13. Giuseppe Arcimboldo and Frida Kahlo

Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Giuseppe Arcimboldo (also spelled Arcimboldi; 1527 - July 11, 1593) was an Italian painter best known for creating imaginative portrait heads made entirely of such objects as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books. (https://www.giuseppe-arcimboldo.org/)

After showcasing my previous work to peers, I was recommended to look at the work of Arcimboldo due to the similarities between his work and mine. See below.

Although our styles are not entirely the same, they are not poles apart either. They are similar in the way that we both use influences of nature to create portraits, until there is less human than nature left.

I was thrilled to see Arcimboldo's use of flowers in his pieces, such as the piece above and below.

These pieces are surreal, and could be described as UNCANNY because of their closeness to human resemblance, without being real.

I think they are lovely. The bright, warming colours make the image inviting and aesthetically pleasing.

Arcimboldo's art was released in the 1500s, in the midst of the Renaissance art period.

(This is another way that his art relates to mine, as peer feedback related my work to Renaissance portraits.)

Arcimboldo begun with religious paintings, and even stained glass window design - he was a man of many talents, but his surreal portraits were the main fascination of his portfolio. He explored surrealism, without breaking boundaries that would not appeal to his audiences.

Art critics debate whether these paintings were whimsical or the product of a deranged mind. A majority of scholars hold to the view, however, that given the Renaissance fascination with riddles, puzzles, and the bizarre (see, for example, the grotesque heads of Leonardo da Vinci, a fellow Milanese), Arcimboldo, far from being mentally imbalanced, catered to the taste of his times. 

Reference: https://www.giuseppe-arcimboldo.org/biography.html

Arcimboldo is known for his work inspired by the four seasons. Above is winter, which remains full of life and vitality despite the nature of the season. Jonathon Jones comments on this in an article. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/apr/26/art.art

"Arcimboldo's nature is superabundant. Even in abeyance, it is rich and full: in deepest midwinter, it is busy. His Winter is a twisted, gnarled tree stump, and yet, far from being denuded of leaves and life, it is encrusted with parasitic growth: ivy proliferates in the woody roots of its hair, its white lips are tree fungi, two lemons hang on a sprig. Veins bulge from its bark."

I enjoy the abundance and life in Arcimboldo's work, even in a season such as Winter which is meant to be dead and cold. The life of the nature gives the piece energy and gives the "man or woman" underneath a personality.

I think that a piece full of life and health is more welcoming to the viewer, and commands their eye to look deeper into it.

I strive to reach that own level of life and abundance in my own work. I enjoy the life and warmth that Arcimboldo has created in a season that SHOULD be dead and cold.

The contrast is interesting and I think it relates to my own images below.

In this image especially, there is tension between the flowers and the face. The face does not look happy, but the flowers are vibrant and joyful. Contrast and juxtaposition.

I decided to experiment briefly with using fruit like Arcimboldo.

The fruit image is a royalty free stock image from google images.

The results are very strange, and they make me feel uneasy.

The top image has strong eye contact. The eyes overthrow the fruit and demands you to look at her face. 

The two things are familiar (fruit, and faces) but are not usually placed together. I would call these pieces uncanny.

For extra surrealism, I changed the colours of these pieces into something unrealistic and alienlike.

I think that it works very well in confusing the eye, because it is not often that you see purple fruit. There is a lot to look at and it is all confusing / uncanny.

FRIDA KAHLO

I was also encouraged to look at Frida Kahlo's work due to her use of portraiture, pattern and nature.

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who took inspiration from the nature of Mexico.

She captured herself in many self portraits.

I was encouraged to look at Frida Kahlo when exhibiting this image to peers:

I can see the associations between surrealism, natural elements and portraiture.

Frida Kahlo painted herself more than anything else, and when asked why, she said:

"I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best."

Her work is typically described as surreal, although Kahlo herself would argue that point.

"They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn't. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality."

I find it intriguing and refreshing that Kahlo captures herself realistically, with "imperfections" and all. For example, her monobrow and slight moustache. She had the option to leave them out of the painting, but she insisted to add them in despite how these features may have been perceived.

Her perception of herself is genuine and unrefined, which I find admirable.

I also admire that Kahlo never found the need to paint herself smiling, but the paintings carry a happy aura regardless. Her vivid use of colour and nature makes every piece welcoming and joyful, but her face is still stone cold and serious. The contrast is effective. It relates back to my own imagery, again.

Her incorporation of nature and portraiture is very effective, and I enjoy how they begin to overlap one another. Kahlo is often portrayed in and amongst nature, with vines / animals / flowers on her shoulders, head, or around her neck.

The flowers on her head are the features that most blatantly relate to my work, and they are also the most memorable features of her work. When I think of a Frida Kahlo painting, I think immediately of her flower crowns.

I saw similarities between Kahlo's work, and this specific work of art from Arcimboldo.

12.5. The Uncanny

"The uncanny is the psychological experience of something as strangely familiar, rather than simply mysterious."

N. Royle, The Uncanny (2003) p.1

"It may describe incidents where an everyday object or event is encountered in an unsettling, eerie, or taboo context."

Royle, p. vii


The Uncanny

Throughout my project I have had my work described as "uncanny" time and time again. Initially, I did not understand, but as I looked into it more deeply I began to see where this idea of "strange familiarity" comes into play.

Beginning with Kara Walker's work.

Walker's work

My Development

Kara Walker's work was incredibly strange and uncanny, even before I made my mark on it. The use of silhouettes allows her to convey simple shapes in strange ways. Since there is no depth to the silhouettes, viewers can find it difficult to decipher what is right and what is wrong. For example, the extra legs.

Walker's work fits the "uncanny valley" concept perfectly. It could be described as "unheimlich" (unhomely), which is a concept explored by Sigmund Freud. Heimlich means familiar - unheimlich is to say that something is not familiar, not homely, not comforting.
Kara Walker's pieces are certainly not comforting, instead they are confusing and hard to read, which blesses viewers with that strange, uncomfortable feeling that we refer to as the uncanny.

Freud explains that an “uncanny effect is produced by effacing the distinction between imagination and reality” Freud, Sigmund. “The Uncanny.” 1919.

Blurring the lines between reality and imagination is something that I love to do, and something that I can see in my work throughout. Perhaps I naturally gravitate towards uncanny feelings.

All of the pieces above blur reality in their own ways.

Although, I would argue that they are not ALL entirely "unheimlich" in a way that they would cause certain discomfort, but I am biased and familiar with my subjects, and my art. I can see why other viewers would see my art as slightly disturbing from a fresh perspective. 

Freud explores the 'causes' of the uncanny valley feeling.

“when an inanimate object becomes too much like an animate one" Freud, Sigmund. “The Uncanny.” 1919.

I feel that my art blurs the lines between what is animate, and what is not, by forging them together in a bond that ensures the two elements are no longer distinguishable from one another.

It is not clear whether the faces are amongst the flowers, or whether the flowers are amongst the face.

It is not clear whether the silhouette is amongst the darkness willingly, or whether the darkness is encroaching on the piece.

Speaking of inanimate objects, I would like to refer back to the work of Arcimboldo.

His work is a pinnacle example of inanimate becoming animate, and when this is related back to the concept of the "uncanny", it becomes understandable why many of the people of his time found his work to be slightly disturbing. Especially so, when Arcimboldo was one of the first artists to encroach on surrealism in the 1500s. Perhaps he bordered on the art of the uncanny, without even realising it.

WHY AM I INTERESTED IN THE UNCANNY?

I find "the uncanny" interesting because of its uncertainty, and how it makes viewers feel individually. No two people will have the same experience with a piece of art that is deemed uncanny - some could feel disturbed, whilst some could feel attraction. Sigmund Freud explores the idea that the uncanny is based on repression:

"It may be true that the uncanny is nothing else than a hidden, familiar thing that has undergone repression and then emerged from it" (S. Freud 1919, p79) 

- and in this case, every viewer is going to have a uniquely defined experience based on their childhood, their memories and their associations. I enjoy the idea that uncanny art does not have a "black or white" response, instead being open to interpretation, contemplation and discussion.

I would like to employ similar devices in my own work, to evoke similar responses.

EXAMPLES OF UNCANNY ART:

+ Brief Analysis

Barry X Ball, Envy / Purity

Do I like it?

Yes, but they make me feel uncomfortable to look at, which is fitting for the uncanny theme. The "Bust" sculpture format is very familiar, although the colours and textures used are not. The flesh / blood / earth tones strike me as "unhealthy" as I would not associate the reddish brown as a healthy skin tone. They make the sculpture appear realistic, in some regards, as the colours resemble skin or bodily fluids - the sculpture on the right is disturbing because of how the "skin" is tearing, broken, sagging. It does not look "right" at all. The human on the right seems to have snakes in his hair, which could be a reference to Greek Mythology. Greek Mythology is FULL of "uncanny" beings that merge non-reality with reality to create mythical creatures.

Why is it uncanny?

The artist has merged a familiar layout (bust sculpture) with creatures that are not from this realm. Bust sculptures are usually elegant and reserved for respectable humans, intending to capture a person regally and impressively. These sculptures throw "elegance" out of the window and deform the typical bust sculpture into something disturbing and confusing.

Jeff Koons, Michael Jackson and Bubbles

Do I like it?

Yes. I can appreciate the craftsmanship that has gone into capturing Michael Jackson's likeness, and I think that it is impressive that they managed to capture him even with ghostly white skin / white hair (unfamiliar features). As a sculpture I find that it is slightly unnerving because of the colours used. Michael Jackson is not naturally ghostly pale, and monkeys are not white and gold either. The gold is regal, welcoming, inviting and warming - but the faces are not. The eyes are the darkest point on the sculpture, which demands attention. 

Why is it uncanny?

Monkeys are not white and gold, and humans are not white and gold either. The identities of these people have been captured in shape, but the colours make them unrecognisable. The ghostly white skin is eerie and vampirish, ghostly, and makes them seem dead.

Diane Arbus, Identical Twins, Roselle, New Jersey, 1967

Do I like it?

I think that this photograph is a little bit unnerving, but only because of previous associations I have with the two twin girls from "The Shining" movie. The girls themselves are not scary as individuals, although the fact that they are complete mirror images of eachother is unnerving, because this does not happen in everyday life. The photography helps to set an eerie tone, by using dark black and white with low contrast.  The background is entirely blank which lets us focus on the girls, who are demanding attention by looking straight into the camera.

Why is it uncanny?

Humans are generally not identical to one another, and differences in appearance are what we are accustomed to in everyday life. Seeing two of the 'same person' appears WRONG, because we know logically that there is only one of each person on the planet. It may have been more bearable if the twins were wearing different clothing, but since they are IDENTICAL in face, body and clothing, we are led to assume that they are the same person (which is impossible). Cloning is a scary concept which comes to mind.

Nancy Burson, Untitled

Do I like it?

I like it in a very strange way. Although, I know that many other people wouldn't. There is a strange combination of reality and the artificial. The nose clearly belongs to a doll, the jawline seems to belong to a human... The lips, eyes and eyebrows are difficult to determine. They do not look real, to me. The eyes are dark, void of a pupil and appear hollow. And the lack of hair is strange... It could resemble a baby, with the big eyes, small nose and bald head, but the neck and shoulders say otherwise. It's very hard to determine, which is what makes it so confusing, and so uncanny.

Why is it uncanny?

It resembles a child, a woman, a doll and a baby all at once. Dolls are one of the most studied features of "uncanny valley" due to their resemblance of humans. Some people find dolls scary, whereas on the other hand, some people can find them desirable and comforting. In Mike Kelley's book "The Uncanny", he explores an extreme example of attachment and uncanny - "Ed Gein spoke of the bodies he dug up from graves (and kept) as being like dolls, and a certain comfort was received from their presence." (R. Gollmar, 1981 p. 60) Although this is an extreme example and not one that relates to art, it is an interesting window into the psychology of repression, that can reintroduce itself when observing art / dolls. Repression and memory can play a great role in a person's response to art, due to the power of the subconscious memory (as explored by Marcel Proust / Henri Bergson).

Pipilotti Rist, Gravity Be My Friend

Do I like it?

I find this piece really interesting, especially because it is by Pipilotti Rist, who was the first artist I looked at in this project. It is her use of projection and colour that inspired me to use it in my own work, so it is intriguing to see this art style used in an "uncanny" way. I enjoy how the focus is on the ceiling, forcing the viewer to tilt their head back and look up, which is disorienting and forces the viewer to feel very small. The high angle of the projection dominates everything below it. The viewers below are laying down on the ground, which makes the experience interactive. 

Why is it uncanny?

The viewers are laying down on the ground, looking up at strange colours, patterns and human body parts. I think they are feet. The involvement of human elements is uncanny, because of their ridiculous scale, distance, and position on the ceiling. It is very confusing to look at, and the fact that viewers are encouraged to lay flat on the ground will inevitably make them feel vulnerable, and exposed.

Of the pieces of art I looked at, my favourite was Nancy Burson, Untitled. I found interest in the use of dolls, because of how confusingly realistic they can be (despite being lifeless). I would like to experiment with dolls in my own work.

12. Experimenting with Portrait Photographs

Experimenting with Portrait Photographs

Inspired by Igor Morski, I decided to begin experimenting with real life photography and faces.

I captured the natural states of some of my friends, one day, without warning. Most of them were without makeup, and had placed no effort into their appearance, which I thought worked perfectly in displaying their organic personalities.

Organic forms, figures and personalities fit perfectly with my organic shapes and flowers.

I took one picture of myself showing emotion (smiling) but I closed my eyes to allow viewers to focus on one feature of my face. (the smile)

Rhiannon

I used photoshop to overlay images overtop one another, using different layer effects to give different visual effects.

Using these digital affects allowed me to incorporate the flowers with the face and hair in different ways. It is reminiscent of Igor Morski's work in the way that the flowers blend seamlessly with the human form.

Removing the colour from the original photograph allowed the colours of the flowers to stand out over all else, distracting the eye and creating a focal point.

I presented the piece above to my peers and received feedback.

"The pose is classy and traditional, like a renaissance portrait."

"Reminiscent of Victorian portraiture photography - Victorian photographs were often tinted."

"Reminiscent of pre-Raphaelite paintings with flowing hair, women and nature."

"Combination of ancient themes (Pre-Raphaelite, Victorian, Renaissance) and the modern digital age." I would like to experiment with this, further. Perhaps by using found portraiture from years ago, and making them digital.

"The fact that it is perfectly square is reminiscent of a Profile Picture, social media related, digital. Expressive of personality."

"It is like you can see through the person's hair and skin to see their personality on the inside."

"There is conflict between the figure, and the flowers." I agree with this, because the flowers and the figure are equally fighting for the viewer's eye. The colours of the flowers are dominant, but the eyes of the face are gripping because they are familiar, and real.

"Look at Leonara Carrington."

The rest of the pieces I made were equally as effective, in my opinion - but they all held different auras. The image above is darker, and the focus of flowers are more in the skin of the figure, than the hair. Like camouflage, or makeup.

I enjoy this piece because of the wild spectrum of colours that give the piece many, many layers for the eye to explore. There is a stark contrast between muted, earthy colours, and stark unnatural ones. This makes the piece surreal.

I enjoy the piece above for similar reasons, although it is much more busy, much more vibrant, and much more surreal.

This piece is slightly less effective, although it enables the viewer to focus on the FACE first, then look deeper into the hair to see the flowers.



I experimented with the same layer affects, using different subjects.

Kiera

I found that Kiera's photographs allowed viewers to focus on her face more than anything else, because her hair is thin and straight, and does not distract from her features.

Rhiannon's hair has much more volume and texture, so there is more balance between dark and light - but Kiera's hair is much thinner, so there is more white space.

Another reason that I removed the colour from the original images, is because of the image above. This is flowers overlaid on the original, coloured image. The layer affect makes Kiera's skin appear burnt and red, which is not appealing. It is unnerving and uncanny, which is interesting but not what I'm going for.

Kiera's eyes on the camera catch the viewer's attention immediately, because they are real and intense.

Even in the image below, where the background is much busier.

The colour scheme is surreal, and almost makes Kiera appear alien because of the colours and textures on her skin.

Surreal.

The image below is my favourite of my creations, so far, because of the wide spectrum of colours that blend perfectly with Kiera's natural skintone, making the piece appear natural, soft, and warming... But still surreal.

The dark, blue, moody colours make the piece very eerie and surreal. Alien like.

This piece is possibly my favourite of the ones I have shown. I decided not to crop it, which creates a solid boundary between what is real and what is not.

I presented this piece for review from peers:

"Reminds me of Giuseppe Arcimboldo." I did not make this connection, although I am a great fan of Arcimboldo's use of natural forms to create personalities.

"No shadow is unsettling."

"There is tension between the flowers, and the person. She doesn't look happy, but the flowers do."

"It's very clear that it has been manipulated."

"Reminiscent of Frida Kahlo's use of bright colours and flowers."

"It's like she's trapped behind a screen."

"Bizarre - the flowers dip in and out of her features."

"The colours are very effective and complimentary."

"I'd like to see it cropped to JUST the face, like previous pieces."

I found this feedback interesting, because I was unsure whether leaving parts "unedited" would be successful, or not. My feedback suggests that the piece would be better liked, cropped, like below.

I think that both pieces have their strengths. I enjoy the contrast between the FULL piece, where reality and non-reality are very visibly contrasting - BUT, the piece without any inclination of real life is far more surreal, and forces the viewer to look deeper into the flowers.

Christine

The pieces below are interesting because of the girl's hood, which is artificial, but looks like natural fur. The organic, fluffy texture responds uniquely to the flowers.

Using a slightly "older" subject was interesting due to the life experience it brings to the piece. The flowers could be seen as a representation of youth. Internal youth, if not external.

A view of the person's personality, from the outside in.

Myself

I experimented with KEEPING the colour in my images, due to the vivid colour of my hair. It is unnatural, but it compliments the vivid reds of the flowers.

This piece is successful because of the small window that shows my eye, through the flowers. The rest of my features are concealed, but you can tell a lot about a person through their eyes alone.

I experimented with removing the eyes from the image altogether, instead focusing on expression.

For most of these smiling images, I found that they came across as cliche. Apart from the ones below, which I think show tension between my expression and the flowers.

The girl is smiling, but she is being overcome by flowers, as if she is drowning. It's like she has accepted her fate. Uncanny.

The piece above is strange because of the way that the flower petals overlay the teeth. Teeth are usually pearly white and pristine, so it is surreal to see them patterned and blue.

THOUGHTS:

These pieces were enjoyable to create, and it was interesting to be able to use digital effects to distort the faces of my subjects in different ways.

Questions:

How did I display these images to my peers?: I projected them on a large white wall in a dark room.

What feedback did I find valuable?: I found it interesting how my pieces were related to Victorian / Pre-Raphaelite / Renaissance portraiture. I would like to explore this, further, because I like the idea of blurring the lines between old and new (traditional and digital). 

Also, mentions of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Frida Kahlo and Leonara Carrington gave me more perspectives to explore and relate to. I will be looking at these artists.

Why am I using girls specifically?: Because I want to highlight femininity, and play with the idea of feminine power in nature (Mother Nature, Gaia).

Long flowing hair gives me organic patterns to play with, and female features are generally softer, rounder, and more expressive.

Girls compliment the softness of the flowers, where I think that men would contrast against the flowers both in appearance and metaphorically (men are generally not associated with flowers).

What do I think of this imagery?:

I think that it is a large step up from what I began with, which was silhouettes. I didn't intend to move forward using photography, but after receiving feedback and experimenting, I find that photography and photomanipulation are tools that I enjoy using. They give me the capability to create pieces of art that confuse and intrigue the viewer, which is what I like to do. Using real imagery helps me to blur the lines between what is real, and what is not.