1- I am sure that as the viewer is glancing at this photograph for the first time, their curiosity takes hold. If you are wondering what in the world the object is, it’s a ceramic wall hanging that I made last semester. I like the intriguing angle that the picture was taken at and how the white negative space balances with the piece. The dark shadows that are created by the rippled slabs of clay stand out to me the most. I really like the emphasis that is created throughout the piece in the multiple textures.2 & 3- This horizontally placed photograph is of a black and white glazed ceramic wall hanging. The piece is laying flat on a white background; shading is shown in the background because of the lighting. I think this creates a pleasing effect, which is stronger than a sharp white background. The photograph is taken so that the foreground of the object (which is the bottom of the piece) is almost larger and more in focus and the top of the piece is towards the top (back) of the photo and somewhat out of focus. The ceramic wall hanging is a rough oblong form with a moon like shape carved from the center. It is made from slabs of clay and carved into to create an assortment of textures. Some of them even look like snake skin or deer antlers. Although I don’t think that this composition is a very strong one, it is interesting. I think the composition of the sculpture in 3-dimensional form instead of a 2-dimensional photograph is much stronger. I like the balance that is created and how the shadows generate depth.
4- I am not sure if this photograph really tells much of a story. The piece itself is created through textures and shapes; this does come across in the picture but I guess I didn’t make the wall hanging with a specific story in mind. The photograph is similar to the style of one that I would use in my art portfolio so in some ways it does tell a story about me and the kind of works I enjoy doing. Many of my pieces are very textual based so I think this represents me fairly well. If I were to name the photo using one simple word, it would be tactile. According to the dictionary, tactile has to do with the sense of touch and that is exactly what this pieced provokes the viewer to do. As with many textures, the view is enticed to feel or touch the object and to discover if the texture is actual or simulated.
5- Most of the sculptures that I saw of Richard Serra’s were made from molten lead, sheet metal, or steel and were large scale assemblies. The texture is commonly that of the natural rust of the metal which looks smooth in photographs but I am sure is somewhat rough. A lot of his sculptures also play up the perspective element which my photography focuses on. The textures in my picture are much rougher than those that Serra uses in his sculptures. His drawings, on the other hand have a very dark foreground and are texture focused. The ones that I saw looked like he uses charcoal for his sketches, and creates texture through his loose marks in the background. I think my photograph connects to Richard Serra’s through expression and through the amount of emphasis that is placed on perspective and texture.
