My Finals

Basically for my final pieces I wanted to create four images that all represent their theme individually but then all link together in some way creating the bigger picture. The different themes, all which are part of life, are usually always linked together providing different elements which make up a situation.

I chose a situation that is apparent now, always being debated. That being George Bush and his War on Terror?


The first piece is based on truth. I looked back over my blog back to the piece on truth and found that it highlighted the situation of war. In my response i put across the message of how soldiers are being killed for a reason which may not be for the war on terror against their country but for oil. I wanted to highlight this same message in the piece by using crosses to represent death. That being the death of soldiers.

I used blue because it is a pure colour symbolising truth.


For the second piece I used the symbol of peace to highlight what George Bush wants to achieve with his actions. By using the colour white this symbolises peace and serenity. More of George Bush's face is also revealed. in this piece.


This piece symbolises Unity. I used the colour green because it represents togetherness. From looking back at my pieces on Unity i found that the protestor boards worked really well and linked with the theme of my final pieces well. The piece also reveals more of George Bush's face.

The last piece is based on the theme of Uncertainty. I used the colour purple because it represents mystery. as for the content i wanted to highlight the question of war. Is it a war on terror or is it a war for oil? I hand rendered the Oil drum because i didnt want and photography in my piece. Especialy when i am highlighting uncertainty. If it was a photograph it would provoke a definate answer.

For the background i created it by layering up ripped up newspaper around George Bush's face. The reason for this is that i wanted the underlying message of how media is surrounding the situation of George Bush and the war and they have a lot of control of how the story is told. I sprayed over the newspaper in black just to hide some of it so it wasnt too overpowering and full of news type. The paint i splattered across each of the pieces because i wanted it to look random but give the colour theme across for the theme i was representing.

I added most of the actual content items on digitally. I did this becuase it created more depth to the image and gave me the ability to add type where appropriate. This mix of media gives the piece a sense of questionability.

What have I learnt?

Looking at my previous posts I have realised that themes such as the ones I have chosen to analyse: Peace, Truth, Uncertainty and Unity have all been visually communicated in many different styles and ways. From certain ones being very symbolic and having a definite meaning to to others that use different elements of the piece to suggest an interpretation of that theme. I have enjoyed searching deeper into the images i have chosen and trying to uncover how meaning is conveyed visually through them.

I have found that an effective way of communicating a message effectively is by using hand rendered media due to the fact that it creates something more personal and with more depth. By then putting that into Photoshop and adding digital elements to it you can interoperate meaning in two ways, one being very personal and the other being very objective with the digital media. By using this combination of production you can achieve this combination of meaning effectively.

For my final pieces i want to try and achieve a set of images all interlinked and effective of each other however highlight my different themes by using the two different mediums.

Target Audience

For my blog i have specifically aimed my writing and analyzing toward quite an old sophisticated audience, however it is accessible to anybody knowing the URL therefore the actual audience could be anybody. Although 16 years old and upwards is an audience to which I have aimed my blog at.

The Mona Lisa - My Interpretation

If I were to ask the question: "Can you please name me a piece of art?" Would the answer not be, "Ah of course, The Mona Lisa?" Five hundred years old but still living on, how has the much acclaimed renaissance portrait of the Mona Lisa become controversial street art of Banksy. Where has art derived from, but more importantly how has it found its way onto the walls of our cities, from hangings in galleries? The historical art known as the Mona Lisa created by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1503 is suggested to have become one of the worlds most famous pieces of art. It is because of this fact that the Mona Lisa has transformed from just a piece of art ,to a symbol, recognised around the world. However, she is a symbol therefore she must symbolise something; in my opinion, she was not created for this purpose, but has developed into the character of mankind as a whole, representing each and everyone of us. Reason for this, without going into too much detail is the mystery that surrounds her, but also intrigues us, 500 years on from her birth, I think is a strong metaphor for how we as humans live our lives. We are always living for tomorrow. Trying to understand the misunderstood. Anyway, lets get back to the art. The symbol of the Mona Lisa has been regenerated in different art movements throughout history until present day. The Dada movement, a movement arising in reaction to World War 1. It was thought that the war was generated because of the growth in the capitalist society at the time. Dada was basically protesting against war through art by embracing irrationality. A movement of expression and questioning, actually labelled anti-art. this movement rose a lot questions about the Mona Lisa and its place in art. "No longer appreciated as a painting, but instead, commodified on postcards, posters and coffee mugs. Marcel Duchamp took a reproduction of Da Vinci's painting, and drew a moustache and goatee on her face. Duchamp's audacity became a Dada statement." ( Susan Stamberg, www.npr.org ) As quoted here the Mona Lisa has moved from the walls of galleries onto the side of mugs. The Dada movement basically opposed this and stated that if it is art then why have it plastered to everything as merchandise? Is the Mona Lisa now a brand? An identity of art as a whole? They feared this and reacted against it trying to make a mockery of the Mona Lisa. Ironically, the Dada Mona Lisa created in 1919 titled L.H.O.O.Q, which if said in French very fast means 'she has a nice arse,' became just as iconic for what it had represented and then found itself back onto mugs and postcards. This supports my opinion that the Mona Lisa is now a symbolic icon representing mankind. It was confronted, however has adapted to the change and accepted it. Turning the statement back into a piece of art. This raises the question: Is art what we make it? The next significant appropriation of the Mona Lisa was by Andy Warhol within the Pop Art era. His so called style was mainly silk screen prints symbolizing iconic figures and objects. Therefore Mona Lisa was an obvious symbol in which he could add his own brand to by creating many different versions of the print using a range of contrasting colours. One could state that he was trying to regenerate the Mona Lisa for the pop art era or simply just attaching his own mark to this iconic piece to pocket a bit of money. Either, or both, the Mona Lisa had now been used yet again to generalise a time within art, that being Pop Art. Ultimately, hangings in galleries is now becoming a thing of the past. Nowadays, we don't need to pay so we can stand and look at the Mona Lisa hanging there, while we wonder what it is all about. Literally just take a trip around London, Bristol or maybe Brighton, along with many other places where underground sub culture artist Banksy has decided that art, no longer belongs in galleries but on the walls of our streets communicating its messages to anyone who happens to pass by. Now I understand there is big controversy surrounding the classification of Graffiti. However, my personal opinion is that if it communicates something in one way or another, whether it is in a gallery, on the street, or anywhere as a matter of fact then how can it not be classed as art. Ignorance has stopped some of us from moving along with the times in art just like in technology. Whether you agree or not Banksy has made his mark and yet again produced the latest of the Mona Lisa installations. Spray-paint, a graffiti artists pen or brush is Banksy's choice of media. Stencilling for him, is silk screen prints for Andy Warhol. Just like Andy, he has his own style, creating his own significant mark in the present times of today's art progression. His Mona Lisa holding a rocket launcher protests the politics at the time. As I said before, the Mona Lisa is now a symbol representing mankind. Now by giving this symbol a rocket launcher Banksy is questioning war, because the Mona Lisa is symbolising all of us which contributing to the beginning of war, maybe due to the capitalist society we live in today. This relates back to the Dada movement where the art created was in reaction to the war started by a high rise in capitalism. However, Banksy has identified the Mona Lisa as a powerful symbol within art and has used it to visually communicate strong political and questionably ethical issues. In conclusion the Mona Lisa has effectively turned into a symbol communicating different messages visually universally. In each instance I have outlined, she has been used to promote different opinions however because she is such an icon, recognition in each instance allows the consumer to adapt the symbol to the situation at that time. Consequently, resulting in mixed belongings, where the world famous while controversially infamous Mona Lisa is concerned.