Category: Art 2722

Introduction

To understand the art of sculpture one must examine both the historical aspects that occurred in a particular period and the techniques that were utilized. In Chapter Five of Sculpture Since 1945 the books author Causey researches the changes that distinguish minimalistic shape creation approaches from those that followed. The significant changes that occurred in the middle of the 1960s impacted the perception of the art form. Most significantly the consensus that sculpture was generally made from a single material collapsed presenting new opportunities for development (Causey 131). This paper aims to examine Chapters Five and Eight, identify changes that occurred to the art of form creation, and provide a reaction to sculpture after the 1960s.

Sculpture in the 1960s

Many changes were adopted by sculptors; moving the art away from the simple raw material formation. Firstly, Causey explains the transformation that occurred to the artists perception of a sculpture (131). After the 1960s, a minimalistic approach to creation was interchanged for a more complex understanding of art. According to Causey, in the middle of the sixties, it was possible to clearly describe, what sculpture was, what it looked like (131).

Afterward, however, the focus and value have shifted from a traditional approach. Primarily any material available to an artist could be incorporated in his or her work. Thus, the main reaction to the chapter is a fascination with the aspects that distinguish the era. For instance, the usage of various elements is astonishing, as the art has shifted from utilizing homogenous materials to a variety of things that are incorporated into a piece.

Secondly, the presence of space and the viewer is significant in minimalistic creations. With the further evolvement of art pieces production, a different approach was taken to a process, as it became an essential part of an exhibit. Involvement with citation, context, social space was crucial to body art (Causey 132). Engaging a viewer in the activity of creating sculpture has become significant. For instance, a notable example is Morris and his work in 1969. The artist dedicated days to visiting a warehouse where he worked with different materials (Causey 133). He did not follow any specified idea or theme; instead, the objective was to participate in transforming raw objects physically.

In comparison, in Chapter Three of the book Sculpture Since 1945, the author explains the aspects that are prevalent in minimalistic sculptures. The time frame in question is the post-war period when the primary issue of development was moving away from the memories of war and its depiction (Causey 85). The human body was the center of attention, although typically portrayed in a disfigured manner. The art of the 1960s involved body depiction as well, however, in a drastically different style. Different implications and motives were present in the works, specifically in those by American artists (Causey 133). Thus, a broader, more inclusive approach to sculpture was taken in the 1960s, in which an artist could utilize a variety of materials and themes.

Overall, sculptors have altered their viewpoint regarding the portrayal of ideas through the art form. The methods of art in the 1960s are more interesting as the creations could have different shapes. A sculpture has transformed from being a piece of material formed into something statue to a more complex work as more elements were incorporated in it. The engagement of exhibit visitors has become a center of attention as well. Thus, the transformation of sculpture in the 1960s presents an important aspect for the future development of the art form.

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight of the Sculpture since 1945 by Causey discusses the particular aspects that were prevalent to this art form after the 1980s. The main factor, which is astonishing to know, is that painting had become the center focus of the publics attention. In both sculpture and painting neo-expressionism was considered to be a dominant style, which indicates that the creations in both forms had a similar style. In addition, an interesting aspect is a connection that became evident between sculpture and theatre. Therefore, the level of artistic development that can be seen in the sculptures of the 1980s is both fascinating and intriguing.

An interesting fact is the topics and inspiration that artists used for their work. The sculpture of the era combined various preceding styles, including minimalism, pop, and arte povera (Causey 229). Additionally, the primary concern was a depiction of contemporary life through pieces that represent consumption and manufacturing. Body depiction remained an important aspect of portrayal, however in a different form than in the 1960s.

The sculptors created figures that resembled people; however, those could be described as abnormal (Causey 230). In particular, Gormleys work as a representation of what became a norm in the 1980s is fascinating. The sculptor created figures that partially looked like him while simultaneously being similar to various objects. Gormley applied a specific technique in which he would be wrapped in a plaster material; thus, his sculptures were a vessel for his body.

Overall, the art of sculpture in the 1980s has drawn inspiration from a variety of themes, preceding eras, and other artistic fields (such as theatre). The depiction of a human body has returned as one of the central topics for sculptors. However, the creators sought to find alternative ways to portray figures (thus, sculptures that only resembled people or included some body parts could be seen at the time).

Work Cited

Causey, Andrew. Sculpture since 1945. Oxford University Press, 1998.

B1 Design Specifications

Works Cited

Bresciani, Sabrina, and Paolo Del Ponte. New brand logo design: Customers preference for brand name and icon. Journal of Brand Management vol. 24, no. 5, 2017, pp. 375-390.

Uncu, Gonca, and Gülsüm Çali_ir. From past to present; Evolution of the logos: Apple, Shell & Coca Cola cases. Social Sciences vol. 14, no. 5, 2019, pp. 2623-2640.

Introduction

Girl Before Mirror was painted by Pablo Picasso in March 1932. The 1930s are viewed as Picassos cubism period, which is characterized by the use of bold ideas and cubic forms that seemed to be unfolding a new world (Clark, 2013).

Main body

The focal point of the picture is a beautiful young woman with a smooth complexion and large eyes. She is looking into the mirror and sees an image that is entirely different from reality. As a matter of fact, the plot of the picture served as a source of inspiration for me to create a work having much in common with an original painting. Nevertheless, the picture is deprived of the cubic forms and has no signs of a bright color palette. Its name is Outer Image With True Self, and it borrows the main idea of Picassos work.

Regarding the style I have appealed to in my work, Outer Image With True Self boasts of the same plot Picassos masterpiece has, yet, it demonstrates an absolutely different painting technique. It needs to be stressed that I was deeply influenced by both expressionism and post-impressionism that preceded the epoch of cubism. The black and white painting containing a slight touch of pink to reflect the surroundings makes a huge contrast to Picassos burst of color. The element of closure, which is clearly tracked in a manner to draw hair, makes reference to modern art. Eventually, I was making emphasis on the fact that surrounding is an absolutely irrelevant detail in this picture.

Conclusion

The main focus is made on the girl and the mirror reflection, which is emphasized by a black background to show that her true self is not that pretty.

Introduction and Thesis Statement

Initially, existentialism emerged in philosophy and literature focusing on the themes of alienation and adverse impacts of human conditioning (Modern art movements, n.d.).

Philosophy of Existentialism significantly influenced arts and manifested itself as an opposing reaction to rationalism and intellectualism proclaiming that the life of any individual is far more complex than it may appear to a human mind.

Existential artworks emphasize the significance of subjective experiences, freedom of choice, and sensory perceptions; hence, abstract expressionist movement and art informal became strongly associated with Existentialism (Modern art movements, n.d.).

Thesis: While the rational and traditional form of thinking tries to divide reality into two spheres  subjective and objective  the existential art unites them forming an irrational reality of the existential works which can be understood merely intuitively.

Analysis of the First Work of Art: Right After by Eva Hesse, 1969

The sculpture Right After is one of the last artists works which represents a fragile web of latex ropes and strings hanging in the air and held together by metal hooks (Wolff-Bernstein, 2005).

The significance of Hesses work is in her alienation from traditions and art forms that had already existed  she preferred to remain innovative creating the objects whose preservation and deliverance into an institutional context, have created a body of work which stimulates thought (Jackson, 2011, p. 246).

Right After is one of the sculptures representing the artists struggle between chaos and order, inner and outer worlds (Wolff-Bernstein, 2005).

The fragility and semitransparent texture of the sculpture closely reflect Hesses internal state and help to provoke a viewers meditative self-reflection and inward look (Wolff-Bernstein, 2005).

Analysis of the Second Work of Art: Two Figures in a Landscape by Willem de Kooning, 1968

Vague yet expressive women figures are represented in the picture  one of them appears to lay on a chaise long while another woman sits with crossed legs; the painting is created in de Koonings distinctive technique of quick and impulsive drawing focusing on sensations and inner feelings rather than outward signs (Shiff, 2014).

The artist spoke against making distinctions between the figure and abstraction and often preferred to draw with the closed eyes to transfer the inner perceptions of movement (Shiff, 2014, p. 5).

De Koonings emphasis on the inner feeling of objects and the experience of their motion rather than their actual embodiment constitutes the significance of his work in both social and artistic context because his approach represents him as an innovator.

The content of de Koonings work is the representational connotations of his imagery, trivial content, captured as intriguing form (Shiff, 2014, p. 6).

Conclusion

The review of the artworks makes it clear that, in the context of irrational reality, the existentialist artists pay significant attention to the borderline situations in which an individual is vanishing in an unconsciousness or is on the edge of rational thinking and madness. From the existentialist point of view, during these moments, a person may experience reality much closer than in any other time.

The analysis reveals that individual intuition plays an important role in the given context while the scientifically rationalized objects become insignificant.

It is possible to say that while creating their artworks, Hesse and de Kooning not merely tried to capture this state of irrationality and merge objectivity and subjectivity but also strived to provoke and dramatize it making existentialism concepts part of their daily reality and expressing them in the abstract and non-figurative art forms.

References

Jackson, A. (2011). Eva Hesse: Studiowork. Textile: The Journal of Cloth and Culture, 9(2), 240-247. Web.

Modern art movements, 1870-1970. (n.d.). Web.

Shiff, R. (2014). De Kooning: The kick, the twist, the woman, the rowboat. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art, 14(1), 5-20. Web.

Wolff-Bernstein, J. (2005). In search of her own language Eva Hesse show San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Studies in Gender and Sexuality, 6(4), 345-368. Web.

Introduction

Art is a very unique way for people to communicate and exchange different ideas and cultural customs. Buddhist art is a visual expression of Buddhism that originated in Gandhara and is reflective of the Gandhara style (Ullah et al. 379; Yasuda et al. 128). One of the prominent exemplars of Gandhara craftsmanship is the anthropomorphic Buddha statue of the 3rd century displayed in the Met Museum. The Buddha sculpture demonstrates the historical characteristics of Gandhara art alongside the objects cultural and creative significance.

Discussion

To understand the stylistic analysis of the Buddha statue, one must consider the historical context of Gandhara craftsmanship. Gandhara was an area between modern northern Pakistan and the east of Afghanistan (Yasuda et al. 128). The kingdom of Gandhara is perceived to have lasted from the 1st century BC until the 11 century AD (Shahi 956). The region is believed to be the most prosperous during the Kushan era, associated with the increased spread of Buddhism (Shahi 956; Ullah et al. 378; Yasuda et al. 129). Gandhara was a site where major religions met and where distinct cultures, including Greek, Persian, Asian, and Indian, integrated (Yasuda et al. 128). For instance, Gandhara Buddha sculptures were influenced by the ancient Greeks, as Gandhara artists, despite having a unique style, used to borrow ideas from different civilizations (Ullah et al. 379). For example, Gandhara art images have hair curls and garment folds prevalent in Roman and Greek cultures (Ullah et al. 379). Accordingly, the historical context of Gandhara suggests that Buddhist art in the area was quite important due to the religions spread and that the craftwork was affected by distinct civilizations.

One more way to better appreciate the Buddha statue is by considering the changes in Gandharas geographical footprint. Being the center of Buddhism in the ancient period, Gandhara possessed exceptional locational characteristics of civilizational crossroads (Yasuda et al. 128). Gandharas hilly tracts and narrow passes were used as caravan trade routes that connected many cultures and political traditions (Ullah et al. 378; Yasuda et al. 129). International trade flourished in Gandharas cosmopolitan cities that had major Buddhist monasteries (Ullah et al. 378). Consequently, the Buddhist art of Gandhara reflects modifications that occurred in the sites Buddhism due to the influence of civilizations that appreciated the regions geography (Ullah et al. 379). For instance, the Kushan period generated revised Buddhism that traveled from northern India to Central Asia, China, and the Far East (Ullah et al. 379). Moreover, as mentioned above, Gandhara facilitated Greek-Buddhist art because of the influence of the ancient Greeks, who were common in the area (Yasuda et al. 129). Therefore, Gandharas geographical footprint is characterized by various cultures present in the region throughout multiple years that have impacted Buddhism and its craftsmanship.

Furthermore, the statue of Buddha was produced in the central Gandharan region of modern-day Pakistan and shows a standing Buddha sculpture in stone that measures 36 ½ x 11 x 5 ½ inches. The figures face is skillfully carved and detailed, demonstrating beauty and dignity with the corners of the mouth slightly upturned, like a faint smile. Buddhas hair is flowing and wavy, showing a strong influence of the ancient Greco-Roman style discussed above. Moreover, the lines in the statues clothes look realistic and smooth. The sculptor wanted to convert the gentleness of Buddha, and the artist strived to depict the humble nature of Buddhism and the Buddha himself. The standing posture of the Buddha statue is to place the center of gravity on the right foot, and the slightly bent left knee can be seen through the folds of the monks robe. Under his feet, there are three more faceless people inside the stone.

Conclusion

To summarize, the stylistic analysis of the Buddha statue highlights the characteristics of Gandhara art based on the regions history. The object has cultural and creative significance due to representing a major religion associated with different civilizations located in one area. Gandhara was an impressive site that facilitated the creation of many unique pieces of art, like the sculpture of the standing Buddha, that are valued nowadays.

Works Cited

Shahi, Dharmendra. Spatial History and Cultural Geography of Gandhara. International Journal of Applied Social Science, vol. 6, no. 4, 2019, pp. 955-959.

Ullah, Irfan, et al. A Review of Archaeological Reports and Literature on the Gandhara Sculpture Collection of the Royal Ontario Museum. Academic Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 4, no. 3, 2020, pp. 377-403.

Yasuda, Shin, et al. Religious Tourism in Asia: Tradition and Change through Case Studies and Narratives. CAB International, 2018.

Introduction

Art has always remained a source of inspiration for a lot of known figures around the world. For those who study it and express a desire to learn more about the world of post-impressionism, it is nearly impossible to stay indifferent to the works of such famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse, and others. The work on the review, The Bright New Day, is my debut in the sphere of post-impressionism. One of the most recognized paintings of Van Gogh The Starry Night (1889) served as a sample workpiece for this particular painting.

Main body

The picture represents a mixture of colors, with the prevalence of naturalistic hues. As to my painting technique, I used sharp lines to add the objects a slight touch of framing; this method is inherent to the style of post-impressionism that Van Gogh referred to in The Starry Night. In the forefront of the artwork, one sees the river that flows at the foot of the mountain. In contrast to a peaceful urban landscape of a source painting, this picture contains the scenes of powerful motion and heavy waves that create an image of a lively day, which has come to change a quiet night.

A color palette is, however, similar to that of Van Gogh. As Bennett (2017) wrote about his painting technique, Van Goghs observation about changing hue suggested the plein air artist would have to decide on one tone in this changing envelope of color and move on to the next effect (p. 1294).

Conclusion

Thus, after having examined the techniques used in The Starry Night, i.e., a rapid change of blue, green, white, and yellow colors, I decided that it could be a wise choice to include those into my professional practice.

References

Bennett, L. (2017). Incidents and accidents in Plein air painting: One path towards post-impressionism. Journal of Literature and Art Studies, 7(10), 1290-1298.

Clark, T. J. (2013). Picasso and Truth: From cubism to Guernica. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

We have been discussed many works by different artist, Amanda Wojick, Richard Serra, and Louise Bourgeois. These artists have different vision of the art and try to implement their ideas in different forms. Elkins in the chapter Just looking states that seeing means searching (22) and he is right. When I am looking at any painting, I am trying to understand why the author has provided this specific piece of art, what he/she wanted to offer, why this particular piece has caught my eye. I am going to discuss the work Yellow Bandiad Waterfall by Amanda Wojick created in 2004. Considering the main idea of personal works, Amanda Wojick states that her main desire is to present the things in a new abstract space (n.p.), as she stated in her comment to Life 1968 presentation.

I should say that the more I looked at the work under discussion, the more I thought about Elkins Just look. I should say that many things discussed in that work may be easily referred to Wojicks work. Elkins says that looking is something I do, but also something that happens to me (35). Considering the piece of art under discussion, I want to say that I was really impressed with what I saw. One of the central issues which caught my eye was the material. All works by Wojick seem innovative and impressive, they add abstraction and space. It is not a painting; at the same time, it is not a sculpture. The fusion of the styles and the innovative approach are really impressive. This is one of the main reasons why I liked it.

Commenting on the very piece of art Yellow Bandiad Waterfall by Amanda Wojick, I should say that the innovative approach to art in general impresses. I liked this piece for its originality. Moreover, being yellow, this water fall should denote something particular. When looking at this piece I asked myself, Why is it yellow? What did the creator want to show by the color? These are the aspect I tried to find out while I looked at it. I have never known for sure, but yellow may stand fro sun or by sand. No matter what is specifically the thing, I want to say that the work awakes only positive feelings. Looking at it I was to smile. The yellow spots seem to be the places where the sun touched the water. The childhood is remembered.

The ink, gouache, and bandaids are the materials with which the work of art has been created. I should say that I believe that material means much in the creation of the piece of art. Such unusual combination says about authors creativity and particular vision of the world. Why are bandaids chosen? I suppose one of the main reasons for using bandaids on the paper is its structure. Being light and invisible on the paper this material creates additional volume and helps create a relief, almost invisible, but extremely important. Here is the picture which I have discussed.

I suppose there are people who will like it as I did. I also agree that some people may dislike it, bit I am sure that there are no indifferent people due to peculiarity and unusual nature of the piece of art.

Works Cited

Elkins, James. Just looking. The object stares back. New York: Simon and Shuster, 1996. 17-41. Print.

Wojick, Amanda. Life 1968. 2009. Web.

Wojick, Amanda. Yellow Bandiad Waterfall. 2004. Web.

The Most Beautiful Object in the Museum

Understanding the Art

The trip to the Lowe Art Museum was a fabulous experience in exploring new ways of artistic expression and interpretation thereof. Among the 2018 exhibitions, one should mention the one dedicated to the most influential Americans as seen by the 20^th-century photographers. Although nearly each art object was uniquely beautiful and thought-provoking, it was the picture of Humphrey Bogart by Yosuf Karsh that caught my eye immediately (Lowe Art Museum, 2018b). The photographer captured the atmosphere of the scene perfectly and helped convey the emotion of the moment, which seemed very inspiring and was the key reason for selecting it.

Thoughts and Questions

The artwork provides an in-depth look into the nature of an artist. The image is the meta-analysis of art in itself since it represents the portrait of a movie artist created by a photographer. Thus, the picture makes one question whether an art object can be reflective of another type of art and, therefore, artistic performance, in general. The photo makes the viewer question the extent to which the specified artwork is a collaboration between Karsh and Bogart.

Feelings and Emotions

Because of the complexity of its very nature, the artwork stirs a range of emotions in a viewer. The picture conveys a sense of wistfulness and encourages one to contemplate ones past and its meaning. Furthermore, the picture exudes self-confidence, making viewers reexamine the role that they play in society.

The Most Interesting Non-European/Non-North American Work of Art

Understanding the Art

The art of the Qing Dynasty displayed at the Lowe Art Museum might seem lackluster compared to pictures by famous artists, yet they represent an important part of world history and, therefore, are worth exploring. Particularly the Ancestor portrait of Uncle Cheng (Lowe Art Museum, 2014) was chosen as the most impressive one. Seeing the remnants of an ancient civilization was truly fascinating. It allowed developing an in-depth understanding of the influences that contemporary Chinese culture incorporates and reflects.

Thoughts and Questions

The art piece in question makes one think about the fleeting nature of human life. The art that people leave behind as a sign of their previous existence is an important reminder of why one should strive to fulfill oneself and be the best version of oneself.

Feelings and Emotions

The artwork has stirred a variety of emotions that ranges from surprise to enthusiasm. Specifically, the difference between the portrait and the traditional European and American art served as the platform for acquiring a better understanding of the Chinese culture. In addition, the ink painting helped to learn more about different ways of creating art.

The Most Disturbing Work of Art OR A Work of Art that You Disliked

Understanding the Art

In addition to rather conventional art pieces, the museum also had several unusual artworks on display. The art pieces that represented the Games, Gizmos, and Toys in the Attic by Walter Wick (Lowe Art Museum, 2017) seemed to be the most uncomfortable piece of art.

Thoughts and Questions

While the specified artworks were supposed to imply a rather charming sendoff to childhood, they also carried the elements of something unnatural that made the paintings quite unsettling. The stiff figures of dolls and other toys made the picture seem slightly uncanny.

Feelings and Emotions

At first glance, the picture made me feel rather cheerful and optimistic. I reflected on my own early childhood and its cherished moments. However, the further analysis of the picture showed that it contained a certain element of artificiality, which created an uneasy feeling.

2 Paragraphs about a Special Exhibition

Title, Purpose, and Description

The museum is currently celebrating the Year of Glass and thus has dedicated its most grandeur exhibition to the subject matter. The displayed art pieces strike the audiences imagination as surreal and enthralling, which was the reason for choosing it. Mysterious shapes of gorgeous colors that range from warm honey to Egyptian blue serve the purpose of telling the visitors about the history of the Persian culture and its various stages of evolution.

The Most Significant Object

Dale Chihulys Mosaic Persian seems to be the most significant art piece of the exhibition (Lowe Art Museum, 2018a). It embraces a vast range of shapes and colors that allow expressing the exotic aspects of the Persian culture. The art piece entices the audience with a variety of layers of meaning and sparks their imagination. The gallery provides a fantastic experience for its visitors and invites them to a new world of visual delight.

What Would You Take Home?

Of all the art pieces that the museum has, I would take home the painting that represents the art of the Qing Dynasty. It has a sense of power and calm that exudes positivity and encourages one to become wiser. The painting makes me want to experience new ideas and emotions, as well as gain profound knowledge of human nature.

References

Lowe Art Museum. (2014). Qing Dynasty. Web.

Lowe Art Museum. (2018a). 2018 year of glass. Web.

Lowe Art Museum. (2018). Yousuf Karsh: American portraits. Web.

Introduction

Attending the Annie show was one of the things I would not have wanted to miss at the hobby center during this seasons musical. This show was staged in the Sarofim Hall, a hall with its uniqueness of art pieces. It is noteworthy that its elegance provided an exceptional entertainment environment for those in attendance like me. However, this was just the icing on the cake for many more were in the offing. Annie is a comedy show whose main actress is Annie. This actress is a high-spirited orphan who is so determined that, despite all the difficult circumstances that she faces, she will be able to get her parents s who had abandoned her at the entrance go to an orphanage in New York sometime back. Even, though, her parents thought that Annie would be taken up by the orphanage under its wings, seeing it as a good future for Annie, it is beyond the parents expectations in their absence. In the hall, the acoustics were adding to the thrill of this comedy that saw me glued to it to the end.

Pros of the show

What an exceptional story to children experiencing this kind of life! The abandonment of Annie, her subsequent entrenchment into an orphanage, the tribulations, and her final get through presented me with many life lessons. There are times in our lives when we reach a point we feel that we cannot go further. This heroine in the story is a masterly example of determination at its best. One should be encouraged not to give up like the mother to Annie did. Hanging on for a little while is always best, for an opportunity may just come your way. Hope is so much esteemed, for its availability increases the capability of seeing the future. This is a good lesson from this show especially to the young orphans that they should always be optimistic no matter the situation. However, while in that state one should practice patience and purity. This is because one may not be as lucky as Annie who finally got a home and a new family to take her in for the rest of her life.

Another pro of the show is that the world is filled with uncertainties and it is ones survival tactics to survive. However, one should always thrive to do well avoid the repercussions that come with punishment for unacceptable behavior. Therefore, even, though, Annie wanted to finally meet her parents, her final destination was not awful either for even though she had not got what she had hoped for, her determination had not been wasted either.

Cons of the show

However, the storyline of this comic show comes at a time where the adoption of children by parents especially of different cultures, races, and geographical regions. This is because of the consequence of the child adjusting to everything new. This is because the child gets to be affected both physically and emotionally. Besides, the adopting parents may not be driven by good intentions, but those to exploit. The depiction of the orphanage as a place of aggression paints some dirt on the orphanages where man thinks of safe places to grow and develop abandoned children. This prints a lousy picture to children whose minds have been tainted by the depiction of the filthiness of the orphanage. This is because it will require not only the theory but also the practical part of it to erase these mind affiliations.

Conclusion

However, despite this issue of adoption, the moral of the story is superb especially in this era of increased sensitization of childrens rights. Therefore, determination mostly leads to success even if it was not what one hoped for, in the end. This means it assures one a departure from a dire condition.

The picture under analysis is Disk of Newton by Frantisek Kupka. He was a famous Czech painter. His name tends to be one of the most famous among all other representatives of this country. The reason of this popularity is very simple. Frantisek Kupka is one of the founders of the abstract art which represents one on the key points in the art of 20th century (Frantiaek Kupka: the birth of abstraction para. 1). Started his way as the representative of classic school he then realized his mission. Kupkas abstract works arose from a base of realism, but later evolved into pure abstract art (Ribas para.1).

Having recognized himself as an abstractionist, he became one of the founding members of Abstraction-Creation, the association of artists whose main task was to struggle with the ideas of surrealism. The difference was in the approach to painting. The main idea of abstractionism was the usage of visual language of shapes, forms, lines and colors to interpret a subject-matter, without necessarily providing the viewer with a recognizable visual reference point (What is Abstract Art? para. 3) while surrealists main issue was to reflect the subconscious mind in the way which does not have to be understandable or obtain at least some logical meaning (Artists by Movement: Surrealism para. 1).

This opposition resulted in many different masterpieces of modern art, however at that period of time Kupka was one of the main representatives of abstract art, trying to counteract the overwhelming influence of surrealism. The artist also had some interest to cosmology and astronomy and it can be seen in some of his works which were affected by these ideas. Some theological motifs sometimes can also be outlined in his art and views, however they are not so significant as the motifs of color, shape and their interaction.

He was also deeply involved in orphic cubism, the branch of abstractionism which deals with bright colors and pure abstraction, giving the main importance to the shape of objects. In his works Kupka reveals great interest in color theory, experimenting with it. He tried to use colors in a very unusual way, intending to add some new meaning to the traditional understanding of certain color. He combined his main ideas of color and shape in orphism and he became one of the most significant figures for this kind of art, stimulating its fusion with abstractionism.

His experiments with colors resulted in one of his most famous works Disks of Newton. It can be recognized as the quintessence of orphism. The work is devoted to color, favorite Kupkas issue. The title refers to the famous seventeenth century physicist Sir Isaac Newton. The choice of the topic was not accidental. Sir Isaac Newton was the first to discover that light of the sun is not just a stream of white color, but it consist of seven colors, which are known to be the colors of spectrum  red, green, yellow, orange, blue, indigo and violet. To represent his idea more clearly Newton created special wheel which contained all these colors.

The scientist wanted to show that combination of two different colors form the disk results in the creation of the third one, while combination of all colors will result in white, which properly is known to be the light. Frantisek Kupka, as the great admirer of the color issue could not overpass it. His Disks of Newton consists of discs of different bright colors which disperse form the center of the picture to its corners. The forms overlap and interpenetrate each other to produce an exciting sense of spinning movement (Disks of Newton (Study for Fugue in Two Colors) para. 3). Kupka used all colors of the spectrum, including white.

The colors seem to be mowing, whirling and blending with each other, creating new ones, making one color come out from another. From the first point of view it seems that Kupka managed to bring Newtons wheel to live and made it move. The idea of constant moving of colors does not leave the viewers head. Having already told about Kupkas interest in cosmology and astrology, it is possible to make some parallel with our galaxy, suggesting that those circles coming from the center are the orbits of our planets, which move around the sun. The more viewer look on this picture the stronger this impression becomes.

This image can be taken as the result of the scrupulous work of the painter on his idea of colors and shapes. They are the main issue here. The work seems to be the final step in the development of the color topic by the author. Knowing his belonging to abstractionists and orphists, it is possible to say that the picture absorbed all main ideas of these schools, presenting an excellent example of the combination of all notions. The painter uses typical for the abstractionists methods in order to reveal his thoughts and ideas. It is difficult to observe any symbols here, the viewers can just watch shapes and colors trying to guess the idea of the author.

The work is not first in a row, the author is known for many experiments connected with this issue. His previous paintings like Nocturne or Woman Picking Flowers can also be characterized by prevailing part of shapes and colors, however, the picture Disks of Newton seems to be the most complete in the list. The whole composition of the picture seems to be not quite symmetrical as the viewer can observe a little shift to the upper part of the picture. Though this misbalance is not noticeable and does not put a strain on viewers eyes.

In this painting Kupka was one of the first to use colors and shapes to create the strange mixture which later become well known as the earliest exponents of curvilinear pure abstraction (Frantiaek Kupka para. 3). One of the main advantages and interesting things about this picture is that this strange mixture of colors and circles does not limit the imagination of the viewer. Everyone can find something special, peculiar for his understanding of the world and essence of this masterpiece.

Moreover, this work can be called the declaration of orphism as it reflects the essence of this school. The second half of the title is Study for Fugue in Two Colours. As the musical analogy implicit in the title suggests, the vibrating colour orchestrations on the canvas were intended to unite visual and musical ideas (Orphism para. 5). The world fugue in the second half can serve as the reference to the famous works of Johan Sebastian Bach. It helps to create the sound image of the picture in the head of the viewer, because as soon as the person hears the world fugue the music starts playing in his conscious. This idea totally coincides with Kupkas understanding of the sense of painting which should be also abstract, as music is.

The work Discs of Newton (Study for Fugue in Two Colours) was created at the period of the great controversy in the world of art. Understanding of the world and art of surrealists faced totally different ideas of abstractionists, proclaiming the shape color and sense as the key points of the whole art. Taking this into consideration it is possible to say, that this picture was the answer for the adherers of surrealism. It embodied the main notions of abstract art, perfectly demonstrating the authors ideas. Working in France, the author was in the swim and that is why the challenging character of this artwork is obvious. The blazing colors and cosmic symbolism of works such as Disks of Newton were seen as a blatant challenge to French taste and tradition (Disks of Newton (Study for Fugue in Two Colors) para. 2)

In conclusion it should be said that the picture Disks of Newton has very complicated meaning and character. From the first gaze it seems just like the mixture of colored circles, however with the following analysis and watching some hidden motifs reveal. Having got to know about the preferences of the painter, it is rather obvious to suggest this painting to be the main reflection and quintessence of his understanding of art. However, one more thing which should be added. This picture has some inexplicable power to spread the authors idea on the viewer. After an hour of analyzing it you can become the adherer of the abstract art and proclaim this artwork to be the brightest example of it.

Works Cited

Artists by Movement: Surrealism. n.d.

Disks of Newton (Study for Fugue in Two Colors). n.d.

Frantiaek Kupka.  2014.

Frantiaek Kupka: the birth of abstraction. 2013.

Orphism. n.d.

Ribas, Tomas. Frantisek Kupka. n.d. Web.

What is Abstract Art? n.d. Web.