Matthew Barney works in various mediums including sculpture, photography, drawing, and film. As I was browsing online and thinking of random artist his name came to mind and I needed to refresh myself on his work. Upon finding his website online and doing research I came across some interesting grotesque yet gorgeous photos. It may be cliche to call a photo beautiful or gorgeous but the controversy conveyed through the images of ugly vs beautiful is captivating. He worked on a series of films titled the "Cremaster Cycle" in which he explores ideas of transformation and metamorphic change from the human body into sea creatures/ mammals. The film was said to be one of the most brilliant avant-garde cinema. The still image of the two "guest" engaging in passionate and intimate conversation through actions of kissing and mutilation draws the viewer in from content to composition. The space created is so intimate in conjunction with the "guest" actions that it forces one to wonder where they are and why they have knifes in their hands. This is the relationship within photos that pulls me in. That mental stimulation created through controversy of content that causes the viewer to go beyond what they are given in the image to connect a story line. One in which can be of pure interpretation from what is given or literal analyzations from symbols to formal aspects of the image. This image for me does all of that in one. Barney chose a hues that sets a specific mood with slightly awkward juxtapositions of poses along with the perspective created by the formal lines of the architectural squares that get so abruptly cut off that it allows the image to be intimate and uncomfortable at the same time. Many of the other images from this work are stellar in content and formal composition and would be interesting in a polyptych.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawing_Restraint_9
http://enews.art-signal.com/2007/09/27/olafur-elliasson-y-kjetil-thorsen-disenan-el-serpentine-gallery-pavilion-2007-de-londres/
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