POTW 6

As usual, I will examine this piece following the 4-step analysis.

Part 1: Describe

In the center of the photo of the photo is a rather pale lady. Her face is very chiseled, and she seems to stare at the viewer, but seems to look past them as though she is focused on something else. Her eyelashes are white, and she is blushing under her eyes. Though she has a hairline, most of her hair is a slightly brighter pale than her skin. It is circular, though it extends far above her forehead. It appears to be illuminated, emitting pale colors that fade as they move away from her head. The lady is wearing a very subtle u-neck (almost an “o-neck”) shirt that is a light gray. Her arms are in the center of the bottom part of the illustration, and she is knitting strings that form a grid around her, the funnels into itself around her neck. Everything behind the grid, excluding the lady and her clothes, is black.

Part 2: Analyse

Most lines are defined, but do not end abruptly. To an extent, everything blends together. Overall, colors are ghostly and mysterious, being a pallet of pale, gray, and black. From some aspects, such as the lady’s skin, the texture seems to be soft, yet the light and darkness surrounding her seem rough-to-the-touch. Though the illustration is 2D, a great deal of detail was put into the hands and grid of what appears to be string around the lady. The strange combination of soft and hard, and the intriguing color pallet help immerse the viewer in the illustration. The contrast created between the soft skin and hard background is something difficult to pull off, but helps create a thought provoking illustration.

Part 3: Interpret

The lady’s blank look makes it seem she is “sewing” herself into a reality she doesn’t desire. It seems she is uncomfortable about the grid she has closed herself into. From that, this image seems to subtly portray the insides of the mind. Though an inherently powerful machine, it can easily overpower itself and bog itself down in overthinking, self degradation, etc., and sew itself into its own, oppressive reality. The mood of the illustration is grim, and strange, since the concept of mental health is a relatively new one.

Part 4: Judge

The work is thought-provoking, and makes the viewer ponder the nature of who we are, but only in the right circumstances. For many, this is a relatable issue, and as mental illness is on the rise, material like this could easily become the front of a revolution or movement for healthier lives, more attention to mental health issues, or something of the like. The artist uses the contrast of textures to create interest but also cautious curiosity in the viewer, and uses the color pallet to create a negative connotation to the image. That being said, most people do not hang the artwork of revolutions in their rooms, and accordingly, I would not put this in my room. It is more than just decor, it is an important piece of art that is representative of the state of humanity in the 21st century, plagued with issues that trap them in themselves, and trapped with a problem(s) that is barely understood by modern science.