artist21

As an artist, I find the work of others to be extremely inspirational, even if their style is radically different from mine. Artist21's interviews emphasized the idea that works of art are built rather than created. Many of my friends, despite my best efforts to tell them otherwise, believe that being an artist is the easiest job in the world. The artists interviewed demonstrated through their work the insane amount of planning and thinking before, during, and after the piece is completed. Vija Celmins worked over her painting nine times and still wasn't satisfied with the product. Elizabeth Murray, after she reworked her pieces several times, had her daughters critique her work, so that she could "build" a better piece for herself and for her audience. The film also identified the subjectivity of art and "how it can change the viewer or the world". Ann Hamilton's work centers on looking at the world through different "eyes". She hopes that her creations can help others look at the world in different ways, rather than being so set in their ideas. Bruce Nauman challenges the functions of objects and utilizes these subvert fuctions to challenge the viewer. He wants others to see objects for more than just their function. Matthew Barney uses symbols of Freudian violence and sex that are kind of unsual. His films make people think, not just about whether or not they liked the piece, but what it really means and how it effects them. My favorite artist, without a doubt, was Elizabeth Murray. I loved that she loved art because it was a way for her to escape the mundane and live out her imagination. Plus, I loved that her work reminded me of one of my favorite places as a kid, Port Discovery.