Art Work

Art Work In the following pages, the key trends of contemporary art are to be discussed. The importance of new artistic forms is inseparably connected with scientific and technological revolution. Scientific and technological revolutions lead to the invention of the new tools, created by tireless human genius. Genius of mankind strives for making life easier. However, this may or may not touch upon creation and creative activity. As time gets faster the people whose lives are connected to creativity should not fall behind the rhythm of time. Though visual art is static, there is more expression in the fine arts. The essence of life is expressed in painting, while photograph is an impression in the set form – an amber stone with an insect, congealed in it, a speck that might soon become a pearl. Sharon Lockhart and his “Visalia Livestock Market” reflect the realia, accepted mainly throughout the West of the USA. The picture was taken in Visalia, CA in the year 2011. Visalia is a town in the central part of the State of California. California is the State in the West Coast of the USA, situated in the South-West of the country. In the flow of history, this region developed its own culture that spread throughout the whole country and became a sort of label. Cattle breeding and farming form an integral part of so-called cow-boy culture. All things considered, the photograph suggested many other peculiarities, characteristic to the culture of the Western USA. The photograph by Sharon Lockhart is exhibited in Wexner Center for the Arts at the exhibition called More American photographs. The artist emphasizes the problem of gender and demographic balance i.e. the generation gap. There are 22 people on the photograph: there are two women, two children, and 18 men – approximately 5-7 of them are elderly people. All people are spaced around the rows of the benches. The color of their clothes and the general tones of the joint match one another perfectly. The room portrayed in the photograph suffuses with ample daylight, coming from the windows and the opened doors. Most of the people are seated at the front rows suggesting that some important activity shall take place. However, they all seem to be carrying a laidback attitude. This makes it feel that the activities are not in process but are yet to begin. The photograph captures the casual and natural mood of these people and depicts a normal day in their life. This imparts a raw character to the photograph making it unique. The presence of the photographer does not affect the people or attract their attention. Therefore, it can be said that the photographer may have been one of them i.e. another cow-boy. It could also depict the termination of the dealing processes and that the final activities were being carried out by this time. One person at the front row can be found to simply stare at his right hand side which perhaps would be the doorway of the room. The person just next to him is busy writing, calculating or just jotting down certain points. The man sitting in the adjacent seat is dressed formally and is presumably in anticipation of some event. On the contrary, the next man in his dressing and mannerisms seems to carry a complete casual and lackadaisical attitude. The fifth and the last man in the row is a self-composed man with the attitude of a perfect business-oriented person. As we move to the next row which is levelled at an elevated plane, we can see three men, one woman and two young boys. The first man sitting at the extreme left hand corner has adopted a very nonchalant attitude. He seems tired and is inclined towards his back while resting his right leg on the table. Just next to them is a family constituting two kids sitting alternatively with their parents. Their mother is dressed more or less like the father itself. Since dressing style is a significant aspect and is indicative of the prevalent patterns in the society, we can deduce that women in those days had equal freedom and status like their husbands. Both kids are sitting comfortably with the legs up on the table. The last person in this row is sitting alone and at quite a distance from the family. This man has put on a cap and is completely dressed in navy blue casuals. In the next row, which is again at an elevated level, we can find a formally dressed man sitting all by himself and watching the door. Towards the left side, we can find a couple with their pet dog. They are the only people who are attentive and conscious of being photographed and are looking at the camera. Right after this row there is partition made of two series of iron rods at knee length. The rest of the people are seated only at the other end of this partition. A man who seems to write something stands casually in between the two series of rods. At the row just after the partition and at the extreme right side, one can find an old and bearded man looking outside the exit door. The next three men sitting on this row are anxiously waiting for some important event. At the subsequent row, there are two men who are discussing and talking among themselves. I believe that the photograph was taken on some kind of public sale, where farmers sell and buy cattle. Obviously, all these people are buying. The photo is taken from the standpoint of either an animal or the one who is leading the sale. The joint and the setting itself are very important – one would not deduce the author’s message without suggested circumstances. The point of the work and the message of the author are to make people think over their consumer-attitude towards nature and attitude towards one another. The author is trying to talk about the way people care for themselves, their close people and the way they act towards nature. People in the photograph seem not to notice that they are being photographed, they do not notice the photographer, or they just do not pay much attention to being photographed. That means there is a break of some kind, and they can communicate with each other and not pay much attention to what is going on. All the seats in the photograph are blue in color and the walls are cream-colored. The color of the seats, steps and the wall blends seamlessly with the color of the dresses of these people. In case the picture was shot in some other location, we may not have had achieved such beautiful symmetry of colors. All the people are seated in their seats and we can find little or no breach of disciple. They are all silently occupying their positions and simply waiting for the events. The atmosphere bears an air of tranquillity and silence. The overall behaviour and mannerism of these people can be regarded as organised and considerably good. However, at the same time it also lacks vigour and excitement. Interpretation of any art work is a subjective representation of the perceived. Comprehension depends much upon the author’s skills, background information and knowledge, and viewers’ scope. Being a photographer myself, watching this action I am sure I would choose the same view-point. I do not know whether the author in his mind thinks constantly about the problems that might arise in his work. It hardly seems to be possible. Photography nowadays has become an art, supposed to convey, highlight and evoke. It has grown rapidly and has become an efficient medium. This is already the domain of social interrelation and is characterized by human attitude towards it. A lot depends on the ability to observe and conclude. The impression that any photograph leaves upon the beholder depends on the ability of the creator to release and express himself or herself, as well as the viewer’s threshold of feeling i.e. the ability to analyze and be captured as well as to perceive and comprehend the information. What story is there behind a photograph? One does not know it for sure unless being there in the very moment the picture is being taken. What is it about? It is about each of us, the life around us. The very fact that it describes us makes it good, though it often explores acute and dark sides. In the case of Sharon Lockhart’s photograph, it is neither good nor bad rather is distinct and unique in itself. It is easy to be decoded by an average viewer, without any challenge. It makes each one, who has seen this photograph once, think, analyze and understand. This constitutes a significant aspect because somehow all that is being told by this photograph concerns the culture and the people, to whom this culture belongs. It acts as a background defining and describing the native people, their behavior, the culture and their inter-play. It is a reminiscence of the past, which helps us to understand the scenario of that particular point of time. This material was provided by Oliver Pearson who works at https://essaysprofessors.com/professional-tutoring-service.htm