Mexican Alternative

Man at the Crossroads, Diego Rivera, 1933, USA

Agrarian Leader Zapata, Diego Rivera, 1931, Mexico

The Flower Carrier, Diego Rivera, 1935, Mexico

For this blog I choose to look at alternative style of art, and I choose to pick some from Mexico. These paintings are from the 1930’s and are done by Mexican artist Diego Rivera. We all know about the 1930’s, the Great Depression, rise of radical socialist movements, and public unrest. These things were also happening in areas that we don’t think about during this time period, like Mexico. I think that they all tie into each other, the history of mexico, and what was going on in the world at that time. Starting off with The Flower Carrier, you look back into the history of Mexico, and possibly its situation at the time. Manual labor and difficulty were part of life at this time (as well as throughout Mexican history). In Agrarian Leader Zapata you have the next step. What I see here is the Mexican revolution from Spanish oppression, and also hope for the future from the hardships of the 1930’s. Lastly you have Man at the Crossroads. This picture symbolizes the future of man and the many directions they could take. It’s the future for Mexico, as well as for mankind. Personally I like Man at the Crossroads the most. I think it’s more applicable for people today, and I think that’s why it speaks to me personally. It makes you wonder about all of the possibilities that are still open to us. As for the other two, I think they are great looks into the history of the country.

Sources:

“Diego Rivera. Agrarian Leader Zapata. 1931 | MoMA.” The Museum of Modern Art. MOMA, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. Site.

“Diego Rivera, Man at the Crossroads” Khan Academy. Khan Academy, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. Site. 

 “The Flower Carrier.” SFMOMA. SFMOMA, n.d. Web. Site.

Matt’s Marvelous Modern Exhibit

For this week’s blog I was asked to make a theme. The theme for this is going to be Women & Diversity, more specifically the increased role that women played in the world of art in this post modern era. For this exhibit I choose two female artists, Judith Baca and Judy Chicago. We will start the exhibit with Judith Baca:

Baca has been involved in the University of California system since 1984, and has been doing artwork long before that. Most of her work focuses on those who have historically been deemed ‘less’ in society. For example people in the LGBT community, poor and even women. Her artwork itself exemplifies the post modern form of art, and her reasoning behind it directly relates to the theme here. The post modern world is full of the idea of increased diversity and women’s rights and roles in society. Baca takes that movement and creates powerful images which challenge the conformity of society prior to her works creation.

These are three of the works that I think show the push of women and diversity in the post modern era:  (Factual information on works can be found by clicking on photo)

Absolutely Chicana, 2008, California

La Memoria de Nuestra Tierra: California, 1996, California

Danza de La Tierra, 2009-10, California

All of these works have women in them somewhere, and they all tell a story about progress. There’s clearly history of oppression in some way in each work. However at the end you get to Danza de La Tierra which I think promotes the equality of women the best. The woman is the predominant figure in the painting, and it even looks like she is leading the man. Personally, I like La Memoria de Nuestra Tierra: California the most. I think it tells a lot of ancient history, and the work itself looks really cool. Now onto Judy Chicago.

Chicago was born on July 20, 1939 and has been working with art for over fifty years. She has also worked in the California University system. She has helped paved the way for feminist art and has made numerous projects. In the pieces that I’ve chosen from her, it’s easy to see how they relate to women. As I stated earlier she helped pave the way for this kind of artwork. She is really showing you in her art the female body and the potential and also burden that each woman carries. Again, this is the ideal that comes up in the post modern era and I think few portray it as well as Chicago.

Here are the works from Chicago. I’m not sure exactly where they are made, however I think California or the Southwest: (Info found by clicking photo)

Birth Tear, 1982

The Creation, 1984

Birth Trinity, 1983

The theme of ‘the woman’ is obviously very strong here. I think that these photos are really bold for their time, and it’s easy to see how they were groundbreaking. They show the reality and emotional tolls that birthing has on a woman. I personally like The Creation the most. It makes you think about birth and the reality of bringing in new life.

Sources:

Chicago, Judith. Judy Chicago. Chicago/Woodman LLC, n.d. Web. http://www.judychicago.com/

Baca, Judith. Judith Baca. n.p., n.d. Web.

http://www.judybaca.com/artist/

 

WWI To The Dada Movement

 

For this weeks blog, I am going to look at the influence that WWI had on the art of the era. WWI is known as ‘the great war’ and was thought to be the war to end all wars. New technologies and weapons created one of the worst battle scenes that the world had ever witnessed. After the war the league of nations was created to put an end to wars, but it didn’t last long. Huger, poverty and death overcame much of Europe and the United States after the war. To combat this, the art form had to change. It changed to what is called ‘dada’. Dada was created to help relieve some of the pressure that came up after the war. It was based off of a childish word, and that defines the style. It is less serious, and in some ways ‘isn’t even art’. It’s not as serious as styles of the past, and can be seen to relieve stress from the situations that WWI put people in.

Fountain 1917, replica 1964 Marcel Duchamp 1887-1968 Purchased with assistance from the Friends of the Tate Gallery 1999 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T07573

These are the three pieces of art that I have used to show dada. The first is Network of Stopages by Marcel Duchamp and made in 1914 in Paris. This piece I think resembles the old transportation lines, which are now broken because of the war.

The next piece is Fountain, made by Marcel Duchamp in 1917 in I believe Paris. It is a picture of a urinal fountain. I think that this obviously shows the disgust with the situation after the war. It is a funny portrayal of what the people are thinking of the situation throughout the world.

Lastly, there is Conversation II by Francis Picabia in 1922 in i would imagine Paris, as that is where Picabia is from. This picture shows a number of bodies without arms or legs. I think that this again through a ‘unique’ way shows the helplessness of the people after the war.

In terms of which picture I like the most, I think I like the Network of Stopages the most. I think that it reminds me of New York back in the time period. It shows the desire to want to get back to normal society, but that is far away. The other two are interesting though. The Fountain is so basic, but I think it has good meaning. Lastly, the Conversation II is interesting, but compared to the others I don’t think it’s as good as the others.

Works Cited:

“Francis Picabia.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2016. Site

“Dada.” Artlex. n.p., 1996. Web. 27 Mar. 2016. Site

“Marcel Duchamp.” The Collection. MoMA, 2016 Web. 27 Mar. 2016. Site

“Fountain.” Marcel Duchamp. TATE, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2016. Site

“Francis Picabia.” The Collection. MoMA, 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016. Site

My impression on Impressionism

I do like the impressionist style, and I think that it brings out something different that we haven’t seen before in the class yet. Like the art form is meant to do, it depicts a moment in time and in such a way that it brings positive and nostalgic emotions up inside you. The impressionist painting that I picked does just that (although I think many do). I picked Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies by Claude Monet. According to TheMet, it was created in Giverny, France in 1899. It was a painting of a scene from a piece of Monet’s own property. According to Wikipedia, Monet was one of the founders of the impressionist styles of painting, and loved to paint scenes from the countryside of France. There are a couple of obvious signs in this painting as it relates to impressionism. It’s obvious to tell that it is made with the signature small brush strokes that impressionism is known for. You can also see the dabs of color combined with one another in many places in the painting, but the water (and the reflection of the trees) is I think one of the best spots. Lastly, I think anyone would have a hard time saying that this painting isn’t pleasant. Not only is it really well done, but it also makes you feel good. This leads to the other parts of impressionism that it brings out. The painting makes you feel good inside, it brings you back to a nice summer day when you were younger exploring the edges of a lake. This is what impressionism is supposed to bring out in it’s work, and this is exactly what this painting does.

Now I also really like the Neoclassical style that we went over in our last section. My favorite painting from that era is the Oath of the Horatii (from Bio.com: made in 1785 in Rome) by Jacques-Louis David. The painting screams pride, courage and honor – which are all traits that I look highly upon (probably why I like it so much). It very much portrays the views of the neoclassical style: virtues, heroism, and a linear style. This is almost opposite of the impressionist style. Impressionism is more relaxed, fleeting, and natural.

I think this difference explains why I like both styles so much though. One (neoclassicalism) gets you pumped up and motivated. It’s harder and more patriotic. Impressionism winds you back down, and brings out a different side that otherwise would get lost. Together they both balance out the emotions brought out by the other, which I think makes them really good pairs. So it’s hard to say which one I like more, they both do different things I think.

Works Citied:

“Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I.e. The Met Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. Site

“Claude Monet.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. Site

“David, Oath of the Horatii.” Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Site

“Jacques-Louis David Biography.” Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Site

 

 

 

 

Jacques-Louis David’s Revolution

 

Basic Information:

For this blog I have decided to look at three paintings done by the artist Jacques-Louis David. The three paintings are, from left to right, Oath of the Horatii (1785), Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard Pass (1801), and The Combat of Mars and Minerva (1771). Due to the timeline presented by Jacques-Louis David Biography I believe that the The Combat of Mars and Minerva and Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard Pass were made in Paris, and the Oath of the Horatii  was made when David was studying in Rome.

Revolution:

The theme that I have chosen for this blog is Revolution and the Arts. Although not all of these directly relate to revolutions of the day, I think there are revolutionary connections that tie them all together. For example, lets start at the earliest painting, The Combat of Mars and Minerva. This painting portrays the fight from the Iliad between the goddess Minerva and God Mars. There is a connection here to the revolutions that take place at this time around the world and in the near future. This foreshadows the battles that are about to come in revolutions. The Web Gallery of Art also describes this painting as “hints of the direction that his art would eventually take” (1) in his future revolution paintings.

The next of those paintings is the Oath of the Horatii. This painting, like the last, does not portray a scene directly relating to the revolutions taking place. However, Khan Academy has some insight into how these do relate to the revolutions. It portrays the virtues of honor and courage of those defending their country. This is similar to the virtues that were being portrayed by the revolutionaries in the American and French revolutions. It is also noted that these men taking the oath are young and fit. This ties into the revolutions. The idea of revolution and deviation from ways hundreds of years old are young, and are portrayed in these three men.

The last painting has the most to do with revolution. It is Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard Pass, which has large ties with the French revolution and the spreading of French ideals throughout Europe. Napoleon.org talks about this painting as being made for King Charles IV of Spain. The painting is meant to show the “hero of the revolution” (1) which is Napoleon. This painting is meant to show the aftermath of the revolutions that have taken place at this time. It shows the power and prestige that can come from revolution and the change that occurs.

My View:

I think that my favorite portrait here is the Oath of the Horatii.  I love ancient Rome and think that this picture does what it’s meant to do. It shows the power and ideals of those bound to protect others. Not only that it is just a really well done painting. Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard Pass is my second favorite painting. I think that it’s a great heroic picture. I can’t imagine any other pose to make someone more heroic and portray the ideals of the French or American revolution. If someone was going to make a portrait of me, I’d hope it would be something like that. The Combat of Mars and Minerva is the last picture on my list. It’s a nice painting and it does what it needs to do, but compared to the others I don’t think it even compares. It’s pretty dark for my tastes, still a good painting though.

Works Citied:

“David, Oath of the Horatii.” Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Site

“Jacques-Louis David Biography.” Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Site

“The Combat of Mars and Minerva by DAVID, Jacques-Louis.” Web Gallery of Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Site

“BONAPARTE CROSSING THE GREAT ST BERNARD PASS.” The Paintings of Previous Months. Napoleon.org, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Site

 

Baroque Blog – Caravaggio

Basic Info:

The piece of art that I am reviewing from the Baroque era is The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio. This painting was made in 1602 (Doubting 1). Although I couldn’t find an exact location of its creation I believe it was made in Rome, as that is where Caravaggio was living (Caravaggio 1).

Connections:

I believe that this art can be very much connected with the Council of Trent. The Council of Trent was an effort by the Catholic church to fight against the protestant reformation and simplify the religion in many ways. One way they wanted to do this was by making the art of the bible more appealing and relevant to the everyday citizen. This painting does just that. It features a scene in the bible where Thomas doesn’t believe that it is in fact Jesus standing in front of him. Jesus tells Thomas to put his hand in his side so that he knows it’s him-and this is what Thomas does. In this painting it’s very clear that this is what’s happening, and anyone who knows the story can make the connection. The painting is bright and alive and you almost feel like you’re there actually watching it happen. Diack writes that Caravaggio makes connections with his emphasis on hands (105). The hand of Thomas is a major part of this picture. She writes that this emphasizes the “touchable quality of the Baroque.” (Diack 105) This is what the Catholic church was going for to revitalize the church, and this is what this picture portrays.

My Opinion:

I think that this is a great painting. I knew I had seen it before when I was looking for paintings to comment on, and so I wanted to learn more about it. Like I said in the previous paragraph, you almost feel like you’re there. I also love the expression on Thomas’s face-you really get the feeling like he is dumbfounded that he was wrong and that this is in fact Jesus. Not only these things, but it’s also just a really well done painting that’s clear, crisp and full of detail.

Sources:

“Caravaggio.” Artble. n.p., 2016. Web. 10 February 2016. Site.

Diack, Heather. Seeing is Not Believing: Art, Incredulity, and Caravaggio’s Tempting Touch. Web. Site.

“Doubting Thomas.” Artble. n.p., 2016. Web. 10 February 2016. Site.

 

Renaissance Blog

The piece that I am going to be looking at for this blog is The Lamentation of Christ by Andrea Mantegna. According to Silvia Minguzzi there is no exact date known of when this piece was made, however it is believed to have been made in the late 1400’s (5). The painting shows Jesus after his crucifixion lying dead on a marble slab awaiting burial. The three people crying in the corner of the painting are Mary his mother, Mary Magdalene and St. John, one of his followers (my daily art display). In terms of where the painting was made, it is unknown. It was found after Mantegna’s death in his workspace, so one could assume it was created there. It is believed that it was probably meant to go in his own tomb (Minguzzi 5).

The concept that I want to connect this painting to is Humanism. I believe that this painting is an accurate representation of some of the humanistic ideals. To start off we will look at Christ himself in the painting. As you can see, his body looks like that of anyone else. If the painting didn’t say who it was, there’s a chance you wouldn’t know. Christ is pictured here as fully human, there is nothing to signify his being a deity. Another piece to look at, as pointed out by Minguzzi is the “anatomical details” of Christ (14). The body and face of Christ look extremely realistic and three dimensional. Also the locations of the nails in his feet and hands are detailed and realistic. This again follows the humanistic ideals of making someone like Christ on the same level as a regular human and depicting the human body as it really is.

In my personal opinion, I like this painting. I think that it shows incredible detail of both Christ, Mary and John. One of the things that I notice is the holes in the feet. They look so real and you can easily see the flesh peel away from the holes. Another thing that makes this a nice piece of work is the shadowing that takes place on the right side of Christ. It seems like there’s a window or something on Christ’s left, thereby making the left side dark. It makes sense because it is Jesus we’re talking about, and so you would naturally assume there would be light, however the darkness brings about the humanity in the situation via Christ’s death. So overall I definitely think it’s a good piece of artwork to witness pieces of humanism and modern art from the era.

Sources:

“Lamentation of the Dead Christ by Andrea Mantegna.” my daily art display. wordpress.com, 6 March. 2011. Web. 2 Feb. 2016. Link to source

Minguzzi, Silvia. Lamentation over the Dead Christ. Life of an Object of Art, 2012. Web. Link to source

The Lamentation of Christ. Cover Photo. Web. 2 Feb. 2016. Link to source

 

 

First Blog

Hello everyone,

My name is Matt Heath, and I am writing this blog for ART F200x. I am a senior at UAF and am majoring in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. I live in Maine and work at my local Fire Station as a Firefighter and Rescue Swimmer. I haven’t taken too many art classes throughout the years, I think that last one I took was Jewelry in High School. I have however been friends with artists. I hope to get a different perspective on the arts through this class, which will help me relate better to those who I know that are artists.

As I said earlier, I haven’t had much relation to art recently. However I did take art classes in High School. I also helped build the set for one of our school theater performances. I also have helped make some short films over the years, and have helped friends with their movies by acting in their films. I don’t have much music experience, however I just started learning how to play the harmonica. So hopefully this class will help broaden my art horizons!

Local Maine Art Website:

http://www.camdenfallsgallery.com/artwork/