shelbymartin

[shelbymartin]

Week 11

My first initial impression of Ai Weiwei's work was I thought that his work was interesting and his work was cool, because they were all very well made and constructed. Ai Weiwei expresses himself through his work, which is what artists should do in my opinion, and he shares his sensitivities. At one point he did not make a lot of artwork as he had a low period where he had to go back to China, because his father was ill. At first he was not making a lot of artworks, he would make some here and there, but later on he started making a lot more artwork, and he even has his own exhibit for all of his own pieces of artwork.

I think that constitutes as both art and activism, because he is using his art and his work to help others by expressing himself, and what he is feeling in that moment that he is in. He used to make art with the background of politics, but now as he kept on making artwork, he is not using the background of politics, he is making art by what he is feeling, and by expressing himself and expressing the things that he believes in.

In the ways that I see his work as fine art is when he made the broken ceramic spouts, and dipping old wooden artifacts in bright colors of paint, and the ancient temple which he rebuilt. He puts his own ideas into his artworks, for example, he would put some sneakers hanging around in the ancient temple. Other artworks that he made that I thought was fine art, was when he was in London, at the academy, he made a circle out of wooden stools that people would sit on. He also made, a piece about the Sichuan earthquake. He made a lot of different kinds of artwork, but these are just some of what he made.

I think that this kind of messaging is necessary today, because there might still be a lot or similar things that may still be happening today in countries. For example, Ai Weiwei was protesting about something that he wanted to protest for, and he got brutally hit and injured from the police, and had to go to the hospital. He then could not leave the country for four years because of what happened. Finally after the four years, he could have his passport back, and he left the country.

The source that I got this information from (the video we watched for this blog post): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8QAjQ1GS2U

[shelbymartin]

I also think that this painting is a great painting that you picked, because the little girl looks realistic and was well painted. The reason on why I think that the painting looks real is that the artist who painted this painting made the little girl look real because of how they painted her hair. Her hair looks real and so does her whole face and body. I thought that you had a great blog post and did a great job!

Flemish Art

I found a piece that really stood out to me and drew my attention nearly instantly. It is the oil painting of Clara Serena Rubens. The painting was done by her father Peter Paul Rubens and was painted in 1616. 

The balance of the painting is astounding, its so nice to view and nothing feels much heavier than others. 

There is an emphasis on his daughters face as shown by the less detailed background.

The proportions of the daughter in the painting feel realistic and not too exaggerated leaving the painting feeling very lively. 

I am party colorblind so I suppose I cannot say for certain, but the colors used in the background are very similar leading to a very patternized and well collected piece. 

This work particularly stood out to me for its lifelike appearance and attention to details of the face. It felt very appealing to the eyes and wasn’t to abrasive or flashy like the Italian works. 

This has many elements of the northern renaissance in the fact that it uses much darker colors and is reminiscent of gothic works. 

[shelbymartin]

Week 8

I chose the artist Artemisia Gentileschi and the name of the artwork that I picked is Bathsheba at Her Bath, and it was made in 1640-1645. I see that the artists used a mixture of warm colors and cool colors. For example, the warm colors would be yellow, and the cool colors would be blue and green. I chose this picture because I could see that the women in the picture look like they are tired, and that you can see how well the picture was painted because the people look realistic and the building and everything in the picture looks realistic. In this painting it looks like they are outside and it is at night because it is dark out. The woman in the middle and wearing the yellow clothing is the one who is getting a bath and the other two women are giving her a bath while she is brushing her hair. The woman in the yellow also looks like she is relaxed because her legs look like they are relaxed and it also looks like she is taking her time/slowly brushing her hair. It also looks like there is light coming from the left side of the picture almost like the light is coming from inside the building/room. I think that the artist is telling us a story of how the woman is getting bathed and at what time of day which would be at night. The picture makes me feel relaxed, because the woman looks relaxed while taking a bath as it is soothing, and she looks like she is tired, as sometimes baths do make you tired. I thought that Artemisia Gentileschi did a great job at painting this picture/artwork because everything in this picture looks realistic like Artemisia Gentileschi took the picture from a camera.

[shelbymartin]

I thought that it was interesting about the ways you thought about the paintings, because at first I did not see the face of the human/the head of the human by the tree. I did not see that until after I read your thoughts of piece 2. I also thought that piece 1 has bright colors compared to piece 2, and in piece 2, I agree that you can feel the heat that was put into it because of the colors that the artist used. I thought that you had a great blog post and did a great job!

Week 7

I actually picked this painting for Week 3. This painting has MANY different unique things happening within it. The color and texture you see is incredible. I picked these 2 pieces because it shows 2 sides to the painting. The bright and colorful and the not so bright and colorful. The central water-bound globe piece is unique because when you first look at it you don’t see the people. When you first glance you see a beautiful sculpture in water with the surrounding accent colors. But when you look a little deeper you will see that the sculpture is made with naked bodies around it and all kinds of people in the water running to the land. As if something is in the water that they are trying to get free from. The sculpture behind that has the blue tunnel has what appears to be a group hiding and on the other side the pink sculpture you see people going into it. The amount of different colors and texture alone in this piece is incredible. I see that globe as a rough piece and the sharp point surrounding it. The water looks peaceful. 

Piece 2 is darker. When you glance at it you see a village on fire. When you zoom in you see a mixture of things. I see a village made up of body pieces. A face as a side of a building and egg shells broken. The village appears to be made up of different types of creatures. In the bottom left side you see a “bug” with the head of a person and next to it a bird head. By the tree you see what appears to be a body upside down with a spoon in there mouth and a bowl in there hand. Very unusual. This piece has nothing that you would think of. The red is hot, looking at it you can feel the heat that was put into it. The faces of the people you can see have emotions of confusion and anger. Not so much fear. 

[shelbymartin]

Week 7

This part of the picture was interesting to me because I could see that it shows landscape. For example, the people look like they are on a hill and the pond is down the hill from where the people are, so you can see depth in this part of the picture. This part of the picture reminds me of one of the artworks from our readings. From one of the artworks from Bruegel, called, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus. That painting shows depth and shows landscape and can tell that the people are on a hill and the boat is down the hill from the people. This is a good painting because you can see the depth and the landscape of the artwork even though the painting is a flat surface, it really looks like there are hill where the people are at and the bottom of the hill is where the pond is at. 

This part of the picture was interesting to me because I could see many details and it was also interesting because you can see how the bodies are twisting and turning and they look like they are real and make movements. This part of the picture reminds me of one of the artwork from our readings. From Darmstadt Madonna artwork. That piece of artwork, the baby’s body looks like it is actually twisted. The website states that the artists made the twisting of the baby’s body emphasize the physical weight carried in the arms of his mother. That piece of artist for that piece of artwork also made the people in the artwork look like they are looking at each other or looking up at something. In this part of the picture the artist made it look like the people’s bodies are twisting and the artist also makes it look like they are looking at each other or looking at something. 

The websites/artworks that I talked about in this blog post:

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/holbein-hans-the-younger/

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/bruegel-the-elder-pieter/

[shelbymartin]

I had learned a lot from this article because I did not know that there is a protest happening in Hong Kong. I also thought that the art that has been shown in the article has a lot of emotions that you can tell. I also thought that the emotions that you can tell from the pictures of glass on the streets are sadness and fear. I also have learned that the journalists are a target by the riot police which sounds terrifying and sad. 

Week 4

Hong Kong has been through a lot of trauma. The art that is shown through the article has so many emotions being thrown into it. Abby Chen explains that through her trip she was terrified but needed to see the front lines of the art. When looking at the photos of the glass on the streets, the emotions that come off it are sadness and fear. Abby Chen is quoted as saying “ This is about being human.” This quote from Abby can mean a lot to each person. We all view quotes and pictures differently. No 2 people will view a quote or picture the same.I think what Abby is meaning behind this is, we are all human and what we do everyday defines who we are. Abby mentions that the “Artists are part of this light.” Without artists in the world we wouldn’t see those different creations. Specifically in Hong Kong will show us that all the art that is being shown is both dark and bright. What power does art hold in this confrontation? Art has power by the emotions that are shown through it. We all view power differently. The power that a dark mysterious piece has is very different for each person.

[shelbymartin]

Week 4

I think that it means that there will be art that will still be made during the protests that are happening in Hong Kong. People will be making are during protests because they may have had to be quiet by the government. Abby Chen is expecting to see more art during the protests. The art holds on this confrontation because people are making art to show and express what they are feeling or thinking. They express it through art because they are to be quiet due to the government and expressing themselves through art is the only way to show what they are feeling or thinking. Many people are making all different sorts of art. For example, the website states, Stonehenge's, words or sayings, graffiti, etc. I learned a lot from this article because I did not know that there is a protest happening in Hong Kong. I learned that people like journalists are putting themselves at risk/on the frontlines, because they are looking at art, etc. I also learned that one student protester fell to death during a clash in a residential area, and more that 6,000 arrests have been made including an 11-year-old child in the past six months. I have also learned that journalists are becoming targets of riot police. 

[shelbymartin]

I also thought that the picture of 3 people, 1 fully-clothed and 2 who are naked reminds me of Adam and Eve. I also thought that the first 2 pieces of art showed a bright face, calming and happy outlook to it but the third piece is more dark. The artwork also showed great details and it used a lot of colors which makes the artwork come to life. I thought that you had a great blog post about this artwork!

Week 3

https://www.artsy.net/series/stories-10-art-historys-iconic-works/artsy-editorial-decoding-boschs-wild-whimsical-garden-earthly-delights

This week's blog I chose a very interesting painting. This painting has a lot going on in it and what you see is odd. But in a way it is beautiful. I found this painting on artsy.net. It;s called “Garden of Earthly Delights”. (1490-1500) by Hieronymus Bosch. This 3 piece art has a lot going on in it. The first part of the picture you see a clear blue lake, with animals drinking from it. All shades of green flowing through the grass. Bushes being a few shades darker. At the bottom you see 3 people, 1 fully clothed, 2 naked. They appear to be sitting while the man is standing. It reminds me of “ Adam and Eve”. The tree behind them has a rough texture of looking rough. At the bottom you see animals coming out of the dark underground, a mixture of animals. You see a cat carrying something in his mouth. Just from the first picture I am thinking Hieronymus is a very disturbed person. Though he has great talent I can tell this 1st part isn’t even the most disturbed.

The middle piece has a lot more happening. More people with the smallest detail. Green is over powering the blue. You see more colors in this middle piece brightening the picture. With a closer look you can see the people devouring fruit. Appears to be strawberries. Everyone in the piece is eating as if it’s the last piece of fruit. The animals are marching in a circle as if they are ready to bounce at any moment. In the middle of the circling animals you see a group of people in the water. It looks as if they are circling the people. The part behind has a shade of pink that you don’t see in the other pieces. There looks to be sealife in the middle of the water. The houses built on it are rock and have an odd type of formation.

On the last and final piece it’s more dark. From the 2 previous pieces showed a bright face and a calming and happy outlook in it. The texture on the previous piece showed a rough part from the trees and grass. The 3rd piece is a more soft flow and darker. The bottom of it you see what appears to be a war. People killing one another. The brightest part of the 3 piece is the bottom. You see a mix of colors and an odd story to it. The middle part of the piece has a spacy atmosphere to it. It shows a future of what you think it may be . The top of it looks like war. As if the painter is showing that from the start to finish we end in war.

After reading what artsy.net wrote I am half and half. Some of the information I got but of course the website has a more indepth view on it. I would say that how they describe the photo is 100% better. But I have viewed it my way before reading what was written and feel that we all view it differently.

[shelbymartin]

For this weeks blog post I chose the Northern Renaissance Artwork of Adoration of the Lamb. The artist of this artwork is Jan Fan Eyck and it was created in 1429. I chose this artwork because it looks like the people in the artwork are drawn to the lamb. The people are drawn to the lamb because in one of the videos that we watched it said that the lamb is a symbol of Christ, and the lamb has a wound on its side that is bleeding into a chalice. Around the alter are angels who are carrying instruments of Christ’s suffering, the cross, the crown of thorns, and the column that he was bound to when he was flagellated. The people are making their way to Christ and in the artwork there is also a Fountain of Life. The Fountain of Life was placed in the center in order for it to connect with the other symbols that sit along side it. For example, the angels, the people, etc. The stream of water that is coming from the fountain is intended to give the impression of life. This painting has a lot of details and has a good accuracy of vegetation which is hard to do unless the artist has a lot of study and practice. The Adoration of the Lamb website that I used for some research of this post states that "the background scenery which features rolling hills, churches, and towers also continues the exceptional attention to detail and makes this a painting that really must be seen in person in order to be fully understood and appreciated." According to the Art and the Bible website, some of the people that are shown in the Adoration of the Lamb artwork is a procession of figures from the Old Testament. Prophets are holding books and some patriarchs are carrying attributes of Jewish feasts. There are Apostles that are kneeling, and Church authorities. The Fountain of Life also is a symbol of eternal life. According to the website, the Angels adore the lamb, and four of them carry symbols from the Passion. For example, the cross, the spear used to pierce the side of Christ, the spear that held the sponge with vinegar, and the pillar of the flagellation. The groups that are approaching the lamb from the sides towards the top of the painting are the martyrs, and the virgins. The pigeon on the top of the painting represents the Holy Spirit, shining light on all who are gathered.

The website that I used for the research:

http://www.jan-van-eyck.com/adoration-of-the-lamb/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVhwinCiELI

https://www.artbible.info/art/large/187.html

[shelbymartin]

Week 2

The topic that I chose for this weeks blog post is technology. Technology has changed over the years and it will still change in the future. Many people use technology today then they have in the past. In ancient times, technology was defined by Homer and Hesiod as the spoken word of manual craft or cunning skill. According to Luna (1994), the earliest use of the word technology in the United States was found at a Harvard University course on the "application of the Sciences to the Useful Arts" in 1816. Wolf (1935) argued "that modern science was derived from technology through the wisdom accumulated via the 'technical arts,' and through the invention of a few critical instruments (e.g., the telescope, the microscope, the barometer, the air-pump, the pendulum clock.)" (Lewis & Gagel, 1992).

The history of technology is the history of invention of tools and techniques and is similar to the other sides of history. The term technology came from the Greek word 'techne' which means art and craft. It was first used to describe applied arts but now it is used to describe the advancement and changes around us. In the future, technology will still be changing, but it will be faster, more reliable, and up-to-date in the world.

Some examples of technology would be cars. In the past people had to learn how to drive a manual car/clutch because they did not have automatic cars where you can put it in drive, reverse, park, etc. Today there are not as many manual cars/clutch, and mostly have automatic cars and cars that can drive themselves. In the future there will probably be more cars that can drive themselves as technology is changing. By that example you can see how technology has changed from the past to present, and you could assume that in the future, there will be more cars driving themselves.

Another example of technology is phones. In the past all people had to call from were landlines where they had to dial the number from a phone that connects to their house where as today, many people have cell phones where all you have to do is type in the number that you want to call. Today, not many people have landlines compared to in the past. Cellphones have changed over the years because of technology. It used to be flip-phones but today there are touch screen cellphones. There are still people who use flip-phones but there are many who use touch screen cellphones, and the technology of cellphones will still be changing in the future. By that example, you can see how technology of cellphones and phones have changed and how they will still be changing in the future.

In the future of technology, I can see that it will be a lot different compared to the past and it will still be changing even in the future. Things will be up-to-date and more reliable and it will be a lot to get used to because some people are not familiar with some of the stuff today, because it may have been different in the past for them.

The website that I used for part of this is:

https://www.sjsu.edu/people/patricia.backer/history/introduction.htm

https://nation.com.pk/23-Jul-2018/history-and-evolution-of-technology#:~:text=It%20starts%20with%20the%20beginning,and%20more%20things%20were%20invented.

[shelbymartin]

This is also one of my favorite pieces of artwork. When I see this painting, it reminds me of when I would look up at the stars at night trying to see if I can see any constellations! This is a beautiful piece of artwork!

One of my favorite painting is by Vincent Van Gogh. In middle school we had to re create this picture and it was beautiful. How the different shades of blue mix and the story I see when looking at the sky.

[shelbymartin]

This artwork was painted by Vincent Van Gogh and the painting is called “Starry Night.” I like this painting because it has good details and patterns, and Vincent van Gogh used good colors which is how this painting caught my eye. It reminds me of looking up at the stars at night and trying to see if I could see any constellations.