This week you will use your readings from the past week as a point of departure to create your own artistic production and a reflection paper.

Week 6 assignment: art creation & reflection – photography/cinema

Art as a form of expression is often inspired by experiences, feelings, or even other pieces of artwork. This reflection paper explores the relationship between my art production and the inspiration piece, which is a photograph by Robert Mapplethorpe titled “Calla Lily” taken in 1988.

Inspiration piece Robert Mapplethorpe is a famous American photographer who was known for his controversial black-and-white photographs. “Calla Lily” is a photograph of a white flower, and it is a part of his floral still life series. This photograph is composed simply, the flower filling up the majority of the frame and illuminated with a harsh light. Shadows and contrast create a stunning image in this photograph that highlights the beauty of the floral.

My Art Piece My art piece is a photograph titled “Flower in the Dark.” The photograph features a yellow flower, which is similar in appearance to a sunflower, set against a black background. One light source illuminates the flowers from one side in this photograph. Low lighting has a dramatic impact, as the flower appears to appear from the dark.

Connection A common theme between both pieces is the emphasis on beauty and fragility in flowers. The main subject of both pieces is a single, beautiful flower. Both have minimalist compositions, where the flower takes up the majority of the frame. Lighting is used in the two pieces, and a single source of light creates dramatic contrasts.

Both pieces are different in medium, and the color palette. “Calla Lily” is a black and white photograph, while “Flower in the Dark” is in color. The use of color in my piece adds a vibrancy and energy that is not present in Mapplethorpe’s photograph. Additionally, the formal elements of design, such as texture and line, are different in the two pieces, as Mapplethorpe’s photograph has a smoother texture and a more defined line than my photograph.

The medium impacts the viewer’s experience in different ways. Mapplethorpe’s use of black and white creates a timeless and classic feel to his work, while my use of color adds an element of modernity and freshness. The different textures and lines also impact the viewer’s experience, with Mapplethorpe’s photograph having a more polished and refined feel, while my photograph has a more organic and natural feel.

In conclusion, my art piece “Flower in the Dark” was inspired by Robert Mapplethorpe’s photograph “Calla Lily.” Both pieces explore the beauty and fragility of flowers, but differ in their medium, color palette, and formal elements of design. Through my exploration of Mapplethorpe’s work, I gained a deeper appreciation for the art of still life photography and how it can convey a powerful message through the use of composition, lighting, and texture.

Reference: Patti, P. (2011). Robert Mapplethorpe’s life and art. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.