Andy and Ana Essay

"Truth Lies Within The Art"

During the modern days of the 1900s, there were two distinct artists whom presented unique artwork that each influenced different approaches of self-identity. Andy Warhol and Ana Mendieta were the iconic artistic masters who played a role in the art world to expose the reality of hidden truths. Each of them constructed a vision of what a controversial image would appear to them. Ana Mendieta focused on the origin between life and women. Andy Warhol had figuratively intervened a glossy-produced screen between his viewers and the existence. The connection within their artwork attributes a significant meaning to society that ignorance and avoidance will not make things disappear. Ana and Andy had short-term lives, but left with a long-term impact on revealing the brutal real world.

The prevalent themes in each of their work were expressed from their own experiences that we can actually relate to. Andy Warhol's style was postmodernism pop art that led to high art. He states: 

"How can you say one style is better than another? You ought to be able to be an Abstract Expressionist next week or a Pop artist, or a realist, without feeling you've given up something ... I think that would be so great, to be able to change styles. And I think that's whats is going to happen, that's going to be the whole new scene." 

The combination of pop culture and the world of art pursued an ambition to use subjects that were not normally used. Andy looked at the people in the future who were beauties and talkers, which was the wrong material for his work. He was the receiver of ideas, not the generator, someone with a creative developing mind.  His manners consisted of an open-minded movement. "Manners are about strategies of social exclusion; they define the individual's thresholds of tolerance, of what is acceptable or not" (Finkelstein 78). The paintings, photographs, and visual art videos had models that were out of the ordinary, like cross-dressers. To Andy, it was an ideal art form. Ana Mendieta was influenced by tragedies like nature, domestic violence, feminism, male degradation, and rape. Her work did not revolve around media nor society, unlike Warhol's inspiration. She traveled to various locations to capture emotional connections with the earth by featuring silhouttes of her naked body.

As time passed by, these individuals came from difficult backgrounds, but used it to their advantage to better themselves. Andy Warhol grew up with illnesses, no income, and a sense of isolation from society. It was a struggle for him to communicate with others, and to deal with issues of his skin and neurological disorder. Eventually, he got recognized for his work, but that did not people from criticizing him. Gay accussations, and insults about his odd personality. However, he never let bad comments bother him. It encouraged him to continue showing his work as long as people talked about him. Ana Mendieta, as a young child, has been through a lot since arriving to the United States from Cuba. She was seperated from family then put into an orphanage. During that time, Cuba and the U.S. were sought as enemies. She was often called terrible names for her being a minority and woman. It was a inspiration to join the feminist movement.

Fame contributed differently to these each of these artists. Andy Warhol used it to his advantage to aim for film in Hollywood and to gain networking with successful people. Unfortunately, Ana Mendieta did not have the opportunity to experience the recognition of her work. She was killed by her husband in the most tragic way. She passed away in the similar scenary as her silhouttes artwork on top of a roof. Instead of her memory fading away, her work is being recognized more and more.

These artists invented themselves through the presentation of these works. Each of them wanted to express their individuality in each self-portrait. To express their emotion, and inner  self to others so everyone can understand their perspective of certain events. The art has meaning, but it is up to us to figure out what it truly means to us. "Today we see the art of the past as nobody saw it before. We actually perceive it in a different way" (Berger 16). Self portraiture is coming back in the most revealing method through art. 

                       

"Mao" and "Marilyn Diptych"

"I am a Woman; I am Blood"

"Earth Body Works"  

References:

Berger, John. Ways of Seeing: Based on the BBC Television Series with John Berger. British Broadcasting Corp., 2012.
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/warhol-marilyn-diptych-t03093

Finkelstein, Joanne. The Art of Self Invention: Image and Identity in Popular Visual Culture. I.B. Tauris, 2007.

https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/earth-body-works-by-ana-mendieta/

https://www.widewalls.ch/artist/ana-mendieta/

https://guyhepner.com/artist/andy-warhol-art-prints-paintings/mao-by-andy-warhol/
https://www.theartstory.org/artist-mendieta-ana.htm