mootchie-blog

[mootchie-blog]

Showcasing my collage and photos

[mootchie-blog]

IMPD Course: Compare Two Artists

Estuary by Peter Siddell

Whakapirau by Dick Frizzell

In this essay I will compare and contrast two paintings by New Zealand artists. The first one is 'Whakapirau' an oil painting by Dick Frizzell, painted in 1990, which true to Frizzell's style, shows us our country's image of itself. The second painting is 'Estuary', an acrylic on board (900x800mm) by Peter Siddell, painted in 1984. Both artists are prominent New Zealand realist artists. While Siddell draws together different elements to create timeless images showing clean, tidy and often unpeopled landscapes, Frizzell's painting is far more detailed and gives us more clues of the cultural context of that time.

Both art works can be described as secular art. Although Frizzell's work is best described as expressionist pop, he does not stay within one particular style and often adopts unfashionable painting styles. This particular work, 'Whakapirau', is a typical example of a 'faux naïve' New Zealand landscape. The images depicted do not look realistic but the general appearance of the work is one that most New Zealanders can recognise. In Siddell's painting, 'Estuary', the house is isolated but looks realistic. It is a Cape Cod house which is a type of New England Colonial architectural style. This painting is more linear with sharper more defined lines. A major contrast between the two works, would be the architectural style of the houses and the fact that in one painting we see a group of houses, while, in contrast the second painting shows only one isolated house.

Both artists have used mainly dark colours and both works are clearly divided into three sections. (layers)

Both paintings are modern day works that depict scenery of their time. Frizzell's painting depicts the Whakapirau bridge in the foreground and the surrounding baches as it might have looked at that time. Mainly a tourist and holiday town, the painting represents an iconic view of Whakapirau. Siddell's realist paintings are identified mainly with depictions of the environs of Auckland. While his works appear to be records of actual places, his paintings have a subjective component, and might be better described as magic realism than truly realistic. This painting 'Estuary' could be anywhere in New Zealand. It shows a beautiful colonial house on a hill but the foreground of the painting is accentuated by a pebbled beach scene. Quite typical of Siddell's work,this painting shows no people and symbolises isolation and serenity.

In conclusion, both artists have succeeded in reflecting the culture and beauty of New Zealand in different ways. While Frizzell focuses on the community of Whakapirau and depicts the bridge quite realistically so that the painting has become an iconic representation of the area. Siddell's painting is more anonymous by nature but encompasses beauty and serenity.