Art Appreciation Part I
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This is one of my close friend's favourite pieces of art, which he posted in another forum for comments. The artist is Michael Parks and the work is named, 'Gargoyles'.
Try your hand at writing a commentary! Would be fun to know what you guys think of it!
To start the ball rolling, here was what I wrote then:
I guess bubbles here might symbolise a whisper of a dream, something fragile that one goes after with great fervour even though one knows that it is probably transient in nature. Everyone finds bubbles irresistable and even gargoyles have to reach out and try to capture that illusive dream.
Also, the little girl having fun blowing bubbles and with a cute teddy bear at her feet is a stark contrast to the surreal and possibly dark overtone of the gargoyles. This particular leaping gargoyle, note, does not have wings, unlike your 'typical' gargoyles so by reaching out for its bubble, it is also, unknowingly leaping to its probably destruction. Also, she who is innocent is unknowingly (or otherwise) causing the 'death' of the formidable and mystical gargoyle, which is a jarring juxtaposition.
Note also the gargoyle sitting at the bottom center of the picture, staring into the vast expanse below. Contemplation of suicide? But wait, the patch of sky in that area appears a tad less stormy and dark... do we take that leap of faith into the great unknown?
All this against a backdrop of a sky that's not quite nightsky, but certainly dark and clouded over by dense clouds. Storms approaching or building up?
This painting is disturbing to a certain extent, yet mesmerising and has several deep undercurrents weaving over and under each other. Complex, intense, dark and ... I like it!
7 Nov 2004 -
the gargoyle probably cannot tehan the girl's bad breathe (in bubbles) ....
so it rather jumps to a smashing end down below
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My kind of thread!!!
Lets see now....a physical analysis....very fantasy like, hyper realistic style, eye moves from gargoyle at forefront to gargoyle in the air to girl and then teddy bear, circular construction of painting - a contemporary form of composition, probably current day artist.......also probably a multi faceted artist- sculpts because there is great comprehension of form and 3 dimensionality. Also - prints - started out as a printmaker or heavily involved in printmaking - very fine detail, very clean lines and overall a very clean and clear image.
Imagery analysis....Gargoyles are most frequently used as symbols of protection in the spritual realm...often placed in religious places (christian medievel churches) so I would say the painter has used them for their symbol of protectionism...they are there to protect the girl and one of them has lept off his perch to do just that.
The other one in the forefront is in the process of a snarl ( at rest, their mouths are not open, as you can see in the distant gargoyle) ...to warn the evil off...probably....but he hasnt lept off so the threat cant be that big.
The girl is clearly oblivious to all of this, she is in deep concertration, one hand clutching the bubble wand, the other clutching her cloak tightly...so intent is she on her job of blowing the bubbles, she has even left her teddy behind on the floor......
To me I would say the artist was trying to capture a child on the verge of her adolesence, leaving behind some of her childlike ways (the teddy) and yet still clinging on to others(the bubbles- still something epheremal, it too will not last)
...the gargoyles protection is on a spiritual / religious plane and it does not affect the girl...she is just being, totally unaware of the chaos....so it is symbolic only to the artist...he would like the child to be protected as she grows and the protection for her is faith/sprituality in religion. -
Care bear, interesting perspective! Two very different interpretations on the same painting.
This is fun! -
an evil little girl who has mesmerised gargoyles... they do not harm her and play with her.. yet, she has abandoned her more harmless toys and used a child's plaything, soap bubbles, to drive one of her new playmates, a gargoyle, to its doom...
leaping from its perch, the gargoyle abandons what it knows, its own little stone ball, for a soap bubble, perhaps taken in by the gossamer nature of the soap bubble... it leaps, perhaps because it trusts the seemlingly harmless but evil little girl, to fetch the bubble... or perhaps, driven by a more primitive instinct (like a dog fetching a ball or a stick), it leaps unquestioningly at the bubble..
evil i say.. EVIL
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Wah!! Bear!!! Finally, someone else with the same evil, thwarted view as the one I have!!!
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Me dunno how to appreciate art....except if it is X or R rated.
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Bubbles symbolizes Love.
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A picture can speak a thousand words
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
Rhonda can you tell me which forum is that? Thanks.
[b]This is one of my close friend's favourite pieces of art, which he posted in another forum for comments. The artist is Michael Parks and the work is named, 'Gargoyles'. -
Originally posted by the Bear:an evil little girl who has mesmerised gargoyles... they do not harm her and play with her.. yet, she has abandoned her more harmless toys and used a child's plaything, soap bubbles, to drive one of her new playmates, a gargoyle, to its doom...
leaping from its perch, the gargoyle abandons what it knows, its own little stone ball, for a soap bubble, perhaps taken in by the gossamer nature of the soap bubble... it leaps, perhaps because it trusts the seemlingly harmless but evil little girl, to fetch the bubble... or perhaps, driven by a more primitive instinct (like a dog fetching a ball or a stick), it leaps unquestioningly at the bubble..
evil i say.. EVIL
evil. -
The gargoyle fell due to gravity and physics...i can see that the gargoyle was not attached properly to the ground..due to gravity activating at 9.88/m second and with a slight wind blowing at it.Originally posted by Rhonda:This is one of my close friend's favourite pieces of art, which he posted in another forum for comments. The artist is Michael Parks and the work is named, 'Gargoyles'.
Try your hand at writing a commentary! Would be fun to know what you guys think of it!
To start the ball rolling, here was what I wrote then:
I guess bubbles here might symbolise a whisper of a dream, something fragile that one goes after with great fervour even though one knows that it is probably transient in nature. Everyone finds bubbles irresistable and even gargoyles have to reach out and try to capture that illusive dream.
Also, the little girl having fun blowing bubbles and with a cute teddy bear at her feet is a stark contrast to the surreal and possibly dark overtone of the gargoyles. This particular leaping gargoyle, note, does not have wings, unlike your 'typical' gargoyles so by reaching out for its bubble, it is also, unknowingly leaping to its probably destruction. Also, she who is innocent is unknowingly (or otherwise) causing the 'death' of the formidable and mystical gargoyle, which is a jarring juxtaposition.
Note also the gargoyle sitting at the bottom center of the picture, staring into the vast expanse below. Contemplation of suicide? But wait, the patch of sky in that area appears a tad less stormy and dark... do we take that leap of faith into the great unknown?
All this against a backdrop of a sky that's not quite nightsky, but certainly dark and clouded over by dense clouds. Storms approaching or building up?
This painting is disturbing to a certain extent, yet mesmerising and has several deep undercurrents weaving over and under each other. Complex, intense, dark and ... I like it!
7 Nov 2004
Therefore it fell. -
the girl read from a book that gargoyles have brains the size of peanuts and therefore, she conducted this test but blowing bubbles right in front of the face of the gargoyle. seeing a round shaped sphere flying past him, his puny brain percieve it as the stone sphere under his claws. thinking that he is going to lose his foot rest, he quickly jumps out of his stone form and with a desperate dive try to grasp the bubble which is beyond his reach.
morale of story: gargoyles = stupid -
DeadPoet, unfortunately, that particular forum is a members-only forum. It used to be tied closely with a chatroom and you had to be invited into the forum.Originally posted by DeadPoet:Rhonda can you tell me which forum is that? Thanks.
It's not a Singaporean-dominant forum, btw. -
Too bad. I really thought of going to take a look.Originally posted by Rhonda:DeadPoet, unfortunately, that particular forum is a members-only forum. It used to be tied closely with a chatroom and you had to be invited into the forum.
It's not a Singaporean-dominant forum, btw.