Multiples Research

Lisa Milroy
1985
Shoes
Tate Modern Gallery
London, United Kingdom

In this painting titles Shoes, we see pairs of black/blue high heels, organized into rows and columns. Based on the style of the shoes, and their refined, polished material, one would assume that they are made for formal occasions. Milroy chooses an off white background to place the rows of pairs on, which blue shading towards the right. Typically, when multiples of accessories or clothing are depicted, one possible allusion is that of consumerism, in that the artist finds it necessary to represent the object in access. In this painting however, the mood is much different. The shoes are nearly identical, yet occur in the different position. Here the use of repetitions in the pairs gives a mood of routine and monotony. Perhaps representing individual days on which they are worn, the identical pairs' rotating of angles and directions give the viewer a sense tedium, maybe representative of a work day, and the vain attempts at originality that it often brings. Interestingly, there is a flaw in the constant variations when the pair in row 1 column 1 is repeated in row 2 column 4, functioning humorlessly as an unintentional slip up in the owner of the shoes' creativity. The author makes great use of simplicity in highlights, often being a single brushstroke of white that fades into blue/black. What really unifies this piece is that though there are differences in each pair, it is unified with the compositional symmetry of the 4x3 structure. The subject choice of dress shoes and the use multiples in varying positions ultimately compliments the piece's mood of formality and clean order.

Elin Pedleton
2005
Gummy Bears
Riverside Art Museum
Riverside, California, U.S.

Elin's Pedleton's Bears shows five gummy bears on a grey surface. The colors used are all simple, bright, and fun. Being a popular shadow choice for transparent objects, the artist uses well defined blue/purple shapes, with the light source appearing to originate in the upper left. The candy here does not appear to have been placed in any particular order, but instead it seems as if they have been just dropped arbitrarily on the surface. Even on these small clear pieces, white highlights occur, especially visible on the red and orange bears. This painting does a tremendous job at showing transparency with bright shades towards the bottom, like the lime green on the generally dark green bear, which give the impression of clearness. The scattering of the multiples and Pedleton's vivid illustration of light passing through them gives the painting a mood of playfulness and jubilance. It is definitely simple, and does not have quite the symbolic depth and compositional complexity that other examples might, but that fact does contribute in part to its sense of charm. The artist does not attempt to make any broad conclusions with her work, but her use of color and multiples does succeed in showing a pleasant and charismatic mood.