TMA2 - Transitional Modern Art

Transition, in the context of this collection, is the simple change from one state to another. A broad theme, this can apply in many ways, and this collection takes a generally pretty old-fashioned approach in most of its works. Starting off, As Dust Dissolves is the work in this collection with the most recent style, mostly in how it uses the dust motif that was uncommon among early works. Blending a soft yellow background with a subdued green and teal midground, with some magenta thrown in, the work's transition in texture from dust near the foreground to smooth emptiness towards the background is the critical factor in emphasizing the work's feel. A Swirl and a Frame is older and more conventional, a typical cracked work radiating out from a point, and using each swirl and spiral as a new veil, attaching vertical lines in perspective to provide the impression of depth. Horizontal lines act to provide token obscurity and further depth, producing a picture that is neither abstract nor specifically purposeful. This collection also experiments interestingly with colors: Shadows of the Built is a stark red-orange, using lighter colors in its foreground and darker, more saturated colors as its background. It also uses vertical lines to mark out its foreground against the horizontal lines that seem to characterize the background, contrasting the two motifs against each other to allude to depth. The shadows to which the work's title refers, notably, are in the background, rather than the foreground, and don't seem to relate directly to the black figure in the front, which provides some food for thought. Encroach Upon the Desert Air is more lightly colored but otherwise sticks to a similar orangey color scheme. The work is also quite simple and straightforward, with a very consistent, understated teture. The creature in the corner, taking up the lower-left part of the work, is crisp and clear, and contrasts with its environment, but is otherwise unidentifiable. And finally of note, my personal favorite work this week is Grasp From Beyond, a purple work with a clearly-defined, concrete central focus, which uses vignetting perfectly, along with carefully-placed horizontal and vertical lines, to direct attention to that central focus. Altogether, this combines to provide a cohesive, well-composed work. Please enjoy!