surrealism theory

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 Brianna Baty , year 10 photography+digitalmedia SURR EALISM; historical+critical research Artist 1: Jerry Uelsmann American artist and photographer Jerry Uelsmann was born in Detroit on June 11, 1934. He began art making as soon as he was able, and taught photography and became an art professor during his career. Now retired from teaching, he lives with his wife, artist Maggie Taylor, in Florida. Many factors influenced Uelsmann·s art making. He lived through 2 World wars which heavily involved his nation, and the art movement Art Deco was encroaching the art world. ART EXAMPLE: Symbolic Mutation, 1961 Displayed in this work is a fist, which has been mutated to also depict a woman·s face. It is cropped closely, forming a strong focal point, and the use of shadow, contrast, line and shape provide emphasis to the image. This artwork·s theme seems to be dark and enigmatic ² perhaps representing opposites, mutation or other sinister concepts. The symbols encompassed in this work include the fist, a symbol of strength, power,, masculinity and negativity, and the young woman·s face, representative of innocence, kindness, softness and femininity. In this black and white photograph, overlaying and composite images have been utilised to form the image. This artwork gives me a feeling of mystery and darkness, but this contrasts with the lighter left side of the image depicting a woman·s face. I believe this image was crafted to draw a contrast betwe en masculinity and femininity by juxtaposing them ² one without the other is nothing remarkable, but it is extraordinary how the two opposites fit together. I like the concept in this artwork and the flawless execution, though I dislike the distracting lines in the background near the face.

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Page 1: Surrealism Theory

8/6/2019 Surrealism Theory

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/surrealism-theory 1/4

 

Brianna Baty , year 10 photography+digitalmedia

SURR EALISM; historical+critical

researchArtist 1: Jerry Uelsmann

American artist and photographer Jerry Uelsmann was born in Detroit on June 11, 1934. He

began art making as soon as he was able, and taught photography and became an art

professor during his career. Now retired from teaching, he lives with his wife, artist Maggie

Taylor, in Florida.

Many factors influenced Uelsmann·s art making. He lived through 2 World wars which heavily

involved his nation, and the art movement Art Deco was encroaching the art world.

ART EXAMPLE: Symbolic Mutation, 1961

Displayed in this work is a fist, which has been

mutated to also depict a woman·s face. It is

cropped closely, forming a strong focal point,

and the use of shadow, contrast, line and shape

provide emphasis to the image. This artwork·s

theme seems to be dark and enigmatic ²

perhaps representing opposites, mutation or

other sinister concepts.

The symbols encompassed in this work include

the fist, a symbol of strength, power,,

masculinity and negativity, and the young woman·s face, representative of innocence,

kindness, softness and femininity. In this black and white photograph, overlaying and

composite images have been utilised to form the image.

This artwork gives me a feeling of mystery and darkness, but this contrasts with the lighter

left side of the image depicting a woman·s face. I believe this image was crafted to draw a

contrast between masculinity and femininity by juxtaposing them ² one without the other is

nothing remarkable, but it is extraordinary how the two opposites fit together. I like theconcept in this artwork and the flawless execution, though I dislike the distracting lines in the

background near the face.

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ART EXAMPLE: Untitled, 1976

In this artwork, a desk sits abandoned in the

middle of a stately, elegant old-fashioned

room. The roof of this room is presumably

missing, instead, the dark and cloudy night skyis visible. The camera has been positioned at a

low angle, looking upwards from the corner of 

the room. This is to ensure a well-cropped and

positioned image that includes the significant

detail of the missing roof. The themes

represented in this work include solitude,

beauty and vulnerability. The sky is symbolic of 

freedom, but at night can look menacing. The

idea of menacing freedom is an interesting one.

Fireplaces convey warmth but in this image, the

fireplace is snuffed and overshadowed,

suggesting coldness. The desk in the middle of 

the room is empty, though desks are usually a

symbol of human presence. The fact that the

desk is alone and without a roof over it is suggestive of vulnerability and imprisonment. This

black and white photograph made use of overlaying and composite images, as well as the

concepts of perspective, space, line, texture and tone, or shadow/highlights.

This photograph evokes a feeling of quietness and solitude, but with dark undertones of 

danger and vulnerability. I believe this image is juxtaposing freedom with safety, in the waythat freedom can be achieved but with no roof over one·s head it is dangerous, and safety in

a room with walls but a result of imprisonment. I love the thought that has been put into this

artwork and the effort to make this concept as aesthetically pleasing as it is interesting.

http://www.uelsmann.net/  

http://shutterbug.com/images/archivesart/0907uelsmann02.jpg 

Artist 2: Erik Johansson

Erik Johansson was born on March 13, 1984, in Stockholm, Sweden. He began making art at

around 12 years old, teaching himself to draw over a period of 9 months. Since then, he

hasn·t stopped improving his art making skills. Erik is influenced by the world around him ²

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as a young adult in the digital era, Johansson has constant inspiration and influence from the

modern world.

ART EXAMPLE: Zip City, date unknown

The focus of this image is

on a patch of farm land with

tractors, being ¶zipped· up

by a city. An angled aerial

view of the scene gives the

viewer a higher perspective

to see what·s going on

below. Using concepts of 

art such as line, shape,

texture and tone, this

artwork is as complex as itis intriguing. The themes

represented in this artwork

are the ever-growing cities

of this world, threatening to ¶zip· up farmland and nature throughout the world. The ever -

growing threat of uniformity looms on the tractors, which are positioned defencelessly. This

colour photomanipulation uses a myriad of techniques such as overlaying, warping,

distortion, and focal light.

I interpret this photograph as a comment on how urban growth and devel opment is

threatening to abolish nature in the world. This artwork makes me feel an incoming sense of doom, but also a ray of hope ² a zip can always be undone again. I like the entire concept, I

find it very intelligent, and I cannot find anything I parti cularly dislike about it.

ART EXAMPLE : Strange Forest, date unknown

In this work, it can clearly be seen that the basesof trees in a forest on a dark, gloomy day are

replaced on top by power lines. The lack of 

other vegetation and the severity presented by

the appearance of only one bird gives a stark

contrast to the natural forests we see in our

world. A low-angle shot that is cropped to only

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reveal necessary details, the use of line, tone and space feature heavily in this piece. The idea

that trees are being replaced by power poles is a strong one in this photograph, wit h a

theme of human development and the destruction that it causes. Symbols include the dark

clouds, signalling a storm ² this represents an ominous feeling, or anticipation of doom.

Horizons signal infinity, or never -ending concepts ² so the power lines that disappear into

the horizon signify Johansson·s perception that once started, this technology will never

relent. It is a colour photo-manipulation that utilises techniques such as overlaying and

blending to achieve the desired effect.

This artwork gives me a foreboding feeling, one of resentfulness towards technology. The

lack of aesthetic value in this barren landscape causes me to think more carefully about my

consumption of technology and electricity. This image is based on Johansson·s fear that

nature will be overrun by technology ² this was also reflected in the previous example of his

work. I like the purity of the concept ² it is unmarred by distractions or tangents. This artwork

makes a point and pushes it towards the viewer.

http://extended.ericj.se/about 

http://www.ericj.se/  

http://www.alltelleringet.com/