soniartem

Latest Posts by soniartem

All of my linocuts from my Final Major Project ‘Reconnection’

painting work in progress.......

The process of making my book. After illustrating all of my pictures and typewriting the story, I stitched all the components onto card with some colourful thread and I then stuck these into a book which I bound. The book is called ‘Reconnection’. A short illustrated story I wrote, about a city where the sun has stopped shining, a girl goes on an adventure into the forest to bring the sun back. It is about reconnecting to cultural heritage in the modern world :)

Casting and making a mould from a real pig’s heart. I am planning to suspend it at my end of year show and have threads come out from it. This was a really interesting experience, I am happy with how the plaster cast turned out. I had to make multiple versions as the artery on the first cast broke. It was quite delicate.

I painted the cast with a PVA glue and water mix and then painted on top :)

Fabric and eggs dyed using onion skins :)

Some close ups from my end of year show. Suspended heart, lino prints and embroidery

Putting up exhibition space :)

ETCHING :) . Trying out etching was great and I learnt a lot. It was a long process and I think that the prints could have perhaps turned out better, I was happy with some but I think that the acid ate into some of them a bit too much. However, overall it was a great experience and really enriching to learn about a new process!

The process of making and editing my animation on Adobe Premiere ^^^ In the first half of the animation the music is my sister playing the piano and then for the second half, I used traditional music from different countries in the world. The animation is called ‘The Blooming Heart’, and explores the idea that the earth is more diverse than it seems, despite its small size in comparison to the whole universe and that traditional culture is still important in out interconnected world.

Some lino cuts for the book i’m working on...

Observational drawings of a pig’s heart.......

Lino cut which I am currently working on. Inspired by folk patterns around the world to make one design

Finished heart embroidery for my animation. A heart surrounded by embroidery folk patterns from around the world

Working on an animation about reconnecting to folklore called ‘The Blooming Heart’. I have used the image of the heart as it has so many connotations to the soul and is often linked to identity and of course life.

Recent lino cuts for my project re-connection. Looking at folk stories in modern day contexts. The top right lino cut was inspired by the Russian folk story, Vasilisa The Beautiful and the second lino cut (top left) was inspired by the Mexican folklore character La Catrina who is a symbol of The Day of The Dead.

          Ethics and art - How considerate does an artist have to be?

Contemporary art seeks to challenge traditional boundaries, almost seeing how far it can go before it crosses the line. It can at times be confusing, confrontational and controversial and can shock or thrill the audience depending on the subject matter. Contemporary art can be anything from an installation to a painting, a performance to a sculptural piece, it can even be a random object that is claimed to be art. As there is no uniformity or formula, the artist can use any medium and can exhibit anything he/she wishes to.

Controversy in the art world has always existed. Even in Caravaggio’s religious works in the 15th century which depicted religious figures in a very realistic manner. One of his most controversial paintings at the time was ‘The Death Of The Virgin’ which depicted The Virgin Mary on her death bed. The controversy was not of the subject matter but more about the way that this biblical scene was painted. The Virgin Mary can be seen with her hand over her slightly bloated stomach and bared ankles which the audience found very upsetting. For these reasons it was rejected by the Chapel of Santa Maria della Scala for which it was commissioned by in Rome. It was also said that the woman that modelled The Virgin Mary for this painting was a common prostitute working in Rome. This brought further distaste to the artwork. Nowadays, it is a revered masterpiece however when painted, it was disputed over. A controversial modern day representation of The Virgin Mary is ‘The Holy Virgin Mary’ by Chris Ofili’. This painting depicts The Virgin Mary surrounded by the backsides of Women from adult magazines, balancing the canvas on two pieces of elephant dung. Ofili stated that it is a ‘hip-hop version (of the figure)’. The painting stands out with its vibrant use of colour, the yellow and purple starkly contrast with each other making the painting quite jarring and bright. Many would not find the artwork offensive at all however at the same this portrayal offended many religious people. It is difficult to please every individual audience member although I think that there is an unspoken responsibility to have mutual respect for the audience and be considerate of groups of the audience that may see your work.

When it comes to exhibiting artwork, ethics are important to consider. This form of ‘moral accountability’ encourages the respect of the audience. However, everyone will have a different opinion and take on the artwork and our life experiences will cause us to interpret art in various ways. At the end of the day, it is up to the artist to decide what to include in their work but some may argue that this doesn’t mean that the artist shouldn’t be held accountable for any content they exhibit. On the other hand, some artworks are intended to be controversial and aim to shock. The series of work 'Plum Grove' by Peter Howson (1994) does just that. This series of paintings, influenced by the break-up of Yugoslavia and the creation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, aims to portray these events in a graphic manner and the effect of the war on the civilians. Howson was the official War Artist for the British contingent of the UN Peace Keeping Force to Bosnia in 1993. As a result, his paintings included rape scenes, violence, and other graphic scenes which he witnessed himself or from eye-witness accounts. His paintings depict people in contorted positions with green and blue skin tones giving a sense of distress and pain. The paintings are quite expressive and have a sense of movement alongside a sense of exaggeration, exaggerating various features of the figures giving a further sense of suffering. The paintings undoubtedly leave the audience feeling uncomfortable. Although this series of work is in a way raising awareness of the events, some may say that censorship is necessary. Audience members who were not victims of the Yugoslavian conflicts or who have never experienced war of any kind can’t relate to the imagery as much as war survivors or people who have witnessed similar events. Although the subject matter is distressing and upsetting, the audience members are all effected in different ways based on their life experiences. The artist can choose whether or not to censor their work or to take ethics into consideration depending on the emotions they wish to stir up.

Appropriation, borrowing or recycling aspects of someone else’s work, plays a big role in contemporary artwork too. For example, in Banksy’s piece, ‘Show me the Monet’ (2005) a framed image of Monet’s painting is visible with orange shopping trolleys and traffic cones in his famous lily pond. I think that it shows the over-commercialisation of Monet’s work and art in general. Nowadays it is easy to see images of artwork online and it’s also common to buy merchandise with various pieces of art printed on. The imperative ‘Show me’ in the title of the piece further emphasises our consumerist society and ever growing demand for instant gratification. All of this has contributed to the devaluation of the artwork. Although the physical painting still costs a fortune, it is accessible on many platforms and is over-marketed so its purpose and meaning have been lost in the process.

I think that when it comes to handling delicate subject matters, it is important to somewhat take the audience into consideration. Some artwork is made for the audience to question and to be shocked by and will affect everyone in a different way but I think that there can be some occasions where a piece of controversial artwork can become disrespectful. Overall, I think that it is the role of the artist to push the boundaries of modern-day society and to adapt when necessary; a sense of mutual respect for all opinions and all views is important. Despite the fact that nowadays, art is created to challenge the audience and express emotion, I think that it’s the role of every artist to know what is appropriate and what isn’t depending on the subject matter they wish to portray.

 References

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/howson-plum-grove-t06961

https://artswithanna.com/2018/09/28/ethics-and-arts/

https://www.dazeddigital.com/art-photography/article/39894/1/that-time-this-chris-ofili-the-holy-virgin-mary-hip-hop-pissed-off-the-art-world

Completed garment for my ‘Then and Now’ project. It is inspired by a traditional Slovakian ‘Kroj’. I used my blue print fabric which I made for the skirt and embroidered a blouse with a floral design inspired by Slovakian folk patterns.

Prints from my own woodcuts.

As my resist dyeing didn’t work, I decided to use the fabric and print my designs on top with white acrylic paint. This is to mimic a traditional blue print. I think that all of the shapes turned out well and I am quite happy with the outcome as the design looks quite illustrative.

Resist dyeing. I decided to try resist dyeing again but this time with some different ingredients. These included, glutinous rice flour, rice bran, salt, water, glycerine and calcium hydroxide. First I mixed together the rice flour and bran and water together to make a dough and I then steamed the dough in dumpling sized balls for about an hour. While these were steaming, I put two table spoons of calcium hydroxide into one cup of water. I had to be careful with this as calcium hydroxide can be very dangerous if it come in contact with skin. I wore goggle, gloves and a mask. Once the balls had steamed I mixed them with glycerine, salt and the water from the calcium hydroxide. The chemical had settled at the bottom leaving me with just the infused water, I mixed it in. This created a smooth paste with which I printed my designs . This paste was a lot stickier than the last one I made so I was hopeful it was going to stay on during the dyeing process. Once it had all dried, I dyed the fabric. After leaving the printed fabric in the dye for an hour, I took it out to find that all of the resist paste had unfortunately dissolved. Even though it didn’t work, I learnt a lot from this process, it was interesting to experiment with all of the new ingredients.

Kathe Kollwitz and her presentation of conflict.

Kathe Kollwitz, ‘Das Volk’ (The People) Woodcut on paper - 1921-22

Kathe Kollwitz is renowned for her dark and expressive woodcuts influenced by the Second and First World War. The figures in her woodcuts have intense emotional expressions which show the pain and suffering of the German people during the times of conflict. 

Kollwitz’s woodcut ‘Das Volk’ (The people) is part of her ‘Krieg’ series, (War). This series of seven woodcuts present the sorrows of those left behind - mothers, widows, and children in a vivid and powerful way. It was likely that Kollwitz was influenced by her own experience of loss during the war. She lost her son Peter in World War 1 which deeply affected her. Kollwitz’s childhood also influenced her dramatic work. She was the 5th of seven children and prior to her birth, three of her siblings had already died which exposed her to the grief of her parents while growing up. Kollwitz was particularly awed by the emotional strength in her mother's face which influenced the distressing expressions in her woodcuts. 

In Kollwitz’s woodcut ‘The People’, crying figures can be seen in the foreground as well as a mother in the centre hiding a scared child in her cloak. There is an overwhelming darkness which envelops the figures. The lines in the woodcuts are sharp and angular, these angles make the faces look expressive and as if there was a harsh light shining down upon them. All of the figures seem to be in very close proximity with each other which gives a sense of community. Although all of the faces are visibly distressed, they are all leaning on each other. The mother figure in the centre of the woodcut, seems solemn and mournful. Her eyes are closed and she is clad in black, her hand comes down to shield and hide a child enveloped in her cloak. The child’s eyes look wide open and full of fear. It is interesting that many faces surround the mother however due to the child’s small size it is surrounded by the darkness only protected by a single hand of its mother. This could reveal the vulnerability of children during the war and Kollwitz may have intended to highlight the importance of the role of mothers as protectors.

Kollwitz’s work was not only influenced by her tragic past but also by the working class people of Germany during the war. Their starvation, suffering and loss gave her a hunger for change, many German expressionist woodcuts were all about highlighting problems in society and aiming to bring about change. Kathe created many posters, one of which was ‘Brot!’ demanding change and creating awareness of the poverty of working class Berlin. This activism was spotted by the Nazis who threatened to take her to a concentration camp. Luckily her fame saved her and stopped this from happening.

Woodcuts highlight the stark contrast between light and dark. Kollwitz effectively uses woodcuts in her work to reflect the dramatic nature of war which lacks colour, it feels dark and cold and never ending. The black ink and white reserved areas of her woodcuts mirror Kollwitz’s feelings toward these hard times where she experienced loss like many other people. Not only was there physical conflict during the first and second world war, but also emotional conflict inside of people. German expressionist woodcuts sought to convey messages through raw and simplified designs. An example of this stark simplicity can be seen in Kollwitz’s woodcut ‘The widow’ which is also part of her ‘war series’. This print presents a simple femenine figure with her arms on her chest on a plain background. This emptiness gives a sense of loneliness and allows the viewer to connect with the figure in a raw and personal way. Instead of complicating the surroundings and settings in her prints, Kollwitz focused on creating distinct emotions in the figures.

Kollwitz presents war as a dark place full of grief and mourning. She shows the effect of war and loss on people through her use of expressions which are exaggerated and full of emotion. These expressions show the emotional pain and inner conflict of the people of Germany and the whole of Europe during world war one and two, a time of suffering and desperation.

References:

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kollwitz-the-people-p82465

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/69688

https://www.moma.org/s/ge/collection_ge/artist/artist_id-3201_role-1_sov_page-22.html

https://www.moma.org/s/ge/curated_ge/techniques/woodcut.html

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/kollwitz-kathe/life-and-legacy/

https://lib.guides.umd.edu/c.php?g=326833&p=2194181

Kehinde Wiley and the male identity.

Kehinde Wiley , ‘Alexander The Great’ - Oil on canvas, 2005 ( 243.8 × 182.9 cm)

Kehinde Wiley is an African-American artist who conveys sensitive messages through his naturalistic, bright and vibrant work. In many of his paintings Wiley presents the male identity in a unique way. His painting ‘Alexander the Great’ showcases this, presenting a young African-American man in modern attire holding a sword and standing in front of a brocade-like pattern; typical of medieval tapestries and byzantine silk production in the 6th century. 

Much of Wiley’s inspiration comes from classical paintings. The name of this painting ‘Alexander the Great’ references one of the greatest warriors in history. In his time, it was rumoured that Alexander the Great was Zeus himself. By the age of 25 Alexander was The king of Macedonia, leader of the Greeks, overlord of Asia Minor, pharaoh of Egypt and 'great king' of Persia. Although he was a great ancient leader, his brutality was also renowned and was known to be self-indulgent and reckless.

Wiley has also drawn inspiration from various paintings of Napoleon. His painting ‘Napoleon leading the army over the alps' is similar to that of Jacques-Louis David’s 19th century painting, ‘Napoleon Crossing the Alps’. Not just the names are similar, but the positions on horseback of both men in the paintings. However the man presented in Wiley’s painting wears an army uniform, giving his modern interpretation of the painting of Napoleon. 

The painting, ‘Alexander the Great’ explores the male identity in a distinctive way that references the past and present. The painting is full of juxtapositions for example with the man’s headphones and the centuries old sword he is holding, the modern designer logo on his coat and the ancient textile pattern behind him. In paintings, a sword symbolises protection, strength and courage, which are all  traditionally ‘typical’ male traits and something that Wiley strives to challenge. These ideals clash with the background colour which is green which represents peace, harmony and balance. These are more favoured male traits nowadays. Furthermore, it is possible to see that the background brocade pattern comes round and over the figure in the painting in some areas coming into the very foreground. The swirling and smooth pattern softens the painting and wraps around the strong and proud pose the man stands in. Brocade fabric and patterns are typically expensive and historically show upper class. The pattern makes Wiley’s painting appear more ornate and regal and also softens the proud pose of the man and shows delicacy and gentleness.

The pose in the painting is reminiscent of the painting ‘Napoleon Bonaparte in his Study at the Tuileries’, 1812, which presents Napoleon in a similar pose, with his hand on his hip, looking straight at the viewer in an imposing way, with a sword also featuring in the painting showing his masculinity and strength. Paintings of Napoleon are often grand and show his great power, but his violent tyranny and invasions are said to have been ‘grounded by an aggressive over-compensation for his short stature’ some historians say. 

I think that this pressure of being as masculine as possible was something felt in the past as much as it is in today’s society which is something that Wiley intends to convey in his paintings. In my opinion, Wiley intends to show changing attitudes toward the male identity by referencing hyper masculine historical paintings. Wiley contrasts these attitudes with flowers, soft colours and intricate patterns, challenging the old ideals of male identity but also giving them a different and new relevance in the modern day.

References:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-the-Great

https://www.artsy.net/artwork/kehinde-wiley-alexander-the-great

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/wiley-kehinde/

https://cxainc.com/edition/portraits-inspired-by-napoleon-by-kehinde-wiley-and-jacques-louis-david-come-together-for-the-first-time-ever/

My painting for the current project ‘Then and Now’. Oil on canvas (85cm x 140cm)

I have been exploring Slovak folklore and folk art and the political topic of Brexit which is a very current affair. Throughout the project I have been merging these two different ideas together as I am aim to tell the ‘folk story’ of how Brexit touches people’s lives in different ways. The girl (Britain) is wearing a blouse with an eastern European embroidery design to convey the message of, diversity, tolerance and multiculturalism, all apparent in one country, but she is brushing the EU stars out of her hair reflecting, the weakening of some of these important principles.

My technique was inspired by Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro and a painting by the Slovakian artist Julius Bukovinsky.

I am currently working on making a Modrotlac print, which is a traditional Slovakian way of resist dyeing with indigo. I have been trying to recreate this way of printing for a garment that I intend to make as part of my ‘Then and Now’ project. However, this process has been a lot of trial and error so far and it hasn’t gone as planned. I made a paste out of rice flour, plain flour, water and glycerine to act as the resist for the dye. I printed by patterns from stencils that I cut our from acetate and watercolour paper (acetate worked better). Then once the patterns had dried, I dipped the fabric into some navy blue dye. However, the flour mixture came right off. I have already tried to recreate the Modrotlac prints by using hot wax but this didn’t work either. I am going to try a new recipe for the paste which I am hoping will work, if not, then I will have to try hot wax again but in a different way.

Some illustrations inspired by the contemporary illustrator Katarina Kerekesova and also inspired by Russian and Czech vintage matchbox designs. These are for my Graphics workshop poster 

Embroidery for my ‘Then and Now project’ which is my own design inspired by Slovak folk patterns. It is embroidered onto a blouse which will go with a skirt (that I am currently working on) :)

Ceramics workshop. We are making tea pots, mine is inspired by a poppy seed head and I’ve really been enjoying making it. Its been great to learn about ceramics and the rules that apply like not leaving air bubbles in the clay and making sure to score and slip. I added texture to the teapot’s surface with my nails to give it a more natural feel like a poppy seed head. My clay was a bit too thick in some areas which I had to smooth down but overall, it has gone well so far and I like how it looks.

Female identity and Frida Kahlo.

Frida Kahlo , ‘Las Dos Fridas’ (The Two Fridas) , Oil on Canvas, 1939 (1.73 m x 1.73 m)

Frida Kahlo is seen as a feminist icon and great artist all over the world. Her painting ‘The Two Fridas’, is one of many paintings that explores her identity as a female. Kahlo often includes the notion of gender in her work, exploring her femininity as well as masculinity and her Mexican and European genetics, with her Father being European and Mother Mexican. These factors shaped her work in a unique way which she expressed through the medium of painting. 

‘The Two Frida’s’ depicts two versions of Frida sitting and holding hands. They both have the same facial expressions and are identical twins however are wearing different things. One Frida wears a modern white wedding dress, which would have been worn in Europe in the 1930’s-40’s with embroidered flowers and delicate lace work around the neck, reflecting her Father’s side. The second Frida wears a traditional Tehuana Zapotec costume from the Oaxaca area of Mexico with vibrant colours which reflects her Mother’s side. There is a stormy sky in the background similar to the stormy skies of El Greco’s work and both Frida’s have an exposed heart connected by an open artery.

‘The Two Fridas’ was painted the year of her divorce with Diego Riviera, with whom she shared a tumultuous relationship. In the same year, in 1939, Frida was also gaining popularity all over the world, exhibiting in New York and Paris. The painting portrays the difficult time of Frida’s divorce but also reveals her identity as a Mexican and European woman at the same time. Kahlo aimed to show her two sides in the painting, the side of her that Diego loved and the one he didn’t.

Traditional Mexican attire became Kahlo’s trademark. She dressed this way to reflect her involvement with the post-revolutionary Mexicanidad movement which fought to redefine Mexican identity and to also reflect her identity as a Mexican Woman. It portrays Frida’s heartbreak and vulnerability, which can be seen through her exposed hearts. Frida said, “(the painting, ‘The Two Fridas’ is a) representation of my loneliness. What I meant to say is I resorted to myself; I sought my own help”. In a time where patriarchy still played a huge role in society, the dependence of women on men was expected and women in art were not taken seriously, Frida did not depend on her husband Diego to become famous. Although her divorce left her feeling broken it is evident that it also led Frida to discovering independence and uncovering more about her female identity. The artery runs from the left hand of the Mexican Frida to the left hand of the European Frida where she tried to stem the flow of blood from the artery. However, with little success as the blood proceeds to flow out and create red flower like shapes mimicking the embroidery on her dress which I think shows how she grew from her experience of divorce. The use of blood is a recurring theme in Frida Kahlo’s paintings, representing family ties, religion and fertility.

Frida had constructed her own identity from her ethnicity, political beliefs and female experience. The painting showed women of the 1940’s that independence was possible, success without a husband was possible. Her traditional outfits in the painting reflect ‘typical’ feminine beauty but with a message of independence, self-discovery as a woman and a fight for social change. Not only does Frida explore her own identity but also the identity of Mexican and European women combined. The artery connects the two continents together like a bridge showing a shared female experience. This can also be seen through the holding of hands between both of the Fridas. The stronger Frida supports the weaker one in her time of need which symbolises solidarity between all women, resilience and empowerment.

References

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/later-europe-and-americas/modernity-ap/a/kahlo-the-two-fridas-las-dos-fridas

https://www.openculture.com/2020/03/what-the-iconic-painting-the-two-fridas-actually-tells-us-about-frida-kahlo.html

https://www.fridakahlo.org/the-two-fridas.jsp

https://blog.singulart.com/en/2019/07/23/the-two-fridas-1939-duality-and-surrealism-in-kahlos-famous-portrait/#:~:text=The%20Frida%20to%20the%20right,are%20visible%20over%20their%20clothes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxKR2cHmlPY

https://www.artsandcollections.com/article/frida-kahlo-resilience-pain-and-empowerment/

https://artuk.org/discover/stories/frida-kahlo-embracing-her-masculinity

Some snippets from my animation about Brexit which I have linked to Slovakian folklore for my current project ‘Then and Now’

Acrylic etchings from my drawing