Artists "Review" Artists: Giovanni Garcia-Fenech on TJ Norris
The Artists "Review" Artists Project was launched on June 30, 2008. Below is a "review" of TJ Norris' work, Primary, written by Giovanni Garcia-Fenech. TJ provided the second jpeg, an image of Amerika [from 'American Pix' series], as well as a brief response to Giovanni's "review."
TJ currently resides in Portland, OR, and Giovanni lives in Brooklyn, NY.
If you would like to participate in this project, please email me at jtkirkland [at] gmail [dot] com.
Primary
Lambda C-Print Mounted on Aluminum
20" x 24"
2007
The "Review"
"Primary" initially seems to be a formal color study, as the primaries (along with white) dominate the composition. But on closer inspection a political subtext seems to become apparent: yellow indicates caution, and what seems to be a blank yellow sign – denoting nothing but a warning? – obscures the American flag. This reveals what might be the alternate meaning of the piece's title: "Primary" as in "primary election." Is the artist saying that the recent primaries are somehow threatening our country? But I'm troubled by the yellow element. If it's going to be the central part of the composition, I wish that I knew what it was, or if the point of it is its ambiguity, I wish it were more mysterious.
Amerika [from 'American Pix' series]
Lambda C-Print Mounted on Aluminum
20" x 24"
2007
The Response
I appreciate that the tension created by the image is posed and answered in the observations of the reviewer. The blank 'sign' is intentionally obscure to allow for the audience to fill in their own blank, so to speak.
By TJ Norris
Previous "Reviews":
Pam Farrell on Ken Weathersby
Paula McCullough on Aric Calfee
Lee Gainer on Leigh Waldron-Taylor
Aric Calfee on Paula McCullough
Matthew Ballou on Heather Levy
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