What is your response to this painting?
Let me show you a painting that I was drawn to today. Especially because today was a rainy day.
I would so love to hear how similarly or how differently you responded to this piece:
“Erika (Bus)”, 2003 by Michael Sowa
1) Given a happiness scale of 0-10, what score would you give when you look at this? Why?
2) Does this painting make you feel warmer or colder? Why?
3) What do you like or dislike about this painting? Why?
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My Response
1) 7. I feel a strange sense of loneliness mixed with peace and calm when I look at this painting. Overall, it’s a pleasant feeling despite the wet weather. And because I love rainy days, I especially like this painting!
2) Colder, temperature-wise. I can almost feel my toes and fingers turning numb and clammy. But the warm glow from the Christmas lights, the restaurant and bus makes me feel cosy and warm where I am: indoors.
3) I like the colorful Christmas lighting that contrasts with the barren branches and how that sense of loneliness is captured through the use of foggy colors, hunched isolated figures and dark interiors of the empty vehicles and dark windows, save one or two lighted ones. And I especially like how the artist captures the reflection of light on the wet ground. So. Beautiful.
What about you? Did you experience something similar or something different??
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