My thoughts on others' thoughts on the 4 Artists

My fellow classmates probably had the least to say about Teun Hocks. His humor is appreciated by all. Most agree that his works are surreal and dreamy, and are not so dark conceptually, as say, Crewdson or Wall.

Many students appreciated Cindy Sherman's images for being B&W, claiming that it did not detract from her images, but rather strengthened  them. Many commented on a cinematic feel, as if each image were a scene from an old movie, but I particularly like Adriana's observation that they reminded her of a b-movie. I agree with Katie's assertion that although Sherman's images feature herself, they are not self portraits, but instead are portraits of womankind or the concept of woman. 

Crewdson seems to be the most thoroughly discussed artist. A few said Crewdson's works were peaceful, but most agreed on an unsettling feeling. Amy thought his works evoked anxiety, isolation, and fear. Many of us agree that the perspective Crewdson uses, is the driving force in creating a "cinematic" (Katie), and a vacant feel (Andrew).  His work is a snapshot of a moment; as Adriana puts it, he gives you the "crucial instance of an unspoken overarching story-line."

Andrew commented that Jeff Wall's images speak of themes of urban decay. Many commented on the tension in the images, and that being equated to societal tensions. Bryan and Brittney, among others, appreciated the insight that the artist offers into his works, through his lengthy descriptions of both the image and the concept behind it.