The artwork above on the right is called "Blind self portrait listening to the beetles while scratching a notched stick so to invoke, the universal magic of the power of destruction" by Abraham Cruzvillegas, and was created as an acrylic on paper medium in 2013.
The style is abstract, and is made in a modern period. The original location of the work is likely Mexico, as that is where the artist is from and no other information about the artist or the artwork was given.
The work represents the idea of "limited visibility" and does so by painting the back of several different papers and facing the unpainted side against the wall. Some of the 168 pieces included black and white pictures and letters (yes, I looked behind them when no one was looking) which seem to have no correlation other than their obscurity. The lack of information given to the viewer on the right side of the work supports the theme of limiting visibility and creating vagueness, as well as the abstract title.
The artist worked little with line or value, as the entire composition is one shade of tan and contains no shapes on the pieces of paper themselves. The forms are represented in a disorganized matter which adds to the confusion of the piece and its lack of traditional art principles. Furthermore the movement of the work doesn't have a clear direction and it lacks a central point of focus. Together, these techniques combine to create even more ambiguity to the already unclear concept of limited visibility, further emphasizing the artist's idea.
Overall, the purpose of the work is to open the viewer's mind to the unknown and inspire their curiosity and imagination as to what could be behind the paint. The piece worked well as an opening part of the museum's theme of limited visibility by being an outright example that started an artistic thought process and wasn't too difficult to digest. The piece is meant to create uncertainty as to what it means, as shown in the title and the work. The beetles could mean insects or the band, and it is up to the viewer to interpret everything based on a lack of stimuli.
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