Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Sandy Skoglund : Radioactive Cats


1- Words / ideas / feelings that come to mind...

Creepy, odd, depressing, awkward.


2- This photo is part of a series called "Family Portrait"... What kind of is it ?! (it's a photographic portrait, but it's also...)

...But it's also a metaphor of the family. All the photos are kind of creepy but they also show a familiar environnement with normal people or normal animals but with strange behaviors or in unclassical positions.


3- What does it show (describe the various elements, the situation, the atmosphere, etc...) ?

The photo shows bright green cats in what seems to be a kitchen. There are everywhere and there is also this old couple who doesn't look very disturbs by cats. But the environnement (walls, table, chairs...) is all grey. Only the cats make the contrast. That's depressing !

Moreover the animals seem to be very hungry ! I mean, they are sniffing everywhere like if they were searching for food, there is a slight touch blood on the chair (which is down and broken by the way) and it looks like they were waiting for this poor old couple to die to finally eat them !...


4- What are the themes ? (Ugliness...)

The themes could be : creepiness, awkwardness, deathness (Am I inventing a word ?)...


5- What is the "message" (if any) ?

I think the message is... don't paint your kitchen in grey and don't buy cats !
But seriously I think it give us an image of what could happen to us if we don't enjoy life.


6- What, based on this example, is the purpose of (this work of) art ?

My guess is that Art exists to make us reflect about our own life and eachother's. And what it's gonna be if we don't do anything.