Anders Krisár, Flesh Clouds #1 (2003). C-print under glass mounted on MDP
(Dimensions of piece are unavailable)
Andrew Krisár’s large C-print displays an open composition consisting of a grey brick-paved street (or alley?) that meets a brown brick wall (is it a building, a factory?) just below the middle of the length of the print. In the center of the piece there is a translucent flesh-colored smear. The street is paved with grey bricks of different level values -- some are lighter, close to white and some are darker, closer to charcoal. The street appears antediluvian, as does the building. The bricks are not evenly sized -- some are larger than others. Also, the space between the bricks varies. The bricks are at a marginal slant relative to the bottom of the page. The crisp line, that runs the entire width of the page, where the street meets the building, is also slanted.
At the bottom of the wall there are two rows of bricks that are larger and differently colored than the rest of the bricks on the wall. These bricks appear especially dirty. They range from creamy white to dark black (depending upon the amount of soot it holds?). The bricks above these two rows are all different shades of brown. They range from bricks that resemble what present-day houses may be built with to dark brown, nearly black bricks. The state of this wall suggests that it was built a long time ago. The surface of the wall looks uneven, as a result of possible corroding of the bricks.
On the left side of the wall is a dark black square. Is it a window? Is it a release valve for smoke from an oven? Above the black square are three small (skinny but relatively long) indents in the wall. It is unclear what these dashes are. Perhaps openings in the wall? Perhaps they use to serve a purpose but no longer do? Were they the result of a some accident or construction?
The flesh-colored blur is the subject-matter of the this print. It is directly centered in the middle of the piece. The brightness of the cloud varies. This variety of value causes the different colors to vibrate off each other. This vibration makes it hard for the viewers eye to focus on the blur. This element adds to the “out-of-focus-ness” of the blur. The picture is situated in the hallway where people walk past every day (perhaps mimicking the movement of the cloud?).
The variety of brightness almost suggests an upward movement. Is something evaporating? Personally, the movement of this flesh-colored blur evokes an impression of souls of dead people floating upward (to heaven?) and thus, suggests to me that this piece is a metaphor for impermanence. Moreover, that this wall has outlived many people who were at one point connected to it. However, at some point, (or in the near future) this wall will subside as well.
The most irritating part of this piece to me is the austere contrast between the clarity of the wall and the blurriness of the fog. This stark contrast makes the image appear manipulated and the blur entirely artificial. A more gradual transition would give the piece greater genuineness.
Andrew Krisár’s large C-print displays an open composition consisting of a grey brick-paved street (or alley?) that meets a brown brick wall (is it a building, a factory?) just below the middle of the length of the print. In the center of the piece there is a translucent flesh-colored smear. The street is paved with grey bricks of different level values -- some are lighter, close to white and some are darker, closer to charcoal. The street appears antediluvian, as does the building. The bricks are not evenly sized -- some are larger than others. Also, the space between the bricks varies. The bricks are at a marginal slant relative to the bottom of the page. The crisp line, that runs the entire width of the page, where the street meets the building, is also slanted.
At the bottom of the wall there are two rows of bricks that are larger and differently colored than the rest of the bricks on the wall. These bricks appear especially dirty. They range from creamy white to dark black (depending upon the amount of soot it holds?). The bricks above these two rows are all different shades of brown. They range from bricks that resemble what present-day houses may be built with to dark brown, nearly black bricks. The state of this wall suggests that it was built a long time ago. The surface of the wall looks uneven, as a result of possible corroding of the bricks.
On the left side of the wall is a dark black square. Is it a window? Is it a release valve for smoke from an oven? Above the black square are three small (skinny but relatively long) indents in the wall. It is unclear what these dashes are. Perhaps openings in the wall? Perhaps they use to serve a purpose but no longer do? Were they the result of a some accident or construction?
The flesh-colored blur is the subject-matter of the this print. It is directly centered in the middle of the piece. The brightness of the cloud varies. This variety of value causes the different colors to vibrate off each other. This vibration makes it hard for the viewers eye to focus on the blur. This element adds to the “out-of-focus-ness” of the blur. The picture is situated in the hallway where people walk past every day (perhaps mimicking the movement of the cloud?).
The variety of brightness almost suggests an upward movement. Is something evaporating? Personally, the movement of this flesh-colored blur evokes an impression of souls of dead people floating upward (to heaven?) and thus, suggests to me that this piece is a metaphor for impermanence. Moreover, that this wall has outlived many people who were at one point connected to it. However, at some point, (or in the near future) this wall will subside as well.
The most irritating part of this piece to me is the austere contrast between the clarity of the wall and the blurriness of the fog. This stark contrast makes the image appear manipulated and the blur entirely artificial. A more gradual transition would give the piece greater genuineness.
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