Art Essay Draft

Introduction:
Technology within art has dramatically changed since the beginning of its time; this technology is continuing to keep on growing and developing along with the world around us. In today’s society modern contemporary artists incorporate various forms of digital technologies. These digital technologies are employed into the work in order to express the artists intended meanings through either a more subtle way or a more explosive way, and to enhance the overall theme of the artwork. Technological manipulation allows the artist to manipulate the piece and create an image which entwines surrealism and concepts to form a piece of work that is beyond reality. This new form of twisted reality creates a deep and meaningful impact of emotional feelings with its intended audience. One particular Australian contemporary artist, photographer Bill Henson, is just one among the many that have employed this technological enhancement into their work in order to exaggerate a raw emotion and importance; his images successfully exploit these things.
Body Paragraph One: (intention, meaning of artwork and how this is created using visual language and media aka photography and photoshop)
Bill Henson is a photographer of the human condition; an explorer of twilight zones whose work expresses his deep fascination for the experience of human growth, and the transition from a child to an adult. His artwork also further explores the transition from nature to civilisation, day to night, youth to adult hood, and the difference between the male and female body, mind and soul. Bill Henson photograph’s adolescents in remote landscapes, creating many juxtaposed images which explore difficult and confronting feelings and situations. These ideas and concepts have been portrayed within his photography by creating an almost dream-like image, using various forms of technological enhancements, such as lighting, this being Henson’s most frequently used enhancement. Bill Henson creates challenging images by photographing at twilight when the light and certainty of day is fading into an uncertain darkness, much like the feelings of adolesce filled with angst, confusion, love, lust and exploration. As well as photographing images at twilight to portray this feeling to the intended audience Bill Henson edits and enhances the light within the images. Often to darken or soften parts, whilst highlighting and brightening other areas. This supports Henson’s overall idea of human mystery, by highlighting the harshness of the image or by diming aspects in which are unspoken or yet to be discovered, it creates cinematic and surrealist photographic stories.
Body Paragraph Two: (the importance of emotional responses in engaging the viewer)
Bill Henson’s work stirs different emotional responses from a diverse group of viewers, for some Henson’s work is disturbing, and for other’s it is sensational. For 25 years of his career Bill Henson has been called controversial (The Age, 2008), but one particular work sparked extreme controversy as it featured a topless 13 year old girl and various adolescence in provocative situations. “The object in my artwork is not always the subject”, quotes Bill Henson, implying that although his artwork may feature naked adolescence and underage drinking and lust it is much more than that. The images challenge the audience to work in order to understand its true nature. Bill Henson says that he “Feels that he has succeeded if more questions are generated than answered, and believes the strongest criticism comes from those who are uncomfortable with not knowing the answers to the questions posed. I believe the strongest criticism comes from those who are uncomfortable with not knowing the answers to the questions posed.” Emotional responses from the viewer regarding Bill Henson’s work are extremely important, as that is what his art strives to conger up.
Body Paragraph Three: The role of surrealism
Bill Henson’s work creates an image much-like reality but depicts many elements of surrealism. Henson creates surrealism by highlighting isolation and dislocation by capturing a scene from afar, a boy and a girl embracing, an intoxicated touch, a louring of emotions and a look of uncertainty. In order to capture the softness, moody and sensuality of light, his work is photographed at twilight and then enhanced and highlighted through editing of lighting to create images much like (image one) which looks as though she is floating among the city lights, the stars leaving her and the lights with no disturbance. By not only leaving the focus of the image to consists of one or two highlights things, the subject is often places in an awkward position or an instant movement to development dreamlike body positioning which you would only catch a glimpse of in reality. The waste and loss of teenage youth is also expressed by detaching the viewer by averting there gaze or staring blankly towards something inspiring questions of whether or not there mind is present within the situation or lost within the dream life they have chosen to live. The camera angles, un-focused images and fixed lenses enhance selected areas within the photograph in order to detail and/or blur areas which should be left to the imagination. Bill Henson’s Work Untitled (1995-1996) employs surrealism by altering the lighting, positioning and the focus of the subjects to create something dream-like and challenging. By using various techniques to alter the initial position of certain subjects it creates surrealism.
Conclusion:
The Conclusion ~ the conclusion should match the introduction in terms of the ideas presented and the argument put forward. Sometimes you will find that the process of writing has changed what you have argued and so it will be necessary to go back and reword the introduction. Finally, the conclusion is not the place in your essay to introduce new information or new ideas: these should be in the body of our essay. This is where you synthesise your research and findings.