It’s a great feeling coming across an exhibition of your most inspirational artists in the Tate. Jenny Saville, Lucian Freud, Giaccometti along with many other artists displayed a few of their pieces based on the human body and human emotions.
Jenny Saville is an incredible contemporary painter who focuses on the body, its image, as well as portraying a grotesque piece for the audience to experience. I was always taught to always work from life, where possible, however, Saville does the opposite and always studies from images. She mostly works from her own body so photos are the easier option for this because her work takes a long time to create and her body will easily change positioning and angle. This does give Saville a disadvantage in the fact that she is working from the interpretation of the camera and not of her own eyes.
Jenny Saville Reverse 2002-03, Courtesy of Larry Gagosian
Lucian Freud, another contemporary painter similar to Saville, is an artist I’ve enjoyed the work or because he captures the body and emotion using a mixture of acrylic and oil paint. Although I am not a keen painter I am fascinated by his ability to express his personal feelings in his work. He experienced many truma’s during the Holocaust. You are able to see the prolonged effects of this in his work. I am particularly interested in his figurative work because they really portray a sense of disbelief and tiredness which I find very calming and peaceful.
Lucian Freud 1996, Sleeping by the Lion Carpet
When attempting to convey a strong emotion towards a matter or experience, the work does not have to be aggressive and harsh but can give the impression of boredom towards the ongoing affect.
