Faces: Self Portraits.

I chose the theme of self-portraits because I have always been fascinated by the way artists depict themselves. I've always thought that self-portraits always reveal a little detail about the artist that we are usually not aware of. To me self portraits are the most intimates works of art an artist can produce and it is through them that the viewers are able to have a better understanding of who the artist is a human being.

My exhibit includes self portraits from different times in history and from artists of different nationalities. For instance, Van Gogh's "Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat", Warhol's Self Portrait in a photograph and Egon Schiele's Self Portrait. Even though, these works of art are very different when it comes to style, medium and time in history they all share the basic concept of depicting the artist's persona.

Andy Warhol. "Self-portrait". Ca 1986. Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

Andy Warhol. "Self-portrait". 1979. Photographs.

Walker Evans. "Self-portrait in Automated Photo booth". 1929. Photographs

Diego Velazquez. "Portrait of a Man". 1630-35. European Paintings

Vincent Van Gogh. "Self-portrait with a Straw Hat". 1887. European Paintings

Stanislaw Witkiewiez. "Collapse with Lamp". ca 1973. Photographs

Albert Smith. "Self-Portrait with Hat and Pipe". 1929. Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

Egon Schiele."Self-portrait". 1911.Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

Ephraim Rubenstaim. "Self-portrait with Books". 1984-85.Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

Pablo Picasso."Self-portrait".1906. Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

Henri Matisse."Self-portrait. 1944. Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

Edgar Degas. "Self-portrait". 1855-56. European Paintings

Chuck Close. "Self-portrait".1995.Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

Max Beckmann. "Self-portrait". 1911. Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

William King. "Self-portrait". 1974. Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.

Chelsea Galleries Reaction

One artist whose work I would not like to collect:

Rashaad Newsome: Herald

Marlborough Gallery

What I dislike about this collection is basically its entire concep

t. I do find the artist's comparison of Hip-hop and heraldry very interesting and it does work. However, I do not feel this would be enough for me to collect these pieces. Even though, the collages do look incredibly elaborate, to me the material looks inexpensive to say the least. I think that this artist's work isn't a good investment because I see this collection as something very transitory, bound to be forgotten in some years. I don't think I would display the artwork.

One artist whose work I would like to collect:

Kristen Schiele: Beyond the Rocks

Freight and Volume Gallery

I enjoyed this collection very much, I think that the artworks harmonize with each other and that the artist successfully transmits the idea of the collection in a tasteful manner. I think that these multimedia artworks can become timeless which makes them ideal for investment. I would display the artwork, I feel it owes to be appreciated by the public.

Rashaad Newsome

BO$$ED UP, 2011

Rashaad Newsome

Let Them Eat Cakes, 2011

Kristen Schiele

Over the Edge, 2011

Kristen Schiele

Uptown Girls Can Drink, 2011

Illustrate a Story

I found this story to be very interesting because the job these two men have to do is very bizarre. I thought it was very different and definitely worth hearing. In the collage I wanted to illustrate those who they could not convince from jumping off the bridge.

Brooklyn Museum Reaction

Art is an important resource used by societies to express who they are, their history and their overall identity. Artists Sanford Biggers and Timothy Greenfield Sanders make a great example of how art can be used as a mean for expressing someone's cultural identity.

In the special exhibition "Sweet Funk - An Introspective" artist Sanford Biggers includes pieces of art that make strong statements regarding his African American identity. One piece that caught my attention a lot was "Lotus" which consisted of a huge glass with a printed image of a flower, which is formed by the repeated use of an image of a cargo ship used to transport slaves from Africa in the 18th century. This piece makes an important statement regarding the significance that history has to his culture. Needless to say slavery has defined in many ways the African American culture and this idea is well conveyed by the artist in this pieces of art. Another piece that made a great impression on me was the sculpture "Passage" which consisted of a bust of Martin Luther King that casts the shadow of the bust of Barack Obama. This piece represents two of the most influential personalities of the African American culture and expresses how African Americans have evolved through history.

In similar fashion artist Timothy Greenfield-Sanders explores the Latin American identity through his exhibition "The Latino List". The exhibition consists of a collection of portraits of important Latin American figures. For instance, the portrait of Mexican José Moreno Hernández, who is a former NASA astronaut. This collection is an expression of pride from a somewhat neglected culture.

Sanford Biggers

"Lotus"

2007

Sanford Biggers

"Passage"

2009

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

"Jose Moreno Hernandez"

2011

Narrative Digital Collage

Five years ago I spent a month traveling around Europe with my best friend. It was my parent's fifteenth birthday gift. It was a life changing experience, I visited around nine countries and was able to go to some of Europe's most famous landmarks. It was the most amazing month in my life!

Sculpture Center Reaction

I believe that the 30-minute documentary "Dame of the World" by artist Rona Yefman simply would not feel complete if it would have been projected in a different location. The mood of the documentary, which is based on an interview to tattoo artist Shanghai Kate, harmonizes with the small dark room where it is being projected. In the interview Kate often touches sad subjects like never having children and thanks to the environment of the room the audience is able to feel the emotions of this subjects more intensively.

In similar fashion, the sculpture entitled "A Joia do Orixa” would not feel as majestic as it does if the architecture of the gallery where it is being presented would have been different. The incredibly high ceilings of the room allow the viewer to fully appreciate the magnitude of the sculpture. Along with this sculpture, the big dark room in which they are being displayed compliments the rest of the installations that form part of the collection “Cosmic Voodoo Circus” by artist Sanford Biggers. The room creates the illusion of a circus and allows all the pieces in the collection to come together as a whole.

Sanford Biggers

"A Jóia Do Orixá"

2011

Rona Yefman

"Dame of the World"

2011

Field Trip #1 Reaction: “Art and World Events”

I was ten years old at that time, my parents had decided to send me and my sister to my aunt’s house in Jersey City for the entire summer. It was a long and hot summer and after spending two months away from my parents I was starting to feel homesick. My aunt, an old fashioned Dominican lady who had been living in the United States since 1960 and whose English vocabulary consisted of about twenty words, had always loved to walk. That summer we walked everywhere. One day she made us walk a million miles to a K-Mart supermarket just to buy a stupid rug, I remember how annoyed I was, it was very early and incredibly hot outside. When we got to the supermarket, after walking for what seemed hours to me, I was in a really bad mood, so I told my aunt I was going to wait for her outside in the parking lot. The parking lot had an incredible unobstructed view of the New York City skyline. I stared at it with amazement, I was hypnotized by these two colossal buildings that stood there, with such an incredible presence, and it simply took my breath away. A couple of days later me and my sister were shipped back to the Dominican Republic. When I found out about the attacks, I shivered; it was too much for my young imagination. I could picture in my mind the towers as I had seen them not more than two weeks before that, it all felt so surreal and to this day it still does.

Fortunately, I was not directly affected by 9/11. However, it did cause great sadness and confusion to my young mind. 9/11 was definitely a turning point in world history, and our current economical situation is without a doubt product of what happened that day. People changed, now people carry a sense of worry in the back of their heads, especially New Yorkers. The only positive change product of this atrocity is that citizens have become more united.

The first work of art I would like to share is a set of photographs by John Pilson, entitled "Interregna". He used to work around the World Trade Center, between 1998 and 2000 and he took a series of photograph that reflect his daily life in the office. The whole set feels like a premonition of what was about to happen, especially the photograph entitled Plane, which captures the image of a plane through a window as the plane looks as if it was about to crash with building.

The second work of art is Lara Favaretto’s “Lost and Found”. I feel it captures the feeling of uncertainty and insecurity that most New Yorkers feel every day.

And the third work of art is Monika Bravo’s “La Vispera.” This video capturing the last night before September 11^th made me feel the same way I felt when I first found out about the attacks.

John Pilson

“Interregna”

1998-2000

Lara Favaretto

“Lost and Found”

2006

Monika Bravo

“La Vispera”

2001