Beauty in Spontaneity and Experimentation
"Illusive Lady" by Frank Matranga
I think that the artist Frank Matranga has a unique and distinguishable style, one that brings to mind the words “experimentation” and “spontaneity.” His technique is fluid and organic, resulting in rich color and texture, fluctuation and movement, and emotional appeal. In this particular work of art, Matranga chooses to highlight the more abstract elements of our human nature in the way that he sculpts the face of the bust. This lifelike, fleshy ceramic face is made so intriguing with broad, overlapping shapes that tie the mood of the piece together. In my mind this artwork tells the story of someone who is blindfolded completely over one eye, but the other eye is exposed. It is almost a metaphorical message on perspective: the idea that a person will see the world differently if they know only some of all its complex details that make up what it is as a whole. I think the piece has a really powerful way of bringing into balance the worlds of sight and blindness, which helps the viewer contemplate the resulting aspects of these varied viewpoints.
The lines in the artwork help to define it creatively and boldly; the rough, jagged and thick cuts of the clay contrast interestingly with the smooth, wavy, thinner brush strokes of glaze. I think that the overall layout of lines in this piece gives the face an impression of movement. I love how the lines bring your focus outward, extending the image of this head -- and the way that they overlap, connect and transform themselves is simply breathtaking. I also believe the color scheme of the work, combined with the patterns and designs embroidered in the clay and then embellished with glaze, give the piece ancient beauty and grace. The colors of the head are all different shades and types of earth tones: there are creamy beiges, rich tans, chocolate browns, darker browns, brownish-greys and dulled peaches. Some of the colors that can be seen in the artwork are tinged with hints of light oranges and pale yellows. The designs woven into the piece also add to the larger picture; there is the standard crosshatching that many potters use to slip and score, and then on the neck in almost chalky tones there is an elegant glazed design. The effect of both aesthetic elements incorporated throughout the sculpture is awe-inspiring, and it appears as though the head bust were an artifact from ancient times -- as if the pottery statue was created centuries ago, sculpted directly from the natural clay in our soil. It reminds me of the tribal animal figures that the Native Americans sometimes made from mud, which served as part of their cultural rituals.
I think that the large pieces of clay extending from the head are made from cut slabs, which could be used as an inspirational technique for my ceramic work in the future. In my opinion clay slabs are easy to work with because they are thin and light, and provide a lot of surface area to decorate or attach to other ceramic formations. Ultimately, the aspect of this artwork that really speaks to me is the expression on the face of the sculpture. It is so mysterious and thoughtful, yet so reminiscent, wistful and tranquil at the same time. I love how the emotions conveyed in the art can be interpreted differently by every person who sees it, and how thought and feeling itself can be perceived in such an inanimate clay form. In reality human faces are able to communicate many emotions at once, and I think that Frank Matranga did an excellent job of representing this idea and giving so much life to his piece.
If the artwork was mine, I would title it “Alone With my Thoughts,” because the person portrayed in this ceramic sculpture seems isolated and relatively set apart, or separated, from the rest of society. They seem deep in thought, questioning or pondering something they are looking at. It reminds me of the times when I am staring at something to absorb its meaning, and then my vision becomes blurred and I feel dreamy -- similar to this, the sculpted person appears to be daydreaming, lost inside a completely different world within their own head. It is fascinating that I see this in a clay sculpture, even though I do not know the original intention of the artist Matranga. What I love about art is that there is no wrong way to view it, because you aren’t “supposed” to see it in a certain light. The interpretation is all up to you, and that is what makes art so interesting to look at. Another title I might give this piece is “Dreams and Memories,” because an alternative way to look at the curious blindfolded aspect of the artwork is that perhaps the eye that remains uncovered is vulnerable but also able to take in present dreams and thoughts, while the eye that is concealed is only able to reminisce about the past -- the left eye could be covered because you cannot change your memories, but the other eye is free to think and learn for the future.
If the artwork was able to make a sound, it would probably make a more quiet, thoughtful sound, rather than a sharp, raucous sound. It might make the sound “swiish,” “whooo,” or “shhhh” (any soft, peaceful noise that has an s or an h.) I think that in this piece of art, the person is possibly trying to make a decision without being noticed. They could be debating whether or not to stand up for someone in the face of a bully, or wanting to climb a schoolyard fence but not wanting to be caught. The artwork may be about oppression in society or the loneliness of being a misfit. Yet it could also be about the joy, pleasure and freedom that one feels while in solitude, for example when one is alone out in nature. The general mood of the artwork is fairly mystical and secretive, and it makes you want to sit back and think about life. I believe the motive behind the artist’s creation of this piece is that he was eager to share a mixture of different perspectives with her viewers. He probably wanted to give his audience the opportunity to interpret and analyze a piece of art by creating something with very open viewpoint and intention.
I think that the shapes, textures and colors in the artwork help to make it seem lifelike and realistic, but with a flourish of unrealistic definition as well. For example, the face itself is very human-looking, with typical eye shape, nose and mouth, while you would not often see someone wearing a blindfold that covers only one of their eyes. Also, the large, jagged slabs protruding from the face in a surrounding halo seems like an artistic touch that is meant to be less literal and more figurative.The texture of the face stays true to real life, yet the designs carved into the mane of slabs and the neck appear to be there more for intricate, structural, sculptural and aesthetic effect. It is the same with the colors and lines -- in some parts of the face, the colors and lines parallel what you would normally see, but in other parts the skin tones are vary and the thick, lined interpretations reflect a face that is focused on representing emotion rather than staying true to the literal, modern world we live in.
The color scheme used in the artwork is monochromatic, which means that all of the colors splayed throughout the piece are based on a single hue and then extended and given variation, richness and depth by the addition of neutral colors such as grey, black and white. These additions alter the shades and tones of the basic pigment, thus changing the color very slightly. When you look at a monochromatic color scheme, the energy of the piece is more distilled and dulled due to the lack of vibrant hue contrast. This is definitely what gives the piece a very tranquil, peaceful feeling -- the base hue of the sculpture is brown, which is mixed subtly with other similar colors to create the monochromatic scheme. All of the shades used in the piece are achromatic, meaning that they are lacking dominant chromatic content and are therefore said to be near neutral colors.
I think the most important part of the artwork is the one exposed eye, which most viewers will immediately be drawn to. It conveys the most emotion in the piece, and it also brings your attention to why the artist chose to hide the other eye. Frank Matranga could have made this work of art by creating a solid head bust and then hollowing out the inside so that it wouldn’t blow up in the kiln. Yet he could also have cut out a massive slab and then wrapped the slab into an upright shape to form the head. If I could ask the artist any question, I would ask him why he chose to put the blindfold at a diagonal so that it would only cover one eye, and was his reasoning was for adding the halo of slabs around the statue’s head. I would ask Matranga if it mattered which eye was hidden and what gender the statue was supposed to be, or if he hadn’t yet thought that out. I would also ask the artist if there was any specific mood he felt should be transmitted to his viewers, and if the statue was doing, thinking, or feeling anything. Finally, I would ask Frank Matranga why he chose to make the artwork, and if he had any influential or prominent inspiration.
I really like the way this artwork is so abstract and unique, and how the eye of the sculpture looks so alive and realistic. I can tell that Matranga put a lot of passion into this piece, and the result of his endeavors strongly moves me. One thing I think the artist could improve upon is showing his viewers the actual shape of the head, instead of covering it up with lots of strangely shaped slabs. I’d have wished to see the other eye, and possibly some sort of ears. In addition, I think that the glazing could have been more vibrant and finely-detailed, so that one or two features of the face can stand out, and that there also could have been a more interesting variety of texture incorporated within the piece. People should definitely see this work of art because it provides inspiration on how to make imaginative, abstract human faces -- it can also teach people to put emotion and life into their own artwork, which only serves to make your piece more intricate and intriguing! I think that some people would criticize this artwork for being unrealistic, but others (most likely the type who respect the art of Vincent van Gogh) would simply take one glance at it and proclaim it a masterpiece. Personally I admire this piece for being a true wonder in the ceramic world with its unique style and perspective, and I’d love to take the time to pore over it’s beauty in a gallery so that I could thoroughly absorb its essence. Although everyone will undoubtedly have contrasting opinions about the work of art, I think that everybody can agree this sculpture is a branch off of the norm, in the way that it mixes many different styles and techniques of pottery-building. I sincerely think this artwork is worth remembering because it sparks a sense of inspiration and creativity, puts the standards and expectations of current ceramics at new stakes, and encourages young potters to think outside of the box and create something that is phenomenal, moving and outstanding -- this type of free-flowing art has the potential for a universal legacy.
This is a slideshow of Beatrice Wood's childhood, ceramic work and artistic process: