Category: Art

Introduction

Art and ceramic making is firmly engraved in particular contexts and most of the time, these are linked to certain groups. Some may be direct such as art movements while others may be indirect such as globalisation.

Kawaii movement

This movement started in the 1970s in Japan and was used to represent everything about the culture that was cute and adorable. In fact, Kawaii is derived from the Japanese word kawaisa. It is largely recognised as a fashion movement but its effect has penetrated into different arenas of life including ceramics, art, entertainment, behaviour and the like. It should be noted that this movement grew and changed as time progressed.

At the onset, the movement was first recognised as a way of writing; here teenage girls would use round figures in order to put something down and they added small symbols and smiley faces onto them. Adults and experts asserted that this just complicated the Japanese language and should be abandoned. Subsequently, the kawaii writings were banned but resurfaced in the next decade through commercial packaging of products as well as through comic books and the like.

It was then assumed that these magazines and companies were the ones that had created the kawaii writings. However, research revealed that teenage girls were actually the ones who came up with it. Eventually, the entire nation began embracing elements of this movement in their lives. It was not just about fashion and writing but went on to become part of the nations culture. There was kawaii in household items, kawaii on airplanes, kawaii on television and kawaii amongst the police (Sugiyama, 2004).

Ceramics making and art in general would be deeply influenced by such a movement because it either represented kawaii in itself or was used as a way of modifying other kawaii aspects. For example, a person who embraces kawaii fashion may need to accentuate her look by carrying toys. Those toys are usually ceramics and my become part of the whole fashion statement. Alternatively, others may simply collect or use kawaii ceramics as they are.

These kinds of ceramics will often be easily identifiable; some of them will be little animations of a mouse or a child, others will look like a little smiley face with a cute flowery encapsulation. Normally, those ceramics will rely on colour to bring out their cuteness; they often be rich in bright colours such as pink and red. They will also use little characters associated with kawaii and are quite appealing to the eye.

In essence, the kawaii movement, much like any art movement represents the effect of groups upon the individual. Art movements usually have specific meanings that can be imperative in the creation and the development of certain art works. In the kawaii movement, Japan society interpreted it as way of propagating harmony in society by calling for a subtle way of expressing oneself.

In other words, through the sentiments held by a group, an individual can be influenced to carry on those principles through art. In fact, when one examines most kawaii ceramics, one can read such harmonious messages in them; some of them will be made up of little hearts to send out a message of love or affection (Sugiyama, 2004).

In other words, groups affect individuality because individuals are the route used to express the beliefs and values held by a group. The kawaii movement as a group wants to send out a message of happiness in the face of adversity. It wants people to express their own happiness.

The only way this can be achieved is through individuals finding within themselves their own creative elements. They need to be creative about how they will use colour in order to spread those messages. This implies that the kind of ceramics selected will actually be up to the individual although he needs to keep in mind the overall group goal.

Kawaii much like the hippies is a way for young people to speak out against negativity in their worlds by finding their own kind of happiness. They need to realise that the sort of message they are sending to the world is more important than the immediate reactions others have towards them. Small groups or subcultures simply want to have a voice of their own that actually resists what is going on in the world. In this case, kawaii is an attempt to speak out against the chaos in society.

Reinterpretation and reinventing tradition

In the Asian context, ceramics have been in place for centuries on end. However, artists often look for new and innovative ways of making their pieces unique. They still do their best not to lose this background in their work even though they still leave room for their own voice. In other words, through reinterpretation of tradition, these artists can then be in a position to express their individuality.

Such a phenomenon therefore testifies to the influence of the groups upon the individual (Sugiyama, 2004). Tradition that is synonymous to a particular culture can be carried forward by one artist. One such artist is Li Xiaofeng. Li makes very rare ceramic dresses that make for beautiful viewing but also does this against the background of his respective community since he uses antiques. The ceramic dresses are essentially sculptures or pieces for performance artists.

Li makes sure that he honours Chinese tradition while at the same time remains contemporary. This artist has been able to achieve this quite successfully using his ceramic dresses. On one hand, he is showing that he is actually embracing modern designs by making dresses and outfits that are very upbeat and fashionable right now; even the very fact that the ceramics are not designed for conventional use like flowers pots also shows the contemporary and individualistic nature of the work.

However, the materials he uses are such that they represent Chinese culture. It is especially difficult for artists working with ceramics in China because the government imposes very strict rules about the products. No artists can export ancient artefacts and in this case, porcelain products are classified as ancient artefacts. Li managed to work around this restriction because he still derived influence from ancient China but used new ceramic plates.

He painted the ancient Chinese symbols himself. The artists mostly focused on the 14^th to 17^th century dynasty (commonly known as Ming). He uses inspiration from these periods to paint most of his porcelain bowls. However, in a few other selected pieces, this artist can be seen working with influences from the Qing dynasty as well as the Kangxi period (Sugiyama, 2004). These designs contain representations of children or the lotus.

The lotus was interpreted as a symbol of rebirth and innocence. At those times, a lot of infant mortality was common and children were such a big treasure. The lotus was highly applicable then because it captured the peoples wishes. Essentially, Li the sculptor has managed to capture a rich and captivating history in his pieces but he has not stopped at that. He took his art work to the next level by not just focusing on this aspect. He wanted to show that sculptures can indeed be seen from a different realm.

This work was a representation of art as seen through an individuals creative process. A group can therefore influence an artist through the rich heritage and tradition of the group as the group may either be a culture, country or even a region. Even though these kinds of societies may be very strict in terms of imposition, it is still possible for individuals to work around such restrictions by making the most of their surroundings.

How to bring sheerness, softness and poetry in a rude world

Art provides the means with which artists can send out messages of change, discontentment or rebellion in a conventional society. On the other hand, art may actually do the opposite; it can be used to spread a message of softness and subtlety in an arrogant world. Normally, this is achieved through the use of colour or form or a combination of these. In ceramics it is the latter component that is applicable since one quality is never complete without the other. Certain artists will use certain components that are

Sculptors, artists and may use floral patterns and colours in order to disseminate a playful message to those concerned. This defies the arrogance and darkness around them by endorsing the opposite. On the other hand, sculptors may employ a different approach so that theirs may be a message of peace; they could utilise certain colours that are known for these representations such as white. Therefore, poetry can be incorporated into art in a political way. Personal expressions of art can therefore make the personal political.

Globalised world

Influences of groups on the individuals do not just stop at the cultural level; they can also be understood in the global realm. Globalisation has increased the appreciation of art through the general human spirit. Individuals from all corners have come to the realisation that there is plenty of variety out there and this implies that tastes and preferences have been modified in order to embrace this global atmosphere. For instance, the world can appreciate Asian culture and pieces such as Li Xiaonfeng because of globalisation.

Many of his pieces have been taken to different parts of the world and have made the artistic world richer. This indicates that not only can anyone in the world appreciate art from a different part but it also empowers individuals to create it. Globalisation therefore breaks down barriers that had initially been created due to niche art production (Meyer, 2003).

On the flip side however, some critics have asserted that the influence of the global arena on art and ceramics is rather negative. They affirm that the internet opens up an avenue for any armature artist to place his or her work in the public realm. This implies that everyone gets a level playing field even when their work is not worth its salt. Eventually, this excessive accessibility causes the work to lose its value. When people have to struggle in order to access something then they eventually come to appreciate it even more.

Globalisation also brings out the concept of the traditional versus the modern. As more and more artistic groups are getting exposed, there are different waves and movements that are cropping up. Each one appears to be embracing something new or to be taking on a very different perspective. However, upon looking at these groups at a deeper level, it is clear to see that a high number of them actually derive their influences from traditional groups.

Consequently, one can argue that those old cultures have such a profound influence on the manner in which art is expressed today. Since globalisation had not been as rampant then as it is now, it can be argued that the influence of groups through tradition was more important then than it is now. This brings into question the quality and importance of these new art works as they come into operation now. Most of them may simply look at issues superficially and this may not always be the perspective that is the most favourable in art.

On the other hand, globalisation has contributed towards a bridge between influences of groups in the past and influences today. Some of them may be such that they encourage an understanding and analysis of indigenous arts and ceramics (Meyer, 2003).

Globalisation has therefore advanced the exploration of aesthetic pieces belonging to particular groups and this does lead to better appreciation. In this regard, it can then be possible for cross cultural art to take place because artists or sculptors can borrow elements from these older forms. Art can therefore be more engaging once it has been reproduced in a manner that actually borrows a leaf from the past.

Additionally, it can be possible for these individuals to resurrect older art works. For example, research shows that India has always embraced miniature art, however, after development of the Mughal empire, this kind of art faded. In modern times, the art form has been revived in what now appears to be a neo-miniature art movement.

Artists are utilising various resources at their disposal especially though exhibitions in global cultural centres like New York. Essentially, what this means is that tradition will be strengthened and understood while at the same time contemporary culture will have improved dramatically. It also implies that more people are now participating in a debate around the movement. Globalisation therefore grows interest in otherwise dead traditions.

It should be noted that globalisation has the effect of bringing people together. It causes individuals to appreciate their own because they can always identify it if their traditional art is put alongside other works of art. In countries that have gone through difficult histories such as colonialism and domination then globalisation provides an in depth look at this past.

It causes people to become proud of their indigenous works even after these historical restrictions. There are plenty of cases around the world of people who were suppressed and prevented from expressing themselves but this soon came to an end when the concerned individuals rediscovered it through technology and other external forces (Meyer, 2003).

Globalisation has also demonstrated the effect of the entire globe as a platform for ceramics and art through the utilisation of international exhibitions. Most of these places will contain a series of pieces from different parts of the world. They contribute towards awareness and development of ceramics within the visual realm. On the other hand, some have asserted that the international exhibitions tend to be inclined more towards the western culture than many more.

This encourages development and growth of one dominant culture over and any other in the world. Globalisation has not always been understood positively because some people actually look at it as a mild form of imperialism. Western domination has not always come in the form of economic or social manifestations; sometimes it is cultural and nothing represents culture like art. Certain radicals actually attempt to reject it as much as possible.

In retrospect, it can be said that globalisation eliminates the clear line that has always existed between the global and international. The personal can now become global and can therefore derive its influence from a bigger realm.

Conclusion

Groups affect individuality in a number of ways. In certain instances, it is done through different bold values as seen in the kawaii movement. On the other hand, there are certain scenarios when previous cultures will use traditional cultures from their past in order to reinterpret it and hence create new contemporary applications.

Softness in art can be incorporated to send politically affiliated messages hence showing that groups (subcultures) can be affected through this softness. Lastly, globalisation provides a platform for shaping multicultural art.

References

Meyer, J. (2003). Global tendencies: globalism and large scale exhibition. Artforum, 206(12): 212

Sugiyama, T. (2004). The Japanese self in cultural logic. Hawaii: University of Hawaii press

Thesis statement: Baroque used the artificial intellectual sophistication of Mannerism and exaggerated it to the extent appealing to aristocratic and religious elite. Though most people like mannerism for its high-quality techniques that come from the experience of previous historical era in art, Baroque has emerged when the creativity of artists was of great value and their works were appreciated and acknowledged by representatives of aristocracy and religious elite.

Mannerism

The period of Mannerism emerged from High Renaissance and can be considered the predecessor of Baroque. The key factors for its advent can be analyzed with the help of assessment of social context in which this style has occurred.

In other words, social relationships and their connection to political and religious concepts of the time created a fruitful ground for advent of Mannerism as a style typical of the European art and sculpture in sixteenth century. Though the origin of the style is suggested as Italian High Renaissance, the movement was spread on the territory of the entire Europe in this or that manner.

As the Renaissance was characterized by natural depiction of nature and society with regard to accurate depiction of human body peculiarities in different ages in terms of movements, gestures, emotions expressed on the face, drapes of clothes, and use of light and shade techniques, it is necessary to analyze Mannerism in terms of these peculiarities. Naturalistic presentation of different objects, events, and life situations was substituted for more artificial qualities and intellectually sophisticated approach.

The main characteristics of Mannerism include artificiality of depiction and sophisticated intellect that can be traced in all pictures of prominent artists of this era. Social conditions were contributing to the advent of the style because people wanted something new than naturalistic representation of images they could see with their own eyes.

More creativity and artificiality was imposed into artistic techniques and methods used for depiction of people, still-life, landscapes, and other objects. This can be traced in the picture Madonna with long neck (1534-1540) painted by Francesco Mazzola; this picture is currently exhibited at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.

Baroque

The style of Baroque was followed by Rococo and preceded by Mannerism. This style can be considered one of the greatest ones for European and world artistic world including painting, sculpture, literature, architecture, and other fine arts. However, it is necessary to focus on paintings to compare and contrast the painting created in Mannerism manner and the one of Baroque epoch.

As the Baroque style was influenced greatly by the social conditions of the time and its origin can be found in the era of Mannerism, it was characterized with overt emotions and vivid movements, realistic depiction of poses and naturalistic though sometimes exaggerated use of colors and space. Light and shade techniques as well as space and organization of objects in the picture can be considered the key characteristic of Baroque works. Vivid poses and overt emotions became the main peculiarity of the style.

Social conditions can be treated as beneficial for the advent of the style because religious authorities were respected more than political ones. So, Biblical stories were often used as the basis for pictures and series of pictures created in the same manner. In other words, the main way of presenting something original was to depict Biblical characters in pictures using main Baroque techniques and methods.

The advent of the style was preconditioned by the religious beliefs of people and increasing number of religious authorities and churches and chapels decorated with the help of pictures and ornaments on the walls depicting episodes from the Bible. It is possible to trace in the picture The adoration of the Magi created by Peter Paul Rubens in 1624 which is currently exhibited at the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerp, Belgium.

Relationship between Art Periods

General Tendencies. The period of Mannerism was a reaction to the high Renaissance while Baroque was the reaction to techniques and methods used by representatives of the Mannerism as a style.

Though naturalistic depiction of human bodies can be considered more similar to realistic manner of Renaissance, the artificiality of the entire organization of pictures is a clear evidence of the fact that Baroque emerged from and was greatly influenced by Mannerism.

Though the styles come in a clear historic sequence in terms of time as Mannerism was the style of the sixteenth century while Baroque was the style prominent from the late sixteenth to the early eighteenth century, it is necessary to put an emphasis on their way Baroque continued the style and characteristics of Mannerism.

The relationships between Mannerism and Baroque can be traced with the help of works of art that reflect the social conditions and key techniques used by artists of both eras. In other words, the era of Baroque can be considered as the continuation of Mannerism traits though it brought a lot of new tendencies due to the social conditions and movements typical of that time. Madonna with long neck (1534-1540) and The adoration of the Magi (1624) can be treated as examples of works created by representatives of the styles discussed.

Similarities and Differences. Though every style has its unique features, it is possible to identify similarities and differences even if one style emerged from another.

Similarities of Mannerism and Baroque include such characteristics as use of light and shade techniques, use of colors appropriate for the situation depicted in the picture with regard to the entire mood of the work, use of space and organization of objects so that the overall image matches the idea of the picture. The differences of two styles lie in the social conditions typical of the historical periods of these two styles.

Thus, Mannerism that followed High Renaissance was aimed at making the objects more artificial and intellectually sophisticated. Meanwhile, Baroque was a transition from Mannerism to Rococo and was aimed at pleasing taste of aristocratic and religious elite through depiction of Biblical stories and motives in pictures. In this respect, the social conditions made these styles different whereas their original characteristics were very similar.

Purpose for continuing the tradition. Madonna with long neck (1534-1540) created by Mazzola is the reflection of the Mannerism style because it shows an artificially intended image of Madonna who is supposed to hold a baby in her arms whereas the kid she holds in her arms is older than a baby from the original Biblical story that became inspiration for most paintings of different historical periods of art.

The adoration of the Magi (1624) created by Rubens is the reflection of the Baroque style because it is evident that the author has applied the most prominent techniques of Mannerism to this picture including naturalism of Renaissance. It is necessary to trace similar and different features in these pictures to learn more about the relation between Baroque and Mannerism.

The style of Baroque relates to the earlier style of Mannerism through the use of similar techniques in light and shade use, composition of objects, arrangement of space, and other peculiar features of Mannerism. At the same time, Baroque has prominent features of its own such as the use of rhetorical compositions and efforts to include as many characters into the story presented in the picture as possible.

In other words, the realistic look of people and objects in the pictures from Baroque is neutralized with the help of florid ornaments and drapes including exaggerated emphasis on the main characters. For instance, in the picture The adoration of the Magi, the author tried to highlight the figure of a woman with a baby; so, he used lighter colors and imposed less shades on this composition.

Historical Significance of Baroque

The historical significance of Baroque can be measured with the help of features of this style traced in successive styles and movements in art of later epochs.

Thus, numerous traits of Baroque can be traced in Rococo style which became a hyperbolized continuation of Baroque with ornate decorations and curve forms depicted in paintings. Moreover, the traits of Baroque influenced greatly all other styles that emerged from sensibility and great compositions, efficient use of space and color, and other characteristics that became prominent traits of style.

Reference List

Mazzola, Francesco. Madonna with long neck. 1534-1540. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy.

Rubens, Peter Paul. The adoration of the Magi. 1624. Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp, Belgium.

Introduction

McCarthy (2001) notes that the performing arts consists of theatre, opera, dance and music(p.1). Over the years, there has been rapid development in the performing arts sector.

Historical Background

McCarthy (2001) notes that during the 19^th century, commercial artists and organizations were the major providers of performing arts in America(p.6). Most of the performances by then were managed by individuals and were staged in large cities and small towns and were entirely for business.

McCarthy (2001) notes that the individual owners made no distinction between high and popular arts in terms of either programming or audiences(p.16). University Microfilms (1982) explain that by the end of the 19^th century, new technologies which included radio, recorded music, films, radio, and television were introduced, and this led to reduction in the number of live performing arts organizations.

All these were important tools for leisure and recreation. During this period, a lot of customers diverted from the live propriety arts which marked the first major shift in the performing arts. The live high arts were presented in the nonprofit sector while the most popular arts that were both live and recorded fell mainly into the commercial sector.

By mid century, McCarthy (2001) notes that there were live professional performing arts that were supported by nonprofit arts institutions that were centered in major metropolitan areas.

McCarthy (2001) explains that on the other hand, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was an increased growth of funders in performing arts due to the introduction of the new financing technique that was initiated by the Ford Foundation(p.38). During this period, there was a lot of expansion and geographic dispersion of organizations of nonprofit arts in the country (McCarthy, 2001)

By the year 1980, much expansion in the performing arts sector was experienced (University Microfilms, 1982). Its quite clear that growth from leveraged funding will not live long. In addition, the live performing arts are dying due to the preferred use of broadcast and recorded media to experience the performing arts.

These developments have impacted both the profit and the non-profit organizations strategies, which in turn have changed the performing arts system with regard to what is performed and the manner in which it is delivered.

A study carried out by Godfrey & Urice (1999) indicates that there has been increase in the number of people purchasing recorded performances and going to watch live performances.

However, Godfrey & Urice (1999) explains that much growth has been experienced in the market for the non-live arts inclusive of the recorded and broadcast performances(p.45). Godfrey & Urice (1999) notes that the demand for the non-live performances has risen due to the increased costs of live performances, the need for people to have leisure while at home as well as the improved quality of recorded live performances

On the other hand McCarthy (2001) notes that Americans attendance of live performances increased slightly over the ten years from 1982 to 1992 while more recent findings from the year 1992 to the year 1997 indicate the number of people attending live performances going up by four percent (opera) to sixteen percent (musicals).

Analysis of Factors in Performing Arts

A study by University Microfilms(1982) notes social factors largely affect the performing arts industry(p.38). For instance, more Americans want leisure activities that are flexible enough, thus the demand for recorded work has increased. In addition, the younger generation to come is predicted that it will enjoy use of internet and other technological tools than attending live performances.

The second issue is the artists. The number of artists has been growing rapidly over the years. McCarthy (2001)notes that the increase in both nonprofit and commercial arts organizations between 1970 and 1990 led to a doubling in the number of professional artists over that period to 1.6 million, about 261,000 who were performing artists(p.20).The number of performing artists who pursue performing arts with no expectations of pay is also increasing.

Despite the fact that the job security of performing artists has largely declined, the artists continue to be dedicated to their work. Performing artists usually earn less amount of pay than other professionals. McCarthy (2001) notes that the median annual salary of professional and technical workers in 1989 was 10 percent higher than the median salary of professional actors and directors, and more than twice as high as the median salary of musicians, composers and dancers(p.30).

The other factor affecting the performing artists is that the presence of superstars makes people to concentrate on only a few artists. These superstars use internet for marketing themselves directly to their audience. Thus, a few top performing artists are paid almost all the wages, thus leaving the upcoming artists with very less amount.

McCarthy(2001) notes that  the number of nonprofit performing arts organizations increased by over eighty percent between 1982 and 1997, whereas the number of commercial performing arts organizations increased by over forty percent (p.32).`In addition, revenues for nonprofit performing groups have gone down for all performing arts except in opera, indicating that the new nonprofit organizations are not big.

Tyler (2010) explains that most performing arts venues were built in the years between 1980 and 1993.These organizations are usually exempted from tax while others are funded by the local government. These are the key indicators of economic benefits of arts. Many theater halls for instance are funded by the community organizations. On the other hand, commercial organizations in the recording and broadcasting industries are increasingly organized globally.

McCarthy notes that between 1977 and 1997, the revenue that was received from earned income, contributions and government remained steady as the total average annual revenues for performing arts organizations rose steadily(p.35).Though performing groups have tried a lot to market themselves so as to develop audience, they still mainly rely on the market.

Gregory & Arthur (2005) explains that frequently, the states and local governments seem to focus more on awarding grants to social and economic benefits and less on arts although private contributions increased steadily between the years 1977 and 1997, though in form of small donations(p.76). A study by Tyler (2003) indicates that the performing arts sector has come up with several strategies to cater for its financial needs for instance, strategies for cutting costs, developing revenues, and developing revenues(p.39).

Future trends and Challenges in Performing Arts.

In future, small firms will try to capture the audience by use of recorded work including the classical recordings unlike the large firms. Small for- profit performing arts firms will make use of technological tools like e-commerce and internet to boost their programming so as to serve a wider and more specialized market.

It is also predicted that in future, the nonprofit sector will be divided between the large and small nonprofits, when it comes to programming, type of audience, and the professionalism of most of the artists.

Sheehy (1994) also notes that there will be deviations of interest in the nonprofit firms, whereby these firms will lay more emphasis on local and ethnic communities, specialized budgets, low budget, low-tech productions and will rely on volunteers as well as providing opportunities for hand-on participation for non professional artists in traditional arts forms(p.33).

McCarthy (2001) explains that the biggest change that will be experienced will be the opera companies, symphony orchestras, ballet companies and theatre groups in the middle nonprofit organizations(p.13). Rowe (2004) adds that probable decrease in demand, costs, and the decreasing funding streams will either make these institutions either larger, though they are likely to lack resources, or smaller so as to keep the costs down and to rely on local talent and in severe cases, some will close down(p.34).

The major shift in the performing arts events as noted by McCarthy (2001) are in the structure of the system of performing arts. McCarthy (2001) notes that while the commercial recorded and broadcast performing arts industry is growing more and more concentrated globally, live performances are proliferating at the local level, typically in very small organizations with low operating budgets and a mix of paid and unpaid performers and staff (p.14).

On the other hand, the middle- sized nonprofit organizations have faced lots of difficulties in getting the public to cater for their costs. Many of these middle-sized nonprofit organizations are likely to vanish (McCarthy, 2001).

McCarthy (2001) explains that going by the issues that we have discussed, the number of performances will either increase or decrease depending on whether they are recorded or presented as live performances, or whether they involve the high, folk or popular arts(p.78). For instance, high arts professional performances will be saturated in large cities and will be provided by nonprofit firms that are well financially.

McCarthy (2001) also explains that in smaller cities and towns, the touring artists and performing groups will present live performances to audiences since they are unable to provide the top performing artists(p.47).

Rowe (2004) also notes that small performing arts groups will be in a position to come up with active loyal audiences and small organizations in the nonprofit sector will go on providing low-budget productions with lots of diversity since they will be performed mostly by artists who do not do craft as a vocation(p 35).

There will be trends that are mostly likely to arrest the development of young talented performing artists (Rowe, 2004). This is because if the phenomenon of superstars goes on and both the number of large and middle sized organizations decreases, then young artists will not have a room to gain experience.

Rowe (2004) explains that in addition, the pressure on these organizations to earn great revenues will end up producing programming that is appealing to mass audiences(p.40). If successful market categories are let to determine what is recorded or performed, then there will be less innovation.

In the case of use of internet for marketing work, when so many artists use internet to attract the audience, it will be impossible for the audience to recognize the unique talent.

Finally, changes in accessibility of performing arts will have a great impact. McCarthy (2001) explains that despite the fact that the number of live professional performances will go down in parts of the country, performances that are community-based and recorded performances will take the part of live performances(p.48).

Careers and Guidance on Working as a Performing Artist.

There are various careers that exist in the performing arts industry. Some of these careers include; dance therapist, dancer, singer, music director and story teller (University Microfilms, 1982). A dance therapist is a person who uses dance movements and observations in assessing people. He or she is entrusted with the role of ensuring that clients improve their self confidence by using body movements. A dance therapist can work in rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and special education schools among other places.

A dancer is a person who is able to express him self or stories by use of body movements. For one to become a dancer, one must be flexible and have good body coordination. Dancers can work in shows, can do television commercials, and work in movie theatres among other places. The other type of career is a singer. A singer is a person who can use his vocals to produce music.

A singer is supposed to be able to vary his tone depending with the key of the song. Singers can work in music shows, in the television for commercials, in bands as well as in movie theatres. The fourth type of career for performing artists is a music director.

A music director is a person who directs a group of musicians, a film or an orchestra. A music director can work in schools that recognize the need to develop the musical skills of their talented learners and in orchestra bands. A music director is entrusted with the role of choosing the performers, selecting music, hiring professionals in music as well as supervising the rehearsals and organizing the actual performance.

Finally, a story teller is a person who is able to create and tell stories. He must be very creative and charming person. He must know how to read the gestures of the audience so as to know what story to tell and when. A story teller can work in an auditorium; can tell stories in the television, and can work in big entertainment shows.

While Working as a performing artists, one should know that time is of essence. This means that one should maximize the available time. The other important thing to note is that a performing artist should be someone who can imagine and visualize things. This will enable you to come up with items that are unique. As a performing artist, its important that you utilize the knowledge that you have to come up with items that are able to capture peoples attention.

At the same time, its important for one to be fully aware of him self or her self even as one takes up a career in performing arts. This will in turn enable an individual to work hard towards the realization of goal. Finally, there is need for one to follow his passion in making career choices and when one decides on the career choice, and then one should be persistent in the career. By following all these, then one will be successful in his career as performing artists.

Key Impacts and Ethical concerns of hosting a performing arts event.

In a study by Rowe (2004), integrating arts in schools generally improves the learners performance and discipline. Sheehy (1994) explains that hosting performance arts events improve the general well being of a person and promotes economy and good neighborhood. Rowe (2004) also explains that hosting performance events increases capital and leads to the realization of certain community goals.

McCarthy (2001) explains that hosting performing arts events strengthens the performers economically since they are usually paid when they perform .The economy of the country is also boosted in cases whereby tourists are present in the performing arts events (Heibrain & Gray, 2001).

By hosting performing arts events, the community gets to experience the world of the arts and eventually, many community members find themselves participating in the arts. The growth of arts industries is also stimulated when such events are hosted.

Politicians can use the well organized performing arts events to familiarize themselves with citizens. Hosting performing arts events also creates good relationships between countries, especially when the performing arts events are international.

Hosting performing arts also has cultural value. To start with, it creates a sense of collective identity, leading to development of community norms which include tolerance and freedom of expression, and at the same time, it improves the communitys image.

Finally, hosting performing arts events has social value as people come together so as to organize the events and by doing so, a lot of interactions take place between various stakeholders and among people in general.

There are limitations that are usually associated with hosting performing arts events. For instance, the arts events may not always impact on the economy of the likely, like in cases whereby high schools are holding performing arts events.

The second limitation is that hosting performing arts events more often than not tends to favor more interaction among organizations than among individuals.

Finally, hosting performing arts events usually impacts negatively to the environment as it causes noise pollution.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the field of performing arts has grown widely over the years. There are several factors that are responsible for shaping the performing arts among them being political, social, cultural, and technological factors. Among the careers in performing arts include: dance therapist, music director, story teller, singer and dancer.

One of the key things in pursuing a career in performing arts is that one should have a passion for it and be ready to persevere. Some of the future trends of performing arts include: there will be improved changes in recording and broadcasting, a great difference between the large and small performing arts organizations and that the young talents may not have a chance to acquire the required experience in performing arts,

References

Gregory, B & Arthur, C. (2005) A question of morality: artists values and public funding. Wales, University of Cardiff.

Godfrey, M. & Urice, S. (1999) The performing arts in a new era. London, Routledge.

Heibrun, J. & Gray, C. (2001) The economics of art and culture. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

McCarthy, K.F. (2001) The performing arts in a new era. London, Oxford University Press.

Rowe, M. (2004) Arts education partnerships: lessons learnt. New York, Rand Corporation.

Sheehy, C. (1994) Managing performing arts collections in academic and public libraries. London: Libraries Unlimited.

Tyler, C. (2010) Good and plenty: the creative successes of American arts funding. New York, Sage.

University Microfilms (1982) Dissertation abstracts international: the humanities and social sciences. London, University Microfilms International.

Introduction

Several artists have emanated from Japan and Kao Ninga joins the list of ancient painters. Kao was one of the key artists who contributed to art throughout the Kamakura era. People believe that he lived in early 14^th century. Scholars regard him as high status priest with immense artistic talent.

Monk Sewing was one of the many paintings that he made. He made the painting using basic tools, a brush and paint (cherry). His work formed the foundation of painting in Japanese artistic. on the other hand, Raja Raja was an Indian artist who specialized in painting, despite his earlier interests in politics and event organization.

Kao Ninga (Monk Sewing)

Kao was a Zen monk. Monks underwent training in monasteries where they worked afterwards. In the temples, they receive teachings about the ways of the monks. In this religion, meditation normally takes extra time. Meditation is usually a condition of self-induced awareness. Monks are taught to live a life of service to others (Buddhist studies). Zen monks are part of the larger Buddhist religion that had spread into Japan from china in the 12^th century.

This religious setup believes that reflection is away of enlightenment. Monks deem that enlightenment results when the student becomes fearless and mentally calm. Monks training aims at creating a receptive mind in the student through hard labour and years of guidance. Monks spent time in their firm cultivating crops rather than on the streets begging or preaching. To achieve all this, monk students had to leave their homes.

Kao received his education in a monastery and it is from here that he started painting (Kleiner 736). Kaos work is categorised under the Muromachi painting. The spread of Buddhist religion sparked interest of painting in Japanese. Zen priest painters made such paintings and they served as reflection of the daily lives and values of the monk community. As painting gained acceptance in the Japan, painting schools were established to nature the talents of upcoming artists (Deal 291).

After the defeat of the Taira family in a court battle, Minamoto clan assumed the leadership of Japan. Minamotos government was based in Kamakura and this manifested the commencement of the Kamakura era. This was the first military rule in Japan and controlled the country through steward appointed by the leader in power.

The Minamoto rule witnessed a lot of resistance from the Taira clan but this was finally defeated in the later years of the 11^th century. This system of governance lasted until late 18^th century and people regarded it as the medieval era (middlebury).

In this era, the Taira and Minamoto tussle over leadership shaped the political landscape in Japan. During this time most of the Japanese populace was in abject poverty, which culminated into riots in the late 13^th century. The protest by peasant farmers was due to feudalism and absentee proprietors (Keirstead).The Japanese population at this time was more concerned about land policy and how to improve the productivity of their land.

During this period agriculture and the Kobe port drove the economy. Trade with China was primarily responsible for expansion in the Japanese economy. New disease resistant rice variety protected the population from devastating drought. Provision of fertilisers that facilitated double cropping and better irrigation resulted into higher output from fields.

This led to booming trade that relevant infrastructure supported. The emergence of Metallic money further made trading more efficient and dynamic (Segal). The government introduced taxation during this time, which people settled through hard cash or rural folks. The economy was free since there lacked a records to monitor the situations. The Japanese had a well-organised economic structure that even facilitated collection of taxes.

Monk sewing is among the oldest paintings in Japan art world and it; therefore, sets Kao Ninga as one of the pioneers. This painting did not only reveal the artistic prowess of Kao Ninga but also revealed how dynamic the art world is. This painting has been inspiring many artists due it simplicity, which contrasts to the deep religious massage attached to it.

At this time, painting had not taken root in Japan. The influence of Buddhism could not be underrated given that Kao was a monk. It is imperative to assert that Buddhist values inspired hi paintings. Overall, religion largely influenced the Japanese painting work rather than their distinct culture. The impact of monk sewing and other art works from Japan only came to be felt after it opened trade with the western world (Jirousek).

Artefacts from this island country sold rapidly thus generating extra interest from the rest of the world about Japanese art. Artwork from Japan inclined numerous American and European artiste. This painting has enriched the Japanese culture not just by its age but its quality. Existence of this kind of artefacts has set out the Japanese culture as the best preserved. This piece of art rests at the Cleveland Museum.

Kao Ninga was used simple tools, ink, and paper to make his paintings. The paper used was a scroll with dimensions: 83.5 by 35.4 cm. This piece of art is a painting of a monk sewing his cloak. Most scholars are of the view that Kao Ninga was trying to entrench Buddhist values of individualism and independence.

Being a monk, Kao Ninga was absorbed from the physical world as he made the painting in the mountainous regions of Japan. The paint fades at the lower part of the monks cloak depicting depth and breadth of the garment. This piece of art further confirms the notion that Japanese art is largely about what surrounds them.

RajaRaja (Raja Raja with his teacher Karuvur Theva)

Raja Raja, on the other hand, was born at circa India in 947ACE and was the third sibling in his family. He was among the greatest kings of Southern India, who reigned amid 985 and 1014. He was famous in organizing for events and politics. Apart from possessing excellent headship merits, he also portrayed interest in arts and religion. His venture in painting work was highly appreciated because of the excellent arty skills.

He is a famous figure behind the commencement of Second Golden Age of Tamil Nadu which was sustained for the subsequent two centuries. He is also renowned for having built one of the outstanding empires of Asia. Although there is much information about his political achievements, there is data about his personal life.

At some stage in his upbringing, he lived with Kundavai, his sister. Raja Raja also spent much of his youth with his aunt who influenced him especially in his faith. Afterwards, he married a few wives who also delivered a few children. Despite having numerous children, he sired only one son, Rajendra, who succeeded him as the king. Raja Raja stood firm in his faith that was Hindu but did not underrate other religions (Frontline).

It is apparent that he was extremely religious and believed in the god Siva. During his sovereignty, he allowed Silendra Emperor Srimara Varman to construct a Buddhist shrine in his territory in Tamil. In addition, he contributed immensely to its raising up by allocating money and other necessary materials (Social Scientist). Raja Raj acquired his painting skills from the teachings he attained from the Hindu classes.

In addition, his uncle was good in painting and since they spend time together, he developed great interest in the artwork thus becoming a great painter of the time. Concerning his religion, the great temple, Rajarajeshwara, was constructed near the kings palace during his supremacy under his influence. The temple served a very noteworthy role because it was from there that he could exercise power over Chola kingdom. Most of the Hindu temples played vital roles in uniting people from different cultures.

Chola administration was practiced at three different levels, which were the central, provincial and local government. The overall head of administration was the king who led the central government. In his continued administration of the central government, the council of ministers and other prominent officials assisted him to administer.

Chola Empire encompassed nine provinces called Mandalams. The head of the provinces used to be referred as viceroys. Raja Raja 1 used to attack most of the surrounding dynasties to the north and south of the empire. This in response did not meddle with the countrys peace and did not adversely ruin their economy. One of the dynasties that were always at loggerheads with Chola was Chalukya that was led by Satyaraya.

Cholas army was so influential and as a result, conquered most of the empires around and won over them. He also fought Gangas Gangavadi and Nolambavadi in the 991 AD, the two defeated dynasties remained under Cholas ruling for almost a century. He also conquered the Sri Lanka Island and within no time occupied it thus becoming one of Cholas territories (Frontline).

The economy of this dynasty was very prosperous attributed by agriculture. The villages were so independent because of the ability to produce food and other products. This type of an economy practiced at the village level was so unique for the dynasty. However, with time changes were noticed as the villages produced more food thus resulting to surplus.

With the increase in food production, local trade flourished. Because agriculture was the economic backbone for the country, rules were imposed on land use and ownership. In Chola kingdom the only two forms of land ownership practiced included the peasant owner and service tenure.

The peasant owners were liable to tax payment while for peasant service owners tax was rewarded through the services they offered. After the onset of money in the 11^th century, the traditional form of trade slowly ended. Eventually, many changes were seen which included the development of bigger towns. Chola developed to a leading exporter of textiles, pottery, spices and other products to the surrounding neighbours (Frontline).

Its strategic location on the extreme south side of India favoured it and with time, its sea trade had developed. Some of the partners that traded with Chola were mostly from Europe and Asia. However, Chinas Tang Dynasty was among Cholas prominent trading partners following its strategic position and high demand products.

Furthermore, there also existed a group called merchant guilds that significantly contributed to Cholas economic prosperity; they helped in distribution of goods to the correct destinations. The guilds were essential because of the noticeable growth of the total number of imports and exports. These merchant guilds worked solely but the government would assist them to negotiate in case they encountered difficulties. Generally, guilds played a prime function in the countrys economy.

Chola had a free market since the guilds carried out marketing without the states influence. The government did not oblige restraints in marketing the products. Reports indicate that the countrys central location favoured its trading with the landlocked countries because most of their goods went through Chola before reaching their designated destinations (Sen 310).

Furthermore, Raja Raja had much significance to other artists who came after him and his artistic work portrayed many of the cultural activities practiced at Chola. The upcoming fine artists of the era admired his work so much; as a result, they developed interest in painting and other architectural work.

A part from painting, he also participated in construction of the temples. Many of his undertakings were in construction of the major temples in the kingdom where he could exercise his powers. He based his work on cultural activities practiced on Chola dynasty.

His drawings depicted their religion and other cultural practices such as dancing engraved on temples walls. However, it is important to note that most of the materials used in his artistic work were local and included the local granite, copper and oil paints. The kind of dimension employed in the Raja raja1 and his teachers work was two-dimensional while the other architectural work was three-dimensional (Sen 314).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the above details try to elaborate the contribution of Kao Ninga to the world of art. The subject of discussion was a religious man. Kao was a high-ranking priest of the Zen Buddhist, a faith that had spread from China. In the convenience of his monastery, he made a painting of a monk sewing his cloak. This painting has been viewed as one the pioneer painting made in Japan. The discussion also highlights the existing economic and political circumstances.

The Japanese at this time faced turbulent political times due to the bickering by the two clans for power while at the same time experienced stable economy.

Raja Raja undertook two responsibilities during his time. He tirelessly contributed to artwork and in ruling the Chola kingdom. With the help of the council of elders, his administration over the kingdom became easier thus improving the economic status of the country. His paintings are present in the temples walls and portray most of the cultural activities of Chola kingdom.

Figure 1: Monk sewing

Figure 2: Raja Raja 1 and His Teacher

Works Cited

Buddhist studies. Lay guide to the monks rules.2008.Web.

Cherry, Micheal. Monk sewing. All poetry. 2006. Web.May 1, 2011.

Deal, William. Handbook to life in medieval and early modern Japan. New York, NY: InfoBase Publishing. 2006. Print.

Frontline. Ajanta of the south. Publishers of the Hindu. 2007. Web.

Jirousek, Charlotte. Japan: Historic Background.1995. Web.

Kierstead, Thomas. The theatre of protest. Petition, oathand rebellion in the shoen. 2011. Web. May 1,2011.

Kleiner, Fred. Gardners art through the ages. Massachusetts, MA: Cengage Learning. 2010. Print.

Middlebury. Traditional Japanese literature in translation. (ND). Web.

Segal, Ethan. Medieval Japan: An Introductory Essay. 2010. Web.

Sen, Tansen. Buddhism, diplomacy and Trade. Hawaii, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 2003. Print.

Introduction

An gallery refers to a collection of artistic works that have been compiled for various reasons. Most of the works that are contained in an art gallery is done by bare hands.

However, modern work galleries contain artistic works that are done through computerized and other mechanized techniques. This paper looks at one collection with an aim of appraising its strong points and criticizing its weak points.

Lack of written explanations

There is a common saying that a single picture speaks a thousand words. This means that the message that is sent through a picture is valuable than many words. However, it is note worth that that understanding of people is not equal.

This is due to the differences that occur in the personalities. Some people will need a little words so as to understand the picture. The picture that are collected in the gallery have very little explanations which locks out a portion of people who could have benefited from the information that is contained in the picture(s).

More over, lack of explanations leaves the pictures with a lot of ambiguity. To explain this I state that different symbols and pictures are used differently at different contexts. The symbol of sun is used by some persons to denote life while other use it to denote sunrise.

Though both of the above mentioned usages are connected and interrelated, they mean a totally different thing. The collections leave the audience and prospect users wit open interpretations some of which may be misguiding.

Omission of artists names

It is common for any artistic work to have the name of the artist written either at t5he footnote or at a visible position. However, the names of the artists in the gallery are not omitted for most of the pictures. This scenario brings about lack of recognition of the copyright of the artist towards his or her work.

Also, it is common to have various pieces of art quoted in scholarly articles. In quoting such an item, the person quoting it is required to mention the name of the artist so ads not to contravene the laws of copyright.

Where such is not available, the users can use the data contained without being mat by sustaining evidence against such law bending should it occur.

Presentation

There are different ways of presenting the artistic work. In choosing the mode of presentation to use the owner or the person in possession of the artistic work is faced by various reasons. One is the availability of the storage and presentation media.

Also considered is the ability of retrieving sections of that data directly without having to pass through other unwanted works. Apart from this cost of that presentation mode is another factor of consideration.

The mode of data presentation that has been used to present data in the above gallery can be faulted. The method is comparable to adobe and PowerPoint presentations which are more flexible.

In the above two modes of presentation, the user of data contained in a gallery is obliged to scroll through unwanted materials if he or she has targeted a certain data.

Timeliness

Judging from the themes that are presented by the pieces of works in the gallery, the works can withstand various time based changes. These changes can only have a new meaning on the pictures.

Even though leaving of writings is condemned in other sections of this paper, they work towards the benefits of the gallery to beat the challenge of time. The feature of timeliness is further enhanced by the fact that the galley is available in soft copy. This implies that the information can be stored and used by later generations.

Quality of works

One of the commendable things about the gallery is the quality of the pieces of art collected. The selection of colors that have been used in any of ten works and also the pictures that are presented in works are spectacular. This explains the experience and time consumed in coming up with such collections.

The other feature that stands out in the gallery is message presentation. Not withstanding the point that is raised in other sections of this paper, the massage that is presented by each picture can be explained by even an uninterested observer. This is with the exception of the group mentioned which needs words so as top understand the pictures.

Moreover, the arrangement of the pieces of art is well chosen. Most of the pictures that follow one another have relating themes. This brings about smooth flow and integration. Even though the last picture and the first picture present themes which are so different, the motion that is created from one picture to another makes it hard for the audience to realize.

Presentation of different cultures

This is another area that gives credit to the gallery. In mist of other collections, most of the works can be directly linked to a certain tradition or even religion and in some instances both.

However, the pictures that are presented in this gallery are mostly multi cultured in nature. Even those which can be traced to a certain tradition they are not over reliant on the tradition but rather contain spots of other traditions.

Conclusion

The gallery presents commendable works in general. The weak points that are mentioned in this paper are minimal compared to the merits that are accredited to the gallery. The gallery is that recommended for use by persons of many cultural backgrounds and by persons with different disciplines.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the pieces of works that are presented in this gallery be accompanied by some wordings for explanations. This will work for the benefit of persons who have been mentioned in the paper as possessing low understanding capacity.

Also, it is recommended that the gallery be presented in more retrieval flexible means. As mentioned in this paper, PowerPoint presentation as well as adobe storage is more flexible.

One of the worlds most incredible genii, Botticelli with his idea of the fine art as the source of unceasing inspiration and the beauty that the world is based on, was a truly magnificent person. Devoting his entire life to the art of painting, he contributed to the humankind as much as hardly anyone in the world history did.

Because of the context underlying his stunning Primavera, one of the most well-known pictures of his, the grandeur of the artwork increases several times, filling it with the mystery and the magnificence of the ancient legends and myths.

However, before coming closer to the discussion of the painting itself, it would be a good idea to shed some light on the life of the great artist and the way in which his ideas shaped under the influence of the epoch and his own astounding genius.

It is essential to mention that the personality that had the greatest impact on Botticelli and his further personal development was the Florence symbol, Lorenzo the Magnificent (Malaguzzi 10). It must have been the Florence chic and the plethora of luxury that shaped the great artists idea of painting and fine art.

Both refined and intellectual (Malaguzzi 10), the artist managed to comprise the traditional sound and reasonable thinking with the incredible power of his amazing imagination, as Malaguzzi explained: A city of sound financial and mercantile tradition, already in the first half of the fifteenth century it had undergone a singular cultural development with its ensuring flowering of the arts (10).

Inheriting the practical spirit of the city where the great artist was born, Botticelli still possessed the spirit of the Florence refinement and the passion for the refined art with its amazing and mysterious implications.

Speaking of the message that is hidden under the layer of paint in the Primavera, one can claim that Botticelli managed to interpret the ancient Greek myth in the most original and impressive fashion.

It is quite peculiar that the original intention of the artist is still a mystery even for the connoisseurs of fine arts in general and Botticelli in particular. Some consider though, that the painting was created to celebrate a certain event in the history of the state. According to the most popular assumption, this was the wedding of the Medici family that was in the focus of Botticellis attention as he created the incredible artwork:

The constant reiteration of the theme of love has led some critics to hypothesize that the Primavera was painted to celebrate the wedding of Lorenzo Minor and Semiramide Appiani, which took place in May 1482 (64).

Yet there is another suggestion that seems quite credible:

&such a reading does not exclude another more subtle interpretation, in which the mythological figure of Venus and the other goddesses appear against the abstract scenario of neoplatonic philosophy, whose themes were debated in the Academy of Careggi (Malaguzzi 64)

Therefore, the story of the painting is veiled with mystery around it. Analyzing the elements of the picture and applying the Platos ideas to it, one can possibly reveal the truth. In addition, it would be reasonable to consider Aristotles theory as well, since it will allow to understand the true idea of the Primavera.

The tender and fragile images in the picture make one think of the Four Cardinal Virtues that Plato enumerated in his all-embracing work, namely, Wisdom, Courage, Temperance and Justice. Like these four pillars, which the world stands on, the picture is shot through with the idea of virtue and benevolence; it seems that the entire artwork follows the secret melody within and moves in the specific, slow and peaceful, rhythm. With help of the inner harmony that the picture is breathing with, the Primavera turns into a truly live, meaningful and significant piece of art.

taking a closer look at the Primavera, one can see clearly that the picture has incorporated the essence of the Plato and Plotinus ideas; however, the artwork does not possess a single element of the conflict between the two theories that the philosophers developed.

Thus, it is evident that the Primavera is created according to the ideas of Harmony that Plato suggested: treating love as the power which impels one to seek the beautiful (Hofstadter 203). Indeed, the entire composition is pierced through wit the idea of the beauty as the power that dominates the entire world. However, it must be admitted that in Botticellis interpretation, this power is not the blind and chaotic element that leaves peoples lives in wreckages and makes then turn into the primitive.

As Hofstadter explained, [&] it is also an interpretation of Plato through which we can understand the distinctive originality of Italian Humanism which gave a new direction to the understanding and interpretation of art (203). Thus, Botticelli reveals the new shapes that the ancient ideas can take, in his Primavera.

In accordance with Plotinus ideas Botticelli created his picture filed with the most mysterious ideas; yet the key principle, art for the sake of art, remained untouched: The aim of art is beauty; and beauty itself is the value of harmonious proportion, brought down from the cosmos to art (Hofstadter 15). Filled with the inner harmony and balance, the Primavera is a perfect specimen of Plato and Platinus ideas intertwined together with the stirring genius in a single artwork. As Malaguzzi explained,

For Plato in fact there existed two different kinds of love, impersonated by two similar but different goddesses. One was the so-called vulgar love, impersonated by Venus Pandemia, the generating principle of mankind. The other was divine love, belonging to a higher dimension, impersonated by Venus Urania (64).

In the Primavera, it is clear that the two opposing ideas clash to create the divine harmony. However, these are not only the ideas of Plato and Platinus that the Primavera incorporates. Taking a closer look at the refined lines of the painting and its subtle colors, one can see distinctly that Botticelli also considered the ideas of Aristotle.

Considering the famous Aristotles decision, the decision to analyze change in terms of the actualization of potentiality (Lear 63), one can claim that the style and the manner of painting reflect the given idea in the most explicit way. The characters in the picture are not stiff, but as if caught in the middle of a motion  it seems that they are about to leave the frame of the picture and step into the reality.

The fluctuation of shapes has been perfectly captured in the painting. Moreover, the picture represents the famous golden mean as the essence of virtue as Aristotle interpreted it: Every virtue is a mean, or middle ground, between two extremes (M: 8, S: 9). Using the magnificence and decorum in his painting according to the ideas of Aristotle (M: 8, S: 10), Botticelli creates the artwork that does not depict the beauty, but is the beauty itself.

Offering both an intriguing trip into the past and sufficient food fro thoughts, the Primavera is one of the most mysterious and enchanting work of arts of the century. With help of his genius, Botticelli managed to seize the very idea of Plato, Plotinus and Aristotles ideas and at the same time depict beauty as it is, pure and virgin. This is the Primavera  the spring of art, the new era of the humankind. This is Botticelli.

Works Cited

Hofstadter, Albert, and Richard Francis Kuhns. Philosophers of Art and Beauty: Selected Readings in Aesthetics from Plato to Heidegger. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1976. Print.

Lear, Jonathan. Aristotle: The Desire to Understand. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1988. Print.

Malaguzzi, Silvia. Botticelli. Firenze, IT: Giunti Editore, 2004. Print.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is considered to be one of the most successful movie franchises of all time due its combination of the theatrical and the cinematic which resonated well with global audiences (Bennett, 91).

Its cinematic quality can be seen in the finely detailed CGI graphics and backdrops that the characters were immersed in (Bennett, 91). The picturesque landscapes, the lifelike realism of the climactic battle scenes, the use of magic, fantasy and vivid imagery creates a world that no theatre could possibly create.

The film itself was meant to wow audiences with the way in which it represented Middle Earth in the way that J.R.R Tolkien saw envisaged his own eyes. The film franchise is also known for its use of theatrics as it can be seen in the speeches, dialogue and mannerisms of the characters themselves.

Unlike modern films where the characters seem to blend in with other characters and the very backdrop of the film itself the dramatic and often times exaggerated acting of the actors, Hugo Weaving in particular, gives audiences the impression that they are not watching a move at all but rather a dramatic theatrical play where the main actors act in overly operatic and melodramatic ways in order to better connect with the audience and bring them into the film itself.

One scene in the movie in particular draws out this feeling of theatrics, namely the speech of Aragorn before the attack on the Black Gates of Mordor. When Hugo Weaving speaks in this particular scene one cannot help but be drawn into the speech itself, there are no cinematic effects shown rather all focus is on Aragorn not virtue of any focused effect but rather due to the power of his speech, the emotion resonating in his voice and his ability to garner the attention of the audience through his voice alone.

This particular form of acting is often seen in various theatrical plays as the actors act in an overly melodramatic way in order to capture the attention of the audience. In this particular scene Aragorn is capturing the full attention of the audience so that instead of the audience realizing the small size of Aragorns army compared to the massive army of Mordor they still place their faith on Aragorns men due to the sheer power of his speech in which people cannot help but want to support him.

Another scene which captures the theatrical aspects of the film is the scene involving Gandalf and the Witch King wherein both adversaries confront each other on top of one of the towers in the city. While this scene does include some cinematic effects such as the CGI monster that Witch King was riding what must be taken into consideration in this particular scene is the fact that the interaction between the two characters through speech alone creates such a feeling of hopelessness that one cannot help but feel that the cause is lost.

What must be understood is that theatrical presentations often rely on speech as a method of inciting a particular reaction in various audiences as such the dramatic use of speech in this particular case was the complete opposite of that utilized by Aragorn rather it was meant to instill a sense of hopelessness in the audiences for the fate of Gondar and the fellowship.

So far what has been presented are various cases of theatrical presentations in the film however what Return of the King is most known for is not just its use of theatrics but rather in its stunning use of cinematics where one cannot help but marvel at the scenes, backdrops and battles that seem to get better and better after each passing scene in the film.

One particular example of the use of cinematics in the film was the use of CGI in order to portray the lifelike battle on the fields of Pellenor. This particular scene involved thousands of CGI representations in order to create a vivid and realistic battle between two opposing armies.

The level of detail was so good that one cannot help but be fascinated by the sheer scale of the fighting especially in the use of CGI graphics to create the Oliphants (yes they were named that way in book and the movie).

Another case of brilliant cinematic imagery was the scene entitled the Charge of the Rohirrim, in it audiences are treated to a climactic battle scene where literally thousands of riders come streaming down a hill in a triangle formation battering into the enemy army below.

This scene can be considered cinematic due to the detailed and vivid charge of army and its subsequent clash wherein the very sounds of bodies crashing in spears, swords hitting swords and the sounds of death and murder echo around which gives the scene a greater degree of cinematic realism.

It must be noted that cinematic representations often involve visual and auditory effects in order to capture the attention of the audience. Speeches, dialog or even good acting is not exactly required in such instances as it can be seen in the battle scenes in the movie wherein people just scream and attempt to batter each other.

It is based on this that it can said that theatrical representations often rely on dialog and the sheer talent of the actor in order to properly capture the attention of an audience while cinematic representations rely more on visual cues and effects in order to capture an audiences attention.

After viewing the film it can not really be said that either theatrical or cinematic elements work better for this particular type of movie franchise. The reason behind this is the fact that since the movie itself is based off of a book the movie tries to incorporate certain aspects of the book itself which are inherently theatrical.

On the other hand in order to properly portray the needed battle scenes and backdrops a certain degree of cinematic quality needed to be incorporated into the film itself. It is due to this that it really cannot be stated that one element of the film (theatrical or cinematic) works better since both are inherently needed in order to properly portray the movie as it was envisaged in the book.

Works Cited

Bennett, Ray, and Peter Pryor. Oscar crown on head of King. Hollywood Reporter  International Edition 382.42 (2004): 91. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web.

Introduction: The Time for the Change Has Come

Culture is something that is never stable  floating together with time, sometimes keeping in pace with the latter, sometimes overrunning it, and sometimes lingering somewhere in the past, it follows the specific, unpredictable pattern.

Turning steady even for a moment is unnatural to culture in general and art in particular  once stopped, they cease to exist.

Because of the considerable pause in the art development in the Victorian period, Pevsner assumes that such artists as Morris, Gropius, etc. were called to put an end to the period of cultural stagnation of the Victorian England; however, according to the existing evidence, such ideas were considered as highly controversal ones by a number of critics.

It must be admitted that the considerations of Pevsner could be doubted even despite the profound grounding that made their basis. Like any other revolutionary idea, this one was greeted rather coldly, which allows to suggest that there was a grain of truth in the authors assumptions.

To be more serious, it is necessary to admit that Pevsners work deserves respect due to its grandeur  the all-embracing observation of the most noticeable works of the English painters of the Victorian period is most impressive; such is its authority that one starts instinctively believing the ideas that Pevsner communicated in his work.

In addition, it is worth mentioning that Pevsners work was also based on the papers of the famous Victorian artist, William Morris, which already adds certain tint of credibility to Pevsners research.

Pevsners Ideas: Is There Something Wrong about Victorian Epoch?

Who could ever dare to profane the Victorian epoch and suggest that this was the period of stagnation in the sphere of art?

Pevsners idea of the group of artists who were destined to change the worlds vision of the world art in general and the English art in particular seems shocking, yet there is certain evidence that the writers speculations are worth paying attention to.

Despite his exposed criticism of the pause in the artistic development of the Victorian period, he never meant to slacken it or make it vanish. As Draper mentioned,

Pevsner has been and was criticized for his interest in the picturesque, which seems at odds with his views on Modernism but for a general, educated audience, he marshaled the picturesque and its theories to promote Victorian architecture¹

Therefore, these were not the ideas of the Victorian epoch that Pevsner called to abandon, but the stable, frozen state that the art was in.

However, it is important to mark that Pevsners ideas were also supported by a number of critics who considered his criticism of the historianism as the opinion that had the right to exist. Indeed, the arguments of the writer were rather reasonable; perhaps, it was the very notion of historianism that confused the critics and created the surge of misunderstanding. As Watkin explained,

Spurging the interpretations of historicism by the philosophers and sociologists who have invented and popularized the term, Pevsner used it, generally in a condemnatory sense, simply to refer to those who allow themselves to be influenced by past styles²

Based on the philosophy of Morris, Pevsners idea of the modern art was considered as something dangerously new. It is quite peculiar that some of his critics denied the very idea of change in the art.

A good example of such position is Watkins critique that was aimed at Pevsners belief in Zeitgeist³. However, tracing the roots of Pevsners philosophy, one can see distinctly that it is far from being skin deep.

Thinking the Morris Way

Like many other revolutionary ideas, Pevsners version of what the art of Morris and the rest meant for England and the entire world was grounded on sufficient evidence. With help of Morriss assessment of the state of Victorian art, Pevsner was able to make such far-reaching assumptions.

Despite the probable one-sidedness of Pevsners ideas, they were still based on rather solid evidence, which means that Pevsners ideas can be considered plausible. Incorporating the approach that Morris practiced in his evaluation of the Victorian art, Pevsner actually approached the idea of socialism in art, as he followed Morris, who believed in design as a moral force for good, which could liberate humanity from their drudgery and enslavement to the capitalistic factory system of production⁴.

It seems though that, despite the accusations of socialistic approach and the anti-Victorian moods in his ideas, it still seems that the modernistic tendencies that he was actively promoting were of crucial importance for the art and for the artists, as well as the viewpoint of the Victorian art that he suggested.

Indeed, the modernist artists that started the triumph of the art nuveau, releasing the art from the impact of the epoch, Morris et al. offered a plethora of novelties for the further development of the art.

Taking a Closer Look at the Truth: Art for Sake of Art

To understand whether the considerations of Pevsner were true enough, it is necessary to analyze several artworks from the Victorian period that Pevsner described. One of the most influential personalities of the then epoch, Goldwin, Morgan and Morris himself would suit this goal in the very best way.

One if Morriss mist famous creations, Sunflower Wallpaper, is the anthem to simplicity, which brings one closer to the socialist ideas that the artist was so fond of. According to Jill Duchess of Hamilton, this was the desire to bring the nature closer to the industrial, robot-like cities:

Among the displays of wealth of the new rich of the industrial era were gardens packed with assortments of horticular freaks. Some unfortunate exotic plants had been selected simply for their bizarre appearance, like alien creatures in the zoo⁵

Considering the artwork by de Morgan, the famous Peacock, one can see the same implication underlying the artwork, namely, the desire to turn back to the nature. Ridden through with the passion for the natural, the entire artwork is breathing with the new life that de Morgan gave it.

Pursuing the same idea of returning back to the Nature and appreciating it as the main source for inspiration, he created his famous Peacock, a bluish anthem to the beauty of the wild; in addition, he dared to offer the influence of the Eastern ideas to the British art.

As Osband remarked, Inspired by the beauty and colors of Islamic ornamentation, de Morgan used vivid colors, especially peacock blues and greens, and Turkish and Persian motifs⁶

The last, but not the least, the creation of Godwin deserves close and thorough examinations. A sideboard shaped in the way no one could imagine it to be, this was one of the earliest manifestations of modernism in the Victorian times.

As soon as the artwork was introduced into the world of art, there could be no doubts that the Victorian historianism was left for good, and the stale, frozen forms of art are no longer to be feared.

It must be noted that the Sideboard was considered a daring mixture of the English and the Japanese style, which broke new grounds in the sphere of art. A huge step forward, the discovery of cultural fusion was a sign of great cultural progress, which means that Pevsners theory is not to be doubted.

Conclusion: On a Journey to the Future

Looking back at the past, with its moments of stunning discoveries and the periods of complete, utter nothingness, one can claim that the theory of Pevsner had the grain of truth in it. Once the idea of modernism, though mixed with a speck of socialism, started reigning in the culture of the country, the further progress became possible.

Unless this step has been made, the further development of culture would be impossible  captured by the stereotypes of what art must be like, England would have never been able to establish the new ideas in their splendor.

Thus, it can be considered that the theory of art development that Pevsner suggested proves right, despite all criticism that it was subject to. Providing a thorough consideration of the Victorian art, Pevsner discovered the true reasons that enhanced the development of the English culture.

Bibliography

Cowling, M. Religion and Public Doctrine in Modern England, Vol. 3, Cambridge, MA, Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Draper, P. Reassessing Nicolaus Pevsner. New York, NY, Ashgate Publishing, 2004.

Douglas-Hamilton, J., P. Hart & J. Simmons, The Gardens of William Morris New York City, NY, Frances Lincoln, 2006.

Lees-Maffei, G., & R. House, The Design History Reader. Oxford, UK, Berg Publishers, 2010.

Osband, L. Victorian House Style: An Architectural and Interior Design Source Book. Columbus, OH, F&W Publications, 2001.

Watkin, D. Morality and Architecture Revised. Chicago, IL, University of Chicago Press, 2011.

Footnotes

1. Draper, P. Reassessing Nicolaus Pevsner. New York, NY, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2004, 138

2. Watkin, D. Morality and Architecture Revised. Chicago, IL, University of Chicago Press, 2011, 115

3. M. Cowling. Religion and Public Doctrine in Modern England, Vol. 3, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2001, 692

4. Lees-Maffei, G., & R. House, The Design History Reader, Oxford, UK, Berg Publishers, 2010, 54

5. Hamilton, Duchess of, J., The Gardens of William Morris, P. Hart & J. Simmons, New York City, NY, Frances Lincoln Ltd., 2006, 17

6. Osband, L. Victorian House Style: An Architectural and Interior Design Source Book. Devon, UK, 2002, 172

Chris Nielson was the protagonist in this movie, what dreams may come. The movie started with love and relationship between Chris Nielson and Annie.

They later married with their wedding taking place in a church. Annie was a painter and worked in a museum while Chris was a pediatrician. The couple was later blessed with two children Marie and Ian (IMDB 1).

Life was not fair to this family. The children Ian and Marie perished in a road accident. This caused a great desperation to the couple. Chris was there to comfort his wife and this enabled her cope with life. Four years later, the husband, Chris Nielson died.

Chris spirit turned up at the funeral and he saw what was happening. He watched how his wife grieved in pain. He observed that his spirit was disturbing his wife and he stopped showing up in her presence. Chriss death added pain to Annie his wife.

Annie got into depression and unfortunately committed suicide to get out of the pain. The loss of three close people in her life brought despair in her life which she felt could only get out of by committing suicide (IMDB 1).

Life after death was what followed. The husband and the children were lucky because they found themselves in heaven. Heaven was very beautiful and beyond their imagination.

It was a great achievement to make it to heaven. The children were re-united with their father Chris and this caused a celebration. Chris disappointment came in when he learned that his wife Annie committed suicide and was being tormented in hell (IMDB 1).

Chris could not bear the pain of his loved one spending her life in hell. He decided to take an action to save her life. Albert was the one who had helped Chris to find his children in heaven. Max von and Albert helped Chris to get his wife. They got into another contrasting scene hell which was characterized by burning shipwrecks.

The movie showed love with no boundaries. It was love which could not be separated by death. When Chris decided to go to hell from heaven to rescue his wife, we see how much he loved his wife (IMDB 1).

The effect of the dominant or minority group in this movie had great effects on the lives of the characters involved. Socialization experienced between Chris and his wife caused him to do what other people could not do.

The wife Annie was not able to continue with her life after the loss of her children and her husband. This shows that humans are social beings and that their actions are highly influenced by people close to them (Ballantine and Spade 145).

Family is one of the greatest places for socialization. A nuclear family of a father, mother and children has few people; and thus the bond tends to be stronger between individuals than in an extended family: Within the family, immediate members are insiders and other people are outsiders&interaction between individuals, stress cooperation and interpersonal disputes are avoided (Ballantine and Spade 124).

Children are usually aware that home is the best place to be and they should stay at peace with each other. Family is thus very significant in how others relate even with the outside world such as educational institutions.

When life becomes hard or when death strikes, a person may be vulnerable to make destructive decisions. Decisions made out of frustration have no rewards but deteriorates the situation.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that a family bond is very significant. Annie was able to manage stress and depression when her husband was alive. The power to withstand calamity was torn apart by the death of her husband. This shows the effects of love and death in a family.

Works Cited

Ballantine, Jeanne and Spade, Joan. Schools and Society: A Sociological Approach to Education. New York: Cengage Learning.

IMDB. What Dreams May Come. The Internet movie Database, 1998. Web.

The film Fight Club, which is based on the novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk, presents an evaluation of modern consumerist culture and social values. To a great extent, this movie urges people to regard goods as necessities rather than those things that define an individual or indicate his/her status in the society.

One of the major characters, Tyler Durden acts as a conveyer of the authors views on contemporary culture. It is possible to say that this person advocates the values of a hunter-gather society which tends to be simpler and more egalitarian, at least from economic point of view.

There are several examples that illustrate this argument. First, we can refer to the conversation between Tyler and the narrator. Tyler expresses the idea that modern people view themselves primarily as consumers whose sole purpose is acquisition of property. He even accuses the narrator of being too focused on material values overlooking the fact that the protagonist lost virtually all his possessions.

More importantly, he emphasizes the point that the majority of these goods are not essential for the survival of a person. More likely, they are used to underline high prestige of an individual. Such worldview is unacceptable for him. His ideas bear close resemblance to a hunter-gather society.

Its members acquire goods such as food or clothing only to feed their families or sustain themselves. In such social and economic environment the main purpose of labor is survival or subsistence but not profit or prestige. People, who live in such communities, do not derive pleasure from mere possession of property or goods.

This lack of highly sophisticated needs or desires greatly appeals to Tyler and, in part, to the narrator. Additionally, acquisition of property can be the underlying cause of inequality in the society. This is another reason why Tyler cannot accept consumerism. Hunter-gatherer community becomes his ideal mostly because it is more egalitarian. However, he overlooks the drawbacks of such social system.

Another example, which shows Tylers rejection of consumer culture, is the destruction of other peoples property. For instance, the members of Project Mayhem burn computers, smash vehicles, and even bomb the office of some unidentified company or corporation. This sabotage originates from their rejection of consumerism. In this way they attempt to demonstrate that property is not critical for the survival of a human being.

The people are guided by Tylers philosophy which relies on the premise that acquisition of property cannot be the only driver of human behavior. Again, we can say that this ideology stems from hunter-gather society. Finally, the members of Project Mayhem bomb the buildings of credit card companies in effort to erase debt records.

These bombings can be explained by their desire to recreate primitive or hunter-gather society in modern America. Nonetheless, the main characters of this film, especially Tyler, forget that other people may disagree with their views on contemporary culture or their willingness to transform the world through violence.

Fight Club is a rich social commentary on various social, economic, and political issues. This movie is aimed at showing the shortcomings of contemporary capitalism and consumerism.

Yet, its characters fail to find solutions to the problems of society; instead they try to return to primitive culture with its simplicity and alleged egalitarianism. Tyler does not care to explain the reasons why modern world moves toward consumer culture and this is the main limitation of his worldview.

Works Cited

Fincher David (dir). Fight Club. 20^th Century Fox. DVD.