By: Nicholas Campagna

IDENTITY & THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

What did they bring to the art World?

Part of an artist’s role is to reflect what it means to be human – our experiences, emotions, personalities, and lifestyles. Each of the following examples illustrate how artists effectively convey a sense of identity and / or the human experience.

Rejected / what did they not like?:

Was not truly a movement more a theme or part of an artists journey. Each artist has individual views so it would be difficult to say what they rejected.

Influences:

Chuck Close Dorothea Lange

In the 1960s, Close was influenced by the Pop Art movement.

Pop artists celebrated images from television, movies, and print media.

Using a photo realistic technique that showed a lot of detail, he painted mostly himself as well as family and friends.

Artist Maynard Dixon, a dashing figure 20 years her senior. Lange and Dixon were married about six months later.

Dixon’s influence on Lange, as an individual and photographer, was profound.

Influences:

Annie Leibovitz Frida Kahlo

Influences included Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank and Richard Avedon.

Robert Franks and Cartier-Bresson were at the San Francisco Art Institute at the same time as Annie Leibovitz. 

She liked the way their photos were taken in a style of personal rampage, taken in a graphic yet composed way.

Kahlo was deeply influenced by indigenous Mexican culture, which is apparent in her use of bright colors and dramatic symbolism.

She frequently included the symbolic monkey.

In Mexican mythology, monkeys are symbols of lust, yet Kahlo portrayed them as tender and protective symbols.

Christian and Jewish themes are often depicted in her work. She combined elements of the classic religious Mexican tradition with surrealist renderings.

Common Characteristics

Usually a portrait of someone Have more intense emotions than they seem Artists individuality and originality is extremely

apparent

Visual Examples:

Artists

Frida Kahlo

Dorothea Lange

Annie Leibovitz

Chuck Close

Thinking Activity: Discus why you think I zoomed in on these specific parts of the of the works

Identity & the Human Experience

45) Frida Kahlo. The Two Fridas. (1939) Oil on canvas.

Much of Frida’s work was self portraits

Painted at the time of her divorce from Diego – believed to reflect her emotional state

This painting is a double self-portrait showing Frida in fancy European dress, while the other one she is dressed as a peasant (refers back to her dual roots: Jewish-German & Indian / Spanish)

The left is the Frida not loved by Diego – see broken heart & severing ties Dripping blood may refer to her miscarriages, surgeries & physical pain

The right is the Frida loved by Diego with an intact heart, holding a miniature portrait of him

Identity & the Human Experience

46) Dorothea Lange. Migrant Mother. (1936) Photograph.

Lange was known for her photojournalistic photography during the Great Depression of the 1930’s

This image became synonymous with the Depression as it captures the hardships of the time – showing the care / worry on the face of this mother (aged 32) with her children

Lange was recording the hardship and exploitation of displaced farmers, rural poverty and migrant workers during the Depression

Identity & the Human Experience

47) Annie Leibovitz. Lance Armstrong (1999) Photograph.

Contemporary photographer Annie Leibovitz is known for her offbeat and unique portraits of celebrities for magazines such as Mademoiselle and Vanity Fair

This portrait of Lance Armstrong features the seven time winner of the Tour de France

He is shown nude but healthy on his bike, part of his identity – his personal fight with Testicular cancer were highly publicized leading to his Livestrong campaign that continues today

Identity & the Human Experience

48) Chuck Close. Self-Portrait. (2004-2005) Oil on canvas.

Chuck Close is known for his portraits using a variety of media, particularly acrylics

He painted himself a variety of times – capturing the changes in his face from the 1970’s to today

Although all of his portraits are considered photorealism and very superficial in style, his self portraits have arguably come to show his confidence and experience as an artist

Thinking Activity: Discus why you think I zoomed in on these specific parts of the of the works

Something Special:… other than the fact that I presented…Frida Kahlo

The Two Fridas and Trotsky's Assassination – Movie Clip “I hope the exit is joyful and I wish never to return” – Frida

Kahlo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3wiJJOrgho

Something Special: Annie Leibovitz Photography

Something Special: Chuck Close

A portrait in progress trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgsFYXsdcp0

Something Special: Dorothea Lang

Dorothea Lang's Famed Photo of a California Migrant Mother http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RBewhoQu34 “Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by

holding a still.” – Dorothea Lange

Evaluation:

You will be marked on how well you explained each of the 10 sub-headings (indicated in orange).

1. The “look” of your presentation is very important. Don’t make it cluttered with busy backgrounds, select easy to read fonts.2. Thinking Activity – Did you plan an engaging and creative activity?3. Bonus (2) marks for having your presentation ready the day before you present for me to look over.