Title: Virtudes y defectos
Medium: pencil and marker on paper Size: 19 cm x 13.5 cm December 2016 Exhibition Text The main focus behind this project is to express an ironic image that says nothing but the truth. Through this piece, my original intentions are to attempt to convey the phrase which in Spanish reads "presumes de virtudes escondiendo tus defectos". It uses Barbara Kruger as my main inspiration along with some aspects of my culture. All is self-made within the medium. |
Process
Planning The start of this project began with brainstorming a couple of ideas. This year, I've been focusing a lot more on how my culture influences my work, therefore, I knew that I wanted to create a piece that either said something in Spanish or had something to do with the mexican culture. I also knew that I wanted to create a piece filled with irony, similar to how a lot of my pieces were done last year. The sketches for what I had in mind are to the right. |
Process
The first step to this project was to draw 2 crossing fingers behind someones back to demonstrate the common significance of that which is to excuse their telling of a lie. This part is the one that took the longest for me, because since I am not comfortable/ used to drawing human hands, bodies, faces, etc, I spent more time on it than I expected. The drawing is not a complete detailed one, but rather its only an outline of a persons back and their fingers. The second step to this project was to once again, experiment with lettering and "calligraphy". This is where I came in with the phrase that reads "Presumes de virtudes escondiendo tus defectos" which in English, literally translates to "Brag about your virtues while you hide your defects". I highlighted the words "virtues" and "defects" because they are the most important out of the whole phrase. The last step/part was to outline the border of the paper for the purpose of making it neater and more presentable. |
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Artist Inspiration
The artist inspiration for this piece comes from Barbara Kruger, a key member of the post-modern art movement who through her work, tended to be very expressive and conveying of her attutides towards society. She served as an inspiration because I used some of her methods in my piece in order to convey my specific idea. Although my viewpoint in this case wasn't feminist, she was still my inspiration because of her methods of communication. |
Meaning/ Theme of the Piece
The meaning behind this piece is just an overall reflection on what I see in my surroundings. I tend to see people who supposedly "brag" about themselves and are proud of what the good that they have done, but the reality is that the leave out the negative behind everything, and just because they succeed in one thing, that doesn't make them superior than anyone else. That shouldn't matter even if it was for being more economically stable or in a better situation than the rest of us. What I have learned is that the crossing of the fingers has a strong connection with what I am mentioning right now, the more a person brags about their virtues, the less real they're being because clearly, they are hidding their defects therefore are not telling the complete truth. |
Reflection
The overall feeling that I get from this piece is satisfaccion. Although it is a small piece and I did take a very long time to sketch the hand and the person, I am happy with the outcome because it highlights what I was struggling so hard to find but eventually did and was able to express it. |
ACT Questions
The cause effect relationship between my inspiration and my work is evident by the simplistic way in which people are presented and how the idea is conveyed. Without too much effort, Barbara Kruege was able to convey ironic but deep messages by using a simple statement and an image. I attempted to do the same, and without her inspiration, my project would've not been the same.
The cause effect relationship between my inspiration and my work is evident by the simplistic way in which people are presented and how the idea is conveyed. Without too much effort, Barbara Kruege was able to convey ironic but deep messages by using a simple statement and an image. I attempted to do the same, and without her inspiration, my project would've not been the same.