This is a project where I pay workers on Amazon's Mechanical Turk to review my art and website and pay them $5 dollars for 500 words. This is the 18th review I've received:
Paul Shortt's
artworks are thought provoking pieces that explore the everyday human
interaction. They are deeply reflective of the society at large, with much
attention being paid to the details of everyday life. They mostly revolve
around the way people communicate, and have in some ways been used as a tool to
promote communication as well. Their frank nature opens up room for
conversations that extend into important areas and topics not usually covered
in everyday exchanges. Apart from sharing his personal thoughts, Shortt's works
also tend to include the perspectives of others, so that they cover a wider
range of human outlooks. This can be seen from the 'Three-Hour Tour' piece. In
this way, the works are enhanced by the addition of societal value. The works
offer a refreshing perspective of life in general.
Shortt's ideas are original
and non-conventional, and to a certain extent, unorthodox. They are daring and
flashy, highlighting the artist's desire to express himself. A good example of
such artworks is 'Paul Shortt Shocks Chicago', an effective and daring way to
seek attention while passing on a message. Despite the 'shock value' it
carries, the underlying idea is still communicated across, and the essence of
the artwork is not diminished. While the pieces of artwork are mostly simple in
design, they carry a deep meaning and bring across the creator's message
succinctly. Often embellished with bright and cheerful colors, these attractive
pieces of work brighten up the places they decorate, while communicating a
profound message. Clutter-free and to-the-point, their message is not obscured
by fanciful designs and accents. The collection of colorful posters in 'Free
Poster' is one such example. However, while it is often good to leave artworks
nonrepresentational and open to interpretation by the viewers, at times some
pieces seemed a little too abstract to be fully appreciated. An example would
be 'It's Simple, But Complicated', where the pieces may be construed, or
perhaps misconstrued, as making of a political statement, or just one on the
human behavior or life struggles at large.
'Pillory for Market Place Mall' is
another piece where the underlying meaning is not immediately made obvious.
Much of the content of the art pieces is written in a straightforward and
candid manner. This was especially evident in the piece 'The Business of
Selling Yourself'. The application of such a technique on a medium meant to be
spread around allows each recipient to carry this little piece of artwork
around with them. Each artwork comes with an apt title that brings across its
meaning in a concise manner. They encourage the viewer to ponder more deeply
about the subject, thereby engaging the viewer at a deeper level. Most of the
time, they also serve to help tie up the significance of the whole piece of
artwork, such as in the piece 'Resist'. To sum things up, Shortt's artworks
offer an innovate outlook to the interactions and practices in everyday life.
Each piece is unique and original, so viewers are kept in suspense as to what
the next creation will be.
