Lorna Simpson

Lorna Simpson 

Simpson is more of this ideal role model, up until the mid-1980s, who focuses her photos and artwork on conventional views of identity, history, and memory. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; the Miami Art Museum; the Walker Art Center; and the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin. Simpson followed this new paradigm of representing bold and independent women through her multi-panel photographs. Some of her works were based on ideas that nobody has revealed in the past, such as the exposure of women and their relationships. The subjects of her art works leave this impression with the viewers that have a greater meaning towards the conflicts most people face in society like discrimination and gender inequality.

I was fascinated by this motive from Simpson’s artwork because she follows this interpretation of equality and pride. When it comes to respect for women and the equal standing of women rights, I could easily describe Simpson as a feminist because most of the subjects in her photographs are focused on the different aspects of women. I noticed that through her work, she portrays women as either strong or independent because she doesn’t agree with the idea of being held captive or controlled by men. Taking the initiative to expose women as strong individuals in society has given women the courage to follow what they believe in. Since there were conflicts  with segregation during the time of the 1980s, she wanted to express her feelings and pride with African American culture and it was presented through her different works. Most viewers would be surprised to see how hair is a common feature through her art pieces. She purposely designs the hair of her subject in fancy or distinguished ways because as what she described in an article, hair is considered important in African American culture. Hair can be styled in unique, beautiful ways in the African American culture and she emphasizes that accessory by implicating how women as a whole, can also have unique and creative ways to make themselves stand out to the world.

Some Of Her Great Works:

Tulip, 2014

Earth & Sky, #24, 2016.

Ultraviolet 1, 2015

Guarded Conditions, 1989

Speechless, 2017.

Head On Ice #5,2016

Found Shadows

Dark Roses

The Book Of Towers

The Shoe Teapot

A Dark Side Of The Duck

Depth of Field

The shifting of the focal point changes from the top and bottom photos. In the top photo, the focus is mainly directed to the background where the floor and rugs is placed. On the second photo, the focus is pointed at the inside of the pink flower. The flower and background as being the center image is found within the differences of the focus points in the photographs. When the focus point is on the flower, the mood seems happy and bright because the physical features of the light, pink, and white colors stand out in the photo, whereas the mood shifts to more of a confused feeling when the focus is pointed on the background because the main colors are mostly found in the flowers. Looking at a photo like this, most viewers would be attentive towards the pink flower because of the impact with the difference in tone of colors and the floor is part of the image that isn't considerably important with the mixed tone of colors.