Dorothea Tanning On Time Off Time Why I

Dorothea Tanning On Time Off Time

Why I chose it • My main reason for choosing On Time Off Time and the reason it caught my eye during my first visit to the Museum of Modern Art was its surrealist quality, with similarities to Magritte and Dali • I have always been drawn to surrealism, the ability it has to make you think and question so I believe subconsciously I knew going in that I wanted to focus on a painting of that genre.

In the Museum • On the 4 th floor of the Museum of Modern Art. The painting is 14 1/8 x 20 ½. • Even though the painting is of fairly large size I feel it gets lost because it is on a floor with “big name” artists such as Jackson Pollack, who has almost an entire room

• Words that come to mind: Elements, women nature • At first view the element to the left resembles a women of longing, the element being fire. – Why is this curvaceous women portrayed in this way and with this element? – Is it supposed to be a woman?

Throughout my Observations

• The character spitting water contains the only cool colors in the piece • The geometric structure organizes the whole piece. • Divided into 6 sections • Flat with not depth • The black outline forces the structure into the foreground

• The objects are about equal distance from eachother • There is no real rhythm to the piece • Your eye is centered in the piece • The elements appear like they were carefully and purposely place where they are.

Surrealism Painted at the height of surrealism The term surrealism means “above reality” Surrealism gained popularity in the 1920 s. After WWI artists believed that surrealism could best express the uncounsious • Jung believes everyone has the knowledge to understand their feelings through the art they observe • Freud did not believe in the unconscious mind • •

Research

Tanning • “A Biography for me, if it isnt a fragrant lie is, at best, a distorting mirror. ” • Born in Galesburg Illinois • Studies art in Chicago • Married Max Ernst in a double ceremony • At the end of her life she concentrated more on poetry • Passed away at 101 in NYC in 2012

• Known for her representational and peculiar paintings with recurring elements • Most popular work is Birthday

• She painted On Time Off Time in 1948 • “What I remember most about this picture is the support. IT was a piece of wonderful linen that I stretched and prepared myself. It was the only time I ever did any such thing. And then of course when I was done, I felt I had to make some rare precious picture on it, and I think the words I used were the key to the enigmatic quality that I wanted. ” • Tanning never explains what the words mean • Critics think that the images are a result of child abuse

After Thoughts • after reading more about Dorothea Tanning, especially about the kind of imagery she was known for, the feeling of the piece made more sense to me and the relationship between the images. Furthermore even if I did not agree with the outsider’s opinion it was interesting to read about critics theories behind the reasons for the images in her pieces.