Art Critique (-) - Research Paper Example

Art Critique In the painting “Reflection” by Valerie L. Winslow (oil on canvas, 2003-2004), the artistdepicts a couple sitting in close proximity to each other in a small room. Behind them is an arched window that looks out over a deep chasm in which rocky cliffs plunge to a narrow river under a cloud-grey sky. Within the room, the couple does not face each other. Both apparently black, the man looks moodily out of the left side edge of the frame while the woman faces the viewing plane and her eyes stare off slightly to the right of the viewer.

The woman, dressed in pale green and with a colorful African scarf draped around her neck, holds a white cracked ceramic mask in her hands and rests one arm on the table in front of her. On the table are three tarot cards representing lynchings with the Hanged Man card, Civil Rights with the Justice card and perseverance with the Strength card. The strength of the composition rests in the line of sight of the characters which both freeze the eye within the frame and refuse to engage with the viewer personally.

Color also contributes to the painting’s effectiveness as the limited color on the tarot cards continuously direct the eye to the center of the image where the colorful dress and scarf of the woman stand in sharp contrast to the white of the man’s T-shirt without blending into the muted tans of the background. These pastel-like shades provide a muted feel to the work which helps to highlight the emotions of the people depicted, both of whom feel it necessary to maintain a hold on the white mask that enables them to move in mainstream society.

The symbolism apparent in the piece is clear to those with knowledge or curiosity to examine the cards on the table and to understand the condition of people of color within a majority white society. The chasm in the background communicates a vast hurdle to overcome before the prediction of justice found in the cards on the table comes to pass. However, the strength depicted in these characters and the cracks in the mask suggest this is not a condition that can last long nor is it one that will break the spirits of these people.

By examining a series of artworks created by Valerie Winslow, it becomes clear that the artist has a very strong introspective approach to her work. This is revealed in the very detailed depictions of human anatomy she has created as well as in the brooding attitudes of the characters in her more imaginative paintings. Her inclusion of a number of symbols within her paintings further indicates a strong narrative within the framework of the image. This type of approach is seen in the development of her piece “The Last Straw.

” Early sketches of the piece show the placement and some of the expressions of the various characters but show little of the symbols that appear on the table in the final rendition. “The Last Straw” (2010) is an oil on canvas painting that mimics, to some extent, the composition of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of “The Last Supper.” The various characters seen make their symbolic positions quite clear. The woman in the center, for example, is clearly intended to represent all women as her facial details remain indistinct but the sense of frustration and irritation is abundantly clear.

Her hands are clearly shackled and rest on the table on either side of an apple, a chalice and a small book. These symbols refer to the accepted roles of the woman as have been defined by the men around her. In the place of disciples, Winslow has created a crowd of symbolic men. At the end of the table is the corporate glass ceiling. Next to him is the Hollywood director in dark sunglasses and the plastic surgeon, both of whom wish to redefine her in their image. A judge with his tongue sticking out and a general represent the authority men hold over women while men in red shirts express their hatred of her simply because of her gender.

On her other side, the woman is subjected to the lewd expressions of men who prefer to objectify women and representatives of the Christian church and lawmakers who still wield unnatural control over her body. The table is littered with symbols that help to identify the roles these men play as well as to make clear the great imbalance of justice between the male and female genders.