Robin Murray American Icons Analysis

Art is something that can be viewed and interpreted by a million different people in a million unique ways. Symbolism, color, texture, and size can all change the way it is viewed by others. However, certain distinct qualities have to be met for it to be actually considered “art.” The piece, American Icons, by Robin Murray, is a piece of art for many reasons, it has symbolism found throughout it, and many intriguing techniques are used with it.

American Icons is an oil-based painting done by Robin Murray in 2015. This piece is considered “high art,” but this does not mean good or bad art. High art and low art are just viewed in different ways. American Icons is a traditional painting done on a large canvas. According to John A Fisher, “…certain traditional forms, those associated with the modern system, are

thought of as high art, whereas the new forms tend to be thought of as ‘low’” (Fisher 529). This art has a universal message and would be able to be interpreted by most no matter when it was viewed. It is not something that only makes sense now, in this time frame, but it will always carry strong meaning.
There is a lot of symbolism in American Icons. In this piece, the buffalo is the biggest symbol. According to Murray, the buffalo stands for loss but the survival of others (Murray Pamphlet). The buffalo was killed by people but was apparently left behind by his killers. He will not be wasted, though, as other animals begin the war over the meat and carcass. This symbolizes the loss that some people and some animals have to go through for others to be able to go on in their place. It shows how we would not have all that we do today without the sacrifice of others.
Many different techniques are utilized in this piece.

First, this piece is was created asymmetrically because both sides are not close to looking similar. This is normal for a nature piece because according to Professor Detrick, asymmetrical art comes naturally and it is not similar looking on both sides due to the fact it is informal (Detrick Composition). Another technique used was contrast. The background of the piece gradually gets darker as the it gets further away from the buffalo. According to Professor Detrick, contrast is why some parts of the piece jump out, even if you squint or just catch a glimpse of it (Detrick Composition). The light only focusing on the buffalo really makes it pop out of the picture because of the darkness around it.

Art is something that appears separately to everyone; there are no clearly defined right or wrong answer with it. American Icons is a beautiful oil painting that is a high work of art, has a lot of symbolism, and has many techniques to enhance the piece. Art can be analyzed much more than most people come to understand, but looking to, and actually, understanding it is one of the most satisfying feelings

ever.