We did paint pours in class last week, which I had never done before. I absolutely loved doing it, and I was really happy with how mine turned out. The picture above on the left is what my paint pour looked liked before it dried. The colors weren’t initially as swirled as they appear; I used a plastic knife to scrape all of the paint to one side of the cardboard and then tilted it to redistribute the colors, leading to the swirly effect. THEN, it dried. And it dried u g l y. I was so disappointed. I feel like both of these versions are equally important to the experience of observing this piece, though, so that’s why I felt it was important to include a side-by-side comparison. I will definitely be making more paint pours in the future. Hopefully, though, I won’t be nearly as disappointed in the outcome as I was for this paint pour.
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ABOUT In 1910, Hedda Sterne was born in Romania. She grew up with Surrealism and was greatly influenced by this style. Sterne began using color around the age of 17, and she gravitated to Dada and Constructivist works in her early years. She was very interested in reading, which was how she became aware of Paris and its nurturing artistic environment. Sterne moved to Paris in the 1930s. While in Paris, Sterne began by experimenting with sculpture, but she later turned to painting and collage. It was here that she participated in her first successful exhibition in 1938, earning herself some international recognition. Shortly thereafter, Sterne was able to escape the Nazis in 1941, fleeing to the United States via Portugal. She settled in New York, quickly becoming a part of the the New York School artists. She was moved by the music of the way things are, using elements from the frenetic activity of New York City and incorporating them into her paintings and drawings. She said, "I am only one small speck (hardly an atom) in the uninterrupted flux of the world around me." After a trip to Vermont, Sterne focused on the philosophical significance of machinery, as well as its importance to everyday life: "machines are unconscious self-portraits of people's psyches." By the end of the 1950s, her Machine paintings had morphed into large, gestural paintings that are viewed as commentaries on speed. The 1960s was a period of expansive growth in Sterne's content. She began to investigate qualities of light and space, then moving on to 'dense and intricate organic abstractions.' By the 1980s, Sterne had almost completely exhausted the realms of abstraction, creating both prism-like geometric designs and loose, fluid abstract paintings. Although Sterne never remained consistent with her composition, she never failed to forget her greatest belief: that art is ever-changing, forever a reflection of the stages in the artist's process of self-discovery. She described herself as "anti-ego," rejecting the notion that she held the power to change the world, an attitude that was contradictory to that of her fellow Abstract Expressionists. Furthermore, she refused to confine to any one label, therefore never actually considering herself to be an Abstract Expressionist. Sterne worked with a great sense of urgency. Her projects consist of a wide variety of styles, mediums, and compositions. She never once let herself settle and become complacent in her art; rather, Sterne continued to push deeper and force herself to consider life from drastically different viewpoints. She was humble yet larger than life, which is undoubtedly why she was such a successful artist during this time period. Questions for consideration (you do not need to use the additional resources provided): 1. Observe the selected works on the Hedda Sterne Foundation website. Which time period is your favorite? Why do you enjoy the aesthetic of these works more than the others? Are you able to understand how the composition reflects Sterne's place in her life? 2. What was Sterne's attitude towards her place in the world, both artistically and in general? 3. The core group of Abstract Expressionists are often referred to as "The Irascibles." Define this term. How do you think it can be applied to Sterne? Additional Resources:
For a brief biography and analysis of Sterne's life: www.ideelart.com/magazine/hedda-sterne A transcript of a 2003 interview of Sterne by Sarah Boxer: artlark.org/2018/08/04/hedda-sterne-against-the-abstract-expressionist-tide/ Seven reasons to commemorate her life: news.artnet.com/art-world/7-things-hedda-sterne-583409 |
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