OLGA ROZANOVA – RUSSIAN CONSTRACTIVIST PAINTER
For the last few weeks I had pleasure to look closely at the Artist Olga (Vladimirovna) Rozanova – The Russian Constructivist Painter of 1889 – 1918. Was born in 1886 in Melenki very small town near Vladimir. Olga Rozanova began her art Education in 1904. She started with attending art studios of K. Boishakar and K. Youn in Moscow. She also attended Stroganov School of Applied Art for a very short time. Olga rozanova then moved to St. Petersburg, and went to a private school. In 1911 she became a member of union youth, an organisation that organises public lectures and art exhibition.
The years of 1911 Olga rozanova became one of the most active member of union of the youth.
In 1912 she had a friendship that started with futurist poets Velimir Khlebnikov and Aleksei Kruchenych.
Towards 1916, Olga Rozanova joined a group that was with russian avant-garde artists. The group Supremos which was Kazimir Maleviche’s responsibility. Later on during these years her work became greater and developed and they were influences of cubism and italian futurism.
In 1917 Olga Rozanova got married to Kruchenykh. In 1917-1918 she created a series of non-objective paintings which she called tsv’etopis. Olga Rozanova died in 1918 in Moscow.
Portrait of the Lady in Pink
The composition of this art work is as clear as it looks, easy to read and understand everything that’s in the art work. this art work of olga rozanova is probably one of favourite so far since observing and looking at her all different art works.
When looking at this art work first thing that takes my attention is her eyes and the way her face expression is. being able to read her eyes is very effective when viewing the art work closer. after looking at eyes and actually feeling the realistic mood of what she hs, i then focus on other parts of the art work. second this that takes my attention is her body language expression as well as her pink dress with her grey stylish hat that was most probably very fashion in 1911.
The painting as a whole composition has a very realistic look (a real moment, painting is fresh from the 1911-1912). Rozanova has avoided using dark colours and mainly used warm and a mixture of primary and secondary colours which has not lost it’s lively appearance. The colours does give a phycological mood but i could easily say it’s a positive affect that i get because of he course. Light colours gives a space when viewing and it really feels that the moment in this art work is not that old as it looks.
There are many overlapping shapes and course in the art work. some are positive but some are also negative. because there are to many things going in the art work although the art work is landscape i think the objects behind affects the foreground of the work, i’d prefer to have less colour mixture at the background. negativity here is when concentrating on the vase and the flowers thats in the ace, i get distracted by the overlapping objects and the colours behind.
The texture is very well used i can follow the brush strokes and step by step view the work. she has partly strong strokes and the rest are modelling strokes that has a realistic affect on the objects. there are no space in the art work accept on the sofa where she’ positioned her self. the sofa has a very rich look with very affective colours. The lady wearing a pick dress has a positive affect when looking at it, she looks honoured being there and having her portrait painting. I feel that she has very high self confidence and also looks and feels like she has a big role within a family or a business. her face expression easily says “thats me” within the art work.
Beautiful colours, shapes, modelling, atmosphere, brushes and shades and a great artist i could say. not just an artist but also someone who can explain things with different ways in paintings.
On the Boulevard 1911
On The Boulevard 1911
When looking at this art work the first thing that takes my attention is the lady in a purple-lilac dress then her matching purple hat. the art work looks bot as abstract and realistic. she has used very dark colours and some primary along with secondary colours. the colours does not give a negative feeling, but the use of the colours are talking about a very late evening walk. but when observing the art work the realistic look of it is that it’s more of a day time (luck hour) walk. the colours does have a big affect on this art work. you can read two different stories as a composition.
She has used very thick brush strokes, not as clear face expression of body language is explained in this piece when comparing it to the first artwork that i’ve analysed. the lady with her dog is the only one with different colours coding appearance. the background has most of the dark colours, it feels that they are either older people or they are tired and returning back home. when looking at their body language these are the things i can read with concentration.
the lady in the foreground is very away from the background and has a happy mood from what i can read. the trees does give a feeling of semi summer and semi winter with no colours of positive feeling. it is obvious Rozanova wanted the viewers to mainly focus on the foreground and at the lady.
She looks happy also very energetic and gives me a happy mood also makes me feel that i want to be able to view and observe the whole atmosphere in that sunny day. Rozanova has used less warm colours less soft lines and strokes in this art piece. less details of people just focused on the body language and the appliance of the landscape art work.
Queen of Diamonds
Olga Rozanova has many different type of art work, after looking at all different ones Queen of Diamonds seems completely different comparing it to the first art works that i have analysed. these paintings do have a combination of different series. i choose to talk and analyse Queen of Diamonds as this one for me seems more attractive and clear then the other series of playing card paintings.
The first thing that gets my attention on this pairing is the symbolic diamonds thats in the foreground of the art work. i then continue observing and the snood thing that i like seeing here is the pink and the yellow flowers placed in her hands. the colours here are very warm colours and it totally has a positive feeling to it, not just warm colours but also a colour co-ordination exists here too. Rozanova has used thick and straight lines, shapes with this art work. i like it how all the lines and the shapes has a overall a great component.
When looking at all the objects here, there are many things that i find very interesting such as the head piece that works well with the yellow flower in her hand and her pink dress that works really good with the pink flower in her hand. it’s very follow up work that he has produced. Her face appearance is very different compare to the other series of playing cards thats she has painted before. She had a clear face expression that i find a bit hard to explain, she’s facing forward but seems looking a bit narrow as it she is not really looking straight. it’s a feeling of both.
The work as a compassion is very fun to observe, you can find many different objects and lines also shades. she works very different with her brush as if it depends what she’s working on. on landscapes she prefers to work with more dark colours and portrait is more of light colours. we can easily see that all of her work has a different creativity edge to it. in all different ones she has something new and interesting about it.
Here are some examples of other practitioners that i think and believe that Olga Rozanova has Influenced with her own art work.
Sidney Gordin (1918-1996)
here we can see that, the method of this painting is more of Olga Rozanova style. The usage of lines and colours are very similar to painting of Rozanova.
Illya Bolotowsky (1907 – 1981)
i think there have been many different painters that has been influenced by Rozanova after she died, there have been more painters that followed the path Rozanova did and most of these paintings do seem like Rozanova. When looking at this the usage of the think and the mixture of thin brush strokes are very similar Rozanova’s art work.
After years Constructivist painting has become modern but has not lost it’s influence. Looking at this painting the colours and the objects seem different but almost similar to Rozanova’s art work. The way how the face appreaince are it’s very like the ones i have analysed above. Using techniques and being influenced and adding your on creativity become’s modern year by year. But which ever painting that i look in to reminds me of Rozanova’s art work. The colour co-ordination, strokes, objects and shapes also the shades.
Ai Weiwei – Sunflower seeds installation
Every year, the Tate invites an artist to create an installation for their enormous Turbine Hall, as part of their Unilever Series. This year, the sunflower seed installation (simply titled Sunflower Seeds) was created by Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei.
I went to see this installation in December 2010. Ai Weiwei is one of the most popular Chinese artists of our time, his installation challenges our first impressions “what you see is not what you see… and what you see is not what it means.”
The artist has covered the floor of the Tate Modern Turbine Hall with an impressive ocean of sunflower seed husks, apparently identical but actually unique; 100 million individually hand sculpted porcelain replica seeds.
Each seed was moulded, fired, hand-painted and fired again in the Chinese city of Jingdenzhen over a two-year period. Although they look identical from a distance, every seed is different and handcrafted by hundreds of skilled artisans from China. Sunflower Seeds is the largest work Ai Waiwei has made using porcelain, unsurprisingly these sunflower seeds are one of China’s most prized exports. One could say that this installation is a combination of mass production but also traditional craftsmanship.
After viewing the video projected in the second room I made the following conclusions
In china sunflower seeds are common snacks shared by friends. Ai remembers the sharing of sunflower seeds as a gesture of human compassion, providing a space for pleasure, friendship and kindness during a time of extreme poverty.
Visitors could touch, walk on and listen to the sound of seeds falling .
This sunflower carpet made of 100 million individual minimalistic sculptures provoke a question: What does it mean to be individual in our world?
Are we insignificant or powerless unless we act together?
Does individuality really exist in a world made of plastic promises?
What do our increasing desires, materialism and numbers mean for the future?
I can relate to Ai Weiwei and agree with the overall point he makes in his quote.
“From a very young age I started to sense that an individual has to set an example in society. Your own actions and behavior tell the world who you are and at the same time what kind of society you think it should be.”
MARIANNE H BRAGANZA
Few weeks ago I went to Wimbledon Art studios to see unique paintings of Marianne H Braganza.
As I found out later, Marianne Braganza was born in Frankfurt and now lives and works in London. Marianne attended art courses at Brunel University – sculpture prizes 2003 & 4, Kensington & Chelsea and Richmond Colleges and The Heatherley School of Fine Art, Chelsea, where she graduated with a Diploma in Figurative Sculpture.
She is an artist who does painting, sculpturing and drawing. Her masterpiece is a creation of over two hundred lyrical studies drawn direct from a selection of live models, actors stand up comedians showing dynamism of its own. Using a variety of approach to show dynamism of the human figure. Models are usually nude or partly clothed. Inspired by an ancient India performing live drawing on the materials like hand made cotton paper. These papers are made in India from recycled cotton rag that comes out of the garment industry. Each sheet is mixed with subtle flecks of other natural fibers. They have a wonderful cold press texture, suitable for drawing or for use with bookmaking and collage watercolour and all painting and drawing media.
Handmade in the Katmandu valley and in the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal. Japanese style Himalayan paper made from lokta or mitsumata bark fibers. A renewable resource from native plants. Plants are cropped above ground level and can be reharvested after 3-4 years.
The artist uses a variety of media including but not limited to ink, pencil, watercolour or mixed media.
“The inspiration for my work is drawn from sources as diverse as the stunning ancient temples of India, captivating natural sceneries and their materials, by Masters such as Giambologna, Reni, Rodin, M Rosso, Kandinsky, Matisse, Heckel, Sir Anthony Caro, to name just a few – and, from the immense volume of life s experiences and memories in all its forms, directions and personal interests.I like to move freely, intuitively, spontaneously and varied in composition – engaging with beautiful materials – between drawing & sculpting from life – and painting the abstracted form – creating an invitation for the observer to enjoy a visually sensual and emotional journey.”
Every single piece of her Art has background history, what makes her Artwork very interesting and original. Beautiful pure deep red and purple mixed with saturated blues makes impression of being alive on canvases.
I can gladly admit that it was unforgettable experience to me.“Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with it’s many chords. The artist is the hand that,
by touching this or that key, sets the soul vibrating automatically” – W.K
printmaking 