Art Gallery Visit #2

I visited the Burchfield-Penny art gallery for this assignment. They had several exhibits going on. One dedicated to the life and arts of Charles Burchfield, which was rather large and interesting, as they even had a 3d recreation of this studio. another was the works of Bruce Jackson, a photographer. This was also a very large exhibit.

The galleries had a lot of light and each room was lit slightly differently. Once room which a video was playing was dark. The color of the walls differed from room to room as this gallery makes use of a large space slit into different exhibits by both permanent and temporary walls and barriers. The gallery is extremely non liner and the viewers movement can be done in a variety of ways. this seemed to contrast my last gallery visit which seemed like I was being lead around from exhibit to exhibit.

the artwork is organized by exhibit. a couple of the rooms were dedicated to Burchfield, another room was dedicated to sculptures from various artists. Several large rooms were dedicated to Bruce Jackson and the upstairs was dedicated to sculptures by a particular artist whose name I did not write down. This gallery on a whole had a lot less paintings that I anticipated. Most of the works were sculptures, photographs or something else. that last time I was at this gallery, about a year ago, everything was different and the vast majority of works were paintings.

I found it interesting looking at this gallery from a different perspective. at my last gallery, I didn't spend any time looking at the space itself, only the art. This space was well lit, had very high ceilings and a lot of sitting room to relax and absorb everything in. I liked it a lot. 

Artist: charles E. Burchfield

Title of work: Cain and Abel

Media: Wood engraving

Date: 1926

Size: Approx 8x12

1.   Description – This work depicts the battle between the biblical brother Cain and Abel. It depicts Cain's murder of Abel in front of a backdrop of dark storm clouds.

3.   Formal analysis – Space and Movement. Cain is shown mid-impact as he is about to smash an object over his brother. The use of the clouds in the background frames the space of the work.

4.  Bracketing - The work depicts a biblical story that is in itself an allegory. The story of Cain and Abel is one of the good vs evil nature inside mankind.

5.  Interpretation - I think that the artist was portraying the power of evil that lurks in man. This is signified not only be the action in the foreground, but by the clouds in the back ground. 

Artist: Karl Heerdt

Title of work: Tower Falls III

Media: Oil on Linen

Date: 2012

Size: Approx 18x36

1.   Description – This painting depicts a waterfall and stream flowing through a rocky outcrop.

3.   Formal analysis – Movement and Landscape. the most predominate feature of this work is the flow of the water. We can see where it is falling and the subsequence rush of the water below.

4.  Bracketing - I do not think there is any hidden meaning in a painting like this, it depicts a beautiful waterfall flowing through a rocky landscape.  

5.  Interpretation - While I am not an expert I do not feel this artist had any hidden meaning other than painting a beautiful waterfall.

Artist: Joseph Orffeo

Title of work: Untitled

Media: Acrylic on Canvas

Date: 1986

Size: 36x24

1.   Description – This painting is rather subjective. I see a waterfront landscape with clouds.

3.   Formal analysis – Color and Proportion. There is a vivid use of color in this painting, the contrast of the blue "water" and "orange" sky with black used for clouds and barriers.

4.  Bracketing - This painting reminds me of a beach setting, with clouds and people frolicking in the water and foreground.

5.  Interpretation - I think the artist is creating a work that will evoke different emotions in different people that see different images in the work.