Nichole's blog post 2

The Story it Tells lends to the idea that all works of art can be viewed in multiple ways. It is evident that the human perspective of artwork differs according to the work itself and the person actually viewing the work. The beauty of this world is the immense diversity that is present, and with the existence of different cultures, comes a difference in perspective- whether you are the art maker, or the art viewer.

When we think of the artwork itself we are considering the content, materials, subject matter, formal properties, placement, and we may consider the artists themselves. Interestingly when we think about critiquing a piece of work, a small hint, or a full background of the artist may make all the difference. Sometimes the use of color, for example, in an artwork, may be based on the cultural references affiliated with the piece. If we do not have that background, or even any hint to that information, our reading of the piece may be completely disconnected. In this case color has operated as content within the work, functioning in such a way that lends to a conceptual understanding, becoming symbolic in some works.

There is so much to consider when viewing a piece of work. Even factors such as gender and ethnicity may come into play, which also refers to the cultural aspect. Other elements we should consider are the time and place in which the artwork was made. This may easily dictate subject matter, as many artists find influence in the happenings of the world in which they live in. We may also have to consider a historical standpoint in that some artists reflect on the past, and find influence in that. Fortunately many artists tend to give certain elements in their work the foreground. When Kendal and Buster refer to the foreground they are considering the most obvious element present as you encounter the work. What element is the most obvious, that lends to a highlight of the artist style, and also a possible metaphor to the content of the work.

When viewing a work we must take all elements into consideration, even if these elements are not the one right before our eyes, ears, noses, etc. There is always the “why” that we must ask. We must ask because there is most often (if not all the time) a reason. A statement is always made in some way with artwork. Whether it is the most subliminal or the most obvious, there is a message. This message may be ambiguous, or straight to the point. The work may even encourage viewers to find multiple meanings. Knowing that everyone is different, we can assume that art is always being perceived in multiple ways.

This chapter helped to reinforce the fact that I must be very conscious when choosing materials and such for my projects. If I choose to use wood, why, and if I do use wood, is it the form or subject matter that transcends the meaning? There are so many elements that contribute to the meaning of art. Unfortunately we only have knowledge of particular things, and it is always a learning process to try new things. I believe it is fairly common for an artist to dream up a project that is out of their skill set. That is when areas of expertise seem to be where artists make their style known, and find what works for them.