The two John's below began using photo collage in the 1930's. Read up, research, and look at images from both artists. How did their intentions differ? What was the desired effect of each? Which John is more interesting to you? Write a paragraph for each artist.
Adolf by John Heartfield
Self-portrait by John O'Rielly
The self portrait by John O'Rielly doesn't interest me as much because it just seems to be different exposures of the same image, exposed on different sizes of paper, then fit to show the same image as before. The process is too obvious, and though I do think that it is fitting to have these "fragments" of images of yourself to fit together like a puzzle (which really is what "self portrait means, i think), the image the artist chooses is just bizarre. The props that are also visible in the portrait seem random and because the meaning is so obscure to me, it affects my liking of the image as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI took a liking to the Adolf made by John Heartfield because of the subtle transition of the spraypainted stencil of Adolf becoming a ribcage and a collarbone made of coins.... the replacement of human anatomical parts intrigues me, most likely because I have a tendency to draw similarily to the aesthetics of the image. The abstractions are more naturally done, whereas in O'Reilly's self-portrait, eliminating only the edge of the image, reclining shirtless with a parrot...... doesn't make sense.
In my opinion, O'Reilly was just trying to make a composite of images to make a self portrait of himself. It is interesting and I am sure somewhat difficult; however, I am so much more interested in Heartfield's attempt at composing an image. I love the idea of showing us what Hitler was "made of". I believe Heartfield's "desired effect" of his image was much better than O'Reilly's because he had more importance to his image, rather than just compositing multiple parts of the same image to make a self portrait.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what's been said. I'm not a big fan of John O'Reilly's work, I think he makes it for himself, and while that can be a really good thing, it seems to me to be a little self-satisfying. Like Soyoon said, the objects in the self-portrait with him are seemingly random. I can't really guess his intentions, but he seems to make the work just for his own pleasure.
ReplyDeleteJohn Heartfield's work serves a greater, more public purpose, to speak up against oppressors and empower and educate the masses. It's witty and satirical, which is a very strong weapon against tyrants.
In favor of John Heartfield, i completely agree with Leah's statement. I'm a huge fan of art made during the war, and of war propaganda in general. Not only does it educate the masses, it speaks from the artist's greater fears and angers. Heartfield left his country, his home, to escape the Nazi regime and continue making art--no wonder his pieces rub off as having an element of power, he was completely immersed into his cause. In this sense, I'd say that Heartfield's work interests me more than O'Reilly's self portrait
ReplyDeleteJohn O' Rielly's piece is interesting, but I relate to his other work more than his self portraiture Rielley also worked photocollaging images from WWII, but more satirized (ie. collaging nazi officers heads onto pornography.) Even his self portrait seems more satirical, i'm just not really able to read his intention behind why he chose to sit himself with a parrot and some kind of headdress.
i think thatJ John Heartfield's hitler with the gold coins in his stomic is visually more interesting then John O'Reilly's. and its message stands strong on people who are paid to talk as propaganda. and i also agree with what has already been said. that over all Heatfeld is one for the win.
ReplyDeleteO'Reilly pice is not interesting to me at all and i think it looks like he just just got bored and wanted to mess around and did as such. also i don't really understand the pice while i understood Heartfields before i even researched him. and i still have no idea why there is a parrot in the picture... its rely weird