Assignment #5: Do a close reading of a piece of “hybrid” art

       The piece of hybrid art that I have chosen to do a close reading analysis of was done by the artist Benjamin Heine and incorporates the use of both digital and illustrated art. This piece of artwork is in actuality a palimpsest of conglomerated art and of various art forms.  This unique characteristic of Heine’s art allows this piece to be labeled as “hybrid art” as it is combining various art forms, and various methods of creating such in to one, therefore creating a complex hybrid of art. 
        When initially glancing at this photo it is immediately clear that it is a photograph, therefore creating the first layer of the palimpsest that Heine has created.  Heine took a black and white photograph of a large gathering of people dominating the streets of a city.  From what we can infer from the photograph it appears to be some sort of rally and/or activist brigade. The facial expressions from the individuals in the foreground show happiness, excitement, and pride, possibly showing that the gathering is a celebratory response to some sort of newly passed act or law.  It is also worth nothing that there only appears to be men in the photograph from what can be seen, and from the characteristics of the two in the bottom left corner it can be suspected that this rally could be in reaction to some sort of gay activism.  This can be inferred due to the fact that the man on the far left is sporting platinum blond hair in a fashionable up-do, along with a black boa.  The man directly next to him on the right is also wearing a fashionable David Bowie-esq hair do and smiling with extreme glee.  Other than these few and far between details, it is difficult to attribute what this gathering is in regards to.  Another notable characteristic of this photograph is the angle at which the photograph was taken.  Allowing for both a detailed foreground and background gives us a vast understanding of what is going on in the photograph and allows us to grasp a vibe from this gathering of people.  This allows us to see both facial expressions as well as a broad scope of the abundance and magnitude of people in these city streets. 
       The next layer to this palimpsest of an art piece, is the fact that Heine has added in a pencil drawing to his photograph.  This creates a piece of hybrid art in multiple ways, as it both creates an art form of various genres, and also could only appear in digital form.  The fact that Heine is overlaying this pencil drawing onto his photograph is allowing for two genres of art to combine into one art piece.  The combination of both Heine’s photograph and his pencil drawing allows for a hybrid of two art forms, and represents a new genre all together.  The next characteristic of this hybrid art is the fact that this new genre could only be expressed in digital form.  Heine first took a photograph of a large group of people, and then proceeded this by drawing a picture of a multitude of smiley faces.  Next, Heine digitally cropped this drawing into his photograph to create the allusion that this photograph initially included this drawing as well.  While cropping this pencil drawing into his photograph, Heine took special care in formatting it in a very unique and creative way, allowing for his drawing and photo to merge into one.  His drawing includes tons of smiley faces in the foreground and buildings in the background.  The most impressive part of this dual creation is that the drawing merges into the photograph, allowing the smiley faces to symbolize the rest of the crowd covered by the drawing, and the buildings in the background to merge into the buildings of the photo.  Heine takes special care in creating the same allusion in his drawing that is being expressed in the photograph.  This is utilized in the detail he places on the characteristics of the smiley faces, as each one expresses happiness as well as pride and excitement expressed in their hands.  Many of the smiley characateurs are waving their hands in the air, pointing upwards, or sporting the rock-on symbol.  All of these simple details Heine draws help the allusion of the photograph and the general expression of excitement and pride.  
       This hybrid art that Hein has created can be viewed in numerous ways, adding to its hybridized form and it’s unique genre placement.  The fact that Heine created this through digital means is the number one factor in attributing this piece into the hybrid category.  To create this unique work of art, Heine had to combine photography, drawing, and digital formatting.  After taking the photograph, and then analyzing such, Heine created a pencil drawing of the core center of his photo, therefore creating one aspect of such regarding hybrid art.  Next however, Heine digitally cropped this drawing into his photograph, creating a third aspect of hybrid art and a complex art genre.  What is especially unique to this piece of work is that it can take on multiple perspectives, adding to it’s complexity.  When one first looks at this photo, it could be inferred that this is a photograph taken of a group of people and also of someones hand precisely placed in front containing a drawing of smiley faces on it.  Although in reality it would be extremely difficult to succeed it doing such, it appears in this nature when encountering the photograph for the first time.  However, due to the fact that this is in fact false, and Heine succeeded in creating this picture by digitally cropping a drawing in it, it allows for yet another addition to this palimpsest.  Ultimately, this photograph by Benjamin Heine is a very unique form of art as it does a magnificent job at merging genres, hybridizing art forms, and still expressing an overall unified theme.