Post Modernism Work

The piece is an attempt at post-modernism and focuses on two portraits of Thomas Hobbes and Thomas Jefferson. The technique is a combination of photoshop techniques, cut out photographs and alterations with brightly colored paints to make a 2D work. The physical limitations are due to the medium, which prohibit extremely fine details. In relation to this, there is a limited hand of the artist, which allows focus to be on the subject. The composition is symmetrical due to the focal point of the two portraits. The main lines are the implied line between the two portraits and the black border, which keeps your eye moving around the work. The shape of the work in its entirety is regular with irregular, organic shapes in between and surrounding the border to show contrast. Furthermore, there is a rectilinear movement in contrast with the organic shapes inside of the work. Due to the portraits and border, the piece has three dark centers while the center has very bright, whimsical, neon colors. Finally, the color scheme is analogous because it focuses on the blue, purple and pink colors.

The Denotative elements of the work are primarily the different photographs in the piece. The focal points, the two portraits, are portraits of Thomas Hobbes and Thomas Jefferson. The photos that surround them are of women, alcohol/bars, protests, revolutions, slavery, and prostitutes. The organic images and bright colors contrast with the dark Neoclassical paintings in order to show a degree of separation.  The connotative element is that Hobbes and Jefferson are some of the primer enlightenment thinkers of the time. This being said the work shows how “unenlightened” they really are because they direct manifestos, ideologies and versions of democracy directly correlate to the scenes behind them. Their level of exclusion directly influenced social issues of the 20^th and 21^st century. The ideological aspect of the work is derived from Jean Baudrillard’s quotation “the secret of theory is that truth does not exist.” These two men dedicated their lives to the development of theories of truth yet they failed to grasp simple truths such as “all men are created equal,” despite prophesizing it. They’re lack of understanding of truth resulted in the fragility of social constructs in today’s society. Although they were expectational thinkers, they were too weak to overcome the social boundaries of the time.