Finally, the Final!

Art has been relevant for centuries and is continually progressing. Of course it may be aesthetically appealing and we all “like” it, but what purpose does it serve? I believe the purpose of art is to tell people a story through each piece.

Early Modern

Early Modern came at a time that allowed it to be heavily influenced by WWI.

Visual Art

Art took a major turn during this time as artists begun telling the story of what was happening in the world by promoting movements through their art.

Dada was an anti-war movement presented through art. This is one of the first pieces that directed their focus more towards making a point and less towards being aesthetically appealing.

This is a collage the Dada used to initiate their movement. This piece clearly tells a story through the different images they chose to use. I personally find this piece very attention grabbing due to the many different elements there are to observe.

Music

Charles Ives was an American composer, most recognized in the 19th and 20th centuries. He was most popular for his song The Fourth of July.

I couldn’t help but find the song confusing and almost creepy. The title The Fourth of July lead me to believe it would have happier tones but all I felt was someone creeping down he stairs in a scary movie. Regardless of my negative opinions on the song, I still feel it told a story through the different variety of tones used throughout.

Theater

Henrik Ibsen was a Norwegian play writer with a continuously evolving style. Towards the end of his career, Ibsen begun to focus on a more self-reflective style with older characters reflecting on the things they’ve done throughout their lives.

Ibsen was most famous for his work A Doll’s House, which was about a woman who struggled the balance of being a wife and a mother while still fulfilling her own needs. I find this incredible simply because even though times are very different, this struggle is still very relevant with many women today. Clearly, this play tells a story as it is, well, a story.

 

Present

Today, art is still very relevant, though it has clearly changed as most things do. Art still manages to tell a story through each piece, though.

Architecture

Frank Gehry is a well known architect who has done phenomenal work for years. He is well known for many pieces, such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California.

Foundation Louis Vuitton – Paris

More recently, Gehry created the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris. This was completed in 2014. I love many works of Gehry due to his unique abilities and the way he pairs it with simplicity. I feel this piece displays that style very well. Architecture still tells a story through the shapes and color schemes used. This piece uses a neutral color and sharp lines which to me displays a story of elegance prior to walking in the building.

Music

Music is something that has undoubtably changed since the Early Modern era. The most commonly listed to type is not likely to be an orchestra anymore.

Needtobreathe

Though there are many different styles and artists to choose from, one of my more recent favorite songs is Something Beautiful by Needtobreathe. I find the tone soothing, the words relatable, and all aspects of the song enjoyable. This song tells a story through the words and the tone.

Film

Though film is displayed very differently today than it once was, it still tells a story just like it once did. Some stories being told today were once told through plays in other eras.

One recent movie is Wanderlust with Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston. This movie, just like the play A Doll’s House, is about self-reflection and balancing life with what you truly need as a person. I find this extremely interesting simply because you wouldn’t think people would worry about the things they did centuries ago, but we do. Not to mention, how can one not love a movie with Jennifer Aniston?

 

Works Cited

“Charles Ives.” Charles Ives – Short Biography – Music Sales Classical. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

“Dada Movement, Artists and Major Works.” The Art Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

“Henrik Ibsen.” Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 2015. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

Sokol, David. “28 Spectacular Buildings by Frank Gehry.” Architectural Digest. N.p., 01 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

Alternatives

Non-Western

Non-Western pieces are those not created in Europe or America.

 

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is a Mexican artists who became well known for her self-portraits. She begun painting after she was injured in a bus accident as a teenager. Kahlo was very successful at depicting emotions and pain through her self-portraits.

 

Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress – 1926

Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress was Kahlo’s very first self-portrait. The intentions of this portrait was to display herself as a princess in hopes of repairing a broken relationship. I find the elements she chose to highlight on herself interesting.

Though she may look disproportionate to me, maybe she felt her neck made her beautiful. I also find it interesting she chose to not include jewelry in this portrait as she does in others. She successfully portraits feminism without feminine elements.

 

Self-Portrait – Time Flies – 1929

The self portrait above was created when Kahlo married her husband. She intended to display the way her new husband cherished her. She is also featured in a traditional Mexican costume which was consistent with the styles used in her husbands murals. This portrait sold for five million dollars in New York, making Kahlo the highest selling Latin American artist in history.

I find the comparison of this piece to the first interesting due to the elements she chose to highlight again or new ones, such as the blush. Perhaps this displays accentuated elements, such as a blush-like cheek, to show a more romanticized image of herself.

 

Self Portrait Between the Curtains – 1937

This piece was often called “Between the Curtains” and was created for Leon Trotsky as a gift. After an exile with Stalin, Kahlo’s husband convinced Mexico to grant Trotsky asylum. Trotsky and Kahlo had an affair once Trotsky begun staying with Kahlo and her husband. The affair ended and Trotsky and his wife left, leaving the painting behind as well. In 1938, this painting was displayed in Kahlo’s first solo exhibit.

I find the style of this piece interesting in comparison to her others. This piece, to me, seems more realistic. It is also a bigger image of the things surrounding her, such as herself being a focal point in a doorway. I also notice that she added the detail of flowers in her hair, likely to once again romanticize herself. I also notice she chose lighter tones in this piece, which to me shows she wanted the element of glowing to portray here.

 

Self Portrait with cropped hair

Shortly after Kahlo divorced her husband, she chose to rid herself of the feminine image she use to portray. By doing so, she displayed her desire for independence and lack of need for men.

It is hard for me to find this portrait aesthetically appealing. It is disproportionate and honestly an odd concept. I do, however, find the meaning to this piece be incredibly beautiful. We try so hard to display ourselves in a manner we think others will approve of. At some point we have to remember that self-love should always come first and sometimes the only way to do that is to push our limits, which in this case was chopping off her hair and taking away any feminine aspect of herself.

Overview

Kahlo shows a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the years in correlation to her life events. I find the different types of emotions she displays impressive simply because it cannot be easy for an artist to display multiple emotions through similar works.

Today, Kahlo is celebrated in Mexico for the attention she brought to Mexico for her culture and the feminism within.

 

Works Cited

“Frida Kahlo and Her Paintings.” Frida Kahlo – Paintings, Biography, and Quotes of Frida Kahlo. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

“Frida Kahlo Biography.” Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Post Modern

Architecture

Architecture is something I personally have always found aesthetically appealing. Though some may argue that “architecture isn’t art”, I personally must disagree. The thought, effort, and beauty portrayed through architecture is something I find incredible.

Frank Gehry

Born in Toronto, Canada, Frank Gehry studied at Havard as well as the Universities of Southern California. Gehry progressively over the years made his way towards a deconstructed architectural style that began in the 1970’s that allowed him to create collage-like compositions out of found materials.

 

Loyola Law School – Los Angeles 1978

In 1978, Gehry begun expanding Loyola Law school in Los Angeles, California where he would introduce a neotraditional style to the campus. The design work was done in phases, allowing the school to proceed as needed. This was completed in 2003.

This architectural piece is something I find intriguing due to the balance between simplicity and uniqueness. I also love the modern feel it has, as I have always loved the clean lines modern architecture brings.

 

Chiat/Day Complex – Venice, CA 1991

Built for an advertising company in Venice, California, this building Gehry created is commonly known as the “binoculars building”.

This piece is a perfect representation of the fact that architecture IS art. The detail and accuracy of this piece are truly impressive.

 

Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles 1988

Gehry designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California. The project begun in 1988 and opened in 2003. This piece was one of Gehry’s most popular.

Once again, I love how Gehry manages both simplicity and uniqueness. The flashy yet simple tone along with the clean lined unique shapes make this piece extremely aesthetically appealing to me.

 

Robert Venturi

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Robert Venturi studied at Princeton University, as well as in Rome, Italy at American Academy. Venturi has partnered with his wife, Denise Scott Brown, since 1960.

 

London’s National Gallery – London 1991

Venturi designed London’s National Gallery with his wife. They created a neoclassical style with a contemporary twist. The building finally opened in 1991.

I like the simplicity of the design with pieces of intricate detail at the top of the pillars. I think it shows that less is more sometimes.

 

Seattle Art Museum – Seattle 1991

The Seattle Art Museum in downtown Seattle, Washington was one of Venturi’s most popular works. The staircase is displays cultures and is intended to accommodate a variety of periods and art styles.

I think the staircase is amazing and I love that the idea behind the art is to pull different periods and styles together.

 

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego – San Diego 1996

During this project, Venturi aimed to give the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego a more modern look. The new design was aimed to reference the museums home architecture of the historic Scripps House.

I think Venturi did a great job of once again implementing simplicity and modern elements.

 

Art in Architecture

Though some may argue that “architecture isn’t art”, I think these buildings are a great example of how wrong they are. Though it may be done on a much larger scale, architecture can be created with great detail and creativity, allowing it to be a piece of art itself.

 

 

Works Cited

“The Daily Muse.” The Daily Muse. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.

Sokol, David. “28 Spectacular Buildings by Frank Gehry.” Architectural Digest. N.p., Oct. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.

Stamp, Elizabeth. “Explore 6 Iconic Postmodern Buildings of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown.” Architectural Digest. N.p., 1 June 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.

 

Early Modern

The Influence of WWI

World War I had quite an impact on art in the early 1900’s. Much of the change in art caused by World War I was in form of movements. A lot of work began to come with a strong meaning behind it instead of just a purpose to look appealing.

 

Dada

Dada was essentially an anti-war movement through art. This movement fought against pro-war society, sexism, and racism. This was one of the first movements that didn’t focus necessarily on the pieces being aesthetically pleasing but making a point.

This piece was a major influence in the movement and what they stood for. Collages were commonly used in this style.

 

Surrealism

Surrealism was another movement that began shortly after WWI. This began as a literacy movement but begun expression through visual arts. This style focuses on things such as dreams and fantasies.

The Persistence of Memory 1931

This piece was created by Salvador Dali, who was undoubtably the most famous of the surrealism group. The melting clock is an example of “strange warping of time” that occurs when we are in the dream state.

 

Post War Influence

Once the war was over, it still significantly impacted art and the styles chosen. Many American artists chose to reject trends and focused their works on depicting realism in America. This was seen as an attempt to define a specific style of American art.

One artists who chose to represent this style of “American Regionalism” was Normal Rockwell. He was known for his work depicting civil rights, poverty and space exploration. This style peaked from 1930 to 1935. The main purpose of this style was to represent local and small-town themes. Rockwell published his work in the “Saturday Evening Post” for 40 years.

 

 

Works Cited

“American Scene Painting.” The Art of History Archive. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

“Dada Movement, Artists and Major Works.” The Art Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

Denny, Diana. “Classic Covers: How Rockwell Changed Illustration.” The Saturday Evening Post. N.p., 14 May 2011. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

“Modern Surrealism.” Eyeconart. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

 

Romantic

Impressionism

Impressionism is a style of art that expresses the painting through the use of noticeable brush strokes, giving off a sketch-like appearance. At the time, some critics felt the paintings had a “lack of finish”.

I personally feel this style of painting is appealing for a few different reasons. The first reason I find this style appealing is how it in some ways reminds me of abstract paintings, which I have always found aesthetically appealing. Another reason I like this style of painting is because I feel that the harsh differences in color seen in each stroke shows exactly what the artist is thinking when creating each shape.

 

Claude Monet – Impression Sunrise, 1872

The painting above was an impressionism painting that was exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874. Although this painting may not display an incredibly detailed depiction of what may be going on, I believe it appears abstract enough that it is still pleasing to look at.

Claude Monet – Garden at Sainte-Adresse

I chose another painting by Monet because I love the versatility she displays between these two works. The first appears very abstract while the second is incredibly detailed while still having a hint of abstract feel. In many of her paintings, I couldn’t help but love the way she portrayed the water and the way it moves. I also love the way she allows the harsh colors to pop in the flowers. She also entails great detail in the ships in the background while still following the guidelines of the impressionistic style.

Alfred Sisley – Allee of Chestnut Trees

The piece above is a great representation of a middle ground between the first two paintings. Sisley does a great job of painting a fairly clear image with the “sketch-like” elements of impressionism. The not so detailed clouds behind the fairly detailed trees shows great contrast. I can’t help but love the beauty of the leaves in the trees.

 

Neoclassical versus Impressionism

At the time, it was very hard for critics to adjust to the style of impressionism simply because neoclassical was so different. The purpose of neoclassical was to appear smooth and leave no signs of brush strokes. This is clearly very different from impressionism, which is intended to show the brush strokes and not appear smooth. Neoclassical focused on realistic depictions while impressionism focused on the effects of light.

Neoclassical had more rules and guidelines. Impressionism was created by a group that when told their style was unacceptable continued to fund their own exhibitions anyways.

 

 

Works Cited

 “A Beginner’s Guide to Impressionism.” Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

“Impressionism VS. Neoclassicism.” Kologban. N.p., 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Samu, Margaret. “Impressionism: Art and Modernity.” The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Classical

Neoclassical

The second half of the eighteenth century, often known as the Age of Reason, was captivated by the spirit of Enlightenment. During this time, individuals thought for themselves and begun to disregard previous concepts of conduct.

Neoclassical works were known to be more serious and heroic.

Jacques Louis David

Jacques Louis David was considered one of the most prominent painters of the classical era. Known as a highly influential French painter, David specialized in the Neoclassical style.

Death of Socrates (1787) – Metropolitan Museum of Art

Socrates is best known as a philosopher who faced the death penalty for “corrupting the young”. He was condemned to death or exile, but chose the death penalty due to exile by the Athenian government raising skepticism among his students.This painting, created by David in 1787, was highly analyzed and discussed by David and his friends prior to painting. The idea was to show the energy of the scene through those holding Socrates down. Details in the painting include Plato sitting at the end of the bed, as well as Socrates’s wife leaving the prison. I like this painting because it depicts a real life scene. It also shows what Socrates was willing to go through in order to defend his philosophies.

Jean Antoine-Houdon

Jean Antoine-Houdon was known as the greatest European sculptor of the eighteenth century. He not only flourished during the American and the French Revolutions, but the Directoire and Empire in France. He was known for his incredible ability to capture greatly detailed characteristics and the essence of his subject.

George Washington (1788-92) – State Capitol, Richmond, Virginia. Sculpted in Rome.

After the American Revolutionary War, America wanted to create a sculpture to commemorate Washington. Thomas Jefferson set out to find the right sculptor and knew Houdon was perfect for the job. Houdon came to Virginia to gather everything he needed to capture the proper elements for his sculpture. What I like most about this piece is the backstory about how Washington disliked the classical attire and consisted on wearing contemporary. I feel as though this element takes a great deal from the artists to properly depict something not as familiar.

 

Angelica Kauffman

Angelica Kauffman, a swiss painter, was known as a “child prodigy”. Her father, Joseph Kauffman, was famous for his murals and portraits. Angelica Kauffman made a name for herself when she became well known for her neoclassical history paintings.

Cornelia Pointing to Her Children as Treasures (1785) – Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

This piece was widely known for its great depiction of the ancient Roman dress, as well as the masterful togas worn by the children. It allows for the illusion that they could have stepped directly off of a temple’s pediment. I like this painting because the skill it takes for an artist to capture elements of a previous time is not an easy task.

 

Works Cited

“Age of Reason.” AllAboutHistory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

 “Artist of the Month: May 2014 | Blog | Royal Academy of Arts.” Artist of the Month: May 2014 | Blog | Royal Academy of Arts. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

“Houdon, George Washington.” Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

“Jacques Louis David – The Complete Works.” Jacques Louis David – The Complete Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

“Jacques-Louis David: The Death of Socrates.” Neo-Classicism and French Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

“Neo-Classical Art.” Mark Harden’s Artchive: “Neo-Classical Art” N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

 

Baroque

Galileo Galilei

Highly educated in mathematics, Galileo Galilei begun to experiment and contribute to physics. He is most commonly known for his great construction and invention of the telescope. Galileo became a celebrity of sorts in Italy and was appointed mathematician and philosopher for the Medicis.

This clearly correlates to the expansion of science as his invention of the telescope opened many doors for the world of astronomy. I personally find things like this highly intriguing simply because it takes extreme knowledge and interest to create something like this by yourself. The amount of creativity and knowledge it would take to make something like this from scratch is mind blowing.

Connection to the Renaissance

Galileo Galilei and his invention have a clear connection to the Renaissance due to a connecting factor– The Medicis. This family was a huge influence during the renaissance and clearly continue to be through Galilei’s discovery.

 

Illusionistic Ceiling Painting

Church ceilings were often found to have displayed the architectural structure of the building. Artists began to find ways to create eccentric designs in the ceiling, beginning with the wooden ceilings that were once used. The idea behind the designs were for artists to extend the current architecture of the ceilings into an even more elaborate design.  These ceilings slowly became more and more detailed as the structures of the buildings changed.

I personally find these ceilings extremely fascinating due to the amount of work they take and the amount of detail. I also find it interesting that they base the art off of the architecture that lies underneath it.

 

Works Cited

History.com Staff. “Galileo Galilei.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2010. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.

Romeartlover. “Rome in the Footsteps of an XVIIIth Century Traveller.” Baroque Ceilings. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.

Italian Renaissance

Innovations in Linear Perspective

During the Italian Renaissance, changes in paintings and sculptures begun to become very apparent. With artists starting utilizing linear perspective, the illusion of space and distance on a flat surface became much more visually clear.

Linear Perspective Broken Down

Linear perspective is broken down into three different types of lines:

The horizon line or “eye level” refers to the line/boundary that separates the sky from the land or water.

The vanishing point, usually located near the center of the horizon line, is the point in which all parallel lines run together to turn into one, allowing them to all end at the same point.

Orthogonal lines are straight lines that represent parallel lines receding into the distance and connects lines to the vanishing point.

The Holy Trinity

Masaccio displayed the new method linear perspective in his piece the Holy Trinity. This was one of the first pieces to display this method in order to fully create the proper illusion of architecture. The archway is a great display of the use of linear perspective. Lines were strategically drawn to give the illusion from the viewers point of view, including the proportion of the human anatomy.

The Adoration of the Magi

This piece by Sandro Botticelli is also a great example of the use of linear perspective due to the obvious horizon line a viewer would find at the break of the sky when the hills begin. This picture also displays the use of human proportion in regards to depth as well as the simple accurate depiction of each individual’s realistic proportion.

 

Connection to Humanism

Though humanism involves a great deal of religious belief, there are other aspects that can be easily depicted from these pieces. Humanist beliefs stress the emphasis of common human needs. To me, that could be a relation of development in artistic aspects, allowing those with an emotional depth of attachment to art to emotionally expand. Humanism also elaborates on the importance of the Study of Human Proportion, which is implemented in these pieces as well.

 

 

Works Cited

“Basic Perspective: Eye Level and Horizon Line.” ART 110. Brigham Young University-Idaho, 2010. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.

“Exploring Linear Perspective.” Museum of Science. The Museum of Science, 1997. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.

“Key Innovations and Artists of the Italian Renaissance.” Eyecon Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.

“Science: Knowing and Understanding the World.” The Renaissance Humanists. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.

“Visual Arts During the Italian Renaissance.” The Interrelation of Art, Music, Theater & Aesthetic Appreciation. ARTMUSTHR F200, 24 Apr. 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.

Introduction

Hello all. My name is Tina. I am a Business Administration major here at UAF. I was born and raised here in Fairbanks. In my spare time *insert laughter* I enjoy curling, napping, and hiking with my fur baby, Lilly. Although, between two jobs and full time schooling, “spare time” is far and few.

My relationship to art is lacking as much as my free time. I draw a mean stick figure. If you ask me for a painting I will cross my fingers that it’s of the northern lights. I played the drums in the fourth grade to get out of sitting on the floor during assembly’s, though I quit when I realized that meant they would take away my recess. My parents put my sister and I in summer theater classes when we were younger; I usually played the role with only two lines or the stationary tree. As for today, I can’t say my experience in art has broadened much. I am hoping this class can help me gain the extreme amount of knowledge I lack on the topic.