AFFANDI Flashcards
keywords: expressionism (inspo by van gogh), wavy lines which make his work fluid, dynamic, and rhythmic. use of primary colours, swift and strong movements. repetition of wavy and fluid lines evoke sense of energy
his artistic beliefs
he painted the reality of the everyday struggles and life of ordinary people, he rejected the colonial perspectives of seeing indonesia and bali as an “idealised paradise”
painting style
expressionism, seen in both “the three expressions of affandi” and “self-portrait”. (defining expressionism: a modernist art movement and expresses meanings/emotional experience rather than physical reality)
techniques in creating art
he directly squeezes the paint from its tube onto the canvas, and uses the back of his hands to produce curvy lines. he completes paintings in a short amount of time, reflecting a mixture of instinct, sense and awareness towards his object. he also makes his artworks outdoors
processes; use of hands
he uses his hands so that he can be directly connected with his artwork, unlike the use of a brush. by using his hands, lines are more expressive, fluid and dynamic. allows for a wavy texture which is unlike canvas paintings
processes; squeezing paint directly onto canvas
realised that his lines were much more lively, and there is a sense of immediacy where he is forced to mix the colours on the canvas itself
processes; working outdoors
allows for the creation of quick impressions, as well as **focus more on the big picture **rather than the smaller details in his painting
The Three Expressions of Affandi
art style in this artwork
expressionism (expresses his feelings and emotions) and impressionism (strokes like van gogh)
The Three Expressions of Affandi
use of colour
the 3 faces painted with red, green and yellow. he uses these colours to represent a part of his emotion; red represents anger, yellow represents happiness, green represents sadness. colours in the background appear to be made out of mostly yellow and red, with intertwining wavy lines of green. there is also no use of tonal values on the faces
The Three Expressions of Affandi
use of lines (part 1)
repetition of wavy lines are highly energetic. since the lines are expressive and varied, they capture affandi’s transition between different expressions and emotions
The Three Expressions of Affandi
use of lines (part 2)
most of his lines are left unblended and there are gaps between them. together with the translucent patches of green and red, the lines make the three expressions appear apparitional
The Three Expressions of Affandi
use of lines (part 3)
the wavy lines create a rhythmic movement as it makes readers’ eyes follow the lines to depict the faces of the artist in the artwork. they are thick, thin, and messy
The Three Expressions of Affandi
movements
different lines gave off a spontaneous feel - brush movements were quick and swift, like it was done on impulse. lack of uniformity, but accentuates the fluidity of the artwork. this gives off a sense of freedom, like he had no constraints while doing the artwork.** thick impasto techniques** in his strokes
The Three Expressions of Affandi
influences
van gogh: similar brush strokes, painting images of suffering artists and creates a sense of empathy for human suffering
western art: self-portraits represented inner spirit, and affandi shifted to a more expressionistic art style rather than focusing on anatomical portrayals of himself
traditional art: wayang puppets; straight looking but curved at the top and end
The Three Expressions of Affandi
analysis
places creativity of gratification of emotions and instincts to create beauty that developed in creation proccess. self-portraits allowed him to record his physical and psychological changes. he painted only the truth - rather than pursuing facial resemblance, expressive portraits were emotional representatives of his state of mind. paintings were not images of self-obsession and vanity, but windows to his own spiritual progress
Self-Portrait
use of colour (part 1)
mix of primary colours annd secondary colours used - red, yellow, green. there is also a hint of brown undertones. emphasis on his face is created with the contrast of cool green in the background and warm brown on his face
Self-Portrait
use of colour (part 2)
mainly warm colours; earthy brown and flesh undertones
minimal cool colours in the background; they have a receding effect which makes the face stand out
colours are largely exaggerated and detached from reality
Self-Portrait
subject matter
downcast eyes and mouth of broken teeth; he is an aging artist, yet exudes confidence and passion. he is gazing directly at the viewer which shows that he is aware of his success, yet realises the frailty of his physical self.
Self-Portrait
his intention
expression of the self - the expressive, tumultuous lines can convey the tumultuous emotions that he is facing
Self-Portrait
art style
post-impressionism style
Self-Portrait
oil paint trails (part 1)
the oil paint trails cover most of the canvas; background layers are mainly smudges, such as the green smudge (desc where they’re placed) and shades of brown in the right and centre of affandi’s face. these layers are mostly made of short, fluid, wavy, dynamic, and unblended line trails
oil paint trails (part 2)
some of these line trails represent his features (hair, mustache, beard, nose, eyes and lips, wrinkles etc.) viewers can see this as they are unblended and there are gaps between them most of the time. repetition of wavy and fluid line trails project a sense of energy
Self-Portrait
use of background
parts of the background are left unpainted. the distinction between in the background and the face is purposely made not clear (some of his features aren’t even painted) and this gives an illusion that there are holes in his face and that there are transparent parts that allow viewers to see the background of the painting
Self-Portrait
brush strokes
strong movement, expressive tension. thick impasto technique. expressive strokes from expressionism era, like van gogh. curvilinear and wavy lines that help define affandi’s face
Self-Portrait
analysis
daring to portray physical flaws (such as broken teeth and thinning hair). affandi conveys that age and appearance doesn’t matter - personality and passion is what truly counts. wide grin and vibrant colours evokes a sene of dynamism and passion despite old age.
