Strike a Pose

... continuing the "galleries" theme - I loved this caption from Leeds City Art Gallery.

The gallery had set up an activity where anyone could scribble their own label for a work on card, and put their label under the work. This one was from a teenager -

Vulnerability in art part 2 - lack of ....

On my exploration of the Graves with my mind on vulnerability (see my previous posting), I was suddenly struck by this picture, where I'd have expected vulnerability in the subject, but it seemed to me totally lacking.

















"Blessing the Sea" by Legros - 1872. You'd have thought they'd have been feeling pretty vulnerable - in the face of the might of the ocean - but then I guess this painting is about a display of peacefulness and invulnerability - possibly hiding or banishing the fear.

I guess it is about the intention of the maker of the work of art. Perhaps the idea that art can be about exposing your vulnerability is quite modern. This portrait of a prosperous woman of the 1700s (I think) certainly seems about showing of her prosperity and possession in the world - not about any inner feelings she might have.

This picture is of the Lady of Shallot (Maw Egley, 1858). Vulnerability is surely a big part of the story, but I didn't get any sense of it - just of putting the surface elements of the narrative in place, visually.

Looking at this picture by de Morales (1500s), I thought - surely Christ must have been feeling vulnerable at this moment of all moments ? But the picture seems to be about the portrayal of Christ acting out his role in his drama, rather than about his inner feelings.

And another picture - which you'd really have thought might be about vulnerability - but where I didn't feel it at all. ("manner of de Ribera - ~ 1635)

Though not all the older pictures fitted this - in this one of an "Apostle", by de Ribera (1635), the old man's vulnerability really came across.

I thought that other interesting (though fairly obvious) elements to explore in relation to vulnerability might be the gender of the artist, as well as the period of the picture, the intended audience, and perceived purpose of the work.

Vulnerability in art works

I went to the Graves Art Gallery in Sheffield to see whether developing my own "trail" round some of the works could add to my appreciation. Partly inspired by our "View of the young person in museum and gallery design" project - where we've been discussing this.

The idea of imposing a theme was quite a struggle at first, but then -






This self-portrait by Sam Taylor-Wood gave me a strong feeling of

Vulnerability

and I decided to explore the gallery with this feeling in mind.




..... and it started to spring out at me from lots of works:

... this picture of a Telephone Engineer by Prunella Clough - he seems bowed down by the machinery around him - which he is still part of - though still dignified.





Pictures of women too (well - OK - no surprises - mostly of women ) .... this is by Roberts - painting his wife - and she seems strong but vulnerable - though not in a stereotypical way.


And this picture - by Augustus John felt a bit more stereotypical - eyes with a mysterious vulnerability deep within them.









But also buildings - this is a painting of Sheffeild by Greaves (1927)




and this painting of a leaf on a couch (the photo hasn't come out too well - too much reflection.)
It was painted by a War Artist (Armstrong) just after the second world war - not sure whether that contributed to its feeling of vulnerability.







and this more obvious sculpture of a couple by Mark Quinn.
















Then I was surprised by the contrast with works where you'd have expected vulnerability, but where it seemed absent.
See my next post ......