module 11

Step 1: The Exhibition

Questions about the exhibit:
1. What is the title of the exhibit?

Humble and Human

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?

Impressionist works dedicated to Ralph Wilson Jr. 

Step 2: The Gallery

Questions about the physical space:1. What type of lighting is used?

There is a single spotlight on each individual piece, which is the only lighting in the room.

2. What colors are used on the walls?

Each color of the rooms is different, using neutral blues pinks and greens, to reflect the palette of the artist presented in a given room.

3. What materials are used in the interior artchitecture of the space?

They compliment the work

4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?

Each room has a single artists and all their works arranged by palette choice. One room has two artists and each artist has it's own individual space with their paintings grouped together. 

Step 3: The Artwork

Questions about the artwork:1. How are the artworks organized?

They are organized by individual artists and colors.

2. How are the artrworks similar?

They are all Impressionist works.

3. How are the artworks different?

Some are landscapes, while some are portraits. There were only a few sculptures.

4. How are the artworks framed?

Most were framed in Gold heavy, think, ornamental frames.

5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?

They have the artist, title, date, medium, origin, and who donated it or who it belongs to.

6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?

The works are pretty spread out, with a good amount of space in between each work.

Step 4: Art Criticism Exercise

Select three of the artworks from the show and use the Art Criticism worksheet to desribe, analyze, bracket and interpret the work using the 5-step Art Criticism Process described. (see the sheet in the module folder)

Take pictures of the images you are interpreting. If this is not allowed, make quick sketches of the pieces.

1.) 

Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890). Portrait of Postman Roulin, 1888. Oil on canvas, 25 9/16 × 19 7/8 inches (65 × 50.5 cm). Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Buhl Ford II, 1996.25. Image courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts.

2.) 

Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926). Rounded Flower Bed, 1876. Oil on canvas, 23 3/8 x 32 inches (59.3 × 81.3 cm). Detroit Institute of Arts, City of Detroit Purchase, 21.71. Image courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts.

3.)  

Paul Cezanne, French 1839-1906, Le martin en Provence, ca. 1900-1906, oil on canvas, support: 32 x 24 7/8 inches (81.28 x 63.1825 cm); framed: 40 3/8 x 33 3/8 x 3 1/2 inches (102.55 x 84.77 x 8.89 cm), Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Ribbel through the Frank E. Ribbel Bequest, 1936, 1936:6

All of these works are Impressionist works, therefore each artist has used the paint to describe the subject they have chosen. Van Gogh considers his subject very emotionally, and using bright colors and energetic rhythmic brush stroke to paint the portrait of the postman. Monet takes a delicate approach, while still using rhythmic brush strokes that are tighter and shorter. Cezanne using light and wide brush strokes. All of the artists paint real subjects in an almost abstracted way. They paint what they see and feel.

Step 5: Document Your Visit

4. Answer this question:What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?

It was interesting to see how curators organize so many artists in a cohesive way. And how they use the space and color to reflect ideas and aesthetics of the artists.