Lesson One

Samuel Bak
(American, born in Vilna, Poland)
Last  Movement
Oil on Linen, 1995-96

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About the Artist

Samuel Bak was born in Vilna, Poland(now Vilnius, Lithuania). Shortly after the occupation of Vilna by the Wehrmacht, both of Bak's grandfathers were taken to the Ponar forest where they were shot, together with other Jews. On the following Yom Kippur holiday, both his grandmothers were also taken to that forest and executed. Bak's father was shot by the Nazis a few days before the liberation of the Vilna ghetto. Bak and his mother managed to survive the liquidation of the ghettos and the labor camps by hiding successfully during the German occupation. Bak today lives in the Boston area.

Bak has commented:

I feel the necessity to remember ... and to bear witness to the things that happened in those times, so that human beings today and tomorrow are spared a similar destiny on earth. So I have chosen the way of creating images of a seeming reality, imbuing them with a multitude of layers, from clear and unknown symbols to the most private feelings...

About the Work

By the 1970's, Bak had started to produce surrealistic landscapes featuring seemingly realistic figures and a classic, muted palette. However, these works go far beyond realism in meaning and conception. Many of his paintings feature broken or dysfunctional objects or angels, traditionally the bearers of Biblical prophecy and rescue, oppressed by leather or stone wings. Often his works feature Biblical imagery, sometimes displaying the obliteration of the Ten Commandments. Landscapes, objects, and symbols appear in various states of decomposition in Bak's works. His paintings all contain mysteries which the viewer must uncover. Bak's method of visually interpreting the Holocaust, through surrealistic metaphors, is almost entirely unique.

In Last Movement, Bak displays the sounds of silence -- a group of angels whose wings have turned to stone, and who are trying to play musical instruments but cannot. The landscape around them is barren except for the debris and ripped out musical scores. The figures may be a commentary on the impotence of both man and God during the Holocaust. Bak gives us divine messengers who are unable to deliver their message to the persecuted, or in fact to make any sound at all. This work raises important spiritual questions. Where was God during the Holocaust? How are Jews to believe in a compassionate and caring God after the Holocaust?

Interprative Questions

(for Last Movement)

  1. What do you see here? What's going on in this picture?
  2. Describe the figures. Who might they be? What are they wearing? What are they doing?
  3. Look closely at the wings of these figures. What do they seem to be made op. How does this challenge your expectations? Are they functional?
  4. Discuss the musical instruments. Are they functional?
  5. Consider the landscape in this image. Where are these figures? What kind of mood does this landscape inspire?
  6. To what does the title Last Movement refer?
  7. How do you think this work relates to the Holocaust? What issues or feelings does it raise for you?

Art Project Objective

You will create a surreal landscape based on a nightmare you have had. Using Bak's techniques as a inspiration, you will incorporate several visual contradictions that refer to a basic theme into the overall composition.

Vocabulary

Surreal -- A reference to the art movement Surrealism which gained recognition in the 1920's. Surrealist artists were devoted to exploring and expressing the unconscious mind. Surreal imagery may be drawn from dreams or from the far reaches of the imagination, in which natural laws and rational thought are distorted.

Pastel -- A stick, similar to a chalk or a crayon, composed of a powdered pigment (color) and a gum binder. Pastels produce a soft, textured line. The word "pastel" may also be used to refer to a work executed in the pastel medium.

Contradiction -- Something that is contrary to, or asserts the opposite of, a reasonable expectation

Materials

Procedure

  1. View the slides of Bak's work. Refer to the "About the Artist" section in order to get an idea of the premises behind his work.
  2. Go over the terms surreal and contradiction.
  3. Write a description of a disturbing dream or nightmare you have had. Try to relate the specific objects and events that made it scary.
  4. Refer back to Bak's work at this time. Notice how he has used visual contradictions throughout his painting (for example, his angels can't fly because they have stone wings). Try to list several other examples.
  5. Begin sketching out the dream. You will need to include at least three visual contradictions.
  6. Decide on a color scheme. Be sure to use colors that represent the mood of the work. Remember that line, shape and texture can also be utilized to create emotion.
  7. Draw your image onto the larger sheet of paper. Begin filling in the larger shapes with the pastel. Experiment by layering lines of color to create different effects. You may smooth and blend the chalk with your fingers or a paper towel. Consider though, leaving some of your marks rough. This will help to create texture and depth.
  8. Next, apply chalk to the smaller shapes and details. Avoid outlining figures in black.
  9. When completed, mist the drawing with hairspray or fixative.

Examining Your Work

  1. Compare and contrast your final piece with  Bak's image.  Are these similar colors and shapes? Is the mood the same or different? Which techniques did you borrow from Bak?
  2. Define the term surreal.  Does your work fall under this definition? How? Make reference to specific examples.
  3. Describe the visual contradictions used in your work.  How do they relate to the overall theme of the image

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