Emma Case 11/2/17 Show Proposal Art 1020

Seeing is Believing

Exhibition Description: Seeing is Believing explores the idea of how we as human beings, with our unique human

experiences, perceive art. Perception is the way in which art is appreciated, explored, and

communicated. This show invites you to examine your own perceptions of each art piece you

encounter, investigate where your emotions and feelings tied to each artwork come from, and

realize how another may perceive the same piece. Art relating to abstraction in particular lends

itself to this exploration of where we find meaning in pieces, that in some ways, could be

considered to have no apparent meaning at all. However, even in realistic photography, or other

forms of realism, there is always an opportunity for interpretation. In many cases, the intent of

the artist affects the understanding of a piece. However, it can sometimes be even more

interesting to devise an analysis of your own. Through the work of Mark Bradford, Hiroshi

Sugimoto, Ruth Asawa, Franz Kline, Tara Sellios, and Hong Hong, see a variety of pieces that

tease the mind, and may leave it wanting more information, instruction, or guidance. This is

where perception steps in, allowing that which you perceive, to be that which you believe about a

piece and its meaning.

Artists and pieces included in the show: Contemporary artists: Mark Bradford Hiroshi Sugimoto Black Mountain College artists: Ruth Asawa Franz Kline Artists found online: Hong Hong Tara Sellios Mark Bradford #1 “Bread and Circuses”

Hiroshi Sugimoto #2 “Polar Bear”

#3 “Lightning Fields”

Ruth Asawa #4 “Untitled S.437”

#5 “Untitled S.122”

Franz Kline #6 “Chief”

#7 “Laureline”

Hong Hong #8 Hand-made paper by Hong Hong

#9“Moon River VIII”

Tara Sellios #10 Number 7 from the series “Testimony”

#1-3, & 6-10 will be hung on the wall. #4 & 5 will be installed hanging from the ceiling.

Explanation: My show, Seeing is Believing, displays the idea of perception, and the ways in which we

view things. That is, how we see things as artists, students, teachers, and as people in general.

When anyone is looking at art, they automatically perceive it in a particular way. This relates to

their background, personal experiences, lifestyle, and opinions created throughout their lives.

Because of these factors, it is impossible for two people to perceive any piece of art in exactly

the same way. But this fact is simply another component to the art piece itself. It takes on a life

of its own in the mind of each person who lays eyes on it.

In Mark Bradford’s work, his unique abstract pieces can be seen as alluding to a grid, or

map of some sort. This is due to our perception and connections we are able to make in our

minds, because in truth, the painting is not a map at all. Hiroshi Sugimoto’s photography is

especially interesting as well because many of his photographs contain scenes that play with our

perception. In “Polar Bear,” it appears to be a scene in nature with a polar bear and a seal it has

killed. However, in reality it is a display in a natural history museum. Artwork can play visual

tricks, exemplified in Ruth Asawa’s wire sculptures which can create the perception of being a

two-dimensional line drawing. Whether intentional or not, whenever we view any art form, we

are perceiving it, and believing it to be the way we perceive it. This show allows people to

explore this idea down many different paths.