UWM Hybrid Heroes
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Inspiration
The artist that inspired this piece was the street artist Banksy. I chose him due to the political statements he focuses on within his artwork. Not much is known about Banksy due to the nature of what he does, neither his name nor his face are known. It is believed that Banksy was born in 1974 around Bristol, England. He gained notoriety in the 90s due to his “provocative stenciled drawings.” He then appeared in the 2010 documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop” which compared commercial and street art. He started his graffiti career in the 90’s when he joined the graffiti gang known as DryBreadz Crew. He often has many political themes within his work, critiquing anything from war to capitalism to hypocrisy and greed. One of the common subjects he focuses on is policemen, which is something that I focused on within this piece, as well as capitalism.
I chose these three paintings for inspiration due to their relation to either capitalism or police. My piece is about how the police benefit the capitalism within our society and how they are used to protect it. I felt like banksy best shows these things as well and so that is why I chose him. He uses these elements in various ways to protest these things that he sees as wrong. In the farthest left image he talks about how somebody always profits from war and it tells us how corrupt capitalism is. The middle image is an unofficial collaboration with another artist known as Basquiati, the artwork shows how police are harassing a very famous Black man who had a show in the city, it shows the corruption and racism within the police. The final image to the right shows a cop in riot gear with a smiley face, the meaning behind this piece is to show the contrast between imagery of the cop in riot gear but has a smiling face. Another inspiration for my piece that isn’t a piece of artwork, is the Citizens United Supreme Court case.
I chose these three paintings for inspiration due to their relation to either capitalism or police. My piece is about how the police benefit the capitalism within our society and how they are used to protect it. I felt like banksy best shows these things as well and so that is why I chose him. He uses these elements in various ways to protest these things that he sees as wrong. In the farthest left image he talks about how somebody always profits from war and it tells us how corrupt capitalism is. The middle image is an unofficial collaboration with another artist known as Basquiati, the artwork shows how police are harassing a very famous Black man who had a show in the city, it shows the corruption and racism within the police. The final image to the right shows a cop in riot gear with a smiley face, the meaning behind this piece is to show the contrast between imagery of the cop in riot gear but has a smiling face. Another inspiration for my piece that isn’t a piece of artwork, is the Citizens United Supreme Court case.
Planning
In these three planning pages, I took the time to break down and look at the topics and things that I am working to recreate, you will see this and understand it better within my next few explanations.
In the first planning page to the far left, I break down and talk about some of the inspiration works from Banksy, and the ways that they influence my work, I also break down the images themselves and talk about the meaning behind them. With the work “Flying Copper”, I talked about the inspiration and connection I wanted to use it for, I also talked about how it represents the over militarization of the police. And then with the “A cartoon” piece with the quote in the top left I talked about the message within it and its connection to my piece.
With my second Planning page, (the one in the middle), I broke down the look and style of riot gear police wear now. I made a few notes within the upper left, and in the lower right. I noted the fact that I wanted to add a piece that looked as if the visor could be lifted up similar to that of real riot police, although I didn’t actually want it to mechanically work. This is because of the fact that I want to hide the face behind it as a stylistic choice and to give it a sort of symbolism. I also noted that I wanted to make it all one solid color for the most part so as to add to the effect of the patches and logos on the helmet.
Finally in the third planning page to the far right I talked about and broke down the face of the Monopoly man. I broke down three different eras/ versions of him, one from the new game, and one that doesn’t actually exist. The one that doesn’t actually exist is the one with the monocle; and although he does not actually wear a monocle I gave him one because one, most people recognize him and believe he wears one, and two because I felt that it added more to my mask since there wouldn’t be a lot to it. Some other notes I made were about the mouth, ears, mustache, nose, and hair.
In the first planning page to the far left, I break down and talk about some of the inspiration works from Banksy, and the ways that they influence my work, I also break down the images themselves and talk about the meaning behind them. With the work “Flying Copper”, I talked about the inspiration and connection I wanted to use it for, I also talked about how it represents the over militarization of the police. And then with the “A cartoon” piece with the quote in the top left I talked about the message within it and its connection to my piece.
With my second Planning page, (the one in the middle), I broke down the look and style of riot gear police wear now. I made a few notes within the upper left, and in the lower right. I noted the fact that I wanted to add a piece that looked as if the visor could be lifted up similar to that of real riot police, although I didn’t actually want it to mechanically work. This is because of the fact that I want to hide the face behind it as a stylistic choice and to give it a sort of symbolism. I also noted that I wanted to make it all one solid color for the most part so as to add to the effect of the patches and logos on the helmet.
Finally in the third planning page to the far right I talked about and broke down the face of the Monopoly man. I broke down three different eras/ versions of him, one from the new game, and one that doesn’t actually exist. The one that doesn’t actually exist is the one with the monocle; and although he does not actually wear a monocle I gave him one because one, most people recognize him and believe he wears one, and two because I felt that it added more to my mask since there wouldn’t be a lot to it. Some other notes I made were about the mouth, ears, mustache, nose, and hair.
Experimentation:
These first three images to the right show some of the ways and methods I would use to hold my piece together while I would take measurements and make cuts but also I would use it to help me glue the pieces down. Each method I used depended on how much each piece flexed. One way I would combat this flex was to roll the piece in the direction I wanted it to bend. The first method of pinning was by using paper clips, I used this more towards the beginning while I worked on creating the base structure, I used this method when the pieces of cardboard were really thin. The second method I used was with tape, I quickly stopped using this method since the tape didn’t work well, but I’d use it at parts where the pieces had to bend and there was too much cardboard to use a paperclip. The final method of pinning was with the pins, I used this method when the cardboard was too thick for the other method, this one I found worked the best.
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The next three images to the left here, show the method I used to bond and strengthen the pieces of cardboard. The method I used was to first seal the pieces in a more hidden way (AKA backs together) but then after that would dry I would put more on the seams and smear it, I did this so as to create a stronger bond and make sure that the seams wouldn’t come apart, this also made made it so that the pieces could still somewhat flex but wouldn’t come apart in the process. Another thing I did to help me was bend the pieces and glue them down in their bent stage, it’s not pictured here, but what I would do was cut small slits all along the edge in order to bend in in a way I couldn’t when it was a full piece.
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Process:
Helmet:
The very first thing I did was cut the pieces of cardboard in order to make small strips for a head piece in order to build off of. I made slits in the cardboard in the marked points, as seen in the first image, and I linked them together and glued them in the way shown in the second image. I did it this way to make it even on all sides, and extra secure. In the third, fourth, and fifth photos, it shows me test fitting the head piece to make sure it would fit. I would make edits to see where I had to cut it or make it bigger; I did this before I glued it together. The sixth image shows me test fitting the cardboard, and making measurements so as to know how I need to cut it to fit well. The seventh, eighth, and ninth images show the start of the final product of the helmet. The eighth photo shows the helmet when the first layer was on. It was lopsided and needed to be fixed. In order to do this I added more cardboard and worked it to make both sides more equal again; the ninth image shows that work that was done. The last couple of images show the final product of just the helmet. I ended up wrapping the helmet with paper bags in order to hide the hot glue, and also to give it a clean finish similar to that of a riot police helmet, I also added a face shield. I made the face shield with white cardboard in order to not only show a difference in material but to symbolize glass/plexiglass like what the real helmets have. It is a way to cover the face and hide it. The very final edit I made to the helmet as seen in the last four images is the logos on the helmet to represent capitalism within the police.
Mask:
To start off with the mask as seen in the first two images I tried to make a rough sketch/outline of my face to know where the features were. The next thing I did that can be seen in images three and four is I cut, test fitted, and glued the base of the mask together so that it could fit on my face. The next step that I took was I had decided to add some 3D aspects to the mask so it wasn’t so flat, these aspects included the mustache and nose. So I cut a few pieces of the same shape but differing sizes for both things and glued them together as seen in the fifth image. The next couple of images show the outlining and preparations for the face. The last step was to glue it all together. The very last image shows that final product.
Critique:
Similarities:
- One similarity between the two pieces is the subject matter of them and the message that they are trying to convey.
- Another similarity is the lack of color within both pieces, so as to not confuse or over simplify the message.
Differences:
- One difference is the medium, Banksy’s work is graffiti and paint, where as mine is a sculpture made of cardboard.
- One similarity between the two pieces is the subject matter of them and the message that they are trying to convey.
- Another similarity is the lack of color within both pieces, so as to not confuse or over simplify the message.
Differences:
- One difference is the medium, Banksy’s work is graffiti and paint, where as mine is a sculpture made of cardboard.
Reflection:
During the first part of the project, I worked on the helmet, and when I started, I didn’t really do much mocking up and test fitting with paper, I just kind of shaped it and glued as I went and this caused it to be lopsided, which I later fixed. Though in the second part when I made the mask I did much more test fitting with paper and test fitting in general. As an artist I learned new techniques and skills. I also learned how to better plan out works such as sculptures.
My inspiration for the project was the street artist Banksy, I feel that it connects within the message the piece is trying to send. The biggest challenge that I found was within the helmet and trying to get it symmetrical and circular. My favorite part of this project was how the whole thing came together, and how it embodies the message which I am trying to convey. Though my least favorite part is the structure of the helmet, I feel like it could still use some work and could be better shaped. In conclusion, I hope others take note of the message and symbolism within this piece, and I hope it causes them to think.
My inspiration for the project was the street artist Banksy, I feel that it connects within the message the piece is trying to send. The biggest challenge that I found was within the helmet and trying to get it symmetrical and circular. My favorite part of this project was how the whole thing came together, and how it embodies the message which I am trying to convey. Though my least favorite part is the structure of the helmet, I feel like it could still use some work and could be better shaped. In conclusion, I hope others take note of the message and symbolism within this piece, and I hope it causes them to think.
ACT Connection:
1.) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
- You can see a clear cause and effect relationship between my artwork and that of the inspirations through within the messages that each piece and the subject matter of the pieces. Both pieces work to tell a story.
- My inspiration approaches their artworks differently every time, he approaches everything by thinking about a new story and a new perspective to show the world in.
- When doing my research and actually building it for myself, I found that things often turn out differently than how you might want or think them too. For example with the helmet I tried to shape it much differently than how it came out, and that's because we tend to have this idea in our minds of something but it's not until the execution of it that you find out whether or not you did it how you wanted it.
- The central idea around my research was that art is up to how you interpret it and that art should tell a story or spread some sort of message, and there are many different ways of executing it. Art is an expression, and you should do with it how you please.
- While reading my research I found that you shouldn't just take things for what is shown, I found that you should think more differently and deeply about each piece you see because every piece has some sort of story to it that is waiting to be interpreted in any different number of ways.
Citations:
- “Banksy.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 15 June 2020, www.biography.com/artist/banksy.
- Dunbar, John. “The 'Citizens United' Decision and Why It Matters.” Center for Public Integrity, publicintegrity.org/politics/the-citizens-united-decision-and-why-it-matters/.