Caleb Joyce - Museum Visit

I was inspired by the Andy Warhol prints at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Warhol takes everyday objects or iconic characters and adds his own character to them by colorizing different areas. His use of vibrant colors helps his images pop out, drawing your eye to certain areas and highlighting features that you may not have otherwise noticed in what he’s portraying.

What I find so intriguing about Warhol’s style is that he takes subject matter that isn’t technically his. He accepts that there isn’t much content that can be truly unique or original – any picture or painting of nature is just using the same elements in nature that were already there, anything recognizable in an image is recognizable because we are familiar with it because we’ve seen it before. But Warhol takes his own spin and leaves his stamp on obviously familiar objects.

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            In my photo, I tried to edit something familiar in a way that will make people see it in a way they never have before, or to bring new layers of meaning to it. I used Warhol's technique of modifying the colors to flatten the image, and to highlight different sections of the object. My hope is that people will see the refreshing rejuvenation provided by a water fountain instead of just the boring dull grey usually associated with it.