Michael Tyrrell - Museum Art

"Self portrait as the other thief"

·                I consider this work to be art as there are many elements of style, coloration, and theme that blend together conveying a message in overall appealing fashion. Despite its aesthetic appeals, the biggest criteria I consider when deciding whether something is or is not art is if it is delivering more elusive content in a clever way. Oftentimes, art forces its audience to observe what is happening with extreme care in order to appreciate the true takeaway.

·                What first drew my attention to the painting were the giant wooden effigies being burnt as well as the fallen religious symbols, which serve as memories of past systems that have failed. The image features all kinds of extraordinary events that often make the audience feel overwhelmed. The collection as a whole is hard to ignore, with hundreds of small details embedded into each painting in the gallery. A quick observation of these works of art is simply impossible, as they require your time and attention in order to achieve a true understanding of what is before ones eyes. Another aspect of this painting, and gallery as a whole, would be the titles of the work, which in most cases begin with ‘Self portrait as …’. I found this to be incredibly intriguing, as in most cases these works depicted supernatural personas, and in some cases with no living being at all.

·                This art is featured in the "When the Water Rises" gallery by Julie Hefernan, on the second furthest to the left of the back wall. This location is ideal, as it is what viewers first see walking into the room. Another key physical feature of the artwork is that the canvas itself is extremely large compared to most, taking up nearly all the space from the ceiling to the floor. Granted, most of this particular gallery features large in size works of art.

·                The main tree in the foreground depicts high in the branches, landmarks, homes, and government with dozens of people climbing desperately upwards - depicting mans desire to achieve these elements of our society. These objects, however, are smaller than the people than themselves, perhaps suggesting what we strive for is ultimately unimportant. At the base of the tree appears a sinister looking cat of prey, stalking the primitive looking humans in their attempt to climb the tree. Overall, the painting depicts a ruinous landscape, yet also quite scenic and beautiful at the same time, with a wonderful body of water under tall, muddy cliffs.