1.Dominant: Where is our eye attracted first? Why?
When viewing this work our eye is first attracted to the vibrant and artificial colors that dominate the photos, catching the attention of the viewers. The strong colors that take up most of the images definitely draw observers in because anything bright catches attention. to see the natural landscapes hiding behind the colors. Naturally we are attracted to bright colors and for me, this whole series of photos by Jessica Houston attracted my eye at first glance of the whole gallery.
- Lighting/shading: How is light used in the image? Are there various level of light/shade used in the image? Is the created bright, medium, or dark?
Light is important in this image because it is used to contrast the synthetic colors which represent anthropocentrism and human impact, with the natural beauty of earth. The bright pink captures the immediate attention of viewers, then the bold red of the shack comes next, and finally the subtle and natural blue of the sky is what hits the viewer’s eye after taking some time to observe the image. I think it was bold of the artist to cover her photos with this intoxicating neon pink, yet stressed her theme about the impact humans have on their environment.
- Proxemics: If the image features characters, how much of the character or characters do you see in the image?
The image does not feature characters but it does feature other structures, allowing viewers to only see a small portion of the true image covered by the artificial color. The image is a small red shack, or police outpost on a beach with tranquil waters in the distance. I found it powerful of Houston to include the vibrant pink felt to add both texture and color, and the red of the shack to represent the consequences of humans on their environment particularly with regards to climate change.
- Angle: Do you look at the image? Or is the image in a neutral position?
The image was hanging at just about eye level, positioned alongside other works in the same series all by Houston. I think the viewer looks at the image as opposed to it being in a neutral position, like her plastic bag piece that is three dimensional, and allows the viewers to walk around the work and view it from all sides.
- Color values: What is the dominant color? Are there contrasting colors? Is there color symbolism?
The artificiality of the color pink is the dominant color in the work. It juxtaposes the more natural background, which almost forces the viewer to wonder what is hiding behind the large pink mass. The pink color as well as the red abandoned shack symbolize the impact humans have on our environment and how we tend to hide the true beauty of nature through pollution and constant expansion. The more natural blues that are shown towards the bottom of the image represent the purity of nature without human impact.
- Subsidiary images: What are the main eye-stops after taking in the dominant image?
After taking in the dominant image, a main eye stop is obviously the pink mass that dominates the photo. The red police station also stands out, as well as the tranquil blue water off in the distance.
- Density: How much visual information is packed into the image? Is the texture stark, moderate, or highly detailed?
The texture of this image is generally stark, but through this simplicity Jessica Houston is able to achieve and stress her theme about the environmental footprint we as humans leave. I felt that the simplicity of this image is what made it so startling as a viewer, and I could almost sense Houston’s cry for attention towards the matter of the environment.
- Composition: How is the two-dimensional space segmented and organized? What is the underlying design?
The two dimensional space is divided powerfully by the vibrant pink mass that covers much of the work. The pink felt creates a separation between the foreground and background, and adds depth to this two-dimensional space.
- Depth: On how many planes is the image composed? Does the background or foreground comment in any way on the midground?
This image is composed of three planes; the water as the background, the red shack as the midground, and the pink felt in the foreground. I felt that the background comments on the Earth’s purity, and interacts with the red shack to create a strong and beautiful contrast, again commenting on Houston’s overall theme.
- Character placement: What part of the framed space do the characters occupy? Center? Top? Bottom? Edges? Why?
There are no characters in this work, but the red police shack occupies the midground, in the center of the piece. I believe this is because it adds both symmetry and simplicity to the piece.
3) What do you think visual artists and filmmakers have in common? Finally, explain why you have selected your Gallery image.
I think both visual artists and filmmakers pay close attention to color, contrast, and frame of view in order to tell a story through their image. A lot goes into both filmmaking and art, and altering an image can allow for emotion to be evoked through both arts and film, which is a really powerful concept. I chose Jessica Houston’s piece as my gallery image because I really loved the bright colors at first. I also found that the more I examined the piece and looked closer I realized that I infact did not like what the colors came to represent, which was the harm humans cause. I found Houston’s piece to change the more and more I looked at it, which is why I appreciate art. I also share an interest in climate change and human impact on the environment, so this piece spoke to me.
