Arizabeth Baez Influences In Art Practices

 1. Who are the 5 artists you chose?

The five artists that I chose were Graciela Iturbide, 

2. What were the themes the artists addressed about making work?

Graciela Iturbide- she would show around Frida Kahlo's Museum and talk about the photographs she has taken. She would have been part of the Communist Party years ago, allowing her to hide people in her house. She would always prefer shooting photos of men and women more dignified way. She prefers being part of the community and blending in with them and avoiding objective manners towards them. Her theme was identity, ritual, and culture. 

Richard Mosse- His work captures all that the camera cannot see. He explores places like forests. While inside these places, he documents and photographs what is currently happening. He focuses on places that are not there anymore, for example, a place that has a landscape that is barely visible. A theme he focuses on is "what the camera cannot see," like human crisis and natural chaos. For exmaple as he stated, " you can't see a breath, a sweat". This is more emotion-based instead of visually appealing to the audience.

Richard Misrach- His theme would focus on "never the same". He realizes that the same object or place can never be the same. In this case, he would visit the Golden Bridge, and it was never the same when he visited.

Barry McGee- His theme would focus on urban decay and focusing on the inner-city life. He talked about trains and people signing them their own way. Barry tends to do art his own way and tags trains, walls, and more. But other than that, he created mannequins that are showing "them doing what Barry did". Almost like sculptures in action. He would recreate the situations he was in.

Julie Mehretu- Her theme for her work is based on murals. She would look at her work from all different angles and see that it's different. She tries to have her work in general be bright on its own.

3. What were the challenges the artists faced in making their work? 

Graciela Iturbide-  Some of the challenges she would end up facing were social, personal, and artistic. Meaning, her signature style of being "documentary-poetic" would force her go to emotional, cultural, and political places. Apart from this, her daughter of only 6 years old, died in an accident in 1970, thus having her do photography as a way to grieve.

Mujer Angel 1979

Richard Mosse would face challenges such as technical difficulties and spend hours because of the camera overheating while trying to record certain shots.

Of Lillies and Remains 2012

Richard Misrach- As far as it was known, there were no challenges that he faced.

Desert Fire 1983

Barry McGee- He would face scrutiny by addressing personal addictions, and people would steal his public art. 

Today Pink 2002

Julie Mehretu- She would face challenges like Covid impacts and forced migration.

4. What were the inspirations you drew from the artists? 

After seeing Graciela's work in person, it really inspired me to travel more and to go to more places where I am from (Mexico), and document many places that exist to this day. Her courage to be willing to be more intimate and personal with everyone is truly amazing, and hope to reach that level of confidence one day.

Ricard Mosee makes you want to document more of the places that are in trouble almost every day. It wakes you up and tells you that not everything is fine.

Richard Misrach inspires me to be more attentive to certain places or objects. We can see the place a million times and think it looks the same always, but that's not true. He proved me wrong, and I would like to discover it for myself. 

Barry McGee- He inspired me to be freer and see around how humans think and are creative to do what they do. For some, it can be a crime, and for others, it is a form of expression.

Julie Mehretu- For sculptures or wall installations, it is important to remember that the audience can see it from many angles. You can not just see it one way but in other ways.

5. What were the things you would like to incorporate into your own work after watching these videos?

 After watching all the videos, I would say I have to be more open and freer while taking photographs. As well as remembering that there is more than one way that the audience can see it. Also, focus on katest prchaos if picking a theme.