Evaluation of the Art Object
To begin with, it is necessary to state that the current paper is a 2D Art Report as it considers a piece of painting viewed at the web site discussed further. The art object chosen for this report is the painting titled “The Shadows of Katrina”. The author of this painting is an Indonesian artist Machyar Gleunta, who lives in the United States and acquires more and more fame. The work chosen for this report was completed in 2006. As it has already been stated, the report is based on the viewing of the web site of MK Fine Arts Gallery. This site was accessed by the author of this report on February, 5, 2009.
The process of the art object creation was rather complicated but interesting. The painting analyzed is created with the help of oil on panel technique. To reach the best quality of “The Shadows of Katrina”, as well as any other work of his, the author uses only the best oil paints including Old Holland Classic, Rembrandt Artist’s Oil Colors, Gambling Artist’s Oil Colors, etc (Ciel, 2007). The field for Gleunta’s work is usually either canvas or panel. This very painting is performed on panel. Due to this, the light-fast paints with considerable durability were used to preserve the light-and-shadow playing of nature and make a realistic impression on the painting spectators (Ciel, 2007).
As for the artist himself, he is of Indonesian origin. Moreover, Machyar Gleunta spent a considerable part of his life in his native country working as an artist assistant in Sumatra and Jakarta (The Washington Post, 2006). After one of the exhibitions in the capital of Indonesia, the talent of a young artist was noticed by art critics and powerful investors who funded his study in the Maine College of Art in Portland Maine and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (The Washington Post, 2006).
Analysis of the Site and Art Object
The site at which the painting was viewed is an official web page of MK Fine Arts Gallery and Machyar Gleunta as its representative. The web site home page displays the data about the artist. Moreover, there are numerous sections getting the visitors acquainted with the Indonesian painter and his works, techniques, etc. Also, there is a section offering the works by Gleunta for sale. To access the chosen painting, it is necessary to enter the homepage, move to the “Painting” section, and choose a picture needed. After this, the image is enlarged and one can enjoy it (Ciel, 2007).
The painting itself is a piece or representational art. It pictures the dark sky and a plane over which the hurricane is about to start. As for the colors used, pale pink and blue colors are combined with dark blue, black, green and olive. On the whole, the painting creates a mixture of a horrifying and calming impression on its viewers (Gleunta, 2006). The setting is calm but the hurricane is obvious to break out. Accordingly, these feelings affected my choice of an art object. Also, as the author is Indonesian, he knows how dangerous a natural disaster can be after the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia.
Moreover, the materials used by the artist have long history. Oil paints, canvas and panel paintings were implemented by the geniuses of the Flemish and Italian Renaissance. Accordingly, the painting by Gleunta can be compared to the masterpieces of art in respect of techniques and materials used. In terms of the subject, it can also be compared to the old classical paintings as nature has always attracted artists by its beauty and dangerousness (Gleunta, 2006). However, this painting is a piece of the modern art created in the epoch of economic collapses, natural disasters and numerous wars around the world. Thus, it is a product of all the above mentioned phenomena. Accordingly, the purpose of this painting is to bring piece in relations between the mankind and nature, and show the harm that could be done in case of failure to do it. Besides this, the functions of the visual artists in the society include the creation of the perfect pieces of art and reflection of the natural beauty.
Overall Personal Reaction and Comparison
In my opinion, the message of the art object analyzed is the warning to the mankind. Human beings should live in piece with nature; otherwise, its beauty turns into the great and dangerous power able to destroy the civilization. As a result, all the aspects of “The Shadows of Katrina” made positive impression on me, and I can not recollect any drawbacks of this piece of art. As contrasted, the etching “On Journey” by the same author has other positive and negative sides. Thus, it is a metal etching performed in monochrome palette. Its subject is a personal conflict of a man with nature, and the message it carries is opposite to the message of “The Shadows of Katrina”. According to it, human beings should subdue the nature, but it is a wrong approach. Thus, it was the reason to choose the oil painting for this analysis.
Works Cited
Ciel, Erik. “Academic Classicism.” About the Artist: Machyar Gleunta. 2007. MKFinearts. 2009. Web.
Gleunta, Machyar. “Golden Cast.” Original Oil Paintings. 2006. Virtual OriginalTM Giclee. 2009. Web.
The Washington Post. “Artist’s Dream Becomes ‘Half-Paradise’.” Machyar Gleunta. 2006. Washingtonpost. 2009. Web.