Module 12

1) Key Concepts-

Jacob Lawrence:

• viewed as one of America's most respected artists
• many art centers throughout the country designed to alleviate difficulties faced during the Great Depression
• individuals could receive free instruction in the field of their choice (music, dance, theater, painting)
• Harlem Renaissance: new attitudes, culture continued to grow
• positive effect on communities which led to increased contributions by the people
• Lawrence advocates for young people's exposure to what they like to do
• importance of black experience = American experience = human experience

Faith Ringgold: Artist & Activist:

• Ringgold born in Harlem during the Great Depression
• invented a new art form: story quilts
• a leader in the movement to open museums to works by artists of color, specifically women

Romare Bearden: A Black Odyssey

• Bearden is an African-American artist best known for collage work
• used The Odyssey as a metaphor for the experience of African-Americans
• Bearden stated that he used his work to take the elements of Afro-American life in the U.S. as he sees it and place it in a universal framework
• rendered a new depiction of the "modern woman" as an intellectual, strategist, one whom fights for her family
•  Bearden insisted that art comes from other art

Fauvism - Overview - Goodbye-Art Academy:

• fauvism: French avant-garde art movement, gained recognition at the start of the 20th century
• artists used vivid colors, radical, bold brushstrokes 
• kept the drawing simple but exaggerated colors and included fewer details
• Matisse and Derain established fauvism, broke away from traditional impressionist methods

Amadeo Modigliani: 6 Minute Art History Video:

• Modigliani was an Italian-Jewish expressionist, modern artist born in Tuscany in 1884
• focused on making abstract art that had an emotional quality
• preferred to paint indoors and focused on portraits and nudes, rather than landscapes
• fascination with expressionist/abstract approaches to art as well as non-western art (African masks)

The best moments from Dolce&Gabbana Alta Moda, July 2019:

• modern fashion drawing on ancient Greek culture as inspiration

'On Creativity' interview with fashion icon Norma Kamali:

• fashion has a short life
• Kamali's work influenced by pop culture
• fashion, health, beauty are all intertwined

2)In the videos, we learn about some of the artists that were influential in the movements of art as we've come to know them.

3)I really liked a lot of the films, especially the ones that contained information on the Harlem Renaissance. I also liked the tragic story of Amadeo Modigliani. It seems to be a recurring theme in art that the artists who end up being the most influential are controversial and unappreciated during their lifetimes. 

Module 11: Gallery Visit #2

Art Gallery Visit #2

Step #1
1) MoMA The Museum of Modern Art
2) https://www.moma.org/?ref=googleartproject
3) I selected this museum because I've visited it in New York when I was young and thought it would be interesting to take another tour, virtually this time.

Step #2
1) There are light fixtures on the ceiling that are pointed at the pieces creating a glowy, illuminated effect on the art.
2) The walls are muted tones of white and grey.
3) There are accent walls throughout the museum which the artwork is mounted on as well as glass cases which look to be about hip-height also containing various pieces.
4) It appears that you can walk through the museum to the open rooms containing the art.

Step #3
1) The artworks are organized by the exhibit.
2) As the name of the museum indicates, it appears that the art is similar in that it is modern and contemporary.
3) The collection of the pieces vary greatly in content, medium, and style.
4) There are various kinds of frames, some of which appear to be wood and of different colors. There are also some pieces which are not framed.
5) The artworks have white labels that are mounted on the wall with them.
6) The artworks have varying distances between them with some being very close, almost touching, and others being far apart.

Step #4
https://www.moma.org/collection/works/173340?sov_referrer=theme&theme_id=5162&effective_date=2020-04-19

Laura Owens
Untitled
Acrylic, Flashe, and oil stick on canvas
2013
137 3/8 x 119 7/8"

I see what looks to be a newspaper with abstract flowers made from paint strokes on top of it. The flowers appear to have shadows making it look as if they are floating over the newspaper. Owens uses line, shape, color, and texture. I think Owens is using the colorful flowers to create art on the newspaper which we may not normally see as beautiful.

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/284832?classifications=any&date_begin=Pre-1850&date_end=2020&locale=en&on_view=1&page=1&q=&with_images=1

Aida MulunehMorning BridePigmented inkjet print201631 1/2 × 31 1/2"
This piece is a woman with blue skin dressed in white with a veil. She is positioned against a red patterned background. The piece uses space, contrast, and pattern. I think the artist is trying to emphasize the regal essence of the subject. 

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/199052?classifications=any&date_begin=Pre-1850&date_end=2020&locale=en&on_view=1&page=1&q=&with_images=1

Michaela Eichwalk
Duns Scotus
Acrylic, oil, wax, and lacquer on artificial leather
2015
53 1/2 × 106 1/4"

This piece is composed of abstract shapes that look like they are made from different mediums and some look similar to ink blots on a yellow background. This piece uses color, shapes, and texture. I'm not sure what the artist was trying to convey with this piece other than creating art for the sake of art.

What did you think of "visiting" the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?
I don't prefer a virtual visit to the museum. I would much rather be physically present to be able to see the artwork in person and take in all of the details which don't translate in the same way over a computer screen. I think being able to see the physical space, architecture, theme, etc would have helped me to understand the museum as a whole. 

Module 11

Video Reviews: Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the '50s and '60s & Dada and Surrealism

1) I chose these films because the titles seemed like topics I'd be interested in learning about. I'm hoping to hear about Andy Warhol and Marcel Dumchamp in the videos. 

2) Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the '50s and '60s Key Concepts:

• Abstract act is meant to be thought about and felt rather than simply looked at.
• Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock, and Robert Motherwell were among a group known as action painters who were abstract expressionists in America in the late '40s and '50s.
• Actions made in the process of painting were as important as the final result.
• In abstract painting, the question of where to stop becomes important. 
• Jackson Pollock created a record of the movements and gestures used in the process of making his paintings. 
• In Helen Frankenthaler's later work, there are allusions to biblical, especially Old Testament, themes.
• Painters, printmakers, and sculptors started to use popular imagery, juggling our notions of representation and abstraction.

Dada and Surrealism Key Concepts:

• Schwitters asserted that works of art had lives of their own.
• Schwitters removes the objects he uses from the roles with which we associate them, and by giving them new roles reveal their secret identities.
• Schwitters has been called the most materialistic artist of his generation.
• For the Berlin Dadaists, as for the Italian futurists, it was important that the world of art should be combined with the world of technology.
• Before and during the first World War some artists had rebelled against symbols of the past, claiming that cars and airplanes were more beautiful than statues.

3) The videos expand on the different eras of art that have evolved over time and give a more in-depth view with examples of the artists who pioneered these movements.

4) I enjoyed the films because I like to hear more about the artists that founded and led these movements in art. It helps to understand the different styles.

Module 10

Video Review: Key Concepts

Olmec Masks

• Created 1500+ years before the Aztec civilization
• Far in both time and geography
• Similar to us looking back at ancient Roman civilization
• Mask is polished and created with greenstone
• Aztecs collecting objects and ritually burying them for an offering
• Aztecs had reverence for cultures that came before them
• Olmec is the mother culture of Mesoamerica
• Teotihuacan: "city of the gods"

Feathered Headdress

• Sent to Europe by Hernan Cortes, the Spanish conquistador
• Speaks to long-distance trade and tribute items: paid by conquered cities to the Aztecs
• Luxury items sent to Tenochtitlan (Aztec capital, present-day Mexico City)
• Costume was important to the Aztecs as well as many Mesoamerican cultures
• Amanteca: feather workers, highly-regarded
• Shift to Christian iconography

Bundu/Sowei Helmet Mask (Mende people)

• West African phenomenon, several ethnic groups participated in masquerade tradition
• Masks were worn not on the face but on the head
• Only known masquerade tradition where women wore the masks
• Made by male carvers to be worn by females for initiation
• Women were taken to secluded forest area where girls were initiated, instructed on how to be good wives
• Artists create an image of morality that young girls should strive for
• Down-turned eyes indicate that women should be reserved, and the small mouth indicates that women should be quiet
• Artists suggest that woman is full-figured which indicates she should be ready to bear children

Female (pwo) mask (Chokwe peoples)

• Danced by a male dancer despite the mask representing an ideal woman
• Meant to honor young, fertile women who had successfully given birth
• Culture is matrilineal
• Eyes and mouth being closed suggest a looking inward and a deserving of respect
• Had trading relations throughout Africa

Mask (Buk), Torres Strait, Mabuiag Island

• Torres Strait is a body water between Papua New Guinea and Australia
• Masks made out of turtle shells with multiple pieces stitched together
• Possibly represents the face of a hero or ancestor
• Likely danced at initiation, funerary, and harvest rituals
• Connected the wearer and culture to the supernatural
• Missionaries made the masks obsolete and even asked that the existing masks be burned

Module 9

1) Key Concepts

The Great Wave

• Toward the end of his life, Hokusai experienced a final burst of creativity which he channeled into painting.
• Hokusai's depiction of a woodcutter may be based on a form of Japanese theater called Noh plays in which an imperial emissary sent to find the spring of eternal life and the woodcutter shows him the way.
• There is an ancient Chinese story in which a woodcutter and fishermen discuss the meaning of life because both are men of nature who are in tune with the world and represent balance.
• In the depiction of Hokusai's fisherman, the feathers in the basket upon which he is sitting have puzzled scholars and could be another Noh play reference, possibly stolen from the robe of a heavenly being.
• Hokusai exhibited movement and texture within his art.

Early Photography: making daguerreotypes

• Louise Jacques-Mande Daguerre was the creator of the formula for daguerreotypes which he sold to the French government so that it could be made available to the public without patent restrictions. 
• Daguerreotypes as a new medium swept across Europe and made an impression on the populations.
• Viewers took daguerreotypes as "completely faithful depictions of nature."
• Daguerreotypes became perhaps the most popular in America and allowed for all types of people to be able to have their portrait done.
• Producing daguerreotypes was a laborious process.
• Early exposure times were often uncomfortably long.
• The assembly work of daguerreotypes was often done by women and children.

Death of Marat

• The Death of Marat was painted during the French Revolution and depicts a contemporary event.
• Jacques-Louis David was a proponent of the French Revolution and a "minister of propaganda."
• David was asked to depict three martyrs- there was an important shift from Christian to political martyrs.
• The French Revolution was meant to secularize the nation and abandon the superstitions of the church.
• The Death of Marat has a stark background which is in contrast to Rococo paintings.

Manet

• A Bar at the Folies Bergere by Manet depicts a woman standing at the bar and she is positioned in front of a mirror and he reflection is also visible.
• The woman's gaze is a typical Manet depiction with it being direct yet also unreadable.
• The painting features open brushwork which is loose, visible strokes of paint that do not create clear contours.
• Manet also features willful distortion in his artwork which upends expectations and muddles the relationship of the viewer to the painting.

Delacroix

• Liberty Leading the People is a depiction of romanticism.
• The painting has a contemporary subject but large paintings such as this were typically reserved for religious subjects.
• Liberty is an allegorical figure; a symbol of an idea that lead the revolutionaries.
• The depiction of Liberty is a classical profile that pays homage to ancient Greek and Roman art.
• The painting subjects symbolize all classes coming together for the sake of revolution.
• The entire scene of the painting is filled with chaos and energy, showcased by loose brushwork and brilliant colors which is in contrast to the muted colors which were prevalent at that time.

Monet

• Monet sometimes had as few as seven minutes to create a depiction on canvas before the light changed the effect he was looking for was gone.
• Monet had a hypersensitivity to specific effects of light.
• Monet worked to forget what he knew to create shapes and colors.
• Monet's paintings represent the momentary but have been built up over time which is visible by thick paint from multiple layers.

Cassatt

• The topic of mother and daughter and the intimacy of their relationship is uncommon throughout art history.
• The attention of the subjects in The Child's Bath is on each other which draws the viewer into the experience.
• The unexpected angle of the painting depicts how we might actually see the scene in real life.

2) The videos and text both give information into the artists' renderings and the symbolism, techniques, and subject matter they used.

3) I enjoyed the films because it gave insight to things I would have never noticed among the artwork.

Module 8: Exploring Line

1) Using a hand as the subject matter was extremely difficult. I am not talented at drawing and attempting to make the hand look realistic on paper was very challenging.
2) I used a pencil because I felt that it would be easier to make smaller, more detailed lines.
3) Drawing with my non-dominant hand felt very clumsy and like I lacked control of it.
4) Although neither are of great quality, I believe you can tell just by looking which was created with my dominant hand. The dominant hand rendering looks more controlled and deliberate.
5) I would probably not consider using my non-dominant hand to create artwork because it was somewhat frustrating to not be able to control what I was doing with the precision you would expect when using your dominant hand.

Module 8

1) I chose these films to watch because I felt the topics would be something that would interest me and help me to understand the history of art.

2) Florence: Heart of the Renaissance Key Concepts

• Florence was the home of the Renaissance and the birthplace of the modern Western world
• In Florence, there was a rebirth of the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome which swept across Europe
• Capitalism was replacing feudalism- Florence was "middleman of trade between East and West"
• Renaissance was an age of humanism- escaped from the church's shadows
• Sculptors, painters, and poets during the Renaissance turned to ancient work for inspiration.
• During the Renaissance, as in the ancient world, people saw the glory of God in the beauty, order, and harmony of the human body

Art and Life in the Middle Ages: The Luttrell Psalter

• The Luttrell Psalter is a prayer book containing scenes from the Bible and everyday life, as well as plants, animals, birds, and even monsters.
• The pictures in the Psalter reveal a lot about the Luttrell family as well as medieval life in general.
• The Luttrell Psalter is one of the few surviving pieces of evidence as to how people in England lived in the Middle Ages. 
• People in the Middle Ages, whether wealthy or peasants, depended on the success of the harvest.
• Peasants worked in exchange for a piece of land as well as a portion of the harvest.
• The rich and poor would celebrate the bringing in of the harvest together.
• People had a very literal belief of heaven and hell in the Middle Ages.

3) The films related to the readings by helping to give context as to the history of these time periods and how art was influential.

4) I appreciated the films because as mentioned, it is helpful to understand the time period outside of just the art styles. By understanding more of the history, it creates a more complete picture of how art evolved.