love the editorializing at the end. we would only focus on the feel good story and the stealth ads.
Pierre Bonnard
(image upload not working for me)
I'm attempting to recreate the work of Bonnard on super-8 film. Most of the footage is solarized (exposing to colored light during processing) and the effect does a pretty good job of giving the normally dark shadow areas a colorful glow that is near the value of the highlights, a scheme he used a lot in the interior compositions with figures gathered at tables or still life's all set against windows.
Anyway, I've been scrutinizing the work and have discovered that a lot of the activities of his subjects are pretty absurd. The above piece is a good example: just what exactly is the model doing? She appears to be holding a tube of some sort of cream in her right hand and a hairbrush against her pelvis with her left. Or is it the packaging that originally contained the tube that she holds against her pelvis? I haven't found any literature. Bonnard's loose, and undefined drawing style makes it difficult to determine, but whatever she's doing seems goofy.
Bonnard is celebrated for depicting scenes of simple daily life, capturing intimate and natural moments. But I think I'm seeing something else; a controlling vision imposed upon the scene and his models, like a bad director. "Stand here, hold this box or brush against your pelvis...a little higher...Act natural" I imagine the questions from his models "What am I supposed to be doing?" "Why am I standing with one foot on a stool, naked, save these green shoes with heels, washing my leg when I could be comfortably doing this in the bathtub right behind me?" "I never do this...Ok, whatever..." and his answers "Nevermind, just do it. That's it, hold it!...Perfect!" Did any of you discuss this in art school or read about it? My memory is that we mostly just talked about his use of color and value.
Ready for round #2 ?
