The Artist As Voyeur?

Question

Aren’t all artists who paint realistic or representational art really voyeurs? Aren’t we really watchers and studiers and reflectors of life itself? How often is what you record on canvas an impartial view? How much of it reflects your own emotional state of mind? Better yet, can you always know where the deviding line is?

Here is the sixth painting in a series I’ve called the Zoom Series because I’ve imaged these as what you would see as an artist through the lens of a camera. The only problem with these, from a technical point of view, is that these canvases are very narrow (12x36) and details have to be squeezed into very small surface areas.

Here is the link:

http://pics.livejournal.com/unmired/pic/00079t26/g79

(As always you can click or double click on the image to enlarge it to see better detail.)

If you would like to see the other five so far in this series here is that link:

http://pics.livejournal.com/unmired/gallery/0002tw50

Giacommo, it's a work in progress. I'm happy with it except for her mount and smile. That will probably get re-painted.

Answer 1

I see the artist more as a philosopher, we paint a picture of our personal philosophy for all to see. Be it canvas or clay or picture, we give the world a glimpse of our soul, thereby making the observer of our art the voyeur in our world. Just as with voyeurs in life, they can observe, come up with their own conclusions, which may or may not be the essence of the emotion felt by the artist.
In this painting I happen to like the stance of the girl. I imagine a guy peeking out his window at the young girl, & she, realizing he is watching, strikes a pose, trying to be alluring in that 16 yr. old girl way.
I told you my imagination was strange!
Blessings

Answer 2

Cool artwork by the way! I love your Zoom series!

Yes the artist is a voyeur. We paint what we see (and perceive and feel). Whether we are painting a live model or painting from our minds. We put ourselves into each painting. Our perspective. I've been told that all of my portraits look a little bit like me. Something about the eyes (I tend to do portraits with eyes that dominate the canvas). It is my perception of the world. That is what makes an artist. You can tell a Van Gogh instantly, or a Picasso or a Botticelli. You see the world through their eyes, their unique vision and style comes out. That is how they look at the world. No matter what you paint, you are in the painting. Even a still life is a self-portrait. It is your view.

Artists such as Degas played with the idea of voyeurism, catching the subject unaware (at her bath for example). Looking through the peephole...

In my paintings, my subjects stare back at you. Some people have told me it's a bit unnerving. There is something vulnerable and yet confrontational about their gaze. Like they're saying "Go on, look at me. I see you too."

One portrait I did for a friend, she was thrilled with. She found that the painting seemed to take on a life of its own however. Depending on the mood she was in, she would see something different in the eyes of her portrait. Some days she looked sad and pensive, others quite happy. She realized she was projecting her own mood onto the painting.

The wonderful thing about art is the relationship between the viewer and the painting. Paintings can elicit emotions, making you feel calm or excited, uncomfortable or at ease. A painting is a glimpse into the soul of the artist. So while the artist is a voyeur, (s)he is also an exhibitionist, allowing the world to look at him/her.

Answer 3

I believe Bergler is surely fallacious. Some are and a few don't seem to be He is absolutely projecting his voyeurism onto others. You are not able to generalize approximately the whole neighborhood. The handiest factor that I denote is Bergle'rs sheer conceitedness and hostility

Answer 4

I agree with you that many artist(not all of them) are to some extent voyeurs. Usually a negative connotation is attached to the definition of that word. But many artist often record that candid moment of their subject when in solitude. Vermeer is a most perfect example of this type of artists. The way he captures that solitary moment of a woman reading a letter, a woman weighing her pearls, or a woman putting on her necklace. I think you are in the path of creating your own style. There still are some areas where i think you can improve, but nothing that practice and experience can teach you.

Answer 5

No doubt about it. And impartial we are never. If anything it isn't even reality we paint but our view on our perception of our impression of a situation we created to paint. Every hint of impartiality is carefully avoided.

This one needs some work dear Watson. It just isn't up to your standard. It lacks ... tension. Maybe if she wasn't looking straight at us (but looking down) it would help?