Aditya Sapam

Katharina Denzinger, 1 Toy, toi toi, Drawing, pen and ink, 2008

Michael Nelson, I Don't Want to be Defeated, pencil on paper, 2010


John Casey, Day Dreamer, Graphite, 2010

Ilinca Balaban, Rituals by Which We Are Determined, Graphite on paper 2010

Erik Parra, observation deck 6::graphite, ink and marker on paper, 2011

Part 2: Synthesis

1. Explain what it is you like about these 5 artworks (elements/common threads).

- I like its simple, yet complex use of pens, pencils and markers. It's lack of color adds more to the peices instead of making it boring, because of the details given to these works. The white backgrounds help give an emphasis on the work's main subjects, because it makes the darker colors stand out. I am fond of the sort of shading the artists employed in their works. The beauty of their shading comes from its distinct values with its differences of light and dark, which also adds to the detail.

It's abstract and surrealistic values adds to its attractiveness too.

2. What is it that these elements are expressing?

- Collectively, they are expressing some sort of rebellion and plainness, through its surrealistic style. It gives off an odd, yet warm feel, as these pieces deal with perspectives, and human thoughts. It's general shape reminds of the human heart. This could be an indication of how the artist felt towards her toys from the artwork.

More in-depth: the 1st piece: It is filled with toys, as the title indicates. However, at the same time, it is viewed through the artists' eyes, and it deals with how human perspective changes.

The 2nd piece: Reminds me of one discarding an old toy to move onto something new. At the same time, the one doing the discarded seems to look back at his old body in a fond manner, which provides the warm feeling as he might be going through the good memories. It is also leaving its old body in search of something new, and going against the natural order of death.

The 3rd piece: It seems to look towards something positive with the man looking up. Along with his flask of coffee or a drink, it gives off the warm human. This is because, we like to look at fascinating things with food or drinks; like how most people enjoy popcorn and coke when watching a movie. Even his black shadow looks up to what the man is looking at. The rebellion in this piece comes from the fact that the man's black shadow, which seem evil, looks toward the man's fascination too. This is a rebellion as it is detracting from its natural task of making angry faces or whispering bad ideas into the man's ears, etc. Add the shadow's hands with its weird placement, and it's simply funny, as it seems like the shadow is about to dance.

The 4th piece: It can seen in the light of how people are meant to be a part of nature too, as Balaban places the trees in a living room setting. The trees could be an indication of the furniture within the living room, except in its raw form. It shows how Humans have turned or 'twisted' things from nature for their convenience. The title combined with the drawing works to give off its warm feeling, because its just a man, who's come back home to relax. The rebellion comes from reality itself, as Humans go against nature by destroying and morphing nature for their own benefit.

The 5th piece: It expresses some sort of desolation as seen by its plain background of hills and the flatlands. It's title is justified as the orange color makes the observations stand out. Other than the use of colors to make things stand out, everything else seems plain, yet nice to look at, as the colors compliment each other.

3. How could you take some of these strategies and apply them to your own work -- either in terms of media, formal qualities, and/or theme?

- I could use a unique color to make certain objects in my work stand out while the background and the rest remain fairly plain. It should be helpful if I placed objects in such a way that they resemble something else. Ideas of creating alter egos through mediums like shadows and water could also be something I could make use of.

Part 3: Artist In-Depth

3. Choose one artist and research what has influenced his or her work. If the artist is alive and has a website you should look at what they've written about their work. If the artist is not contemporary, then research what others have written about this artist.

- I choose John Casey, because he mainly deals with perspectives. He also mentions that he enjoys drawing, which is similar to my preferences. John Casey's artwork is a mix of perspectives of his childhood and his present mindset. It is a mix because, the creatures he draws now would have been perceived as a monster by his childhood mind. However, his present perspective sees his creatures as a self portrait in some way or the other. The complexity of his idea appeals to me, because the example of monster/ creatures that he uses to show his change in perspective is clever.

Images URL links:

http://www.drawingcenter.org/viewingprogram/share_portfolio.cfm?pf=311

http://www.drawingcenter.org/viewingprogram/share_portfolio.cfm?pf=6609

http://www.erikparra.com/works_files/page18-1016-full.html

http://www.drawingcenter.org/viewingprogram/portfolio.cfm

http://www.drawingcenter.org/viewingprogram/share_portfolio.cfm?pf=5072