When I observe this piece the first thing that stands out to me is that this architectural structure resembles that of a parking garage. There are no cars present nor people standing around. There is graffiti present on some of the walls in the center of this piece. The graffiti in the top right center appears as three green aliens and a spaceship. The drawing in the direct center is less detailed and has a triangular shape. There are rain puddles all over the concrete ground and the sky is filled with heavy rain clouds. There is a subtle light source coming from the top that creates a highlight in the center floor of the composition. Under the sky, there is a huge mountain or hill that’s mainly hidden by this concrete structure. The abundance of concrete and constant squares and rectangles present mimic that of an enclosed space.
I interpret that this piece may be about seeking shelter to protect one from a storm. The cloudy sky filled with cumulonimbus clouds along with the scattered rain puddles show that a storm did just take place. There is light peaking through those clouds which could mean that there may be light at the end of the storm. That is to stay, despite whatever storm one may go through (whether it be literal or metaphorical) there is still hope that follows afterwards, you just have to push through the storm or simply wait it out. The graffiti in the background could infer that although the composition is devoid of humans and automobiles, someone was present in this setting at some point. The large hill or mountain in the background could also be a similar reference like the “overcoming the storm” reference made by the weather depicted in this image. Mountains are often referenced as obstacles one must overcome to see the other side of things.
After evaluating this composition more, I presume this is about overcoming the different storms one faces in life. It may feel like one is all alone in the storm but there are still subtle signs of hope and others around you to remind you not to be too gloomy of your situation. For instance, the artist includes the light ray peeking out of the sky which could imply that not all hope is lost in this large gloomy atmosphere, there is still hope. The artist also chooses to include the presence of graffiti which can show that although the place may seem deserted, someone else was there as well at some point. Maybe they just managed to make it out after the storm, which means you can too, so you are not alone in this. This shelter structure may be safe temporarily but one can not keep themselves in for too long or else this safe haven may turn into a prison. Maybe including more visual clues can help viewers get a more direct understanding of the concept that the artist is trying to convey.
On a more broad scale, the artist may be referencing the concept of brutalist architecture. This style of architecture was used more often during the mid 1900s and consisted of solid concrete frames, monochromatic color scheme and geometric lines. It first took place in the post war period during the reconstruction of buildings in places like Russia, Bulgaria and many more. Eventually this style of architecture had its downfall which involved cons such as functional shortcomings and expensive maintenance. Some have even perceived this style as a way of illustrating urban decay. The visual appearance of these concrete buildings was also deteriorated in the public’s eyes due to the exposure of visible damage involved with raw concrete. However, near the end of the 20th century brutalist architecture started to make a comeback. Some even argued that a few of the cons previously mentioned about brutalist architecture prove to be pros instead such as permanence and obstinacy. A current example of brutalist architecture is Kanye West’s Yeezy HQ as well as different hotels and residential apartments. This style of architecture is important in today’s society because it is constantly being used in many of the buildings we know and love today.
When I observe this piece the first thing that stands out to me is that this architectural structure resembles that of a parking garage. There are no cars present nor people standing around. There is graffiti present on some of the walls in the center of this piece. The graffiti in the top right center appears as three green aliens and a spaceship. The drawing in the direct center is less detailed and has a triangular shape. There are rain puddles all over the concrete ground and the sky is filled with heavy rain clouds. There is a subtle light source coming from the top that creates a highlight in the center floor of the composition. Under the sky, there is a huge mountain or hill that’s mainly hidden by this concrete structure. The abundance of concrete and constant squares and rectangles present mimic that of an enclosed space.
ReplyDeleteI interpret that this piece may be about seeking shelter to protect one from a storm. The cloudy sky filled with cumulonimbus clouds along with the scattered rain puddles show that a storm did just take place. There is light peaking through those clouds which could mean that there may be light at the end of the storm. That is to stay, despite whatever storm one may go through (whether it be literal or metaphorical) there is still hope that follows afterwards, you just have to push through the storm or simply wait it out. The graffiti in the background could infer that although the composition is devoid of humans and automobiles, someone was present in this setting at some point. The large hill or mountain in the background could also be a similar reference like the “overcoming the storm” reference made by the weather depicted in this image. Mountains are often referenced as obstacles one must overcome to see the other side of things.
After evaluating this composition more, I presume this is about overcoming the different storms one faces in life. It may feel like one is all alone in the storm but there are still subtle signs of hope and others around you to remind you not to be too gloomy of your situation. For instance, the artist includes the light ray peeking out of the sky which could imply that not all hope is lost in this large gloomy atmosphere, there is still hope. The artist also chooses to include the presence of graffiti which can show that although the place may seem deserted, someone else was there as well at some point. Maybe they just managed to make it out after the storm, which means you can too, so you are not alone in this. This shelter structure may be safe temporarily but one can not keep themselves in for too long or else this safe haven may turn into a prison. Maybe including more visual clues can help viewers get a more direct understanding of the concept that the artist is trying to convey.
On a more broad scale, the artist may be referencing the concept of brutalist architecture. This style of architecture was used more often during the mid 1900s and consisted of solid concrete frames, monochromatic color scheme and geometric lines. It first took place in the post war period during the reconstruction of buildings in places like Russia, Bulgaria and many more. Eventually this style of architecture had its downfall which involved cons such as functional shortcomings and expensive maintenance. Some have even perceived this style as a way of illustrating urban decay. The visual appearance of these concrete buildings was also deteriorated in the public’s eyes due to the exposure of visible damage involved with raw concrete. However, near the end of the 20th century brutalist architecture started to make a comeback. Some even argued that a few of the cons previously mentioned about brutalist architecture prove to be pros instead such as permanence and obstinacy. A current example of brutalist architecture is Kanye West’s Yeezy HQ as well as different hotels and residential apartments. This style of architecture is important in today’s society because it is constantly being used in many of the buildings we know and love today.