Blog Reflections

1.       My expectations were that I could learn a way to see the meaning of art and the way to what an artist is trying to express. I think they were met because I have a better understanding of how artists use art to express things. Also how critics and curators decide on what art to buy and what to not, and how they separate them in genres.

2.       I still think art is the same as in my original posting. I’d still define as something someone creates to show or express something.

3.       I still have a love of Van Gogh, but I’ve seen other artist now who catch my interest especially the lowbrow artists. I wouldn’t call them my favorite but I do rather like them, probably because their images aren’t abstract and that they use pop culture to express things in their artwork, and create images that aren’t  completely realistic still have enough realism to be recognizable as something. And also that they are very free with their colors and ideas. 

4.       I liked the online course, in fact I’m taking another next semester. I didn’t have an opinion because this was my first online class, but it was a good experience overall.

Self Portrait

I virtually toured the National Gallery in the UK. 

Screen shot of website

Self-Portrait at age 63. Rembrandt, 1669

Self Portrait at the Age of 34
1640, Rembrandt

Self Portrait in a Straw Hat
after 1782, Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun

Picture of me

Self-Portrait

1)      I chose the three pieces I did because there from what I have noticed, seem to be fewer self-portraits of female artists than men. Therefore I chose the one of woman, seeing as I am female, so it’s much easier to use that perspective. The Rembrandts were chosen because I’d only seen the one of him as a younger man, and it was interesting to see him much older and how he had changed with time. So I put them together to compare them.

2)      I used pencil because it is a media I often chose and it’s one I have the best control over, therefore I thought I could get the best product from it.

3)      The challenges I faced were my lack of skill at drawing human women. I am pretty good at drawing men, but I have a hard time doing the softer features of woman. To overcome this I tried using a harder lead, I started with a 3H pencil and used that and then outlined with an HB one. I also made sure to make eyebrows thinner and slim the jaw. It also helped to keep the pencil extremely sharp to not make too thick lines.

4)      It represents me in that is a realistic drawing of me. It is what I mostly look like, so I went for the more literal than symbolic representation of myself.

5)      I used value in the shading, line in the construction of it and my glasses, and shape for the glasses also.

6)      I liked looking at other self-portraits, but did not really enjoy drawing myself as I kept getting frustrated with it.

7)      I think the final artwork is ok. It certainly isn’t my best, but for my lack of practice and hesitance going into it I think it turned out alright.

Links

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/rembrandt-self-portrait-at-the-age-of-34

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/elisabeth-louise-vigee-le-brun-self-portrait-in-a-straw-hat

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/rembrandt-self-portrait-at-the-age-of-63

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/

Project Four Refelection

This project I did like any other. I spent time thinking about the theme, which changed according to what was available on the resources given. My first idea was to be about art made about Revolutions, but I was only able to find a few in the archives and none of the ones I wanted when I had it in mind. The second idea was politicians but that would be boring, even to me, who is a history major. So I looked through the galleries and found this picture of a Russian Dance, which I rather liked, and looking through I saw many drawings of dancers. I chose to one about them, because I love drawing and looking at pictures of them because of how they move their bodies and amazing. And also great anatomy practice. The anatomy of each of the images was beautiful as well. Also there was images from all over the world and time periods which I liked that diversity, and that there were dances depicted in all sorts of media, not just paintings. So I went through being particularly chosey when looking at the images. There were so many, so I chose ones that would show multiple dance types and media types. And ones that would cover different cultures and worlds, not to mention time periods. The problem I ran into was that there were very view of men, so I made sure to use them in there, to cover all dancer types. After the choosing it was just a matter of explaining why and what I though they meant.

Module 13 and 14 Video Review

1.      The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art It is a form of art that is extremely different from any other art form, but it is hard to classify what is lowbrow since there is no one form of it. There is a variety of things that factor in and the only similarity is that it is very different from classic art. It started around the 40’s. This art type is very much into pop culture scenes an extreme expression and representation. The main idea is to tell a story without having to guess it, for it to be right there clear as day. It is not accepted in most art museums and is there is considered to be no value in it. The inspiration comes from TV, comic books, propaganda posters and music.

BBC Culture show: Tate Modern is 10! These explain how Tate Modern Art took off. That there was a huge change in the art world. Eventually many began to see this art as art and not this weird collection of random objects. It especially became a large deal when Queen Elizabeth visited and gave a speech at the museum despite not being known for her love of modern art. It is one of the largest modern art museums today. The Tate Modern is the most visited modern art museum and attracts thousands of people a year.

An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan Museum of Art explained that Philippe de Montebello was one of the longest directors of the Metropolitan Museum, and in the time he got over 84000 pieces of art for the museum. He even managed to get an extreme rarity a Vermeer painting. Today the museum has over a million pieces of art that expands all genres of art, including fashion, where the museum started out as only European art. The video also explains how new pieces of arts are brought into the museum and how it is decided on what to buy.

2.      The videos helped in that it explained how you classified things and what fit in with specific themes or genres. Also how certain typed of are classified in the modern world.

3.      I found them interesting in how curators remain very aloof and try to see value in all arts ignoring their own personal favorite style. The lowbrow art video was particularly fascinating for me and I find that art style much more appealing than the pop art or minimalism. In fact I found that art style just as interesting and amazing as classic art, both are very appealing to me.

     

Module 12

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I selected “Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the '50s and '60s” because I have a fascination with the changes which occurred in those time periods especially the differences in all the arts. It is interesting to see how people went from something conservative to loud and expressive in just a couple decades and how it grew to be something completely different.

The second was “Andy Warhol: Images of an Image”, which I chose because I have heard of him and everyone knows at least on f his works, so figured I’d get some background on him.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

In “Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the '50s and '60s” I learned about artists who make abstract art and how abstract represents feelings and emotions through colors and movements. It seemed that many of the artist were focused on feeling and were able to express this through abstract rather than realism.

“Andy Warhol: Images of an Image” was about how he went from a commercial artist to an advertising artist. Also how he was inspired by famous icons and the current events of his time and expressed them through his special way he created images.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos explain abstract art and how it was a movement. It explains more in depth the meaning of their art and why specific things are designed that way they are and how it is more about emotion.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I thought the films were very informative. The Andy Warhol one was ok, but the other was especially interesting as it went through multiple pieces of art and explained them and what they meant. I am not really a person who understood abstract art, but the “Abstract Expression” video helped me a lot to look at it, interpret it, and understand its meaning.

Module 11

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose Dada and Surrealism because I have heard of Dada but didn’t know much about it, so I figured that I’d chose that video to get some background information and understand what it was.

The second video I chose was expressionism. There really wasn’t a particular reason for my choosing it other than it was an art form and tied in with the pervious video I watched.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

The key concept for the video on Dada and Surrealism explains how both reject the idealism of their societies, instead they capture thoughts and ideas by taking images and reimaging them as chaotic shapes and ideas.

The Expressionism video explains and show that expressionism is just to express emotions and be able to convey them. For emotions to be the main focus of the image rather than the object of the painting.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

These relate to the reading in the text because it explains these art types more in depth and shows how they work by using works of art and explaining the symbolism behind them, and shows the thinking process that may have been behind it.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts

The films were interesting because they explain the concepts by showing you with the works of art that fit into the genre or type they were talking about. IT then explained how it fits in that category and why it was painted in a specific way. Also way certain elements were used and others weren’t. 

Art Gallery Visit 2

Step One: The Exhibit

1)      “The Gazing Ball” is the title.

2)      The theme of the exhibit is poverty, as the statue is base heavily on Pablo Picasso’s work during his blue period an especially a painting of a child reaching for a bowl.

Step Two: The Gallery

1)      The lighting is bright, with lightings not directly overhead but set to the sides at an angle point to the art works.

2)      The colors of the walls are all white.

3)      The materials seem to be regular building material of drywall and plaster, painted white.

4)      The movement is a mix of easy due to the open space but slightly confusing due to the maze like set up of the walls.

Step Three: The Artwork

1)      The art works seem to be organized by their genre. I noticed abstract and more modern art is put together, where older art and realism are kept together.

2)      The art works are similar in their painting style and colors as well as genre. The more modern arts all have bright splashes of color, where the older things seem to have a more grey or darker color scheme and aren’t as starkly bright as the modern ones.

3)      The artworks are different because they are by different artist and styles so though they have similar color schemes they are different and of course depict different things.

4)      Modern art work is framed in regular metal frames that complement the art work because of its modern nature where the older portraits and artworks have frames which are carved wood or metal and are quite large.

5)      The artworks are labeled with a small sign about a foot to the right of the artwork.

6)      The artworks are about five to six feet apart so one doesn’t get in the way of the view of the other artworks.

Step 4: Art Criticism Exercise

GEORGE SEGAL (AMERICAN, 1924–2000) CINEMA, 1963 plaster, illuminated Plexiglas, and metal overall: 118 x 96 x 39 inches (299.72 x 243.84 x 99.06 cm) 

The sculpture is of a man, done in white plaster, with an illuminated screen behind him. It is a sculpture of a man putting up the sign that displays the movies playing at a movie theater. The bright lighting of the screen behind him makes him have a silhouette when there are no bright lights being put on the sculpture. 

The principles of form,space, and emphasis were put to use in this artwork. Form in that it is 3-D, space is used as the figure is off to that side therefore leaving the screens wide open, and then emphasis due to the back-screen being lit up therefore cause emphasis on the figure.  The figure just reminds me of those signs at movies theaters, which I think is what it was suppose to represent. I think the artist was just trying to convey a memory of the fun of going to the movies and the work that goes into making the presentations of the movies for people to enjoy them. 

Jeff Koons (American, born 1955). Gazing Ball,  2014. Plaster and glass, 70 x 77 5/8 x 40 3/16 inches (177.8 x 197.2 x 102.1 cm).

This is a sculpture of a woman and child. The child is reaching for the bowl of food that the adult is giving to her. There is a gazing ball in between them and the woman has multiple purses on her arms.
The elements used are form, contrast, proportion and balance.  Form is because of course it is a 3-D artwork. Contrast in that the purses and gazing ball have color where the rest doesn't. Proportion in the size different of the woman and child. And balance in that the woman an child are in balance with one another in the way they are built. It reminds me of someone giving charity to another. I think that is to show charity an how those with greater means, hence the woman having multiple purses to show her money and she is giving  a meal aka charity to someone with less. 

JEAN METZINGER (FRENCH, 1883–1956) DANSEUSE AU CAFÉ, 1912 oil on canvas framed: 63 x 50 5/8 x 3 1/2 inches (160.02 x 128.59 x 8.89 cm

This painting is of cafe, it shows the chaotic and cluster of the building. 

The principles used here are shapes, color, and movement. The image is cut into triangles with small areas without. The colors are brown soaked with swatches of blue and red and white. Movement is from how the female to the right looks like the woman is walking or dancing an that a man is watching her. There also looks like there are people in the background. 

I think the painting is showing a tavern and all the goings on in it. It is showing the culture of it with smokey white patches almost like tobacco smoke, the drinks showing alcohol consumption and the people all there for the entertainment, whihc is taking the form of a dancing woman. 

http://www.albrightknox.org/

Visiting the museum mainly to look at the architecture was an interesting because you were looking at the way people put art together therefore how the human mind compares and contrasts art work and groups them in a way. Also how the specific way something is set up allows for greater understanding of the artwork. It also allows a better view of the artwork and to see it how the artist meant.