Title of workshop: Gallery Tour Mercedes Matter
Arts at Baruch
11/17/09 1-2pm
I went to the Mishkin Gallery and there I learned about Mercedes Matter who lived from 1913-2001. I learned a little bit about how the invention of the camera changed and influenced art so it was more about expression rather than recording. She was trying to develop her own art form in her paintings. I noticed that her works became progressively uninhibited in the sense that she did not include outlines of her images and symbols but rather she only had a general blur or shape. Most of her later works incorporated triangles as the primary shape. All the pieces were full of vibrant colours. In the last piece I saw her brushstroke was so relaxed that she actually allowed the paint to run because it was expressive of herself as an artist. This workshop was interesting becuase it made me at least open my mind to new styles of art even if I don’t like the piece. It was more expressive of the artist but it did not necessarily evoke any feelings from me. But seeing the freedom of Mercede Matter’s works makes me better understand about breaking molds and going beyond the usual and being original. I would recommend other people to go even if they don’t like art becuase to me hearing about her reasoning behind the works made them more powerful and I can use that idea of breaking barriers in my own life. Art is not only painted on a canvas but rather it comes in many shapes and forms so I appreciated this workshop to help me as a person and as an artist.