Discussion 1-Developing Visual Literacy

Artwork 1- Vincent van Gogh, The Bedroom, 1889

1-Make a list of all the things that you see in the artwork. What figures, objects, and settings do you see?

2-Describe the subject matter (what it is about, what is happening…) The subject matter is not about the meaning of the artwork. The subject matter is what the artist has chosen to paint, draw or sculpt.

3-List any feelings or moods you get from the artwork and explain why? Why does this artwork make you think about those feelings, words, or moods?

For example, This room is tiny and empty. This might say something about the artist’s lonely life. If you research about him you will find that he didn’t have too many friends. So he reflects this fact in his painting. Also because this room is very small, it gives me claustrophobic feelings. The setting and the objects around give some clues about the artist’s life. I can almost say that this is kind of a self-portrait of the artist. Portraits don’t have to be only headshots or passport photo-like. A room, a body part, an item can tell something about someone’s character and personality. This is what I get from what I see in this painting. I am sure you will see different things. Analyzing a painting depends on who you are, your background, family history, experiences, etc.

Also, The vertical lines he used in this painting give us a feeling of anxiety, depression. This is an important point. The line gives unsettling energy to this painting of a bedroom. Talk about the line quality. How do you feel when you look at this painting?

4-What is your interpretation of this artwork? How was Van Gogh feeling when he was painting this work?

Artwork 2-  Andy Warhol, Race Riot, 1963

1-Make a list of all the things that you see in the artwork. What figures, colors, and settings do you see?

2-Describe the subject matter (what it is about, what is happening…) The subject matter is what the artist has chosen to paint, draw or sculpt.

3-List any feelings or moods you get from the artwork and explain why? Why does this artwork make you think about those feelings, words, or moods?  How does the use of color contribute to this composition? Can you think why there are white, blue, and red panels? Emotionally, what is the impact of red panels?

4-What is your interpretation of this artwork? What do you think Warhol feels about these events?

Artwork 3-Lorna Simpson. She. 1992.

1-Make a list of all the things that you see in the artwork. What figures, objects, and settings do you see?

2-Describe the subject matter (what it is about, what is happening…) The subject matter is what the artist has chosen to paint, draw or sculpt.

3-List any feelings or moods you get from the artwork and explain why? Why does this artwork make you think about those feelings, words, or moods? Lorna Simpson’s work consistently challenges the relations between words and images. Since the portrait is cut from the head, we wouldn’t be able to say anything about the person’s gender without checking the title, it will give you a tip.

4-What is your interpretation of this artwork? Why do you think Simpson chose to represent a woman in men’s clothes?

Artwork 4- Jan van Eyck. Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife Giovanna Cenami. c. 1434.

1-Make a list of all the things that you see in the artwork. What figures, objects, and settings do you see?

2-Describe the subject matter (what it is about, what is happening…) The subject matter is what the artist has chosen to paint, draw or sculpt.

3-List any feelings or moods you get from the artwork and explain why? Why does this artwork make you think about those feelings, words, or moods? Eyck painted this portrait in 1434, at that time, much of his visual images in the painting were understood well by the public. But today, we have a hard time understanding the meaning of the symbolic things in this painting. For example, the bride’s green dress, the traditional color for weddings was meant to suggest her natural fertility. She seems pregnant but she is not, and her big stomach was the female beauty at that time. The groom’s removal of his shoes is a reference to God’s commandment to Moses to take off his shoes when standing on holy ground. A single candle is burning, symbolizing the presence of Christ. And the dog means as always is associated with faithfulness.

4-What is your interpretation of this artwork? Research and find more symbolic meanings of this painting.