Whitescapes

I placed a paper towel on top of a shirt that I have. The whites were different, but the picture doesn’t show it very clearly. In person, the paper towel has a yellow tint while the shirt has a blue tint. As I notice these colors within the white, it was hard for me to go back and call this color “white” again.

Changing the lighting in the room didn’t make much of a difference. The only difference I saw was that the colors were more prominent. I still saw the yellow tint on the paper towel and the blue tint on the shirt.

Original Ad for Subvertisement

This is the original advertisement that was used for the Subvertisement assignment

Subvertisement

S. Pellegrino Original Ad

This is the original advertisement 

John Berger Insights

1)   “The invention of the camera changed not only what we see, but how we see it.”

The camera reproduces the picture in any size, place, or purpose. It can be everywhere and anywhere. The paintings used to belong to their own space. They were always placed on the same wall and in the same position. The pictures that were shown in the video were duplicated. They are now on many different screens surrounded by different sounds, people, and materials.

This is an interesting idea. It’s something I never thought of on my own. Yes, the camera duplicates the picture and even changes the way the picture looks. Reproductions distort the actually look. We aren’t able to see the brush strokes, or even the exact color that was being used. However, that’s something I could infer without knowing much about art. To say that the art has been duplicated and is now “everywhere” is an idea I would have never thought of on my own.

2)   “Paintings are modified and changed by the sounds you hear while looking at them.”

This is interesting because I felt it work when John Berger gave an example. We looked at Van Gogh’s painting in silence. It seemed to be a nice painting with a calming effect to it. After, he said that this was Van Gogh’s last painting before passing away and then added solemn music to it. This gave the painting a completely different feel. This concept is something one wouldn’t notice while it was happening; it’s something that needs to be pointed out. This concept is exactly as if you’re watching a movie, and the music comes on in the background. The music gives the scene more meaning. If there were scary music playing, it gives it a frightening feel. A music-less movie means nothing because the music helps give the picture/scene more meaning.

Baltimore Museum of Art

Still Life with Pitcher and Plate by Félix Vallotton

Group of Artists by Marie Laurencin                         

Anemones and Chinese Vase by Henri Matisse      

       My favorite work of art was Still Life with Pitcher and Plate by Félix Vallotton. The photo taken does not show how incredible this painting is. The reason why I picked it is because when I first saw it, it did not look like a painting at all. The painting looked like a photo. The more I looked at it from a distance, the more it looked like an actual photo taken. When I went up close, I saw smooth paintbrush strokes. However, these strokes were not apparent unless I went up close to this painting. Not only did that aspect of the art work strike me, but also the shape of the pitcher, plate, box, and blanket looked as if it were popping out of the painting. The painting had a 3D look to it. The color of the pitcher was interesting to me as well. Parts of the pitcher were painted in a brighter color, making it look shiny as if you were looking at the pitcher in real life. The dark background makes the rest of the items on the canvas easier to see, and I also think it helps with the "3D" aspect it shows.

       The meaning of this painting, to me, is that Félix Vallotton was reflecting on his life while painting this picture. The reason why I feel this way is because of the title Still Life with Pitcher and Plate. It's as if the artist wanted to stop time and be still for a moment. This image with the pitcher, plate, box, and blanket seem to be items you'd use for a gathering with friends and family. I think I have a plate that looks like this at my house, and that's why I feel like these items could be used for a family or friend gathering. They are used for nice and formal events, and the artist wanted to capture this moment and "stop time."

Visibility

     I haven't put much thought into what play writers or movie makers go through to make sure their story makes sense. Play writers must visually imagine what the actor sees and what they think. Not only is this important in plays, but visual image is important while making a movie. Movies "go through the written stage, are visualized in the mind of the director, then physically reconstructed on set." Visualization is mandatory in order to write a successful play or to create a movie that makes sense. In every successful story, there is an image.

     Connecting this to real life situations, I personally tend to think in images and pictures. When I think about what classes I have on MWF I'll picture myself walking to class, where I sit, and which teacher I have. Another example is if I'm planning a trip to NYC, I'll imagine myself arriving at the train station, getting my ticket, getting onto the train, and meeting up with my friends. Images are important to my every day life. The author states, "even in reading the most technical scientific book or the most abstract book of philosophy, one can come across a phrase that unexpectedly stimulates the visual imagination." The visual image is something every human uses in their daily life.