Alanna Ciarlandini - Collage Self Portrait Project

 

"2014" Alanna Ciarlandini

Jean Michel- Basquiat

Mikalene Thomas

Inspired by the works of Jean Michel Basquiat artwork "2014" is made up of an old journal I used to write diary entries in when I was younger. I like to think of it as the visual representation of a teen girl's mind judged not by the images but by the chaos and randomness of the images which represents how vast the mind can be. This project addresses the themes we have been discussing such as fighting stereotypes and cherishing the differences we come across whether it be our own issues or others. Advertising, fashion, and media play a role in identity and cultural and societal norms because they influence our view of ourselves and each other. The artists and their art help aid us in a visual understanding of themes presented throughout our daily lives and past experiences. 

"Thomas’s jazzy photomontages of women’s limbs and facial features can be construed as commentary on how female bodies are brutally picked apart in contemporary visual culture."

Females are often stereotyped in society and Mikeleine Thomas uses her particular style of art to bring awareness to that. The different components of her artwork represent the counterparts and ideas centered around the female image. Females should not just be viewed as mere objects and they should not be judged for whatever they decide to do and how they want to live their lives. 

"The way in which each sees the other confirms his own view of himself." (Berger)

Berger makes this statement to describe the relationship between two people unequal in power. This quote can refer to seeing one another in real life or as an interpretation in art. When people see a certain group of people portrayed as confident, powerful, and well-presented others may believe that they are inferior to them. I feel like these thoughts and interpretations speak for the mindset and being of the person who developed them. 

"What is a love of art?" 

Berger discusses how both artists and viewers use art to discover the means of life. So what is a love of art? Is loving art appreciating the messages artists put behind their works? Is loving art admiring something that we find pleasurable to look at? There are many answers to Berger's proposed question but what we do know is that art is found in all forms and in none. Art can be whatever a person wants it to be. There is no constant or "right" form of art which is what makes the characterization and usage of the word art so wonderful and expansive. 

"And the painter in him - who is both and less than the old man - has found the means to express just that, using a medium which had been traditionally developed to exclude any such question." (Berger)

Art is often seen as a reflection of the artist's emotions and thoughts. Creating works of art is a form of self-expression that can not only help the artists come to terms with what issues have been on their mind but also be a help to the people who view their work as well.