Shea Hembrey - How I became 100 Artists

Paul Coldwell crit

Notes:

Paul Coldwell Crit 8 June 2011

Max introduced his work by stating that he was interested in the misleading appearance of images: E.g. Supposed UFOs actually buttons; Protesters appearing funny, yet with a serious function; A tomato fight evoking war/violence.

Paul Coldwell (PC) noted the different approach to painting taken in each piece/series.

It was stated that the photojournalistic quality of the images was apparent.

Max noted that the paintings were connected to the photograph. The images read out of context give an initial response which is at odds with their original purpose. The idea is to confuse the viewer.

PC questioned the rationale behind the scale of the paintings and suggested that the sizes could be reversed: i.e. that the viewer would read the protesters differently if they were small as the content of the image would be less immediately apparent. Similarly, if the UFO pieces were larger, the viewer would look and attempt to find things in the vista.

Concerning the Tomato Fight painting, Max stated that he was interested in the movement from figuration to abstraction. PC stated that the painting evoked the massacre pits in Bosnia and that the reality of the image provided an interesting double edge: innocent, yet interpreted as catastrophic. It was suggested that an exhibition at the Imperial War Museum would be relevant.

PC questioned what effect the artist intended the work to have in the world. Max stated that the aim was to confuse the viewer and that he didn’t want to the work read as social comment.

PC noted that the work was jarring a literal reading and that the problem today was that we are not allowed to interpret. The importance or otherwise of the veracity of the image in the context of digital photo manipulation was mentioned.

The way in which people play to the camera in conflict situations was raised. Theatre of conflict.

A question was raised regarding the importance of the viewer becoming confused. Max stated that the titles of the paintings would provide a clue to their intention.

PC reference Hunt’s painting of a tethered goat and the range of ideas people project onto the work. PC suggested that Max consider how he paints and more consciously make decisions about style. The importance of the surface to painting that referenced photography was stated. B.J. Kelmans (????)

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Comments on Comments:

I very much liked the idea of making the UFO painting bigger, that the viewer would have to search for the -wrong- thing in the image. Maybe it would be necessary to set the painting in context with other paintings where strange, unexpected things are happening. So I could shape the expectation of the viewer and use it.

I also very much liked the term -theatre of conflict-. I see some potential in it, as theatre automatically includes fakeness. I´m very interested in the interaction with cameras in times of war and catastrophy, and the fact, that every conflict is dependent on media-attention to be successful. The resulting images are semi-authentic, as the conflict is real, but through the interaction with the cameras a fragment of the conflict turns into a staged scene.

colin crumplin tutorial

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Essay / Research Paper Unit One

Str_richter

Tutorial 19.5.11 Klaas Hoek

MA FINE ART: TUTORIAL NOTES FORM


NAME OF STUDENT: max strasser

NAME OF TUTOR: Klaas Hoek

DATE: 19.5.11



STUDENT TO FILL IN:
1.What points were discussed during the tutorial?

At first we talked about the series of people covering their heads in interesting ways. I mentioned, that I like the contrast between the photographic background, and the more painterly faces. Klaas raised the question, if I want to imitate photography, or keep it in a painted manner. I mentioned that I would be interested in painting a nearly abstract image into a rather photographic background. We spoke about the point, when painting is actually representing the medium itself, and when painting is representing the image. We furthermore discussed that there is a photographic out of focus, and another – ore more another way(s) of a painterly out of focus. Klaas noted, that it is always a game of the experience, and the existing knowledge of the viewer. I talked about my interest in creating a image, that is abstract from a closer point of view, but from the distance it is decode-able. Klaas mentioned, that it would also be possible, to paint a very close detail of something, which would on the one hand look like an abstract image, but represent something. He advised me to make close detail-photos of things, as a research in this topic, rather than directly try to paint it, as it is quicker.

Klaas recommended me to look at the work of Wilhelm Sasnal. He also mentioned, that Luc Tuymans has published a book with his templates. It would rather be interesting, what other artists look at, than what they actually make out of it.



2. What issues will be thinking further on as a result of this conversation?

I will think about the contrast between photorealistic backgrounds and painterly foregrounds. I also think about, if I want to imitate photography in the background, or keep it in a painted manner. I would rather think about imitation, to keep the contrast strong. Furthermore I want to start doing photographs of everyday-details to get a sense of abstraction in everyday life.



STAFF COMMENTS:

Max showed well-painted canvases where he is looking for researching relationships between photography and painting. We discussed that this remediation is a common issue in lots of contemporary paintings and I was wondering what it was that interested Max in particular. I pointed at elements that were maybe based on a more personal interest than the general issues. There are numerous possibilities to link painterly and more photographic iconography beyond the example of the usual suspects in the topical discussion around painting. Max can paint very well but is still looking for his own entrance to or signature in painting.

the fight

64 x 38 cm / oil on canvas

red is the colour of love - or, in a painting it quickly gets a sense of horror, of blood and violence. we all learned that in our life, in our visual experience, in newspapers, billboards and television, sometimes even in real life. In my painting -the fight- I´m playing with this experience. in the first moment, it seems to be a horrible image, a press photo of war or a natural catastrophe. It functions a bit in a similar way like the series of headdresses. The headdress-paintings (people saving their heads against the stones) are from civil-war, they look - in the first impression- they could also be from a strange form of carnival, or another - rather fun thing.
-The Fight- works the other way round. It is an image of the Tomato Fight Event in Bunol / Spain, taking place every year. Its a fun event, where people throw tomatoes at each other, but the image manipulates rather in the horror-story-way. This I wanted to support with the painting, making it a roughly painted mess of violence. I think, as this image is quite small, I will repeat this one on a much bigger canvas. I think the paint itself can support the manipulation much better on a large format, but still very roughly and painterly painted.

we´ll see.