Near Eastern Art
Most resources I found deal with ancient Near Eastern Art and don’t really bother with present-day, so this covers ancient more than modern. The Near East is a large area, typically defined encompassing the region between the eastern edge of the Mediterranean to present-day Afghanistan lengthwise, and from the Black and Caspian Seas in the north to the southwestern Arabian peninsula widthwise. Some of the world’s most ancient civilizations got their start here, including Sumer, Assyria, Bactria, and Anatolia. The region was rich, with fertile lands and a surplus of natural resources. Surviving art from this time and area comes in the form of pottery, sculptures, carvings, and metalwork. In fact, some of the earliest known examples of metalworking and pottery can be found here. Also noted are their steles, pillars generally wider than they are tall that acted as a sort of tombstone, memorial, or commemoration of an important event. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has an extensive collection of ancient Near Eastern art, featuring fine Sumerian bronzes, ivory carvings, and jewelry from the area/period.
http://www.metmuseum.org/
http://www.asia.si.edu
www.wikipedia.com/stele
Michael Elka - Adam’s Lecture and Dvorak Concert
I think we went to hear John Adams and Dvorak in the same week because we have just moved into a new topic, music. Both of these composers have chosen music (and in Adams’ case, the sung word) to communicate ideas to the listener, or possibly evoke an emotion. Although Adams is a minimalist composer and Dvorak a Romantic composer, both utilized the styles of their times much like vernacular language to communicate what they wanted to the listener. Although they used different musical styles, each composer shared a trait that bridges the many years between them. One of the biggest things I took away from the Adams’ lecture was his ideas on what subjects qualify for a good contemporary opera, or any opera for that matter. As an example, he pointed out Nixon in China, and how the entire three-act opera was based on Nixon’s three days spent visiting the People’s Republic of China. His own opera, Doctor Atomic, is just as specific. The idea of having an good but extremely specific theme also manifested itself in Dvorak’s music; the musical motif that comprised the piece’s theme was short and memorable, and was threaded throughout the entire piece, making itself present in all three movements. In this regard, the composers had much in common. The events themselves were common in that they, although drastically different in terms of style, served the purpose of communicating the composer’s message; in Adams’ case, the purpose was to stir up memories of the Manhattan Project and communicate the emotional turmoil it brought to Robert Oppenheimer, and in Dvorak’s case the purpose was to stir up strong feelings (as indicated by the dynamic power of the first and third movements) of hopeful melancholy. (I am aware that the first and last movements of a “classical” piece are often powerful, with the middle being slower, but in this case I think the structure was important in highlighting the central motif in different contexts) All of this related to our topic in that it showed actual style (in this case, style was dictated by time period) does not matter when it comes to art, and that in the end, it is all about the composer’s central message, be it the emotional journey/narrative of Robert Oppenheimer or a melancholy Dvorak motif.
The New York School of Art by Heather Smith
No. 5 by Jackson Pollock
As Europe slowly recovered from the devastation of World War II, a unique phenomenon occurred in the art world. The focus of the artistic community, normally centered in Europe, suddenly turned to New York, giving the artists there a unique chance to have their voices heard.
The New York School of art grew out of the 1950s beat generation and includes the ensuing art movements in the 1950s and 1960s. Essentially, this art movement grew out of the camaraderie of a wide artistic circle living and working in New York City.
Early on, this movement focused on abstract expressionism, which utilized abstract images and visuals to create a strong emotional intensity within the work. This was a careful blending of the power of the Expressionists and the bold visuals of Futurism and Cubism. The New York School of abstract expressionism was actually represented in very different ways by artists such as Pollock and de Kooning.
As the 1950s progressed, artists began to react to the popular culture that was becoming pervasive as America moved into the 1960s. Born out of this popular culture saturation, Pop art aimed to utilize common images in the culture and wittily create a statement that denied the personal expression of the artist. Andy Warhol, undoubtedly one of the most well-known Pop artists, was especially fond of reproducing such banal objects as soup cans and Brillo boxes to poke fun at the elitist art movements. Other New York Pop artists included Roy Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns.
Campbell’s Soup No. 1 by Andy Warhol
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_School
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/abex/hd_abex.htm
http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/p/popart.html
Roman Art - Calypso Taylor
Roman art is the art of the ancient Roman civilization. It is difficult to put a date to its emergence, as Etruscan art had dominated the area for some time, and the earliest Roman art is difficult to recognize due to the heavy Etruscan influence. As Rome grew bigger and bigger, its art became more distinct, and drew its influence from neighboring cultures. The biggest influence was Hellenistic art. Plutarch claimed that before t came in contact with Greece, Rome knew nothing of elegance or beauty. Greece would remain the largest contributor to Roman art until the downfall of the Roman Empire.
The major mediums of Roman art were architecture, sculpture, painting, and mosaic. Some of the greatest developments came in the area of architecture. Rome developed concrete, the dome, the vault, and the arch, all of which allowed for much grander buildings, culminating in such enormous works as the Coliseum.
Rome was also the source of beautifully sculpted portrait busts, which took on a style that was far more realistic than that of the Greeks. Also popular were mural paintings. The Romans developed perspective techniques for landscapes that are still used.
The influence of Roman art was especially prominent during the Renaissance, and persists to this day in the techniques taught to artists.
Sources:
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/R/roman.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_art
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_rome/art.htm
Image: http://www.feelvacation.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/colosseum-from-the-top.jpg
Neo-Dada and Pop Art
Neo-Dada is an avante-garde movement (generally restricted to the visual arts) that emerged in the 50’s and 60’s out of the ashes of its better-known predecessor, Dada. Dada, of course, is known for its smashing of previous aesthetic boundaries (the famous example is “The Scream”, which is probably unnecessary to describe, thanks to several bad horror movies). Neo-Dada takes this progressivism a step further with even more modern materials and absurd depictions. It also references popular culture. Yves Klein is among the artists considered neo-dadaist. The following illustration is one of his monochromes.
Perhaps a better known movement is one directly inspired by neo-dada, many of whose pioneers are also considered neo-dadaists. While Dada had a decidedly dark sense of humor, and revolved around aesthetic anarchy, satire, and an antiestablishment anti-art message, pop-art embraced mainstream culture (hence the name) and sought to cast it in an artistic mold. It is not an easily accessible form of art; the average viewer may be confused by it. Marcel Duchamp (whose kinetic art is illustrated by an earlier post) is considered an early pioneer of pop-art. Perhaps the most famous representative of the genre is Andy Warhol, whose style is now well-known among the younger generation thanks to a Photobooth option on Apple computers which imitates one of his inventions. The following image is representative both of pop-art (perhaps the last movement of the modern period, soon to share the stage with post-modern movements in the sixties and onward) and of Warhol.
Harrison, Sylvia (2001-08-27). Pop Art and the Origins of Post-Modernism. Cambridge University Press.
http://www.yvesklein.com/
http://www.ralphmag.org/AR/dada.html — this is a translation of the DADA manifesto.
Kinetic Art- Mya Marshall
Kinetic art is an art form dependent on movement. The movement of the art piece can be brought on by many factors including wind, a motor, or the observer of the art. Kinetic art is noted to have begun in the early 1900’s, although the term itself was not established until the 1950’s. The very first noted forms of this art form were created by Marcel Duchamp, Alexander Calder, and Naum Gabo. Duchamp’s first kinetic piece is the Bicycle Wheel (1913), which is basically a bicycle wheel mounted upside down, allowing it to be spun. Naum Gabo experimented with kinetic sculpture. Alexander Calder is the inventor of the mobile, probably most commonly seen today over a baby’s crib. Mobiles fall under the category of kinetic sculpture. Things that are considered kinetic art often fall under other styles of art.
Sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_art
http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/C20th/kineticart.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_Wheel
Alexander Schinis - Egyptian Art
As can be inferred from the title of this post, Egyptian art is art that originated in the ancient civilization of Egypt, ranging from 5000BC to 300BC. Egyptian artists manifested their work in two main surviving forms today, those being painting and sculpture. Depictions of gods, pharaohs, and religious occurrences are prevalent in both of these forms of Egyptian art. Egyptians were known for their monumental architecture as an art form, which first dates back to the mastabas, tombs for high-ranking Egyptians, to step pyramids, and finally to the pyramids many of us recognize today, such as those at Giza. These pyramids were decorated with reliefs based on various motifs, such as fishing, hunting, and so on. In terms of sculpture, powerful Egyptian males were often crafted in one of two typical poses, one in which the subject is seated with a scepter, and another in which the subject is standing, poised to step forward. The stiff and formal poses of Egyptian pharoahs were carried through Egyptian art for many centuries, leading up to the rule of Akhenaton, who broke the traditional mould of Egyptian art and depicted scenes of family and favored the true image of the pharaoh to be shown rather than an image of perfection, as they had been for generations beforehand. After the death of Akhenaton, Egyptian art returned to the traditonal style for many centuries more until the decline of the Egyptian civilization.
Kleiner, Fred S. and Christin J. Mamiya. Gardner’s Art Through The Ages, V. I. Thomson Wadsworth, California: 2005
Romantic Art- Aliza Lieb
The Romantic time period came about in the mid-18th century, until about the 19th century. People who called themselves “romantics” believed in the distinctiveness of individuals. This period, which came right after the Enlightenment (as it is sometimes called, the “Counter-Enlightenment”) brought about a big change in society, and especially art. Most Romantic artists came from Europe, specifically France, Spain, Germany, and England. That being said, Romantic art was based largely on nationalism, imagination and individuality. Romantic artists were very intrigued by nature and the supernatural, and made paintings of myths or supernatural or Bible stories. This art is called neo-classical as well. As opposed to Classical art, which was based on reason and rationality, Romantic art was based on emotion and beauty. The artist expressed his or her emotions through their creations. One example of a Romantic artwork is a painting called “La Liberte Guidant le Peuple” or simply Liberty Leading the People, by Eugene Delacroix, one of the most well known Romantic French artists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Eug%C3%A8ne_Delacroix_-_La_libert%C3%A9_guidant_le_peuple.jpg
Sources:
1. Abrams, M.H. The Mirror and the Lamp: Romantic Theory and the Critical Tradition. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=SSOGjRMvIGYC&dq=romantic+art+period&pg=PP1&ots=aRJZMNGFbC&source=citation&sig=ptP3_eQBkPH307j-nKHkChgZOQ8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=11&ct=result#PPP1,M1
2. Art of the Romantic Age. Retrieved from www.shoshone.k12.id.us/romantic/art.htm
3. Art Periods: ROMANTICISM. Retrieved from http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Art/romanticism.shtml
Helenistic Art - Katherine Snovak
First of all, the Hellenistic period (which refers to the original Greek period, not to be confused with Hellenism, an 18th century revival of this type of art which goes with Neoclassicism) began in 323 BCE (the death of Alexander the Great) and ended in 31 BCE (Romans conquered Egypt). This period is mainly thought of in contrast to the Classical era, which it followed. During the Hellenistic period the Greeks expanded the subject matter of art. While Classical Greece valued the ideal in its art, Hellenistic Greece valued more naturalistic, personal art. So in contrast to young, beautiful, tranquil Greeks being the most popular subject of sculpture, sculptures of the old, ugly, angry, foreign began to be seen. The Dying Gaul is a good example of Hellenistic art trying to show a more personal level, than art before had. Architecture also began to change, as the Greek lifestyle became more cosmopolitan. Simple traditional temples began to incorporate eastern styles and became far more elaborate in plan.
The Dying Gaul
Source: Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, ed. 12. Ch 5. pages 153- 163.
Renaissance Art - Olga Gervits
Renaissance Art is the name given to much of the art that was produced in Italy from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, and in the rest of Europe from during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The Renaissance itself was a period of time in which Europe experienced a “rebirth” of sorts after the darker Middle Ages, which included renewed interest in science and philosophy.
Art of the Renaissance, particularly in Italy, was based largely on ancient Greek and Roman art and design. Renaissance artists broke away from the restrictions of Byzantine Art, that is, art completely focused on the Orthodox church. Instead, much of the art focused on human beings, their anatomy, and environment. The Renaissance produced some of the most famous artists in history, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raffaello Sanzio (better known as Raphael), and Donato di Nicolo Bardi (Donatello).
Renaissance art, particularly the works of Michelangelo and Raphael, lead to the development of Mannerist Art, which in turn developed into Baroque art.
For more information on da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello, as well as some of their work, please look here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVQBVE9BzYk
Sources:
http://www.arthistoryguide.com/
http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/r/renaissance.html
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/early-renaissance.html
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Cultural Map
"The Original Topography of Manhattan Island from the Battery to 155th Street" From Report on the Social Statistics of Cities, Compiled by George E. Waring, Jr., United States. Census Office, Part I, 1886. (Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas-Austin)
