Self Portrait Victor Brauner, 1923
Inspiration images:
BIG IDEA
Identity
What is a self Portrait?
Artist Background:
Victor Brauner was part of the Surrealist movement. He rarely painted himself with two eyes. He either obstructs one eye or paints it as a mechanism or wound. In 1938 Brauner lost an eye while trying to break up a bar fight.
Essential Discussion Questions:
What do we know about Surrealists? What were they often trying to communicate in their work?
What do we know about this artist's personal history that would change our view of this painting in comparison with his other paintings?
What does the image communicate to the viewer when an eye is obstructed?
What is important about "eyes?" (In a painting why is it important we see both eyes, why is important the figure does or doesn't make eye contact with the viewer, etc)
What can we say about ourselves through self-portraits? How might we do this?
Activity:
Create a self-portrait in which you add or subject an important object or body part. What would you like this to communicate to the viewer?
Artist Journal Entry
Big Idea pages 3 and 4
Identity
The surrealists were about changing the way we think of about art and were early post modernists as their work was very much about meaning and a response to the wars and the time of uncertainty. This artist has an issue with his eye and you asked a good question:"What is important about "eyes?" (In a painting why is it important we see both eyes, why is important the figure does or doesn't make eye contact with the viewer". This goes to gaze of both the subject and the viewer. What do self portraits really say about the artist? Is it about capturing the moment?
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