#ArtandIdeas

[gchurton]

Studio Culture 2

For this module we were given 4 choices between, pop culture, abstract, body and landscape. We had to pick one as our top choice and the second if we didn’t get into our first choice.

I chose pop culture and body, I got given pop culture which I was really happy about. I find that there is a lot of things to talk about in pop culture, so I decided to do hipster subculture and how they’re stereotyped and how normal people see a hipster.

[mariahlstudios]

This design was inspired by the directions from a conceptual piece by Sol Lewitt entitled "Wall Drawing." I would a be a liar if I didn't mention that I was bored out of my gourd during the lecture on Conceptual art. Anyway how is your week going? I need to hastily read an essay from de Saussure before tomorrow. -xoxo mbl 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 #xoxombl #art #SolLewitt #ArtandIdeas #conceptualart #lines #WallDrawing #inasketchbook https://www.instagram.com/p/CKiD91HhxWS/?igshid=6eemqiscelkj

[jiggins03]

CONTEMPORARY ART ESSAY PART 1

Jack Higgins

Essay 2 Part 1

This essay will go in depth into a specific piece of contemporary art, followed by looking into a key modernist movement that clearly influenced the manufacture of that piece. Looking into the movements origins, beliefs and goals to find ties to the work I've selected. In summary, looking for characteristics within the piece that tie it to the movement.

The piece of contemporary art being evaluated is Damien Hirst's 'I Am Become Death, Shatterer of Worlds'. Made in 2006 it is a 2134 x 5334 mm/84 x 210 in canvas that is entirely covered in household gloss and the wings of real butterflies. Part of his extensive selection of Kaleidoscope paintings, that all share the use of gloss and butterfly wings. The first Kaleidoscope painting, ‘It’s a Wonderful World’, was created in 2001. Originally inspired by a Victorian tea tray found by Hirst, the works are made by placing thousands of different coloured butterfly wings in geometric patterns into household paint. The ‘Kaleidoscope’ paintings reference the spiritual symbolism of the butterfly, used by the Greeks to depict Psyche, the soul, and in Christian imagery to signify the resurrection. The works are very reminiscent of, and even sometimes directly copy stained glass windows. Their titles similarly often reference Christian iconography.  

"I’ve got an obsession with death … But I think it’s like a celebration of life rather than something morbid" Damien Hirst was born in Bristol in the United Kingdom in 1965. He received his BA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths college in 1989. In the 1990's he was part of the Young British Artists group, or YBA's for short. He has gained much praise as well as infamy for his unique art projects which often include dead animals in some way. He has created works spanning from dead sharks: 'The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living' a large vitrine containing an Australian tiger shark suspended in formaldehyde. Sheep: 'Away from the Flock' shows a sheep that appears to have been frozen in mid run suspended in formaldehyde. Cows: Mother and Child (Divided) Four glass boxes each with one half of either the cow or the calf also suspended in formaldehyde, and more recently butterflies.  

The butterfly being one of Damien Hirst's most enduring triggers in this Kaleidoscope series he's differed from his use of it in his previous works. Previously he included live butterflies in his instillation 'In and Out of Love' in 1991, or whole dead ones in his butterfly monochrome paintings. These works and many others were influenced by a quote someone ounce said to him: “Butterflies are beautiful, but it’s a shame they have disgusting hairy bodies in the middle.” So, he chose to only use the wings of the butterflies in the Kaleidoscope paintings. Removing the ugly and leaving the only desirable part of the butterfly would show the everyday person glancing apon it should appreciate all animals no matter how ugly or disgusting they might appear.

Works from the ‘Kaleidoscope’ series were first exhibited as part of ‘Romance in the Age of Uncertainty’ at London, in 2003. In 2007, Hirst presented a major series of the paintings in the solo show, ‘Superstition’, at Gagosian Gallery, London Davies Street and Beverley Hills.

'I am Become Death, Shatterer of Worlds' is one of the largest ‘Kaleidoscope’ paintings in existence it includes over 2,700 butterflies. Its title recalls the words of the American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer who, on detonating the first atomic bomb in 1945 recalled the words of the Bhagavad Gita, part of the Mahabharata, “I am become death, the shatterer of worlds.” It sold for 2,169,250 Pounds, being a monumental sum of money for what many consider to be animal cruelty. These works have, not surprisingly drawn outrage from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who called him a sadist for one of his earlier pieces, and with this one being one of the largest he had drawn their attention again. The group also described his butterfly wing covered bicycle that he had made for Lance Armstrong as "Barbaric and Horrific." But Damien Hirst was never to be detoured as in an interview with the daily mail regarding the bicycle piece he said that he uses real wings because "I wanted it to shimmer when the light catches it like only real butterflies do." Much to the discredit of Damien Hirst he has never really provided an answer as to how he obtains the butterfly wings. Specifically, whether the butterflies were killed for the sake of art or had been collected after they were already dead.

Damian Hirst has long been scrutinised by many people to be psychotic and inhumane in his works, his fascination of life and death shines through all his work. Though many can appreciate seeing butterfly wings used out of context for creative purposes there are also many others who condemn his work as inhumane. He pushes the boundaries to what he can display in a gallery, in his instillation 'In and Out of Love' he has thousands of butterflies packed into a space where the floor Is littered of thousands of dead ones. PETA made the point of if the animal used in this instillation were dogs people that would've sparked a massive outrage, but because they are insects it is looked past. They are right depending on certain people opinion on the matter of animal rights but it's clear to see why Hirst receives all the negative attention, some would say he deserves it. But despite all the negative criticism and personal hatred towards him personally, he keeps going, creating more and more pieces that go against what many consider to be art.

References:

Tate. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hirst-mother-and-child-divided-t12751. [Accessed 16 March 2018].

The Guardian. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/apr/18/damien-hirst-butterflies-weirdly-uplifting.  

Damian Hirst. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.damienhirst.com/. [Accessed 16 March 2018].

treehugger. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.treehugger.com/culture/damien-hirst-artwork-made-of-thousands-of-butterfly-wings-sells-for-2-million-pounds.html. [Accessed 16 March 2018].

theartstory. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/artist-hirst-damien.htm. [Accessed 16 March 2018].

[sabahasan]

just read an article by sadanand menon complaining about his vasudev and nambiar shows not being covered well in the mainstream media, well mainstream will cover what the mainstream will read but before attacking the skills of writers maybe the curator should look in the mirror. lot of the shows put up at museums and heavy weight galleries are dull curations with absolutely no relevance to the times lacking teeth and truth, thank god for journalists not falling for brand names or stodgy curatorial inputs, instead choosing to write about the art itself from their lens, giving space to newer ideas. i have as an artist often waited for the right curator to show a specific work and it has worked out for me particularly in videos and sound installations where the standard in the art world is zero while film and documentary makers have a long tradition and skill sets to curate and present such media. this is how art evolves mr menon not by constant hammering of the old but by freshness of people and their ideas and the responsibility is not the mainstream medias but the curators to get the presentation of the artist's work right. my pic from uma nair curated show " vriksh " #sabahasanart #artwars #contemporaryart #artistsoninstagram #artcritic #artandideas #mirror #haqeeqat #womenartists #hervoice https://www.instagram.com/p/CDDpkk6jRP9vg0o38WYLaruOTTeSgP92koDUzs0/?igshid=17hp95itkz4oe

[wxxatson-blog]

the Gothic arts

Gothic art was a medieval art movement that arose in France in the early 1100's/1200’s through a particular architectural style and came to a gradual yet influential end around the 1600’s. Buildings such as the abbey of Saint-Denis and notre-dame de paris are both early examples of gothic architecture. gothic architecture was characterised by Grand, tall designs which escalated upward with hight and intricate grace. Although the word ‘gothic’ tends to be associated with dark, lifeless subjects the architecture itself aimed to create light, pleasant and spacious buildings. Before the gothic, architecture was at most functional. Gothic made it beautiful. Some of the finest examples of the style include the cathedrals of Chartres, Reims and Amiens. The term was also used to describe sculpture and painting that demonstrated a greater degree of naturalism.

      With the rise of gothic architecture came the birth of stain glass. During the Gothic period and the Renaissance stained glass was one of the foremost techniques of painting practiced in Europe. It may seem wrong to call stained glass a form of painting, but in fact it is. The surfaces of each piece of glass are painted in a wide range of dark tones. One of the most widespread forms of painting, stained glass inspired the lives of the faithful through religious narratives in churches and cloisters, celebrated family and political ties in city halls, and even decorated the windows of private houses some of the most powerful art produced in the High Middle Ages were stained-glass

     Gothic sculpture first came about along side its architecture through detailed carvings and figures created to decorate and characterize the buildings. The earliest forms of gothic sculpture were stone figures of saints and people that were considered ‘holy’. The figures depicted at  chartres cathedral are some of the earliest known Forms of gothic sculpture. Strasbourg cathedral houses a sculpture called ‘the adoration of maggie’. A much later made sculpture, It gives a short snap of the birth of jesus christ and the three kings. this not only is a form of sculpture and architecture, but it too tells a story. This same tale has been told through other sculpture and painting too. Much alike to most gothic sculpture, it is extremely biblical.

Early, Widely recognised gothic sculptures are gargoyles. Gargoyles are carved animal like figures with a spout (usually being the mouth) designed to convey water from the sides and roof of a building to avoid erosion. Gargoyles were often designed in a rather frightening aggressive way to ward off any evil spirits around the cathedrals.

After looking at gothic sculptural work it is clear that the main recurring subject is religion, more specifically bible orientated. This mainly being down to the fact that the architecture itself  was born through buildings that housed bible lead religions. In alot of ways i personally would consider gothic art to be a form of propaganda.

          Many artists and architects helped shape the gothic movement and leave too us the great chapels and churches of these times. Giotto Di Bondone was perhaps one of the most influential of these artists. Giotto was an italian painter and architect from the middle ages whos work resinates with the gothic style and movement. Giottos most famous artwork is the decoration of the Scrovegni Chapel, in Padua. Giotto and his team covered all the internal surfaces of chapel with frescos, including the walls and the ceiling. The largest element is detailed cycles showing the Life of Christ and the Life of the Virgin. The wall at the rear of the church, through which the chapel is entered, has a large Last Judgement. Not only does Giotto stay true to the grand uplifting colors and elements of the gothic style, but he shaped the way we view the art of painting as we know it today, introducing the technique of drawing accurately from life, wich was considerd wrong until this time.

                  Gothic painting. Much alike to its sculpture, grew through religious ideology and only became large scale around the 14th  century when it began getting used for decorating the ornamental panel behind the alter of a church. most Gothic painters worked on wooden panels. Nevertheless, some churches have mural paintings in chapels. These panels known as ‘retables’ were painted in tempera or in oils on a wooden panel. The color scale is richer and more varied than that of the Romanesque period beforehand. A fantastic example of this is the ‘westminster retable’. It is thought to have been donated by Henry III of England as part of his Gothic redesign of the westminster Abbey

The Gothic era produced many  small paintings on wood and canvas, and furniture with paintings on the inside. Miniaturists were also active, particularly during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In the fifteenth century, however, the discovery, first of the woodcut, and then of printing led to a gradual decline in their production. The calendar illustrations in the ‘Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry’ by the Limbourg brothers, are perhaps the most eloquent statements of the Gothic style as well as the best known of all manuscript illuminations.

       I began studying the gothic movement with a completely misinterpreted mind set. The movement itself bares absolutely no link with today's use of the word ‘goth’ or ‘gothic’ and should be considered as a movement, to be completely different.

Without the movement and the artists that influenced it today would be very different. gothic works of the early medieval ages paved the way for forms of literature and at after the movement was considered to come to an end. Bram stoker's ‘dracula’ is a fine example of gothic literature. The book itself was based on and inspired by the ‘whitby abbey’ a gothic 7th century christian monastery. Other book writers also drew much of their inspiration from gothic architecture such as mary shelley for ‘frankenstein’.

       What i find to be interesting, is how something designed and created to represent such mightiness and grace. Has influenced people in such a dark horrible way to produce works that would completely change the way we view gothic art but how we would create it from this point on.

[kayjacquelinex-blog]

The Renaissance

This essay will explore the idea that The Renaissance is a key moment in intellectual history, and discuss in detail the most influential artists during this time period – Giotto, Brunelleschi, Leonardo Di Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. The word ‘Renaissance’ was used by French Historian Michelet to describe a whole period of history, and was not confined to the rebirth of Latin letters or a classically inspired style in the arts. (Murray and Murray, n.d.) Renaissance means ‘re-birth’ and refers to the rediscovery of Greco-Roman culture.  The Renaissance is a period spanning from the 14th century to the 17th century, starting as a cultural movement in Italy in the late medieval period and later spreading to the rest of Europe. If the medieval period was built upon an understanding of Christianity, the Renaissance adopted a much more Humanist philosophy, which imagined men as the equal of all things. It emphasises the resurgence of science and culture through classical influences. Many people consider the Renaissance as a great time of beauty and Art; a fundamental assumption of the Renaissance movement is that the remains of classical antiquity constitutes an invaluable source of excellence to which debased and decadent modern times could turn in order to repair the damage brought about since the fall of the Roman Empire. (Youtube, 2015) There are many key thinkers/theorists associated with this time period. Pietro Pomponazzi (1462-1525) is considered one of the most influential and important philosophers of the Renaissance, as he had developed his views entirely within the framework of natural philosophy, maintaining the proof of intellects ability to survive death of the body. (Casini, 2017) During the early Renaissance in Central Italy, the artist who took the step away from the medieval style of spiritual representation in painting in the early 14th century is Florentine Giotto (1400-1495). Introducing a three dimensional look for the first time since the fall of Rome, portraying drama and expression into his paintings; the gestures and expressions on the faces of his subjects explore more theatrical approach to painting. He became the first artist to break away from Byzantine styles and move toward naturalism and a clear sense of space. Looking at Giotto’s work was like peering through a window to the real world (Scrovegni Chapel, Padua). The Renaissance style places emphasis on symmetry, proportion, geometry, and the regularity of parts as they are demonstrated in the architectural of classical antiquity and in particular ancient Roman architecture.  Architecture became not only a question of practice, but also a matter of theoretical discussion. From the observation of architecture of Rome came a desire to have symmetry and careful proportion in which the form of composition of the building as a whole and its subsidiary details have fixed relationships, each section in proportion to the next, defining exactly what those rules of proportion are. Filippo Brunellschi (1377-1446) is widely considered as the first Renaissance architect, being the first to use classical orders. Stating ‘Therefore, since nature has designed the human body so that its members are duly proportioned to the frame as a whole, it appears that the ancient had good reason for their rule, that in perfect buildings the different members must be in the exact symmetrical relations to the whole general scheme’. In the Middle Ages the Renaissance works of art were commissioned; they were ordered by a patron and then made to order. A patron usually entered into a contract with an artist that specified how much he would be paid, what kinds of materials would be used, how long it would take to complete, and what the subject of the work would be.  (The Virgin and Child with Canon van der Paele, oil on wood, 141x176.5cm) This portrait shows the donor kneeling on the right of Virgin Mary and Christ child. The patron was usually referred to the donor usually asked to be placed into their commissioned works. Paintings of the Renaissance demonstrate the application of humanistic ideals learned from the ancients. In works from the middle Ages, saints and Biblical figures are arranged in unnatural and geometric groups. The Renaissance painter depicted the human figure as realistically as possible, often with backgrounds of the natural world. Many artists had to guess before Brunelleschi (one of the greatest painters of the Early Renaissance) introduced the linear perspective. Without this system artists wouldn’t have had the vanishing point or horizon line into their work. Consequently, Giotto’s paintings seem to have a shallow depth of field. Although Michelangelo was highly influenced by Giotto, who was born nearly 140 years after Giotto died and who painted the Sistine Chapel in the early 1500’s (Ortolanstudio.com, 2016). There are a mass variety of artworks that were created during the Renaissance, with many successful artists such as Leonardo Di Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Giotto and more. Around 1505, Leonardo produced one of the most famous paintings of all time: the portrait of Mona Lisa; an elusive smile on a woman’s face, which is why it is also known as ‘La Gioconda’ or ‘the laughing one’. For Di Vinci, this piece was always a work in progress, striving for perfection. He was also an artist, poet, engineer, architect, inventor and his image of the last supper was tromp. (Khan Academy, n.d.) One of the most distinctive intellectual movements was ‘humanism’, which was found to be the renewed belief of the value and power of the individuals. The main emphasis of humanism was secular education using Greek and Latin classics, this introduced a whole new level of knowledge and was the start of education and how wealthy families supported the lower community through education. ‘The humanists were amateurs in theology or medicine, but avid professionals in grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and the study of Latin’ (Murray and Murray, n.d.)  Furthermore, medieval paintings were often presented as a reflection of wealth or expression of religious devotion and status of its patron. In today’s society it would take a successful artist centuries to gain the extremely high status that artists gained during the Renaissance. The value of Art has changed dramatically. Art is now an expression of the artist, and the value of a painting is often the result of something completely different. Yet we haven’t given up, these ideas that famous artists/philosophers/writers have created we have adapted increasingly, taking inspiration from their works and interpreting it into our society.  

[mominaanwar786]

Note - 

All images have been taken from Google.com Two top statue images are from the Greeks Middle image : Venus de milo Bottom two images: Roman works. Right: Augustus Caesar  

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The Greco/Roman Movement 

During the Greco/Roman era, the movement was split into the Archaic and Classical period. Numerous amounts of Greek Art works (850 b.c. - 31 b.c., in Greece) revolved around the concept of “…figure painting, the Contrapposto pose, and… to represent the world realistically…, it is also idealised”. Their works are highly exaggerated, especially regarding the human body. Contrapposto was a means of representing a figure that gave the appearance of asymmetry. The figure placed its weight on one foot and moved the torso through an axis in another direction. Whereas Roman culture (500 b.c. – a.d. 476, in Rome) “took realism even further than the Hellenistic Greeks” as they explored the truth of the world and took idealism as an act of propaganda. Greeks had definitions for practically everything, they had no definition for Fine Art. The philosopher Pericles believed “everything that grows great also decays. But the memory of our greatness will be bequeathed to posterity forever”, therefore I wanted to explore this movement, in order to educate myself with the ancestry of Art and understanding their perspective of life. It’s a movement filled with myths and legends which once used to be beliefs and part of a culture.

The Ancient Greeks developed what is known as classical art. The legacy of classical antiquity is found nearly everywhere today. It refers to a time that covers a long period of history focusing upon Ancient Greece through to the fall of Rome in the 5th century CE. Their works have shaped our ideas, and developed our understanding of Art. Today’s architecture, films, advertisements and brands have been inspired by Greco/Roman culture. The Greco/Roman Art were thoroughly rooted in social, political, religious and practical contexts. The main purpose was to direct man’s attention towards God.  

Greek sculptures are some of the most recognisable Arts ever produced. Their works are highly based upon the concept of proportion, poise and ‘the idealised perfection of the human body’. Early sculptures were created using bronze and limestone, but eventually limestone was substituted with marble. The whiteness of the marble is crucial to the understanding of good taste, refinement and purity. The Greeks emphasised the connections between mind and body and physical and moral beauty. Much of their works were produced to allow them to express their religion. According to the Greek culture, before anything else, there was the earth and sky also known as Gaia and Urania. They in turn gave birth to the Titans, who gave birth to the Greek Gods, forming part of the fabric of Greek culture. Some examples of the Gods were Zeus, Aphrodite or Hades, which in return inspired Art styles. After the Romans had taken over Greece, the Romans found an attachment towards Greek Art and began to expand on it. The Romans explored their surroundings and didn’t base their sculptures upon the ‘ideal’ body, instead they implemented reality.  

The Greeks had numerous amounts of ideas and works however there are five main ideas. Tragedy being number one. It was considered that by watching a tragic play, the audience would gain knowledge of the right and wrong. Aristotle related tragedy with people making correct judgements and learning from their mistakes. The three greatest philosophers of this period were: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, all who have helped us to understand the world through reason and logic. Philosophers were considered to have a love for wisdom hence the words, ‘Philo’ (love) and ‘Sophia’ (wisdom). Socrates invented ‘The Socratic method’ which was a means of asking questions and entering a critical dialogue. Aristotle states that “the chief forms of beauty are order, symmetry and clear delineation” expanding on the idea of the ‘ideal body’. Plato had little time for Mimesis (to imitate), he didn’t think Art was important instead believed knowledge and dialogue held more importance. However dialogue itself is a form of Art, so was Plato’s ideas wrong?

Democracy was the third idea, giving the Greeks their freedom, order and discipline. Architecture valued harmony, dignity, calm and reason. The Greeks were involved in the five of the wonders of the world, an example is the Mausoleum. The last idea was Sport, the Greeks celebrated the naked bodies of both their Gods and citizens. They valued exercise and believed true virtue is a balance between the physical and mental health. This idea was portrayed frequently within their sculptures. The Venus de milo is one of the most famous sculptures of the classical world. It depicts the Greek goddess Aphrodite and is thought to be created by Alexander of Antioch (his name was carved on the plinth). Other than sculptures, Greeks were also known for their temples and vase paintings. The vases reflected the importance of strength, athletic competition and battles. These paintings contained information based upon their life style.

The Sack of Corinth was a battle between Greece and Rome in 146 BCE, marking the end of the Greek culture and the beginning of the domination of Roman culture. Roman Art was inspired (or stolen) from the Greeks. The Romans preferred a more realistic approach when it came to sculptures. They didn’t agree with the Greek way of showing the ‘ideal body’, furthermore they wanted their works to show what they saw, including any imperfections. The Romans created numerous amounts of murals all dictating reality. The death of Julius Caesar, allowed for the rise of the Roman Empire and Art was used as a device to “overthrow governments, make people think…” Augustus Caesar, the Roman emperor, used Art to communicate with the public regardless of the pubic being illiterate. The Romans discovered concrete in Rome and approximately 5000 tons was used to build the Pantheon, made to honour the Gods.    

To conclude, Art has changed immensely from the Greco/Roman movement through to the post-modern culture. However, despite this movement being buried under myths and legends, it still thrives within Art works today. Furthermore I think that the Greek’s touched upon abstract work, creating works that are imaginative, whereas the Romans looked into realism. Their works portray important messages about balancing the mind and the body. Some “philosophers and historians have claimed that the Greek and Roman society, embraced a concept of fine art like ours even if they lacked the word”. The Greco/Roman movement provided us with an incredible legacy: art, beauty, architecture, philosophy, democracy, theatre and considerably more. Overall, it’s disappointing to see that after the fall of the Greeks and Romans, much of their works have been lost, but due to this, it makes their surviving works more valuable and intriguing to look at. Making us ask questions.

[emjmoss-blog]

Art and Ideas: Enlightenment

A powerful movement in art was Enlightenment. An Art moment taken place during the 18th Century, Enlightenment was an intellectual current taken place in Europe, labelled the age of reason. The word Enlightenment means understanding, an insight, awareness. This is what philosophers such as Kant, Goethe and voltaire believed in, these were at the forefront of the inspiration for this movement, they believed in the desire for human affairs to be guided by rationality rather than by faith, superstition or revelation. They wanted to make people aware of the restraints that confining by the rules of faith that held true artists and their abilities back, and unable to achieve all that they set out to do. It limited artists ability to express their own imagination and to develop anything they wanted. This movement was big step that helped shaped what art is today. The founders of this movement also believed in argument, criticism and debate, art triggers all of these factors with the fact it effects peoples minds and their opinions. With this movement they wanted to change society and liberate any restraints in place by the authority, religions and traditions, and to look more and take inspiration from more of a scientific background or a more personal experiences. Being able to do this effected the history of art and the idea of what art is as art was beginning to be accepted as being a personal expression than more of a commissioned display of work. It began a completely new way of thinking. Art became experimental and had more reason behind it.

The whole structure of Enlightenment is based on the idea of what if? what if men thought for themselves? what if there was another reason behind it? what if it didn’t quite work? what if it did work? Immanuel Kent, a great philosopher of the 18th century refers to enlightenment as: “Man’s release from his self incurred immaturity, by the use of his own reason, undistorted by prejudice and without guidance of others. The public use of one’s reason must always be free and it alone can bring about Enlightenment among men; the private use of reason may be quite often seriously restricted. what happens when men think without limits?” What if men were allowed to think without these limits religion and society placed upon them? This is the release most artists would have strived for, the freedom to create their own work using their own minds and no longer a chore or a slave to monarchy, only creating what they see fit. Using your own mind in this day and age seems like a given, everyone is able to express themselves much more clearly and without boundaries.

Neoclassicism was an art movement that became connected to Enlightenment by demontrating expressions of the philosophical movement, the idea of freedom of thought and making use of every person and individual’s intellect. Suggesting the revival of the styles and spirits of classical antiquity, e.g. returning to the idea of art from classic Greek and Roman times.

Locke who was a major influence on the thinkings and backgrounds of Enlightenment, he claimed there are no innate ideas and that our knowledge comes from our life experiences. He believed that we are born with a blank slate, this whole argument was called Tabula Rasa. We gain knowledge from around us and we are not naturally born with it. Everyday occurrences help to shape our unique minds. Writing “Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas; how come it to be furnished? When comes it by that vast store which the busy and boundless fancy man has painted on it with an endless variety? When has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this answer, in one word, from Experience.” I agree with Locke’s whole theory, my opinion is that we are born with a blank slate, granted with a handful of natural survival instincts such as sucking, grabbing reflects, our senses and communicating in its purest form, crying. Other than these we are born with a completely blank mind but also the ability to learn and absorb an absurd amount of information. This is what Enlightenment is, Enlightenment is the ability to understand, to learn, to be aware, to educate. It is then having the ability to pass this knowledge and teach it to others, to be guided by these teachings of experiences rather than by religion and superstition.

However there are arguments to say that this is not true and that we are born with our lives and own minds already set out for us. Jennifer Kunst argues that “We each come into the world with a pre-installed operating system—a particular type of temperament that varies from person to person” I do see sense in her argument as each person is different, some are much more timid than others and some are very outgoing, each person starts to show their own unique personality at a very young age, suggesting that they are born with it. I believe that this behaviour is a result of the behaviour we witness from our parents and influential figures in our young lives. Children have tendencies to pick up similar traits to one, if not both of their main guardians. This is taking knowledge from our surroundings and our experiences of what we see, allowed by the senses that we are born with.

[sophiesmiles20]

The Enlightenment Period

There are many themes and ideas that have been contributed to art for example religion and romanticism but one theme that caught my eye was Enlightenment.

The Enlightenment was an intellectual current that shocked Europe during the course of the 18th century. One interpretation of Enlightenment that I found is in a book called “The Enlightenment”, 1995 by Dorinda Outram. It says,

“Enlightenment was a desire for human affairs to be guided by rationality rather than by faith, superstition, or revelation; a belief in the power of human reason to change society and liberate the individual from the restraints of custom or arbitrary authority; all backed up by a world view increasingly validated by science rather than by religion or tradition.”

Enlightenment focuses on reason, rationality, order and science. It was a new way of thinking independently about myth, religion and tradition.  From experimentation and critical analysis came new methods of thought.

The Enlightenment academics believed in argument, criticism and debate. They felt themselves to be part of a great movement speaking for the highest aspirations and possibilities of mankind. John Locke, Charles Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau who are enlightenment philosophers all developed theories of government and went on to some or even all would govern. They also valued reason, science and religious tolerance, they called these “natural rights”- life, liberty and property.

The Enlightenment period and the art movement Neoclassicism became connected by aesthetic expression of the philosophical movement. The established principle was freedom of thought. Neoclassicism sought to make use of every individual’s intellect. It strived to return to the ideas of classical Greek and Roman Art. Neoclassicism is an art movement, it was all about revival of the styles and spirit of classical antiquity. It was directly inspired by the classical period, it reflected philosophy and other areas of the age of enlightenment and their developments.

The key artists that we associate with Neoclassicism and The Enlightenment period are Jacques Louis David (1748-1825), Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797), Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788), Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-1779) and William Hogarth (1697-1764).

The two artists that stood out for me were Jacques- Louis David and Joshua Reynolds. Jacques-Louis David and his painting called The Oath of Horatii (1784-85), is about three Horatius brothers that agreed to settle a war between Rome and Alba by personal combat with the Curiatii brothers. One brother survived and when returning to Rome after settling the personal combat discovered his sister mourning. She was betrothed to one of the Curiatii brothers. He killed his sister and was sentenced to death. He was spared death due to the admiration for his patriotism having avoided war with Alba. Within the painting, David focuses on the oath that the three brothers agreed on which meant sacrificing their lives.  David also uses displacement and isolation in the painting to separate the grouping of figures.  In the oath of Horatii David takes the groups of figures and contrasted them with each other also the reinforced expression contrasts. David takes this to the extreme. Joshua Reynolds produces portraits that are nonfiction, they are statements. They lack flattery and pretentious behaviour. His pieces of work have a quality of being open and communicate human contact, but not in a persuasive language which can be lacking in meaningful content which is not allowed because it can disturb the atmosphere. Neo-classical portraiture concentrated on essential truths rather than superficial appearances. They capture the abnormality of each person’s character. For example, Joshua Reynolds – Giuseppe Baretti (1774).

Locke wrote an essay in 1690 Concerning Human Understanding. It became a major influence on Enlightenment thinking, this claimed that there were no innate ideas and that all knowledge is derived from experience. This he referred to as the Tabula Rasa, essentially; we are born with a blank slate. People acquire knowledge from the world, for example what our senses pick up. The ideas we start off with are simple but then we combine them into more complex ideas. Locke argued this. Locke didn’t believe in the ability to understand something with a natural instinct or that the human mind is infused with natural understanding.

Within the essay, Locke wrote:

“Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas; how comes it to be furnished? Whence comes it by that vast store which the busy and boundless fancy man has painted on it with an endless variety? Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this answer, in one word, from Experience.”

In my opinion I agree with what he is saying, I think we are born with a blank slate in terms of our knowledge and our understanding of the world but we were born with these tools, with our senses to help us absorb everything we pick up even if we don’t understand it. This psychologist disagrees with what Locke is saying. As she said,

“we each come into the world with a pre-installed operating system—a particular type of temperament that varies from person to person”- Jennifer Kunst Ph.D.

I found one artist that is related to the Baroque movement but has produced a painting relating to a quote by the philosopher John Locke who I mentioned earlier which is Diego Velázquez and his painting Sibyl with Tabula Rasa (1648). This painting it shows a woman with a tablet. Within medieval Christian tradition, the tablet (tabula rasa) is used to portray with sibyls holding it to prophetesses the warning the Pagan Romans of the coming of Christ. The tabula rasa is blank but sibyls using their gift that God has given them they are able to help warn the Pagan Romans. Sibyls were not born with the gift of prophecy.

I understand what they are both saying and it’s a difficult one but our experiences help building up knowledge and understanding and as artists we use what we have learned and absorbed to throughout our lives to produce art. We were not born with the gift of being a great artist we had to learn and experience from what’s in the world using our senses, touch, taste, smell, hear and sight. Without these we would be lost.

[georgiablacklidge-blog]

Romanticism

This erie is based around a depended appreciation of the beauties around us. It is not to do with love or romance but it is all about passion, in their beliefs and their feelings. It is an act of personal expression, which changed the course of art. Romanticism was all based around being yourself, expression of powerful emotion, passion and revolution. This movement could be seen as the rejection of the precepts of order, calm, idealisation, and rationality. Instead individual expression, the irrational, the personal and the spontaneous. The Romanic movement originated in Germany, then it spread to England, France and the rest of Europe. It was at it’s height during the period 1780 to 1830, but continued to be an influence long after that. French poet Charles Baudelaire described it, "Romanticism is precisely situated neither in choice of subject nor in exact truth, but in a way of feeling.”

While looking into this movement I found that there was an obsessive interest in folk culture, national and ethnic culture origins and in the medieval era. Furthermore I've noticed an emphasis upon imagination as a gateway to transcendent experience and spiritual truth, also a liking for the occult, the mysterious, the monstrous and a lot of relation to satanic. For example John Henry Fuseli ‘The Nightmare’ (1782). This painting draws on folklore, science and classical art to create a new kind of sexually charged image. Fuseli wanted the painting to shock and intrigue, as well as to make a name for himself. He defiantly succeeded in this. The work is made for your own interpretation. Some people believe that it is some sort of sexual desire however I believe that this is a physical effect of a nightmare. The incubus, is a type of spirit said to lie on top of people in their sleep. Or in fact sleep paralysis. I believe this because the image is just how I felt when experiencing sleep paralysis. Fuseli’s painting is suggestive but not explicit. It seems be quite a frightening image. There has been many different reproductions of his work in many medias, from artists like Thomas Burke, William Blake and Thomas Rowlandson. ‘The Nightmare’ became an icon of Romanticism and a defining image of Gothic horror.

This movement was somewhat a reaction to the Industrial Revolution and Neo-classicism, which focused upon reason, rationality and order. Classicists believed art should every simplistic and calm grandeur. So this movement embraced the struggle of freedom and and equality. The movement affected philosophical thinking, literature, music, and art. After the French Revolution of 1789, a significant social change occurred within a single generation. Europe was shaken by political crises, revolutions and wars. New ideas and attitudes had taken hold after this. Jacques-Louis David was an artist deeply committed to the French Revolution. ‘The Death of Marat’ (1793) was one of his paintings that is essentially a piece of Propaganda. The government asked him to paint a series of three images that would heroicize martyrs. This was the beginning of a new republic that lets society participate in the government. The image shows Marat in a gruesome way, he is a victim of political violence.

Romanticism didn't just influence Visual Arts but music and literature too. This period ended around 1830 and then the was followed by realism. Beethoven 5th symphony is known to be what started romanticism in music. When listening to this piece there is a range of different emotions tracing through, from excitement through to the feeling of danger. The piece was all about expressing emotions which is what Romanticism is all about. Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s, is known to be a very famous writer. One of his greatest plays and some people credit to launch his success is Faust (1808 -1832 ) and is one of the most influential exponents of the movement. It is a play where Faust sells his soul for knowledge and to the devil. It expresses deep emotion and suffering in this play. Too add it inspired many great writers, musicians, and artists in their own work.

‘Wanderer above the Sea of Fog’ by Caspar David Friedrich. Is one of the most popular paintings of this movement. The wanderer is dressed in gentleman’s attire, garments wholly unsuitable for such a climb, suggestive that his task was accomplished. The cloudy sky and the man looking into the distance is as a sign of danger and fear of the unknown. Joseph Mallord William Turner was one of the most prolific english artists. He is best known for his studies of both urban and rural scenes including powerful seascapes. Such as ‘The Fighting Temeraire’ (1839). Showing a stunning sunset which highlights the transition between new and old technologies, between the warship and a black tugboat. He has painted around 96,000 watercolours, sketches and engravings. Turner is less interested in fine detail, so his pictures often have the hazy, dreamlike quality and private interpretations.Their is Romanticism in Contemporary culture too. Such as in Art, music, film and gaming. In the post-modern world, their is interest in landscape and its symbolic qualities prevailing our mood. Peter Doig ‘Figure in a Mountain Landscape’ (1998) is a great example of this.

The key thinkers of this art movement were William Blake (1757 –1827). Who was a poet, artist, and mystic. Blake is not considered a classical romantic poet, but his new style of poetry and mystical experience of nature had a significant influence on the growth of romanticism. John Constable (1776 – 1837) was also another key thinker in the romantic movement. He was an English painter. Popular for his landscapes of Dedham Vale. Moreover Eugène Delacroix (1798 – 1863) a french romantic painter was influential for the use of expressive colour, movement, imagination and romantic content. He was also influential to the impressionists.

Above all, Romanticism emphasised individuality, pure passion and emotion. Romanticism in Visual Arts explore both powerful emotion and also powerful sights of scenery in this erie. It shows that work can be interpreted rather than just representing something. As the poet Charles Baudelaire wrote in 1846 “Romanticism is precisely situated neither in choice of subject nor in exact truth, but in a way of feeling.”  Romanticists believed art should excite the emotions, and in particular the emotions of fear. The romantic movement has permanently changed our sensibilities.  

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/gothic-nightmares-fuseli-blake-and-romantic-imagination/gothic

https://www.biographyonline.net/famous-people-of-the-romantic-period/

Roe, N. (2005) Chapter 5. Oxford University Press Romanticism: an oxford guide pg. 68-75

[arty-agatha-blog]

Here is a shoot I did experimenting with light trails on the motor way. I set the camera shutter speed to to 20 so I could capture the lights in a long motion and the slightest hand move would jolt the light trails. I really enjoyed experimenting with this and trying different styles of photography out

[jessicawonta]

I am going to be speaking about a piece of work by Damien Hirst.  Damien Hirst is an English Artist, Entrepreneur and Art collector. He is the most famous member of the group known as the young British artists, his breakthrough an am artist was in the early 1990′s. He is currently the Uk’s richest living artist at the age of 52. He is mainly known for his sculpture “the physical impossible of death in the mind of someone living” published 1991. This is basically a real tiger shark that was caught and murdered in Australia, it is now preserved in formaldehyde in a vitrine. This caused an up raw in animal cruelty because this shark has purely been killed for artwork, but it also got the public’s attention because it hasn’t really been done before. Hirst also has his own “factory” where he creates all his work and all his workers make art for him to sell on in his name and nobody else get credit for his fame. Due to Hirst using a material called Formaldehyde as a preservative, people who lived in the area were concerned because the substance can cause Myeloid Leukaemia. Understandable that people in the area were not impressed by this.

The sculpture is from his newest collection of work called “Treasures from the wreck of the unbelievable” this is currently being presented in the “Punta Della Dogona-Francois Pinault Foundation” in Venice. This collection is new to this year I know this because I went to Venice on a study trip for a few days, I loved this collection of work the only problem is that you don’t know what is real and what isn’t. The collection was first exhibited in this gallery on 09/04 and is soon to be taken way on the 02/12/2017. Some pieces are supposedly made up and placed in the ocean to get a quick picture or small video, so that it comes across as a ship wreck. But then some pieces have been small objects found in the ocean revamped or made bigger. You just don’t know what is actually a true shipwreck piece or what is just a random idea. The piece I am going to be speaking about that I saw was “The minotaur” because this links with Greek Mythology.

“The Minotaur” sculpture was made out of Black Granite and measured at 120.7 x 173.4 x 111.1cm. This sculpture’s simple name makes it sounds like a literal minotaur, but actually it’s a minotaur raping an Athenian virgin. A Minotaur is a Greek myth that is Half man, half bull. This creature was sent as a gift to Minos in order to support him whilst ruling Crete encase it was a struggle at any point. In the booklet I got given at the exhibition, it had a small amount of text that explained the sculpture. Quote from the text “Classical art often Aestheticized such scenes, sanitising any explicit reference to intercourse. In myth, such assaults were partly rationalised by claiming that the god Eros was capable of overpowering bodies and wills at any moment” this is so true how most art nowadays sugar coats what is actually going on and doesn’t reveal the truth and it’s disgusting how their way of getting away with rape is saying that the god Eros would stop it, but he didn’t so that makes rape back in that time period somehow okay.

When seeing the sculpture in person it made me feel very uncomfortable, it was literally a Minotaur raping a woman and there is no other way of putting it without sounding so crude. The amount of detail that went in to this piece was truly amazing, but in the worse possible way. Even down to the way his monstrous penis was being forced into her pure soul, the way she is lay in pain and trying to push it out off her with as much will power as she has left in her, the pain in her face I can imagine the screams that you would be able to hear for miles, the tension in her body being able to see her veins popping through her skin as her virginity is being destroyed. The minotaur sculpture is very sadistic but is the truth and covers the topic of rape, in a very wrong crude way. Hopefully this piece makes people realise what it looks like from the victim’s perspective because they are physically seeing what people worldwide are put through, but this shouldn’t only now trigger people about rape to make them understand it. The actual minotaur is pinning the women arms above her head so she physically can’t push him off her or scratch at him, anything to save her purity.

I feel like Hirst is trying to resemble what it was like for women and the understanding of rape in ancient Greek times, how they believed that one of the gods could control all men and if they would be doing something wrong he would stop them. The minotaur resembles how strong, violent and sexually frustrated men can be. The women show how small and dainty women can be giving of a vibe of fragile and powerless but in a situation like this it doesn’t seem like there wasn’t much she or any women could do. The piece of work isn’t from the time period of Ancient Greece but includes mythology that does. I feel like the minotaur is represented exactly like the mythology describes him.

[imogenportersart]

What is Art?

What is art? As people will question there is seen to be many different opinions of what it could be. Some people announce it as a communication of feeling, others believe it could be whatever is displayed in a Gallery or Museum as more go on to believe its self-expression. Art has a wide view of meanings from Painting to even Music and Dance. However, if we take into consideration the meaning of ‘Fine Art’ people will often include that with the concept of carefully drawn images and beautifully painted sculptures. Extreme examples a side, every time a new movement in the art industry starts to expand the definition of what is art, what could art be classed becomes challenged. I will discuss the different aspect of theories of Movements and explain my own theory.

Art is an Imitation of an Imitation. Representation, Form and Expression. From the beginning of Plato’s first development of the idea of art as ‘Mimesis’ which according to him he believed all artistic creations were some form of intimidation that which really did exists in the [Worlds of Ideas]. In his theory became religion as he sees it to be ‘created by God’ explaining that in his existence for example the perfect form of the cat, the table and chair this relating to that there is only one copy of these type of forms. Believing God can only create of the same. On another hand, he also perceived a hidden meaning within his cave allegory which included people chained and facing the wall of the cave. The people see only shadows of forms on the wall, projected from a burn of fire behind them. This is the closest the people can come to perceiving. To wrap up an overview of Plato’s thoughts to Art, he simply sees the creation of a good intimidation that has in a way undermined the stability of humans, making them depressed and sorrowful about life itself. And that the clear majority Is down to God. “not to render the visible but to render visible”.

Renaissance Began in the 14th Century which from a different perspective to Plato as they were trying to move away from this thought of religion. They began to look at new ways of describing and thinking about the world and Art. Art began to come to light as they began to re-establish Western Art especially Greek Sculpture and painting. Which Remained unchallenged. Throughout the many artist that carried this theory out. Leonardo Da Vinci impacted on the Renaissance a lot of area of interest varied from Painting to archetypal Renaissance man representing the humanistic values of the period in his Art. Michelangelo and Raphael were also key people to the success of the Renaissance, by encouraging the classical outlook on perfection. There was different views and opinions of what Art really is and these are two prime examples of the different between the two of the many thoughts and acts taken into consideration of Art/’Fine Art’. ‘Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.’

Opinion on Art.

Art is being seen in many different terms, the more movements that have been made from the 17th to the 20th onwards. Was looked at as rationalising people’s thoughts on Art itself. Today people are more open to the thought of expression in art and how it can be seen through the public eye. There has been a massive change in acceptation and appreciation of how Art is viewed and that remains on going throughout the years of the Art industry. This has included Music, Fashion, Dance, Theatre etc… It goes on and on in the form of Art. Art isn’t just perceived as a body of work anymore, From the time of Cave Paintings Which were simple carved in imagery used with blood and sticks, whatever they could find. Early Sculpture which tended to look quite similar in every shape and formation. Cycladic Art not thought out, Egyptian Art details put repetitive etc… we now have something more wonderful and honourable, the viewing of having creativity, Imagination and thought. In an Over view of all the work that is made today it isn’t just alleged to one place example, ‘the wall’, people image now floor space, sound, texture, motion, tone, rhythm. I think the harmony displayed back in the 17-20th was very limited in the sense of thinking outside the box of what Art could produce. Artists today are unique with their own distinct way of revealing a sense of Art and what it can be made of or from, or which category it can fall into or if it even has a category. However, I do think in time people will start to not see the movements as ‘real art’ example the classical art, I think in my opinion people will begin to turn away more and more from the traditional way of looking at art and become more dominant with their own type of style and verification of Art. I think in the future the more Art is explained in different movements and opinions the more people will split from the idea and begin to see it from their own thought and sense. Art is a lot more open and thoughtful now in a sense of creating and performing. Here is a short summary of what I think, I believe that Art is expressed that it can varies from a thought of sense, experience, mental illness, freedom, happiness, and its ways of showing this is assessable through any object, device, place, sound. So, what is Art? Art can be anything and express entirely your chose. How it has overcome and been over whelmed over a period of decays, people still link back to the movements studied then, now. But in all aspect, we are given more freedom to acknowledge the sense of expression and representation in the way we discover Art. ‘Everything you can imagine is real.” – Pablo Picasso, explaining my definition of Art.

[rachartwork]

Art and Ideas

Art and the ideas behind it have evolved throughout the centuries. The impressions expressed about art have evolved overtime globally. The definition of art has advanced beyond the literal meaning in Western society. Modern art cannot only be recognised as oil paint on canvas anymore, the stretch of possibilities have broadened throughout the years to the point that society is split between its decision on ‘what actually is art?’

Art fashions different opinions whether it should be seen as perhaps traditional painting or to serve a more creative purpose; something believed to be able to connect to the viewer on an emotional foundation. When living in western society, people don’t recognise how much they come into contact with art each day. It all links to the visual communication around us; in both urban and rural environments where things warn and alert us through art practices such as graffiti on walls and photography.

It is impossible to know when art began. One of the first creations that could be familiar with the concept of art is ‘Parietal art’ dating back 40,000 years. Picasso stated “after Altamira, all is decadence”. The Altamira was discovered in Spain, during the 19th century. It was seen as a man’s first way of interpreting the world, even though scientists believed they didn’t have the mental capacity to think like this.

The art around us determines how we interact with society. In early history, people who made paintings were not able to be recognised as ‘artists’.  From the Renaissance onwards was the time when artists were recognised and their work was able to be named. The Author Giorgio Vasari wrote a book entitled ‘The Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Architects’, which helped artists to gain an income for the first time. Painting wasn’t just seen as a ‘craft’ or ‘grace’ anymore proving that people started to recognise art as a professional matter.

“There are beds and there are tables in the world.  You understand the idea of one form from the idea of the other.”- Plato. This Greek philosopher is one of the main academics that helped started the key ideas about art. He saw things as having a ‘third rate appearance’ if it was copied. Greece and Rome were mainly responsible for starting new philosophies which created the thought processes for western civilians. Compared to this, in the East, Alexander the Great generated the concept of Greco-Buddhist art around the 4th century BC. It travelled as far as Japan as a way of spreading new culture. There are ideas that have followed up from this, such as prejudices. An example of this is the Marxist view of visual representations.

The different ideas that started shaping the world proved to society that artists were not producing work in a cultural vacuum. Era’s such as the growth of Christianity, the Renaissance and Romanticism, interpreted the way that artists portrayed their work and shaped the opinions discussed in the culture at the time. Showing that artists had something to be inspired by evidenced how artists were not being formed in this cultural vacuum. It was during the Renaissance period when new inventions such as the printing press and learning about perspective and measurements helped produce perfection according to architects. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were enjoying the idea that the new fashion in art was to be seamless, which lead to the Mona Lisa and the sculpture of David by these two artists respectively. Romanticism was a response to the neoclassicism factor. Artists used this period to show how art can reflect more emotion in their work. Charles Baudelaire was an artist who thought like this as he stated "Romanticism is precisely situated neither in choice of subject nor in exact truth, but in a way of feeling."

Nature and beauty became an eminent topic in the world of art, it gave artists a new purpose to paint which lead to the idea of pantheism. A painting from Casper David Friedrich (The Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog) presented the beauty that was being captured in the paintings during this time. The fact the man was wearing elegant clothes to complete his journey reflected the comfort that he saw in life.

The ideas discussed when observing art work or something creatively produced helps change the interpretation of it. It makes it an interactive piece of art work. Some people prefer the idea that art should be kept to a traditional matter. As previously discussed, the different factors society have faced, such as early Christianity  made the people unable to show different views about topics such as paintings like Leonardo Di Vinci, The Last Supper. Compared to today’s views, society has become very flexible about the way each person thinks. Freedom of speech has allowed verbalisation of opinion.

Still life is one of the main factors that shows the interaction of art and ideas. People have always been obsessed with the ‘ideal body’. Form and shape started to appear in this way when using goddesses as a perfect representation of the human figure. Sculpturers were seen as being controversial artists for making models of the figures as it meant they wanted to portray the Gods differently. In modern day, it has evolved into having the ideal body represented in magazines. “I could have done that” is a response a lot of people say towards modern art. This is another example of how art and ideas cooperate. One example of work that received a controversial response is from San Francisco’s US Museum of Modern Art grew an audience when a teenager left a pair of glasses on the floor. It seemed that they tried to imitate the idea that modern art can be very similar to an object. Gavin Turk’s bin bag sculpture is another example of this. The ideas that speculated around this pair of glasses, something people called ‘genius’ showed how art is always interrelating with society.

The growth of art has become apparent during each stage in history. The idea that artists were only seen as people having a hobby and not getting paid for it compared to the modern day shows the significant importance art has had on society. It developed as people started to recognise that they saw their own critical reflection in paintings. Instead of conversing about the events that were happening at the time in prints and debates, artists had their emotional stance displayed in painted or drawn out compositions. 

[wxxatson-blog]

Defining Art

For this blog post in particular i will be looking at what we consider to be art and why we consider it to be art. To my understanding art too its core is a form of expression, as is music, hence why we call music art and musicians artists. If i were to ask the general public what art is to them, doubtedly they wouldn't stretch much further from paintings of fruit bowls and paper Mache. A favoured quote of mine from Jerzy Kosinski is ‘the principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke’. If we are to create a piece of artwork, before we even put pen to paper we are putting ourselves into the art. Weather consciously or subconsciously, you are expressing yourself.

        Defining art past expressing yourself is when it becomes much more chaotic and complex. Many artists throughout history and still today challenge what we consider art to be by stretching to its borders of simplism and complexion. Artwork such as Duchamp's ‘fountain’ is a fantastic example of simplistic art. Although it entails close to no skill, Duchamp's ‘fountain’ is art. It contains the same properties of sculpture and was created with expressive intention (to challenge what we consider art to be). People may not necessarily like his work, but that does not mean it is not considered art.

        Where does the line between what is an object and what is a piece of art/sculpture start and end? To understand what art is, we must understand what makes it art. An object has a purpose. We use that object for whatever reason to assist us throughout life. However a sculptures purpose is to exist. A sculpture has many other properties; to make the viewer feel, think and understand. Although an object can do this too. The only true defining factor between the two, is the subject of existence itself. That is what seperates an object from an artwork.

        Art as a phrase or word, is used to emphasise the way we feel about a topic or a particular aspect of something. For example, golf to some is considered an art form, but to someone who has never played golf it is not. This brings me back to my starting point of art being art when it is expressive and in many ways personal. Art is so varied and widespread that 2 things that are completely different can still fall under the term ‘art’. This is why there is so much controversy over what art is. Humans try to understand, label and categorize everything. We do this because it helps us comprehend the world around us. We refuse to accept other people's views on what art is because our own views are so different.

          To truly deepen our understanding of an artwork we must consider the time and location it was produced in. To define and break down all of this, correlating art is often grouped into ‘movements’ so that art from a particular stretch of time and a similar style can be grouped together. These movements would also run through literature, philosophy and music etc..

        after the advancements of technology such as photography in the early 20th century artists looked for new ways to challenge it through their artwork. From this as well as other creative subjects abstract art was formed thus objectifying the fact that art can only be representational. The abstract movement ‘cubism’ arose bringing with it famous artists such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. Cubism would alter the artwork in a 3D miss shapen way so that the subject is still visible but almost formless. The nineteenth volume (cubism), in the series ‘history of art’ reads

       ‘he is a newly-born putting order into the universe for his own personal use and also to facilitate his relations with his fellow men’.

     This was written in response to the work of Pablo Picasso. The full text looks at how he portrays the world around him through cubism and how people are able to relate to his work. In relation to what is art? Could it be that art is simply how we show people the world through our own eyes? And that's why art is constantly changing. Because so is the world around us.

       The earliest known cave paintings/drawings of animals are at least 35,000 years old from Indonesia. From here we are able to see how art has developed as well as changed alongside the changes in society and culture . People began carving, painting, sculpting and wearing artwork in response to their beliefs of gods and the afterlife which is something we still do to this day. Around the 1500s famous artisans would also be highly skilled mathematicians, scientists and illiterates. ///Sculpting and drawing were key means of understanding and cataloguing information and history at this point in time. To me this raises the question, did art exist at this time? We question what is art now and the variation is overwhelming. Since the 1500s we have discovered radio, television, photography and many other technological advances that replace a lot of the work originally necessary through art.

It would seem, that as the world expands and changes so does art.

          We see art day in day out without recognition, through advertising, TV and even in food. Restaurants organise the way food looks on a plate so it is more appetizing to the consumer. Art itself is embedded so deep into day to day life that we constantly overlook it.

          Defining art could be close to impossible. Not only does it mean different things to different people, but it is a constantly changing ideology that can be grouped and pinpointed with experience, reason and expression. To me it comes down to intention. Without intention anything can be art. A good example of this is when a student ‘Kevin Nguyen’ left a pair of glasses at the San Francisco museum of modern art. The glasses were repeatedly mistaken for an exhibition by the gallery viewers. However, the fact that they were placed there with intention made it ‘art’.

[hworthington]

This video links into the question "what is art for" it isn't as depressing as it looks. Well worth a watch .