Untitled skull artwork and self-portrait in a striped t-shirt
Untitled skull, 1981. Is an artwork by Michael Basquiat. Heads and skull appear as a great point of focus based on many works produced by this artist. Basquiat (22) notes that the artist might have been caught off guard. The artist could have been frightened by energy and power coming from the unexpected image. The artist appears to have been fascinated with heads. The head artwork demonstrates improvement in the art piece from one of raw power to a more refined awareness.
Looking at the untitled 1981 skull, the artist appears to emphasize on dichotomies of outer versus inner experience. When compared to actual skull the skull artwork shows teeth and jaws that are bare. Furthermore, they are portrayed as skinless. Different from the skull. The head artwork has ear, eyes, and hair along with room-like spaces inside the skill. This appears to suggest an external perception of the head. It appears as if one can observe the outside and inside of the skull at the same time. The skull artwork creates an illusion skull being dead and alive at once. Fred (17) notes that such an illusion has been a recurrent theme in the artwork by Michael. While the vintage has teeth, nose, and eyes, the artwork portrays the illusion of an incomplete face. The graffiti that fills the head creates an impression that it has figures and forms. However, a close look shows abstract shapes and lines.
Michael began painting when he was a kid. Therefore, it is the element that defines his work. Frantic nature of being a kid is a reflection of the energy that consistently features within his artwork Chilvers et al. (29) note that neo-expressionism is the artistic style used in early postmodern times.it was to paint and make sculptures. The artist used intense subjectivity and rough handling of materials. Basquiat head skull reflects the neo-expressionist movement. The artist technique depicts brutality. The message the artist is telling to the world is the old art standards can be challenged. The artist goes ahead to use the raw depiction of subjects of themes and commits to using such techniques to overthrow art world standards. This is seen in the untitled skull, 1981. While the skull artwork takes raw, it depicts a personal subject. The artist applies paint and frantic heavily. There are sprawling lines. These shows intense energy.
Self-portrait in a striped t-shirt, 1906 by Henri Matisse. The artwork depicts modern art. Barret (17) notes that in the period between 1860 – 1970s many artists were adopting modern ways of art. It involved styles and philosophies of art produced during that time. Gombrich (348) points out that artwork during modern times was throwing aside the traditions and using the spirit of experimentation. Artists used new ways of seeing. They use fresh ideas concerning the nature of materials. Looking at the self-portrait in a striped t-shirt, Henri Matisse appears to use different colors. The artist has mainly focused on fauvism. The painting is characterized by strident colors and wild brushwork. Smith (36) notes that fauvism intensively relied on colors compared to the representation of reality.
Looking at the two artwork. The one produced in 1906 and the other one in 1982. They have heavily relied on colors. They have used multiple colors to make the work stunning. The artworks seem to have adopted modern ways of painting. All aspects of art that are form, shape, and lines in both artworks.
Conclusion
The two artworks depict deviation of artwork from traditional to modern art. The artists have mainly focused on color. However, their artwork appears to focus on nature.
Work cited
Barrett, Terry. “Modernism and postmodernism: An overview with art examples.” Art education: Content and practice in a postmodern era 1 (1997): 17-30.
Basquiat, Jean Michel, and Rudy Chiappini. Jean-Michel Basquiat. Skira, 2005.
Chilvers, Ian, and John Glaves-Smith. A dictionary of modern and contemporary art. Oxford University Press, USA, 2009.
Gombrich, Ernst H. “Art and scholarship.” College Art Journal 17.4 (1958): 342-356.
Smith, Angela. “Fauvism and Cultural Nationalism.” Interventions 4.1 (2002): 35-52.