Category: Artists

Introduction

Zittel is one of the Contemporary artists who will end up being published in history books 100 years from now. First, what I like about the artists art is the unique messages they depict to humanity. For instance, when looking at Wagon Station Encampment located in Joshua Tree National Park, I am left wondering what is needed to live life.

Discussion

People spend hours working to sustain secondary needs, but what if humans only need basic needs, whereby they can eat and rest without worrying about the vast secondary needs? Zittels unexpected process is his region of experimentation, a desert with a harsh climate. The exciting part based on how the artist approached place is turning every living base into art, whereby she progressively renews her interior space and establishes utilitarian yet abstractly vital objects.

What I like best about this artists work is her use of simple daily objects to create her art, for instance, wigs, make-up, and clothing. Even though she uses these everyday objects, her artwork still becomes unique. Moreover, photograph usage enables the artist to frame and create the required setting for her works. What is unexpected about these works is how they transform into complex meanings, despite being created using ordinary objects. Sherman also utilizes the idea of place, and what is fascinating is how she links it to a dangerous zone, where women are under the gaze of the dangerous world, but also for themselves. What I like about the artist is his usage of video projections mounted on monuments to tell the tales of how things were. In other words, the artist attempts to communicate to the masses about various topics, such as democracy and history, by using monumental buildings.

Conclusion

What is unexpected about the process is the idea of making historical buildings and monuments to voice their tales. The artist approached the concept of place by choosing specific buildings and monuments to get individuals to think more and have vast questions, thus increasing their understanding of a particular topic.

It is critical to note that Marianne McGrath is an independent art curator. She worked in museums and exhibitions before her works became popular. In addition, she is one of the contemporary artists who create outstanding art. At the same time, she often works as a curator, so more people appreciate and see art. Marianne McGrath has extensive experience working with artists, collectors, and galleries. Therefore, it is essential to analyze and respond to Marianne McGraths Artist Talk.

At the storys beginning, Marianne McGrath shows the houses that have a special meaning for her. Then the woman says she was very excited when she started studying biology. I believe that she is using the details of her life to demonstrate how she began to appreciate art. Moreover, learning the basics of biology allowed women to understand the principles of the world and the living beings that experience it. Even Marianne McGrath herself admits that the experience of studying was beneficial; it helped her to learn to observe the environment and interpret this world (Marianne McGrath 00:01:32). It is crucial to note that the woman appreciates the experience of studying at the college, where she first attended an art course and decided to change the direction. Marianne McGraths made a courageous decision because it is logical that a farmers daughter should be a biologist, not a painter or a sculptor.

Furthermore, the woman explains that immediately after the change of direction, she started working with different materials. I think Marianne McGrath needed to find her special way and style. In addition, the womans tendency to make strong-willed decisions and try to create non-traditional things is impressive (Marianne McGrath 00:02:58). The fact that she just changed the direction and did not start following the standard rules but was able to make a unique contribution to art. This happened because Marianne McGrath was a self-sufficient personality who was not afraid of changes and condemnation of society.

It is essential to emphasize that the woman drew a lot of inspiration from the usual things that were dear to her. For example, when she and her sister-in-law went to her former house and inspected her childhood bedroom, she got brilliant ideas (Marianne McGrath 00:08:16). I believe that artists, when they create masterpieces, are inspired by ordinary everyday things that they see differently than other people. Their imagination and creativity allow them to create masterpieces, as it was with Marianne McGraths and the reversal of mimic roses (Marianne McGrath 00:08:58). Additionally, it seems to me that the woman talks about the places she has visited and their connection to her to demonstrate that strange and even outdated things are unique and can develop the imagination. For instance, during a travel to Denmark, Marianne McGrath saw how old mechanisms for making paper were being used (Marianne McGrath 00:20:23). I think that such moments when a female saw ancient tools and absolutely new buildings in one place stimulated her to create contemporary art.

Therefore, it appears to me that Marianne McGraths story is aimed at ensuring that every person who listened to it tried to find beauty in simple and surrounding objects and places. The woman inspiringly told about her creative path in words and terms familiar to the ordinary audience. At the same time, she explained that art already exists around people, and their main task is to recognize it.

Work Cited

Talk by Marianne McGrath. Zoom, uploaded by Marianne McGrath.

To begin with, a person of an artist in all times was the theme of intensive discussions in terms of high points about morality and culture. The artists usually contributed to the societys distinct values of character and traditions. This approach also contemplates that artists differ from other people. Their view on various processes confronts inadequate reaction from the side of people living in the society. That is why the conflicts may appear between people of culture with the majority of those, who are not able to perceive the reality sensitively and somehow naturally.

No one can express the feelings of an artist except another artist. That is why the paper deals with the ideas of two well-known writers, James Joyce and Kurt Vonnegut, about the person of an artist. Their views are supported with ideas of other authors according to the value of artists and their attitudinal background towards society and vice versa. I intend to prove that artists are not social rejects; so much as they choose to reject society. It is a common stereotype of an artist to be misunderstood and tortured  therefore, would-be artists manifest their identity to mirror this, to fit in.

The excluding the role of the artists in society is to show the world as it is and to find appropriate ways to better represent such a picture of a creative approach for the rest of people. The aesthetic touch, in this case, is vital. There are many points in which people differ from each other. Artists are those who are capable to feel and shape the world through the light of their understanding of the world. According to the theory of borders, assumed by Gloria Anzaldua, it is hard for a person who is successful in perceiving the world, life, people, and nature to find the border to overcome the obstacles of the realities (Klages 162). In other words, it is hard for the artists to transform their language and minimize the conceptual base of it so that to make it understood for the vast majority of the society.

James Joyce in his book A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man lively demonstrates a feeling of personal supremacy, which a young artist Stephen Dedalus experiences at the beginning of his career. Thus, the protagonist outlines in one episode a wrong flow of people living in the society which conform to the public opinion: If they took a fools advice they would confine their attention to religion (Joyce 26). Moreover, this example of an artist is not surprising for the epoch, when the Modernist approach emerged greatly, and the art-centered theme was raised in the literature (Ryf, p. 9).

A discreet nature of art symbolizes away, which presupposes an adherence of people toward examples of masterpieces. It is a result of peoples imagination. Visual arts are thought to be more impressive for people sharing them. A piece of misunderstanding provides a kind of torture for an artist due to the points of alienation. Those prejudices and a sort of haughtiness provide in an artist a kind of inner rage. Rage appears as a result of irrelevance between people and an artist.

A soul of an artist is incorporated in his works. No one knows whether it was a product of the authors inner tortures or just a slight passion. The artist and every significant and distinctive representative of art is a man, who incorporates thousands of other men due to a wider outlook on the realities. This becomes a result of their tortures. An artist becomes an outsider in society because of his/her sensitiveness and ability to express in detail what is common for people but not possibly seen directly at the moment.

The destiny of an artist to be misunderstood is greatly emphasized by David Pichaske. In his journal article, he outlines the role of the artist, as an outsider. This author is quite motivated to state such a fact pointed out by Norbert Blei: Whats wrong is the system in this country which often forces artists to prostitute their talents to survive. The artist is to blame only in his moment of weakness. And the quality of his work will suffer for it (Cited in Pichaske 218). Kurt Vonneguts Bluebeard is a novel where the artist, Rabo Karabekian, got accustomed to the destruction of the society and places where people live, but he rejects to think so and promotes a personal way of realities evaluation (Rampton, p. 16). Thus, an artist is intentionally constrained to be within the destruction in masses, so that later to depict it on canvas. Such intentions look like an influential instrument for artists. Those things being todays drawbacks with long-lasting effects will surely be depicted by an artist in attempts to stop wrongness in social development.

Although, an artist is a person, who has a talent from God, as I think. That is why it is a privilege of him/her to laugh at and to weep with the changes in society. These changes can be of two directions, namely: negative and positive. Kurt Vonnegut being an artist in some respects shows his ability to project the truth of life encoded in the text on the example of one of his multiple interviews: Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion, to the futility of thinking and striving anymore (Klinkowitz, p. 26).

The nature of artists presupposes a difficult structure of their reasoning with points on what is hidden usually from ordinary people. The thing is that in the case of Stephen Dedalus the importance to separate artistic people into the exclusive group increased in him. It is seen in one of his laconic statements when he outlines: forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race (Joyce 96). Thus, the author straightforwardly contemplates the reasons why artists are left alone in society with their dreams, attitudes, and perspectives.

Non-verbal communication of an artist with the outside world is applied in the complex of signs and stylistic devices which are incorporated in the paintings. This is well understood when stating a personal evaluation of people about this or that picture. Then, when comparing a persons understanding of the picture concept with that of an artists, one can set the record straight. Liam F. Heaney (1995) providing a scope of recognition about the words of Stephen Dedalus also admits, that the language of an artist is highly patterned and promotes the phenomenon of artistic conception, artistic gestation and artistic reproduction (Heaney, p. 313).

The metaphorical estimation of the world is a hinted thing in an artists hands. It presupposes his/her extraordinary character. Being a luminary, an artist can project as well as reflect the advantages and drawbacks maintained in society. Moreover, the soul of an artist due to such things is prone to suffering. It is seen in the case of Rabo, who feels pain when trying to describe the picture of war. That is why an ordinary man cannot usually take into account a point of extra-sensitive emotional peculiarities of an artist given by God. The ability to feel realities rightly is of great importance for true artists.

In this case, the significance of redemption for people plays a great role. When reminding the figure of Jesus Christ, one can note, that he outlined the things being incorrect in the ancient society of Israel. He made every possible attempt to demonstrate the significance of changes. He behaved as an ideal artist. This manner can be assumed to contemporary and previous artists with views on life in a definite community.

When looking at the picture of artistic talent and thought, it is necessary to note that people urge to experience all beautiful emotions throughout the works of art. Artists, on the other hand, do not always urge to satisfy spectators. It would not be a true art then. Artists destination is to implement his/her vision according to the art movements or trends of a definite epoch with a sort of philosophical coloring. The book by Thomas F. Marvin examines the peculiarities of Vonneguts novels. Here the author is inclined to explain why an artist goes through the process of alienation. He looks at an artist as an example of mere narcissistic doubling of the creative experience (Marvin, p. 39).

A narcissistic nature of an artist can be explained due to the sophistication in tastes and peoples characters. Moreover, alienation is taken into account by artists until there is a grave motivation to present his/their works, as proved masterpieces, to society. On the other hand, a man is both a biological and social creature. One should outline mens living in a state or in the society, where there are various principles and rules. These rules are not to be violated. That is why an artist cannot go without society.

Artists surely may adhere to the self-martyrdom attitude toward their person. They can state their exclusiveness, provide many arguments so that to support their ideas. One question remains to be answered then: Is it the way they intentionally choose? Looking at the examples of Stephen Dedalus and Rabo Karabekian, there is no doubt that these two agreed to be different. It was a decision of theirs, as a form of separation from the extent of the society. In the case of Karabekian, it is seen that his tendency toward bordering his world and the world of the rest is quite apparent. Accompanied with Hartke, he uses the surface confines of the page or canvas as an arena within which to act (Cited in Klinkowitz, p. 44). In this description of the book episode, Vonnegut tries to convince a reader using a suitable metaphoric comparison of real things. The protagonist demonstrates his choice in terms of his profession and destination as well.

In the case of Stephen Dedalus, it is necessary to suppose that his radical refusal from what was considered to be right in society is outlined by his intentions to behave so. A sadly proud gesture of refusal was an important attribute of his behavior and manners which called attention to his surroundings (Joyce, p. 59). His righteousness props up against the truth of peoples hypocrisy in affairs and communication. Wisdom of the life and his environment, in particular, seemed to him indistinct.

As far as I am concerned, artists prefer to be united with their thoughts, ideas, and muse, because of their image as an artist. When one intentionally grabs the attention of other people, it serves as an additional point for popularity. When apart from it there is also a complex of self-esteem, self-confidence, self-conviction, it can characterize a person as a distinguished one. In this prospect, it is rather necessary to invoke the consciousness of the majority of people toward the experience which is supposed to be in the life of an artist. In Vonneguts novel, Rabo Karabekian is highly motivated to keep his position untouchable. He is an old man taking part in World War II and having seen more as of the truth of life and people in it. Stephen Dedalus, on the other hand, provides in his early ages a model of how the artist should behave and appertain toward things being significant in life.

Figuring out the identity of art and the artists, as its representatives, these two protagonists follow the path of a so-called ascetic way of life in contrast with other people. They have their methods of how to better perceive the world. However, they demonstrated a different approach toward it. Rabo is interested in the extent of a mans soul and his idea of soul peculiarities depiction excites him much. He never thought of this grandiose initiative to refer to the mysterious space of this inner world of a man. Expressing soul in his paintings Rabo provides his vision of death and life (Ryf, p. 59). Both protagonists can show reality. The only thing is that they promote it employing different implications in their works.

Gloria Anzaldua in this case urges to outline the true intentions of people being involved in art affairs. She underlines that the issue of identity is like an issue of lifestyle: it should bear an individual character in person. Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity  I am my language,  stresses the author (Cited in Klages, p. 162). Suchlike identity of an artist and the language which he/she uses to touch upon peoples souls contemplates those features to be similar to the destination of an artist on the whole. Focusing on originality in thinking, reasoning, acting, and attitudes, an artist can assume the points of all pros and cons in the universe. Looking at Stephen and his perception of the world James Joyce writes: For some time he had felt the slight change in his house, and those changes in what he had deemed unchangeable were so many slight shocks to his boyish conception of the world. The ambition which he felt astir at times in the darkness of his soul sought no outlet (Joyce, p. 60).

Thus, the person of an artist provides versatile peculiarities like such people. On the examples of both novels by James Joyce and Kurt Vonnegut the concept of an artist is considered with points of alienation, identity, self-martyrdom attitude, refusal of the society. Stephen Dedalus as well as Rabo Karabekian demonstrate how in different ages artists tend to characterize sublime values of life concerned with the soul and psychology of people.

Works cited

1. Heaney, Liam F. The Essence of Language: Metaphorically Speaking. New York: Contemporary Review 1995: 313.
2. The KING OF Nothing to Do; God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut. Manila: Manila Bulletin 2007: NA.
3. Joyce, James. A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man. New York: Kessinger Publishing, 2004.
4. Klages, Mary. Literary theory: a guide for the perplexed. Guides for the perplexed. Harrisburg: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006.
5. Klinkowitz, Jerome. The Vonnegut effect. Richland County: Univ of South Carolina Press, 2004.
6. Persell, Michelle. Its All Play-Acting Authorship and Identity in the Novels of Kurt Vonnegut. Kurt Vonnegut: Images and Representations. Ed. Marc Leeds and Peter J. Reed. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. 39-49.
7. Pichaske, David. Norbert Blei: Portrait of the Artist as Outsider. New York: Studies in American Fiction 32.2 (2004): 215-220.
8. Rackstraw, Loree. The Paradox of Awareness and Language in Vonneguts Fiction. Kurt Vonnegut: Images and Representations. Ed. Marc Leeds and Peter J. Reed. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. 51-64.
9. Rampton, David. Into the Secret Chamber: Art and the Artist in Kurt Vonneguts Bluebeard. New York: Critique 35.1 (1993): 16-26.
10. Ryf, Robert S. A New Approach to Joyce: The Portrait of the Artist as a Guidebook. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1962.

Introduction

Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was a famous French artist who was one of the major contributors to the Impressionist movement. The main focus of his art was to celebrate beauty in all its appearances, particularly as it was revealed in the female form. His life intersected with numerous other famous painters of the period, including Manet and particularly Monet. By the end of his life, he had created thousands of paintings, introduced a new style of painting, and died a famous man.

Main body

Renoir was born in Limoges, France as the son of a regular working-class family. This meant he needed to go to work at a young age to help support the group. One of his early jobs was working in a porcelain factory where his eye for fine detail and his already well-developed sense of line and space-enabled him to secure a position painting designs on the fine china (Renoir, 1962). This experience quickly had him branching out into creating wall hangings and fans for overseas missionaries and encouraged him to pursue an art career.

By 1862, he was studying art professionally under the guiding hand of Charles Gleyre in Paris and became acquainted with other young painters such as Claude Monet (Vollard, 1925). Working as a truly poor artist, he occasionally had to go without paint as he struggled to make a name for himself during the following decade.

Renoirs earlier works are strong examples of colorism and realism. These works are influenced strongly by the works of Delacroix, Corot, Courbet, and Manet. An example of this early work is Diana (1867). In this painting, a nude woman sits on some mossy rocks with a hide of some kind covering her vaginal area. She leans on a tall bow and is looking down upon the slain carcass of a deer with its head twisted around backward and blood coming from its head region. The painting represents the traditional in that it represents the ancient Roman goddess of the hunt, but there are hints that this symbolism was more of an afterthought. Its importance lies in how it reveals the artists earlier work before launching into his Impressionist ideals.

The National Gallery of Art says, The pictures style shows the influence of realist painter Gustave Courbet in the particular attention given to the blood coming from the animals mouth and the mossy surfaces of the rocks. This is one of the few times Renoir used a palette knife to apply his pigments  a favorite technique of Courbet (2009). The piece also represents the degree to which Renoir was still influenced by his student classes as the woman, his girlfriend at the time, is posed in classic art class stance.

In the later years of the 1860s, Renoir and his friend Monet began working together while painting outdoors. The two artists were working to understand more about light and water and thus were often seen in Montemarte, a popular place for artists at the time and where Renoir was able to acquire free lodgings at the home of his friend Jules Le Coeur (Wadley, 1989). While working together in this way, the artists discovered that shadows were comprised of the reflected color of the objects that caused them.

This breakthrough discovery was what gave birth to the Impressionist style. There are still many paintings in existence that demonstrate the pairs working together as they depict the same scenes. An example of this kind of double effect can be found by comparing Renoirs La Grenouillere (1869) with Monets painting of the same title and date. Both paintings illustrate a scene of a group of society people floating in a boat with swimmers, other boats, and the corner of a covered dock area.

While both paintings are explorations into how the light and shadows worked on the water, Renoirs is infused from within by a vibrant green feeling that gives the work-life and energy. This type of painting began his Impressionist work which was well received. Six of his paintings were selected to hang in the first Impressionist exhibition of 1874 and two of his paintings were displayed in London (Wadley, 1989). With this bit of success, Renoir was able to begin traveling a bit to broaden his eye.

The next turning point in Renoirs work came in 1874 when he had a falling out with his close friend Jules Le Coeur and Renoir was forced to discover new subjects for his work (Wadley, 1989). His paintings began to focus more on women and the various locations that he traveled to. In the years from 1881 to 1890, the artist spent a great deal of his time traveling, expanding his art and his eye as well as introducing Impressionism to the rest of the world.

He settled down when he married Aline Victorine Chariot in 1890 and had three children with her (Wadley, 1989). Within two years, though, he was beginning to suffer the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and was forced to move to a warmer climate. He continued to paint until the end of his life even when it meant having an assistant place the brush in his hand. In the last year of his life, he was able to visit the Louvre and see his paintings hanging with the work of the ancient masters. He died on December 3, 1919, while staying in the village of Cagnes-sur-Mer, Provence-Alps-Cote dAzur (Wadley, 1989).

Works Cited

National Gallery of Art. Auguste Renoir Diana. Washington D.C.: National Gallery of Art, 2009. Web.

Renoir, Jean. Renoir, My Father. New York: Collins, 1962.

Vollard, Ambroise. Renoir, An Intimate Record. New York: Knopf, 1925.

Wadley, Nicholas. Renoir: A Retrospective. New York: Park Lane, 1989.

Most official art aficionados do not consider graffiti to be a recognized form of art, but they are missing something important and energetic that is occurring among the populations of the world as some graffiti is definitely qualified art. A case in point is the graffiti art of an artist who goes by the name of Banksy as can be seen in his English maid image. This is a two-dimensional work of art that has been created on the side of an abandoned building in Camden, England using spray paint and stencils. As unsanctioned art, the image was designed in the artists studio, large stencils were produced and the artwork was sprayed on the wall as quickly as possible so as to avoid detection from the authorities. The image is the picture of a uniformed maid stooped over to lift the white façade of the building to expose red bricks beneath as she prepares to empty her dustbin out of sight. Her broom rests against the wall behind her. Colors used to create this artwork are kept simple in white, black and red but the image takes on the shape of a trompe loeil, intended to fool the eye into thinking the maid is almost real, and is therefore representational.

The artists work speaks on an individual level with those who live at the street level and perceive that they are being asked to adapt to a world-view that is outside of or in opposition to their own sphere of experience. Journalist Simon Hattenstone (2003) explains the way in which this is accomplished: When I do come across [Banksys images], surreptitiously peeping out of an alley or boldly emblazoned on a wall, I find it hard to contain myself. They feel personal, as if they are just for me, and they feel public as if they are a gift for everyone. They make me smile and feel optimistic about the possibilities of shared dreams and common ownership. A combination of inside jokes with the realization that just about everyone gets the joke is itself a slap in the face of a commonly presented official ideal that has obviously failed.

The same can be said about the work of another impromptu artist, Scott Wade as expressed in his dirty car art Elephant Ears. This artwork is two-dimensional and monotone, worked into the white dust that had accumulated on the back window of a dirty car, thus the canvas is actually the glass window. The artist uses traditional artists brushes to pull the dust away from the window and thus reveal the image. Within this piece, the artist has created a happy, almost impish depiction of an elf complete with wild hair, large and pointed ears, a goatee and large, elephant-ear leaves around him. The elf image appears on one side of the window while the leaves are used to balance the image on the other side. As representational art, Elephant Ears is intended to introduce a note of humor into the boring commute to and from work while also taking a new approach to the common problem of people neglecting to wash their cars. This gives them the excuse to put it off longer and takes advantage of the natural material nature provides. In naming the piece, the artist makes a pun out of the name of a popular type of plant, adding to its humor.

Although neither of these artists are likely to be found within the context of a museum, they are seen to be fulfilling at least three of the four traditional roles of the artist. In his depiction of a traditional maid, Banksy provides a visual record of the places, people, and events that surround them (Sayre 11) as he is an artist working in England among the common people. He gives visible or tangible form to ideas, philosophies, or feelings (Sayre 12) in the way that he points to the need for the city to clean up its decaying parts and its tendency to sweep the dirt under the rug rather than actually clean it. Finally, he helps us to see the world in a new or innovative way (Sayre 15) by surprising us with an image we dont expect to see on an old, crumbling building. Scott Wades image is a bit less traditional, but it addresses the issue of ideas in its attempt to bring a smile to busy commuters at the same time that he encourages us to look at dirty cars as artworks that just havent been completed yet.

References

Banksy. Clean Sweep Maid. 2009. Web.

Hattenstone, Simon. (2003). Something to Spray. Guardian Unlimited. 2009. Web.

Sayre, Henry M. (2007). A World of Art. Upper Saddle River: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Wade, Scott. Elfnt Ears. 2009. Web.

Introduction

Contemporary art can be considered intriguing and provocative. To support this idea, it is possible to refer to the works of such famous contemporary artists as Anne Collier, Walead Beshty, Janice Kerbel, Valentina Liernur, and Yuki Kimura are presented in Creamier: Contemporary Art in Culture. On the one hand, these artists works differ significantly in their styles, techniques, and messages. On the other hand, they demonstrate the variety of approaches that can be used by artists to attract the publics attention to their ideas and creative visions of the world. As a result, these artworks can be considered to be similar in terms of their striking effect on viewers. Anne Collier, Walead Beshty, Janice Kerbel, Valentina Liernur, and Yuki Kimura are remarkable figures in the world of contemporary art, and the purpose of this paper is to discuss the specific features or factors that interest people in these artists works, and what questions they can pose.

Anne Collier

The photographs by Collier attract the viewers attention because they depict images of other artworks. Colliers approach to appropriation allows for adding new meanings to the photographs that she represents. It seems that the photographer draws the publics attention to those images that are especially important for her, as in the case of Sylvia Plath (2008) (Filipovic 77). Thus, in this work, Collier aims to represent a kind of melancholy that can be understood only while focusing on this artists work rather than on the original image. This ambivalence in perspectives draws viewers attention to those aspects of the depicted images that could not be recognized while looking at original works. In this context, much attention should be paid to Colliers portraits of women with cameras that are discussed as an approach to presenting the photographers self-portrait. Colliers works give a background for discussing the concept of appropriation in photography to represent ones feelings and visions.

Walead Beshty

Beshtys works focus on the material world of photography, which is represented with the help of lines and colors. Thus, the photographer can be viewed as a master in accentuating the brute materiality of the photographic process (Filipovic 46). As a result, Beshtys images cause the public to ask about specific technical, chemical, and physical aspects that cause his works to be perceived as abstract objects rather than photographs. While posing questions about the materiality of the world depicted in his photographs, the photographer also adds humor to his works, which often results in some accident that makes the photographer look at artwork from another perspective. For instance, the interesting lines of the broken glass presented on the FedEx box are results of inappropriate delivery of goods. Thus, Beshtys works allow the public to perceive common objects through the perspective of their materiality as artworks.

Janice Kerbel

The uniqueness of Kerbels art is in the diversity of themes. In her works, Kerbel performs as a researcher who investigates the world around her and depicts its variety. The media used by the artist and designer are also numerous. Thus, her different series focused on themes of cheating, concealment, and even baseball are presented in different forms, including proposals, posters, letters, and scripts, among others (Filipovic 129). From this point, the first thing that attracts the viewers attention is the variety, and the other is the position of a researcher taken by Kerbel as her professional approach. Therefore, the question seems to apply to how a modern artist can work as a researcher in his or her field.

Valentina Liernur

Although there are many dark colors in Liernurs art, her works are not viewed as gloomy. Instead, the artist applies a unique mixture of colors, forms, and textures to create an image. Liernur is known because of her specific approach to combining elements of painting, fashion, and theater in different artworks. As a result, they are full of Cubism motifs and references to the world of fashion (Filipovic 147). From this perspective, the works by this artist allow speaking about the question of mixing genres and styles in art.

Yuki Kimura

One more artist who is focused on the idea of mixing and combining objects and concepts in art is Yuki Kimura. However, in contrast to Liernur, Kimura combines not only genres and approaches but also uses photographs and other different items to create installations that are depicted as visuals. In her work, Kimura uses found images that are combined with elements of sculpture and various objects to receive new meanings (Filipovic 160). This approach is used by the artist to represent a range of conceptual ideas through not only photographs but also pieces of real life.

Conclusion

The works by five contemporary artists can provoke a lot of questions, and they depend on specific features of the images, as well as the artists philosophies. First, it is important to focus on the idea of appropriation that is always discussed as a provocative approach in the context of art. Second, the focus should be on materiality as a framework for depicting objects. Third, the question is also about an artists role as a researcher. Moreover, it is also necessary to concentrate on the question of mixtures and combinations in the field of art to create unique objects and experiences.

Work Cited

Filipovic, Elena, editor. Creamier: Contemporary Art in Culture. Phaidon Press, 2010.

Curatorial Statement

This exhibition is aimed at showing how female artists depict war, its catastrophic effects, and its futility. It is the main theme that the chosen painters explore. While selecting the images, I focused on the artists who represented different countries and historical periods. Overall, the chosen paintings may differ in terms of style or technique; nevertheless, in each case, they highlight the idea that women involuntarily and inevitably have to face horrendous consequences of wars, even though they never initiate them.

The artworks that will be exhibited are oil and watercolor paintings. Furthermore, there is one etching. They represent different styles such as impressionism and romanticism. The chosen art works have attracted much critical attention. For instance, one can speak about the paintings by Käthe Kollwitz (Glueck par. 1). Additionally, these pictures can be of great interest to people who study the history of military conflicts. This argument is particularly relevant if one speaks about the works of Anna Airy (War art: Shop for machining 15-inch shells (1918). par.1). Overall, modern art critics want learn more about the perception of war through the eyes of female artists (Women at war: The female British artists who were written out of history. par. 1).

While looking for paintings that can be included in this exhibition, I first focused on the depiction of military conflicts in various artworks. I searched for the paintings that were created in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These periods were chosen because in this way it could be easier to find relevant artworks. Overall, this approach enabled me to find some excellent examples. In my view, the message conveyed by these painters continues to be relevant to the audience because peace in the modern world is extremely fragile, and one should be able to value it.

Collection of art works

This oil painting depicts the only soldier who survived the retreat of the British Army from Kabul. This picture has been included because it highlights the hardships to which a person can be exposed during military conflicts. One can clearly see that he is completely emaciated. Overall, Elizabeth Thompson skillfully portrays the suffering of this individual.

In this painting, Anna Airy masterfully depicts the creation of weaponry that can kill thousands of people. Moreover, the author shows that woman can be forced to take part in war, even though they do nothing to provoke military conflicts.

This etching painted by Käthe Kollwitz is very touching because it highlights suffering of a woman who was deprived of her son. This painting has been singled out among others because it illustrates the idea that war can be caused by irresponsibility of political leaders; in turn, this irresponsibility ruins the lives of many innocent people.

This picture, created by Laura Knight depicts the key officials of the Third Reich. However, at the same time, she describes the atrocious results of their actions. This juxtaposition can produce an indelible impression on the viewers. This is why it has been selected for this exhibition.

This watercolor painting depicts the attempts of women to alleviate the suffering of soldiers. This artwork has been included because the painter creates a very elaborate palette that highlights the emaciation of the wounded person. This argument is particularly relevant if one speaks about different shades of yellow.

This painting represents the roles that women had to assume during World War I. This work can be singled out because it shows how the image of women can be transformed by war.

Works Cited

Glueck, Grace. Art in Review: Käthe Kollwitz. The New York Times. 2002. Web.

War art: Shop for machining 15-inch shells (1918). The Telegraph. 2013. Web.

Women at war: The female British artists who were written out of history. The Telegraph. 2011. Web.

Man Ray, an American of Jewish descent, is one of the most prominent artists of the twentieth century and a true revolutionary. He successfully practiced painting, sculpture, writing, and eventually started experimenting with camerawork (Cohen). He constantly tried new techniques and invented rayographs, which helped create bizarre and refracted images with intricate shapes and mystical halos (Cohen). After years of working in the genre of Surrealism and Dadaism, Ray elevated photography to the rank of art when it was considered merely a craft. His numerous artworks are a vivid representation of the Dada art movement that mixed absurd, in technical terms, methods, and practices (Lewis). One of Rays artworks that impressed me profoundly is The Gift (Ray). The image is the old iron, a seemingly trivial object, changed by the attached to its nails into something provocative.

In my opinion, The Gift represents the fundamental principles of Surrealism and Dadaism  the unrestrained creativity and the ability to provoke mixed emotions. By combining the two objects of polar purpose, such as a flat iron intended to smooth, and nails associated with sharpness and brutality, The Gift evokes unease, fear, and curiosity. However, the image also provokes a subconscious feeling that there is no right comprehension but a subliminal immersion into it. The reaction of the public to Man Rays images as to Dadaism, in general, was indifferent and quite negative at times. However, the desire to shock and break down the established rules was the principal objective of the movement and Man Ray. It takes time for the ordinary world to level with and accept great art. Nevertheless, The Gift, along with other artworks of Man Ray, served as a necessary bridge to unbound creativity and the future development of photography.

Works Cited

Cohen, Alina. Man Ray Made Iconic Surrealist Photographs  and so Much More. Artsy,  2020, Web.

Lewis, Jacqueline. Dada: The Movement that Shook Art to the Core. The Collector, 2020, Web.

Ray, Man. The Gift. 1921. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. MoMA, Web.

Much of the art of France in the first part of the 19^th century was dominated by the academic schools of the Academy, the School of Fine Arts and the Salon. A great deal of the accepted artistic approach either followed the example of Ingres or that of Delacroix. Ingres was heavily influenced by the neoclassicist concepts of linear purity (National Gallery of Art, 2008). Landscape in his paintings was often considered an afterthought with the primary emphasis being placed on the historical event being depicted or the individual portraits being painted and, not surprisingly, line dominating all other technical elements of the image. Delacroixs emphasis in his painting was focused more upon the expressive, romantic use of color as opposed to line (National Gallery of Art, 2009). His images also focused more upon historical events and portraits, but introduced a softer approach as forms were detailed through the use of color rather than line, inspiring future forays into impressionism. Under these influences, landscape paintings were expected to follow a specific set of criteria that included strict compliance with the idealized forms suggested through ancient poetry and history (Amory, 2009). However, painters such as Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain, both working during the 1600s, had also introduced other acceptable uses of the landscape within the painterly setting to which several artists of the very early 19^th century were already orienting.

One of these artists was Jean-Baptiste Claude Corot (1796-1875). Following the French Revolution and new emphasis on capturing the real elements of life in France, Corot had been a business man in partnership with his father in a very successful cloth company before he determined, at age 26, that he wished to pursue an interest in art (Gonzalez-Valerio, 2005). Having achieved early success and being largely independent, Corot followed his inclinations and interests to study the landscapes once painted by Lorrain. However, the contemporary emphasis on realism caused Corot to choose to paint in place rather than sketch and then paint in the studio, reducing the idealized view or the sense of the unreal that he had seen in earlier works. He painted directly from nature upon small canvases, observing carefully, translating his visual experiences directly and concentrating on architectural clarity and the play of light upon volume (Gonzalez-Valerio, 2005). Although much of his work could be seen as championing the philosophies and approaches of later artists in both the landscape and impressionist traditions, Corot tended to keep his paintings private, only making public those images that more closely fell into line with the accepted forms of expression. By the middle of the century, though, he had become greatly popular for his own work and highly influential in the development of others. His paintings helped to inspire an entirely new approach to landscapes while his independent income enabled him to acquire a position on the board of the Salon. Through this position, he was able to influence the direction of art to a greater degree as he implemented programs designed to encourage new approaches to art and provided financing to encourage new artists in their own artistic pursuits.

The tremendous shift in French landscape painting that took place during the early 19^th century was also largely influenced by what would eventually be termed the Barbizon School. This term is used to apply to a group of artists who would gather at a small village called Barbizon just outside the Forest of Fontainbleau (Amory, 2009). This village provided artists the shelter they required during the summer months when they traveled from their studios in Paris to the forest with the express purpose of painting directly from nature and to discuss their ideas and theories. This tradition started in response to a new program introduced by the French Academy in 1816 that awarded artists the opportunity to live and paint at the Villa Medici in Rome as a means of restoring history painting to classical standards. Rather than inspiring a return to the classics, the contest spurred an interest in the concept of traveling to engage in the artistic process or painting on location. Rather than traveling all the way to Rome, many artists took up the habit of traveling a short ways out of Paris to the Forest of Fontainbleau, which offered a wide variety of scenery to paint in a relatively small area of land. Despite differing in age, technique, training and lifestyle, the artists of the Barbizon School collectively embraced their native landscape, particularly the rich terrain of the Forest of Fontainbleau. They shared a recognition of landscape as an independent subject, a determination to exhibit such paintings at the conservative Salon, and a mutually reinforcing pleasure in nature (Amory, 2009). In addition to Corot, artists who made up the Barbizon School included Theodore Rousseau, Jean-Francois Millet, Narcisse Diaz de la Pe-a, Millet and Charles-Francois Daubigny.

Works Cited

Amory, Dita. The Barbizon School: French Painters of Nature Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. (2009). Web.

Gonzalez-Valerio, Wilmer. Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot. Painters Biographies. (2005).

National Gallery of Art. French Painting of the 19^th Century. The Collection. (2009).

Introduction

An in-depth study of musical theory is impossible without a conjugate study of the biographies and creative paths of eminent artists in a particular field. It is paramount to recognize that the history of music is not objective but rather is written by the musicians and artists who make their daily contributions to the art in question. More specifically, the musical era of the eighteenth century is remembered primarily for Mozart, while the musical trends of the second half of the twentieth century were set by the highly famous The Beatles. Thus, a musical study should be based on placing the artist within the framework of their time and critically examining their talent in the light of current conditions and environment. Thus, one of the most popular and titled soul singers of the 20th century  continuing to create to this day  was Stevie Wonder, known primarily as a genre singer. Wonder is often spoken of as a multi-instrumental artist, virtuoso on clarinet, percussion, piano, and, most interesting for this study, the harmonica (Driscoll, 2020). Thus, it is not difficult to understand that Wonder performs in a combined genre of soul, blues, and RnB. This paper aims to provide an extensive and comprehensive analysis of the personality and creative path of one of the most legendary performers of our time, Stevie Wonder.

Brief Biography

The singers biography begins on May 13, 1950, in a small town of Saginaw, which is located in the state of Michigan bordering on Canada. It should be noted that, as in most American black families, Wonders childhood was not happy and potential. The future singer was the third child in a family of eight, but his birth was not successful from the beginning: Stevie was premature (Chang, 2020). As a consequence, Wonder was placed in a unique incubator for premature babies while still in the hospital, which was designed to stimulate the development of internal organs. Although this procedure helped, the prematurity severely affected the singers visual function. Stevie was disabled from birth due to blindness, and as a consequence, his mother had to take care of him much more than the other children. In addition, at the age of four, the future singer lost his father and moved with his mother and the rest of his siblings to criminal Detroit.

The Beginning of a Musical Career

To a certain extent, it is appropriate to note that the medical error that led to Stevie Wonders blindness launched the mans musical career. Because of his inability to see, Wonder was forced from childhood to use his tactile senses and his ears: as a result, the skills of sensitive hearing and finely tuned fingers enabled Stevie to achieve a talent for using the harmonica. All of this helped Wonder achieve commensurate success in a church choir and independent study of wind instruments. It should be emphasized that the harmonica  which the boy was given by his mother  according to Stevie, was his first instrument, and only then did he learn to play the piano (Biography, n.d.). The boys phenomenality was quickly discovered by prominent producers. More specifically, Ronald White, one of the founders of a dark-skinned rhythm and blues music band from Detroit, heard little Stevies part during a Sunday worship service and arranged an audition with the general manager of Motown recording studio. In turn, the studio management immediately saw in the eleven-year-old boy a huge musical potential, and therefore signed a contract for the first records with extended harmonica solos. Interestingly, the boys professional pseudonym was justified by his age: Motown named Stevie as Little Stevie Wonder (Pevos, 2020). This is where Stevie Wonders career as a soul musician began.

Musical Path

Recording studios have been known to have a significant influence on artists musical output. On the one hand, thanks to the efforts and resources of a major agency, an aspiring performer increases the chance of becoming famous. However, on the other hand, often, the management of the label or music association dictates its own rules, limiting the potential freedom of creativity of the singer. This reasoning also holds true for Stevie Wonders professional path. Since Little Stevie Wonder became known to the public, many then-unknown compositions have been released on behalf of Motown. Such singles as I Call It Pretty Music, But the Old People Call It the Blues, Little Water Boy, and Contract on Love served as the starting point for the boys career. However, Stevie reached the peak of his young popularity with the hit Fingertips, which generally had no lyrical meaning (Roth, 2016). On the contrary, Fingertips became not only a welcome anthem for Little Stevie ascending into the serious arena but also a demonstration of his virtuoso harmonica playing. The backbone of this composition by a still twelve-year-old boy has an extended aerophone solo, intermittently replaced by Stevies verbal shouts.

The sixties and seventies continued Wonders tendency to expand his popularity and experiment with genres and instruments. Nevertheless, although Stevie tried new styles, the harmonica continued to be among the main instruments in his musical kit. The iconic works of the singer during this period include Hey Harmonica Man, Pretty Little Angel, Where Im Coming From. It is essential to underline that the last work was a turning point in Stevies career because, after it, the twenty-year-old man left Motown and started to produce his own songs. In turn, the complete freedom of action and the absence of economic frameworks allowed Stevie to engage in conceptual projects and give himself to new trends in musical styles, among which rock. Thus, Wonders lyrics acquired new themes, including politics, social inequality, and mysticism (Helligar, 2021). All this leads to the conclusion of a dynamic and branching path of the soul artist, who became a central figure of the genre in his era.

It is fair to say that Stevie Wonder continued to compose and create in order to express himself and keep his sound relevant. The man released two albums  Music Of My Mind and Talking Book  in 2003, and later his services were recognized by the Grammys. Stevie also organized an American tour in 2007 in memory of his deceased mother but retired after that. By now, the elderly Wonder rarely releases new singles and lives a quiet, measured life with his new wife.

Unique Authorial Style

As could be seen from the previous descriptions, Wonders genre affiliation is not unambiguous. In fact, although the artist created in a soul-sounding style, he made repeated attempts to integrate rock, free jazz, or pop music into his work (Artist Profile, n.d.). A particular contribution to the uniqueness of the mans musical style was his incredible command of the harmonica. It is safe to say that Stevie earned his legendary reputation thanks to the highly complex and dynamic parts played on the harmonica. Naturally developing the directions of soul, Wonder uses such an aerophone and integrates jazz sounds in the music: it allows you to achieve a coherent and cohesive but complex and multi-complex composition. This variety of styles also justifies Stevies experimentation with the type of harmonics. Although his standard instrument is a chromatic harmonica, which plays all 12 notes in an octave  including semitones  there were some episodes of diatomic harmonica use in Stevies music. Nevertheless, it was the chromatic harmonica that became the musicians calling card, qualitatively differentiating him from Bob Dylans jazz rhythms. The unique sound, repeatedly noted by many artists and masters, is achieved due to the unique combination of glissando and vibrato in the performance of Wonder. This combination allows the melody to remain dynamic and smooth, but at the same time flirting with the listener and boldly experiment with styles.

Conclusion

To summarize, Stevie Wonders importance as a soul singer of the second half of the twentieth century should be emphasized. The man has often been called a genius and a master of multi-instrumental playing. The chromatic harmonica is deservedly symbolized with the image of Wonder since it was this instrument that gave the little boy the opportunity to get to the big stage. As a result, we can conclude that Stevie went through a dynamic, complex evolution from a disabled child from a low-income family to a world-famous soul singer.

References

Artist Profile. (n.d.). The Harmonica Company. Web.

Biography. (n.d.). Gold. Web.

Chang, R. (2020). How Stevie Wonder lost his sight. Biography. Web.

Driscoll, C. (2020). Growing up Stevie. Rolling Stone. Web.

Helligar, J. (2021). How the rage of Stevie Wonders You Havent Done Nothin helped shape the politics of hip-hop. Variety. Web.

Pevos, E. (2020). Motowns Stevie Wonder turns 70: 10 videos of him you may have never seen before. Michigan. Web.

Roth, G. (2016). Did we mention that Stevie Wonder is also an incredible harmonica player? Slate. Web.