I visited MoMa for this assignment on the 27th of October 2019 (however i have been to the museum many times before over the years since I particularly love this museum and its collections).
The task set was to visit the various gallery spaces within MoMA and look, think, sketch and write. We were requested to take photos of at least 10 different 2D artworks which deal with pictorial space in different ways and make notes about how the artist is manipulating and using pictorial space.
I wanted to focus on finding artwork which explored creative and colorful ways of conveying and interpreting space. Referring to our upcoming Times Square project I was conscious of finding artwork which would serve as inspiration for me both in terms of composition and color theory.
‘The Starry Night’ 1889 oil on canvas Vincent van Gogh
- ‘The Starry Night’
- I chose to include this piece because (despite it being the icon that it is) it inspired me because of the way Van Gogh has used color and leading lines to convey emotion and movement within the oece. The image itself uses one point perspective but the imaginative fantasy element of the style of the artwork also creates this feeling of enchantment and added depth.
- Limited color palette of blue and yellow which are contrasting and give the illusion of nighttime
‘Picture with an Archer’ Vasily Kandinsky 1909 oil on canvas
- ‘Picture with an Archer’
- I really liked this image due to the way the artist has used color and application of paint to convey a feeling of movement and energy. At first, I did not see the rider within the imagery and thought it was just an abstract piece, but once I saw the figure I developed an even further appreciation for this piece and the way the artist has used color and perspective creatively. The piece is done in one point perspective.
‘Mme Kupka among Verticals’ Frantiek Kupka 1911 oil on canvas
- ‘Mme Kupka among Verticals’
- This piece is mainly abstract but does feature a small section of semi-realism where the artist has included elements of a face. I love this feeling of being lost in color and how the colored paint strokes almost consume the face. The piece uses vertical leading lines to break up the space which i feel helps it to not be too overwhelming even with the bright colors and bold paint application.
‘Luxe, calme et volupte’ Henri Matisse 1904 oil on canvas
- ‘Luxe, calme et volupte’
- This work is done in one point perspective. The horizontal composition creates a static feel to the atmosphere, the artist also utilizes color and uses warmer colors (red and oranges) to represent the.foreground.
‘Painting’ Francis Bacon 1946 oil and pastel on linen
- ‘Painting’
- Restricted color palette with mainly cool tones and dark contrasting hues which convey a dark, morbid sort of tone. This piece, despite being abstract, uses one point perspective and symmetrical leading liens which draw the viewer’s eye into the center of the page (rule of thirds composition).
‘Fishing Boats, Collioure’ Andre Derain 1905 oil on canvas
- ‘Fishing Boats, Collioure’
- This painting also uses one point perspective. I like the way the artist has chosen to use contrasting color and composition to interpret this space rather than contour lines. The piece feels static due to the use of horizontal lines within the composition. The precise use of color creates depth and weight within the image, for example the way the artist has used warmer colors bring the boats forward.
‘Composition’ Henri Matisse 1915 oil on canvas
- ‘Composition’
- This is another artwork which i was drawn to because of the way the artist has used color and negative space. The image represents a view from a curtained window in the artist’s home in Issy-les-Moulineaux, including the blue glass canopy that covered the front door. The artist has used flat color to create a minimalistic and static feel to the artwork but the composition also adds intrigue and creates an aesthetically pleasing piece
‘Milky Way’ Janet Sobel 1945 enamel on canvas
- ‘Milky Way’
- This piece has a very expressive and abstract style. I was interested in the abstract style and how the artist used the media (enamel) to convey a different type of leading line and ‘flow’ within the frame.
‘Brooklands’ Claude Flight 1929 Linoleum cut
- ‘Brooklands’
- This piece has a very illustrative and structured style with very clean and almost graphic linework. The use of contrasting colors (blue/yellow) enhance the negative space without becoming too harsh. It uses one point perspective and feels relatively static
‘Painting number 2’ Franz Kline 1954 oil on canvas
- ‘Painting number 2’
This painting is done using a monochromatic color scheme. Another abstract piece, this artist uses leading lines to guide the viewer’s eye around the painting. It has a spontaneous and intense style and a dramatic impact.
