Social Identity: Portraiture as a reflection of the subject's status in society: Georgette Chen

Lai Foong Moi, Labourer (Lunch Break), 1965, Oil on canvas

1. DESCRIBE the artwork.

The laborer is the subject matter in the painting. There is a samsui woman eating from a tiffin carrier in the background. The subject matter is tanned and has strong muscular legs. The subject matter is dressed casually and comfortably in a typical laborer's outfit. He is in a very relaxed posture, as he is sitting on a wooden chair with his left arm resting on the back of the chair and legs spread out. He appears to be gazing into the far distance and deep in contemplation. The artwork has also been painted realistically, with shadows and darker values added to the painting to make it seem more 3- dimensional.

2. Analyze the symbolism in the artwork. Based on the title, you will need to:

• find the typical labourer's dress of the day. See how his attire relates and compares.
  
• look at the posture and gaze of the subject
  
• look at the surroundings
• look at any other "things" in the artwork. Why were they purposefully placed there?

The laborer's hair is combed and pushed back neatly, and his attire is fresh and clean, giving him an air of respectability and the impression of an honest, hardworking man. His suntanned and muscular limbs suggest that he had probably spent long hours under the sweltering sun working and contributing to Singapore's economy. The samsui woman in the background is probably to show how the women in Singapore has also helped in the development in their society, bringing prosperity to Singapore, and that they should not be forgotten.

Self Identity 3: Bayu Utomo Radjikin

Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Lang Kacang, 1991, Mixed Media

1. What about the sculpture (physical attributes) reflects the fact that the traditional culture is being abandoned?

This artwork depicts a warrior whose head is thrown back with his face contorted with emotions. The upwards tilt of the warrior's head along with his stance (legs spread apart, bent at the knees) suggests his defiance as well as sense of pride and resolve for his culture. The elaborate headdress with peacock feathers symbolizes the rich culture and tradition that the warrior stands for, suggesting that the warrior is very proud of its culture.

The warrior appears to be alienated from his time, giving him a sense of helplessness, implying how the displacement of tradition and culture by western modernity is inevitable and cannot be helped. In addition, the warrior is armless, appearing unbalanced, looked upon as something which is weak, useless and unable to fight back or retaliate, hinting on the impracticality of culture and tradition beside the rise of modernity.

2. Why is this work classified as Post-Modern?

Post-Modern art are art works that react against earlier modernist principles, as by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style or by carrying modernist styles or practices to extremes. In this artwork, the artist tries to reintroduce traditions back into the modern world. For example, the elaborate and traditional headdress, as well as the overall look of the warrior itself, as the warrior seems to have been alienated from his time, possibly belonging to another time period.

3. Please DESCRIBE the artwork.

- profile of a warrior
- His head is thrown back with the force of his roar of frustration and anger.
- armless
- legs are spread apart and bent at the knees
- Chains dangling from the torso possibly representing a loin cloth
- Earth tones
- voids in his torso or armor
- collar around his neck
- facial expression is contorted in emotion and yet the torso stands stiff and rigid, bound by bandages of metal.
- Feathers of the headdress stand defiant and proud

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889, Oil on Canvas.

1. Many artists like to idealize themselves, as their self-portraits will be how they are remembered. Why would Van Gogh highlight his weakness? Remember to IDENTIFY his weakness in your answer.

Vincent Van Gogh had sliced off his left ear lobe after a quarrel with his friend, Paul Gauguin, afterwhich he painted a self portrait of himself with his left bandaged ear, highlighting his inability to keep his emotions in check as his weakness. Van Gogh wanted to highlight his weakness probably as a sign of guilt or remorse on his part for quarreling with Paul Gauguin, to show that he is aware of his inability to contain himself and that he has already moved on from the incident and wish to reconcile.

2. What is the mood, or feeling, of this work of art? Please use the painting, as well as historical knowledge to justify your answer.

In the painting, Van Gogh has a somber expression on his face and he looks sad but calm. His eyes show a lot of emotions and intensity, as they seem to be focusing on something somewhere, contemplating. Van Gog is wearing a green coat and a black coloured fur hat which suggests that there is coldness in the location he is in, symbolising the coldness he has in his heart as a result of the quarrel with Paul Gauguin. All these elements give the artwork a very somber and serious mood.

The colours used are mainly monochromatic as the colours used are mainly green; Green is used to model and define the features on his face and to colour his eyes, while the background is almost completely green except for the Japanese print and easel. This use of monochromatic and cool colours give viewers a calm feeling.

Self Identity 1: Affandi

Affandi, Self-Portrait, 1975, oil on canvas

1. Describe this painting.

The artwork is a self-portrait of Affandi. In this artwork, Affandi is depicted as an elderly man with a head of thinning and unkempt hair. His eyes are downcast and has a set of broken teeth. The painting is mostly abstract, one can vaguely make out Affandi's facial features, probably to capture his emotion rather than his facial features. Warm, primary colours such as red, yellow and orange are used to paint his face while cool colours like green are used for the background and the lower part of the painting. The contrast of the warm, vibrant colours against a cool colour background helps to draw emphasis to his face as well as to create depth in the painting. Paint is applied directly from the tube onto the canvas, creating thick, swirly and wavy lines.

2. How does the artist create movement in this artwork?

By applying paint directly from the tube onto the canvas, Affandi creates directional and dynamic lines that help to create movement in his artwork. The wavy lines in his artwork creates a rhythmic movement, showing his personality as well as the expressive freedom of Affandi.

3. What is your interpretation of this artwork and why? (use the artwork and the artist's history as supporting evidence).

With his thinning head of hair, broken teeth and downcast eyes, all of which are signs of aging, Affandi still grins widely despite it all. The use of strong, vibrant and bright colours illustrates his emotional state, that Affandi is still young at heart and full of vitality even though he may be physicall growing old. Through this artwork, Affandi is trying to show how the mortality of growing old is not important, but it is the confidence and passion that the artist exudes through his artworks that is the most important.

HELLO.