Lucy Yeates - Arch Blend
This image is a blend of gothic revival and Mughal architectural styles. Gothic revival began in the second half of the 18th century and into the 19th, while Mughal slowly died right before, starting in the early 16th until its foreign influence replacements in the mid 18th century. I used an image of a gothic revival church with pews and a large window shining light at the end of the room, with a image of two Indian men in an Akbar-style room. I found it interesting that both of these images had the same flooring, which made it perfect for combining the two seamlessly. On the left, I added a pillar that had traditional indian/mughalcarvings, which would portray religious representation. On the right, I have a arch that you would typically see in a gothic revival style building. I chose to combine these styles of building together because despite being different in cultural context, both reflect aspiration and dedication
Architectural Blend Critique
ReplyDeleteJacob Taylor
Lucy Yeates’ Arch Blend is a depiction of the inside of a cathedral, with two black figures looking through a small window. The clothes on the figures appear to be from a much earlier time period, around the time of the reformation maybe.There is a great detail of texture in the masonry. I can imagine extending my hand out and feeling the masonry. The white balance seems to be spot on with the different layers. The two figures seem to be proportionately accurate. Yeates did not include a reference link to any of the images.
I believe this work to be a reference to the entrapment of the Catholic Church on the societies they influence and its believers. It seems that the two figures are longing for something that is not present in the cathedral. There does not seem to be an identifiable exit within the frame and the window is quite small, too small in fact to jump out of. The figure on the right appears to be yearning for something new as they rest on their knees with a hand resting on the window frame. Most importantly there are no other figures in the Cathedral. This adds a sense of loneliness that has not been accompanied.
Due to a great execution of perspective, proportion, white balance, and layering, these elements create a three-dimensional depth in the work. Yeates meshed the layers together with the execution of the aforementioned forms. An example of this is the addition of the left post in the immediate foreground that forces the eye to imagine a structure to the side of us and behind.
This type of work exists within our culture in part to show the confinements of religion in the present day and how it is relevant then as much as it is now. In today's society, many artists are pushing against religious norms. If these figures are women, then it becomes more invested in the modern tripe of women's rights. Being confined within a rigid structure resembles the chained feeling many women have who are restricted by anti-abortion bills.
For context: I did not read the work description before writing my critique. The Mughal architectural style is completely new to me. The style blended so well with the Gothic Revival that I did not notice the room the figures were in was Mughal. I believe that unless you are familiar with this style, you will have difficulty picking up on the work’s message. Even though Yeates states dedication and aspiration as motives for the work, I still do not know the meaning of the pairing of Gothic and Mughal.