Redraft your critical review:
· Can you be more specific about certain distinctions involving artists' use of pattern and the body in each case?
· Consider the value and position of Klimt– can this be taken out from the body text to leave more room to develop the other artists? (Klimt can still be given an introductory mention).
· Focus research and mobilise other perspectives to gain more insight and avoid generalisations (look at key points in other exhibition reviews and quotes).
· Check some of the language. Watch for repetition (unless it is for summary /conclusion). Watch for sentences that are too long or don't add anything. Avoid too generalisations or feelings – always try to back up a statement (eg. quotes & references).
· Your conclusion needs to reinforce the main points / situate the work 'main findings' such as the use of patterns in relation to the body (or other key position).
Further, develop the notion of painting as ‘terrain''’ or landscape - Landscapes connect with the work of Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula (aerial and political/geographical territory, patterns and dreams).
How is a pattern used in Zones? Or in its entirety?
The the''TondoCrops'’ continue to work very well – consider 're-painting'’ / making other paintings from these crops. Consider expanding the Tondos with frames or edges/territories of solid colour, pattern etc. (you are starting to think of frames within frame'’ in the framed painting of Mount Fuji...)
Look at edges in Savdie'ss practice or territories/ geographies, as well as"perversion, identity, and the confines and expanses of the human body”: https://hyperallergic.com/631780/ilana-savdie-maps-electrifying-geographies-deli-gallery/
More on Klimt:
Look at OnKawara's“Today Series” / Date Paintings
NOTE
Everything that is written in RED (my thoughts /workings out).
Everything that is highlighted in purple has been omitted/ rewritten.
First, let's look at my title-
Exploring the Language of Patterns in Art: A Critical Review.
Is this titling what I am writing about? I'm unsure.
What would be an alternative title?
Defining the Language of Patterns in Painting.
Define - Give the exact meaning of. Where relevant, show that you understand why the definition may be problematic.
Relating the Language of Patterns in Painting.
Relate - Show similarities and connections between two or more things.
Examining the Language of Patterns in Painting.
Examine - Put the subject 'under the microscope', looking at it in detail. If appropriate, 'Critically evaluate' it as well.
Comparing the Language of Patterns in Painting.
Compare - Show how two or more things are similar. Indicate the relevance or consequences of these similarities.
Evaluating the Language of Patterns in Painting.
Evaluate - Assess the worth, importance or usefulness of something using evidence.
A critical review, particularly when titled "evaluating," focuses on assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the subject. It examines various aspects such as artistic merit, technical skill and thematic coherence. The review aims to determine the impact of the subject and offers insights into its overall quality and effectiveness. This, I think, is a good start.
Evaluating the Language of Patterns in Painting.
Exploring the Artistic Interplay of Pattern and the Body
Changed title. Introduction:
Patterns have long fascinated artists, serving to express complex ideas and emotions.
History needs to be mentioned because the three artists I am talking about are from different periods.
Patterns have a captivating allure throughout history, adorning various aspects of our lives. Patterns are a language because they carry meaning, convey messages, and contribute to the overall visual communication of an artwork.
In this critical review, we will evaluate the relationship between patterns and the body in the works of various artists.
Initially, Gustav Klimt's value, position and influence are briefly acknowledged, but the focus of this review shifts to further developing the insights gained from exploring other artists. This critical review evaluates the power of altering patterns to create new arrangements.
Be logical and to the point. Briefly mention Gustav Klimt here in the introduction as I write for an audience knowledgeable about the subject and artist.
By examining the distinctive approaches of each artist, we gain a deeper understanding of how patterns can redefine the body and evoke profound meanings.
By examining the distinctive approaches of the artists Ilana Savdie and Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula, we understand how patterns redefine and evoke profound meanings. These artists engage directly with the representation of land and territory in their artworks, each exploring unique aspects of this connection. While Tjupurrula focuses on mapping Indigenous territories and conventional narratives, Savdie delves into the edges or zones of regions and geographies and themes of "perversion, identity, and the confines and expanses of the human body".
The main body of writing.
Gustav Klimt Part - Omitted
Ilana Savdie
Klimt's influence is present in the work of many contemporary artists, who continue to explore similar techniques. For example, Ilana Savdie's work combines design, texture, and bold hues to create aesthetically pleasing and conceptually complex paintings. She uses patterns to make sense of dimension and structure, repelling and seducing with expressive elements in her compositions. Savdie's paintings explore patterns, but chaotically, she skillfully blends aesthetics and conceptual depth. Her artwork, such as the intriguing "Cow," masterfully incorporates familiar elements that quickly give way to surprising revelations, like the image of a human nose or part of a cow. These unexpected juxtapositions draw viewers in, leaving them mesmerised within the picture plane. In this way, she skilfully navigates the interplay between materials and gestures, often concealed beneath layers of wax, creating a captivating experience. Savdie pushes and pulls between various materials, and as a result, her paintings challenge conventional notions of beauty and evoke automatic responses. Upon close examination, one cannot help but be intrigued by the unpredictable 'pitted skin-like texture' of the beeswax enveloping her amorphous figures. Savdie's artwork uses unconventional materials, such as incorporating patterns redacted microscopic parasite images with organic forms and artificial or architectural elements. These disparate elements create a paradoxical texture in her paintings. The thick beeswax, which envelops her figures, simultaneously allures and repels, inviting touch while evoking avoidance. This unique choice of materials adds depth and complexity to Savdie's compositions, further enhancing the visual and tactile experience for the viewers.
Savdie encourages us to perceive her work as beautifully grotesque, highlighting her focus on the body as a central theme. She achieves a harmonious fusion blending boundaries but maintaining a delicate equilibrium throughout her artwork. Her paintings are in a perpetual flux and fluid amalgamations of pattern, texture and colour. Images and bodily experiences collaged and patterned discordantly on canvas that sweep over the observer. If her paintings were sounds, they would be a cacophony of screams and honks, each element vying for attention. The overall effect is a riotous celebration of excess, yet her work simultaneously transports viewers to a dreamlike realm of uninhibited visual pleasure. What sets Savdie apart is her distinctive pattern selection and unique compositional approach. She instils uncertainty in the audience through deliberate disruption and transformation. Drawing from cross-cultural influences, Baroque historical imagery, and memories of light and colour from her carnival hometown, Savdie connects fragments in her compositions, and her rich, conflicted patterns offer us a means of understanding the tension in her work, providing us with an insight into her visual language.
Can I be more specific and use the facts to reinforce how she uses patterns? Evaluate her work materially, visually and emotionally within her practice as a 'language'.
Take out my feelings and personal opinions.
Put some information on both artists as they aren't well known.
Ilana Savdie
Ilana Savdie is an artist born in 1986 and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, and Miami, Florida. She currently bases herself in Brooklyn, New York. She delves into performance, transgression, identity, and power through her artwork. Her paintings, which are often large-scale, bring together different fragments to create intricate and dynamic compositions. These compositions burst with vibrant colours, creating a lively and vivid visual experience. She explores territory, geography, and the human body within her artistic practice. Through her use of patterns, she establishes connections between these elements. She combines design, texture, and bold hues to create "irresistibly eye-catching and alluring" paintings.
"Her work manifests and honours dysmorphic human bodies and elongated forms to the brink of near abstraction; it is a formula that beautifies distortion and embellishes the uncommon. By juxtaposing the intimate and the alien, Savdie's work proposes several questions: What makes such organisms simultaneously seductive and dangerous? How do humanoid forms surrender in obedience, and how do they exert authority? When does the familiar end, and where does the foreign begin?"
Indeed her artwork, "Cow," masterfully incorporates elements that quickly give way to surprising revelations, like the image of a human nose or part of a cow. These unexpected juxtapositions draw viewers in, leaving them mesmerised within the picture plane.
From a different perspective, one might observe the concept of 'edging' in Savdie's work, where she explores the boundaries and confines of the body. The interplay between patterns and territories in her paintings reflects the complex relationship between identity, perversion, and the expansive nature of the human form.
"I've been thinking a lot about boundaries and what it means to spill out of them," she says. "I'm always going to be bigger than the space allotted for me, and embracing that is liberating. It feels honest—and the work has to be honest."
By examining her practice through the lens of 'edging', we gain a deeper understanding of the interaction between pattern and the zones of the body in her work, for example, by "dividing and aggregating body parts among thrilling palettes to map new geographies altogether. When transferred to canvas, these scenes electrify".
Within Savdie's 'zones,' patterns play a vital role in reimagining territory and creating visual narratives of her unfixed identity. Materially, metaphorically and emotionally, she celebrates "things that spill out". By mobilising various perspectives and incorporating patterns, the 'zones' function as markers of distinction and belonging, inviting viewers to reflect on the complex relationships between personal and collective spaces.
Furthermore, in Savdie's artistic practice, she goes beyond traditional representations by exploring territories and geographies in a comprehensive and thought-provoking manner. She focuses on the in-between spaces and boundaries that define the land, seeking places where different regions intersect or "leak out" where human activities disrupt the natural order. These edges, filled with tension and transformation, mirror the complexities of how humans interact with the environment. By delving into these transitional spaces, Savdie challenges the conventional idea of land as something fixed and unchanging, instead highlighting the fluidity of territories and their interconnectedness.
Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula
A prominent Indigenous Australian artist, Tjupurrula emerges as a significant figure within the Western Desert Art movement. His intricate dot patterns serve as visual channels for conveying stories and myths rooted in his ancestral heritage. While aesthetically pleasing, these patterns possess a deeper cultural and spiritual significance, reflecting Aboriginal people's profound connection with their land.
Tjupurrula's A prominent Indigenous Australian artist, Tjupurrula emerges as a significant figure within the Western Desert Art movement. His intricate dot patterns serve as visual channels for conveying stories and myths rooted in his ancestral heritage. While aesthetically pleasing, these patterns possess a deeper cultural and spiritual significance, reflecting Aboriginal people's profound connection with their land. Through his skilful use of patterns, he captivates viewers and imparts vital aspects of his culture. For instance, the elaborate dot patterns showcased in his renowned piece 'Water Dreaming at Kalipinya' exemplify the essential role of rain in sustaining life within the desert. These intricate networks of dots emphasise the interconnectedness of all things, from the tiniest particles to the vast celestial bodies. They also convey the cyclical nature of existence, encompassing life, death, and rebirth themes that hold profound significance in Indigenous Australian culture.
Tjupurrula's pattern work holds considerable importance in contemporary art, contributing to the rise of non-representational art and innovative expressions of cultural identity. His patterns challenge established art historical narratives, bridging the gap between tradition and modernity and fostering a deeper understanding of Indigenous cultures. This fusion generates a new form of contemporary art that remains firmly rooted in tradition while embracing progressive perspectives. Tjupurrula's artistic contributions exemplify the richness and complexity of his cultural heritage, as his masterful use of patterns, colour, and symbolism effectively communicates complex cultural and spiritual concepts.
Through these patterns, we are invited to appreciate the depth and significance of Indigenous Australian art. His artworks serve as a testament to the enduring power of patterns as carriers of cultural knowledge and spiritual connection.
By engaging with these art pieces, we can gain insights into the intricate relationship between Aboriginal people and their ancestral lands, and we are encouraged to recognise the profound contributions of Indigenous artists within the broader artistic landscape.
Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula
A prominent Indigenous Australian artist, Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula, born in 1925, emerged as a significant figure within the Western Desert Art movement.
In contrast, Tjupurrula focuses on directly representing Indigenous territories and cultural narratives. His intricate dot patterns serve as visual channels for conveying stories and myths rooted in his ancestral heritage. While aesthetically pleasing, these patterns possess a deeper cultural and spiritual significance, reflecting Aboriginal people's profound connection with their land. His artworks often feature circular motifs, symbolising the desert landscape's waterholes and other natural elements from an aerial perspective. His mappings or aerial views of specific territories trace the lines and contours of the land. These patterns and zones may represent sacred sites, Dreaming tracks, water sources, or other significant cultural and spiritual landmarks.
"He uses the iconography of concentric circles which represent places, dots which are part of men's body designs, mixed dappled colours to suggest the central Australian topography".
The dot patterns can be seen as visual representations of the relationships between different regions, highlighting the interconnections and boundaries within the landscape. Symbols and iconography within these patterns further communicate the cultural and spiritual meanings associated with specific territories and zones.
Tjupurrula's art centres on ancestral and cultural ties to land; Savdie's practice expands the discourse by examining the edges and boundaries of territories, challenging societal constructs, and exploring themes of perversion, identity, and the human body. Both artists deepen our understanding of the intricate relationships between humans and their environments through their approaches. Their works reflect on our place in the world, inviting viewers to reconsider the confines and expanses of physical and conceptual territories.
Overall, Savdie and Tjupurrula go beyond surface-level aesthetics, using their artistic practices to connect with and convey the profound significance of the body or territory. As a result, their distinct approaches deepen our understanding of the cultural, spiritual, and emotional dimensions embedded within the landscapes they represent. Their direct engagement with patterns and the relationship to land and territory is a powerful testament to the enduring bond between humanity and the natural world. They invite viewers to reflect upon our relationship with our environments.
I need to add all the references for the images and bibliography.
Draft 4- (Further editing).
Evaluating the Language of Patterns in Painting.
Introduction
Patterns have a captivating allure throughout history, adorning various aspects of our lives. Patterns are a language because they carry meaning, convey messages, and contribute to the overall visual communication of an artwork. Initially, Gustav Klimt's value, position and influence are briefly acknowledged, but the focus of this review shifts to further developing the insights gained from exploring other artists.
This critical review evaluates the power of altering patterns to create new arrangements. By examining the distinctive approaches of the artists Ilana Savdie and Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula, we understand how patterns redefine and evoke profound meanings. These artists engage directly with the representation of land and territory in their artworks, each exploring unique aspects of this connection. While Tjupurrula focuses on mapping Indigenous territories and conventional narratives, Savdie delves into the edges or zones of regions and geographies and themes of "perversion, identity, and the confines and expanses of the human body".
After rereading the review (after editing), the introduction requires amendment.
Is it better to write the introduction after the main body of writing in the future?
Final Draft -Draft 5
Evaluating the Language of Patterns in Painting.
Within art, the language of patterns serves as a profound and transformative tool, redefining territories and weaving narratives that transcend cultural boundaries. Initially, Gustav Klimt's value, position and influence are briefly acknowledged, but the focus of this review shifts to further developing the insights gained from exploring other artists. In this exploration, we delve into the works of Ilana Savdie and Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula, two artists who masterfully employ patterned elements to reimagine the landscapes of their respective cultural backgrounds. Savdie and Tjupurrula unveil the intricate interplay between patterns, territories, and the human experience through their distinctive artistic practices. These artists engage directly with the representation of land and territory. The connections that intertwine their personal, cultural, and environmental spaces are unique. While Tjupurrula focuses on mapping Indigenous territories and conventional narratives, Savdie delves into the edges or zones of regions and geographies and themes of perversion, identity, and the confines and expanses of the human body.
Ilana Savdie
Ilana Savdie is an artist born in 1986 and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, and Miami, Florida. She currently bases herself in Brooklyn, New York. She delves into performance, transgression, identity, and power through her artwork. Her paintings, which are often large-scale, bring together different fragments to create intricate and dynamic compositions. These compositions burst with vibrant colours, creating a lively and vivid visual experience. She explores territory, geography, and the human body within her artistic practice. Through her use of patterns, she establishes connections between these elements. She combines design, texture, and bold hues to create "irresistibly eye-catching and alluring" paintings.
"Her work manifests and honours dysmorphic human bodies and elongated forms to the brink of near abstraction; it is a formula that beautifies distortion and embellishes the uncommon. By juxtaposing the intimate and the alien, Savdie's work proposes several questions: What makes such organisms simultaneously seductive and dangerous? How do humanoid forms surrender in obedience, and how do they exert authority? When does the familiar end, and where does the foreign begin?" (Kohn Gallery. 2023)
Indeed her artwork, "Cow," masterfully incorporates elements that quickly give way to surprising revelations, like the image of a human nose or part of a cow. These unexpected juxtapositions draw viewers in, leaving them mesmerised within the picture plane.
Fig 1- Illana Savdie, Cow (2023) Oil, acrylic and beeswax on canvas.
From a different perspective, one might observe the concept of 'edging' in Savdie's work, where she explores the boundaries and confines of the body. The interplay between patterns and territories in her paintings reflects the complex relationship between identity, perversion, and the expansive nature of the human form.
"I've been thinking a lot about boundaries and what it means to spill out of them," she says. "I'm always going to be bigger than the space allotted for me, and embracing that is liberating. It feels honest—and the work has to be honest." (Eckardt, 2022).
By examining her practice through the lens of 'edging', we gain a deeper understanding of the interaction between pattern and the zones of the body in her work, for example, by "dividing and aggregating body parts among thrilling palettes to map new geographies altogether. When transferred to canvas, these scenes electrify" (Brito, 2021). Within Savdie's 'zones,' patterns play a vital role in reimagining territory and creating visual narratives of her unfixed identity. Materially, metaphorically and emotionally, she celebrates "things that spill out". By mobilising various perspectives and incorporating patterns, the 'zones' function as markers of distinction and belonging, inviting viewers to reflect on the complex relationships between personal and collective spaces.
Furthermore, in Savdie's artistic practice, she goes beyond traditional representations by exploring territories and geographies in a comprehensive and thought-provoking manner. She focuses on the in-between spaces and boundaries that define the land, seeking places where different regions intersect or "leak out" where human activities disrupt the natural order. These edges, filled with tension and transformation, mirror the complexities of how humans interact with the environment. By delving into these transitional spaces, Savdie challenges the conventional idea of land as something fixed and unchanging, instead highlighting the fluidity of territories and their interconnectedness.
Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula
A prominent Indigenous Australian artist, Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula, born in 1925, emerged as a significant figure within the Western Desert Art movement.
In contrast, Tjupurrula focuses on directly representing Indigenous territories and cultural narratives. His intricate dot patterns serve as visual channels for conveying stories and myths rooted in his ancestral heritage. While aesthetically pleasing, these patterns possess a deeper cultural and spiritual significance, reflecting Aboriginal people's profound connection with their land. His artworks often feature circular motifs, symbolising the desert landscape's waterholes and other natural elements from an aerial perspective. His mappings or aerial views of specific territories trace the lines and contours of the land. These patterns and zones may represent sacred sites, Dreaming tracks, water sources, or other significant cultural and spiritual landmarks." He uses the iconography of concentric circles which represent places, dots which are part of men's body designs, mixed dappled colours to suggest the central Australian topography" (Ryan, 2020).
The elaborate dot patterns showcased in his renowned piece 'Water Dreaming at Kalipinya' indicate and exemplify the essential role of rain in sustaining life within the desert.
The dot patterns can be seen as visual representations of the relationships between different regions, highlighting the interconnections and boundaries within the landscape. Symbols and iconography within these patterns further communicate the cultural and spiritual meanings associated with specific territories and zones.
Fig 2- Tjupurrula, J.W. Water Dreaming at Kalipinypa (1971), Synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board.
In conclusion, evaluating patterns reveals their significance in conveying meaning and evoking profound interpretations. Artists like Ilana Savdie and Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula exemplify the transformative power of patterns in redefining territories and communicating cultural narratives. At the outset, we acknowledge Gustav Klimt's incorporation of pattern as a visual language which offers a testament to his enduring influence.
Tjupurrula's art centres on ancestral and cultural ties to land; alternatively, Savdie's practice expands the discourse by examining the edges and boundaries of territories, challenging societal constructs, and exploring themes of perversion, identity, and the human body. Both artists deepen our understanding of the intricate relationships between humans and their environments through their approaches. Their works reflect on our place in the world, inviting viewers to reconsider the confines and expanses of physical and conceptual territories. Overall, Savdie and Tjupurrula go beyond surface-level aesthetics, using their artistic practices to connect with and convey the profound significance of the body, land or territory. As a result, their distinct approaches deepen our understanding of the cultural, spiritual, and emotional dimensions embedded within the landscapes they represent. Their direct engagement with patterns and the relationship to land and territory is a powerful testament to the enduring bond between humanity and the natural world. They invite viewers to reflect upon our relationship with our environments.
Word Count 1267
Bibliography.
Brito, D. (2021) In Thrilling Palettes, Ilana Savdie Maps Electrifying Geographies, hyperallergic.com. Available at: https://hyperallergic.com/631780/ilana-savdie-maps-electrifying-geographies-deli-gallery/ (Accessed: 4 July 2023).
Eckardt, S. (2022) In the Studio With Ilana Savdie, the Artist Testing the Body's Limits, W Magazine. Available at: https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ilana-savdie-white-cube-studio-interview (Accessed: 3 July 2023).
Michel Kohn Gallery. https://www.kohngallery.com/savdie
Myers, F. (2009) The Power of Papunya Painting, Ricco/Maresca. Available at: https://www.riccomaresca.com/blog/67-the-power-of-papunya-painting-by-fred-myers/ (Accessed: 4 July 2023).
Ryan, J. (2020) A MASTER OF INDIGENOUS ART: JOHNNY WARANGKULA TJUPURRULA’S KAMPURARRPA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLMyO5EI294
Images.
Figure 1 -Savdie, I. (2023) Cow [Oil, acrylic and beeswax on stretched canvas panel 65 × 80 in | 165.1 × 203.2 cm]. Available at: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/ilana-savdie-cow (Accessed: 4 July 2023).
Figure 2 - Tjupurrula, J.W. (1972) WATER DREAMING AT KALIPINYA [Synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board 25 1/4 in by 14 3/8 in (64 cm by 36.5 cm)]. Available at: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/aboriginal-art/water-dreaming-at-kalipinya-1972 (Accessed: 4 July 2023).
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