Monday, August 6, 2012
Chapter 15: Architecture
I) In this chapter, I learned that architecture has always been dependent on the interplay between man's environment and his technology. This chapter follows that "interplay", from the distant past to the present day. It gives many examples. Below are a just a few. The Egyptian pyramids are thought to have been built to honor Re (Ra), the Sun god. By the same token, the Mesopotamian ziggurat is thought to symbolize local foothills and mountains. Why? Because this was where "precious water" originated and where the gods dwelled. A lot of architectural forms are born as an attempt to address environmental challenges. For instance, The "slave houses", on the Mulberry Plantation in South Carolina, have a West African design. Why? Because the very steep roofs found there, allow warm air to rise above the living space and cooler air to be confined below. I really liked the Anasazi Cliff dwelling referred to as "Spruce Tree House". Not only did the cliffside caves provide security, they had a religious function. The "kivas", with the "sipapu hole", reminded the tribe of their creation myth. (It held that the tribe emerged from the bowels of "Mother Earth".) I found out, in the technology section, that the most basic challenge in architecture is finding effective ways of erecting "upright walls with a roof over the empty space they enclose." The two most basic ways to confront this challenge are as follows: 1) the "shell system" and 2) the"skeleton and skin system". Because a building's height is dependent on the structural materials ability to support weight, almost all of the technological advances in this area have resulted from two things. First, finding building materials with greater "tensile strength", and/or, second, finding improved ways to distribute that weight.
The most basic method of redistributing weight, is the "load -bearing construction" methods of the Anasazi kivas, Egyptian pyramids, et cetera. Another solution, the "post-and-lintel" method was used by the Greeks in constructing the "Lion's Gate" at Mycenae. I learned that Greek temples had three distinctive architectural styles: 1) Doric, 2) Ionic, and 3) Corinthian. The "Temple of Hera" at Paestum is an excellent example of the first type. The "Erechtheion" is a famous example of the second type. The "Pantheon" is a wonderful example of the third type. The next major stride came in the development of Arches, Vaults, and Domes. The "Pont du Gard", a Roman aqueduct in France, contains numerous arches. The "Roman Coliseum", is an amphitheater constructed out of "barrel"and "groined vaults". In addition to these improved methods of distributing weight, the Romans found new materials. In this case, they discovered that mixing "volcanic aggregate" with concrete made a stronger building block. The Romans also developed the "dome", a fine example of which is again is present in the "Pantheon". "Romanesque" architecture was used in many later cathedrals, including St. Sernin's at Toulouse, France. How were great heights reached by"Gothic"cathedrals like "Notre Dame"at Chartres, France? Our text reveals the answer, was due in no small measure, to the development of "pointed arches" and "flying buttresses". The "Eiffel Tower" was once the tallest man-made structure in the world. It gave birth to the "skeleton-and-skin system of building". It was made possible by the use of a new technique known as "lattice beam construction" and a new material called "cast iron". Another "skeleton-and-skin" method was "balloon" or "wood frame" construction. Along with mass produced nails and the "rigid truss", it became "the foundation of American domestic architecture". (For example, at Leavittown.) It was versatile enough to accomodate a variety of styles". For instance, one of the most familiar being the "bungalow" style popularized by Gustav Stickley. The next major advance was, "Steel-and-Reinforced-Concrete" construction as exemplified by Louis Sullivan's "Bayard (Condict) Building" in New York. His "system or ornament" and belief in "form follows function", helped this building accomplish its lighting and ventilation functions without making it sterile in design. (Anyway, at the time it was erected.) He also helped mentor Frank Lloyd Wright, as "chief draftsman"of his firm. Wright's "Prairie House" concept of organic architecture, held the belief that houses should be "of" rather than just "on" the land. There is probably no finer example of the execution of this concept then the cantilevered construction of "Fallingwater". (The home he designed for the Kaufmann family in Pennsylvania.) This, as well as the so-called "skyscrapers", were made possible by steel-and-reinforced-concrete construction methods. Le Corbusier, was co-founder of the "International Style" of modern architecture. It is characterized by using "simple but austere geometric forms", like circles and rectangles, as can be seen in his "Villa Savoye". The other co-founder of this school was Mies van der Rohe. His "Farnsworth House", is so transparent (from all the glass used in its construction) that the inside and outside become virtually one! On the other hand, architects like Eero Saarinen have rejected simple geometric forms in favor of more complex curvilinear structures. One great example of which, was his "TWA Terminal" at JFK airport in New York. It literally looks like a bird in flight. Another architect, who turns to more complex geometric forms, is Santiago Colatrova. His "Turning Torso Residential Tower" in Sweden reminds me of a DNA double helix. Tom Wills-Wright's, "Burj Al-Arab" (in the Persian Gulf off Dubai) is reminiscent of a "wind-filled sail". However, my favorite in the entire chapter has to be the computer assisted design of Frank Gehry for the "Guggenheim Museum Bilbao" in Portugal. It's form, makes it look like it is melting under the Portuguese sun. Other worldly! Our text, then moves on to "Green Architecture". This type of architecture is "in tune" with the environment. It trys to maximize adherence to the following principles: 1) "Smaller buildings", 2) "Compatability and integration" with the surrounding environment, 3) "Energy efficient and solar" friendly construction, and 4) Using "recyled, reusable, and sustainable materials" in construction. Piano's "Cultural Center" in New Caledonia and Cutler's "Bridge House" in Washington State are two of my favorite examples. Landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmstead, promoted the idea of "a residential community within commuting distance of the city"". That concept is now referred to as a "suburb".(Olmstead and Calvert Voux are responsible for the design of New York City's Central Park. A historic example of an "urban greenspace".) At any rate, Olmstead's idea led to the "rise" of the automobile and highway system and, inadvertently, to the "decline" of some urban centers. (The suburbs were one of the factors responsible for the urban decay of downtown Detroit.) On the other hand, in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center site, some wonderful architectural designs have been submitted to fill the void. My personal favorite, is Colatrova's PATH station idea. Finally, this chapter makes a point of how "the more things change, the more they stay the same." The text's example, compares Moshe Safdie's "Habitat" in Montreal, with the Native American "multi-story Pueblos" of Taos, New Mexico. Amazingly, the Pueblos were built centuries earlier!
II) Gaudi's, "Casa El Battlo" is a masterpiece of "modernist" architecture. Imposing from a distance, it is even more striking close up. It looks like a fairy tale castle but with hints of a dragon and its victims. For example, it has support columns that look like human bones. Plus it has balustrades, like skull fragments, that frame its many balconies. The roof sways like the back of a mythical dragon. That roof also has snake-like scales for shingles. The chimney, looks something like a monster's flaring nostrils. If I could only see one piece of architecture in Barcelona, then this mammoth work
would definitely be it. (Blog post concludes)
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Chapter 13: Sculpture
Chapter 13: This chapter discusses the process of making sculptures and their many varieties. The two basic processes are, "subtractive" and "additive". (Although, some sculptures are created using elements of both.) In simplistic terms, The subtractive process involves subtracting or removing material from the original medium "until it achieves its finished form". (Obviously, if you are working with wood or marble or jade, this requires precise planning. Removing too much could be "fatal", from an artistic point of view!) The additive process, is just the reverse. An artist, adds or builds up material until they have arrived at the final form they desire. The major categories of sculpture include: Carving (subtractive); Modeling, construction/assemblage, and installations (additive); Casting, earthworks, and performance art (often using elements of both). Sculpture can be small and intimate. For instance, Patrocinio Barela's carving, "Nativity" in Juniper wood.
(With figures from 11-33 inches tall.) Or, it can be mammoth and imposing. For example, the "Three Goddesses" from the Parthenon in Athens or the whale tails from the Jim Sardonis sculpture, "Reverance". They can be designed to be seen from the front. Like the east "frieze or sculptural band" from the Parthenon known as the "Maidens and Stewards". (My favorite example of "low or bas-relief".) An amazing example of "high or haut-relief", is the huge jade carving of
"Yu the Great Taming the Waters", mentioned in our text. Imagine damaging or destroying a precious block of jade over seven feet in height by error- the Chinese emperor would have your head! Which is probably one reason why, it took a "total of 150,000 working days" to complete. Some sculpture is "meant to be seen from all sides". One example, of an "in-the-round" sculpture that impressed me was Praxiteles work, "Hermes and Dionysos". Why? Because of the naturalness of its "contrapposto or counter-balanced pose" and its three-dimensionality. My absolute favorite example of "modeling", is the "terra-cotta army". Found buried in the tomb of the Chinese Emperor Shih Huang Ti. It features over six thousand life-sized ceramic figures of soldiers, scholars, and other retainers. Each figure is made unique by modifying its facial expressions, painting, et cetera.
(I have read that the previous practice, involved burying a representative sample of living members of the emperor's retinue. Thank you Emperor Shih!) I learned a lot from the section on "casting", regarding the "lost-wax or cire-perdue method". The "Head of an Oba", from the Benin culture of Nigeria, was an amazing example. Personally, I could never characterize that work as "primitive art". I find it every bit expressive as Rodin's wonderful bronze of "The Burghers of Calais"- which was welded together. My favorite "assemblage" is Robert Gober's, "Untitled". I cannot look at that piece without smiling. The clever way the "young girl's" two left feet suggest our "awkwardness" as teenagers. The "mom dressed me", socks and sandals. The "light dusting of actual human hair"; because "dad won't let me use his razor to shave my legs like the big girls". I know I may be reading some things into his sculpture but I feel this artist wants me to do just that! Kara Walker's
"installation", "Insurrection!(Our Tools Were Rudimentary, Yet We Pressed On)", is beautifully executed but a little too "dark" for my taste. (I mean, "...disemboweling a plantation owner with a soup ladle..." in what looks like a Disney cartoon setting. I get it...that does not have to mean I like it. Maybe, that's her point?) I liked Rubin's installation, "Pleasure Point", much more. It's gravity defying collection of kayaks, canoes, jet skis, rowboats, and surfboards look as if a tsunami had just "plopped" them down at the side of the museum building. The "color and form" of this artwork is just perfect for the "canvas" of blue sky and ocean in the background. Smithson's "Spiral Jetty and, its inspiration, the Hopewell culture's "Great Serpent Mound", are awe inspiring examples of "earthworks". Both in terms of complementing their surroundings and their monumental size. In the section on "performance art, I learned about an earlier version of the "Flash Mob". In the 1950's, Alan Kaprow was inspired by Jackson Pollock to invent what he called "Happenings". "Defined as
assemblages of events performed or perceived in more than one time and place". (So, the "flash mob" is hardly original.) I loved the concept behind "Imponderabilia". It had Uwe Laysiepen and Marina Abramovic as male and female "living doors". However, in a special twist on "subtractive" sculpture,they "peeled off" their clothes and were nude. For 90 minutes, before the cops arrived, they
stood staring at each other as a camera recorded which "door" people chose to squeeze through! I have to give them "major props" for being able to keep it together while people were rubbing up against them. To put it mildly, that "creeps" me out. Also, even if the lady were my girlfriend, I could not personally stare at her like that for more than five seconds, in public, before laughing hysterically and then setting a new landspeed record getting out of there. This chapter was great fun.
(With figures from 11-33 inches tall.) Or, it can be mammoth and imposing. For example, the "Three Goddesses" from the Parthenon in Athens or the whale tails from the Jim Sardonis sculpture, "Reverance". They can be designed to be seen from the front. Like the east "frieze or sculptural band" from the Parthenon known as the "Maidens and Stewards". (My favorite example of "low or bas-relief".) An amazing example of "high or haut-relief", is the huge jade carving of
"Yu the Great Taming the Waters", mentioned in our text. Imagine damaging or destroying a precious block of jade over seven feet in height by error- the Chinese emperor would have your head! Which is probably one reason why, it took a "total of 150,000 working days" to complete. Some sculpture is "meant to be seen from all sides". One example, of an "in-the-round" sculpture that impressed me was Praxiteles work, "Hermes and Dionysos". Why? Because of the naturalness of its "contrapposto or counter-balanced pose" and its three-dimensionality. My absolute favorite example of "modeling", is the "terra-cotta army". Found buried in the tomb of the Chinese Emperor Shih Huang Ti. It features over six thousand life-sized ceramic figures of soldiers, scholars, and other retainers. Each figure is made unique by modifying its facial expressions, painting, et cetera.
(I have read that the previous practice, involved burying a representative sample of living members of the emperor's retinue. Thank you Emperor Shih!) I learned a lot from the section on "casting", regarding the "lost-wax or cire-perdue method". The "Head of an Oba", from the Benin culture of Nigeria, was an amazing example. Personally, I could never characterize that work as "primitive art". I find it every bit expressive as Rodin's wonderful bronze of "The Burghers of Calais"- which was welded together. My favorite "assemblage" is Robert Gober's, "Untitled". I cannot look at that piece without smiling. The clever way the "young girl's" two left feet suggest our "awkwardness" as teenagers. The "mom dressed me", socks and sandals. The "light dusting of actual human hair"; because "dad won't let me use his razor to shave my legs like the big girls". I know I may be reading some things into his sculpture but I feel this artist wants me to do just that! Kara Walker's
"installation", "Insurrection!(Our Tools Were Rudimentary, Yet We Pressed On)", is beautifully executed but a little too "dark" for my taste. (I mean, "...disemboweling a plantation owner with a soup ladle..." in what looks like a Disney cartoon setting. I get it...that does not have to mean I like it. Maybe, that's her point?) I liked Rubin's installation, "Pleasure Point", much more. It's gravity defying collection of kayaks, canoes, jet skis, rowboats, and surfboards look as if a tsunami had just "plopped" them down at the side of the museum building. The "color and form" of this artwork is just perfect for the "canvas" of blue sky and ocean in the background. Smithson's "Spiral Jetty and, its inspiration, the Hopewell culture's "Great Serpent Mound", are awe inspiring examples of "earthworks". Both in terms of complementing their surroundings and their monumental size. In the section on "performance art, I learned about an earlier version of the "Flash Mob". In the 1950's, Alan Kaprow was inspired by Jackson Pollock to invent what he called "Happenings". "Defined as
assemblages of events performed or perceived in more than one time and place". (So, the "flash mob" is hardly original.) I loved the concept behind "Imponderabilia". It had Uwe Laysiepen and Marina Abramovic as male and female "living doors". However, in a special twist on "subtractive" sculpture,they "peeled off" their clothes and were nude. For 90 minutes, before the cops arrived, they
stood staring at each other as a camera recorded which "door" people chose to squeeze through! I have to give them "major props" for being able to keep it together while people were rubbing up against them. To put it mildly, that "creeps" me out. Also, even if the lady were my girlfriend, I could not personally stare at her like that for more than five seconds, in public, before laughing hysterically and then setting a new landspeed record getting out of there. This chapter was great fun.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Chapter 12: "Photography and Time-Based Media"
I) Chapter 12: "Photography and Time-Based Media" taught me a great deal. For example, how these media allow the artist to explore the "fourth-dimension" of time. How they can convey so much information and emotion. As Karen pointed out above, "A picture is worth a thousand words." A picture (whether still or moving, black-and-white, or color) can be so evocative. Like an "instant collage". I had never previously heard of the "photogenic drawing" of Talbot or the "calotype process". Talbot's calotype, "The Open Door", is amazing. It could have been taken last week, rather than ~170 years ago! Timothy O'Sullivan's Civil War Photo, "Harvest of Death, Gettysburg, Pa.", left me transfixed. The dead soldier in the foreground, the only one with his face toward the camera, shows signs of "rigor mortis". (His face seems frozen; as if wailing in agony!) The tension between "form" and "content", whether "staged" or not, is chilling and highly artistic. After all, as our text points out, "Every photograph is an abstraction, a simplification of reality..."
Salgado's, "Four Figures in the Desert, Korem, Ethiopia", is hard to forget. Again, a face in the foreground of this composition was the "focus" of my attention. This time, it is the look of desperation and hopelessness on the face of a suffering child. I never realized how much hard work takes place before and after that "decisive moment", when an artist starts "writing with light". Whether its an Ansel Adams print, a D.W. Griffith film, "performance art" by Trisha
Brown, Paik's humorous video on the "boob tube", or a computer creation like I mention below- both the images and the process used to create them are critically important.
II) I agree with Rodolfo, that Sandy Skoglund's work has a surrealistic feel similar to a Lewis Carroll work. I also think that Lindsay, "nails" the way her work has evolved over time. About all I can add to their comments,are some technical features that really attracted me to her "installations". Her work entitled, "Revenge of the Goldfish", captured both my eyes and my imagination. Why? She uses a "restricted palette" to great effect. How? By using "complementary colors". (Hues opposite each other on the "color wheel"). Taking advantage of the "simultaneous contrast effect", the few colors she does use are extremely vivid! She also makes the viewer think by using everyday
objects (lamp, bed, et cetera) and human models, in clever ways. (As Jerry Uelsmann remarks regarding his art, to be "obviously symbolic, but not symbolically obvious.") For instance, by suggesting to the viewer, that the humans present in his installation are just as much a part of "fishbowl of life" as the goldfish happen to be. That's their revenge, the humans have no more privacy in their bedroom , than the fish have in their bowl!
III) While going online, to view the montage of Eisenstein's "Odessa Steps Sequence",
I ran across a video I really liked and wanted to share with the class. Why? Because it fuses together
a few concepts mentioned in this chapter. It "morphs", wonderful portraits of beautiful women from the Classic to Modern times. In other words, it combines time, painting, and video into a "montage" on the subject of female beauty over the ages. (Hey, what's not to like?) Anyway, it also makes the point that computer software and internet-based sites like "youtube" have "democratized" the "World of Art". Now, almost, anyone who has a good idea can share their creative abilities with the global community without the need for a wealthy patron.
A) Digital Art Media by Philip Scott Johnson- "Fantastic Morphing Faces - Female Art Portraits" (2'59")
at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWfhjBlwMiM
Salgado's, "Four Figures in the Desert, Korem, Ethiopia", is hard to forget. Again, a face in the foreground of this composition was the "focus" of my attention. This time, it is the look of desperation and hopelessness on the face of a suffering child. I never realized how much hard work takes place before and after that "decisive moment", when an artist starts "writing with light". Whether its an Ansel Adams print, a D.W. Griffith film, "performance art" by Trisha
Brown, Paik's humorous video on the "boob tube", or a computer creation like I mention below- both the images and the process used to create them are critically important.
II) I agree with Rodolfo, that Sandy Skoglund's work has a surrealistic feel similar to a Lewis Carroll work. I also think that Lindsay, "nails" the way her work has evolved over time. About all I can add to their comments,are some technical features that really attracted me to her "installations". Her work entitled, "Revenge of the Goldfish", captured both my eyes and my imagination. Why? She uses a "restricted palette" to great effect. How? By using "complementary colors". (Hues opposite each other on the "color wheel"). Taking advantage of the "simultaneous contrast effect", the few colors she does use are extremely vivid! She also makes the viewer think by using everyday
objects (lamp, bed, et cetera) and human models, in clever ways. (As Jerry Uelsmann remarks regarding his art, to be "obviously symbolic, but not symbolically obvious.") For instance, by suggesting to the viewer, that the humans present in his installation are just as much a part of "fishbowl of life" as the goldfish happen to be. That's their revenge, the humans have no more privacy in their bedroom , than the fish have in their bowl!
III) While going online, to view the montage of Eisenstein's "Odessa Steps Sequence",
I ran across a video I really liked and wanted to share with the class. Why? Because it fuses together
a few concepts mentioned in this chapter. It "morphs", wonderful portraits of beautiful women from the Classic to Modern times. In other words, it combines time, painting, and video into a "montage" on the subject of female beauty over the ages. (Hey, what's not to like?) Anyway, it also makes the point that computer software and internet-based sites like "youtube" have "democratized" the "World of Art". Now, almost, anyone who has a good idea can share their creative abilities with the global community without the need for a wealthy patron.
A) Digital Art Media by Philip Scott Johnson- "Fantastic Morphing Faces - Female Art Portraits" (2'59")
at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWfhjBlwMiM
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Chapter 11: Painting
Chapter 11, investigates all of the media used by painters, as well as, their various pros and cons. This includes, "...encaustic, fresco, tempera, oil paint, watercolor, gouache, acrylic paints, and mixed media..." It explains how, in the 15th century, painting finally became as prized as the other creative arts. Why? Because of artists like Artemisia Gentileschi. (My favorite female artist of all time.) Her work, "Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting", is stunningly beautiful.
(She was so far ahead of her time technically! Her "Judith and Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes", is also a masterpiece of "tenebrism"- contrasting large areas of darkness with small areas of brightness.) Jasper John's hybrid work, "Numbers in Color" from chapter 4 is a great example of both an "encaustic" and a "collage". Also, the anonymous work,
"Mummy Portrait of a Man", struck my eye. These artists used pigment and hot wax to create works of art on canvas and wood respectively. Our text talks about the two types of frescoes, The "wet" wall method is called "buon fresco" and the "dry" wall method is called "fresco secco". Our book mentions how challenging these methods are because of the speed and prior planning
required to utilize these media well.
My favorite frescoes in this chapter are: 1) Michelangelo's, "Libyan Sibyl" in the Sistine Chapel, and 2) Pozzo’s, “The Glorification of Saint Ignatius.” Pozzo's incredible use of foreshortening, atmospheric and linear perspective, et cetera, are jaw-dropping. You feel like you are looking directly into "Heaven"! (It literally took years to complete these monumental works. But that investment of time has lasted through the ages because of the durability of frescoes.)
I'm going to skip tempera to last because I have a lot to say on that subject. Next, we learn how versatile oils are. They have the ability to be mixed to create tones, hues, and luminosity that were previously impossible. Take the "vanitas", "Still Life with Lobster" by Jan de Heem. Not only is it a beautiful work. A "feast for the eyes". But it represents "food for thought" also.
It reminds us of the "vanity, or frivolous quality, of human existence." I did not have a favorite watercolor. Why? Because it was a bit like comparing "apples to oranges". I liked the Chinese tradition, exemplified by Wu Wei's,"Grapes". (The beautiful calligraphy and "gestural effects".) But I liked the more Western style represented by Winslow Homer's, "A Wall, Nassau", every bit as much. (Just a side note. Wu Wei seems like a "tortured soul". Suffering from paranoia, depression, et cetera.
Being institutionalized, although in prison rather than a sanitorium, he reminds me of a Chinese van Gogh. Could that be a partial source of his creativity, as well?) I'm running kind of long
because I really enjoyed this chapter so much . Anyway, to sum up the media, I enjoyed Jacob Lawrence's humorously titled "gouache": "You can buy bootleg whiskey for twenty-five cents a quart". I love the way he disorients the viewer, creating almost a sense of inebriation, that is so appropriate considering the subject matter.(Gouache uses watercolors mixed with Chinese white
chalk.) Helen Frankenthaler's, "Flood", in synthetic polymer was a favorite. ( I saw a mountain range and setting sun. I'm sure other people experienced this painting differently.) And, last but not least, Patricia Patterson's mixed media piece, "The Kitchen". I like the way the colors and objects pour
out of the 2-D picture into 3-D reality. A nice hybrid of painting and sculpture.( And the theme was Irish, which did not hurt.) I learned that sometimes art media, and the people who create them, are evolutionary and sometimes they are revolutionary.
Finally, I picked up a couple of important points about thinking critically about art. That it can be "didactic", and teach us about life in subtle ways. For instance. A painting can suggest or "connote", even more than it portrays or "denotes". Now, I am going to consider that tempera painting, that I purposely skipped above. It illustrates these points. It is Botticelli's, "Primavera". Done
in "tempera on a gesso ground on poplar panel". ( "Tempera" is made with water, colored pigments, and a gummy substance like egg yolk. It was applied with the point of a "fine sable brush" to an extremely smooth gesso surface. "Gesso" is typically made from glue and chalk or plaster of Paris.) It was painted for the wealthiest and most influential man in Florence, Italy.
This man was also one of the greatest art patrons in history. His name was, Lorenzo de' Medici or "Lorenzo the Magnificent"! Befitting a man of his prominence, it is about 7 X 11 feet in size. It is thought to have been painted for the bridal chamber near the master bedroom. According to our text, the artist "outlined the trees and his 'human' figures on the gesso and then painted the sky, laying blue tempera directly on the ground." Botticelli used an undercoat of black for the trees and
and white for the figures. He used as many as thirty coats of color to create each character! Now that I have that background out of the way, I'll tell you what I "know" about what is being portrayed and what I "feel" is being suggested. The name "Primavera" means "Spring" in Italian and I think Spanish also. The focus of the painting is Venus, the goddess of love and Spring.(I thought I recognized her face from the painting he did, four years later, called, "". Most art historians
seem to agree. To the far right is Zephyr, in "cold" blue colors suggesting the chilly winds of Winter. He is trying to seduce a nymph who morphs into Flora, the goddess of flowers. Venus is in "warmer" orange colors. Next to her are ther "Three Graces", beginning a dance. On the far left, in even "hotter" red, is Mercury, the messenger god and bringer of Summer. Everyone is bracketed by fruit above and blossoms below. Again, we know he is a genius at using focus and colors. What I "feel", relates more to the figure of Cupid hovering above the goddess of love. Packing his traditional bow and flame-tipped arrows of passion, I noticed something for the first time. He's blindfolded! Why? Is it because "love is blind" and all about hormones and superficial attraction? The more I thought about it, particularly in the wake of the "Movie massacre" in Colorado, the more I came to a different
conclusion. I thought about the four guys who shielded their girlfriends from live fire. Who saved their girl's lives at the cost of their own. Couldn't another interpretation be, that that blindfold is there because love blinds you to fear when it comes to the ones you love!?
Glenn Brown's work entitled, "Comfortably Numb, Magenta". This painting seems to portray "Christ's Passion". The pain Jesus is suffering, is palpable. The mocking "crown of thorns" and the anguished expression on His face show it. The smeared paint is very effective at conveying the horror of this experience.( It sort of has a "vanitas" feel to it. As far as, the"certainty of death" and the "transcience of life aspect"!) The viewer identifies with His suffering. Which is what I
"feel' the artist intended. In the final analysis, I hate the subject matter but I like its execution.
(She was so far ahead of her time technically! Her "Judith and Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes", is also a masterpiece of "tenebrism"- contrasting large areas of darkness with small areas of brightness.) Jasper John's hybrid work, "Numbers in Color" from chapter 4 is a great example of both an "encaustic" and a "collage". Also, the anonymous work,
"Mummy Portrait of a Man", struck my eye. These artists used pigment and hot wax to create works of art on canvas and wood respectively. Our text talks about the two types of frescoes, The "wet" wall method is called "buon fresco" and the "dry" wall method is called "fresco secco". Our book mentions how challenging these methods are because of the speed and prior planning
required to utilize these media well.
My favorite frescoes in this chapter are: 1) Michelangelo's, "Libyan Sibyl" in the Sistine Chapel, and 2) Pozzo’s, “The Glorification of Saint Ignatius.” Pozzo's incredible use of foreshortening, atmospheric and linear perspective, et cetera, are jaw-dropping. You feel like you are looking directly into "Heaven"! (It literally took years to complete these monumental works. But that investment of time has lasted through the ages because of the durability of frescoes.)
I'm going to skip tempera to last because I have a lot to say on that subject. Next, we learn how versatile oils are. They have the ability to be mixed to create tones, hues, and luminosity that were previously impossible. Take the "vanitas", "Still Life with Lobster" by Jan de Heem. Not only is it a beautiful work. A "feast for the eyes". But it represents "food for thought" also.
It reminds us of the "vanity, or frivolous quality, of human existence." I did not have a favorite watercolor. Why? Because it was a bit like comparing "apples to oranges". I liked the Chinese tradition, exemplified by Wu Wei's,"Grapes". (The beautiful calligraphy and "gestural effects".) But I liked the more Western style represented by Winslow Homer's, "A Wall, Nassau", every bit as much. (Just a side note. Wu Wei seems like a "tortured soul". Suffering from paranoia, depression, et cetera.
Being institutionalized, although in prison rather than a sanitorium, he reminds me of a Chinese van Gogh. Could that be a partial source of his creativity, as well?) I'm running kind of long
because I really enjoyed this chapter so much . Anyway, to sum up the media, I enjoyed Jacob Lawrence's humorously titled "gouache": "You can buy bootleg whiskey for twenty-five cents a quart". I love the way he disorients the viewer, creating almost a sense of inebriation, that is so appropriate considering the subject matter.(Gouache uses watercolors mixed with Chinese white
chalk.) Helen Frankenthaler's, "Flood", in synthetic polymer was a favorite. ( I saw a mountain range and setting sun. I'm sure other people experienced this painting differently.) And, last but not least, Patricia Patterson's mixed media piece, "The Kitchen". I like the way the colors and objects pour
out of the 2-D picture into 3-D reality. A nice hybrid of painting and sculpture.( And the theme was Irish, which did not hurt.) I learned that sometimes art media, and the people who create them, are evolutionary and sometimes they are revolutionary.
Finally, I picked up a couple of important points about thinking critically about art. That it can be "didactic", and teach us about life in subtle ways. For instance. A painting can suggest or "connote", even more than it portrays or "denotes". Now, I am going to consider that tempera painting, that I purposely skipped above. It illustrates these points. It is Botticelli's, "Primavera". Done
in "tempera on a gesso ground on poplar panel". ( "Tempera" is made with water, colored pigments, and a gummy substance like egg yolk. It was applied with the point of a "fine sable brush" to an extremely smooth gesso surface. "Gesso" is typically made from glue and chalk or plaster of Paris.) It was painted for the wealthiest and most influential man in Florence, Italy.
This man was also one of the greatest art patrons in history. His name was, Lorenzo de' Medici or "Lorenzo the Magnificent"! Befitting a man of his prominence, it is about 7 X 11 feet in size. It is thought to have been painted for the bridal chamber near the master bedroom. According to our text, the artist "outlined the trees and his 'human' figures on the gesso and then painted the sky, laying blue tempera directly on the ground." Botticelli used an undercoat of black for the trees and
and white for the figures. He used as many as thirty coats of color to create each character! Now that I have that background out of the way, I'll tell you what I "know" about what is being portrayed and what I "feel" is being suggested. The name "Primavera" means "Spring" in Italian and I think Spanish also. The focus of the painting is Venus, the goddess of love and Spring.(I thought I recognized her face from the painting he did, four years later, called, "". Most art historians
seem to agree. To the far right is Zephyr, in "cold" blue colors suggesting the chilly winds of Winter. He is trying to seduce a nymph who morphs into Flora, the goddess of flowers. Venus is in "warmer" orange colors. Next to her are ther "Three Graces", beginning a dance. On the far left, in even "hotter" red, is Mercury, the messenger god and bringer of Summer. Everyone is bracketed by fruit above and blossoms below. Again, we know he is a genius at using focus and colors. What I "feel", relates more to the figure of Cupid hovering above the goddess of love. Packing his traditional bow and flame-tipped arrows of passion, I noticed something for the first time. He's blindfolded! Why? Is it because "love is blind" and all about hormones and superficial attraction? The more I thought about it, particularly in the wake of the "Movie massacre" in Colorado, the more I came to a different
conclusion. I thought about the four guys who shielded their girlfriends from live fire. Who saved their girl's lives at the cost of their own. Couldn't another interpretation be, that that blindfold is there because love blinds you to fear when it comes to the ones you love!?
Glenn Brown's work entitled, "Comfortably Numb, Magenta". This painting seems to portray "Christ's Passion". The pain Jesus is suffering, is palpable. The mocking "crown of thorns" and the anguished expression on His face show it. The smeared paint is very effective at conveying the horror of this experience.( It sort of has a "vanitas" feel to it. As far as, the"certainty of death" and the "transcience of life aspect"!) The viewer identifies with His suffering. Which is what I
"feel' the artist intended. In the final analysis, I hate the subject matter but I like its execution.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Chapter 8 : The Principles of Design
This chapter discusses the basic principles of "design". The first being "balance". Which is the "even distribution of weight, either actual weight or visual weight, in a composition." According to our text, there are three methods of achieving "visual balance". 1) Symmetrical: Where the two halves of a composition match each other in "size, shape, and placement of forms". 2) Asymmetrical: Where neither side mirrors each other. However, balance is achieved by having a similar disribution of "weight" in the artwork. 3) Radial: Where all the elements of a circular artwork seem to radiate outward from a central hub, much like the "spokes on a wheel". Another concept, "focal point", refers to the creation of a "visual center of attention", that may or may not match the physical center of the composition. Its purpose, to draw the viewer's gaze to where the artist wants it. "Scale", is basically the size of the piece in comparison to the objects around it. "Proportion", is the relationship between the "parts of an object and the whole". "Repetition and rhythm", occur when a regular pattern is repeated for artistic effect. "Unity and variety", occur when different aspects of a composition share a common artistic element. Our book gives a number of examples to illustrate thes concepts. I personally feel that there is no better example, of most of the principles mentioned in this chapter, than da Vinci's, " Study of Human Proportion: The Vitruvian Man". Why? The male figure pictured is "perfectly balanced and symmetrical". The proportions are totally realistic. The focal point of this
composition is the figure's umbilicus. (The vital connection between the unborn child and mother. Emphasizing the "source of life itself"!) This figures body parts are to scale also. The "Vitruvian Man's" limbs, are inscribed within the square once, to represent the "finite". And a second time, within a circle to suggest the "infinite". So, this wonderful work by Leonardo encompasses both Heaven and Earth! Contrast this with the Santa Monica "residence" designed by Frank Gehry. This is the antithesis of da Vinci's unity. It breaks many of the design principles in the name of creativity. Its "postmodern" use of the old and new together is very bold. I like it from an artistic standpoint but I definitely would not want to live in it. On the other hand, I would have no problem residing in the Taj Mahal. Its architecture, gardens, and reflecting pool are a marvelous example of "symmetrical balance". Jan Vermeer's, "Woman Holding a Balance" is a wonderful example of an "asymmetrically balanced composition". It, apparently, shows a woman weighing her jewelry on a scale. On the wall to her rear is a painting of the "Last Judgement". This juxtapositioning, is no accident on the part of the artist. Both God and the woman are determining worth. This theme connects the material and spiritual worlds for the viewer! Plus, the central axis is connected at the fulcrum of the scale, dividing the painting into "areas of light and dark on each side balance the design." A fine example of "radial balance", is the "Rose Window", in Chartres Cathedral in France. It pictures the "Last Judgement". It has Jesus at its center, with Biblical scenes radiating outward to the outer ring of scenes from the Book of Revelations. Emphasis and focal point are illustrated by Anna Vallayer-Coster's, "Still Life with Lobster". The artist uses the interplay of complimentary color schemes and light to draw
emphasis to the focal point of this composition- the brightly colored lobster. On the other hand, Larry Poons work, entitled "Orange Crush", is an "afocal" work where no particular point "demands our attention". The focus is more democratic, any point will do! Oldenberg and van Bruggen's, "Spoonbridge and Cherry", is an interesting example of artists altering "scale" for artistic effect. This duo, wildly exaggerate the size of everyday objects and the concept of a garden sculpture in this work. Our text suggests, it is also a sly commentary on the utility of art. A classic example of "proportion", is the Parthenon in Athens. It was built to satisfy a mathematical ratio called the "golden section". "Repetition and rhythm" are nicely illustrated by Auguste Rodin's, "The Three Shades". The three guardian figures in this independent sculpture are identical, except for their orientation in a semicircle. Even though each figure is the same, their placement creates a "visual rhythm" that makes them appear different. "Unity and variety" are shown in Rodin's companion piece, called the "Gates of Hell with Adam and Eve". In this sculpture, Adam mimics the posture adopted by the "Three Shades". This common artistic element, unifies the different figures portrayed.
composition is the figure's umbilicus. (The vital connection between the unborn child and mother. Emphasizing the "source of life itself"!) This figures body parts are to scale also. The "Vitruvian Man's" limbs, are inscribed within the square once, to represent the "finite". And a second time, within a circle to suggest the "infinite". So, this wonderful work by Leonardo encompasses both Heaven and Earth! Contrast this with the Santa Monica "residence" designed by Frank Gehry. This is the antithesis of da Vinci's unity. It breaks many of the design principles in the name of creativity. Its "postmodern" use of the old and new together is very bold. I like it from an artistic standpoint but I definitely would not want to live in it. On the other hand, I would have no problem residing in the Taj Mahal. Its architecture, gardens, and reflecting pool are a marvelous example of "symmetrical balance". Jan Vermeer's, "Woman Holding a Balance" is a wonderful example of an "asymmetrically balanced composition". It, apparently, shows a woman weighing her jewelry on a scale. On the wall to her rear is a painting of the "Last Judgement". This juxtapositioning, is no accident on the part of the artist. Both God and the woman are determining worth. This theme connects the material and spiritual worlds for the viewer! Plus, the central axis is connected at the fulcrum of the scale, dividing the painting into "areas of light and dark on each side balance the design." A fine example of "radial balance", is the "Rose Window", in Chartres Cathedral in France. It pictures the "Last Judgement". It has Jesus at its center, with Biblical scenes radiating outward to the outer ring of scenes from the Book of Revelations. Emphasis and focal point are illustrated by Anna Vallayer-Coster's, "Still Life with Lobster". The artist uses the interplay of complimentary color schemes and light to draw
emphasis to the focal point of this composition- the brightly colored lobster. On the other hand, Larry Poons work, entitled "Orange Crush", is an "afocal" work where no particular point "demands our attention". The focus is more democratic, any point will do! Oldenberg and van Bruggen's, "Spoonbridge and Cherry", is an interesting example of artists altering "scale" for artistic effect. This duo, wildly exaggerate the size of everyday objects and the concept of a garden sculpture in this work. Our text suggests, it is also a sly commentary on the utility of art. A classic example of "proportion", is the Parthenon in Athens. It was built to satisfy a mathematical ratio called the "golden section". "Repetition and rhythm" are nicely illustrated by Auguste Rodin's, "The Three Shades". The three guardian figures in this independent sculpture are identical, except for their orientation in a semicircle. Even though each figure is the same, their placement creates a "visual rhythm" that makes them appear different. "Unity and variety" are shown in Rodin's companion piece, called the "Gates of Hell with Adam and Eve". In this sculpture, Adam mimics the posture adopted by the "Three Shades". This common artistic element, unifies the different figures portrayed.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Chapter 7: Other Formal Elements
The preceding chapters focused on the importance of line, space, light and color. This chapter concentrates more on texture, pattern, time, and motion. Texture concerns the "surface quality"
of art. For example, "actual texture" in the smooth but hard marble surface of Michelangelo's sculpture, known as the "Pieta". Alternatively, Max Ernst used the techniques of "frottage" and "grattage", to create an illusion of actual texture; in works like "Forest and Dove". (This is known as "visual texture" in our text.) Pattern refers to a "repetitive design". Our book has an illustration from the "Lindisfarne Gospels", an early Christian manuscript . It shows the motif of a beautiful Celtic cross and "animalistic" designs. Time's passage can be indicated by telling a story, over a number of panels, as in a Bosch triptych. Or in a sculpture like Bernini's marble sculpture of "David". Motion can be shown in a piece of "kinetic art". Like Calder's "Untitled" metal mobile from 1976. These additional "formal elements" help stimulate other senses, for instance touch, that help us better experience the beauty of art!
of art. For example, "actual texture" in the smooth but hard marble surface of Michelangelo's sculpture, known as the "Pieta". Alternatively, Max Ernst used the techniques of "frottage" and "grattage", to create an illusion of actual texture; in works like "Forest and Dove". (This is known as "visual texture" in our text.) Pattern refers to a "repetitive design". Our book has an illustration from the "Lindisfarne Gospels", an early Christian manuscript . It shows the motif of a beautiful Celtic cross and "animalistic" designs. Time's passage can be indicated by telling a story, over a number of panels, as in a Bosch triptych. Or in a sculpture like Bernini's marble sculpture of "David". Motion can be shown in a piece of "kinetic art". Like Calder's "Untitled" metal mobile from 1976. These additional "formal elements" help stimulate other senses, for instance touch, that help us better experience the beauty of art!
Chapter 6: Light and Color
This chapter emphasizes the use of both light and color in establishing the contours and relationships of figures in space. Light and color are every bit as crucial in "rendering space", as is perspective. We learned that "aerial or atmospheric perspective" rules were largely formulated
by da Vinci. His, "Madonna of the Rocks", illustrates how an artist can use these principles. For
example, the foreground in this painting is in stark contast to the background. The vivid contrast between the lightness of the Madonna and Child's faces and the darkness of the brown stone walls, focuses the viewers attention on the animate rather than the inanimate figures in the foreground. (This is an example of "chiaroscuro". A variation of which, would reach its zenith in the "tenebrism" demonstrated in some of Artemisia Gentileschi's works.) By the same token, Leonardo is able to show the mountains in the background are quite distant by using "atmospheric perspective". How? Because large objects in the distance are less distinct, are perceived as bluer in color, and have reduced contrast between light and dark- just as these mountains are shown. Also mentioned, were two linear methods of modeling. In "The Coiffure", Mary Cassatt uses "hatching", that is, closely spaced parallel lines, in her drawing. In the "Head of the Satyr", Michelangelo uses parallel lines that intersect at an angle ( or "cross-hatches") for the same purpose.
The section on "color" is equally interesting. My favorite work is Jane Hammond's, "Fallen, 2004-ongoing". As the title suggests, it is a artistic statement about the tragedy of war. This time Iraq. Here
fallen leaves represent fallen warriors. Each leave bears the name of a man or woman killed in that conflict. In contrast to Maya Lin's somber "Vietnam Memorial" in polished black granite, we have a
"warm" color scheme of "analogous colors" with yellows, reds, an oranges predominating. The idea
of representing fallen warriors with beautiful fallen autumn leaves, really touches one's heart! Her use of color is so emotionally expressive. The text goes on to talk about "local color". That is, the actual
color of objects when viewed close up under good lighting. Next,"perceptual color", the color of objects when viewed at a distance under changing light and/or atmospheric conditions is addressed. Leonardo da Vinci's, "Madonna of the Rocks" is an excellent example of perceptual color. (See my comments above.) Of course, what me might call "optical color", is the way the viewer's eye
and brain mix colors. (Two hues on the "color wheel", can be transformed into a third new hue by the eye and brain of the "beholder".) We see this technique used effectively in the works of Seurat( "pointillism") and Close ("layered pointillism"). Some artist's use "arbitrary colors" for artistic purposes. Pierre Bonhard's, "Terrace at Vernon", is a case in point. His colors are not true to life, either locally or perceptually. His color use is arbitrary but not capricious! He wants to exploit the
interplay between the "warm" orange hues and the "cool" violet ones. It's a striking oil painting.
Finally, the symbolic use of color is discussed. What a color means symbolically, varies greatly
between cultures, individuals, and circumstances. For example, most Western cultures associate black
with funerals, et cetera. While many Eastern cultures, insterad associate white with funerals. By the same token, the color red can suggest "blood or anger" in one context and "heart or love" in another.
The process is very subjective. What comes to mind when I mention the book, "The Red Badge of Courage"? What feelings do you have when I mention, " a red, valentine balloon"? All in all, a very
informative chapter.
by da Vinci. His, "Madonna of the Rocks", illustrates how an artist can use these principles. For
example, the foreground in this painting is in stark contast to the background. The vivid contrast between the lightness of the Madonna and Child's faces and the darkness of the brown stone walls, focuses the viewers attention on the animate rather than the inanimate figures in the foreground. (This is an example of "chiaroscuro". A variation of which, would reach its zenith in the "tenebrism" demonstrated in some of Artemisia Gentileschi's works.) By the same token, Leonardo is able to show the mountains in the background are quite distant by using "atmospheric perspective". How? Because large objects in the distance are less distinct, are perceived as bluer in color, and have reduced contrast between light and dark- just as these mountains are shown. Also mentioned, were two linear methods of modeling. In "The Coiffure", Mary Cassatt uses "hatching", that is, closely spaced parallel lines, in her drawing. In the "Head of the Satyr", Michelangelo uses parallel lines that intersect at an angle ( or "cross-hatches") for the same purpose.
The section on "color" is equally interesting. My favorite work is Jane Hammond's, "Fallen, 2004-ongoing". As the title suggests, it is a artistic statement about the tragedy of war. This time Iraq. Here
fallen leaves represent fallen warriors. Each leave bears the name of a man or woman killed in that conflict. In contrast to Maya Lin's somber "Vietnam Memorial" in polished black granite, we have a
"warm" color scheme of "analogous colors" with yellows, reds, an oranges predominating. The idea
of representing fallen warriors with beautiful fallen autumn leaves, really touches one's heart! Her use of color is so emotionally expressive. The text goes on to talk about "local color". That is, the actual
color of objects when viewed close up under good lighting. Next,"perceptual color", the color of objects when viewed at a distance under changing light and/or atmospheric conditions is addressed. Leonardo da Vinci's, "Madonna of the Rocks" is an excellent example of perceptual color. (See my comments above.) Of course, what me might call "optical color", is the way the viewer's eye
and brain mix colors. (Two hues on the "color wheel", can be transformed into a third new hue by the eye and brain of the "beholder".) We see this technique used effectively in the works of Seurat( "pointillism") and Close ("layered pointillism"). Some artist's use "arbitrary colors" for artistic purposes. Pierre Bonhard's, "Terrace at Vernon", is a case in point. His colors are not true to life, either locally or perceptually. His color use is arbitrary but not capricious! He wants to exploit the
interplay between the "warm" orange hues and the "cool" violet ones. It's a striking oil painting.
Finally, the symbolic use of color is discussed. What a color means symbolically, varies greatly
between cultures, individuals, and circumstances. For example, most Western cultures associate black
with funerals, et cetera. While many Eastern cultures, insterad associate white with funerals. By the same token, the color red can suggest "blood or anger" in one context and "heart or love" in another.
The process is very subjective. What comes to mind when I mention the book, "The Red Badge of Courage"? What feelings do you have when I mention, " a red, valentine balloon"? All in all, a very
informative chapter.
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