Final Post

During this quarter we have studied many different types of art throughout history. One era of history that we studied was Realism. I liked realism because they wanted things to change in society and they were considered offensive to the bourgeoisie. I like realism so much because it was breaking away from what was considered the norm to academic standards.

            The painting “The Stone Breakers” by Courbet was the painting that I really liked from the realism era. I like it so much because the canvas size was so large and it was showing two guys working really hard. Realism art was breaking away from academic standards because it showed more of real life and what was happening in real life; rather than showing biblical subject matter. I also liked that the painting wanted things to change in society. There is so much emphasis on the poor rather the rich. The rich didn’t like that the paintings were so emphasized on the poor. According to academic standards the poor were supposed to be small and off in the background. This painting does the complete opposite; the men are taking up most of the canvas and are the main subject matter. Another thing I really enjoyed about this painting is that the men are looking away and you cannot see their faces. I think that this is key because it allows the poor to be recognized as a whole and not just as individuals. In doing this allows for more people to be aware that the poor are real people and that is a true part of life.

            Another era of art history that we studied was the political side of Impressionism because I really liked comparing “The Rue Montorgueil” By both Monet and Manet. The painting that I really liked was the one by Manet because it is closer up view of the streets of the festival in France. I also like that Manet showed a veteran that has one leg and is walking through the streets. I think that leaving this veteran with one-leg shows that there was a big price to pay for the festival they are having in France. I also like that Manet used a more up close and personal view of celebration in France. Monet’s version was a more an upper view and showed a very energetic scene. I like that Manet shows political things in his artwork. Manet didn’t want people to forget and him leaving in politics in his art can be considered avant-garde.

            I like the artwork that goes against academic standards and changes things and may even create controversy. I also think that art shouldn’t have standards. When I first looked at these two paintings I didn’t see the big deal with them. Learning the meanings behind them helped understand how they could have raised controversy in their time. In stonebreakers the bourgeoisie didn’t like to see the poor idolized and in Manets painting the crippled veteran is meant to remind people of the price that was paid to have a celebration after the war.

Pop Art- 20th Century

        Looking at art from the 20^th century I really enjoyed Roy Lichtenstein’s work. A painting of his that really stuck out to me was the “Drowning Girl”.  I like that he used comic book art as a major influence on his work. I think that this painting is very dramatic and I like that he considered adding text into his paintings as another visual element.

            Roy Lichtenstein artwork was a giant shift away from Abstract Expression. You can see very little of his feelings in art. You mostly see him recreating the culture. Abstract art has more of an influence by using their feelings and emotions into their work. Lichtenstein would use the mechanical reproduction, the use of the Ben-day dots; at times the dots would be highly exaggerated. They are small colored dots that are equal in size and evenly spaced. They are used to increase shading and contrast. Another characteristic of his works are the use of the thick black lines. The use of the thick lines helps give his painting the comic book feel because they look more as if they were drawn.

            “I’m never drawing the object itself; I’m only drawing a depiction of the object – a kind of crystallized symbol of it.” This was a quote from Roy Lichtenstein himself. (theartstory.org) It really explains how he is recreating the culture around him. As you look at the image of the “Drowning Girl” you can see the waves around her crushing against her. It makes me think that she has fallen or jumped off the boat and as she says “I don’t care- I’d rather sink than call Brad for help” makes me think she is talking to Brad on the boat. This painting is showing the drama in the culture and how this situation is humorous because the girl is choosing death out of feelings of spite. (artz.org)

            Roy Lichtenstein work is really moving away from the abstract expressionism I think that is why I like his style of pop art. I like the he takes the comic style of art and makes them larger and keeps them dramatic. I think that his use of bright colors was a big part of the 60’s and I like that he shows off that era in his work. Also the characteristic that he adds speech bubbles adds to the drama of the paintings and it allows the viewer to understand what it is going on in the paintings. His works are widely known and became very popular. 






http://www.artsz.org/lichtenstein-pop-art-drowning-girl/


http://www.theartstory.org/artist-lichtenstein-roy.htm

Effect of War on Art

The dada movement rejected subjectivity and left things up to chance. The dada movement also really challenged what defines art and challenges the nature of art itself. Artists wanted to make people understand that works of art are not defined as art has just objects made but by the reactions of the viewers as well. Both dada and surrealism questioned the modern society. Surrealism was considered to be more abstract and unorganized. Both were critics of work of art and critiquing the bourgeois life style. These movements raise issues on art and how it is created and also what considers art to be art.

Dada movement changed the artwork because it was letting chance take over. Dada movement was a big change in the art world. Duchamp buys objects that are mass-produced and he challenges the idea that the artist needs to craft something in order for it to be considered art. With that he brings up the question as to who is the deciding factor of what art is? Duchamp is a good example of the dada movement because you can see that he mocks the traditional art. Especially, with L.H.O.O.Q. that he painted facial hair to the Mona Lisa painting. I think that Duchamp takes other peoples artwork and just adds minor details and then calls it his own. Some might say that is not art, but then again you are questioned with who is the judge of what is art. I question that his art is actually art. I think that him taking mundane or ready-made objects and calling them art isn’t really art. Ready-made objects are objects or things that are mass-produced and things that people may use daily. But I also think it could be, because it makes the viewer pay more closer attention to the detail in the objects we see everyday. For example the “Bicycle Wheel” by Marcel Duchamp, he is taking two objects that are used in everyday life and puts them together to get people to look at them differently and more closely. This also goes with that art is just art sake and against saint-Simon said about art being useful. Duchamp took two useful objects and makes them not useful.

Surrealism movement was also against war and the bourgeois style of life. But the surrealism art was more unorganized and became more abstract, and sometimes violent. Surrealism had created different techniques to show works of art, such as the Photomontage. I think that the work done by Salvador Dali called “The Phenomenon of Ecstasy” was a good example of Photomontage. When looking at this work you really get that sense that it is a collage of pictures of different people and different parts of their body. The way that the women are positioned in the pictures makes the work of art seem somewhat erotic.

Surrealism and the dada movements gave art more ways to let the artists express themselves. There are more ways that art is created rather than using a canvas and oil paints. Both raise issues about art and makes people question art.