OUTLINE
SILHOUETTE
OUTLINE++SHADOW
SHADOW ==SILHOUETTE
What s in
a silhouette?
Usually
not not
much
or else
everything,
is, everything
everythingessential.
essential.
concept
of a silhouette
cansimultaneously
seem simultaneously
What
s in a silhouette?
Usually
much
or else
everything,that
that is,
TheThe
concept
of a silhouette
can seem
fundamental
and ordinary.
his Natural
History
, theancient
ancientRoman
Roman author
the
Elder
claimed
that that
the first
work
made
a father
fundamental
and ordinary.
In hisInNatural
History
, the
authorPliny
Pliny
the
Elder
claimed
theartfirst
artwas
work
waswhen
made
when a father
preserved
the likeness
his daughter
s departing
loverby
bytracing
tracing an
the
man
s shadow
on aon
wall.
The word
is itself
the name
of name
a mid- of a midpreserved
the likeness
of hisofdaughter
s departing
lover
anoutline
outlineofof
the
man
s shadow
a wall.
The itself
word
is the
18 century French finance minister, Étienne de Silhouette, known for his picayune economic policies, hence it became a term applied in the early
18th century
French finance minister, Étienne de Silhouette, known for his picayune economic policies, hence it became a term applied in the early
th
19th century to anything done cheaply, and it was at that time the cheapest way to get a portrait likeness, simple but somehow ghost-like.
19th century to anything done cheaply, and it was at that time the cheapest way to get a portrait likeness, simple but somehow ghost-like.
Pre-historic cave dwellers painted silhouettes of the animals of their hunt, presumably wanting to control it. For Louise Laplante, it s the meaning
Pre-historic cave dwellers painted silhouettes of the animals of their hunt, presumably wanting to control it. For Louise Laplante, it s the meaning
of the words found in her collage of antique book pages or letters that sends her toward a particular silhouetted form. She feels that the lack of
of the words
found
her collage
antique
book pages
that
her toward
a particular
feelsanthat the lack of
specificity
in ain
silhouette
givesof
her
more control,
controlor
to letters
make up
hersends
own story,
create movement
in asilhouetted
way that alsoform.
allowsShe
viewers
specificity
in a silhouette
gives
more
control,lines
control
to make
up her
own story,
createshapes
movement
in awith
wayanthat
alsoeroding
allowsthe
viewers
imaginative
power of
theirher
own.
The swirling
around
her deeply
embedded
silhouette
are made
eraser,
firm an
boundaries
figure
and The
resulting
in anlines
unnerving
dispersion
of energy.
imaginative
powerofofthe
their
own.
swirling
around
her deeply
embedded silhouette shapes are made with an eraser, eroding the firm
boundaries
of the figure and resulting in an unnerving dispersion of energy.
Silhouettes can involve a play, occasionally a conflict, between the abstract and the real, as with the decline of silhouette portraiture in the later
19 century at the time of the advent of photography when a sense of the elemental was interrupted by a new found pleasure in both the details
Silhouettes
can involve a play, occasionally a conflict, between the abstract and the real, as with the decline of silhouette portraiture in the later
th
and the immediacy of everyday life. (Silhouettes were for girls and the dead.) Ali Osborn is curious about the relation of distance and proximity in
19th century at the time of the advent of photography when a sense of the elemental was interrupted by a new found pleasure in both the details
a silhouette: what can be seen or sensed from afar may be quite different, more abstract, from what s conveyed up close and is more particular.
and the immediacy of everyday life. (Silhouettes were for girls and the dead.) Ali Osborn is curious about the relation of distance and proximity in
Ali s art work often grows from the detailed perimeter of an image which he minutely articulates before feeling confident to fill it in.
a silhouette: what can be seen or sensed from afar may be quite different, more abstract, from what s conveyed up close and is more particular.
Today a silhouette can be a fashion statement, presenting a strongly illuminated or outlined figure in a stylized manner. The ancient admiration of
Ali s art work often grows from the detailed perimeter of an image which he minutely articulates before feeling confident to fill it in.
a seemingly eternal profile portrait on coins and medals is thus offset by a 21st century interest in constantly changing style and connotation. This
Granger.
She is amazed
how much
information
simple silhouettes
people can
reveal—race,
psychology,
sensibility
appeals
to Chelsea
Today amodern
silhouette
can be
a fashion
statement,
presenting
a strongly
illuminated
or outlined
figure in aofstylized
manner.
The ancient
admiration of
sociology,
habits
and customs.
At the
same
time
she acknowledges
can wonder
if her
outline drawings
show style
people
dancing
a seemingly
eternal
profile
portrait on
coins
and
medals
is thus offsetthat
by observers
a 21st century
interest
in constantly
changing
and
connotation. This
or, conversely, portray figures who have trouble connecting.
moderntogether,
sensibility
appeals to Chelsea Granger. She is amazed how much information simple silhouettes of people can reveal—race, psychology,
sociology,
habits and
customs.
the sameand
time
she
acknowledges
thatofobservers
canChildren
wonders ifStorefront
her outline
drawings
show people
Silhouettes
convey
a range At
of meanings
also
require
a good amount
skill. For The
students,
it s challenging
not dancing
just
to or,
draw
a person orportray
an animal
but towho
drawhave
one contained
within a single outline and thus, to their surprise, learn about the power of art even
together,
conversely,
figures
trouble connecting.
before the time of Jesus Christ. And then there s the lively and insatiable urge to use color to fill in the blanks or to try to guess just whose
Silhouettes
convey
a range
ofyou?).
meanings
and also
require a good
amount
of skill.
The Children
s Storefront
students,
it s you
challenging
not just
silhouette
is whose
(can
The students
silhouette-based
short
i-movies
rangeFor
uncannily
from threatening
to reassuring,
taking
to
to draweternity
a person
or an
animal
tooff
draw
contained
within
a single
and thus, to their surprise, learn about the power of art even
or not
keeping
mybut
eyes
you, one
the shadow
of death
vs. love
in theoutline
shadows.
before the time of Jesus Christ. And then there s the lively and insatiable urge to use color to fill in the blanks or to try to guess just whose
Silhouettes hover between a primitive fear of the visual, or in fact of life, a disturbing ambiguity of interpretation, and a profound human need to
silhouette
is whose (can you?). The students silhouette-based short i-movies range uncannily from threatening to reassuring, taking you to
communicate without words, before words in fact, directly, visually with relatively simple shapes, to overcome fear with a new kind of magic. So
eternitythe
or not
keeping
myimprint
eyes off
the shadow
of adeath
vs. lovecan
in the
shadows.
strikingly
specific
of you,
a malformed
hand in
cave painting
stand
for this artist s burgeoning awareness of his own creative powers,
and also be a telling reminder of human frailty and imperfection. Or, as in a New Yorker cartoon, one of two pre-historic men crouched behind a
Silhouettes hover between a primitive fear of the visual, or in fact of life, a disturbing ambiguity of interpretation, and a profound human need to
rock, faced with a giant mammoth and armed only with a small spear, says to the other: How about we go back to the cave and paint this one?
communicate without words, before words in fact, directly, visually with relatively simple shapes, to overcome fear with a new kind of magic. So
Craig Harbison,
March 2012
Artist Profiles
are a project
of A.
P. E. creative powers,
the strikingly
specific imprint
of a malformed hand in a cave painting can stand for this artist s burgeoning
awareness
of his
own
and also be a telling reminder of human frailty and imperfection. Or, as in a New Yorker cartoon, one of two pre-historic men crouched behind a
rock, faced with a giant mammoth and armed only with a small spear, says to the other: How about we go back to the cave and paint this one?
Craig Harbison, March 2012
Artist Profiles are a project of A. P. E.