Exploring Art: A Global,Thematic Approach

Chapter 1A Human Phenomenon

“Art is a primarily visual media that is used to express ideas about our human experience and the world around us.”

FunctionVisual FormContent. Content is the mass of ideas associated with a work of art.Aesthetics. Aesthetics is the branch of Western philosophy that deals with art, its creative sources, its various forms, and its effects on individuals and cultures.

Function:Rituals—promote spiritual/physical well-beingReflects customs—food, shelter, reproductionCommunicates—thoughts, ideas, emotionsPictures deitiesCommemorates the deadGlorifies power, state, rulesCelebrates war/conquest, peaceProtests political/social injusticePromotes cohesionRecords likenessesEducatesEntertains

Visual form includes:

Formal elements—line, shape, color, texture, mass, volume, space etc.Overall composition—arrangement of the formal elemenst—size, balance etc.Materials

Olowe of Ise. Veranda Post: Female Caryatid and Equestrian Figure, Yoruba, Before 1938. Wood. Pigment; H. 71 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. See a different view in the textbook.

Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, ca. 175 CE. Bronze, approx. 11’6” high. Musei Capitolini, Rome.

The original function of both works of art is the same -- to reinforce or assert authority. In museums today, their function is to educate the public about other cultures, to provide visual pleasure, and to entertain.

Notice the differences in visual form -- the materials, the formal elements and the overall compositions.

Content—mass of associated ideas

Art’s imagerySymbolic meaningSurroundings where it is used/displayedCustoms, beliefs, values of the culture that uses itWritings that help explain the work

Sandro Botticelli. Birth of Venus, ca.1482. Tempera on canvas. Appx. 5’8” X 9’1”. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence.

Pablo Picasso. Demoiselles d’Avignon, 1907. Oil on canvas. 8’ X 7’8”. The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Content multiple figures—female nudity

Venus—more traditional/relaistic

Demoiselles—more modern

Both—balanced side to side with figure in the middle

However, much content is not readily apparent and requires deeper study

Aesthetics—a branch of philosophy that deals with art, its sources, its forms and its effects on individuals and cultures.

CREATING ART. Creating art involves the processes of visual perception, human response, and creativity and expression.

Visual perceptionArtist’s response to the worldArtistic expression and creativity

Zen Stone Garden. Kamakura Period. Daitokuji Temple, Kyoto.Meaning—to aid quiet meditation, which Buddhists believe is essential for spiritual growth.White rocks—cosmic boid—emptiness of mind—flow of water—a journey, etc.Dark rocks—material substances and worldly events

The Zen Stone Garden represents the artist’s response to the spiritual and natural world.

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Genesis, 1993 mixed media 5x 8 1/3’

Artistic creativity—preserving old forms (native American creation myths), glorifying the buffalo. Blending traditional native imagery and mythology into 20th C. art style.

1.4 Categories

CATEGORIES OF VISUAL ARTSPlacing visual images in categories helps to analyze and understand them. While not all societies and cultures think about art the same, it is useful to think about art as fine art, popular art, kitsch, and craft art.

Theodore Gericault. The Raft of the Medusa, 1819. Oil on canvas, 16’1” X 24”1’. Louvre, Paris.

Since 1800, Fine Art included painting, sculpture and architecture—influenced by Greek, Roman and Italian Renaissance art. This painting horrified the public because it was too realistic, too lifelike…not enough “art”.

Major shift in Fine Art

Cezanne, Landscape at Aix, Mount Sainte-Victoire, 1905

20th C. Fine Art broke conventions in the way that space and form are depicted—fractured, disjointed.

Popular culture—magazines, comics, TV, Ads, folk art, tattoos, customized cars, graffiti, video games, posters, websites, calendars, cards, dolls, …

Takashi Murakami, Tan Tan Bo, 2001Murakami’s work is a blend of U.S. and Japanese fine art, popular culture, and anime and always reflects a self-conscious consurmerism.

Tim Hawkinson. Bear. 2005. 20 feet tall, 370,000 lbs. Stuart Collection. University of California at San Diego.

Cross between teddy bear and Stonehenge—there is and interesting association between the surfaces of a toy bear and ancient stones.

Kitsch (subcategory of popular culture)—display and emotional appeal that is generalized, superficial and sentimental—not original experience, uniquely felt emotion or thoughtful, introspective moment.

Stylistic Categories

Art can also be categorized according to its “style.”

NaturalisticIdealizedNon 0bjectiveAbstract

INSERT BREUGEL’S LITTLE BOUQUET, IMAGE NO. 1-11 IN LAZZARI 2e; FIGURE NO. 15-16.

Mary Cassatt, Mother and Child, 1897

Naturalistic—recognizable imagery depicted as seen in natureRepresentational—contains entities from the world in recognizable form

Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, ca. 175 CE. Bronze, approx. 11’6” high.

His large size and dignified gestures are ingredients for an idealized image.

Idealized—natural imagery modified to obtain perfection within the bounds of the values and aesthetics of a particular culture.

In African figurative sculpture it is common to see oversized heads in idealized imagery (often divided into thirds: 1/3 head, 2/3 body and legs.

Kandinsky, Last Judgment, 1912

Expressive (expressionist)—heightened emotions, sense of urgency/spontaneity—often appear bold and immediate (rather than carefully considered)

Classical—orderly, balanced, clear, well proportioned vertically and horizontally (opposite of expressive)Classical also describes a point in the evolution of styles: classical works represent the full development of a certain style, in contrast to its early formative stage.

Meret Oppenheim. Object 1936. Fur-lined cup, saucer and spoon. The Museum of Modern Art, NY

Surreal…bizarre/fantastic arrangement of images—tapping into the unconscious mind. The title in French means Luncheon in Fur which could refer to luxury or sexuality, and yet humor is also a prominent part of the piece.

Frank Stella, Abra III, 1698

Nonobjective (nonrepresentational) art contains imagery that is completely generated by the artist. Stella focuses on the interrelation between colors and shapes—nothing else beyond what a person sees while looking at the painting.

Abstracted imagery man or may not be recognizable—but it has been derived from reality by distorting, enlarging and/or dissecting objects/figures from nature.

Cultural Styles

Cultural styles are distinctive features of art that emanate from a particular place and era.Similarities among art works are found in every culture.Cultural styles evolve over time and with changes in circumstances such as religion, historical events, trade and so on.

Grand Mosque. 1906-1907. Djenne, Mali.

Both of these structures are Mosques. The differences in architectural style can be described as cultural style.

Badshahi Mosque, main entrance. 1672-1674. Lahore, Pakistan.

ARTISTS’ STYLES

The artists’ style is the distinguishing characteristic of one artist’s work.

Individual artists’ styles are strongly influenced by their culture and environment.

Some artists seek to develop their own styles.

Van Gogh’s personal styleThick paint with broad areas of strong colorsUsing a palette knife, he applied paint quicklyDefined forms with bold lines around and through them

Although a unique style—he shares attributes with other artists of his time including Paul Gauguin. Many artists at this time applied paint in a direct, bold manner. They often chose subjects from everyday life. The usually painted in oil and used bright-colored thick paint (impasto).

Vincent van Gogh. Portrait of Mme. Ginoux (L’Arlesienne). 1889.

Paul Gauguin. Woman in a cofeehouse. Madame Ginoux in the Café de la Gare in Arles. 1888.

Compare the individual artist styles of van Gogh and Gauguin.