Author Topic: Heath Ledger - News Accounts  (Read 1142311 times)

Offline Penthesilea

  • Town Administration
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,745
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #760 on: March 02, 2008, 07:34:44 am »
How interesting, Louise.  I would love to see that portrait.

Here it is Barb.

Offline optom3

  • BetterMost 1000+ Posts Club
  • ******
  • Posts: 4,638
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #761 on: March 02, 2008, 11:57:37 am »
Am I the only one who finds this portrait vaugely disturbing.?
I know it is not just because he does not look as handsome as usual.In one way he looks even more stunning,as the artist really seems to have captured his very soul.
He just seems disturbed.

I am certainly not an art critic,but it seems the artist has tried to capture 2 conflicting sides of his personality,hence the 2 outer images.Is it good conflicting with bad?

I know it is all too easy to read things into this work in light of his death ,and all the reports which followed on.I jst cant escape the feeling that it portrays a troubled soul,battling with demons.

I love artists, as so many times they seem to capture parts of a personality that a camera does not seem to.Please dont shoot me down in flames,all photographers!!!! It is just my personal opinion.
The bottom line remains,that the painting disturbs me,on some level.I can't quite grasp.I would go so far as to say,much as I love it,I can hardly bear to look at it.
Any opinions would as always be appreciated.


Offline souxi

  • BetterMost 1000+ Posts Club
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,300
  • sex on legs
    • bats belfrey
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #762 on: March 02, 2008, 12:03:33 pm »
Am I the only one who finds this portrait vaugely disturbing.?
I know it is not just because he does not look as handsome as usual.In one way he looks even more stunning,as the artist really seems to have captured his very soul.
He just seems disturbed.

I am certainly not an art critic,but it seems the artist has tried to capture 2 conflicting sides of his personality,hence the 2 outer images.Is it good conflicting with bad?

I know it is all too easy to read things into this work in light of his death ,and all the reports which followed on.I jst cant escape the feeling that it portrays a troubled soul,battling with demons.

I love artists, as so many times they seem to capture parts of a personality that a camera does not seem to.Please dont shoot me down in flames,all photographers!!!! It is just my personal opinion.
The bottom line remains,that the painting disturbs me,on some level.I can't quite grasp.I would go so far as to say,much as I love it,I can hardly bear to look at it.
Any opinions would as always be appreciated.



No your not. I,m sorry if this offends anyone but I actually think it,s dreadful. I don,t like it one little bit. Sorry but that,s just the way I feel.

Offline Penthesilea

  • Town Administration
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,745
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #763 on: March 02, 2008, 03:20:50 pm »
Am I the only one who finds this portrait vaugely disturbing.?

No, you're certainly not.


Quote
I am certainly not an art critic,but it seems the artist has tried to capture 2 conflicting sides of his personality,hence the 2 outer images.Is it good conflicting with bad?

Yup. Mikaela explained this very eloquently on the HHH thread, but I think you put it very good in a nutshell.

Quote
I know it is all too easy to read things into this work in light of his death ,and all the reports which followed on.I jst cant escape the feeling that it portrays a troubled soul,battling with demons.

Sadly, yes.  :(
But to put things in perspective, all other portraits I've seen of the same artist have this dark, disturbing quality to them. I'll look for the link and post it here.

Offline Penthesilea

  • Town Administration
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,745
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #764 on: March 02, 2008, 04:18:29 pm »
Here's the link to Fantauzzo's site:

http://www.vincentfantauzzo.com/index.htm

Offline optom3

  • BetterMost 1000+ Posts Club
  • ******
  • Posts: 4,638
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #765 on: March 02, 2008, 06:29:40 pm »
Here's the link to Fantauzzo's site:

http://www.vincentfantauzzo.com/index.htm

Hi,
thanks for that.That is one seriously dark set of paintings.My goodness even the "innocence of youth" in the baby picture is tortured. If I was that babies mom I would be very concerned,if as is often said an artist captures what is going on inside someones mind!!!!!

Glad I am not the only one who dislikes the Heath portrait.

Think I will give his work a miss.I have enogh trouble with nightmares as it is.I only need to watch the news and see what is happening in the world to witness disturbing images.

Still maybe I am just a phillistine with regard to this artists work.

I find myself wondering what his friends and family feel about it.I certainly would not like it as the last formal portrait of some one I had deeply loved.It would torture me.

Offline MaineWriter

  • Bettermost Supporter!
  • BetterMost Moderator
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,042
  • Stay the course...
    • Bristlecone Pine Press
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #766 on: March 02, 2008, 07:14:32 pm »
The first time I saw the portrait, I really disliked it. In the weeks since, it has sort of grown on me. I wouldn't want it hanging on the wall of my living room, but I do think it captures something of Heath's essence.

L
Taming Groomzilla<-- support equality for same-sex marriage in Maine by clicking this link!

Offline LauraGigs

  • BetterMost Moderator
  • BetterMost 1000+ Posts Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,447
    • My Design Portfolio
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #767 on: March 02, 2008, 07:19:55 pm »
Quote from: optom3
I find myself wondering what his friends and family feel about it.

Optom, if you look at the news quote in Louise's entry a few posts back, it says: " . . . the Melbourne artist had second thoughts about entering after Ledger’s sudden death, and changed his mind only after talking with the actor’s family and friends."

So I would assume that they were at least okay enough with the work to encourage the artist to enter it for the Archibald Prize.

I'm with you though; I wouldn't want that to become my principal visual memory of Heath.  (The two figures whispering to the center one are artistic flights of fancy and don't bother me so much. But the physical portrayal shows so clearly how exhausted and gaunt he was toward the end.)

Offline Fran

  • "ABCs of BBM" moderator
  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *******
  • Posts: 9,905
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #768 on: March 02, 2008, 07:22:44 pm »
I'm having trouble with the prominent clavicle bones.  Heath looks too thin in the painting.

OK.  I'm going to say it:  I don't think it looks like him at all

Offline Katie77

  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,998
  • Love is a force of Nature
Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #769 on: March 02, 2008, 07:28:47 pm »
I dont like it either..
Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect.

It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfection