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Thesis/Dissertation Collections
2007
Roots, reality, and culture.
James N. Mitchell
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Rochester Institute
of
Technology
A Thesis Submitted to the
The College
In
of
Imaging
Candidacy
Master
Arts
Faculty
and
Sciences
for the Degree
of
of
Fine Arts
Roots, Reality,
and
Culture.
By: James Nigel Mitchell
May 10,
2007
of
Final Approvals
Richard Hirsch
Chief Advisor:
Signature
Date:
Luvon Sheppard
Associate Advisor:
Date:
7
J. Galloway
Associate Advisor.
Signature
Print name
Y!/:i 23
Date:
2tJtJ7-
Michael Rogers
Chairperson :
Signature
Date:
I
James Mitchell
I, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ hereby (grant, deny) permission to the Wallace Memorial
Library of RIT to reproduce my thesis in whole or in part. Any reproduction will not be for commercial use or
profit.
OR
I,
prefer to be contacted each time a request for reproduction is
made. I can be reached at the following address:
Date:
rk /07
/
I
Acknowledgements
I
would
like to take the time to
have had this
friendship. I'd
have
supported me
A very
I
would
like to
thank my Mom for her
during my graduate experience.
and advice
and
opportunity.
acknowledge some people whom without
special
also
A
like to thank Bessie Mitchell
thanks goes to Professor Levon
I very
I
thanks for Ms. Andrea Bergmann
support
To my
this
support, sacrifice,
Nina for her love
Janet Davis Mitchell,
whom
Shepard,
whose
wisdom, guidance, and
much appreciate.
who
has
given me
tremendous love and
throughout my experiences continually.
son
Admasu,
document,
And
and
sister
would not
throughout my life.
friendship,
must give
big thanks to my
love,
I
lastly
I
you're a
would
me and made
it
thanks for coming into my life and giving me the strength to finish
blessing and I love you!
like to thank
possible
to have
all
the people
of African
such an experience.
descent
who
have
come
before
Thesis Proposal
My pieces
manner.
celebratory
C.E.
made
are sculptural abstractions of the
from
The Yoruba
work
their belief system,
with
figures suggesting
intertwined
The
art
form to
years
solid genre
them,
viewer's
her
copper,
and
clay
and effigies
on
are
that
the
what
the
forms
frontal in
urban areas of
my primary
coincided with
their
work.
material
I
work
contrast of
to
hard
and
I
my idea
of
how
the
I
was
and
I lived
work
to
to that
and
people associated
capture a
which
by
is timeless.
shaping the
viewer room
is
and visceral
soft, shiny and matte. This type
in form
where
and
experience
that are their surface
perceive movement
giving
generation"
with, I create sculptures that give a
aspects of my sculpture
allows a viewer's eye
sculptures.
and
by referencing the human form
own perspectives somewhere within
to vary the
Chicago,
by
break-dancing evolved into
by connecting his or her ideas of presence
is expected,
to 1450
heavily populated urban area. My
as graffiti and
behind my
a
appearance and
content within
beginnings. These experiences,
central concept
in
the limbs and torsos of the
during the height of the "hip-hop
where such urban art
are often
of
were
underground
Within the
respond
art was often
body
Nigeria, dating from 100
images revealing the thematic
1980-1990
time
from
abstracting
or
Yoruba
referencing my upbringing in the
imagination
landscape
his
movement.
to a diverse culture that was created within a
a place and
By
the visual emphasis centered
the
which reference
that I create references my life experiences through narratives. I begin
formative
with
including wood,
from this era, depicted deities
with narrative
narratives
exposed
in
sculpture of southwest
a range of materials
influences. Yoruba
human figure,
highlight. I
to place
represented.
qualities, I
of variation
expect a viewer to
perceive
these
form that my
of
my
body.
elements as
art
concept.
displays
The
them
environments
that
that surface
a presence
selves
are most
creates a visual
concept
My work has
questions of
those that
that
important. The
dialog that relates to the viewer the perpetuation
of my sculptures relates
a viewer can
pertaining to
unification of surface and
who
they
they have had experience
to the
investigate the form
are and
with.
how they
skin of the
human
of and ask
relate
to the different
Where I'm from
The
south side of
Chicago
African American community,
during the
and
this is
1970's
mid-
when
was a
time of despair for the
my life began. When the 1960's passed,
the shift in time signified the end of the height of the civil rights movement, an end of the
critical era
that established
a
level
of
equality for Blacks in the United States
on a massive social scale experienced
of the
Black
Luther
for the first time in the
community's great political
King Jr.,
were assassinated with
teachings, teachings that would further
States government,
by means of false
dismantled the Black Panthers
empowerment
leaders
including
the intent
strengthen
of
country's
Malcolm X,
of
America
history. So many
and
Dr. Martin
deterring the momentum of their
the Black community. The United
imprisonment
and
murder, systematically
and other radical groups who preached consciousness and
throughout the community.
Eventually,
the same government that had
falsely accepted the teachings of its Black heroes began the injection of crack cocaine
into the Black community
and violence.
pregnancies?
contributed
The
The
era
and
subversively
aided
in the increase
that was ending was also an era surged
adversities of
the people who existed
then,
of Black on
Black
with an outbreak of
were a catalyst
to the impoverished state that inner city Blacks find themselves
crime
teenage
that
living in
presently.
I
witnessed
adolescence and
Growing
up in
a
the great struggle to survive
by the women in my life during my
this had an extremely profound impact
household
of single women which
on
my
perspective of the world.
included my mother, two
sisters, and my grandmother allowed for a unique experience. I was my
of her
grandparent's
first-born
grandchild to
grandfather a
few
alcohol abuse
that
few
miles
mother
to become the
significant
worked
was
is
resented
name was mentioned
a
very hard working
that he
him
was
come
I
and
"a
on
my
womanizing
perspective of women.
A
that
she
women
remember
let
having
and
and
moved a
and
dirty
a child at the
watching her
framed
by the
that I lived
he did
her stating
has become has had
perspective
growing up in the household that the
by for visits
good, low down
no
woman who never
the only male in our household and the
me with
the strong
they had
notion
to
encountered
become
that
a good
women were
black
they had had hard
very
struggle
a
experiences
with as a child
through
Black
In hindsight I
change, Black
conditions that
left it in
me and
and significant
see
and was also
a state of
disarray
by influencing the
upon.
about
and
"dirty
my
was educated on the
history,
the
history
of
grandmother as women of
the conditions affecting the community,
women who raised
impact
taught
my mother, her sisters,
women who understood
in my life the
educating
to museums,
those
experiences with.
art, I
visits
protective of me;
man and not one of
My mother was adamant about my exposure to public
culture.
women
She
had left my
decided to leave him. Later, he
lived but rarely did he
upbringing.
his
she
of the continued
self sufficient and empowered woman
while
that
my
where we
before
grandmother
stop her from obtaining her goals, growing up
impact
niggas"'
subject
endure
born because
My
to maintain.
I
raising
had to
was
aunts'
to my
age of seventeen
that I had
she
whenever
My
nigga".
before I
years
from the house
not contribute
regularly
their seventeen-year-old daughter.
and
me,
in
a condition
were
only Black
trying
man
that
that still needs work. The
to make a difference
they
could
have
an
by
immediate
Identity
"I work out of a
response and need to redefine the
terms of the Negro
I take
great pride
in my
my personality, this Black
Chicago's impoverished
which
generation,
1980's, had
identity,
experience
especially the
identity has also
south side
a grand affect on
my
informed my
cities around
was central
to these artistic
communication
way
people
daily basis.
in
Musicians
level
in
genres of music.
of
things
United States.
involved.
height
The
graffiti,
Hip-hop culture was
lived
EPMD,
an expression of
and
of
the
styles of art
the
hip-hop
that
and
were
the
starting
that
music
as a means of
a
direct
the way
exposure
injustices throughout the community in
Public Enemy,
response
people
to the
lived
on a
that artists had to a
which
they
were
born.
Boogie Down Production pushed
hip-hop music and made a distinction between the hip-hop and rap
These
for encouraging the
about such
and
shaped
Growing up in
art making.
Break-Dancing,
emergence of these styles captured
such as
consciousness
people
in my life that have
in the culture, flourished
poor urban communities
The
surmountable
for the
elements
Romare Bearden
the country in the late 1970's and
modes of expression.
to emerge from a renewed Black movement,
~
situations
during the beginning
flourished in inner
"
I know best.
image ofman in the
as
artists
youth
held themselves responsible, both socially
to "fight the powers that
be"
and
and
for educating the
politically,
people
the dangerous hormones contained in the meat produced in the
Hip-hop music inspired and deeply moved me
to spread my own
message
and
I believed
the form of artistic
graffiti was
expression
that best
suited
during my
me,
adolescence.
Art
to me
meant
being
a member of the
for Down And Dirty, writing
The tagging
tagged
crews
trains, but
were an all
Black
throughout the
a sense of
from the
crew
area
that
today. The primary
peers
including
visible
gave
the
other
typically
black
sense of
objective of our
taggers, dancers,
commuters on
grown with
very hard line feel. We
me,
and
situations
that I faced
now, I
while
work
also want
to
belonging
by
were raised
in
which stands
Chicago.
north side of
Latino
youths who
my
and at
to
the same time gave
gain
this
murals
one
hundred
our
by tagging
that
as
were
untrained
of hard angles and curves
sixty to
cans of
that
spray
by the music we were listening to. My
attain
notoriety
once again and
"Good"
and
an artist who
to the
has taken the
have done my best to
show
just the Black community that I have
art
to
who overcame and adapted
I have become
us
through my
notoriety from
accomplished
composing large
artist, one
work and
We
made us unique.
and pride carries on
crew was
employed
inspired
up.
to be
show not
communities who might see
D.A.D.,
talents and became known
exciting
MC's. We
hard to
a new
growing
of those women who wanted me
just that. I
the
this factor
our
the letters that overlapped and used a mixture
work a
on
as
the subway. The murals were often illegible to the
demonstrate how I have become
am
for
tagging
and
paint on a single mural and our art was
has
adolescents
recognition was
This
known
consisted of white and
received recognition
This
crew
subway trains
and public works as possible and
to the
eye with
seven
and pride.
work
many trains
north side
by name.
belonging
graffiti on the
had
our crew
tagging
advice
them that I
made
it, but
think of the situations and landscapes that
all
they
Historical References
As
a
descendent
of Nigeria
deeply
I discovered it
me ever since
connected to the
country in Africa. The
southwest region of that
intrigued
I feel
Yoruba
artwork
Yoruba
originating from there has
during my undergraduate
from Nigeria is the
captivating
aspect of the
sculptures.
Although Art historians tend to label their
work as
derogatory connotation) perhaps because the
Yoruba
carries a
was
wood, and not a
often unrecognized
and
clay,
bronze.
their ability to
with
hunting
work
more modern
by historians
They
were one of the
first
and agriculture systems
people's
quite
metal
smiths,
a
and were quite advanced
hardworking
sculptures are
within
in
that sustained their lifestyle. Yoruba
artwork was at
on
family,
gods,
deities.
from the Yoruba
created.
standing,
on
parts of
the
culture
that I find particularly
The human figure
bent knees,
very balanced
different
is
and spiritual people
and
represented as
me
material
the opposite. What
goddess, effigies,
figurines that they
(which to
primary
highly complex spiritual belief system which focused
pieces of art
most
sophistication of these
the center of their
The
The
sculptures were also made of copper,
They were
work metal as well as clay.
studies.
"primitive"
material, I find it to be
is that Yoruba
sculpture of the
with
as the centerpiece of these objects
or seated on a circular stool.
and symmetrical
body;
powerful are the
employing the
the features
and
These
is
particular
use of repetition of shape
body parts
somewhat abstract
in
form.
The
narratives
of the
found in these works,
Yoruba carvings,
as well as
are points of great
the negative space that is found in many
interest to
me.
"Ife head
piece,"
(Image 1 A) is
a carved alter
and
piece, the large base head
protruding lips. The hair is intertwined
symbol of
birds
life,
further
and
supported
by
which
bridges
of
shows an attachment
of
deceased
horn
while
he holds. The
proudly perched
supported
by
ancestor with
display
on
an
onk,
implying the
both
sides of the
displaying
a
the
deity
ancestors
he
other
in (Image
shown
under
the
found in
prominent
sits on
figures
its back
around
similar works.
figure
while
him
his arm, possibly representing
commenting
The
on
his
narratives
found in (Image
eye
with
less
The figures
above
him
the other hand is
firmly
stool, the figures
The
members most
with
belly
next
than
are mounted
hand grasping
around a staff which
tenth of his size making him seem larger
a son or close
relative,
of
a composition
1C) depict a family tree,
his
subjects
further
on
deity head base
also used as an altar
which
is
a
level is
likely wives
are
their belief system. Above the head is
in both frontal
also anchored
and
first born
and side
by the
children represented
their rituals of daily life. In the center of the sculpture
encompass
lies the
as
they carry
patriarch of the
the
daily life
the more important
here,
of
a circular
poses, participating in
circular stool
piece,
the Yoruba way
dictating the format of the altar by composing family members who
activities.
snake,
naturalism
shown as a chieftain with one
are one
to the classic
expressing that everything is built
edge of the
figure
elite status.
this piece first draws the
stool
Two
IB) is rendered in a manner which
than life as he proudly adorns an elaborate chieftain's headdress while one
is
bulging eyes
as to represent spirits.
a compound
to the spirit world and that is treated
on a circular stool with
an ox's
frontal to
and
by the figures being carved
backs
their
deceased
the entire structure.
The large base head
images
stated
other adornments are
a watchful eye and with
up
represents a
family
out
clan,
standing
proud and
exterior structure
depicted larger than life,
that supports his
family
as
with
he
his hands
adorns a
large hat that
/*"
Ife Head Piece (Image 1 A)
Chieftain
holding the
Carving (Image 1 B)
walls of the
shelters
them.
Yoruba
Family Tree (image 1C)
Development
"Art is
I
entered
the
not what you
focused primarily
working
on
working
with sculpture.
surrounded
by
desert
I
Progression
see, it is what you make others
graduate program at
decision between creating pottery
and
or
Rochester Institute
sculpture, because my
as a potter
but
attended school
and mountains.
of
My
also
because I
"
see.
Technology
Edgar Degas
weighing
a
undergraduate experience
experimented and enjoyed
in the Southwest Region, in
major was art education with
10
~
a
landscape
my
studio
in
concentration
I did
ceramics.
not work with
senior years
due to the fact that the
foundations
courses.
I
make and
then
studio rallied around
was
built in
process and
therefore I
formulating
undergraduate studies we
the
the students built
the
We donated
my
sky, the
and
new pots and
landscapes
wood
that I was making my best
my
own
and
atmosphere and
the new
life
fire
to make,
pots
I
from books
During my time
and glazes.
employed glaze
mountains and
The
work.
kiln
to make the
the in-between. Although I
I
pots
experience and
they
was
left
that I
in
of this new
understanding
experience
have
not
countless man-hours so that the
my
pots as
maverick
was
mimicking
large Anagama kiln in the
see
was
feeling concerned
was
creating did
not
were not as much apart of
the graffiti murals that I created in my youth.
The first
this
project
made me
that I
extremely
I decided to
on pots.
and onsite materials.
celebrations.
bricks
project.
a
clay bodies
I began to
communicate enough about
found
of
do
and
most
strong thrower I did
concentrated on process
variety
my junior
from these
one could
was a
aeasthic changed with a new
and not quite sure
focus
Although I
My
elated about
and
a
thing
one year.
distinction between land
me as
to me that "the greatest
until
in the department taught
graduate students
make some more".
a conceptual mindset and
and magazines while
faculty
ceramics
was given some valuable words of advice
grad students who expressed
make,
the
which
forest. I
The
I
wanted
excited since
during my first quarter was a wall project,
I felt that it
create a project
that
This lead
an
project was
made
was assigned
from the
me
to
site
freed
was site specific and
idea for
extremely laborious
building
immediately
as
an alter
it
was
in my backyard
me
from my
that was built from
to be used in solstice
built
of
hand-made
which was surrounded
the viewer to feel a sense of stumbling upon an artifact from an
11
adobe
by
ancient
I felt the
culture and
the candle lit
around
object
moved
mind
my
that had
a piece of
I
and
alter
Delos Delimorte
with
way
project was successful
skulls.
I
of work
America into my
wanted
lacking
in
before I discovered
used
and
to discuss the
a project
idea
it
was an
as opposed to the
by the hand in
second and
a
daily ritual.
third quarter after the
about
social
these foci
and
writing
I
about
could
encompassed
my ideas
as
I did
the black experience in
injustices
within
the community,
the extreme poverty, and crime. The artwork that
was not seen as successful.
substance.
me since
Experimenting with as much as
to interject my ideas
work and wanted
from these ideas
too literal and
be
during the
my time thinking
including police brutality,
manifested
or present an
base, became my biggest priorities
spent as much of
actually creating them. I
work
as an object to
experience with the wall project.
a content
graduate peers gathered
important step for
project was an
pottery is functional
my
red and yellow carnations and surrounded
function, that function was to display
developing
injustices
The
through several bodies
opening
work as
that I covered in
after
especially
My
It
was often critiqued as
struggle continued
through
several
being
bodies
of
that interested me, one that was capable of supporting
my ideas.
The
next project
I decided to
dealing with my ideas
hands
as a window
of social
to the
soul
for in
in pairs,
order
to
injustice through
in the
respect, the hands depicted life
cared
pursue revolved around a series of hands which were
same ways
experience
gesture and surface painting.
that the
eyes are often seen
in the way that hands
somehow show social status.
The hands that I
12
format
as
saw
the
in this
are often groomed and
facing one another as though they were in conversation.
them were of urban origin employing the same
I
to
graffiti,
created were grouped
The images
with
painted on
bold lettering,
sharp outlines,
and
overlapping forms
components of
this
work and
political slogans
work
was not
what
exactly
make research an
I
results.
not
on social
feel
a
direct
bombs,
expressed a
aspect of
my
artist who
remnants of a
for
as
larger,
to stray from
such a
viewer
and not
expressed
mark
"The
the
to
pipes,
represent
more
were
that
literal
the
labeled
and
drugs in
my ideas but it
wanted
frustrated
with
still
to, I had to
with
in their
my
art and
passion of socio-political
and
Kiki Smith to be admirable,
they
often commented
personal experience.
explored a
very helpful to
making to deform
very
me
and
that were human torsos
quick and gestural approach
in that they
allowed me
disfigure them in
a
to be
way that
They became more universal in a manner that "The
were
obviously black hands but the torsos
were
The torsos became
color or gender.
torso that allowed simplification of my ideas and the ability
context.
surface and
discussing
Iraq
on political concepts
work with
from
of
to express what I
I became
primary
and guns
invasion
these makers, mostly because
Hands"
coil-built
into it through
solely
focused
body that were not tied to either
a
models
order
work as
person and not
disturbed beauty.
not,
wanted
Leon Gulub, Robert Arneson,
The torsos
using basic
were
crack
year of graduate school with a series of work
work.
Hands"
truly
imagery were
and
including the
searching for. In
were wheel-thrown and altered and
spontaneous
missiles,
issues
to how I
kinship to
ideas in the third
to making my
images. Text
thread that filled their
work of
I finished my first
that
was
different
a common
ideas. I found the
but I did
I
closer
important
researched
tried to find
felt
used
a range of
protesting
the ghetto. The
I
and
I
wanted
form
while
a plight that was
struggle of all men.
my
it
work
to be less
expressed
only that
of the
my desire to be
black
For the first time I began to
13
chaotic and
man.
more
This
understand
bring the
inclusive
work
the
power of
simplicity
larger
and
how form
and surface could communicate
torso I created was
scale
communicated
my ideas
African immigrant
of
frustration
my
is "body". The large torso
our
me and
in New York
black
important
The
it successfully
with a situation
City by the police.
men are often
with no regard while also
also exposed an
a subversive way.
This
looked
challenging the
question about
involving an
particular
upon as cattle
concept of what
how
we view one
intriguing interest to pursue as an issue to with in my next
an
society;
for
disappointment
sentiments of how
that are disposable and killed
in
and
who was murdered
work of mine expressed
another
a major mile stone
ideas in
project.
Contemporary References
The two contemporary
Bearden,
a
painter,
and
artists who
constantly inspire my
Julio Gonzales,
a painter and sculptor.
inspirational for very different reasons. Both
issues,
me
although
because
of a shared
constrictions
it
relates
Bearden
more so
to the human
condition.
ideas
are
I find these two
Romare
artists
artists commented on social and political
Bearden'
then Gonzales.
African American
Africans in America
work and
s work resonates
heritage,
must endure.
I
and
the struggle to create
also admire
his ideas
Julio Gonzales's revolutionary idea
of
of
deeply with
under
the
universality
as
drawing in
space, has given me a deeper understanding of how sculptural objects can interact with
14
His
space.
use of the
work as part of a
figure
continuum, uniting
Romare Bearden
Renaissance
painted
and color as
he
"
said,
of the
I
Negro
s work which
using
thought
created
of as a
"Black
images that
huge step for
color and mark
I know
a
best."
but simply
were universal
black
artist
but
are
labeled
In 1974 Bearden
of a series where
as
painted
the
and
to
seek out musician
expressive
painting that
reflecting the tight
background is
of
friends
captures
brown
today
images
of
and
use of form
is his
to focus on the
for investigation. He
relate
of man
to this
Bearden did
of the
He
in the terms
particular
to be
not want
happened to be Black. He
human
experience.
a white artist
black
using
This
was a
white people as
people are not received as
with
Stand"
his
(Image 2A),
experiences
a watercolor on
canvas, as
one
during the Harlem Renaissance.
He
jazz, frequenting the different jazz clubs for inspiration
such as
Duke Ellington. "One Night
Stand"
the musicians at work with the overlapping
quarters of stage
a soft
his
or urban art.
artist reflects on
fan
seriously
in their rendering
"One Night
was a great appreciator and
of figures
to redefine the image
still
engage
Harlem
most profound
as a painter who
during that time,
folk art,
during the
as a catalyst
making
visual arts.
a subject are still perceived as universal and
such
I find
(Fine, 45) I
working in the
painter"
to
vibrant paintings and collages.
down the formal rendering
work out of a response and need
statement as a man of color
viewer
environment.
African American painter
Bearden'
often striped
experience
his
the
including classical portraits, expressionism,
styles
aspect of
emotion of the subject
man and
nature allow
international notoriety for his
in many different
The
once
was an
who gained
abstraction.
its relationship to
and
life
while
blotches
of
playing their
red, green, and
15
respected
is
an
figures
instruments. The
pink as vehicles
for
displaying the lights
frontal
black,
drug
and alcohol abuse
collage,
image depicts
flourishing
while
a
and
he
lives
as
his
of their
they
wait
culture of the time.
on
the
green,
commenting
(Image
He
canvas.
Stand"
used color
2B),
oil
The
s career was
to simplify the
concept centered on
Manhattan,
Romare Bearden
16
the
to discuss the conditions Blacks lived in
The
white
on
Bearden'
the
work and allowed
main
while
continuing
(Image
2A)
IF f
night
brown,
are
s social awareness.
equality.
'One
of
faces
Bearden'
projects.
counterparts,
for
hues
Manhattan"
"Black
an example of
work as a platform
forward
with various
in New York City. At the time,
housing
urban
of the musician's
eyes are somber and glazed over,
in 1969, is
ghetto
used
move
being observers
in the jazz
painted
black
residing in
figures to
daily
Their
gold and orange.
red,
Some
in profile, fragmented
while others are seen
on canvas
the
and atmosphere of the room.
figures
on with
there
Black
Sculptor Julio Gonzales
understanding
between
drawing
Salmon,
said, "To
His early
he
used
an
revolutionary
innovative relationship
work years were spent within
worked with other
bohemian
Max Jacob. A primary influence
expand
to create
a
the avant-garde
Pablo Picasso,
artists such as
and collaborator of
Picasso,
the cubist movement from two-dimensional renderings,
them into three-dimensional sculptures that captured space.
project and
construct with
28). His
Europe. He
2B)
trained as an industrial welder and had
and sculpture.
and
Gonzalez helped
transforming
Romare Bearden (Image
of spatial representation which
circle of pre-war
Andre
was
Manhattan"
it
as
draw in
if it
space with
were a
newly
the
help
of new
acquired material
concepts were always modeled
from the idea
17
of
devices,
that
once
to use this space and
is my
drawing
Gonzalez
in
endeavor"
(Withers,
space.
He took
a
more representational
than
industrial function. He
was
forced to
shortage of oxygen and acetylene caused
materials.
of
his
life,
Gonzalez
"Monsieur
works as
created
Cactus"
concentrate
by
collaborating
World War I
with
Pablo Picasso
(Image 3A),
created
heavy
in 1939 is
reference
with organic and geometric shapes assembled
reference centual parts of the
most vulnerable parts of the
limbs,
"Maternity"
creating
(Image 3B),
welded steel rods
Gonzales's
The
loop
to basic
and the
Thorny
figure. Thick
rationing
as well as
a
of these
in the last ten
years
actualizing many
and
in 1934 is
a
one of
Gonzalez's
to the figure. The
most revered
work
together to create negative
cacti
balance
and elegant
"Maternity"
like
hardy
of
appears
to be
into
space.
This
indicate breasts. Gonzales
providing
a primal
loop
space
stalks are
juxtaposed
form allowing it to grasp
was a
abstract while
formalist
quality that
18
that
by
the
thin
space.
example of the artist's use of
striking
suggests a
is very frontal
structures protrude and protect
head
stepped
the
form,
references.
to the
with sprouts of
who stripped
moves
much of
retaining figurative
builds from the horizontal circle, through the
shapes
drawings due to
to lend an unprecedented openness to the structure. Like
which projects
and plate
body.
created
work
structure
efforts on
during the war.
the piece is abstract with
elongated
his
rather
possibility
produced an abundance of welded-iron sculpture
once again
drawings he
on metals as artistic
perspective, concentrating
hair,
upper
and a
ring
the human form down
viewers'
eye around
his
pieces.
'Monsieur
Cactus"
Julio Gonzales (Images
3A)
'Maternity"
19
Julio Gonzales (Image
3B)
Finding my voice
I finished my first
from my
faculty and peers and after I
Studio
Clay
felt this
and
studies at
of
way for
me
me
to have my first
wanted
for my thesis
to create
so while
guidance as
deal
with
to how to
my
Primitive before any
heritage mixing
contemporary ideas
During
work.
I
spent
eyes
to the
traditional
of urban
orientation of
month summer
forms
black
met
time at the Archie
studios.
excited about
Studio
of work much
the opportunity
of
like the
for myself and for the
This
I
past work
had begun. The
my residency I
visiting the local
very
and also met with professors
approach a solo exhibition.
work
some
body
clear goals
in the way that my
politics
three-month residency at The
year of
Missoula
I
one
work
for
would
that I
I visiting in New Mexico. Before arriving in Montana I
African Art
compiled research on
having received praise
solo exhibition as a professional artist a chance
I had
exhibition.
was
a
Working at the Clay
to have a trial run of sorts, and a cohesive
produce
to
note after
to build on what I had learned after my first
The School for American Crafts.
for
high
was accepted
Missoula in Missoula Montana. I
was a great
would allow
me
year of graduate school on a
work was
such as
to create work that did not
wanted
had,
from the university for
and
I titled my
exhibition
Future
to pay homage to my African
the mask
and
the tripod
with
culture.
many
great artists who gave me
Bray foundation conversing
was a
residency in Missoula
ceramics and
being
through what should have been one of the
I
spent
me since
20
of
my
it
the majority
quite productive as an artist.
highlights
on
my
with resident artists and
very informative time for
contemporary
feed back
opened
my
of my three-
Halfway
artistic experience
I
was
phoned
by
world as
my
I knew it
Although I
needed
told
wife and
was
and
I began to think
to be the theme
The
work needed
though in my own
world
big part of understanding the
myself
seeing
was spectacular.
working
Frustration
spent
discovering what I
It
all over
searched
soon set
I
returned
the place,
happy
ugly
an urge
and
wife and
and
that this
positive since
to deal with
through this
began to
doubt
beauty,
horrid. Reflection became
that dealt
in New Mexico
was not sure
things that were
with
process
a
I found
beauty. Instead
rediscover what
more of a phenomenon
in
with
Growing
the
landscape
of
I thought
then a disease and
discovering my
to focus
on
inner
creating for the
final
second and
figuratively,
and caused me
being
year of graduate school.
abstract, and somewhere in-between
could
to make
hold
on
poor
to
and
first
entire
that felt
close
decisions that further
to
and
I
I
being right.
affected
my
the first of the year that I felt that I gained some clarity and was
up in Chicago
experience of
were
wanted
for my
for anything that I
was not until
experiences.
and
I
to create work that discussed the
along
was
in my life.
me
confused and at a stage of
This idea lead to
from my
made me
issues I
my
back into the forefront.
desperately
able
world.
Urbanization became
and second quarters when
work.
really important to
more about
disturbing to me about urban life I
I had trouble
was
to become
separation
reflections about the eight years
moved
announcement shattered
I felt extremely
I felt everything
rediscovering things that
what was
about what was
of my work and
there was enough negativity in the
even
divorce. This
passionate about social and political
very
and uncertainty.
she wanted a
living
both parts
it
to my life
beauty of duality
as
and
urbanization at
in the
experiencing
southwest and
of my experience
21
pertained
absorbing the
its best
and worst
profound culture
that I wished to translate into my art.
This
revelation was achieved
Julia
Galloway,
to find
trying
address
through
Levon Sheppard
and
inspiration
long
for my
After
were one
entity
and
Calling on form,
body, land,
referenced
lapped
and
framework for my
therefore land
intertwined
surface,
and
and
and
I
what one projects onto
inside
person or vice
that
rough and
work
each
I
thorny
was
to
on
the
exhibit
to
mid section
In the
allows
above
the
The
work
obvious sections
world
soft and
piece entitled
"Blue
to see a
for the
in
functioning as a torso,
viewer
These three
of inside and
to
arise.
philosophies of
It is
fleshy
on
that
created work
entities where over
a
not always what
same
the inside.
by the
only
outside, allowing
through, in the
that break dancers
same what
one another.
there were three
the
the
way
I
dialogue
is
a cactus
wanted
the
on
the
is very
pieces of
to have a strong interaction with one and another, and to feed off of
movement, in the
around
but
use
They believed that man and nature
of graffiti.
ideas
to
art.
making
are parts of the whole separated
versa, that shines
outside
aspects allowed me
title to communicate the ideas I
explored
pertaining to
of
sky
while
could,
Work
creations.
text in the form
and
of
process of
searching I decided to
a multitude of research and soul
the Yoruba people as a
mind.
Body
These
expression.
the new concerns in my life through the
The
Professors Rick Hirsch,
looking at as much work as I
and
and an outlet
conversations with
each
and a
Monday"
"pop-lock"
and pass
show contained a
individual piece,
top suggesting
the
very
arms and a
format
that one can see the arms sway as a weapon with three
and
legs,
a
head.
in the base
portion of the midsection that was
22
recognizable
bottom representing
a
negative space
the dance
of
the piece
penetrating the base
holes that
are
finger
and
size
to
allow one to pick
brown
up the
very textural
and
if desired. The lower third
object
while
the interior
of the sculpture was
top were both blue
and
and
sandy
green, representing
water.
Sky"
"Nina
that
was a piece
bottom
section
employ
a
the bottom was
brown hue
the bottom
not
one shade of
allowing any light to
blue to
lined
another
is
a
highly
"V"
smaller
resemble
"Zuni
in
midsection
shape of the
bottom
birds pulling away
flaky,
has
boasts
top
arced
element
has
a
the
sky
appears at
glazed with a
chose
large
like
a
gradation
female's
shaped
The swaying top
in
from
white glaze
hip balancing
bottom aligning
sections are
a vertical attitude with
the lower
section
It
metal
represents a worn wooden
and
like
is
resting comfortably,
surface
west covered with a metal
section
displays
the form is
revealing
similar
parts of
heavily
bracelet. The
the
a
bottom
section
glaze
23
While
the
textured in a
to a Chinese pillow, that is
shape of a
that is covered in a
curvaceous on one end.
with
hand in
midsection consists
yellow and
in the
a
section
designed to
brown
curved on one end with a point and pierced at
replicating
to
dusk in the desert.
thick, crawling,
"V"
to
between two
hue
of one another.
pointing
glaze while
the
while
I
midsection was attached
departure
at each end
The top
Night"
a
section.
section.
"Lobo
heavily
The
with a unified
stance.
a
firmly balanced
a
way that
balancing the midsection,
and yellow glaze.
of a piece
glazed
The
Pueblo"
is
it,
leaf. The top
same
sticking
to observe the satin brown beneath the first layer. The lower
concave while
manner.
sassy
brown
viewer
in the
of
broad strong legged
pass though
with gold
Song"
"Female Cardinal's Last
allowing the
separated with a
instead
where
and a smooth texture to this piece.
which were
shoulders,
formats
switched
dense,
sleek and
of
the lower
the other,
fishhook.
smooth crimson
linear
on one
side, it is
balanced
thins
as
by
the
curves on
the
other.
eye approaches
The
midsection repeats
the middle
part.
The
portion of the piece rests above and stretches
ends are weighted and vertical.
in opposing directions. Treated
matte yellow glaze with variants of orange exposed
This
with colors.
same orange
hue is
the crimson glaze and the form
repeated
here
and
in the interior
The top
with a
there the piece is finalized
of the
bottom
section of the
piece.
"Native
Tongue"
with a matte
midsection
brown
is
grounded on a rusted steel
glaze while a
is tiny in
comparison
bright blue
but is the
base
with
glaze surprises
same matte
the bottom section treated
the eye
brown hue
on
and
the interior. The
is in the
shape of
the letter "N". Representation of the letter is stylized in the form of graffiti letters. The
top
section
the
form,
is
a
lengthy piece of fabricated steel
pointing in the direction
that sways and stretches elegantly across
of northeast at on end and southwest on
24
the
other.
Conclusion
"The
stone
that
a
I believe that
builder refuse
one should not
will always
have
should rather except challenges and
experiences.
happen,
dream,
Expectation
allows
goal or passion
dedication,
and
embraces
adversity
presented
issues that I
will use
in
expectations when
build
a wealth of
for disappointment
does
not
it
in
~
entering any
being
and uses
could
it
as a
have
tool.
My
experience
foundation
and as a move
mind.
25
I
One
these
not
Having the desire to pursue
This does
never anticipated.
on
let down does
allow or guarantee success
realize ones goals.
Marley
endeavor.
knowledge based
it merely
not come with out
adversity, struggle builds character, and the
as part of my
ceramics
necessarily
Bob
cornerstone"
when
then disappointment does not seem as tragic.
that one has the opportunity to
work,
be the head
thankful
forward,
with
means
hard
one who will succeed
in Graduate School
am
a
for the
the
was one
that
experience and
pursuit of
my
goals
Bibliography
Fine, Ruth E.,The Art
of Romare
Bearden. New York: Abrams, 2003.
Withers, Josephine, Julio Gonzalez Sculpture in Iron, New York: NYU Press,
The Pace
Buller
Gallery, Julio
Fagg, William,
York: Knopf 1
st
1978
Gonzalez Sculpture & Drawings, New York: Pace Gallery, 1981
and
Bryce Holcombe, Yoruba: Sculpture
of West
edition, 1 984.
Degas, Edger, Art Quotes.com Home Page. 15 Jan. 2007
<http://www.artquotes.net/masters/edgar-degas/degas-quotes.htm>
Marley, Bob, "Cornerstone", Songs
of Freedom,
Island Records: 1992.
Africa, New