Surrealism

Jerry N. Uelsmann Unknown - Recent

Description: In this picture, there is a gaping hole in which is surrounded by water and has a ladder lingering through it. Surrounding the water the cloudy sky pursues itself directly above. In some areas the color is darker and as it fades it turns to light areas.

Analysis: The main focus of this photo would most likely be in the middle where the image is lighter and there's more objects as well as things going on. Although there's no people or moving objects other than the bird, the ladder says something as if something can come in and out of the hole in the water and make its way towards the light sky.

Interpretation: The photo doesn't consist of much however, i think it does prove some kind of concept. From my interpretation I think of how somethings can go as deep as the ocean, but there's always a way out. The ladder represents the way out into the opening with the sky and its exerting light.

Judgment: This photo interests me because its some what simple and it doesn't have to have a lot going on for you to think about the meaning behind it. From this photo i can clearly think of my own concept of what the photo is trying to portray even if my interpretation is different from that of the photographers.


Jerry N. Uelsmann was born in Detroit in 1934. Uelsmann recieves a BFA degree at the Rochester Institute of Tecnology in 1957 and MS and MFA at Indiana University in 1960. Uelsmann began teaching photography at the University of Florida that same year and he became a gradute research professor in 1974. Uelsmann's work has been exhibited in over 100 individual shows in the United States over the past 40 years. These exhibits include the Museum of Modern Art in NY, the Chicago Art Institute, the Museum of American Art in Washington and many more.

Rene Magritte: " The Son of a Man" - 1964

Description: This painting is a self portrait. The painting consists of a man wearing an overcoat and a bowler hat while standing in front of the sea and the clody sky. The man's face is covered with a hovering green apple, the eyes of the man can be seen peeking over the edge of the apple.

Analysis: This painting represents the stereotypical ideal faceless businessman. The backround stays simple while the sea and the brick wall meet at a horizon line as well as the sky and the sea.

Interpretation: The apple covering the man's face covers the message that most people want to uncover the hidden meaning of things. Basically we all what to see what is hidden by something else we can see, not seeing what is behind that other object. This painting can lead to the intense feeling, and some what of conflict in which we cannot see what is hidden eventhough it is present.

Judgment: This photo is one of my favorites because of the image and subject behind it. Magritte descibes the subject and the meaning being that you can see whats right in front of you eventhough it's there. When researching about this photo and artist, I came to realize the concept and what it's about. Having the apple in front of the man's face makes me understand the hidden meaning much more.

Rene Magritte was born in Lassines, Belgium in 1898. Magritte began lessons in drawings in 1910. His prime median was using oil paint in which his earliest paintings were consisted of dating back to 1915 and of which we in the imperialistic style. From 1916 to 1918 he studied at the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels however, remained unsuccessfully inspired. Magritte's oil paintings were influenced by the concept of "Futurism" that were produced in the years 1918-1924. In the years 1943-1944 he adopted the a colorful style for paintery in which he progressed in the period known as the "Renoir Period". His work began to be displayed in the United States in 1936, one exhibition being in the Museum of Modern Art in 1965 as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1992. Magritte died of pancreatic cancer in the year 1967 in his own bed.


In both of their works, Magritte and Uelsmann use different mediums to express their pieces and artistic ability to create and incorporate different concepts. Uelsmann uses photography and realistic characteristics of objects to bring an image to life and to provide a hidden meaning. Magritte uses his unique way in his colorful paintings to portray his own concepts behind the meaning of other meanings. In a way, most of Magritte's pieces go together to explain multiple stories. Uelsmann explains other excursions in life as a modern whole in his pieces. However, both artists experiment with the subject of surrealism when completing their art and sharing it with the world to see if other individuals can interpret what they see and compare it to what we see as their audience.