’s entire basement into hallways. The hallways were described as “painted wood and metal with identical sliding doors.” The way they staged the hallways, they seemed endless. The endless hallways seem to represent endless doom, never finding one’s way out of isolation and misery. Some of the hallways led the viewers inside small rooms. The small rooms only had a steel toilet, and only had enough room for one visitor at a time. Again, this atmosphere emphasized this sorrowful mood. The single toilet and confined rooms increased the viewers feeling separation from society and all happiness.

Many of the visitors of this museum claim to experience feelings of loneliness, worry, and hesitation as soon as they entered Gregor Schneider’s basement. Schneider’s work greatly contrasted the rooms outside of his scenes. The corridor was painted completely white and was lit by white fluorescent fixtures and low ceilings. The basement was mostly silent with “distant noises of sliding doors and scuffing feet,” as described by David Ebony.

In addition to the isolated, hopeless, and dreary feelings, the scenes that Gregor Schneider creates also give a feeling of confusion. Some of the doors along the hallways are locked and some lead into other rooms. On becomes “frustrated” as they find themselves finding more and more doors that are locked. But finally, at the end of one’s journey through the hallways and side rooms, there is a staircase, the last glimpse of hope. It leads to a metal door that opens up to a colorful park and pond away from the entrance to Schneider’s museum. At last, the visitors feel free.

Gregor Schneider was able to create a piece of art by creating a scene of hallways and rooms. With the attention to detail such as locked doors, lighting, use of color, and space Schneider gave his audience an emotional rollercoaster that they will most likely never forget. What feelings would you undergo if you entered his artwork?

Fun Links
517 West 24th, by Gregor Schneider. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.artnet.com/artwork_images_445_105659_gregor-schneider.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.artnet.com/artwork/423879789/445/gregor-schneider-517-west




Gregor Schneider at K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, by David Ebony. Art in America, December 2007

-Anna Perez

Unit 3 Project by Devin Cooney

John Brown felt that he was chosen by God to put an end to slavery in America. “The Legend of John Brown,” an exhibit by Jacob Lawrence, shows Brown’s struggle with getting rid of slavery. Brown tried to overthrow slavery by raiding the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Lawrence uses historical events as inspiration for his paintings. The story of John Brown shows the link between religion and history. For this reason,and the religious symbols Lawrence puts in his exhibit, Lawrence’s aim was not directed at depicting Harpers Ferry. Rather, he used this moment in history to show Brown’s relationship with God, and the sacrifices made by people who walk in faith.

The very first painting shows the link between Brown and God. It illustrates Jesus being nailed to a cross. It has a very dark background. The sky is a dark, yet vivid, blue. There is also blood coming from Jesus’ feet. A man has his back turned to the scene, potentially showing that the scene saddens him. The historical significance is that Brown was chosen by God to get rid of slavery in America.

Many of the other paintings illustrate Brown’s plan to conquer slavery. In painting two, Brown prays with his friends. I am guessing he is thinking about the terrible condition of the slaves. Once again, Lawrence uses vivid colors. Guns hang in the top left corner on bright yellow rungs. My eyes focused on that part of the painting first. I feel this was done on purpose to show the importance of the guns. The guns are obviously an important component in the raid on Harpers Ferry. In addition, a Bible sits in the center of the table. This was also done on purpose because Brown’s life revolves around God. It being in the center shows that God was the main thing driving Brown.

Many of the other paintings show Brown’s connection with God. For example, the fourth painting in the exhibit shows John Brown’s struggle with poverty. In this painting, the wall has a cross on it. I feel that the painting could be a reference to the Bible and its view on impoverished people. Many Bible verses speak about the riches the poor will reap in Heaven if they are obedient. Versus such as Matthew 20:16 “the last will be first, and the first will be last” and Matthew 5:5 “the meek shall inherit the Earth” speak about the benefit that those less fortunate will receive in exchange for their faith.

In painting 14, Brown collected money from sympathizers and friends to carry out his plans. The first thing that I focused on in the painting was the look in John Brown’s eye. It almost looks as if he is begging. Change fills the table in front of him, which I think means that he begged to get money for his cause. All of the things that he does revolves around his relationship with God. On the walls next to him, the Virgin Mary is on the left with baby Jesus, while on the right a Crucified Jesus is shown. I think that his birth being on the left and Jesus’ death on the right is shown to be somewhat of a timeline of Jesus’ birth and death. This could be a connection to Brown himself, considering his death.

Brown collects money and convinces blacks to fight alongside him. This culminates in picture 18, which shows a barnyard full of guns and ammunition that he stockpiled using his money. It looks like he is ready to attack the institution of slavery.

Picture 20 shows Brown and his company of men shooting. It shows the attack on Harpers Ferry. They held their ground for 12 hours. On one of the rebel’s backs, there is what looks to be a sword, but could also be viewed as a cross. This can be a reference to God being with Brown as he fights for the removal of slavery, which makes sense considering Brown felt that God called him to overthrow slavery.

However, picture 21 shows his ultimate defeat. He was captured and put to trial for treason and murder. However, his faith never faltered. This is evident in him holding a cross in the painting. God’s love is forever with Brown, even in his death.

Finally, in picture 22, it illustrates Brown’s hanging. He died for his crimes on December 2, 1859. I feel that the last painting being Brown’s death means something. The connection between Jesus and Brown is finally realized. In painting one, Jesus hangs from a cross for his crimes. In the last painting, it shows Brown being hanged for his crimes. Ultimately, the start of the exhibit as well as the end, shows two people dying in their attempt to help people. Both did it in different ways. Jesus was strictly a peacekeeper, while Brown had a violent plan to overthrow slavery. I think the point in showing the difference between their viewpoints was to highlight how sometimes violence is necessary in preserving justice and the actions that are motivated by religion.

A counter claim would be that Lawrence, due to his love for history, just wanted to depict Brown’s struggle to overthrow slavery. Lawrence painted many artworks with historical contexts. He could have just wanted to show Brown’s historical importance, not his relationship with God. However, it is hard to ignore God’s influence on Brown’s life, and in illustrating Brown’s struggle with overthrowing slavery, you have to focus on Brown’s relationship with God.

Overall, the exhibit left me thinking that Lawrence wanted to convey a message that Brown walked with Christ. Many of the paintings in the exhibit point to this fact. While he depicts the raid of Harpers Ferry, I feel that it is just a way to show the actual message of Brown’s connection with God. However, paintings present many different viewpoints. Lawrence could have just been looking at the historical context. It all goes back to your own opinion. What do you kids think? Go to the Ackland Art Museum and check it out!!!

Fun Links!!
http://www.ackland.org/art/exhibitions/2010/jacob_lawrence/

Feeder 3.2 by Devin Cooney

I am not sure about you guys, but for me, the art that I like makes people think about different issues. If the artwork makes me think, it will have a lasting imprint on me. Jean Michel Basquiat made people think about his paintings. In his painting, Per Capita, he displays the economic struggle of the African-American man. Using Per Capita as an example, Basquiat's claim to fame comes from his amazing ability through his art to stimulate debate and encourage discussion. I feel that this ability helps artists gain lasting fame in the art industry.

Jean Michel Basquiat, a painter during the 1980’s, had a rugged style. His graffiti-like paintings made him an icon during this decade. However, the thing that impresses me lies within his ability to arouse discussion with his paintings. His paintings convey a message. His ability to show people the inequalities people face everyday makes people think about his message after they finish looking at the painting.

Per Capita, while looking extremely disorganized and jumbled, comes back to a common theme. In the top left corner, it has the Per Capita income of different states. Per Capita shows the amount of money an average citizen of that state makes per year. I think this message points towards economic unfairness because the large difference between Per Capita incomes amongst the states. Many of Basquiat’s paintings center on unfairness, whether racial or economic. This painting finds a way to mention both in a way that would encourage debate between many different people.

Basquiat also finds a way to encourage racial debate. The focus of the painting seems to be the black man in Everlast shorts, which could be a boxer. He has a halo above his head, which gives off a holy impression. Basquiat finds many ways to highlight the struggles of the black man in his paintings. For example, “Untitled” by Basquiat, according to Michael Dragovic’s article “Basquiat: An Analysis of Nine Paintings,” points to the fact that in the painting, a black man is being beaten by two white cops. Right next to this image, a loan building stands, suggesting the depiction of an urban area. This can point to Basquiat’s other paintings displaying the struggles of the black man.

Because the painting focuses on economic struggle, the black boxer in the painting could have been in trouble financially. Joe Louis could have been this man. Dragovic also points out in Basquiat’s painting, “St. Joe Lewis Surrounded by Snakes”, that “a haloed boxer not unlike the one [seen] in Per Capita is surrounded by greedy trainers and managers, represented by…floating faces hovering behind Joe Louis, who eventually left Louis financially ruined by misleading him….” This could be the same message he is portraying in Per Capita. This boxer shows how someone else’s greed can leave you in financial ruin. He carries a torch also. This could be a reference to the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes what this country represents; a country fighting for the equality of Americans. This painting symbolizes the fight for equality that all Americans strive for. It is funny that a boxer carries the torch because he fights for a living.

As you can see, Basquiat does a fantastic job of using images and words that will lead to heated debate and discussion. If artists get their viewers thinking about their painting, they have done their job. The fact that Basquait conveys messages that spark debate points to the reason for his decade long success. I challenge you kids to find a painting that interests you, and find some things about it that make you think. We are almost at the home stretch, kids! Just one more post, and this semester-long journey will be reaching its end. I have had a great time teaching you guys.

FUN LINKS!!
“Basquiat: An Analysis of Nine Paintings" by Michael Dragovic: http://www.umich.edu/~historyj/docs/2009-winter/dragovic.pdf

The Bias of Art by Devin Cooney

Today, we will be switching gears from behavioral science to the humanities. Many people view the humanities as an opinion-based subject. Using two opinion articles concerning artist Jean Michel Basquiat, you can see that one person’s opinion can catapult them to superstardom while what another person sees would have probably destroyed him.

The first article that I chose was the article “Artforum, Basquiat, and the 1980’s”. This article argues that Basquiat’s elevation was mainly due to Artforum’s 1981 review. His “packaging of ethnicity, street background, and artistic style matched seamlessly with Ingrid Sischy’s agenda of art, culture, and race…” This means that they used his style as a way to promote their own ideas. This shows that one group’s opinion could shape art and culture.

Because of Artforum, an art community staple since the 1960’s, and their review of Basquiat, people automatically hopped on the bandwagon. While Artforum began as a traditional art magazine, Sischy aimed to change the magazine’s focus. Her own personal opinion on what art should be changed the landscape of art during the 1980’s. She interwove art and popular culture. She saw Basquiat as a medium to portray her own personal view. This highlights the bias of art.

Sischy’s personal agenda, combined with the importance of art writers to propel an artist to stardom, put Basquiat on the fast track to fame. Art writing generates exposure for the artist that you would not see otherwise. Artists such as Michelangelo and Da Vinci became famous because writing generates “recognition, prominence, and longevity.” If no one writes about or analyzes a piece of work, no one is talking about it, and more importantly, no one is buying the artwork. The fact that Artforum was the main magazine for art made it so that the platform that they pushed for was the one that was recognized. Because of this, Basquiat’s career was “launched into orbit.” The article that did this launching was “The Radiant Child.” Rene Richard compared him to Vincent Van Gough, and at the end of the article pegged him an “art star.” Within two years of this article, he became a superstar.

Richard’s review opposes the opinion of Time Magazine’s writer Robert Hughes. In Hughes’ article “The Purple Haze of Hype,” he opposes Richard’s claim of Basquiat being a superior talent and a superstar. Rather, he says he “just scribbled and jotted, picking up stylistic pointers from older artists he admired, among them Cy Twombly and Jean Dubuffet.” He argues, “Basquiat was made a cult figure by a money-glutted, corrupt and wholly promotional art-marketing system.” This goes right in line with the claim that Artforum made Basquiat into a star because of him fitting their own personal platform. However, he sees this as a negative, showing that he would have viewed Basquiat differently than Artforum.

Using the two differing reviews as examples, it becomes obvious that art writers can positively, and negatively, shape the career of an artist. If Robert Hughes wrote for Artforum, who knows how Basquiat’s career would have turned out. What do you kids think? A picture of one of his works is displayed for you. Different people can see it in different ways. How do you see it?



























FUN LINKS!!!
“Artforum, Basquiat, and the 1980’s” by: Cynthia A. Gadsden: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/send-pdf.cgi/Gadsden%20Cynthia%20A.pdf?acc_num=ohiou1217965257

“The Purple Haze of Hype” by: Robert Hughes: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,977017-2,00.html

“Untitled” by Jean Michel Basquiat: http://www.askart.com/AskART/photos/SNY20070515_4211/15.jpg