Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist’s Mother
aka “Whistler’s Mother”
oil on canvas
James McNeill Whistler, 1871
The idea of a ___ within a ___ has always fascinated me. It’s interesting to watch ontological resolution degrade as the art within the art moves further away from reality. Painter, graphic designer, and installation artist Rafal Bujnowski looked at the painting within Whistler’s painting and thought: “Enhance!” (or “Zwiekszyc rozdzielczosc!” in Polish)
Framed painting (Whistler)
oil on canvas, 2002-2003
Bujnowski replicated this painting by hand 50 times in order to create “a peculiar artistic prop which could be used today like it was used in the 19th century”.
He later took it a step further and painted a painting of his painting of the painting within the painting.
Untitled, from the “Walls and paintings” series
oil on canvas, 2003
I know what you’re thinking. This is just screaming for a Yo Dawg image macro. Sigh. I will oblige:
As you can see, the concept of memorializing that which was meant to be background (or forgotten altogether) didn’t stop with Warhol. Artists continue to explore the minutiae of imaginary worlds in the digital age. See other examples HERE, HERE, and HERE.
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