In Retrospect: Reviewing A Creative Submission

This blog entry sizes up as an Amazon-type review on one of my creative submissions for the FIU-MAS GSC Creative Track. Writing for this particular prompt felt like a qualitative exercise; looking at a final result with new eyes for an insight.

Description

• 18″ x 24″ and 8.5″ x 11″ (2 sizes)
• on inkpress rag matte poster paper

Weighing the dichotomy of the right and left halves, the poster exudes a strong sense of balance. The male and female exemplifies the yin and yang one may experience in a relationship or connection of two different worlds. What makes this poster unique is the depth and intricacy of the details, the biologically conceptual meaning behind it, and its vibrancy in color (hits all the spectrums). I was especially enthralled by the great deal of parallelism between our actual biology and how we reconstruct/mimic it in the form of technology. For example, the basic units of life, DNA (with their alphabet of G, C, A, T) can correspond to the beginnings of bringing a machine to life: binary coding (0, 1). The poster reminds me of the constant symbiotic push-pull between taking what we learn about ourselves to shape the world, and then taking technology to know more about us.

Creation of Adam, by Michelangelo

I can tell that the artist derived some inspiration from Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” which makes up a piece of the Sistine Chapel. The source of inspiration reveals an unexpected layer of context to the current poster. Apparently, neurologists debate that the heavenly background outlining the figure of God is actually in an anatomically precise outline of a human brain. They pose that Michelangelo, an anachronistic anatomist and artist, has hidden many anatomical parts within his paintings. That’s exciting news because, this connection between “life giver” and “creation” can indicate the connection between our higher cognitive layers that influence what we tangibly create (artwork, technology, innovation).

Pros & Cons

There are a couple things that could have made the poster more complete. The connection between the male and female subjects could have been enhanced with eye contact and some indication of an emotional state. This would add life-like appeal to the illustration and make the situation captured more dynamic and personalized. Also, the detailed tattoos on their bodies can be clearer and more recognizable.

The silver-linings of the poster are that it’s precise, well thought-out, contains deep meaning, and has a geeky vibe to it which I like. When I stare at technology and life colliding, I feel both excited and a content calmness. This poster is currently on the ceiling of my room, where inspiriting artwork should be.

***

Jennifer Jinhee Jhang