Going on a Bear Hunt and the 'Grizzly Man'
Since my first attempt of an 8 foot bear painting I have painted another in a different stance and combination of tones. When I compare the two I am much happier with this second bear as I feel the colours are more earthy, the fur texture is better executed and the expression and stance are more interesting with the bear having a curious and quizzical look that adds humour in certain contexts.
In a tutorial it was suggested that since the Priestman Gallery was currently vacant I try out the bear in the space which I have done below. I thought the bear worked really well in the gallery space as it just stood out so much as something that didn't appear to belong there. An aspect of my work I am wanting to develop further is this idea of these wild animals appearing and dominating domestic spaces such as the uni building where you wouldn't expect them to be and popping up as a reminder of nature and the wild in public spaces. I have since put the bear on the bottom of the ground floor stair case as pictured below. It has a good effect as when walking down the stairs you don't see it until you reach the last flight and then as you descend the stairs and get closer the bear's size dwarfs you as you reach the bottom.
My favourite place for a photo was in front of the drawing week wall piece project pictured above. The two paintings contrast each other so much and the bear looks quite humorous to me in that surrounding. The bold flat colours of the background also create a bit of an illusion effect on the bear and make it appear as if its slightly more physical than a paper-based painting.
My original bear that had been residing in the entrance of the Priestman Building was evicted from the space so I took this opportunity to do another bear photo-shoot, taking the bear places it looked out of place or wasn't really allowed to be. I decided to briefly put the bear in the current MA exhibition being held in the Priestman Gallery pictured below. My piece appears dwarfed by the size of the room alongside the composition of the exhibition pieces but again I just liked how much it was out of place.
I was recommended to watch Werner Herzog's 'Grizzly Man,' a documentary about Timothy Treadwell who recorded footage of him alongside wild grizzly bears in Alaska for years until him and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard were eaten by one of said bears. Overall I found it a frustrating and annoying watch. Treadwell seemed to be living out this delusional bear-related messiah complex in which he thought he was the one protector and saviour of these bears. It was difficult not to be very annoyed at a man who was so hypocritical, claiming this and yet seeming to do more harm by aggravating and not respecting these animals, not taking them seriously as dangerous made clear by his patronising names he gave them such as 'Mr Chocolate', and ultimately leading to the killing of two endangered bears after his tragic and probably avoidable death had he not been so arrogant and unsafe in his behaviours.
Herzog's choice of interviewees and topics were also rather strange to me. In particular an interaction with an ex-girlfriend who had requested the right to be given the wrist watch that was part of Treadwell's remains and put on a very theatrical performance throughout. I also observed her choice of silver bear earrings which could be considered poor taste in the circumstances.
'Grizzly Man' is not something I will watch again, however some benefits to it include some incredible footage Treadwell collected that would be near impossible otherwise and it has intrigued me to research more in to reports of human and wild animal interactions and relationships. In ways I want to create a small aspect of this in my work by representing wild animals around people in everyday life, though I want it to be a reminder that they should be respected and a humbling thing.
