Essay Example on Adam Harrison: Redefining Space Through Art

Adam Harrison had his first institutional solo exhibition that he named "place". The current display is on the ocean gallery that includes the art known as "long beach, near campus" among others. The venue of the artwork shows a perfect setting for large-scale landscapes that represent the location of the long beach. Adam lived and worked in South Carolina, where he built a practice that redefined the traditional methods of portraying a physical space on the canvas.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

In art, Harrison reimagines the approaches to conventional landscape painting. He uses a unique amalgamation of working from real-life observation and also memory. He spent quite a number of months working on painting the location from the point of fixed vantage. Harrison is able to develop an intimate familiarity with the surroundings. He uses the understanding of the subject to complete the work from memory. It results in a finished product that combines the physical aspects of space with the impression left on the people that visit it.

The art composition includes a land and sea-scape. There is a glimpse of realistic red-tiled roofs with a combination of abstract forms that evoke the land and water (Berkoff). The other walls of the art gallery have water views and some urban areas close to the beach. Harrison selected a colour palette that helps create a thread throughout the painting. This form of technique helps to provide a fullness and texture to the subjects. As an artist, Adam integrates himself into a neighbourhood to create the art. This way, he is able to incorporate the things he sees into artwork, resonating strongly with the city he inhabits.

The stylistic characteristics of the art are naturalistic and expressive. The painting shows the natural areas as they look or supposed to look. There is a beach, along with the land containing buildings. These are typical of coast areas hence the naturalistic characteristic. There is a depiction of realistic objects in a natural setting. This way, it is easy to tell things apart, such as the landmarks and the sea scale. The artwork tries to render the reality of the subject matter without concerns for the constraints of convention or the notions of beautiful (Berkoff). It depicts the human subject and the formative relationships with the natural habitat, which in this case is the sea.

Naturalism in the art context breeds the characteristic of realism. The focus is on the scenes of everyday life. A beach tends to have the same features as those portrayed by Harrison. His imagination and observation of the beach generalize the view even from other places. In realism, there is the integration of a human figure into an enveloping landscape or scenario.

The art is also expressive in that it includes a design that has opportunities to be creative and imaginative. One experiences the inspiration and enjoyment to develop the skills while recognizing and representing feeling and emotions (Berkoff). It expresses in details the nature of a beach and its relation with the land. Harrison reveals the land and seascape with a glimpse of roofs s from the colour palate.

In terms of line, Harrison uses contours and cross contours. They are helpful in defining the outermost edges and the dramatic changes of the plane within the form. Harrison makes distinct features of the land and sea. These areas are distinguishable from a mere look. Inland, Harrison uses contours to verify the buildings and the vegetation. The goal of contour drawing is to make a line that is authentic and true to what someone actually sees and also train the hand to copy the movement of the eye (Berkoff). The fact that the art is from a series of observations makes it clear on the reason for contour lines.

The use of cross contours by Harrison shows the drawings travelling across the form. The cross contours tend to follow the structure of the surface area. Harrison uses curved lines over spherical planes like the clouds and straight lines across flat surfaces like the roads on the land. One can tell all the objects in the drawing apart. It is incredible how he pulls all things together from his observation while putting in the expertise.

Harrison uses bright light to depict a clear sky and daylight. The lighting of artwork is essential in supporting the meaning of the artwork. He uses intense lighting to create definite highlights and shadows which help in enhancing the physical form of objects. One can tell that the drawing reflects the mid-morning when the sun is high up. In this case, the light becomes the primary medium of expression. The main light source is from the sun, and it is consistent throughout the art. One crucial way that Harrison uses light to achieve a particular effect is making a sharp contrast between dark and light. The parts that are not hidden get illuminated by sunlight while hidden elements such as under the bridge are dark.

Harrison makes good use of colour to create his individuality and fare. More so, he uses colour to enhance the environment. Similarly, it is to evoke a certain mood and create a sharp response from the viewer. Generally, the art can be described a beautiful because the use of bright colours is meant to make viewers happy.

The texture of the art is smooth and shiny. There is a reflection of more light to create a fresh impression. There are repeating patterns in the art to help unify the different parts into a whole (Harrison). The designs include the use of repeated shape, colour or other elements of art. However, the repetition is limited to different instances, but all of them tend to create a pattern or rhythm hence reinforcing certain aspects of work.

There is the presence of abstract elements in terms of shapes. They are as a result of the deliberate arrangement by the artist. Such include the round shape of the building, the flat sky, thin round posts and the shapeless beach with all manner of corners. The overall way and orientation of the artwork is landscape (Harrison). The format is influenced by practical considerations such as display constraints and screen sizes. Images fit perfectly in the frame, and the form is appropriate for the subject matter.

Conclusion

Generally, Adam Harrison makes a bright canvas of predictable events and high-level exhibition. It is excellent that Harrison reimagines the approaches to conventional landscape painting. He uses a unique amalgamation of working from real-life observation and also memory. Harrison selected a colour palette that helps create a thread throughout the art. This form of technique helps to provide a fullness and texture to the subjects.

Works Cited

Berkoff, Nancy. Eye on art: solo look at environs. The Grunion. (2019). Retrieved from http://www.gazettes.com/entertainment/arts/reviews/eye-on-art-solo-look-at-environs/article_a7d64962-f388-11e9-875f-eff5ffd033a5.html

Harrison Adam. Adam Harrison art. Artsy. (2019)Retrieved from https://www.artsy.net/artist/adam-harrison