ISU Concept 1

1: The Divided Mind
Dualism has always been a big concept in philosophy, especially Rene Descartes' Mind-Body dualism which first brought to light in the scientific community the idea that mental processes might be more than merely physical.
My version of dualism, however, is left mind-right mind dualism. I have always kept in mind the boundary between the lawful and the chaotic, the structural and the organic, the sciences and the arts. A long while ago I did a concept painting of how I viewed this separation, and for this ISU concept I propose a larger, perhaps multi-media approach to it; Although I'm not quite sure what it is yet.

My Sketches

Research

Critique

Group Of Seven - Harris - Icebergs, Davis Strait

This work by Lawren Harris of the Group of Seven features a group of icebergs floating along the Davis Strait, on the Labrador Sea. They are the obvious focus of the painting, and being an oil painting, Harris captured the brilliant turquoise colour the subarctic ice bergs are known for.

If one looks closely, the can see a slightly brighter shade of sky above the iceberg on the right, as if the sun shines down upon it to illuminate its colours. The lines further emphasize this "limelight" effect, which overall outlines the 'berg as the star of the show.

This seems to represent the diamonds in the rough that is the beauty of our Canadian landscape. To any other, these would be just normal icebergs; But when put in focus and illuminated, they can shine their true brilliance. Like a start up prodigal performer, it takes the stage, and those who would notice it in the way Harris did can truly appreciate it.

Overall this allows the maritime horizon to be show its true colours, which, I believe, was the goal of all of the Group of Seven's paintings.