Display Note: The way that I imagine the installation that I created to be presented has a very simplistic feel when you walk into a room because I want the focus and the attention to be on each painting. Adding more to the room or the wall will distract some museum goers from carefully examining each painting. To begin, the room shouldn’t be too large. The room should be box shaped and have enough space to fit a sofa and have enough space so that the sofa and the paintings aren’t too close to each other. All the paintings will be arranged in a horizontal line with an equal amount of space between each painting. The wall will be painted a matte black. The black is essential because this makes the paintings easy to look at and allows specific colors to stand out more. For example, the color red is very important in each of my paintings, and I fell that the different shades of red will contrast well with the black wall. The black wall will not be plain; the paintings should be placed in the center of the wall and around them in red paint will be circles, spirals, ripples, squiggly lines all varying in size and placed miscellaneously. To make this installation interactive for the museum goers there should be red chalk available on both ends of the wall so the museum goers can write which painting they believe exudes empowerment and why or they can draw something that incorporates curves. The lighting will be warm toned spotlights on each painting and the room lighting should be dim enough that you can still see the writing on the wall. In the room I would like to incorporate a red sofa for museum goers to realize that red is important in this installation. Along with giving museum goers a place to sit to thoroughly observe the paintings, the sofa is also for the museum goers who want to take the extra step and put themselves in the model’s position and reenact their pose. Nude on the Sofa by Suzanne Valadon, is the center painting. The paintings don’t have to be viewed in a particular order, but the painting that is in the center usually draws primary focus. Nude on the Sofa heavily displays the energy of female confidence and introduces the idea of the use of curves in the paintings. The painting also has bolder colors and outlines that will draw the viewers’ attention. The painting that will be on the left of Nude on the Sofa is Red Nude by Amedeo Modigliani. This will be the photo that is close to the door that museum goers will enter. Red Nude will be the first painting that the viewers will see if they are looking from left to right. With Red Nude possibly being the first painting that the viewers will lay their eyes on it has to be a strong opener as well. The model in Red Nude is very attractive and demands the attention. This painting does introduce the theme of curves and most importantly the empowerment in women sexuality. The last painting that will be displayed to the right of Nude on the Sofa is Sitting girl by Egon Schiele.
Installation Note: A woman’s body speaks is the message that each painting embodies. Each model in the paintings is positioned in a way that says, “Look at me”. Although the women are all in a slanted position with their entire body exposed and nude none of them look uncomfortable. The use of curves in each painting incorporates the use of different shapes and design, adds dimension, and makes the paintings even more realistic and relatable to other women in regards of body figure. The curves are a statement because usually curves are specific to women and their natural body shape. The use of the color red in each painting displays femineity, beauty, and self-assuredness. The color red also contrasts well with the other colors used and brings the attention to focus on the model. In Modigliani’s painting Red Nude, the model is laying down on her back with her arms behind her head and her eyes closed. She looks as if she is very relaxed and is embracing her nudity. She doesn’t look disturbed or uncomfortable, but instead she exudes confidence even in this position. The use of curves adds a nice design to the blanket that the model is resting on and defines the structure of her body. The color red is used in the background and to highlight some features of the woman’s face. For example, the red lipstick that the artist uses for the model. In Valadon’s painting Nude on the Sofa, the model is shown to be lounging. She looks very comfortable as if she is in her own home like no one else is watching. The use of curves in this painting not only adds design but does a great job with adding realism to this painting. The curves used outlines her body with the sofa and shows her weight that she is putting weight on the sofa. The curve in the pillow makes the pillow look more like someone has laid on it instead of the lines being straight and perfect. The color red in this painting isn’t used so much for the beauty of the model, but to bring out the color contrast with her body. The shade of red used gives this painting more of a Hispanic background. In Schiele’s painting the model is in a seated position and is leaning over. She has one arm supporting her body and the other arm behind her head leaving her body fully exposed and allows viewers to examine the natural body of this model. The use of curves in this last painting displays strength. The curves in the arms and thighs shows definition which can resemble muscle. The curves in the stomach makes it believable that the model is actually leaning over and shows the cellulite in her skin. Overall, all the paintings have a uniqueness about them while having many similarities. They all go back to the theme of a woman’s body can say so much while doing so little.
MLA
Amedeo Modigliani. Red Nude. January 1, 1917
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nude_(art)#/media/File:Modigliani_-_Nu_co…;
#/media/File:Modigliani_-_Nu_couch%C3%A9.jpg ){kind=link}
Accessed Feb. 26, 2023
Suzanne Valadon. Nude on the Sofa. 1920
https://en.artsdot.com/@@/8XZ2BU-Suzanne-Valadon-Nude-on-the-sofa
Accessed Feb. 26, 2023
Egon Schiele. Sitting girl. 1917
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egon_Schiele#/media/File:Egon_Schiele_-_W…\
Accessed Feb. 26, 2023