Title: Cielito Lindo
Size: 3 canvases of 91.4 X 60.9 cm
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Completion Date: April, 2018
Exhibition Text
Cielito Lindo is a tryptic that captures the idea of home and belonging through a reoccurring image of a sunset. Panel one and three represents, respectively, the sunset scenery in Arizona and Milwaukee, while the middle respects the sunset just outside my room. Both Gauguin and Hiroshige are heavy influences on not only the coloration and composition but the intimate and tranquil tone of the overall piece as well.
Investigation
Paul Gauguin
Post-Impressionist and Symbolist, Paul Gauguin readily felt that Europe, specifically France no longer held any inspiration for him, the self-taught artist decided to drop everything to venture into the “unknown” island of Tahiti. While for Gauguin this was his trip into the savage, Tahiti had long been colonized, still for him as a white European, his work showcased his enchantment with the island through exotic primitivism. Most of his enchantment is retold and depicted in the pages of Noa Noa, which exemplified the dreamy, paradise that Gauguin viewed Tahiti as which would only be furthered in his own paintings.
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Gauguin, Paul. Noa Noa. Modern Humanities Research Association, 2017.
The Brooding Woman is one of Gauguin many portraits of beautiful Tahitian women. Still this is is one of the few portraits that doesn’t have the intimate, close-ups that he usually formatted in. This piece depicts the young woman in her hut, she is in deep thought, as always Gauguin sticks to simplified forms but he makes sure to add details about her surrounding, from the decorative back wall to the mango in the foreground. It is clear that Gauguin is giving off an intimate tone yet it is very much from the perspective of an outsider.
Overall Gauguin use of color especially in skin tone is something that not only do I admire but it brings a distinctive quality of an outsider looking into an exotic culture. The color seems exaggerated, the females glow from inside out but it seems that it very well maybe a result of Gauguin’s infatuation with the culture. On the same note I would like to mimic his overall color scheme, which sticks to soft, pastel pinks and purples. Overall Gauguin’s simplification of form matched with his expressive color is something I am trying to mimic.
Overall Gauguin use of color especially in skin tone is something that not only do I admire but it brings a distinctive quality of an outsider looking into an exotic culture. The color seems exaggerated, the females glow from inside out but it seems that it very well maybe a result of Gauguin’s infatuation with the culture. On the same note I would like to mimic his overall color scheme, which sticks to soft, pastel pinks and purples. Overall Gauguin’s simplification of form matched with his expressive color is something I am trying to mimic.
Gauguin, Paul. The Brooding Woman . 1891, Worcester Art Museum .
Utagawa Hiroshige
Utagawa Hiroshige, commonly known as Hiroshige is one of Japan’s most recognizable color woodblock makers and the one with a profound effect on western art. Although for most of his artistic career he went unnoticed it was his woodblock print series 53 Stations of the Tokaido (1832-1833) depicting the journey taken on the Tokaido Highways that he really brought travel art to the forefront. From then on his popularity as a ukiyo-e artist- picture of the floating world artist- skyrockets in his native Japan where he created more than five thousand prints. His work revolved around the ordinary world but with an intimate look that gave him a special touch. Furthermore his simplistic pieces that usually depicted nature scenes went on to inspire one of the western art’s most transcending movement, impressionism. His impact is ever more clear when finding that Van Gogh copied a couple of Hiroshige’s work from his woodblock series.
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In my own work I would like to take an ordinary scenery and give it an intimate tone just like Hiroshige. Furthermore I would like to take direct inspiration from the print Asakusa Rice Fields During the Cock Festival at Otori Shrine. This piece originally depecuts the scenery from the second story in a brothel. Still there is something about the composition of the piece that gives it not only an intimate tone but sense of tranquility despite it depicting one of the busiest days of the year in Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarters. It is the simple details such as the towel on the side, the paper laying astray and even the cat turned away that give it the same feeling you get as if you just step into your own bedroom despite the x-rated nature of this room. Overall I want to convey this intimacy and tranquility through a similar composition and also using a nature backdrop.
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Hiroshige, Utagawa. Asakusa Rice Fields During the Cock Festival at Otori Shrine. 1857.
Planning
Planning Sketches/ References
Click to Enlarge
For my first sketch I really just wanted to convey the dreamy scape that I usually feel whenever I go back to my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. This panel is suppose to depict what people I think of myself the aspects that make me. For me that is fully embodied in Phoenix, I think my light and easy going personality can really be seen as a reflection of it. Overall coloration and application of the color will be my connection to Gauguin, who employed unrealistic colors in simplified forms. Similarly I won't be putting a lot of detail into the cars and house rather relying on color fully.
In my second sketch I draw inspiration from Hirsoshige and Gauguin simultaneously, I create a composition that is composed of a bedroom setting with unique details to me that help to create the intimate tone that both artists are known for. Moreover I want to continue the unique coloration of Gauguin. This panel is suppose to show the implication of my environment on me, this is seen through small details like adding mangos and a bag Hot Cheetos. This is to show the inner city atmosphere I am used to in a primely Latino neighborhood in Milwaukee. Moreover I include the backdrop of my bookshelf to indicate that I hope to prosper out of my current situation through education.
In my third sketch I take it back to Gauguin with a depiction of my backyard in the dead of winter. This is suppose to show my impact on the city. This is going to be shown through the use of a similar sunset that I depicted in the first panel but in a more torn up and inner-city environment. This is suppose to show the positivity that I hope I am bringing to my community. Overall I want to continue using simplified forms with vibrant colors, as I show in my sketch.
In my second sketch I draw inspiration from Hirsoshige and Gauguin simultaneously, I create a composition that is composed of a bedroom setting with unique details to me that help to create the intimate tone that both artists are known for. Moreover I want to continue the unique coloration of Gauguin. This panel is suppose to show the implication of my environment on me, this is seen through small details like adding mangos and a bag Hot Cheetos. This is to show the inner city atmosphere I am used to in a primely Latino neighborhood in Milwaukee. Moreover I include the backdrop of my bookshelf to indicate that I hope to prosper out of my current situation through education.
In my third sketch I take it back to Gauguin with a depiction of my backyard in the dead of winter. This is suppose to show my impact on the city. This is going to be shown through the use of a similar sunset that I depicted in the first panel but in a more torn up and inner-city environment. This is suppose to show the positivity that I hope I am bringing to my community. Overall I want to continue using simplified forms with vibrant colors, as I show in my sketch.
Process
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For the first panel it was important to distinguish this sunset as opposed to the Milwaukee sunset of the other two panels. The scenery in this panel represents the view just outside my grandma's home in Phoenix, Arizona. Originally this was a photograph so I had to project the image onto the canvas and then trace the image on. After doing this I first painted the foreground grass since it was the first thing the viewer sees in the piece. It was important to showcase the texture of the grass so I utilized two different version of a green hue and titanium white. I used a 3/4 inch and #8 flat brush to incorporate the hues. Next I decided to work on the sunset since it would be the emphasis of this panel. To begin I started by laying down the yellow and whites hues in a stroke like motion with a # 8 flat brush. Then using the same motion I used a purple hue, that I mixed, primary red and white, placing them on the canvas. Afterwards using the same motion I used two version of a blue hues and white again to finish off the piece. It is important to note that I used this process to get into the style of Gauguin who had a post-impressionist style and also worked in quick strokes. I finished off with details like the greenery in the background and the cars. Gauguin worked in simplified forms so I paid much more detail into the coloration than anything else. The coloration was a key element since the warm and tranquil feeling of the piece came from the enveloping mostly warm hued sunset in the background.
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For the third panel I decided to work with an image of a typical mid-winter day in my Milwaukee backyard. To start I worked on the foreground garage building, I made sure not to add too much detail and work in stroke motions since Gauguin typically did so as well. Afterwards I went on to work on the sunset, as opposed to the first panel this sunset had a greater balance between the warm and cold hues. That is why I utilized the same hues as the previous panel but I blended them into each through a dabbing motion rather than a stroke motion. This not only gave it a distingusihable look from the other sunset but showcased the balance in the hues. I then went to work on the tree in my backyard, this was simple enough until I began to make some of the branches too thick. It was here I went back in with titanium white to clean them up. This also meant I had to go back in and depending on the section, paint the correct hues to match the sunset. Finally I worked on the snowy ground. This not only meant laying down a layer of white but also trying to create the slushy, lived in the snow by using earthy hues, since accurately speaking the snow never looks pure white in Milwaukee.
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The middle panel was suppose to be the bridge between the sunset of my home town and the easy going tone that people usually perceive me as and my Milwaukee sunset that has a much darker and barebones tone. To do so I knew this panel needed to showcase me in my most inmate area, my room, since both Gauguin and Hiroshige are known for an intimate tone. To begin this piece I worked on my outfit where I decided to work in the same dabbing motion as the previous panel, to get the textured look of the shirt with beige and white hues. I then moved onto creating the sunset, that has no become a motif in my tryptic. This sunset would take the similar elements of the previous sunsets. Meaning that the coloration would start with a yellow base a the bottom, a more purple and pink hues in the second layer and then finally a blue hue making its appearance. I wanted to make sure this sunset was captured within a window since in Hiroshige's Asakusa Rice Fields During the Cock Festival at Otori Shrine print the panels in the window also frame the beautiful scenery. Afterwards I moved onto painting my friend's dog through a stroking motion application to get the texture of the fur right. It was important to incorporate my friend's dog rather than her because this is originally a image I took last summer. It was a memorably perfect day which has been marked by the fact that it was the day my friend found and kept her dog Maddie. For me this is representative of my impact of myself onto my city since I have been able to create long-lasting friendships in Milwaukee despite not being from here. Continuing from there I worked on the bedsheets under me since I was sitting on my bed originally, I changed the color in order to create more unity between all three panels since the previous two had the earthy green hues from the grass. Finally I worked on my face where I used the skin coloration that Gauguin was most known for. This included using warm tone heavy hues and made the subject, me, glow slightly. I again didn't do too much detail in order to stay in the simplified realm of things.
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Experimentation
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It was important to experiment with different techniques of applying paint since I wanted the Milwaukee and Phoenix sunsets to look distinguishable. As well as for texture it was also important to work with various techniques. For the Phoenix sunset it is clear that I went with strokes and applied hues directly onto each other than trying to get a smooth blend look in the transitions. For me this gave not only a distinguishable look to the Phoenix sunset but gave a more liberating and easy going tone than the Milwaukee sunsets. The Milwaukee sunsets utilized more so a dabbing motion where the colors were blended into each other for smooth transitions. This was for the most part because in my reference pictures the Milwaukee sunsets were more patchy and I knew that trying to use strokes may not create the unity that a sunset usually gives off. Finally in the dogs fur I used more so strokes since it is hair it tends to fall in one direction something that strokes more accurately depict than dabbing which seems to smooth and blend everything together.
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Reflection
CompareOverall I feel like the unity from all three panels works very well. It was something I was initially very worried wouldn't come across, the most important aspect in a tryptic is that each piece can stand alone but when they come together they seems like they were meant to be. I decided to be heavily influenced by Gauguin when working on this piece. This comes across from the most part in the coloration of my face in the second panel. As well as in the technique I chose to paint the sunset. Overall Gauguin has a certain patchiness when transitioning from color to color, this was something that I think is communicated in a similar fashion. As for Hiroshige most of his influence comes in the bedroom setting of my middle panel. As well as the fact that the sunset scenery is framed by the window panes like they are in his piece Asakusa Rice Fields During the Cock Festival at Otori Shrine. Overall both artist's influence came through in the intimate tone portrayed by the tryptic, there is a definite feeling that I let the viewer into my little world. This is something reoccurring in both artist works, which try to build intimate space that radiate tranquility. In the end I think the unity and coloration of the tryptic are well done.
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ContrastOverall I felt that there are parts in all three panels were it seems quite messy. While I knew that Gauguin worked in simplified forms, I feel like I couldn't comprehend that detail could still be utilized. For example in the second panel the dog is very nicely done, it isn't realistic but there is a lot of detail put into getting the fur texture this compared to the face which seems like it needs finishing touches. Although nature scenery was something that Hiroshige worked with primairly, he never made sunsets a motif in the way I have. This is something that is unique to me because sunsets are universal but the memories behind them are one of a kind I knew that was something I needed to portray. Overall I felt like I was able to take the more rural and traditional subjects of both Hiroshige and Gauguin and transcend them into a more modern and urban setting.
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ACT Responses
1) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your work?
My inspiration directly influenced the tranquil and intimate tone of my tryptic since both Gauguin and Hiroshige are known to have this tone reoccurring in their body of work. More over Gauguin directly influenced my coloration, while Hiroshige impacted the composition of the middle panel.
2) What is the overall approach(point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
When researching both artists the authors in both tended to be very objective in describing there art style and body of work. Still for Hiroshige there was a tone of distinguishment as he is one of the most iconic Japanese print maker meaning they didn't hesitate to mention his impact on western artists.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Some of the conclusions I have made about people is the idea that one doesn't know what they have until its gone. This mostly comes from Gauguin who despite living his dream life as a "savage" in Tahiti he still managed to get home sick and create work that showcased this.
4) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The theme that fueled my inspiration was the need for a home or belonging. This is something that is apparent since both depict not only my hometown and the town I am now based in but my room, again showing belonging in different spectrums.
5) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
An inference I made about Gauguin was that he may have fetishized the Tahitian culture. Most of this comes from his exoticfication of even the most daily or mundane tasks. Usually he depicts women in unrealistic warm tones, which initially drew me to his work, where they seem to glow seemingly showing his infatuation with this culture that he seems to put on a pedestal.
My inspiration directly influenced the tranquil and intimate tone of my tryptic since both Gauguin and Hiroshige are known to have this tone reoccurring in their body of work. More over Gauguin directly influenced my coloration, while Hiroshige impacted the composition of the middle panel.
2) What is the overall approach(point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
When researching both artists the authors in both tended to be very objective in describing there art style and body of work. Still for Hiroshige there was a tone of distinguishment as he is one of the most iconic Japanese print maker meaning they didn't hesitate to mention his impact on western artists.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Some of the conclusions I have made about people is the idea that one doesn't know what they have until its gone. This mostly comes from Gauguin who despite living his dream life as a "savage" in Tahiti he still managed to get home sick and create work that showcased this.
4) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The theme that fueled my inspiration was the need for a home or belonging. This is something that is apparent since both depict not only my hometown and the town I am now based in but my room, again showing belonging in different spectrums.
5) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
An inference I made about Gauguin was that he may have fetishized the Tahitian culture. Most of this comes from his exoticfication of even the most daily or mundane tasks. Usually he depicts women in unrealistic warm tones, which initially drew me to his work, where they seem to glow seemingly showing his infatuation with this culture that he seems to put on a pedestal.
Bibliography
“Asakusa Ricefields and Torinomachi Festival, No. 101 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo.” Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/121714.
“Hiroshige.” Ronin Gallery, Ronin Gallery, www.roningallery.com/artists/hiroshige.
Lane, Richard. “Hiroshige.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 24 Feb. 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/Hiroshige.
Walther, Ingo F., and Michael Hulse. Gauguin, 1848-1903: the Primitive Sophisticate. Taschen, 2017.
Images:
“Asakusa Rice Fields During the Cock Festival at Otori Shrine.” Brooklyn Museum , Brooklyn Museum , www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/121714.
“Noa Noa.” MOMA, MOMA , www.moma.org/collection/works/61037.
“The Brooding Woman .” Worcester Art Museum, Worcester Art Museum , www.worcesterart.org/collection/European/1921.186.html.
“Hiroshige.” Ronin Gallery, Ronin Gallery, www.roningallery.com/artists/hiroshige.
Lane, Richard. “Hiroshige.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 24 Feb. 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/Hiroshige.
Walther, Ingo F., and Michael Hulse. Gauguin, 1848-1903: the Primitive Sophisticate. Taschen, 2017.
Images:
“Asakusa Rice Fields During the Cock Festival at Otori Shrine.” Brooklyn Museum , Brooklyn Museum , www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/121714.
“Noa Noa.” MOMA, MOMA , www.moma.org/collection/works/61037.
“The Brooding Woman .” Worcester Art Museum, Worcester Art Museum , www.worcesterart.org/collection/European/1921.186.html.