Biographical Information Education: Ganch received her B.S. in geology and later M.F.A. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Exhibitions: National Gallery of Victoria, Cameron Art Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Kohler Art Center, and more have held her exhibitions. Also, she has had exhibitions at the Visual Arts Center and the VMFA in Richmond. Recognition: She has received multiple grants and fellowships through VCU such as Dean’s Exploratory Grant. She won other honors such as the Teresa Pollock Award fro Fine Art and was a nominee for USA Fellowship Award. Current Occupation: In addition to creating art, Ganch is Associate Professor and Metal Area Lead at Virginia Commonwealth University. She also leads workshops and directs a collaborative initiative called Radical Jewelry Makeover. Website: https://susieganch.com/home.html Credit Lines: Bottom: Drag Object, 2013-2014, mixed media and steel, 132 × 36 × 36 in Top Right: Labor, 2014, Steel and brass, Dimensions variable (20’ in gallery image) Top Left: Falling in Love: 1999, 2011-2013, Mixed media, collected detritus, and steel, 62 × 12 × 12 in Video: the video is embedded into this website where there is also additional information on the artist https://siennapatti.com/news/susie-ganch-video/ Response
This artist was recommended to me and I was curious to learn more about her. It was interesting to find out that she actually works right down the street and has had exhibitions in places that I go often, so I recognized some of her work. First, I examined a work titled Labor. The way the industrial wiring was manipulated to for an organic shape was very visually interesting (and reminds me a bit of a free spirited slinky). The form had a feeling of being adaptive, which is further shown in the credit line which mentions that the “dimensions are variable” and conform to the gallery space. While I enjoy her work using wire and steel, the pieces which particularly caught my eye are those also using found objects and detritus. I am currently exploring ways to incorporate discarded objects into my pieces, so examining her approach was a helpful source of inspiration. I appreciated how from afar, you could hardly tell that the sculpture was made up of trash, especially since much of this work uses a lot of white which I wouldn’t normally associate with debris. However, once you look more closely, you notice the individually attached object, some stained from wear. Pieces such as Drag Object and Falling in Love address consumerism and its effect on the world which relates to my content of conservation of the natural world. Overall, I usually gravitate towards figurative work, but her pieces appeal to my love of pattern and detail. In future projects, I may use a monochrome conglomeration of detritus to enhance my drawings or paintings.
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Biographical Information Education: BA from St. Martin's School of Art, MA from Chelsea School of Art Exhibitions: Tate Britain, Dallas Museum of Art, Bonnefanten Museum, Whitechapel Art Gallery, Scottish National Gallery, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and more Recognition: First prize at the John Moores exhibition in 1993 propelled his career. He also was nominated for the Turner Prize and was the 2017 Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon. Website: unfortunately, I could not find his personal website but her is an informational site: http://www.artnet.com/artists/peter-doig/ Response I have a tendency to go in circles deciding between artists when doing awareness posts, so this time I tried to dive into an artist’s work which immediately drew me in without hesitating. Peter Doig’s work definitely had that effect on me, and though he is quite a widely renowned artist, I knew next to nothing about him in the beginning. The artwork of Peter Doig is strongly connected to magical realism with his chaotically colored paintings with reflections and landscapes which border between real life and fantasy. I appreciate that when looking at the two paintings above, I can identify the objects, but there is a surreal movement to the pieces as well. The brush strokes are very animated and broad yet still have a purpose to them, which I have attempted to portray in my work as well. I also feel as if the compositions are dynamic, despite using horizontal and vertical lines, since the lines are loosely painted and intersect. He has mentioned how he builds up many layers before he is satisfied with his work and I would like to work with layering paint more to create more depth as well.
Overview George Segal was born in New York City as the son of Jewish immigrants. He developed a passion for art very young, and despite the disapproval of his parents, he would continue to pursue his ambition. Between assisting his parents on their chicken farm and later working on his own farm, he slowly gained his art education and received a Master of Fine Arts in 1963. He struggled in his early career to project his voice as he felt uninspired by the Abstract Expressionist Movement of the time. He was more interested in depicting images from everyday life, and his paintings began to gain recognition in the 1950s. In 1961, Segal had a breakthrough which would set the course for most of his subsequent work. He was introduced to a new plaster bandage originally intended for youth art projects, and found that it was an excellent medium for creating casts. By draping the wet plaster bandages onto parts of the body and allowing it to solidify, he could create complete sculptures. Throughout the remainder of his career, he experimented with various ways to use plaster. He added color to some while many others remained a ghostly white. He created full bodies and fragments. He used himself as a model as well as family and friends, creating a personal connection to each figure. Much of his work focused on day to day life such as going to lunch or to the movies. However, he also skillfully presented very tragic scenes which illuminated topics such as the holocaust and the great depression. His hollow casts of simplified figures, often left unpainted, create an image of loneliness and of forlorn ghosts of the past. He received substantial acclaim for his statues and was commissioned for several outdoor public sculptures which were cast in bronze to withstand the elements. While Segal continued to work in many other media such as paint, graphite, pen and ink, and pastels, his focus consistently was drawn to sculpture. This focus created a legacy which inspired the reinvigoration of figurative art in sculpture. He creatively combined Realism and Pop to make a lasting impact in the art world. Personal Connection As I create my own sculpture, I can draw many parallels between Segal’s style and the piece I am making. Though I used an armature to create a frame as opposed to using a real person as a mold, I am still creating a figure utilizing plaster gauze. My piece retains a similar finish as Segal’s: a rough, crude texture in a solid, neutral tone. As I layer strips of gauze, allowing it to drape and clump around a figure, I imagine that George Segal once stood in his studio going through the very same process. Unlike Segal however, I plan to add materials on top of my base figure, so my finished piece will be busier and less austere. You will still be able to see the for underneath but it will be covered with scraps, partially obscured by other materials. More Information This video focuses on the sculpture Three Figures and Four Benches (1979) by George Segal (applies to question 1) https://www.icamiami.org/channel/george-segal-language-bodies/ You can learn the story behind Depression Bread Line here (supplements question 3) https://crystalbridges.org/blog/welcoming-george-segals-depression-bread-line/ Curious? You can see more examples of his work here https://mymodernmet.com/george-segals-mysterious/ Questions
Biography Born in Harlem in 1909, Norman Lewis was acutely aware of the racial inequality which surrounded him from a young age. He knew at just ten years old that he wanted to express himself and his feelings through art. He studied art in high school and briefly worked as a seaman before returning to New York to expand his knowledge of art. He learned from artist Augusta Savage and attended Columbia University before going on to teach others at various high schools and colleges about the world of art. As he taught others, he learned more about his personal voice and consequently his art constantly evolved and changed.
Check out these sources for more information and to help answer the questions This source has a good selection of pictures and captions to answer question #1 https://www.swanngalleries.com/norman-lewis This link goes into more detail about Lewis' life for questions 2 and 3 but feel free to skim http://www.spaniermanmodern.com/artists/norman-lewis Questions
1. Choose one of the paintings shown in the first source provided to which you are most drawn. Why did you choose this piece? What techniques or principals make this work effective? 2. How did the artwork of Norman Lewis change over time? 3. How did Norman Lewis’ awareness to the injustices against African Americans affect his work and interactions in the art community?
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Hello Everyone!I am a Maggie Walker art student in Richmond, Virginia. This blog section is a little window into my art process, research, and experiences. You can follow along with my journey as you scroll. Archives
March 2020
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