Wednesday, October 21, 2009

"As A Means of Contact"

(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGE VIEW)
Medium(s): Linocut Relief Print
October 12, 2009

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USD Printmaking 1 composition done on a linoleum pad (9 1/2 x 11) with about 5+ hours spent. I was very pleased how this turned out (even though this wasn't my final product paper but a proof done on newsprint). I was inspired, as I've stated before, on the current cultura clash of the Jarawa's on an island off the coast of India as well as the other surrounded tribes that have no real contact with the global world. The Jarawa's however have finally opened up to Indians settling on their land and are no longer hostile but eager to hitch rides from a major highway going through their reservation as well as begging for goods. With a very high level of annoyance and discust from settled Indians, the Jarawas are becoming less and less respected on their own land and their culture is at risk.
This piece reflects the mental impact of them from their now constant exposure to technology, even though they themselves feel no effect from it, so is my thesis of radiation.
"CD" on the forehead of the gas mask represents another image I plan to incorperate more into my works, which stood for the "Civil Defense" in the 1950's that was an organization that planned to be organized and defend the public from possible nuclear attack by arming them with knowledge such as "duck and cover" etc. I have turned that slightly to stand for "Culture Defense" in which obviously the gas mask is to resist radiation of our modern world that is toxic to the cultured person and mentality.
As I have personal cultural concern for the Jarawas, this piece represents all cultured people. Not so much the modernized but those that have yet to be uncontacted, such as the many tribes in Brazil and South America where many have yet to even be discovered, nevermind contacted.


-Artist's Critique-
As much as I love the composition as is, as I have said this was but a proof, and I've been having difficulty creating similar, repetative prints. Something I'm sure will come with more exerience in printmaking overall. I have yet to recreate a print similar to this where all my details (done with a thumbtack mostly for the clothing texture) actually are visible repeatively on prints.
Compositionally this was originally just a small time sketch I did that I chose to try out for my class. I'm glad it turned out the way it did and I recieved a lot of positive feedback from professors and peers. I enjoyed working figuratively with printmaking as I do with most mediums, and learned a lot about creating light and reflection as well as textural lines. Overall a piece of work I was content with.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

"The Last But Not Least" WIP


This rather small sketch (4 1/2 x 6 inches) is for a drypoint etching project the same size on a copper plate. I feel I'll really enjoy etching considering every single line made will show up, rather than lino printmaking where every line has to be made deep enough in order to be seen on the printed paper.
This is a pretty famous photo in Indian Country of Geronimo and his few followers, one being his son I believe. They resisted defeat to both U.S. and Mexican armies and refused reservation life during the 1890's in the southwest desert. He is considered to be the last warrior to fight the Indian wars for cultural solidarity and real freedom to live as they always have. Though the fight continues, to have the odds against him and to still fight I believe many Indigenous traditionalists and activists look to the past to this man to be inspired for "the" cause.
As usual, I gave him a gas mask to symbolize his fight to survive against mental radiation, to preserve his culture and way of life.
This is simply a sketch which will be forwarded onto my copper plate. I'll update with further progress.

P.S. "As A Means of Contact" lino print was somewhat successful in the printing process. I spent 5 hours creating very fine lines to discover they all disappeared in the ink rolling. Disappointing but art is not always product but process. As long as I'm learning, I can only move forward I believe. I will still update with the final print I did once they dry.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

"As A Means of Contact" WIP 2


Poor photo quality but, figured I'd post the next phase in this composition. Instead of a pen piece like I first intended with this, I instead turned it into my next project assignment fro Printmaking. I transfered and flipped my drawing onto this linolium pad, and all that is white at the moments has been what I've carved out and what will be white when I roll ink over the pad. I made some mistakes in what I intended to be white or black, but printmaking takes experiences I think to realize and visualize the future product and look before making the next carved mark. Once you carve, you can't erase, so I try to be careful but also not afraid to experiment and make/learn from mistakes. I'm hoping to finish carving next week sometime, but still have a lot to do. Next week I'll be spending a lot of extra time at the FA building trying to get this done before Thursday, and start seeing how it looks as a print.