1980s Inspiration Entourage

multimedia painting

Presenter: Gracie Dunn

Presenter Status: Undergraduate student

Academic Year: 20-21

Semester: Fall

Faculty Mentor: Beth Ann Turner

Department: Music

Funding Source/Sponsor: SYRCE Symposium

Screenshot URL: https://drive.google.com/uc?id=14pRKSFAKEZDe0k5UhKaU5D1HGpssac8G

Abstract:
1980’s Inspiration Entourage

Gracie Dunn

November 20th, 2020

Multimedia Painting

I wanted to make a piece that brought attention to more than just these inspirational musicians of the 80s. I sought to portray the feeling their music brought and the traces it left on the music world today. I stitched Michael Jackson and Madonna into a pop art style to represent their impact on Pop music. For Prince, I had to throw in some surrealism like in the work of Salvador Dali, a great artist who created “The Persistence of Memory”. With Devo and Motley Crüe, I wanted to incorporate depressionalism and techno art, though I modeled it more to fit their self-portrayal at the time. Jon Bon Jovi was different because even though he majorly impacted many rock artists today, his songs are still played into our culture as anthems. I put him up as the best way most of the youth today know him; on a “wanted” sign plastered on a rugged canvas. For this piece I wanted to highlight the effect the 80s had on our modern culture and how a big part of its epic memory is from music and art. Andy Warhol developed “pop art” and used it to bring attention to the features of his paintings. My father raised me on music and my mother showed me how to paint. Now, I have made a painting that showcases the beautiful remnants of the 80s and the diverse art styles I used to portray them.