I thought perhaps the easiest art to review would be the art that I personally love. Sylvia Ji is by far one of my favourite artists. Whether it is subject matter (faces) or the soft change in hues that is captured beautifully by her brush.
Sylvia was born in San Francisco 1982. Her subject matter is consistently woman and of tribal markings. The pieces are often on wooden panels that often give the works a flatter look. That is not to say the pieces lack foreshortening. The modelling also does not de-tract from their realism, although all in all they are conceptual works. I make this point only because of the idealization, if Rodin could paint women.
The paintings up until recently have had a heavy influence of Mexican culture and especially the Dia de los Muertos (picture above). The tribal make up is always heightened with floral decoration that often is different shades of a lustful reds and blues. Her work now, is still heavily influenced by Mexican culture, but more recent work has seen a shift towards other tribal cultures; Native American and even British. There has also been a shift from the face to the body of the woman. I would argue that most of her 2011 work retains the celebration of the female yet now it explores a much greater sense of perspective and it is moving from the previous flatter works into a much more realistic angle. Still the celebration is bold and beautiful; floral and feathers. I would say her women are mostly empowered gazing out of the picture straight into her audience.
Sylvia Ji is an artist that is still progressing yet has very much found a unique style. Her work, in my eyes, is alluring, sensual and still mature in its representation.
(here is an interview with the artist from 2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKxF-hHiOa0
rolloaiscott 