Category: Contemporary Art

Introduction to the sociology of art

Art and society are in a state of continuous, mutual dependence, which propagates itself like a chain reaction. This only implies that they influence each other, that society is modified by art whose product it is, and that art in a given society confronts a structure which presupposes many of its characteristics’, but also that every change in one sphere is linked to change in the other (Perkins and Horward, 13). This calls forth a further change in the system in which the change originates. Every step sets the clockwork in motion; to express it visually; the pictures on both sides reflect each other in endless refractions, looking like a hall of mirrors.

This way, there is a constant multiplication and intensification of stimuli, a restless rush, and jockeying for the position in the race of competing social and artistic forces without which the interchange would take on a dialectical character (Hauser 24). It is simply the question of interdependence between the individual phases of two developmental; series. There is no actual struggle between the opposing positions to buy an inner contradiction that drives them on, keeps them in motion, and spurs them toward a settlement.

The relationship between art and society is in some ways like the relationship between body and soul: neither are they contradictory, nor can they be in harmony (Zolberg 37). Whether it is in the genesis of individual works, the act of reception, or the course of the history of style, the dialectical development of art does not proceed from the antagonism between social and artistic interests. It results from conflicting artistic intentions, problems, possibilities of the solution, and means of representation.

Simply put, it is the result of individual differentiation, of a change in taste and style which social development only provides the spur to, but which does not proceed from a contradiction between art and society. An antithetical attitude is not antagonism, and interaction is not a dialectical dispute. There are antagonisms within society and within art, but there is none between society and art (Alexander 46).

On the one hand, the fact that society influences art, and on the other hand, that art influences society does not imply that a change goes with a change with the other. Art and society exist as two discrete, though not necessarily isolated, realities side by side with each other (Zolberg 92). They neither correspond to nor contradict each other. They neither divide nor unite each other; however, deep the traces the one leaves upon the structure of the other.

As indicated earlier, they are like body and soul, indivisible, but they have no common aim or meaning. Therefore, their reciprocal relationship is quite different from the relationship in art between spontaneity and convention, between the will to expression and its means, between form and content (Alexander 48). The study of art encourages anthropologists to deal with the temporality of cultural processes, to connect the experimental dimension of culture, the immediacy of performance with longer-term and more general processes. Works of art have different durations.

Art can be one of the channels through which the image of a culture is conveyed across time and space (Hauser 84). However, the images created in this way often involve cultural stereotypes that belong to the consuming culture rather than the producing culture. The processes of selection and interpretation can create a simplified, essentialized, a temporal image of a particular society which bears little relation to its recent history or contemporary existence (Perkins and Horward 62).

However, the critique of the appropriation of art to create a representation of other cultures must not itself be essentialized to cover all places and times. It has been recognized that such essentialization denies the agency of indigenous peoples in both the past and present. Indigenous people have often used art as a means of economic survival, as a demonstration of skills and cultural values, and as a means to assert cultural identity in a changing world (Hauser 113).

Changing anthropological ideas has impacted the role art galleries and museums play as repositories of cultural artifacts. Two almost unrelated processes have made exciting places. First, they have been properly recognized as valued repositories of cultural and historical archives providing a resource that allows for the reanalysis of contact history, colonial processes, material culture changes, and so on (Hauser 114). Second, indigenous peoples have discovered their pasts in the collections.

They are using museums as a means of accepting the loss. For instance, they see the preservation of past histories as a source of strength, giving them unique identities within the nation, states that have incorporated them. Museums and art galleries have become spaces for contesting the stereotyped images of the past and challenging the assumptions of the present (Alexander 86).

Thematic analysis of a photograph and a picture from the Museum of Modern Arts (MoMA) in New York

In a contemporary context, the notion of the museum has, like, art, been exported and differentially adopted or rejected, based upon its relevance to a particular nation or range of cultures. Collection, preservation, and display are now no longer the province of museums as Western institutions. They have entered a cross-cultural space where their value is reappraised (Perkins and Horward 79). Significant yet invigorating challenges to art institutions are presented by the participation of artists with different cultural backgrounds. Contemporary artists producing work in styles that range from historical to experimental have increasingly engaged with art institutions and, in so doing, presented alternative conceptions of art as cultural knowledge (Hauser 118).

As mentioned earlier, art is very much related to society. To understand the relationship between art and society, this report examines several photographs.

The picture above brings fresh memories of World War 1 (Museum of Modern Arts. org). World War 1 was also called ”The Great War”. Other terms used to refer to the war also include such notions as ‘The War to End All Wars’ (Tucker and Roberts 27). The main participants in World War 1 include Great Britain, France, the United States, and Russia. All these Allied nations fought on the same side against Central powers. The latter included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey. The use of sophisticated weapons marked world War 1 despite the fact the world had not experienced the technological advancements present today. One such weapon used in the war was tanks.

World War 1 saw the first encounter between rival tanks on the battlefield. It took place on April 24, 1918, outside the village of Villers-Bretonneux on the western front (Tucker and Roberts 36). It involved Britain and German tanks and lasted for one hour. Battles in which one group of tanks fights against another are a common feature of all modern wars. However, they were very rare during World War 1. This is because, while the British, French, and later the U.S. Armies deployed many tanks in their battle from the fall of 1916, there were very few tanks on the German side for them to fight against (Tucker and Roberts 57).

Germany made the only type of tank, the A7V, during the war, and these only came into service in early 1918. In the end, only about 20 A7Vs were ever built, compared with the many hundreds of Allied machines that would fight in all the major battles later in 1918 (Doeden 68). Generally, the Germans made use of captured Allied, usually British tanks. There probably only two occasions in the war when the tank fought against the tank.

The action at Villers-Bretonneux took place during the series of great German offensives on the western front in the spring of the final year of the conflict. Therefore, the above photograph from the MoMA collection refreshes the memories of the battlefronts in World War 1 between Central powers and Allied forces. It also enlivens the role of Britain in the war, as it was very instrumental. The U.S. only entered the war in 1917, a year before it ended.

The second picture from MoMA that is going to show the relationship between art and society is shown below.

The above picture by George Grosz expresses resentment that accompanied the aftermath of World War 1. Just like many of his generation, Grosz had volunteered to fight in the war. The experience he got from the war changed his artistic approach significantly. It was affected by his encounters in battlefields with death and destruction. He developed resentment for war and the Germans in general. This is evident from the way he depicts German militarism in the above picture. This perception led to his dislike for Germans, whom he considered ugly, obese, and degenerate (Museum of Modern Arts. org 1).

The picture serves the purpose of depicting the kind of perceptions the war soldiers had even after the war ended. Many of them died in the battles. Many were alienated from their families. Some survived the ordeal but sustained injuries that led to mental or physical incapacitation (Museum of Modern Arts. org 2). At one time, Grosz was admitted to a mental hospital and was consequently discharged from the war as unfit.

As such, this picture is a depiction of the kind of perceptions of war that society had after the World War. The war had served as a lesson that battlefields were not the best solutions for arriving at an agreement. Ideal peace could not be gotten from battlefronts. War is never a solution for peace. Even today, memories of that war are still fresh to the minds of those who lost their loved ones in the battles (Museum of Modern Arts. org 2).

Relating the analysis to a modern visual art based on the U.S.- a slogan for Liberty Gardens

As mentioned earlier, the U.S. had remained neutral for the most part of World War 1. However, it joined the war in 1917 following aggression by Germany when it sank the former’s luxurious ocean line, Lusitania (WordPress.com 3).

When the war ended, there was much for the country to show from it. One of the phenomena in the U.S that traces backs its origin from the First World War is urban gardens. During World War 1, and even to some extent, WWII, gardening became a nationalistic and rewarding activity for all Americans (WordPress.com 3). It should be noted that all of Europe was at war; hence the people who were supposed to be working in farms to supply the masses with food were in battles. This led to a sharp decrease in food production.

Although the U.S. was not involved in the war for the first three years, it had to cut down its consumption. Meat and wheat products were rare. As such, community gardens sprang up everywhere. With the U.S entering the war in 1917, there was a dire need for increased food supplies (WordPress.com 4). The community gardens program was reinforced when the National War Garden Commission was formed. The commission’s mandate was to publicize the initiative through various, many means such as posters and cartoon which carried different slogans (WordPress.com 2). The picture below represents such a slogan.

Although the growth of the gardens dropped after the war, a large number of people still kept their gardens. They used them in the victory garden movement in the Second World War. Since then, the concept of urban gardens has remained part of the U.S culture up to date.

Works Cited

Alexander, Victoria. Sociology of the Arts: Exploring Fine and Popular Forms. London: Wiley-Blackwell, 2003. Print.

Doeden, Matt. Weapons of World War 1. New York: Capstone Press, 2008. Print.

Hauser, Arnold. The Sociology of Art. London: Routledge, 1982. Print.

MoMA.org. The Collection. 2011. Web.

Perkins, Morgan and Morphy Horward. The Anthroplogy of Art. London: John Wiley & Sons, 2006. Print.

Tucker, Spencer and Mary Roberts. World War 1: A Student Ecyclopedia. ABC-CLIO: Amsterdam, 2005. Print.

WordPress.com. History of Urban Agriculture. 2008. Web.

Zolberg, Vera. Constructing a Sociology of the Arts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Print.

Introduction

Art exhibition refers to the activity or process whereby things such as art, activities, talent, and products are displayed for public viewing. In other words, this is an event at which different aspects of art are presented in a public arena for the purpose of showing the value, quality, or traits associated with those aspects to audiences of interest. Art exhibition plays a key role in today’s contemporary society, where art remains a significant aspect of human life. One of the key roles and benefits of the art exhibition is that it helps to advance and promote the value of different aspects of art, thus enabling artists to achieve their goals in those aspects (Camarero, Garrido & Vicente, 2010).

More importantly, an exhibition of artistic works does not only help to create awareness, but it also draws special interest to the work being showcased, thus enhancing its monetary value. Obviously, good work or quality is presented in exhibitions where the targeted audience can have the opportunity to reach them freely and make strong judgments about them in terms of value and quality, among other traits. This research paper examines various aspects of an art exhibition in contemporary society through a number of topics as follows.

What Is Event Planning?

This refers to the process of organizing and managing social or art-related projects or activities. These activities may include but are not limited to exhibitions, conventions, meetings, forums, team building activities, and parties, among other social events. In other terms, event planning is the process of coordinating all aspects of a social project or activity to ensure that it is successfully implemented. Some of the key aspects associated with event planning include budgeting, designing of timelines, selection and reservation of the function sites, identification of venue for potential activities, food and beverage arrangements, transport coordination, equipment and facility arrangement, risk management, and development of contingency plans (Lawson, 2000).

The entire process of event planning starts with a focus on the goal that the event owner intends to attain. The event planner then engages in the arrangement and coordination of every detail that would be necessary for making the event successful at the end. In this regard, important aspects or units of the function at hand are identified and chosen by the planner and arranged to present the agenda of the activity in the most effective manner.

Among other key responsibilities, event planners are also entrusted with the role of identifying event sites or venues and prospective guests for the function at hand. More importantly, it is also their responsibility to know how the guests will get to the event.

As a matter of fact, event planning is a strategic aspect of an art exhibition, which calls for a lot of dedication and commitment. This is because the process entails many tasks that should be put together to ensure that the desired goals are achieved by both the planner and the owner or sponsor of the event. In order to successfully meet its objectives, event planning is carried out in the following key steps.

Development of function objectives

The first thing as far as this crucial process is concerned is to come up with an attainable goal of the function or event being prepared. This mainly involves the reason as to why the event is being organized and the goal that the event sponsor wishes to achieve.

Organizing a team

Team effort is necessary for the success of any event. In this regard, event planners will need to identify a team of key people that comprises officials and committee members for various units of the events they are managing (Fox et al., 2003). These units would include venue management, entertainment, speakers, sponsors, publicity, and volunteer management, among other units.

Date Setting

The next step is to set a date for the event, and this is done with some important considerations in mind. For instance, the planner should assign enough time to the planning process, depending on the nature of the function being organized. They should also be aware of any statutory, national, and religious holidays that may collide with the event. More importantly, it is necessary to confirm prospective function dates with key participants in the event, such as presenters, speakers, and guests, among other players.

Branding the event

For their events to stand out, planners should select a compelling theme that differentiates them from competitors. This goal can be achieved by the application of different approaches that include the use of brainstorm names or titles, creating compelling taglines, and designing an attractive logo that represents the event better.

Designing a Master Plan

A Plan comprising of all aspects of the event is designed to offer a smart guideline of how the entire process will be undertaken. These aspects include but are not limited to activities, speakers, venue and logistic plans, partner/sponsor management, and ways of registration to the event.

Determining administrative procedures

This entails how the planner will monitor important processes of the activity such as budget, registration, and speakers list, among other key aspects.

Identification and establishment of partnerships and sponsors

Event planners could decide whether they can attract sponsorships or even linkup with other associations to defray the expenses and diversify participation.

Creating a publicity plan

A publicity plan using different mediums of modern communication is essential to effectively carry the event’s message to the targeted audience. A good example here is through the use of interactive media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Whatsapp Messaging, among other common social networking sites.

Establishing Budget

A financial plan that takes into consideration all aspects featured in the Event Master Plan is drafted.

Determining the Evaluation Process

After setting up the objectives and goals for the event at hand, planners should make plans on the possible approaches that will be used to determine if the function is a success. This will help them identify their strengths as well as weaknesses as far as their job is concerned, thus creating room for future improvement.

Exhibition Requirements

There are several requirements that exhibitors should put into consideration in order to successfully plan and implement exhibition projects. These requirements would include all the necessary plans and arrangements that must be put in place before the event is launched. Following is a summary of the key exhibition requirements that exhibitors need to observe while planning for art exhibitions.

Completing the key exhibition plans

It is always necessary for exhibitors to ensure that all the exhibition plans and requirements have been put in place before the function can be launched (Erić, 2007). In this regard, a thorough revision of all the plans is essential to identify any loopholes in the arrangements and make a timely amendment to avoid failure of the project. These plans include things such as event objectives development, the formation of teams to take part in the event, preparation of a master plan, and creation of an effective publicity plan, among other key aspects.

Venue and cost plans

The venue is a key requirement in an exhibition that should come foremost in the mind of every exhibitor who is planning to showcase something to the public (Lee & Lin, 2010). Generally, exhibition shows can be held indoors or in open-air zones depending on the nature of the product or talent being showcased. In this regard, exhibitors should choose a suitable venue for their shows to ensure that the desired end goals are successfully achieved. Cost is another significant requirement for an exhibition that should be put into consideration when designing the activity. This is an inescapable requirement that should be handled wisely in ensuring that the exhibition goals are reached at a minimal cost.

Large Displays

Large displays using projectors or LCD HD screens are a key requirement in situations where the presentation of figures and data is necessary. In this regard, exhibitors must make arrangements to obtain large display systems that will be able to portray the intended message to the audience in the best form. Exhibitors can either purchase these displays or hire them from companies that offer such services at a fee.

Power supply

In most cases, all forms of the exhibition will need a power supply to operate. In this regard, exhibitors should ensure that the venue intended for the activity has a reliable power supply to facilitate easy coordination of those events and programs that require electricity to operate.

Art, Social and Corporate Events

Art, social and corporate events are three different forms of exhibition activities that are conducted differently from each other.

Art Events

These types of events mainly feature various products of Art as they are generated by human activities. These products mainly involve technical skills, and they include things such as paintings, photography, drawings, and carvings that represent different aspects of human life.

Social Events

Social events mainly comprise of activities involving people, and ones that are likely to bring people together for a common purpose (Lange, 2010). These events are mainly social, and they tend to feature a certain aspect of human life. Some good examples of social events include parties, family reunions, talent shows, weddings, graduation parties, fundraisers, and anniversaries, just to mention but a few. In most cases, these events are organized with the aim of enriching social life, celebrating an achievement, and promoting talent, among other purposes.

Corporate Events

This refers to those events that are held by corporations or businesses with the aim of marketing or promoting their products and services. In most cases, businesses tend to hold entertainment exhibitions and other events with the aim of reaching out to the public and creating awareness of their products and services.

Cover Invitation Promotional Materials

Cover invitation promotional materials are attractive design features that are mounted on the cover pages of invitation cards or pamphlets to help in promoting the objective of the message being passed. These design features include things such as logos, names, flowers, and other personalized invitation designs that are printed along with advertising messages on invitation cards to add more weight to the message.

These impactful materials or designs are applied with the aim of informing and delighting invitees using amazing ideas that can be welcomed by everybody and ones that are certain to attract many people to the intended function (Lupton, 2006).

An invitation design is the first aspect that greets the eye, and in that case, it has to efficiently communicate the essence of what event planners and sponsors are trying to achieve through the invitation. This need has, over time, led to the application of a variety of different printing techniques, both modern and conservative, that are likely to provide creative and compelling inspiration for invitations.

Ways of Promoting Art at the Exhibition

As it would be observed, there are various ways through which artists can promote their Art at the exhibition. Some of the most common approaches here are as follows.

Display Galleries

This is whereby artists get the opportunity to present their products at a gallery exhibition for people to see. Here, art products such as paintings, drawings, photography, and carvings are placed in fee-for-display gallery exhibitions where they are likely to attract the attention of viewers. Gallery display is one of the best ways through which artists can easily promote and market their products to the public.

Entertainment Exhibitions

This approach is common with social and corporate events, and it entails the use of various forms of entertainment for exhibition purposes. Here, impressive entertainment options such as music, dance, and comedy are used to draw large numbers of people to the show. An entertainment exhibition is the most convenient medium of an art exhibition, and it offers lots of opportunities for artists to showcase their products, talent, and qualities to the general public at minimal costs (Rectanus, 2002).

This form of display is open to a diverse range of audiences, and in that case, it offers artists a convenient platform to promote their products to a broader group that may be less informed about their artistic products.

Entertainment exhibitions offer a suitable platform for musicians intending to showcase their music to the public for promotional purposes. Here, artists are able to treat their fans with live music concerts, and they can also hand out free promotional giveaways such as DVDs, VCDs, and Audio CDs. Through this interactive medium of communication, artists use roadshows and other highly effective approaches to publicize their music and other artistic products, thus gaining fast recognition from the general public.

Social networking sites and interactive media

In a world where aspects of communication are changing so fast due to evolving globalization and technological trends, it is not enough for artists to rely on display galleries and entertainment exhibitions alone as approaches to showcase their products to the general public (Jernudd, 2005). Nowadays, artists have embraced modern mediums of communication to enhance the promotion of their products. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are serving as effective alternatives to traditional ways of an art exhibition.

Through these highly effective mediums, artists are able to reach out to diverse groups of people and communicate with them regarding their products. One major advantage of this approach is that it is less costly while being highly effective. Apart from social media, artists are also using other interactive mediums to promote their products to the public. These mediums include, but are not limited to, posters, press releases, catalogs, and exhibition cards.

References

Camarero, C., Garrido, M. J., & Vicente, E. (2010). Components of art exhibition brand equity for internal and external visitors. Tourism Management, 31(4), 495-504.

Erić, Z. (2007). Glocalisation, art exhibitions and the Balkans. Third Text, 21(2), 207-210.

Fox, F. D., Pearson, D. R., Senst, B. F., Brown, T., & Weinstein, S. (2003). U.S. Patent No. 6,584,447. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Jernudd, A. (2005). Reform and Entertainment: Film Exhibition and Leisure in a Small Town in Sweden at the End of the Nineteenth Century. Film History: An International Journal, 17(1), 88-105.

Lange, C. (2010). Visibility and involvement in effective arts marketing. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 28(5), 650-668.

Lawson, F. (2000). Congress, convention and exhibition facilities: Planning, design and management. New York: Architectural Press.

Lee, H. Y., & Lin, Y. C. (2010). A decision support model for scheduling exhibition projects in art museums. Expert Systems with Applications, 37(2), 919-925.

Lupton, E. (Ed.). (2006). DIY: Design It Yourself: A Design Handbook. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Rectanus, M. W. (2002). Culture incorporated: museums, artists, and corporate sponsorships. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press.

Moving into action was the next step and a new realm of modern art. It received a new understanding and became interdisciplinary. The relationship between the audience and a work of art was drastically transformed from observation to involvement as for the first time the viewer was placed in the art context. It managed to encompass time, space, the performer, and the observer as pieces of one whole.

Joseph Beuys, whose work is associated with the Fluxus movement, managed to cover all possible media including sculpture, painting, drawing, and action art in various combinations. The subjects ranged from political and social to psychological issues and the material usually united the organic with the synthetic to symbolize inseparability of nature and civilization. This idea is especially evident in How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare – a performative piece uniting the artist, honey, gold, metal, felt, and music. Every item is symbolic: honey stands for life, gold – for riches, hare – for death, metal is perceived as a means of conducting spiritual energy whereas felt is associated with safety.

Bruce Nauman attempted to unite Conceptualism, Minimalism, performance, and video arts with the purpose to create a unique ironical and often absurd artistic space based on his interest in political and philosophic issues. Political performance can be found in the South American Triangle depicting a suspended chair that is being tortured. It was aimed to criticize the totalitarian regime of South Africa and South America. One of the works featuring philosophic implications is One Hundred Live and Die that consists of four columns with 100 words connected with life and death (associated with different emotions and colors).

Yoko Ono was the pioneer of Conceptual Art. Her legacy marked a new step of performance: involvement of the viewer in the process of work completion. Since she rejected the idea that art had to be an object, many of her pieces were processes: e.g. Cloud Piece suggests the audience imagine digging a hole in the ground and filling it with clouds. In Cut Piece, she invited viewers to cut pieces of her garment to address the topics of materialism, gender, and class.

Public Support for Arts

Gerro researched to determine whether the members of public support the American arts industry. The author used evidence from the USA to make the pertinent determinations concerning this question. The research explores how the social status, the cultivation of esthetics, and attendance of artistic events affect the inherent attitudes of the cultural policies in the USA. The researcher sought to answer and addressed three critical research questions about the topic.

First, the research required to answer the question of whether the similar attributes of the public social status affect the attendance of artistic events. This research question also addressed the inquiry of whether the similarity of social status can affect the attitudes and opinions of funding the industry.

The second question addressed the issue of how public attendance of artistic events affects their willingness to fund the industry. This question was meant to determine whether the design of arts has transformed the perception of people towards the arts. Thirdly, the study sought to answer the inquiry concerning esthetic disposition. Specifically, it sought to determine whether this disposition affects the public funding of arts.

The inquiries were answered by a survey in both the USA and the UK to make determinations that were pertinent to the two countries. After the research, it was established that a white member of the public with high incomes was not necessarily supporting artistic funding (Gerro 24).

This implies that the level of income does not prompt the public to support or disregard the funding of arts. In the second question, it was determined that the people who attend the public artistic events support the funding of this industry. In essence, the critical interpretation of this finding is that the artists can create an emotional connection of satisfaction with the attendants.

However, the authors also identified some interesting disparities between USA and UK. The critical strong point of the research study is the fact that it analyzes the results in accordance to the affinity that exists between attendance of arts by the public, social setups and financial capability of the attendants.

In that regard, it has considered a wide scope that makes it credible and reliable. However, whereas this research has made crucial determinations regarding the funding of arts by the public, it is evident that there are some deficiencies in this research. Importantly, the researchers did not identify why the differences were noted between the two countries.

Teaching Artists in the USA

When it comes to the development of modern arts, it is important to focus on the artists who teach and train people about the various aspects of industrial practice. In this regard, Risner investigated about the hybrid life and commitment of artists who teach the arts. In specific, the paper sought to focus on the artists who train students on dance and aspects that are related to this field. The author noted that teaching artists had not been defined resolutely to determine their real descriptor.

In essence, their description has remained ambiguous and contestable in America. From a critical point of view, this is an indication that the present system has not embraced the comprehensive training program in pursuit of improvement. The researcher conducted a survey from a broad variety of dancing artists in the USA.

Particularly, the research focused on sixty-four dancing artists as the sample population for the study. Having carried out the research, it was established that three recounting and crucial themes were pertinent to the topic. First, insufficient preparation was identified as an important aspect that affected the effectiveness of the trainers. Secondly, the trainers incurred some critical challenges when undertaking the lessons.

The third issue was identified as the existence of many perspectives and view regarding the right way of training. In this regard, Risner identified that the industry has not determined the clear program and criteria of professionalization as well as certification (184). In other words, the pertinent personnel has not indicated the standards of evaluating and certifying the trainers.

The research study concluded with making recommendations about the possible ways of improving the dancing industry by introducing the tertiary dancing programs. Although the research made critical determinations, it should have included other related arts, such as music and instrumentation, in order to expand the scope of the research.

Artistic Involvement and Educational Performance

The availability of instruments is a critical determining factor when it comes to the success of arts in the USA. Accordingly, three researchers, including Young, Cordes, and Winner, sought to evaluate the relationship that exists between academic achievements and the students’ involvement in artistic works. Importantly, they wanted to determine whether the availability of artistic instruments at home and school can affect the academic achievements of children.

Although this research seems to concentrate in the academic autonomy of arts and education, it is a crucial study because it seeks to determine whether the development of arts can play a part in the failure of other sectors of the country. The research was conducted to focus on a period of ten years starting from 1998 to 2008. They compared the stated variables to different types of cognition, including participation in sports after classes, social factors, and economic aspects of the educational system.

It was established that students who were involved in sports after the class work performed better than the ones who did not participate in recreational activities (Young, Cordes, and Winner 9). Importantly, the ones who had access to musical instruments performed higher than those who could not get them.

Although this approach was effective, it was evident that the research did not take into consideration the indicative elements of parenting. Understandably, the attitudes of parents are also major factors that determine the success of students in school. As such, the effects caused by the availability of artistic instruments can be overshadowed by the attitudes of parents towards those instruments.

Freer and Bennet conducted similar research concerning the development of musical and academic identities among the university students. In essence, the researchers established that the musical artists and education have been on the opposite side for a long time. This conflict is intensified when the musician and teachers view themselves as members of one side rather than both parts.

The research conducted parallel research in both the USA and Australia whereby a sample of 72 participants was drawn from two urban universities from both countries. Through the survey that was conducted, it was established that musical identities are more visible than the educator’s persona. Essentially, the musical persona overshadows the latter and becomes the framework of determining the educators’ ideologies and techniques (Freer & Bennett 271).

Works Cited

Freer, Patrick, and Dawn Bennett. “Developing musical and educational identities in university music students.” Music Education Research 14.3 (2012): 265-284. Print.

Gerro, Tally. “Do individuals who attend the arts support public funding of the arts? Evidence from England and the USA.” Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events 4.1 (2012): 1-27. Print.

Risner, Doug. “Hybrid lives of teaching and artistry: a study of teaching artists in dance in the USA.” Research in Dance Education 13.2 (2012): 175-193. Print.

Young, Laura N., Sara Cordes, and Ellen Winner. “Arts involvement predicts academic achievement only when the child has a musical instrument.” Educational Psychology 4 (2013): 1-13. Print.

During the twentieth century, there was a significant shift in architecture from traditional designs to more original forms and aesthetics. While the majority of Modernist movements are now seen as experimental, Mid-Century Modern design has managed to transcend the history and remain popular even today. Mid-Century Modern style denotes the wave in design that became popular between the 1930s and the 1960s (Arnason and Mansfield 527). It is characterized by contemporary, and, at first glance, futuristic aesthetic. However, the key focus of the style is the combination of function and a unique design that is appealing to the eye.

In Chapter 32, Mid-Century Modern design is explored with the help of multiple examples of architecture, from skyscrapers to personal houses. The style of architecture is shown to combine functionalism and social relevance, which means that practicality goes hand-in-hand with aesthetic value. Frank Lloyd Wright immensely contributed to the development of the architectural style through working on the creation of a self-sufficient community of schools, parks, detached houses, and farms, all of which were intended to have utilitarian value while also being pleasant to the eye. Le Corbusier is considered one of the most prominent representatives of Mid-Century Modern architecture, with Villa Savoye being the marking the pinnacle of his work (Arnason and Mansfield 531).

Le Corbusier embedded several architectural characteristics into Mid-Century Modern design, including a free interior plan, the roof garden, the free façade, horizontal windows, as well as narrow pillars that support the house. Free plans in interiors are essential for the design because they allow architects to experiment with shapes and placement. Thus, the exterior of the buildings is characterized by the sharpness and cleanliness of forms, while the interiors play a functional role in making spaces warm and appealing.

Work Cited

Arnason, H.H., and Elizabeth Mansfield. History of Modern Art. 7th ed., Pearson, 2012.

Introduction

Many would say that art is an important aspect of human life and it is also a way you can express personal feelings. In history art also plays a vital role in the changes of life over time. But for some, it is also a way you show love and it is even one of the most treasured gifts someone can give to his loved one. This paper is aimed at highlighting the ways and means of classifying and appreciating art, particularly if it’s modern and classic art.

Classic Art

The classical style of art have been those of portraits, still, life, landscape, and the genre itself were used as subjects for the different forms of artworks. Those that were painted and sculpted were exact images of the objects where the images were patterned after. However, cubists and Fauves followed immediately though it still used the different sensible objects only in such a way that representations of such were used instead of the actual objects. Realism was thought to have a new dynamic and kinetic form that shows action and a different meaning for the audience. But real subjects remained to be the object of cubism and fauvism artists. (Pasmore, 1957)

To provide an exact example of how classical art normally looks like:

The above-shown painting is Jan Van Eycks “Ghent Altarpiece”. Many see this piece of artwork as a reflection of the community. There’s a picture of female – which is Eva; there’s male – which is Adam; there are the members of the church – the leaders and the followers; there are the activities conducted inside and outside the church. But behind all these scenes or pictures are various stories which are also clear reminders of how we humans act in a very humanly manner. Indeed, Eycks’s painting is very classical in approach. The faces are clear, the scenes and meanings of every scene are very clear to whoever might view this painting.

Modern Art

Modernism, it was during this time where American artist starting to establish their presence in the field of Arts specifically in paintings. Many Americans during that time either went to France to get a formal study on Arts and improve their skills and be able to have brought those skills once they go back to the US. There were also some instances where French artists would visit the US and then provide some skills enhancement to the country.

The French artists which are also known as “wild beast” are among the early radicals that gave greater impact in the world of Art in the year 1905 and it was greatly felt in the US and it provides much ease in the country’s ambitious artists out of their usual academic instead an opportunity to focus on and some of the famous painters during that time which are now considered as icons are Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Arthur Dove (Cotter, Holland, 1997).

Modernism is known as the movement in visual arts, music, literature that rejected the old Victorian standards of how art should be made, consumed, and what it should mean for the people who patronized it the most, and this at around 1910 to 1930. From the literary perspective, there are some characteristics where you can consider its modernism, and these are the following:

1. high emphasis on impressionism and subjectivity in writing, which means it should give importance to how the perception of the Art should take place rather than what is being perceived.
2. Also a way for the Art to be in touch with what the third person has to say or narrated or they termed as fixed clear-cut moral positions.
3. It should have certain distinction and at the same time giving a more poetic outcome
4. Emphasis on discontinuous narratives and a mix of randomly formed and different materials.
5. Tendency towards reflexivity or self-consciousness
6. favor more on the minimalist design and lastly
7. Is the rejection between high and low of popular culture.

The movement of American Art to modernism only shows that these are the years where they are trying to develop their skills and knowledge in the field of Arts where the French-dominated during these times. These results to some greater opportunity grab by the European specifically the French Artists where not only they can have exposure to the American soil by having exhibits or providing some teaching to them.

Neo-Dada is a common label applied for visual arts; this was exemplified through its use of modern materials, very popular imagery, and absurdist contrast. The term Neo-Dada was made popular in the year 1960 by Barbara Rose and was referred to a group of artwork developed during that year and up to its preceding decade. As Neo-Dadaist was also termed call for the artist during that time. Some well-known modern artists include Jasper Johns, Yves Klein, Robert Rauschenberg, Claes Oldenburg, and Jim Dine. Other notable artists are Lee Bontecou, John Chamberlain, Bruce Conner, Allan Kaprow, and Jasper Johns (Neo-Dada, 2006).

On the other hand, Pop Art is also a grouped and artwork termed in the past. It was also an artistic movement that happens in the late 1950s. It was exemplified with the use of themes and techniques drawn from mass culture and it was backed up by advertising and comic books. It was also the time of optical illusions and abstract expressions. Pop Art is also considered to have a wider range of audiences and is very academic. The term was founded in the year 1958 by British critic Laurence Alloway in response to works by Richard Hamilton and others. Some of the very notable artists during these times are Christian Ludwig Attersee, Derek Boshier, Patrick Caulfield, Dimitrius, and Jim Dine (Pop Art, 2006).

Some of the early US Artist like Man Ray who one of his famous works comes from a photography project entitled “Paris Rooftops, St Sulpice” in 1925. During this time Man ray was in France where he developed his skills in photography. This Paris photography symbolizes a high standard of french with regards to arts and fashion. Where it was also during this date where the French and American edition of “vogue” publish his fashion photographs. (Man Ray a Practical Dreamer, 2001).

Lyonel Feininger is also another earlier artist in the US where one of his famous projects that are also displayed in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts is the Manhattan, the Tower in the year 1944. This was the year where many changes in American History is coming to evolved. Manhattan tower was of great influence to Lyonel because during that time The Manhattan Project was granted the highest project-wide procurement priority and the exact date was July 1, 1944 (The Manhattan Project, 1999).

Barnett Newman is another popular American artist that made popular to different types of works like painting, photography, and sculptures. One of his works was the ZIM ZUM in the year 1969. This reflects the common style he does in his works which varies to densities of a particular color rather than through lines or discrete shapes. It shows perceptual values of objects or spaces in the world outside painting (Barnette Newman, 2006).

Another American artist in the early era was Lorser Feitelson who was very much influenced by the European modernist ideas in most of his projects. One of his famous works was “Genesis First Version” in 1934 and the medium used was oil on Celotex. This work only describes the objective style and dept which came out in its result. It is also a reflection of how he works within the classical figurative context (Lorser Feitelson, 2006).

Lastly in the early times of American Art is Dorothea Lange, who was made famous for her black and white paintings during the years 1930’s. In all his works it reflects his love of countryside sites such as this one. This work was used in gelatin silver print and from this work he showcases the calmness of the countryside and peacefulness (Works by Dorothea Lange, 2006).

In the later era, some fine and famous American artists were well known like the first one is Andy Warhol, he is one of the known figures during the Pop Art movement. One of his well-known works was during the year 1960s where he began painting and it was in the year 1962 he painted “Red Liz” wherein he used synthetic polymer paint and silkscreen ink on canvas. This reflected his way of painting using silkscreen and this was taken as a reflection of his personality since he was a homosexual and even feels obsessed with coloring his hair to show his lady side ( Andy Warhol, 2006).

Bruce Nauman is another famous American artist and was widely acknowledged as one of the most important living artists. As a contemporary artist, he was also a widely skilled artist which includes, painting, sculptures, neon, photography, video, and drawing. One of his well-accepted works was “Study for Hologram” in the year 1970 using screen print on Kromekote paper. Nauman’s work usually comes from weird and violent comedy. In this specific work, he uses his own body as a sculptural material (Bruce Nauman, 2006).

Robert Rauschenberg was one of the main contributors to redefining American Art in the year 1950s and ’60s. A sculptor, painter, and graphic artist are some of the mediums he was made famous for during his time. One of his famous works of art was “Collection” in 1954. Wherein he uses different mediums which includes: oil, pencil, crayon, paper, canvas, fabric, newspaper, photographs, wood, glass, mirror, tin, cork and found painting with pair of painted leather shoes, dried grass, and Dominique hen mounted on the wood structure on five casters. This work was also highlighted the different vivid colors that make it a very attractive work done by Robert (Robert Rauschenberg, 2006).

Sol Lewitt is another American artist whose medium focuses on painting, drawing, and structures. He has been always a subject for the numerous solo exhibitions worldwide which started in 1965. One of the famous work done was “Steel Structure” in 1975 This work only shows his creativity in creating structures that usually originates from the cube which influence him even before he became an artist (Sol Lewitt, 2006).

Lastly in the later art era was Katherine Sherwood, Also one of the famous American artists in the present time. Most of her work used mixed media on canvas. One of her famous works was “Stimulating” in 2000. This work shows the elegance and superior quality in terms of her use of well-defined color in every work she does. The feminine side of style is also reflected in all her works (Works by Cathering Sherwood, 2006).

A sample of art with a very modern approach is:

The above-shown painting of Massacio is Adam and Eve, in a seemingly barren land. There’s no one in the area but the two. In this painting, there is a clear reflection that Adam and Eve are very much ashamed of something. Masscio’s is more on the anti-classical or modern type of art. The viewers will have to take a second or third look too deeply grasp what is being “implied” in the painting. There is no direct inclination of what is it about.

Conclusion

Indeed, there are very simple concepts on how one can identify classic art from modern art. Classic arts are more naturalistic, what you see is what you get. Everything from its message to its purpose is reflected in the image or the art itself. Modern arts, on the other hand, normally use various approaches just to imply its message. The message or the purpose of the maker of such art is not implied, but by taking a closer look, studying the image or the art deeply, one can then classify the art’s purpose. This is the very reason why some people consider modern art as loud, abstract, or noisy. But there is one common denominator between classic and modern art – and that is the fact that both are the product of one’s creative imagination, and however clear or unclear the message will be, it deserves appreciation and respect.

References:

Andy Warhol. Artelino – Art Auctions. 2006. Web.

Barnette Newman. BookRags. 2006. Web.

Bruce Nauman. Nucleo Historico. 2006. Web.

Cotter, Holland. “U.S. Modernism: The Domestication of Parisian Beast“. The New York Times. 1997. Web.

“Ghent Alterpiece”. 2006. Web.

Lorser Feitelson. Tobey C. Moss Gallery. 2006. Web.

Man Ray a Practical Dreamer. 2001. Web.

“Massaccio’s adam and Eve”. 2006. Web.

“Neo-Dada” Wikepedia The Free Encyclopedia. 2006. Web.

Pasmore, V. 1957. Abstract Painting and Sculpture in England. The World of Abstract Art. George Wittenborn, New York.

“Pop Art” Wikepedia The Free Encyclopedia. 2006. Web.

Postmodernism. 2003. Web.

Robert Rauschenberg. The LightMillennium. 2006. Web.

“Sol Lewitt” Wikepedia The Free Encyclopedia. 2006. Web.

The Manhattan Project. 2006. Web.

Works by Catherine Sherwood. San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts. 2006. Web.

Works by Dorothea Lange. San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts. 2006. Web.

Artistic Modernism

It is a well-known fact that social interrelations, political ideologies, and conditions are deeply connected with artistic movements. This also can be applied to Artistic Modernism that emerged in the late 19^th century and provoked the shift in the artistic perspectives of the following century. At those times, the technological progress and economic growth gathered momentum, and the rapid changes induced the increase in mass consumption. Modernism can be considered as an opposition to mass culture, and the emphasis of the modernist artwork is on its uniqueness and autonomy.

It was a shared opinion of all the modernists that industrialization contributes to the decline of the handicraft. Therefore, any work made with hands and out of industrial “machine-system” regarded as the superior form of production (Morris 148). Therefore, the development of handicraft and an attempt to move away from the industrialized production are the main features of the Modernist movement.

The anti-capitalist ideas are perfectly reflected in the art of William Morris. Although he admitted that technology and machinery production is, to some extent, important for the provision of better living conditions, they also negatively influence the human labor and cause “degradation of life” (Morris 151). The opposition of mass production to the handmade artistic work can also be regarded as the opposition of the inhuman and soulless to the infinite and spiritual that is comprised of beauty.

The ideological rejection of the industrial development made modernists return to nature and its forms. The artists expressed themselves with the dynamic and well-balanced lines; they refused the sharp and edgy figures in favor of more natural lines. The forms of art objects are flexible and flowing. The furniture made by modernist artists is simple yet functional. The artists strained after elegance and naturalness. The features of flora and fauna are the common subjects represented in the modernist artworks.

The resistance to the ugliness and vulgarity of the industrialization was the ground for the Modernism. The majority of the artists felt indignation in the face of the inevitable changes, social and political as well, and the fast pace of development. The modernists’ propensity to natural forms and colors is an attempt to bring more humanity to production and save something of the traditions that were at risk of vanishing. The modernist artworks are the manifestations of the beauty that is the highest value for all the artists of all times.

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau is the phenomenon that appeared at the junction of the centuries. It was a long-going process of the creative movements’ transformation from the traditions of the past into an innovative form of art that spoke: “a new, autonomous, artistic language” (Muthesius 74). The plasticity of forms, the floral patterns, and symbolism was common for the majority of the Art Nouveau artists.

They were dedicated to nature and the spiritual origins that were most often expressed in the feminine images. The fact that the male images were almost completely eliminated from the artists’ works proves that the ideas linked to women figures were of the greatest significance for Art Nouveau.

One of the most prominent representatives of the Art Nouveau movement was Alfonse Mucha. The development of the cinema industry invoked the creation of the advertising posters, and those who were executed by Mucha always became a great success. Therefore, Alfonse Mucha was in the head of the Art Nouveau mass production. Nevertheless, even the works that were created for advertisement and a mere drawing public attention by the visual effects were endowed with meanings and references to spirituality and inherent feminine qualities of purity and beauty.

In his famous series “The Four Seasons,” created in 1896, Mucha depicts women as the embodiment of particular states of nature. The image of a woman, therefore, is full of allegoric meaning. In the artistic conception, the seasons of the year possess feminine qualities of lightness, sensuality, and inscrutability. The most feminine quality of nature is its fertility. Autumn is perceived as the time of the harvest that nature nurtures for months, just like a woman who gives birth to children.

The image of Mucha’s “Autumn” is deeply interrelated with the image of a pregnant woman, and the connection between those two is of great significance. According to Art Nouveau symbolism, a female is a medium between natural mysticism and the rational human world. In the shape of a woman, the artist depicts nature itself; therefore, the women in the Art Nouveau artistic works are exclusive of any mundane qualities and can be regarded rather as Orphic and mythological creatures.

The symbolism of the feminine images and their abundance in the Art Nouveau artistry proves that the concepts of nature and mysticism are significant for this artistic movement and constitute its original worldview, distinct from the other movements in art. The women are the embodiments of nature and its ever-changing qualities: softness or severity, warmness or coldness, benevolence or cruelty, etc. The contrast of women to nature, on the other hand, endows them with goddess-like qualities and transfers their human worldliness to the scale of mythology.

Works Cited

Morris, William. The Revival of Handicraft, 1888.

Muthesius, Hermann. The Significance of Applied Art, 1907.

The first half of the twentieth century happened to be fruitful in innovative techniques and new ideas in every aspect of the human life. Major reformations affected not only political influences, social systems, and economies, but also the subtle levels of human existence – the cultural sphere with its array of art forms. The new art movements sparked in many parts of the globe all at once – each with its own set of characteristics, ideologies, and serving a particular purpose. The most notable movements included Impressionism, then Cubism, Expressionism, Fauvism, Suprematism, Abstract art, proponents of which contributed immensely to the establishment of a new perspective on the role of art in society.

One of the first aims that the innovative artists addressed was the foundational aspects of painting. The fact that the academic painting had strict boundaries and a particular realistic aesthetic with meticulous brushwork and a set of rules to qualify did not suit their vision. The precursor of the radical forms of art now associated with challenging the artistic tradition does not look very extreme to a 21^st century viewer. Yet the first ones to question the purpose of art would be the Impressionists – with their idea of capturing a special atmosphere on canvas. Monet, Renoir, Degas tried to captivate “momentary and transient effects of sunlight” (Tate). They used small, chaotic brushstrokes as the core of their movement relied on an obsessively accurate depiction of natural light in different times of the day.

Impressionism was born out of the necessity to break the stale academic norms of traditional painting, and the movements that followed revolutionized art even further. Expressionism, Cubism, and Fauvism challenged the old ways on a broader scale: these styles were embracing the artist’s immediate feeling and de-constructed its subjects to the point of being unrecognizable. Munch, Picasso, and Matisse were inventing new techniques for expressing their vision in a completely subjective perspective – “an extreme subjectivity is underlined, with the artist as a creator, driven by inner necessity” (Furness, p. 17). From then onward, an artist claimed a new role for himself, that of a true creator and a visionary. Prior to the Modern era, their role was essentially limited to that of a decorator. Avant-garde movements rejected this derogatory perception – now, art should not imitate real-life objects and the artist should be free to invent a new visual language.

However, the biggest reimaging of art was done by the Russian avant-garde. The great art ideologists such as Malevich or Kandinsky questioned the foundation of an artistic subject matter, feeling the change of the times the strongest. Malevich wrote: “Academic naturalism, the naturalism of the Impressionists, Cezanneism, Cubism — all these are nothing more than dialectic methods” thus, rejecting the revolutionary forms of the past and deducing the formula for true art – a non-objective one.

The movements at the dawn of the Modern era were not uniform and evolved immensely, often with one artist going through phases in terms of style and form. However, the unifying factor that is even more apparent from the contemporary perspective is that each of them contributed to the development of the essential idea of art. The historical context of a rising industrial and scientific revolution only pushed the boundaries even further, allowing for more radical ideas to materialize.

The fuman form was served as the prime subject for artists from around the globe for milleniums. Humans depicted themselves since the very dawn of humanity’s existence, with entire cultures unfolding around a certain perception or style. The reason for studying this phenomenon lies in the never-ending interest of one’s identity, and different nations and tribes have done it in a pleiad of ways. With Mark Antokolsky’s Mephistopheles and an African sculpture of a “King Mishe mi’Shyaang ma’Mbul” this essay explores the differences and core characteristics of the two in an attempt to paint an well-rounded universal human perception of their own kind.

As it is evident at the first glance on these works, each is entirely different from the other. The style, the material, the very aim of each sculpture argues with the other work. Antokolsky’s piece is an elegant reflection of European tradition spanning from Ancient Greece to the present days – white marble, realistic human anatomy, dynamic, flowing poses serve as the building blocks of a typical European-style academic sculpture. It represents the millennium-old cultural obsession of European people: the glorification of human corporeal form as the apotheosis of nature’s expression. However, the subject matter is not the one that is often glorified: Mephistopheles is a demon portrayed in a human form. The character serves as a reminder for people to be vary of such advisors as him: in “Faust”, “Mephistopheles does not show true concern for Faustus’ soul, constantly deceiving him” (Rowland, 2016). The reason for its creation is suggested to be the one for immortalizing the Mephistopheles character, while also romanticizing the ambiguity of his nature.

The sculpture of an African king is called “ndop”, which is a form of statue, typically wood or clay, that serves as a posthumous portrait of a leader or other significant figure. The lines and shapes of a sculpture are much more “honest” and abstract – the subjectivity and stylization according to the artist’s view is celebrated in tribal art. In a way, this kind of artwork is free from any preexisting features it has to meet, except for the obvious cultural influence from a particular tribe. It serves a similar purpose to the Mephistopheles’ one, in the way that it immortalizes a certain figure, however, it does that from a completely different frame of mind. Rather than “humanizing” the subject, it turns it into a kind of a spirit – dwelling in the abstract planes of being it bears the characteristics of.

At first impression, the statues have absolutely nothing in common. Nonetheless, despite them being from completely different regions and art traditions – what unifies them is a human point of view on themselves. Whether it is a historical figure or a fictional character, the desires and aims of the authors is readable through the lines. The desire to preserve a unique outlook, a particular human identity, to remember is the same regardless of cultural, economic, geographic or religious context all over the globe.

Works Cited

Rowland, B. “Doctor Faustus vs. Mephistopheles, or The Unfair Bargain”. Owlcation.

Introduction

Each period in the history of art is characterized by its specific features. The modern art encompasses the period from the late XIX century to the second half of the XX century. The artists of that period worked in various genres expressing their world perception and the peculiarities of time. The painting, sculpture, architecture, graphic arts, and many other types and genres were represented in the modern art of 1905-1935. The modernists and impressionists of that time were eager to express their perception of reality in their works. They created their own styles, which became the subject of study of the art researchers.

The aim of this essay is to describe the painting Joy of Life by Henri Matisse, the sculpture The Kiss by Constantin Brancussi, and to present the vintage print illustration of 1930s.

The Discussion

The first modern art work, which I am going to discuss, is the painting Joy of Life by Henri Matisse. It was created in 1906. The medium of the artwork is oil on canvas (“Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre” n.pag.). The work perfectly reflects the modern tendencies of that period. Lassaigne and Stuart claim that “he never ceased probing the mystery of the creative process and applied an intelligence far above the average to discovering the origins of his art” (15).

The painting Joy of Life depicts the bright sunny day, the trees shining in the sun, and people enjoying their life. This work by Henri Matisse reflects the pleasures of life. We can see the figures of people in the painting. All of them enjoy the moments of life. Some dance, others play the musical instruments or communicate. We can also see the pair kissing on the grass.

The painting Joy of Life is the perfect example of the surrealism in the visual arts. If you look at the work, you will, undoubtedly, see that the objects of nature and the images of people are depicted in the unusual form. The artist tried to deviate from the traditional art conceptions and to express his own perception of reality (“Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre” n.pag.). The work lacks the objective depiction of the surrounding world. Rather, the feelings and moods play the crucial role in the expression of the reality.

The second work of art, which I want to discuss, is the sculpture The Kiss by Constantin Brancussi. The scholars state that the processes of creation the sculpture and the painting are substantially different as the former represents the transition of the vision into the volume, whereas the later is about reflection of the vision in a number of the abstractive forms (Valentiner 5).

The sculpture The Kiss represents the single block with the depicted traces of the human bodies. It is the bright example of the impressionism in sculpture. The medium of the work is the limestone. We can see that the sculpture represents the embracing and kissing pair. Brancussi created the figures with the minimum features. We can only notice the hands, the hair, the eyes, and the lips. Undoubtedly, the sculptor tried to uncover the theme of love in his work. It is argued that “The Kiss presents a symbolic rendering of a male and a female body merging into one”(“Modern and Contemporary Art” n.pag.).

The third art work, which I am going to present, is the print illustration of 1930s. The art work was included in the book of French stories for children. The illustration represents the vintage in art. The size of the work is 7″ x 8 1/2″. The medium of the work is the pencil on paper. Isabelle Lehuu stated that the art of print illustration resulted from both volume and style (Lehuu 3). There were different views regarding the essence of print illustrations and their purposes. Despite the criticism, the print illustrating achieved its recognition as the separate kind of art. “The art of book-illustrating, which has its finest success in the intelligent wedding of picture and text, unfolding originality within limits set, is practised, in these times, by a number of able and discriminating artists” (Weitenkampf 216).

The 1930’s Vintage illustration depicts the pair in the sunny summer day. The romantic couple takes the central position in the illustration. The gentleman gives a bouquet of flowers to the young girl, who holds the lambs. The background of the illustration shows the large yew tree, the summer sky, and the river. We can also notice the girl’s hat lying on the grass. The artist created the illustration in the soft colors.

Conclusion

In order to sum up all above mentioned, it should be said that the art of the period between 1905 and 1935 is characterized by the various genres and styles. The modernism, impressionism, expressionism, surrealism, and other art movements represent this period in the art history. The painting by Henri Matisse, the sculpture by Constantin Brancussi as well as the book print illustration of the 1930s have been discussed in the essay.

Works Cited

Lassaigne, Jacques, and G. Stuart. Matisse: Biographical and Critical Study, Geneve: Skira, 1959. Print.

Lehuu, Isabelle. Carnival on the Page: Popular Print Media in Antebellum America, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2000. Print.

“Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre”. Smarthistory.khanacademy.org. n.d. Web.

“Modern and Contemporary Art”. Philamuseum.org. n.d. Web.

Valentiner, William R. Origins of Modern Sculpture, New York: Wittenborn, 1946. Print.

Weitenkampf, Frank. American Graphic Art, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1924. Print.

Introduction

The theme for the exhibition is ‘Nature, Life Man and Abstract’ on how various artists have attempted to depict nature, life, man in the abstract form. The exhibition would feature works of six artists and would display selected works that show an abstraction of how these artists have shown nature and life, as it relates to human. Man is an integral part of nature and the everyday objects assume a different form when abstracted with the human mind. The displays are unique and have served as the starting of a new genre in modern art. The artists are from different countries and from different backgrounds, all united by the common theme of creativity and abstract modern art. Ranging from installations, to paintings and sculpture, the exhibits would attempt to highlight how these artists from different backgrounds interpret art. Some of the subjects handled range from animals, to objects and human misery and suffering and excesses. The exhibition is designed to show the diversity that makes up the world of artists.

Floor plan

The floor plan is illustrated in the following figure, along with a info about the artists and their works.

The exhibits would be displayed three in a row and the placement is shown as below. Efforts are taken to ensure that there is proper grouping of the artists. Each work is numbered and the layout shows where the exhibit would be placed. The works of Mary Platt, Richer and Newman would be placed in one row as indicated by the numbers, 1, 2 and 3. This is done because the works relate to depiction of life forms other than humans. The works of Moore, Mondariaan and Picasso are placed in the next row and depicted by numbers such as 4, 5 and 6. This is done since the works are pure abstractions.

Mary Pratt – Canada

Mary Pratt was an artist who used common items found in the kitchen and made installations using them. She attempts to bring to fore the imagery of the kitchen and juxtaposes them in a modern setting. Some of her works have been whimsical to the bold and included among other things baked apples, 2 lunch pails, eviscerated chickens on a Coca-Cola box and many others. She has influenced the world of modern art by leaving a fine imagination that would be hard to meet.

In this exhibition, one of her works titled ‘Silver Fish on Crimson Foil’ would be displayed. A picture of the exhibit is shown below.

In this work, a dead Cod fish is placed in a blood red aluminium foil. The foil appears to be crumpled and adds the visceral element to the work and underlines the dead fish. What strikes the viewer is the power of imagination and the play of the dead fish with blood red eyes that almost blends with the foil. The foil is crumpled and rippled with alternate patterns of light and red, showing how man, nature and life are intermingled. The white foil represents life and nature while the blood red colour shows the effect that man has on nature. The fish is helpless, lying dead with the mouth and head turned upwards, supplicating for life.

Germaine Richier – France

Richier based her works and sculpture on animals and nature. What is apparent in the sculpture is the angularity of the form, extremities that look claw like, the lines and the empty spaces combined with spindly forms. The artists specialises in depicting nature and its forms in torturous positions and some of her exhibits are very imaginary. These features gave her works an intense energy. Featured in this exhibition is ‘The Praying Mantis’ shown in the following figure

The sculpture is about the size of a human and appears crouched on the pedestal, ready to pounce on the viewer. The multitude of dark spindly appendages seem to be ready to seek out the viewer and there are some elements of the human forms that can be identified in the torso, the legs and the limbs. The spindly, skeletal limbs appear as if they have undergone and withstood the ravages of time, man and nature and the sculpture seems to be metamorphosing into human from the insect. She had once quoted “”I am more attracted by the trunk of a dead tree than by an apple tree in full bloom”. Her works were designed to be evocative, teasing and rather disturbing and no one can move away after seeing her works, without being effected in one way or the other.

Barnett Newman – USA

Barnett tries to depict suffering, death, rebirth and nature in his man works. He always attempted to create an emergent imagery that has elements of “spermazoid forms rising out of fertile chaos”. His works were always a reflection of the fecund nature and its readiness to give birth to life. Featured in this exhibit is one of the works ‘The Blessing’ and its image is as shown below.

The work was created in the World War II era that was drowned in human misery. The work seems to highlight the surrealistic fantasy in which the artist attempted to create his art and it depicts the emergence of life in the primitive sperm form against a non descript background that would be the host for life. The author refrained from giving any intense interpretations and depictions and has used the most basic of the forms that are unstructured and have a hidden symmetry. The red oval can be interpreted as the egg that is being fertilised by the sperm, shown again with red legs. The white image on the left can be seen as a phallus while the protrusion at the back can be seen as the gonads that have produced the sperm. The exhibit runs well with the theme of the exhibition. There is a latent depiction of rising emergence and the work should be interpreted in the chaos of the war that had consumed immense lives.

Henry Moore – Draped Reclining Figure

Henry Moore has been regarded as one of the foremost modern artist and has left an indelible impression on modern art with his sculpture of life, nature and its many forms. Deriving inspiration from natural objects, the artist has created sculptures that bring out the blend of man, nature and creation. Featured in this exhibition is one of his famous works ‘Draped Reclining Figure’, a picture of which is shown in the following picture.

The sculpture came up after he visited Greece and it was then that he started his shelter sketches. The exhibit is sitting in a reclined position and her stance could be regarded as relaxed but alert. She is sitting, by resting her weight on her elbows and there is a acute contrasting impression that the viewers sees, that of serenity and tension. Her dress falls in tight folds and represents the ancient Greek sculptures that show the hidden vitality and power that emerge from the cloth. She appears to be gazing at some far off object, lost and distant in her thought and it seems as if she is ruminating deeply about some thought.

Pieter Cornelis (Piet) Mondriaan, Netherlands

Piet Mondriaan was one of the pioneers of abstract Dutch painting and a key member fo the De Stijl art group that dabbled in Neo-Plasticism. He experimented with grids and lines that were primarily arranged in vertical and horizontal lines and used primary colours and their combination. Many of his paintings and symbols have been used in advertisements such as L’Oréal Paris hair gel. Featured in this exhibits is one of his earliest works ‘Checkerboard’ an picture of which is as shown below.

The work is a complex compositions of grids that form a checkerboard. This work has departed from his other works where he uses solid lines. In this work, the colours are in primary colours of blue red and yellow with some patterns of grey, black, white and the surfaces are are rectangular planes and prisms. There is an aesthetic balance is achieved by using opposition. The compositional elements are straight lines and rectangular areas and there is an avoidance of symmetry. Balance and rhythm are brought to the fore by creating relations of location and proportion. The work is relevant to the exhibit since the grids and squares on the checkerboard represent the diversity of life and nature and that is what the De Stijl art group attempted to depict. “The work reveals the strength of Mondrian’s Post-Impressionist roots – his debt to van Gogh and Munch and also to Cezanne and Seurat. And it shows how thoroughly grounded his abstraction was in the world, how specifically it derived from the trees, skies, sand dunes, windmills and churches of the Netherlands”.

Pablo Picasso – Massacre in Korea

Pablo Picasso was one of the mot famous artist who created his own form of art. The artists excelled in depicting life and nature in tortured and fragmented forms and there were elements of Cubism in his works. He was a prodigious artist and among his works are pottery, paintings, sculpture and many other media that he has used extensively to create some of the most vibrant works this world has seen. Featured in this exhibit is one of his works ‘Massacre in Korea’ and a picture of this work in shown in the following figure.

The painting represents the murder of innocent Koreans in the 1950. Hundreds of innocent Koreans were killed by bombarding and later by indiscriminate firing from US soldiers. The painting created immense controversy with an uproar being created the world over on the excesses of the US soldiers. In the painting, a group of nude women, some of whom are pregnant are standing helplessly while a group of soldiers are pointing guns and swords at them, in an act of firing. The picture led to investigation by the authorities and there was widespread condemnation of the attack. The picture is important to the theme of the exhibition as it relates to nature, life and death caused by man.

References

AM. 2003. Germaine Richier: Praying Mantis. 2008. Web.

Henry Moore. 1976. Henry Moore: Draped Reclining Figure. 2008. Web.

Martin Shaw. 2005. Picasso: Massacre in Korea. 2008. Web.

MoMa. 2007. Barnett Newman: The Blessing. Web.

Murray John. 2008. Mary Pratt: Silver Fish on Crimson Foil. Web.

Watkins Thayer. 2005. Pieter Cornelis (Piet) Mondriaan: Checkerboard. 2008. Web.