Jenny Holzer Chapter 3

“If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.” - John F. Kennedy

This technique momentarily suspends the omniscient gaze of the camera, and evokes the spectator’s—as well as Hitchcock’s—desire to “capture” the female protagonist as she escapes off-screen. In this context, the seemingly objective tracking shot may in fact reveal itself as a violent, subjective

The mother in the photograph catches the viewer’s eye at first glance, straight in center view with Lange’s lens. Due to the subject focus, the mother and her children, it is safe to declare that the mother knew the photograph was being taken although her eyes linger away from where Lange would be standing. With her children hiding behind her, looking down, the viewer is forced to look at their filthy hair and disheveled appearances. By not giving Lange or her lens their direct attention it forces those viewing the image to look at the subjects themselves and not make eye contact with them. By doing so it is easier to notice the stressed lines on the mothers face, the torn and grimy apparel hanging off of each person and the dirt covering the only visible child’s face, the baby in her

Arts sole purpose is to evoke an emotion out of its audience and influence them as well. Whether art makes you feel euphoric or sad, it resonates within every individual differently. In this day in age, artists utilize the internet as a method of sharing their work freely with others. According to Lethem, “The American commons include tangible assets such as public for public assets such as public forests and minerals, intangible wealth such as copyrights and patents, critical infrastructures such as the Internet and government research , and cultural resources such as the broadcast airwaves and public spaces. They include resources we’ve paid for as taxpayers and inherited from previous generations” (222). This suggests the Internet is a creative resource that is invaluable to the art community; however, it should be used with caution. The internet is not a resource that can be owned or privatized, which is why individuals can be exposed to anything at any time. On the internet, many images pop up quite frequently and they evoke little to no emotion from those who see it, because they have seen it a numerous amount of times. This is unfortunate, because the quality of one’s work is being diminished if people have become indifferent towards it. Nelson argues that, “But there are also perils. And one is that in cultural moment defined (by some, for some) by image flow, the question of what one should look at, along with attendant inquiries into nature and effect of images blowing by, has creepy way of overtaking almost all other questions” (304). This infers that image flow is something that alters how individuals are affected by art and the feelings one should have toward it. Although technology has been beneficial to the art community, image flow continues to damage the effect that art is intended to have. Seeing

For centuries, people’s aesthetic value has been influenced by Rome's perfectionism, so do I. I used to think that artworks that make people feel appreciated are just equivalent to visual appreciation and satisfaction. However, after observing the painting and researching sources of this pieces of art I realized that an excellent artwork needs to cover all aspect requirements. For instance, an excellent artwork needs to contain a high operation of art skills as well as art knowledge in order to persuade audience. In addition, to qualify as a great artwork it has to create a substantial amount of activity in the audience’s mind or heart. When I look at an artwork I always try to figure out what is the artwork's message or what the artist is trying to communicate, to convey. Overall, I think a good artwork needs include some of the elements and principles of the language of art as well as the structure they give to be able to successfully communicate an idea.

“As an artist I have always tried to be faithful to my vision of life, and I have frequently been in conflict with those who wanted me to paint not what I saw but what they wished me to see.”

"Purpose of our art is to create the life of a human soul and render it in an artistic form." (2)

The viewer can see and feel the bond between the mother and the child. I also think the artwork is beautiful and makes a deep impression on the viewer, because of the innocence and peaceful appearance of the infant. The woman has such an intense gaze with the way she is looking at the infant; it gives each viewer an opportunity to interpret it in their own way, concern or admiration, all part of motherhood. The woman’s body language is intriguing because she is replicating the infant’s arm position, maybe to find her own peace. In my search, I discovered that Berthe Morisot was a famous female artist in the 19th century, and in making a choice, this piece of art quickly caught my

For it is in our works of art that we reveal to ourselves and to others the

“An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.”

In this book by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler there are one hundred eighty-two pages which also includes the prologue, given, and the author's notes but in reality it isn’t that long just a single page. It took me about an hour to two hours to read it. I learned some facts about Japanese culture from the 1700’s: the were geishas which entertained men not in a inappropriate way at least not in the book but entertainment in songs, stories, and such. I also learned more about the main character Seikei and how he came to be the Judge’s son which is expected when you read a book that was made after this one which is what I did when I read “The sword that cut the burning grass.” Also it taught me to look for alternate solutions to problems and that

“For now I just want to know more about Jenny Morse other than she has a kind heart and is to receive the key to the city for selfishly helping people in need. I’m sure this whole situation with the restraining order had shaken up the mayor.”

Finally, the depiction of figure is perhaps the most interesting and intellectually challenging element in this piece. The figure, while emotionally withdrawn from the viewer, is physically imposing. She is looking down and away from the viewer, as if the isn’t aware that she is being watched. Her mask-like facial features also do little in the way of conveying emotion. Her body, however, is quite different. The dark thick lines shaping her muscles and limbs, the detail in the curls of her hair, the placement of her fingers, and her exposed breast all demand the attention of the viewers’ eye. The bold lines that define her legs, waist, and hip, make her seem intrusively part of our space. The awkward placement of her

Obvious from the start is the artist's careful attention to details, illustrated in the richly decorated background and characters' attire. Employing this general density automatically enhances the Virgin's gaze, making it charged with severity, intense. On

To begin, the proportion of the woman’s gaze accentuates perfection. The eyes introduces a sense of nobility to the piece acquiring a softness at the gaze. Painted with a spherical shape, it allows the appearance to emerge mysteriously throughout the portrait and I quote “Through their roundness, therefore, the mind, knowing itself, is sometimes forced to reveal the secrets thoughts of their