Questions

Janet Fish (A

  A.    The Oil on Canvas scenery in Gustave Courbet’s “ La Source la Loue” intrigued me: To me, it illustrates the allure of the unknown. The ripples in the water make the viewer question, what is on the other side of this painting?  As the water appears to be flowing away from the darkness. Also, what is the light source illuminating the walls? The ominous entry into the cave leaves me asking many questions, as to whether the artist is trying to convey the power of the unknown, or something else. Erin Shirreff’s “drop ( no 14)” was the second thing that really intrigued me. This piece truly demonstrated the how versatile and nuianced different types of steel could appear. Using hot-rolled, cold-rolled and Cor-ten Steel, Shirreff contrasts these subtle differences through color and placement. The largest piece of steel on the right appears to have been cold and hot rolled in different sections: which changes the color and reflective quality. In addition, each piece of steel appears to have small striations from the rolling process: which feels purposefully arranged, so that the pieces can further contrast which each other. The reason this piece intrigues me is because it demonstrates the versatility, and nuisances of the medium: it feels very architectural and intentional in the way everything is arranged.

.     B.  To me, the two pieces that I felt a connection with both had one thing in common: music. Georges Braque, “Still Life on a Mantelpiece” demonstrates the relationship between music and life.  Braque achieves this by blurring the lines between the objects and background.  The music sheets in this painting, transform into the background; and the guitar neck breaks into obscure shapes, and is outlined with the same textured black as the background. Braque creates so many layers, that is becomes harder to discern what is the object, and what is the background. I believe this resonates with me, because it demonstrates how engrained music is in society.  My favorite piece of work, at the Albright-Knox was William Harnett;s “Music and Literature.” In my opinion, this Oil on Canvas piece demonstrates the frustration of writing music. The first thing I noticed was how the books were book-marked and carelessly piled: as though the subject who placed them was scattering to find something of meaning within the books. Harnett also conveys that the subject spent much time at this desk, because the candle has burned down to the bottom. The other thing that I noticed was the condition of the music sheet: it appears as if the writer has been fighting with this specific piece. All the other sheets are properly rolled, but one sheet  appears to be tattered, torn, folded, and stained: This illustrates that the subject has had a particular hard time with this sheet.

C.      Upon viewing Paul Gaugin’s “Le Christ jaune,” I became very curious about this oil on canvas painting. The scenery depicted in this painting leaves me questioning the artists intention. Was it to demonstrate this prominence of Christianity in Europe? Also, what is the significance of these colors typical to Fall? While I appreciated the color profile of this painting, I just don’t understand the significance of it.  The oil on canvas painting, by Janet Fish, “After Leslie Left,” also left me puzzled to the intention of this piece. The title insinuates that maybe a woman or cleaner had left, and this is the only trace of her existence left, but is the artist trying to convey her sadness for the things Leslie represented, or is she stating something else? Also, what significance does the bowl hold? It’s obvious that Leslie performed the roles of a wife/lover, or cleaner, but the presence of the bowl with bananas is maybe a reference to something that only the artist can divulge. 

, born 1938). After Leslie Left, 1983–84. Oil on canvas