Fig. 1. Tony Oursler, ‘Oxt Variations’, 2012.
Tony Oursler’s work interests me because it is unlike anything I have seen before. In my opinion, his use of a combination of sculpture and projection is unique, and reflects well the impact that mass media has on our society. Oursler’s installation ‘Oxt Variations’ (Fig. 1.) was shown in South Korea and consists of a series of ‘living sculptures’ that are created using found objects, blown glass, metal, and cast resin pieces. The videos projected onto these sculptures display talking heads, who perform actions such as spinning, hammering, and signalling as they speak, and invite the viewer to come closer in order to understand what the figures are saying. I really like the way that Oursler invites the viewers of his work to explore the spaces he creates, as it makes for an immersive experience, and heightens the theme of mass communication that is found in a lot of his work.
Fig. 2. Dora Maar, ‘The Years I Lie In Wait For You’, 1935.
‘The Years I Lie In Wait For You’ (Fig. 2.) is one of my favourite photographs by Dora Maar, as it is an early example of photographic experimentation, and just an interesting image as a whole. The image was constructed using two photo negatives, a spiders’ web, and an portrait that was likely for a beauty ad, as Maar worked as a professional photographer in fashion and advertising whilst she wasn’t creating her own artworks. She was one of the few photographers within the Surrealists’ inner circle during the 1930s, and her photos reflect well the theme of eliminating the boundaries between man and nature that was commonly fond in surrealist works. In my opinion, the composition of the image makes it almost hypnotising as the structure of the web pulls you in to look at the hazy expression of the model behind, producing a magical photo.
Fig. 3. Mavis Thomson, ‘Wimbledon Bird Train (Centre Court 100), 2022.
Mavis Thomson makes sculptural constructions and assemblages using driftwood from the sea, along with discarded timber elements and found objects – inspired by the ‘Objet Trouve’ movement that first because popular during the First World War. I saw this piece (Fig. 3.) in the current Royal Ulster Academy exhibition, and it reminded me of some of Pablo Picasso’s assemblage pieces that we were shown during our assemblage workshop. I enjoy her use of bright colours against the natural textures of the wood that it is painted on, because it creates a good contrast between the natural elements of the assemblage, and the man-made.
Fig. 4. Tracey Emin, ‘My Beautiful Legs’, 1995.
Since 1983, monoprints have made up a large part of Tracey Emin’s work catalogue, and some of my favourite works by her, including ‘My Beautiful Legs’ (Fig. 4.), were created using this technique. To Emin, any mistakes or smudges that are made in the printing process add to the effect of the image, and I like how the rawness of monoprinting reflects the overwhelming topics and powerful emotions that she explores in the majority of her work. A lot of the time, her prints incorporate both drawings and text, and it acts as an unplanned expression and appears like it is Emin speaking directly to the viewer as they look at it. What I like most about this print in particular is that it is an illustration which seems to exist within a void, and produces a delicate image that matches this presentation of a simple life experience.
Fig. 5. Eileen Agar, ‘Dance Of Peace’, 1945.
‘Dance Of Peace’ (Fig. 5.) by Eileen Agar embodies perfectly the ‘Post-war Prosperity’ that existed at the time that this painting was created. To me, the piece seems vaguely like a recreation of ‘La Danse’ (1910) by Henri Matisse, as like in Matisse’s work, the figures are joined together in unity, and I think it reflects well the longing for unity and openness during the time period. Agar used a combination of gouache and collage to make this piece, and I really like the natural/free-form shapes that she has used to construct the figures, as well as the bright colours that the gouache paint has provided because it fills me with a sense of optimism, and was the first thing to catch my eye when I saw this piece for the first time.
References:
Texts:
Brown, Neal. Tracey Emin (Modern Artists Series). Tate Publishing, 2006.
Web Sources:
https://tonyoursler.com/oxt-variations-south-korea#:~:text=Oursler’s%20first%20solo%20exhibition%20at,of%20paintings%20with%20moving%20images.
https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/12093/surrealist-artist-dora-maar-was-more-than-just-pablo-picasso-muse-tate-modern
dora maar/man ray – the years lie in wait for you (1936)
https://www.ruaarchive.org/mavis-thomson-srua/
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/assemblage
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/emin-fuck-you-eddy-p11569
https://www.culturewhisper.com/r/visual_arts/eileen_agar_angel_of_anarchy_whitechapel_gallery/16046