Assignment #3- Art Criticism

Many of the artworks in the McMaster gallery are used with dark colors of many shades.  They all give an intense feeling, at least that's how I felt when looking at some of the artworks in the gallery.  The artworks express an edgy look that makes you think what each of the artists were trying to get across when creating the artwork.

When looking around the gallery, I was awestruck by the self portrait of Melissa Cook in a series named, "You Know Me Better Than I Know Myself: Removed But Still There".  Created in 2009, Melissa Cook used powered graphite on paper to express the "latent darkness and sexuality inside all of us".  Through her entire series, she includes self portraits while using different props and scenarios.  This particular piece is very large and uses many shades of the powdered graphite to create a dark look that expressed the darkness inside all of us.  The lines of her collar bones create tension and provide the piece with the intense feeling of darkness.  Also, the nose, eyes, and lips become a major focus of the piece as they are very large.  This piece gave me a feeling of helplessness and a need for some help.  I am not sure why I perceived this piece in this way.  I had a feeling of loneliness as well.  Through the description that was shown by the piece, the point of this was to show the darkness and sexuality that is in all of us.  The darkness expresses the loneliness as well as the possibility of scandal that I felt when looking at this piece.  I really enjoyed this piece.  I was completely drawn to it when walking into the gallery in McMaster.  I feel as though this piece expresses what many people feel inside.