When I went to the gallery this vase of flowers grabbed my attention right away, with its vibrant colors and beautiful choice of flowers. I was lucky enough to also move the meaning behind it as well.For many artists who were confined to their studios during the COVID-19 lockout, still life offered the simplest access as a topic. Margaret Murphy said that during the tumultuous time, painting flowers in vases on a regular basis "kept her calm." Vanitas refers to the transience of life portrayed by cut flowers in two enormous oil paintings Murphy painted in the early stages of the epidemic. They are stylised in a manner reminiscent of Dutch still life. One of them honored the names of those killed by police as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, while the other highlighted "Women of Change" like Beyonce, who was shown as a queen bee, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was depicted as Queen Anne's Lace. Murphy incorporates contemporary socio-political themes into her exquisite flower paintings. “ Her presence is manifest in her gestures, voice, opinions, expressions, clothes, chosen surroundings taste indeed there is nothing she can do which does not contribute to her presence” This painting reminded me of this quote from one of our previous class readings. When Murphy highlighted Women of Change it reminded me that things like voice, opinions, expressions, clothes, chosen and surroundings do not contribute to her presence. Which I believe to be 100% true and it shows. The true strength of women in our society today. Art can illuminate foreign cultural influences, historical occurrences, cultural values, the tenacity of some traditions, as well as pushback and change to such traditions. People utilize art to showcase their unique personalities as well as their cultural identity and connections with others. This painting is Activism against police brutality and shows the strength of women. I do believe that objects and possessions hold meaning beyond their value and status. The value in the vase is the consistency, the vase made her feel whole and talked about everything going on around her and put it in art form. Objects speak about identity, society, history and politics by using it as a canvas to express yourself and show everyone your ideals or thoughts through art itself. Murphy definitely did it here as she used the vasw to remember the names of people who were victims of police brutality.
“ The complicated symbolism which lies behind this painting need not concern us now because it does not affect its appeal. “ This quote states that the meaning is much bigger than the painting itself and that is the true value. The selfie I composed was also a vase that included Candy. During the lockdown, the most consistent thing in my life was the candy being refiled everyday with new candy. Although no one touched it, it was something nice to see that some things were still normal for the most part. I wasn’t able to see family for a while and at home for the summer because my parents were older and there was no news on the long term effects of COVID at the time. This vase speaks to my identity because it's something that is consistency. I like to stay consistent whether it's staying on track to graduate or a simple goal like finishing a book. That is who I am as a person who is hard working and goal centric. “ We need the banality which we can find in the first instant of disclosure because it grounds us in reality” This goes very well with my point. The disclosure was the pandemic and the reality is the consistency of it. Another painting that grabbed my eye was an oil painting done by Laurie Riccadonna. Laurie Riccadonna's "Throw Away" and accompanying paintings are close-up studies of the plastic waste she collected from several local locations, including Caven Point and Liberty State Park. The painting's surface is covered in plastic netting and bottle caps, which obstruct the natural elements like shells. Plastic, which cannot biodegrade, builds up in ocean gyres over a lengthy period of time, damaging the environment and literally suffocating marine life. Incorporating well-known plastic toys, some of which were gifts from her family and friends, Riccadonna brings the environmental catastrophe into the everyday world. “ Its coherence is no longer within itself but within the experience of the painter”. The experience this object has with the painter is now unique as it is used in her portrait. It is truly fascinating how art can be used in such creative ways. The factors that shape our societal and personal identities are frequently explored by artists. They help define who we are as people, as a culture, or as a country. They investigate characteristics including gender, sexuality, ethnicity, nationality, and heritage while challenging stereotypes and received wisdom. Identity, society, history and politics are all a big part of the art and ourselves as a whole.
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