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Max Ernst was born on April 2, 1891, in Brühl, Germany. Ernst was a German painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and poet. He began painting at home with his father. He did not receive any formal art training until 1909. He studied philosophy, as well as some art, at the University of Bonn in 1914, but abandoned his studies to paint full-time. However, after just a few years of changing courses, World War I broke out and Ernst was drafted into the German War and served all four years. Coming back from the war, Ernst dealt with a lot of physiological problems, which he later on expressed in many of his artwork. He went on to join an art movement called Dada. Just a day before his 85th birthday, Max Ernst died in Paris, France.
Erik Johansson was born in April 1985 in Götene, Sweden. Johansson is a photographer and visual artist based in Prague, Czech Republic. The 36-year-old attended Chalmers University of Technology. He creates his surreal images by morphing his photographs together. He usually works on personal projects or exhibitions around the world. Unlike other traditional photographers, Johansson does not just capture moments, but captures ideas with the help of his vivid imagination and Hasselblad H6D-100c + X1D-II camera. His main priority when taking photographs is to capture a story in just a single frame, whilst making it look as realistic as possible.
Artist’s Name: Max Ernst
Title: The Barbarians
Date: 1937
Description: Two Barbarians in a fighting stance that both appear to be made up of different elements. There are some animal-like structures on both of the Barbarians, such as the vulture looking animal on the right barbarian’s arm. They seem to be on grass, which is hinted by the green little mountains that they are standing on.
Analysis: There is a sort of balance between the two barbarians as they mimic each other’s shape, yet have their own unique shape. The piece holds a dark tone. Ernst does not have any other components behind them so that the focal point is them.
Interpretation:
Knowing that Max Ernst was in World War 1 prior to making this piece, I interpreted it as soldiers on a battlefield since they are both in a fighting stance and seem to be fighting for the same side. However, despite them both fighting for the same side, they both have their own styles. Taking that into account, I think Ernst is showing how each soldier is their own person, even though they are on the same side. I think in war, people lose focus that the people fighting are real people with real lives.
Judgment: All in all, I think Ernst made a brilliant piece of work. Though the way I interpreted it may be different from the way others do, I think its message is very powerful and appropriately displays his feelings.
Artist’s Name: Erik Johansson
Title: Give Me Time
Date: 2019
Description: A man is shown pulling heavy clocks by having the rope that holds the clocks tied around his body. It is clear that the clocks are heavy by the way that he is standing diagonally. He seems to be standing in deserted land, with weeds and dirt surrounding him.
Analysis: The left side of this piece has a dark tone to it, but the right side has a light tone with the sun shining through the sky. The focal point of this piece is the man pulling the bags.
Interpretation: The way I interpreted his piece was the message of going through hardships and making your way out of the dark into the light. The dark signifying struggles, and the light representing getting out of it. The clocks mean time, therefore creating the message of time being a hardship, but time what you need to get out of a hard time.
Judgment: In conclusion, I think Johansson did a great job portraying his message of “getting out of the dark with time,” because I was able to understand his message immediately.
Comparing the two, there are various differences. An obvious one being the age difference between the two pieces of work and artists. In addition, Ernst’s piece is a painting, whereas Johansson’s is a photograph that was digitally edited. Furthermore, Ernst’s piece has more interpretation that is needed to understand his message, whatever it may be, but Johansson’s work has a very clear message.
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