Bren's theatre journey

theatre installations

[brennahleone]

EXPRESSIONISM @ THE BARNES (barnes trip part 2)

This painting creates a space rather than a picture. It is angled, distorted, and not worried about portraying the world in a detailed and accurate light. The picture is arguably subjective, implying a million different meanings. It feels like a scene you could find yourself in whilst dreaming.

[brennahleone]

NATURALISM VS. REALISM @ THE BARNES (barnes trip part 1)

The painting of the woman changing is a moment we all go through, it is considered a slice of life. This suggests a naturalistic tone -- when we observe the painting, we are observing how the environment and social conditions are effecting and controlling the woman.

The painting of the woman having tea is also a portrayal of an everyday life situation for an ordinary person. However the background being washed out, vague, and not nearly as specific as the painting of the woman changing, with an emphasized focus on specific objects like the tea, suggests more of a tone of realism.

[brennahleone]

POST MODERNISM

For the post-modernism unit, I focused on the following theories that fit into the post modernism model:

Language is unable to communicate meaning

Art should be subjective

Theatrical technology advancements

[brennahleone]

For the expressionism unit, I created a “dream journal”.

I wanted to focus on the episodic, dream-like characteristics of expressionism. Every page is a different “episode” of the story the book is telling. I wanted to capture the oddness, imbalance, distortion, and strong thematic elements and spectacle that stay with us long after the details of a dream fade. I want to raise questions such as, why did my subconscious lead me to this creation? What is my core trying to express?

[brennahleone]

For the naturalism/realism unit, I taped up a poster in font of Terra that said, “IF YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE TODAY... WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT IT?” and people on the street would walk up and write their answer.

You could think of this installation as either Naturalism or Realism.

These people are writing down what they would change if they could because these tasks are impossible to achieve in their mind, which would mean they are ruled by their environment, society, and habits and therefor cannot change even if they wish they could. This would relate to Naturalism.

Or, the act of writing down what these people want to change in their life is the  catalyst that sparks inspiration and sends them towards a path of change they wish to see in their life, signifying growth and awareness as a human being. This would relate to Realism.

Either way, these are real people sharing their actual wishes and aches.

p.s. the cardboard drawing was given to me by an artist of the streets! He is the one who signed the poster, “my life is good, Brennah”