Post Modern Art And Creative Diversity

Introduction

Leading from the mid modern art era into post modern art, there are so many different ways that artists have been been able to create and express themselves to those around them. With all the different mediums, materials, and technologies in which artists are able to create, this has made art such a diverse activity. Artists can experiment with and create with mediums that could not or weren't thought of being used previously. With these advancement and discoveries of the possibilities in creation for artists, this has lead to to the diverse activity and world that is art.

Picking the artists that I wanted to discuss for this topic was very difficult because there are so many different styles and mediums that artists have used so I did my best in choosing artists that used different mediums and styles so that I could discuss the extent by which the variety and diversity has truly extended.

Post Modern Artists

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in Brooklyn in 1960. Basquiat began creating graffiti works in lower Manhattan when he was just 16 years old (Bird on Money). Basquiat's style is described as being neo-expressionism and had a very distinct boldness and brightness in each piece that he created (Bird on Money). While looking through some of Basquiat's work, it was very unique among some of the other artwork by other well-known postmodern artists.

Untitled, 1981 by Jean-Michel Basquiat

This piece is believed by many to be a form of self-portraiture that the artists created (Untitled). The skull, which is the main focus of the piece, seems to be in a stage between life and death (Untitled). There are features here that seem to represent this dead and almost tired looking expression, but this is balanced with the bright and lively colors that Basquiat uses in the piece. It is clear in this artwork as well as Basquiat's other piece that I will be discussing, that Basquiat had his own iconography that he used throughout many of his works (Untitled). The intensity of this painting is a means of displaying the anxieties that Basquiat felt whilst creating the piece and becoming a successful artist, as it took him months to finish this painting; unlike his other works that he would finish within days (Untitled). 

Color is a major element of art that is used through this piece. The brighter blues, pinks, and red that encompass the skull contrast the darker and blending colors that create the skull. Something I find interesting is that the blacks and browns are almost clouding the top of the skull in the brain area, this is a great way that the artist displays the anxieties he was most likely feeling while creating the piece. There also appears to be patterns used throughout that could be explained by the iconography. The main patterns I can point out come from the excessive use of lines that help create and outline the skull and its features. There is also a great deal of variety in this piece as it not only uses two different materials to create it, oil and acrylic, but there are so many different colors and shapes that are used in the piece that bring it all together to create this beautiful graffiti style piece. Although I can feel the anxiety that Basquiat was trying to portray, I feel that he did so in such an amazing way that I can't help but admire the details throughout the piece that the artist created to bring everything together.

Bird on Money, 1981 by Jean-Michel Basquiat

The piece above is also in Basquiat's distinct neo-expressionist style and uses many symbols and shapes similarly to the piece explained before. This artwork was created by Basquiat as a tribute to a jazz musician that Basquiat idolized, Charlie Parker (Bird on Money). Using the symbols that Basquiat has created in his style, he told the story about Charlie Parker in a beautiful and distinct way. Charlie Parker had a nickname that was given to him which was 'yard-bird' which is why Basquiat painted this chicken-like bird as the center of the piece (Bird on Money). The words 'Para Morir' on the piece translate to 'To Die' along with many of the other symbols and detail bring the meaning of this piece together as a whole.

In this piece, I feel that Basquiat has achieved variety whilst also emphasizing the center piece, the bird. There are many details within the piece that you will eventually analyze further, but with every first glance that I give this painting, the first thing that I notice and am drawn towards is the bird. He also uses more patterns and repetition through the use of his symbols in the painting.

I wanted to discuss Basquait's artwork first because I felt that it was a good start since these pieces specifically were oil and acrylic on canvas. The other pieces being discussed are using some of the different materials and mediums that helped make this post modern era of art so diverse and helped maintain this diversity into what art is today.

Felix Gonzalez-Torres

Felix Gonzalez-Torres was a Cuban-born American artist that is known for his minimal sculptures using day to day items and materials which will be displayed in the two works of art created by him that I will be discussing (Publicdelivery). Gonzalez-Torres was an openly gay artist and many people that have viewed his art believe that the works that he has created are a reflection of his experience with AIDs and the loss of his partner Ross Laycock (Publicdelivery). Both of the pieces that I have included have a connection to Gonzalez-Torres and his personal life. 

Untitled (Perfect Lovers), 1991 by Felix Gonzalez-Torres

The piece above is a display of two clocks that begin in synchronization but overtime, the two clocks become out of sync (Publicdelivery). The relation of this piece to Gonzalez-Torres's life is one that is very clear and heartbreaking to understand as a viewer. Not only does this piece represent the fragile and temporary nature of life, but it also represents the love that the artist felt and lost (Publicdelivery). 

The blue background not only makes the two clocks stand out in the piece but it also creates a calming feeling. I think the use of this blue background was a great decision because the calming feeling is one that I feel is typical when you are in love, knowing that you are in the presence with your partner, someone who makes you feel safe and secure. I also think the use of space in this piece, or at least in this specific photo is also done very well and I really like how the two clocks are touching because I feel that this really displays the closeness that you share with your lover which I'm sure is what the artist intended to do. It could also be argued that the artist uses repetition since he used the exact same clock to represent him and his lover.

Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.), 1991 by Felix Gonzalez-Torres

The piece above is another example of Gonzalez-Torres and the connection of his life into his art. Though this piece is another artwork using everyday items, in this case candies, it is another representation of his lover Ross (Untitled). In this piece, the artist used 175 pounds of candy which equated to the ideal weight of his lover (Untitled). The idea of this piece was that viewers were to take a piece as they please in order to represent the weight loss and suffering that Ross went through leading up to his passing away. In an effort to keep the artwork and his lover perpetually alive, the artist would restock the pile. 

The use of lines in this piece give the viewer, especially one looking at the artwork in a photo, a good idea of just how many pieces of candy out this piece together. The lines that show the walls and corner where the two walls meet create dimension and space that show how large this pile of candy is. The contrast of colors, blue red and white make the piece interesting to look at. I do wonder if these color have any significance to the artist but I could not find anything online. 

Felix Gonzalez-Torres' artwork is another example of postmodern art but in a different way using different mediums and material. As displayed in both of his pieces, Gonzalez-Torres used items that are seemingly seen in a persons day to day life and can give personal meaning to the viewer and as I clearly explained, they have deep meaning to the artist himself. 

Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons created many sculptures using stainless steel to create the reflective surface that his pieces have. Many of Koons' pieces look to be mimicking balloons and balloon animals and the artist has explained that this is done as a representation of breath and human life (Jeff Koons's Balloon Dogs).

Rabbit, 1986 by Jeff Koons

Koons' sculpture Rabbit appears to be in the balloon style mentioned above. The rabbit is holding a carrot and appears to be looking at the viewer. Koons explains that this piece is meant to be a reflection of our society and those looking into it (Rabbit by Jeff Koons). The artist explains that there are many meanings behind this piece but the main one that stands out is that it is meant to be a symbol of our society and the fact that we are very consumer based (Rabbit by Jeff Koons). When you look into the sculpture for long enough you can begin to see that as a viewer, you are a part of the piece's meaning and symbolism. 

Since the sculpture is meant to look like a balloon animal, I think it is quite clever that the artist used a very geometric shape as the head of the rabbit. This big and round surface also creates quite a large reflection surface for viewers to look into. The artist also creates a lot of texture in the details of the sculpture that creates the folds and creases that give the balloon animal appearance. I think the proportions of this piece are quite interesting because the carrot is quite small in comparison to the rabbit, though this could be done on purpose to give it that cartoonish and ballon animal feel.

Ballon Dogs, 1993 by Jeff Koons

This orange balloon animal sculpture is part of a series called "Celebration" that Koons did in 1993 (Jeff Koons's Balloon Dogs). Koons also created mini collectable figures of this specific sculpture as well as other balloon animals like swans and rabbits. Similarly to the piece before, Koons explains that balloon animals remind him a lot of us, people, because "We're balloons. You take a breath and you inhale, it's an optimism. You exhale and it's kind of a symbol of death" (Jeff Koons's Balloon Dogs). I like this explanation given by Koons because I never would have made this connection personally, and I think that it is a perfect example of the art during this time. The art in the postmodern era is exactly as Koons has displayed, it is meant to be interpreted differently by the artist and each person that views it. 

Although it's hard to tell, I believe that there are actually two balloon dogs in this piece which creates a very interesting double reflection aspect to the piece since there is a reflection within the piece itself and the reflection of the piece because of the stainless steel it is made out of. This piece also has the details and textures that create this illusion of the sculpture being an actual balloon animal. I also find it quite interesting that the artist decided to put the round frame around the two balloon dogs but perhaps this was to create variety and keep the piece interesting. 

Final Thoughts

Although there were so many other mediums and forms of art I could have discussed, I believe that the six pieces that I discussed created by the three artists I decided to focus on did a great job at explaining the idea that I am trying to explain. Post modern art really enforced the idea of allowing art to be interpreted by the viewer, although it certainly has the meaning that the artist intended, these pieces are abstract enough that a person could create an idea completely on their own. These artists all also used different mediums to create their pieces in their own unique and distinct ways. All of these things considered, it is very clear that the art created in this era was diverse and lead to the many ways that artists are able to express themselves even today. 

Citations

“Bird on Money." Bird on Money by Jean-Michel Basquiat, https://www.jean-michel-basquiat.org/bird-on-money/.

Gonzalez-Torres, Felix. “‘Untitled’ (Portrait of Ross in L.a.), 1991 - Felix Gonzalez-Torres.” Www.wikiart.org, 1 Jan. 1991, https://www.wikiart.org/en/felix-gonzalez-torres/untitled-portrait-of-ross-in-l-a-1991.

“Jeff Koons's Balloon Dogs - for Sale on Artsy.” Artsy, https://www.artsy.net/artist-series/jeff-koons-balloon-dogs.

Person. “Rabbit by Jeff Koons - a Chance to Own the Controversy.” Christie's, Christies, 15 May 2019, https://www.christies.com/features/Jeff-Koons-Rabbit-Own-the-controversy-9804-3.aspx.

Publicdelivery. “The Meaning of Felix Gonzalez-Torres' Clocks / Perfect Lovers.” Public Delivery – Art Non-Profit, 19 July 2022, https://publicdelivery.org/felix-gonzalez-torres-clocks/.

“Untitled.” Untitled - Jean‐Michel Basquiat | The Broad, https://www.thebroad.org/art/jean-michel-basquiat/untitled.