Visual Culture Database Form ARTE344 Spring 2020

Provider: Danielle Biel

Number:
2
Big Idea/Subject:
Dreams and Nightmares
Major Theme:
Views of the world
Medium/ Presentation:
Acrylic on canvas
Visual Components:
Radial balance, color,
space, emphasis, balance
Category:
Fine Arts
Pop art
Pop culture
Non-art

Authorship: Danial Ryan

Title:
Original Location:
Description/Interpretatio
n Light is radiating from it, hitting the branches of trees
Gordita God #4
Danial Ryan, not on display
The piece shows a round cat face in the place of the moon.
surrounding, illuminating the black cats who are on the
branches. There are few colors used, and the piece is mostly
blue monochromatic besides the cat moon. The cat moon is
locking eyes with the viewer, staring intensely as cats are
known to do. Stars are also illuminating the sky, and all the
black cats have their eyes facing the viewer as well.

The artist uses cats in almost all of his work in the realm of
Surrealism. Cats are flexible and “liquid” some might say and
 are able to move in strange ways, which leads the artist to
turn them into objects while still getting the idea that they are
cats across. In this particular piece, he is playing on “the man
in the moon” phrase, turning the man into a cat. It is hard to
say for sure if there is deeper meaning in this piece other than
self-expression and Surrealism. Perhaps the artist dreams of
everything in life being made of cats? I know I do! Overall,
“Gordita God #4” is whimsical and a fun play on a well-known
phrase, making the viewer feel a slight sense of unease from
all the cats’ unblinking eye contact.

Use in Teaching: I would want to use this piece and Danial Ryan’s art in general
to encourage play in students. Obviously, a piece like this goes
along with teaching Surrealism, but it also shows that art is
fun and a good way to show personal interests and creativity
in general. Art does not always have to be super deep and
deal with important issues. It certainly can, and having that
base enhances meaning in art making, but art can also be
goofy and kitsch, widening students’ views on what can and
cannot be art. Perhaps having students choose an animal and
incorporate it into an environment that is not usual, such as a
tiger shaped like a sofa, or a fish vehicle. It might be an
interesting idea to use clay and have the students sculpt and
manipulate into their chosen animal and object hybrid.

Discussion questions:
 What do you notice about the colors in this piece? Are
many colors used?
 Can you think of what this piece might be alluding to?
 How did the artist represent the glow of the cat moon?
 Why do you think the artist chose the kinds of cats that
he did for this piece? Would an orange tabby cat have
worked for the subject?
 Why would this painting be considered Surrealism?
What aspects of it tell you that?

Source: https://www.facebook.com/artofdanialryan/