Morimura+appropriation

'Blinded by the light', Morimura

' The parable of the blind', Bruegel

Examine the ways that ‘Blinded By The Light’ by Morimura, can be interpreted and understood using the Postmodern and Structural Frames. = __Introduction__ = The artwork I will be examining is ‘Blinded by the light’//, 1991// by the artist Yasumasa Morimura. It is an appropriation of the //painting ‘The parable of the blind’, 1568 by// the artist Pieter Bruegel The original artwork is a religious painting, representing a chain of events. It is a visual demonstration of the verse from Matthew (14:14), ‘If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch’’. This is shown through the composition of the subjects in the painting. The subjects are all connected to each other, composed in a diagonal line by holding one another’s shoulders. The man leading the others has fallen to the ground, therefore resulting in the other men falling as well. Morimura has appropriated this work by modernising the subjects too today’s generation inorder for the audience to feel more connected with the image. The composition is very similar as the diagonal positioning leads the eye from the top left corner to the man fallen in the ditch. = __Body__ = The artwork 'Blinded by the light', by Morimura has beens digitally altered. Morimura has kept the background from the original artwork 'The parable of the blind', by Bruegel but changed the costuming, coloring and message

Begin your examination by stating the visual links between the original and the appropriation

Include how the visual codes can be understood by an audience eg. what symbols, visual codes etc convey meaning //The reason why (name the artist) has chosen to appropriate (name the artwork) is because…….. He has done this by (go into detail by stating and elaborating on the visual links between the original and the appropriation)//

//Talk about the work using the postmodern and structural (the following are some questions to consider)//

//Ideas that challenge the mainstream//
Is it mainstream or is it outside the mainstream? What is appropriated, quoted from another source? Explain the source and what meaning is added. Does this produce humor, irony, parody, wit, playfulness? What is omitted or disregarded? What is re-configured and reinterpreted? What is challenged in social cultural values, beliefs, spiritual/secular, power authorities? What is challenged in art practices–classifications, conventions, art movements/styles? What is challenged about art history, the masterpiece, art for art’s sake, the role of art?

Communication, system of signs
Describe the visual language of line, shape, colour, texture, tone, focal point, visual devices lighting, composition, 3D space. What style, or period, or art movement? What materials and processes are used? What other use do found objects have? What symbolic value do the above convey? Why were these symbols, signs selected? What are the relationships between the symbols, signs? What formal conventions are shown eg perspective, tonal modeling? What cultural conventions are shown eg landscape, nude? How do all of these explain the world at the time and now?

__Conclusion__
Summary of main points