Research for Assignment 5

Self portraits - Self reflection 

Paula Modersohn- Becker (1887-1907)

Self portrait on her sixth wedding anniversary (1906) 

"I am myself" 

Such beautiful words written in a letter of Modersohn-Becker's self portrait, painted at the age of 30 on her wedding anniversary to Otto Modersohn. Here she wears just a white cloth around her waist and amber coloured bead around her neck. She is looking straight into a mirror, straight into the eyes of the viewer - This is powerful and she is looking so confidently at me, she has nothing to hide here. Just a true reflection of who she is. Her breasts are on show and she cradles what appears to be a pregnant tummy. She appears at peace, confident, powerful and important. Her hair is neatly presented with a precise centre parting, this suggests a control of her own life and being. 

The background is a faded spotty wallpaper, a neutral coffee tone and does not detract from her presence. There is a glow around her body, perhaps this is where the wallpaper is most worn, or perhaps a deliberate act to present her glowing body. 

This portrait is considered Modersohn-Becker's most subtle and emotionally complex self portraits. 

I see a serene truth here, she leaves nothing out, just a determined reflection of herself. 

Tragically, Modersohn-Becker died not long after this painting from a post partum complications, passing just 20 days after the birth of her daughter at the age of 31. This adds even more to the power and emotion of this self portrait. She died, knowing herself. 

Reference 

Modersohn-Becker, Paula 'Self Portrait on Her Sixth Wedding Anniversary' The Independent. 

'The Independent' 'The Independent's great art series by Sue Hubbard' (2007) https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-works/modersohn-becker-paula-self-portrait-on-her-sixth-wedding-anniversary-1906-744437.html

Elen. C Oppler. 1981. 'Paula Modersohn- Becker: Her Life and Work. 

Tracey Emin 

"I realised I was my work, I was the essence of my work - I always say that after I'm dead my work isn't going to be half as good.." 

'The Last Thing I Said to You was Don't Leave Me Here' (2000)

'She Kept Crying' (2012)

'Sometimes There is No Reason' (2018)

My study of Tracey Emin during part 4 bought with it a deep admiration for her transparency and honesty. She practices different media to achieve an emotive drawing or painting that comes from a place that no one could possibly imitate. 

Emin's recent 2019 exhibit 'A Fortnight of Tears' at The White Cube Gallery, London, a haunting display of personal work. A collection of film, photography, drawings and paintings took the viewer on a journey of memories, pain and loss. "The essence of creativity, that moment of conception...The whole being of everything...It had to be about where it was really coming from". 

'I was too young to be carrying your Ashes...' (2017-18)

Acrylic and pencil on canvas.

Distressing and raw. This drawing is angry and hot and depicts burning pain. A hurt, the burden of loss. It is rough around the edges, as pain is. Ragged and impossible to grasp or pick up.  The pain seeps downwards from her head, through her chest, flooding down to the ground. There is such a lot of red pain, an awful lot to carry for one silhouette. The red pours through her body like blood, an intentional move. 

This drawing is abstract in its presence but obvious in its meaning. The figure is ghostly and positioned in no obvious place, however this is true of pain isn't it, it can't be isolated to only one physical place. The ghostly figure clutches the box of her mothers ashes, there is no red pain in the box, the box is made of simple lines.

The use of red feels like the body has been severed, torn from her mother. 

'I carried your Ashes home...' (2016)

Acrylic on paper

In contrast to the drawing above. Here the walls are grey and empty. The figure is numb, empty even lost. The face has been blotted our in black, what does this mean? She is faceless? Unhuman at this point in time? The loss it too great to process at this time and so she walks as a shell of a figure through an empty space. The use of grey and black feel isolating. I feel sorrow here. The grey washes down the walls like water, tears. The figure and box are lines, enough lines to understand exactly that this is Emin carrying her mother. 

Reference 

Introduction to Tracey Emin. Tate.

tate.org.uk 

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/tracey-emin-2590/introduction

White Cube - Gallery Exhibitions - 'A Fortnight of Tears'. 

https://whitecube.com/exhibitions/exhibition/tracey_emin_bermondsey_2019

Tracey Emin/Edvard Munch. 

'The Loneliness of the Soul'

I had very much hoped to have visited this exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts, however Covid restrictions in place has unfortunately meant that this is not currently possible. 

However, I have fortunately been able to view collections online which has been useful. 

Emin displays a deep love and admiration of the works of Munch. 

Each artist displays love, grief and sorrow though highly emotive works. 

Edvard Munch 'Consolation' (1907)

Oil on canvas

So deeply moving. Downwards strokes of muted colour communicate sorrow, almost like tears. The entire painting is made of the same lines. This shows continuity in the feeling. 

The background is barely there in terms of shape, but the viewer can see the figures are sat. The male figure consoles the female as she cries. Her head in her hands shows such sorrow. 

Tracey Emin 'It - didn't stop - I didn't stop (2019)

Acrylic on canvas 

Intense drama. A large piece absolutely filled with feeling. There is anger here with frenzied marks and large blocks of intense colour, deep red and grey. 

The female figure is lying with knees pulled up to the tummy and the head low. The figure is made of narrow and thin line, perhaps showing a weakness in comparison to the enormous feeling. It is almost like the figure has been engulfed by the emotional drama. She has been crumpled. Defeated. 

A dark cloud like mess bears downwards whilst intense red seeps into from the top. There is such pain in this use of colour. 

Reference

The Royal Academy of Arts - Gallery Exhibitions - The Loneliness of the Soul. 

Royalacademy.org.uk 

https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/tracey-emin-edvard-munch

Vincent Van Gogh 

Self portrait with bandaged ear and pipe (1889)

In this self portrait, the viewer is introduced to Van Gogh, the tortured artist. An important self portrait that catalogues this moment of his journey and the connection between his art and his personal pain. 

In an act thought to have been encouraged by the departure of Van Gogh's painting partner, friend and house mate, Gauguin in December of 1887. Van Gogh took a razor to his ear and cut part off it off in a distressed act of personal pain, self blame or even an act of madness as deemed at the time. An act of cruelty to himself that Van Gogh thought significant to capture in a self portrait. 

Here we see Van Gogh sat upright, seemingly relaxed as he smokes a pipe. The white strokes of paint curve and move upwards as the smoke rises. Buttoned up in a green coat and black fur hat, here is is taking good care of himself, keeping himself warm. The viewer is drawn to his clear blue eyes. although despite their clarity, I can't help but see a vacant look in his eyes. And of course, so obviously there is a clean white bandage wrapped around his head. The deed must have been hard and painful, a torture. But here we see a serene, calm and relaxed Van Gogh. The background is bright and dynamic, red and orange. Warm and bright. 

Reference

'Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear and Pipe', 1889 by Vincent Van Gogh. 

https://www.vincentvangogh.org/self-portrait-with-bandaged-ear-and-pipe.jsp

Emil Nolde 

Der Maler Selbstbildnis (1905)

Self portrait. Original etching. Ink on paper.

A subtle display of emotional and psychological feelings expressed though the use of light and dark tones. 

Dark scratches engulf Nolde, yet the light catches his face in a haunting self portrait. His face is looking straight at the viewer in a stern fashion. A face appearing from the dark. It's as striking as walking past what you think is an empty window, and actually you glimpse a ghostly figure. This drawing is isolating and lonely. I sense an unhappiness here. 

Reference 

Self Portrait - Leicesters German Expressionist Collection. Germanexpressionismleicester.org. 

http://www.germanexpressionismleicester.org/leicesters-collection/artists-and-artworks/emil-nolde/self-portrait/

Richard Gerstl

Nude self portrait with palette (1908) 

The final self portrait of Gerstl, painted on the 12th of September 1908. Gerstl tragically took his own life, after a catalogue of self portraits through the adult years of his short life (25 years). 

Here a thin and pale man stands expressionless and unashamed in front of the viewer. There is such texture in every mark. Despite how desperate Gerstl must have been at this time, this painting shows such life in its marks. The blues, of darker and lighter shades are so beautiful and move right passed his stationed figure. The blue strokes have a life in themselves, almost leaving the body behind as they move. 

He is naked, the last self portrait of the naked truth perhaps. Here there are no material things, there is no vanity. Just him, as he was born and as he was about to leave this life. This painting is so painful, yet so beautiful in its vibrancy. To think that someone who no longer wishes to live, can take such care and such time to paint himself is something so true and precious. 

Reflection 

All of these works contain such truth, and such energy of life. A true reflection of who the artist is at that very moment in time. This is a starting point. I need to find a way of communicating myself in a drawing. I need to find honesty, an energy of who I am. 

My next step is to study my own figure and to experiment with different techniques to find the truth I am searching for.