A Critique of the Fine Art of NC State
In anticipation of the upcoming football game between the University of North Carolina and our friends and neighbors at North Carolina State University, several creative students from NCSU generously decided to promote the event by decorating our campus at Chapel Hill with an avant-garde, post-modernistic expression that can best be categorized as a panache mixed media of spray paint and university property.
I have a rich history in the arts, and as such feel it is my duty to critique the submissions by the students from North Carolina State University so that those responsible will not feel underappreciated for their toilsome work.
The artwork was found on the cubes in the Pit at the center of the UNC campus, which traditionally provide student organizations a venue from which they may advertise and promote themselves and upcoming events at the university. These cubes are painstakingly painted by student organizations to attract attention and admiration, and it is this motif that the NC State artists followed.
In the above painting the artist connotes a certain respect for his heritage and upbringing, possibly alluding to the Regionalism found in many Grant Wood works. The striking boldness and size of the "NCSU" calls attention to the moniker and shifts the eye of the viewer towards the sky, possibly to give the work an overtly religious tone.
Evidently a progression from the last work, here the artist expands on the theme of Regionalism by not only promoting one viewpoint but deriding another. One can only guess as to the abstract meaning of "Fuck UNC," but the raw sexuality of the paint strokes suggests a repressed lust within the artist.
With this piece the artist takes a more Minimalist approach to the work in both message and in execution. The lack of capitalization in the "gay" part of the composition is counterbalanced by its size, taking up nearly a third of the canvas. "HOMOS" is written in all capitals, perhaps to provide further balance with the "gay" lack of capitalization.
In this work the Minimalism reaches an apex. In a bold move, the artist writes simply "FAGS" with an upward, almost violent, slant. The negative background space of the tangerine and off-white canvas creates an interesting dynamic with the "FAGS" of the foreground. One must note the artist's implementation of foreshortening and chiaroscuro that borders on mastery.
Here the artist suddenly shifts to an abstraction. Though the meaning remains elusive, the viewer cannot help but appreciate the skill with which each stroke of the painter's can was sprayed. The violent strokes of "PACK" suggest perhaps an unresolved jealousy of spirit, while the powerful imagery of the compositional layout leaves the viewer utterly blown away.
In a dramatic departure from his previous works, the artist infuses the visual impact of his composition with complex poetic metaphor. The use of "ya'll" suggests and inherent colloquial theme that the artist deems worthy of commentary, though one can only guess as to whether the use is meant to patronize or flatter.
On the surface, an intentional misspelling of "woo" gives this work a certain comedic element that provides a welcome break from the hostility and torment elicited by the other works ("whooo" would be pronounced as an extended "hoo," like the call of a night owl). Deeper inflection, however, reveals a callous critique of the state educational system that has failed so many students in the area of elementary spelling.
The samples of artwork I have provided are only a few of the many compositions created by the NCSU artists for the viewing pleasure of the student body of the University of North Carolina. On behalf of all Tar Heels I thank the creators for their dedication and effort towards the promotion of the rivalry between our two institutions, I wish them luck in the upcoming football game, and I offer my congratulations on their basketball team being impressively ranked in the top-twenty-five heading into the season.
Undoubtedly many at NCSU will expect a similar gift on behalf of the UNC student body to decorate their own homogenously brick laden campus. Unfortunately this generous display will most likely not be reciprocated, but for good reason. The collective consensus here at UNC is that we do not view NC State as a rival. Rivalry implies competition, and State has provided anything but in the past. So while we appreciate the NC State artists' thoughtful decorations to our campus, it is highly unlikely that the same sort of caring that inspired them will swell enough among our student body for us to repay the thought.
Aside: One of the artists responsible for the paintings visited my house recently. I learned that he was an alumnus of North Carolina State University and considered himself very much a proud product of his educational experience. I asked if he could tell me more about his artistic pursuits, but unfortunately he was in a hurry to finish delivering his pizzas.
