My concept was to live out my childhood dream of being the first man to step on the face of Mars. I've always been interested in space and thought I could depict what it may have looked like if my life went in that direction. Surrounded by dust and fog with an American flag next to me to represent this huge accomplishment. I feel the difference in gravity while enjoying the view of orbiting satellites and its neighboring planet Jupiter.
Photo Sources:
ReplyDeleteDry Rocky Land Under a Gloomy Sky · Free Stock Photo - Free Use
Jupiter Eye to Io - Free Use
Milky Way Illustration · Free Stock Photo - Free Use
Man in Astronaut Suit · Free Stock Photo - Free Use
Astronaut Standing Beside American Flag on the Moon · Free Stock Photo - Free Use
Image by WikiImages from Pixabay - Satellite Spacecraft Space Outer - Free photo on Pixabay
Hunter’s portrait shows himself as an astronaut on Mars. An American flag is present, similarly to the flag placed on the Moon during the Moon landing. A satellite flies by in the sky, which adds to the environment of space, and adds motion. Hunter himself is shown moving up and down slightly which mimics jumping or walking on a planet like Mars that has lower gravity than Earth.
ReplyDeleteThis work is about a childhood aspiration of being the first person on mars. Since no person has been to Mars yet, it adds to the imaginative aspect of it, as it is still something unattainable. I think there are enough visual cues to figure this out. Mars has an iconic look with its red, dusty surface, so it’s easy to tell he’s on Mars specifically instead of somewhere else in space. And since this is something that is not possible yet, the viewer can tell that it is meant to be a dream or aspiration.
As I mentioned before, the visual clues of space and mars give a good foundation for interpretation. I think the image also works well as a portrait as the figure and face are clearly shown, and the figure is one of the pieces of the composition that moves, which draws attention to it. Other than the figure the only other object that moves is a satellite in the background (there is some ambient mist that moves, but this isn't that attention drawing). I think the portrait is transformative, since it imagines Hunter fulfilling a childhood dream that currently isn’t possible, which transforms him into an astronaut of the future.
The motion in the portrait serves mostly to set the scene of both Mars and space. The satellite flying through the sky signals we are in space, while the movement of the figure signals the low gravity of Mars. The movement of mist is also used to give ambiance to the composition. I think that the movement highlights the key element that this scenario is a fictional one on a far away planet, which is part of the transformative aspect.
Dreaming to one day be an astronaut is common among children. The idea of space is exciting and futuristic, the idea that you could one day travel to another planet has a clear appeal. While children often dream of this job, when they get older they often drop it, not because going to space wouldn’t be cool, but because becoming an astronaut is a long and intensive process, and is full of risks. Not to mention actual human space expeditions are few and far between. So this dream is often limited to children who are only focused on the pure excitement of space.
Overall I think this piece has a clear message and theme. Both the imagery and movement bring emphasis to important areas of the piece that give clues to its message about a childhood dream or aspiration revolving around a trip to mars. It is also clearly a self portrait as the figure and face inside the suit are both clear.