Spring Break
Senior's semester swan song
For a show that's big on hype, only a few pieces in the Senior Studio Exhibition
by Andrew Giordano
Arts | 12/4/07
Posted online at 11:00 PM EST on 12/3/07
/ Last updated at 3:47 AM EST on 12/3/07
Last Monday night, I opened the doors to the Spingold Theater Center to experience one of Brandeis' notable art shows. Each semester, the senior Studio Art majors exhibit their work in the Dreitzer Art Gallery for Brandeis students, staff and faculty. While free snacks (the brie was delicious) and a bounty of wine are offered to goad student attendance, the main purpose of the exhibition is for the Studio Art faculty to evaluate which seniors should receive departmental honors. In the past, students have created original works of superb quality, both in composition and construction. Unfortunately, this show simply didn't deliver.
As I looked around the space, I couldn't help but feel that I was visiting an art class in progress. Many works were victims of sloppy construction, and others appeared as if art appropriation manifested itself as art plagiarism. I was disappointed to say the least, but, the exhibition was not a total failure. Taking a second glance around the room, a few choice pieces captured my eye and stole the show.
As my foot touched the last step on the small winged staircase, Jacqueline Fox's canvas stood before me, bearing the same contemplative expression worn on my own face. The oil painting, "No. 9," commanded my attention as soon as I fixed my gaze on the female figure. The large canvass is completely filled with the head of a beautiful young woman. Though this figure is pleasing to the eyes, it took a few seconds to realize why the image was simultaneously haunting. The head of the figure is turned to the right, and a sliver of hair glides across the face to accentuate the painting's angular quality. The paint is applied thick, and the color contrast between the peachy flesh and robust hair and coat is arousing.
Taking this all in, I finally noticed the eyes. Deeply inset within the vast whites are large, black circles comprising both iris and pupil. These black discs show the girl as vapid and hollow. While she is beautiful on the outside, there is nothing within. When asked about this decision, Jacqueline stated that "The painting was meant to serve as a commentary on society's concept of beauty. The female is praised for a beautiful exterior yet her gaze usually lacks connection. It's this appearance of the woman as aloof that drives men to worship her." The work also ties in to a second painting by Jacqueline that is even more striking. Titled "Feed Your Brain," this work is a response to popular culture's perception of female beauty as misogynistic and objectifying. This work contains a cross-section of a head on the right side of the composition while a lightning bolt slices through the left. Jacqueline said that this was a self-portrait in which she paints her idea of individual beauty. This manifests itself as the human brain.
As I looked around the space, I couldn't help but feel that I was visiting an art class in progress. Many works were victims of sloppy construction, and others appeared as if art appropriation manifested itself as art plagiarism. I was disappointed to say the least, but, the exhibition was not a total failure. Taking a second glance around the room, a few choice pieces captured my eye and stole the show.
As my foot touched the last step on the small winged staircase, Jacqueline Fox's canvas stood before me, bearing the same contemplative expression worn on my own face. The oil painting, "No. 9," commanded my attention as soon as I fixed my gaze on the female figure. The large canvass is completely filled with the head of a beautiful young woman. Though this figure is pleasing to the eyes, it took a few seconds to realize why the image was simultaneously haunting. The head of the figure is turned to the right, and a sliver of hair glides across the face to accentuate the painting's angular quality. The paint is applied thick, and the color contrast between the peachy flesh and robust hair and coat is arousing.
Taking this all in, I finally noticed the eyes. Deeply inset within the vast whites are large, black circles comprising both iris and pupil. These black discs show the girl as vapid and hollow. While she is beautiful on the outside, there is nothing within. When asked about this decision, Jacqueline stated that "The painting was meant to serve as a commentary on society's concept of beauty. The female is praised for a beautiful exterior yet her gaze usually lacks connection. It's this appearance of the woman as aloof that drives men to worship her." The work also ties in to a second painting by Jacqueline that is even more striking. Titled "Feed Your Brain," this work is a response to popular culture's perception of female beauty as misogynistic and objectifying. This work contains a cross-section of a head on the right side of the composition while a lightning bolt slices through the left. Jacqueline said that this was a self-portrait in which she paints her idea of individual beauty. This manifests itself as the human brain.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Kathryn Ballo
posted 12/05/07 @ 11:42 PM EST
After reading this article, I am left feeling very confused? Did this person even attend the same show as me? It seems to me that not only is this article harsh, but also extremely careless with its words. (Continued…)
Erin Soares
posted 12/06/07 @ 11:04 AM EST
I agree. The show was by no means the opening for a gathering of seasoned and established artists, but I nonetheless feel the show was strong. The author seems to only have been able to find his way to one corner of the gallery, and as he spent most of the evening meditating on the "arousing" aspect of this corner, managed only to only have enough time left to glance briefly across to the opposite corner, and pretend as if he actually looked at anything in between. (Continued…)
Jessica Brandon
posted 12/06/07 @ 4:40 PM EST
I assume that in writing "Seniors' Semester Swan Song," the journalist meant to critique
the artwork of Brandeis' senior art majors. Unfortunately, just like he believes the vast
majority of artists failed to make "original works of superb quality", he has fallen
short of this goal. (Continued…)
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