Hi Everyone! I added an art course this year and one of the assignments was to go to the Art Gallery of Ontario and choose an art work to do a Formal Analysis about it. We have to use art vocabulary in order to describe the formal characteristics of the art piece (line, shape, space, value, color). I chose artist's Eris Shirreff slow motion video called "Lake". English is not my first language and art is not my major so I just wanted a little help to improve it! My assigment is due tomorrow, I know is a little bit late to post it but thanks in advance for those who are willing to help me :)
Essay
The lake where everyone wishes to get lost sometime.
The experience of looking at an object or an element for a long period of time provides the spectator the choice of either create a totally new meaning for it or travel among its own. The slow-motion video "Lake" by Canadian artist Erin Sherriff which is displayed in the Art Gallery of Ontario, presents a big contrast between natural and artificial effects defining the importance of color, space and the use of light in different ways. This essay will discuss its formal qualities as well as the different sensations and experiences it causes in spectators. The artist is willing to sacrifice accuracy in order to understand the effect of collapsing time and place
To begin with, lines in the video are thin and delicate, they are all highly detailed and by looking at the sky and the trees, they provide the spectator a sense of motion, this compared to the lake that gives the impression of stability in the images. It is also easy to identify straight and curve lines, as well as the creation of shadows while the light and brightness are constantly changing.
Consequently, color is very important in this video installation. This quality is dynamically changing and while the different set of effects occur among the video, the art piece completely changes its meaning. A clear example of this is minute---- on the video, where the effect applied in the photography causes the colors to look dark, giving the spectator a sense of night time in the lake, transporting all kind of possible thoughts to a lonely, dark and cold night. Illumination mimics the bright light of the sun and the moon. Also, the way the color pallet is restricted in the images, produces a possible mood of sadness, taking into account the use of less saturated colors. Besides this, the image in the minute----of the video shows the contrast between the dark green of the trees (all the nature itself) with the light set of blues used in the sky (daylight); this dark color looks darker next to the light ones, affecting each other. In the other hand, the images solely show different types of blue and green colors, that although are not consider to be complementary colors, in this art piece complement each other very well.
Moreover, shape also plays an important role in the art composition. Imagines are not exaggerated at all so shapes seem to be real and natural; this means they are considered to be organic. It is also easy to identify a single point perspective with the triangle formed in the lake by the mountains and the trees. All shapes seem to converge in a single vanishing point. As a result of the change in colors and light, the presence of wind in the video is created; causing leafs in the trees and clouds in the sky come to life and show a well defined movement guided to the centre. While the light changes, stability is disrupted.
In addition to this, the scale the artist chose to present the art piece is very important because it emerges the spectator into the landscape; causing the illusion of been right beside the lake in British Columbia. It definitely captures the entire feel of vision. The large scale also allows an emphasis in the trees compared to the end of the lake and the mountains at the back that seem deemphasize. However, the art work seems to be totally balanced, all areas are given equal attention.
Therefore, due to the act of looking at the same image constantly changing for about 44 minutes, the spectator has the opportunity to be part of it, the chance to freely "fly" into it. Such illusion is created by different techniques that provide the oscillation between flatness and depth, stillness and motion; Natural effects in the projection are created by every person's personal experience of what is already known, combined with the energy transmitted through the video. Is amazing to see how people is attracted to this art piece and actually takes de time to stand in front of it for a long period of time and is here when the work is completed, the moment when the spectator's thoughts revive the video. It is definitely worth to get lost in it.
THANKS VERY MUCH
The experience of looking at an object or an element for a long period of time provides the spectator the choice of either create a totally new meaning for it or travel among its own.
... I don't get your idea in " travel among its own" .... What do you really mean by this?
The slow-motion video "Lake" by
the Canadian artist Erin Sherriff which is
displayedshown in the Art Gallery of Ontario, presents a big contrast between natural and artificial effects
definingthat define the importance of color, space and the use of light in different ways. [/quote]
Since it's a movie, it's the more appropriate word is "show", If it's a piece of art then "display" is ok.
This essay will discuss its formal qualities as well as the different sensations and experiences it causes in spectators
This essay aims at discussing its important features as well as the different sensations it creates in spectators.