And now something for my Spanish-speaking friends-

Fernando Botero es un artista muy famoso en los países del sur america y en el mundo también. Nació el 19 de abril, 1932. Su padre era un vendero pobre y murió cuando Fernando tenía solamente cuatro años, (es muy triste). Cuando él tenía doce años, él era un matador

Fernando fue a Europa en 1950 para estudiar las obras maestras del los artistas famosos del mundo. Sus modelos favoritos son: Diego Rivera, Pablo Picasso, Diego Velazquez, y Francisco Goya.

Nunca pintó la oscuridad porque creyó que la fue la enemiga de color. Usa colores vivos y fuertes porque es el estilo de la artesanía de Colombia.

Hoy, Fernando pinta la tortura y el sufrimiento de los prisioneros del Bahía Guantanamo y Abu Graib.
Mis opiniones
Espero que él continue su trabajo y tambén, espero que él regresé a sus obras felizas. Me gustan muchísimo, sus personas y figuras gordos como chorizos.

This is Botero's version of the Mona Lisa, which is quite hilarious.

I chose Fernando Botero as my third artist because he is known for painting "sausage people" which I think is ironic because in drawing class, we are suppose to avoid drawing "sausage people." I enjoy his paintings because I find it hilarious how he can make a normal person look as if they are made out of balloons on the brink of popping. I also find it funny that everyone he paints comes out looking very mascuiline, like this woman for example.

This is the cover of "Paperwork" by Jane Hammond. I found it interesting, the way that this image ties the two artists together. Both artists have works involving photographic images that show writing or drawing on human figures, however, Hammond's works are more colorful and give off a jovial vibe, while Neshat's are darker both in value and in meaning.

Shirin Neshat

This is a picture of Neshat herself. She's not exactly as tough-looking or scary as some of her work would lead you to believe. I read that she is also known for her split-screen video installations. I'll try to find some examples and post them, but considering my low technological skill level, that may be mildly difficult.

So here is the second image, I just mentioned. I like the fact that Neshat chose to use black and white photography, which makes the image even more dramatic. The use of black and white makes the woman's eyes really stand out. I also like the detail/resolution in the image. I can clearly see the texture of the cloth and the wrinkles in her burka and the individual hairs in her eyebrows. I

So I'll be honest, the gun between the feet in the previous picture is a little scary, but it's her style and I respect that, it's just not something I personally would have used in my photography. I found another very similar photograph of hers which involves a woman holding the same gun rather than the placement between the feet. It features the same text, but I find it less frightening because in the picture with the feet, you cannot clearly tell whether the figure is alive or dead.

Shirin Neshat's art deals with the Islamic idea of martyrdom, which is why her photographs are usually of Middle Eastern figures, weapons, and script. Violence is evident in her works because she was displaced from her original homeland during a revolution in 1979. During which time she came to America.

I can even see some similarities in the color choices in her works and the illustrations, although I could just be imagining these similarities altogether...maybe.

Some of Jane Hammond's works, such as the piece below(Irregular Plural, 1995, oil and mixed media on canvas),and particularly her works which use mixed media, are in my opinion, slightly reminiscent of the illustrations of Dr. Seuss. Her mark-making style and the placement of of her subjects, I think, are what have led me to this parallel. And although Dr. Seuss was a children's author, I don't mean this association in a negative way. I think that maybe her work is intended to look slightly juvenile. Her work also reminds me a little of the illustrations for Schoolhouse Rock.