Identity Compositions in Collage Inspired by Henri Matisse
Chuck Close meets Walt Disney: Marks, Multiples, and Materials Inspired by Chuck Close
Artful Personifications: Mixed Media Inspired by William Wegman
Studio Reflection Throughout our first unit of “Identity” we completed three studios that allowed us to experiment with artistic forms of identity expression. These studios were different projects that enabled us to use images and creative displays that we believed represented who we are as people. Artist Henri Matisse inspired the first studio our class participated in. Matisse expressed his identity through artistic collages “by cutting into color” (National Gallery, 2013) to create collages that he believed displayed his artistic identity. Similarly to Matisse’s work, our studio required us to collage events from our personal history that we believed would reflect our identities. The next artwork we used to inspire our identity creations was Chuck Close’s unique human portraits. Close was forced to overcome many obstacles throughout his artistic life. These obstacles did not tear him down, but instead challenged him to become even more creative with his art processes than before. Close also came out with a letter of advice to himself as a child where he wrote, “Sign on to a process and see where it takes you.” This is great advice that I hope to bring into my classroom, not only in art, but also in other subjects and projects we endeavor on.
The last identity studio we did was a mixed-media personification piece, inspired by the work of William Wegman. Wegman’s imaginative representation of his beloved dogs helps to display his artistic identity to his audience. Our mixed media projects allowed us to use various characters and settings of our choice, while still grasping the overall theme of identification. Projects like these are important because not only can they correlate to themes and various art lessons, but they can also be modified to integrate other subject areas. On top of endless lesson possibilities, studios provide students with a chance to utilize aspects of their creative freedom to identify with their work.
Resources Rose, C. (2012, April 10). Note to self: Artist Chuck Close’s advise to younger self. CBS This Morning. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxR3ELuZjLw
National Gallery of Art (2013). Matisse Cutouts. Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/matisseinfo.shtm