What's In A Name?

The photo below is of a piece I recently acquired.  It is by Judith Meyer, a collage/assemblage artist.  I was immediately attracted to this piece when I first saw it.  It's hard for me to put my finger on exactly why, sometimes I just like something because it "speaks" to me.  In this case,

• it is blue - there is either blue or red or both in most works that catch my eye.  There's even some red in the cord attaching the key to the lock.  
• I like locks and keys -  and the location here is close to the heart 
• the use of an x-ray image is unexpected
• I like maps - woven in and over the x-ray

I still can't say what exactly it is that I intuitively like about this piece; however, when I first saw it, I didn't know the title, but I was definitely interested in the piece.  Then, I went to a showing of Judith's work that included this piece, and I saw the title which made me want it more,"And How Shall I Answer You, and What Shall I Bring?"...I'm happy to say that I bought it.

And How Shall I Answer You, and What Shall I Bring?  by Judith Meyer

One thing this incident made me think about was the importance of naming a piece of artwork. How many times have you looked at a piece and started to move on, but you then read the title of it and went back for a second look? I have done it many times. Unless the piece is Untitled or just some vague number in a vaguely named series or the name of some unknown person being portrayed, the title can add something to the piece. At least it does to me. Usually, I'm looking back to see why they might have named it what they did. If it is a portrait, is it describing what the person was doing or preparing to do or a situation they are in or an emotion they are feeling? With many pieces, I look back wondering, "what is the artist trying to say that I have missed?"

The importance of the title has not really occurred to me before; thus, I have named works simply Masque I, Masque II, ....Masque VI....vague, unimaginative titles. Now, I will put more thought into them. Maybe this is something covered in an art appreciation class or painting 101. I don't know. I have taken neither of them.  But, I have done my research now and found that there are many good reasons for naming your baby something other than "Untitled", among them these 5 reasons.

I haven't had a chance to ask Judith how she came about the title of her piece, above, and what the work represents to her, but I will.   I'll share it here when I find out.