Blog 11

 Diversity Surrounds Us: An Examination of Postmodern Art 

The six images that I chose all have a different style. They represent many different cultures, ages, beliefs, and innovations. I chose the theme of diversity because Postmodern Art represents the fast-paced changing nature of the world at this time. Postmodern art represents all of the cultures and diversity of experiences in our world today. The artists in this collection represent many cultures from around the world and express their art through diverse styles: graffiti-style, technology, abstract, photorealism, and geometric. One unifying element of each of these pieces is the diversity of color that each artist uses to express themselves. Each artist uses vibrant colors to entice the eye deeper into the artwork. The Audrey Flack piece, even though it is a little earlier, still is Postmodern in its expression of color, style, and theme.

Untitled 1982 Basquiat skull painting

    

Jean Michel Basquiat is an African American artist born in 1960 in Brooklyn, New York. He was well known for his mixed works, which are in the form of street graffiti and neo-expressionism. His works were also recognized for their colors, figures, and symbols. His most famous work was "Untitled Skull." 

    In this painting, I see the first element, which is color. In the background, you can see the vibrant blue color that creates the contrast in the figure. I also see a color palette. The colors are black in the lines and touches of white, creating a depth in the figure. The yellow and red in the figure create that energy and composition in the figure. All these colors together make the work have a powerful visual pact. The second element is the strong, thick black lines, giving it the shape of a skull. However, this painting also doesn't have the perfect lines like other works, but rather more like scratches. Finally, I see texture. In the background, you can see the scrapes, drips, and layers of paint, creating a complex texture. The painting also has smoother areas and other rougher areas, making the work unique and interesting.

    This painting has various emotions, but when I see the image of a skull, I see that feeling of fear, anger, or death because of the skull's shape. The presentation of this painting is formed in scratches of lines as if you already had the image clear in your head and you begin to paint it without it being perfect, giving it more of a street-style shape. It also focuses on the colors, textures, lines, and composition. You can see the original painting at the Brooklyn Museum and the Seattle Art Museum. The story behind this painting was a reference to his father's Haitian origins, which symbolizes voodoo rituals in Caribbean and African cultures.

I find this painting very interesting. I like the street style, but to be honest, I wouldn't have it on my wall because it's very expensive. But if I could have it on any occasion, I'd like to put it in a place where it's more visible so that everyone could see it.

Map of the British Empire in America (2021). Acrylic and oil on archival printed canvas

    Firelei Baez is a contemporary artist born in 1981 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. She lives and works in New York. She is well known for her colorful works, cultural and historical reflections. She earned her Master of Fine Arts from Hunter College. Her works have been exhibited in important institutional venues worldwide, such as the Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth and the Pérez Museum of Arts in Miami.

    In this work, I see the first and most common element, and that is color. I see a color palette ranging from the blue ocean in light and dark tones. Colors like white, orange, green, and red are also noticeable in the floral arrangement. In the sky, there are soft tones like gray and very light blues. Also, in the background, small boats can be seen. The second element is the texture, from which fluid brushstrokes are seen, creating that effect of movement. In the flowers, you can see that more detailed texture, more  in the white flower and in the pointed part of the flower, and in the leaves, the texture is more elevated. The composition presents a floral arrangement in the middle, while in the background there is a blue seascape, and I see small sailboats in the corner. In addition, with all of this together, it creates this interesting work.

    In this work, I see emotions such as beauty through the colors, adventure, and calm. The presentation is first formed on paper as if it were a map, which makes me curious, but at the same time, interesting. The colorful floral elements and contrast create a more attractive visual effect in themselves. All of the artist's works are located in different museums in the United States, one of them being the Whitney Museum of American Art. The story behind this painting, and in general in her works, is about finding beauty and having that connection with oneself through this artistic map.

I loved this piece. I found it interesting to have this art in the form of a map. I also find those colors wonderful and beautiful. I would have this piece on my wall because I can find many connections just by looking at it. It would also look beautiful on my wall.

  

World War II (Vanitas) 1977

    Audrey Flack, born in 1931, was an American artist. She was recognized for her flourishing and colorful works, which included painting, sculpture, and photography. She graduated in Fine Arts from Yale University in New York. Her works are exhibited in major museums around the world, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Gallery of Australia.

    In this photorealistic painting, a palette of intense colors can be seen, such as the red of the candle, the curtain, and the rose, the vibrant yellow of the pear, and the silvery blues of the teacup. In the background, grays and blacks can be seen in the photo. The combination of all these colors creates the calm atmosphere of the image. The second element is the dramatic lighting, creating strong reflections and shadows in the photograph, while the pearls and teacup reflect light throughout the composition. This also creates depth in the photorealistic effect. Finally, the composition of the objects is arranged diagonally across the foreground, while the foreground objects are considered the most special and prized in the background.

    The emotion of this photo has that emotion of affection, but I also see a calm or tranquility. There's a hint of mystery in all the objects, each of which could mean something. The presentation is made up of different symbolic objects. This realist photo is located at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The story behind this photograph is that artist Audrey Flack wanted to tell the story of World War II through photography, creating that contrast between the dark side and the bright side.

I find this photograph very interesting in its charm as it captures moments with only objects to give us an idea or as a riddle of what the artist really wants us to see.

WHAT WE WANT IS FREE, 2020

   Jeffrey Gibson is a Native American artist born in 1972 in Colorado Springs. His artistic style combines Indigenous aesthetics with contemporary art. His works have been exhibited in major museums around the world, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the New Museum. His works feature vibrant, eye-catching colors.

    The first element of this painting is the different colors: blue, purple, green, and turquoise. Red is the focal point on the left side of this painting, while the brighter colors are on the right. Combined, these colors create this interesting work of art. The second element is the geometric shapes; the painting features triangles, squares, and rectangles. These geometric shapes create a dynamic visual movement throughout the composition. Finally, the text forms part of the work, with the inscription "What we want is free" written on the top and bottom edges, forming this visual design.  

    This work conveys a sense of emotion, harmony, and boldness through the different colors. Furthermore, the message written in the painting, "What we want is free" conveys the emotion of freedom or protest. This work is presented in geometric shapes such as triangles and rectangles, using a palette of striking colors. The artist's works, including this one, are located in various museums in the United States. The story behind this painting is unknown, as it has several meanings. It could refer to freedom or protest, depending on the message or how you want to interpret it.

I like this piece because it draws me in because of the different colors. I also love the fact that there are several layers, which I find much more interesting.

Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii 1995

Nam June Paik was a Korean-American artist born in 1932 in Seoul, Korea. He created and founded video art. He graduated from Tokyo University in Japan and traveled to Germany to further his interest in music and moved to New York City. He was also known for his use of television and video art. His pioneering works were "TV Buddha" and "Electronic Superhighway."

    This television artwork seems very impressive to me. The first element I see in this work is the silhouette or line created with several televisions that forms the map of the United States. The second visual element is the neon colors that separate the different regions on the map with vibrant colors which are pink, blue, green, yellow, and red. And finally, you can notice several televisions from each region with the same content and different images, creating that remarkable effect while maintaining their individual display. Which I find amazing since it is a different artistic art.

    In this work, I see the emotion of nostalgia, as if you wanted to watch, for example, 50 series at once and feel an overload of information. On the other hand, the neon lights in different colors and in the background create that feeling of excitement. In the presentation, you can see that the artist used different televisions in different sizes to form the map of the United States, with neon lights on the edges defining each region on the map. You can also see different images. This work is located in the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The story behind this work explores the impact of electronic media on American culture and captures the overwhelming nature of society, as television has become a fundamental means of entertainment in our lives.

    This work seemed curious to me because of the mini televisions; I have never seen one, which makes it curious to see it with my own eyes. In general, this work with the different colors gave that touch to distinguish the regions well. I would like to see this work someday just out of curiosity.

Abstract Painting 780-1, 1992

    Gerhard Richter was born in Dresden, Germany, in 1932. He was famous for his abstract and photorealistic paintings, photographs, and glass pieces. He studied at the Dresden Academy of Arts. He moved to West Germany and completed his painting career at the Dusseldorf Art Academy. Throughout his career, he explored different art styles, such as landscapes and portraits.

    The first element I see in this painting are the vertical lines, they give it that touch of direction and visual movement within the abstract composition, which I find interesting. The second element I see in the painting are the vibrant colors, which are yellow, which gives that focal effect to the painting, green, blue, and red. I see a bit of pink and a lighter blue. These combined colors that the artist chose give a touch of energy. Lastly, you can notice the blurred effect in the painting. This technique makes the lines more noticeable. This effect allows the colors to combine, making the painting look more exciting and interesting to look at

    I think this painting, which has vibrant and striking colors, can evoke many emotions in different ways of seeing them or however you want to see them. But when I look at this painting, I see a lot of happiness and peace, but also a bit of sadness due to the different colors it has. The presentation is composed with the use of different colors and a smooth texture and vertical lines. The original painting is in the Marian Goodman Gallery, New York. There is no story behind this abstract painting; only that each viewer who sees this painting can create a story or what they think when they see this painting.

I love this piece, as I said with the previous works, anything that has color I would like to have on my wall because with colors you can create your own emotions.

Works Cited

NAM JUNE PAIK, https://www.paikstudios.com. Accessed 17 April 2025.

“Abstract Painting 780-1, 1992.” National Gallery of Art, https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.83019.html#inscription. Accessed 17 April 2025.

“Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii | Smithsonian American Art Museum.” Smithsonian American Art Museum, https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/electronic-superhighway-continental-us-alaska-hawaii-71478. Accessed 17 April 2025.

“Firelei Báez.” Hauser & Wirth, https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/firelei-baez/. Accessed 17 April 2025.

Flack, Audrey. “World War II (Vanitas) (1977) by Audrey Flack – Artchive.” Artchive, https://www.artchive.com/artwork/world-war-ii-vanitas-audrey-flack-1977/. Accessed 17 April 2025.

Scorer, Florence, and Jeffrey Deitch. “Brushstrokes of Rebellion: Jean-Michel Basquiat's Untitled 1982 Skull Painting | MyArtbroker.” MyArtBroker, 12 July 2024, https://www.myartbroker.com/artist-jean-michel-basquiat/articles/brushstrokes-of-rebellion-jean-michel-basquiats-untitled-1982-skull-painting. Accessed 17 April 2025.