Goya es el hombre

Since coming out here i've been truly inspired. I am finding that I am constantly caught off guard in the best of ways, as my preconceived notions of what I am going to experience frequently is shown to be inferior to the true experiences that come about. The palace is a notable example of such a situation, and having contact with Goya's work would be equally notable. Coming into the program, I was not much of a fan of Goya's work. The way that learning about his background, and the significance of the imagery that he brings forth has changed my opinion of him has blown my mind. It's eye opening to have such a clear change in opinion as a product of learning about an artists background and time period. With this newfound understanding of where Goya's work comes from, and the way that he often engages the viewer to draw hidden meanings from his works, I've found myself appreciating his paintings to a level that pulls at me emotionally. He was a true innovator- something I value above all else in the realm of art making. My first venture into the room that contains Goya's black paintings at the Prado was very personal. I was fortunate to be in the room as it was fairly quiet, prior to our visit as a class. The way that each work overtook me was a rare feeling for me to experience when looking at a painting, let alone a set of consistently impactful works. With historical backing I was also able to appreciate his court paintings and tapestry works. While the black paintings have always been visually appealing to me to a degree, these other works would have never caught my interest had I not researched Goya and the world he lived in. While I have been trying to work on artwork out here, I felt that it wasn't the time to present an unfinished work (i'm not going to force anything out here in terms of art making). I also felt it necessary to communicate my truly genuine change of heart about Goya, as I feel passionate about it. Goya's the man. I can't wait to see more art out here, and to continue to be surprised.