Unit 5: The Artist vs. The Audience

When it comes down to the comprehension of a piece of art, there is usually confusion about if the artist accurately expresses their ideas or if the audience perceived the message accurately. Is the comprehension of artwork dependent upon the creator or the critic? I believe that both parties are responsible for determining the meaning or message of a work of art. When an artist creates an art piece, it is up to them to give the audience visual cues that could be used to interpret the meaning behind the art piece. When an audience views an art piece, it is up to them to dissect and critically analyze every portion of the painting in an attempt to decipher the hidden message. It all comes down to how the artist and the audience view the artwork. The fact that every person has a different perspective when viewing art, complicates the communicative factors between the artist and the audience. Can the artist’s message ever be delivered without being distorted? Can the audience ever interpret what the artist is attempting to say? Should the artist use simplicity in order to ensure that the audience perceives the correct message? Despite how difficult it may be for the artist to communicate with their audience, I believe that the mystery of finding the artist’s message is an ideal way for the audience to analyze and learn the artist’s techniques. 

Unit 5: The Role of the Artist in Today's Society

Art is an everlasting subject that continues to evolve as time continues to progress. Without art, where would we be as a society? Would our society be as vibrant and exuberant without art? Would the world be as visually pleasing? Would we be satisfied? The answer to that is simply “NO”. Art is prevalent in and essential to our society. Without art, our society would be lifeless and dull. Art brightens our days and highlights our night. Art is the key to the heart of the society. Every aspect of today’s society is interlaced with art, ranging from our homes to our work places. We cannot escape art. The role of the artist in today’s society is to communicate and express their inner-being to the world. For example, billboards are used immensely nowadays. They are used to communicate to the viewer about a certain product and display the artist’s creative style. The artist’s role is to decorate and flourish the society with beautiful pieces of art. For example, the way in which a building is structured and painted or even things such as sculptures. The artist’s role in society is to entertain. For example, artist create things such as films, which is a major entertainment factor in today’s society. We need artist to keep the society detailed and interesting. Artists leave a remarkable touch on the world and without them, society would be a lost cause. 

Unit 5: Romanticism

Romanticism is an artistic movement that sought to oppose the views and beliefs of neoclassicism. The introduction of romanticism actually was the reason neoclassicism was no longer praised. Romanticism is not about love. Romanticism actually emphasizes imagination and emotions. I love romanticism because I believe that emotion and a sense of imagination is what art should be about. Art, to me, should be expressive and vivid. Art should express the feelings of the artist. Art should be a tad bit peculiar to keep your attention and keep you entertained. That is what romanticism is all about. It’s about capturing and retaining the viewer’s eye. It’s about creating a sense of sentience within the viewer. It’s about going beyond the boundaries of reality and emphasizing surrealism. A painting that we viewed in class was Theodore Gericault’s Raft of the Medusa. This painting actually depicted the real life event of when a group of Algerian immigrants were set adrift after a shipwreck off of the coast of Africa. This image emphasizes the pain and struggle that the men faced while on the raft. There were a plethora of corpses on and hanging off of the raft, emphasizing how gruesome and deadly this event was. The painting was not created to display the event. Instead, it was created to show the emotional toll and deprivation that the immigrants experienced during this event. 

Unit 5: Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism is an artistic movement that sought to revive the classical approach in art, literature, architecture, and music. It emerged in the mid-18^th century and originated in Rome. It was established to deviate from the Rococo style, which was established in the 18^th century and characterized by things such as light colors and playfulness. Neoclassical artist create art pieces that are realistic, rational, and objective. Neoclassical art is logical, conservative, and straight to the point. Neoclassical art displays the reality of things, showing exactly how things are. I dislike neoclassicism because this artistic movement does not support emotion and imagination. Despite the lack of important features such as emotion and imagination, neoclassical paintings are extremely detailed. They focus on proportion, realism, and the rationality of things. Neoclassical paintings usually display heroic and courageous scenes. One painting that we viewed in class that displayed a heroic act was Jacques-Louis David’s Oath of the Horatti. In this painting, there are soldiers saluting before going to war. A painting that displayed a courageous scene was Jacques-Louis David’s Death of Socrates. Socrates is shown with his finger pointing in the air seconds before drinking the concoction that would end his life. He was putting his hand in the air to symbolize him standing up for what he believed in. All in all, neoclassicism is very precise yet boring. 

Unit 4: Style and Gender

Style is defined as a characteristic manner or mode of artistic expression or design. Style is basically the way in which an artist chooses to display their work of art. For example, an artist can choose to use pencil as their artistic tool while another artist may choose to use pastel. Style is also based upon how the artist displays the figures within their piece of artwork. The gender of an artist is actually a major influence on what style they use to portray their figures. A great example of how gender can influence the style in which an artist displays figures is the painting Susannah and the Elders, which is the name of two separate paintings completed by two separate artists. Jacapo Tintoretto’s, a male artist, approach on Susannah and the Elders portrayed the woman as the guilty individual. The woman was naked in the forest, viewing her body through a mirror. Her body was not covered. The elders were shown peeking from behind a wall. What Jacapo Tintoretto is implying is that the Elders were only looking at Susannah because she put herself out there. She showcased her body in such a sense to grasp the attention of the Elders. Artemisia Gentileschi’s, a female artist, approach was quite different. In her perspective of Susannah and the Elders, the woman was portrayed as an individual who was frightened by the Elders. She was displayed as innocent. The Elders were shown as two characters harassing the woman. The same painting was created using different styles and techniques, with the gender of the artist being a major influence. 

Unit 4: Formalist Criticism

Formalist criticism is a form of criticism that focuses primarily on the elements and design of works of art instead of the historical factors or the biography of the artist. Formalist critics do not take into consideration the true meaning behind a painting. They only focus on the elements used to create the art piece. While the elements of design are essential in a work of art, the background of the piece of art is more important because it expresses the artist’s style and message. Ignoring the underlying message and focusing on things such as balance, lines, light and values, and colors depletes the communicative aspect of a painting. The background or the content of a piece of art defines it and gives it meaning. The content of a piece of art distinguishes it from another piece and makes it unique. The content of a piece of art speaks for the artist using the images present. A picture is only worth a thousand words when there is a story being depicted. By disregarding the content portion of artwork and focusing on the design tactics used, formalist critics miss out on the plot of the art piece. Personally, I believe critics should take into consideration every segment of a work of art because dissecting certain sections of the art piece only distorts the true meaning. 

Unit 4: Analyzing Content

Content is defined as everything contained within a piece of artwork, including the visual elements, subject matter, and underlying meaning or themes. Analyzing the content of a piece of artwork is crucial in understanding what the artist is trying to express. Any person could view an art piece and assume what the artist is displaying but being aware of the background and the underlying meaning of the painting highlights the true meaning of the artwork. In class, we’ve had discussions about Jacques-Louis David’s Death of Marat. Viewing the painting without having any prior background knowledge, one would assume that the male in the bathtub has committed suicide. There is a note in his hand, assumingly a suicide note. In reality, the male in the bathtub did not commit suicide, but was murdered. Another painting created in a similar manner as David’s painting was Sandow Birk’s Death of Manuel. The body of the deceased male was slumped exactly how Marat’s body was. The only difference was that Manuel’s body was in a car, while Marat’s body was in the bathtub. In order for the viewer to understand the pure content of the painting, they would have had to view David’s Death of Marat and understand the story being told. Analyzing content is extremely essential in determining the true meaning of what is being presented in the painting. 

Unit 4: Triumph of the Will

Triumph of the Will, created by Leni Riefenstahl, is a propaganda film targeted towards Germans to influence them to accept Adolf Hitler and the Nazi movement. The film was created to make it seem as though becoming a Nazi was not only heroic and patriotic, but also pleasurable and exhilarating. Throughout the film, the idea of unity, peace, and happiness was stressed immensely. Hitler was portrayed as an admirable and important individual. He was idolized and placed on the highest of pedestals.  For example, there were times in the film where the camera would be focused on his waving gesture to the crowd. The gesture became a symbol for Hitler’s acknowledgement of the people, blessing, and religious overtones. The content within the film presents Hitler as a loving, trustworthy hero of the German people. It is presented in such a manner that it would be almost impossible for the Germans to receive a horrid thought about him. This propaganda film, despite the fact of it highlighting a murderous individual, achieved its goal in winning over the German population. The style of the film was key. The music was soothing and patriotic, the setting was based on the old Nuremburg which evokes proudness from the German viewer, the happiness of the people within the film was emphasized, the abundance of scarce items such as food was emphasized, etc. Each aspect influenced the other and overall, won over the German population, leading them to accept the Nazi movement and Hitler, not knowing the real intentions of his plans.  

Unit 3: Film

Film is a type of art form that is not quite like others. Film is unique because it produces sound and also motion. Film has also evolved. In previous years, sound was not a component of film. The films would produce motion, but there would be no dialogue. These were called silent films. Now, in modern days, it is common to see a film with sound and motion. The color of a film can be altered depending on the type of emotion that the director is attempting to evoke from the viewer. For example, a scary movie’s setting may be darker to evoke fear and anxiety. In a romantic film, scenes can also be dark and rainy to evoke emotions such as gloominess. The focus or theme of a film can vary depending on what the director wants to display. With film, you have to do things that you would do when creating a piece of art work on a canvas. You have to decide how you want to display the film, the colors that will be present in the film, the tone of the movie as a whole and the tone of certain scenes. Overall, the elements used to create a film is important because they define the film and give it a purpose. Although the use of film in the society today is popular, the idea of film being an art form is underrated and debated. 

Unit 3: Architecture

Architecture is a form of art that is extremely important in the society. It is defined as the art and science of designing structures on a grand-scale level. One thing that I find neat about architecture is the fact that the buildings are not only built to please the eye of the viewer, but they are also built to act as a form of shelter that can be used as a place to reside or even as an occupation site. Architecture is more than just art, it actually is a way to assist the individuals in the community. An architectural artist that I am fond of is Maya Lin. She is able to create pieces that are creative yet useful within the society. One project that she had was to transform and redevelop the remains of a park. She named it “The Three Stages of Water” and represented this idea throughout the different structures present at the new and highly improved park. The solid component was represented by the ice skating rink. The liquid component was represented by the water fountain and the gas component was represented by the mist area. This project highlighted how architecture and design are intertwined to create buildings. Architecture is a unique form of art that sort of animates creations, transforming the design that’s on paper into a three dimensional structure within the society. 

Unit 3: Cartoons

Cartoons, a form of art widely accepted throughout the world, were not always portrayed as the humorous characters that we grew to know throughout our childhood. The word cartoon is actually derived from the Italian word cartone, which means paper. Cartoons were originally used as preparatory steps done on paper for greater projects. Over the centuries, cartoons have evolved and include a wide range of mediums including film, comic strips, and book illustrations. They are even used as a form of communication for an intended viewer. For example, cartoons such as Dora the Explorer and Caillou are targeted towards younger children and are used to reinforce good behavior and the learning of information. Cartoons such as The Boondocks and Family Guy are targeted towards the teen and young adult population as a form of entertainment. There are even political cartoons that are used to deliver a political or social message. Despite the message a cartoon is attempting to deliver, they all share a common theme and that is the exaggeration and distortion of natural features to satirize a social matter. This is called caricature. The idea of cartoons has progressed and expanded greatly throughout former years. The fact that they started out as minor sketches used as planning tools and now are used as communication art forms for different demographics is extremely wonderful and neat. 

Unit 3: Photography

When one ponders about art and the various forms that can be used to create art, photography is usually not included as one of the widely accepted media. Why would photography be considered art if there is no canvas that is illustrated on? How could it be considered art if anyone could take a picture? Photography has the ability to capture a scene and preserve it for a long period of time. Photography could focus on anything, such as individuals, nature, the city, objects, etc. The images captured is dependent upon the photographer. Each photographer views something different about a scene. Two photographers can be placed in the same setting and can take two photos that could be completely different, depending on what they want to focus on. The way in which the photographer wants to express the scene is what differs from each individual and what defines them as a photographer. They are able to express their thoughts and artistic style through the images that they capture and by the way in which they do it. The pictures that they capture can be edited to adjust the details of the photo such as the saturation, brightness, contrast, warmth, etc. Photography could be used not only to portray a certain image to the viewer, but also as a way of communication. The famous saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” explains how images can communicate to the viewer once the details of the picture is analyzed. So is photography art? Yes, very much so. 

Unit 2: Visual Elements

Visual elements are used to create and unify a composition. Some visual elements that I believe are acknowledged immensely in art but overlooked in society are texture, lines, and shapes. These elements surround us and are disregarded. Texture can be defined as how something feels. The texture of something can be smooth, rough, hard, jagged, fluffy, etc. Any adjective that describes how something feels describes its texture. For example, tile is hard and carpet is soft. A line can be defined as points connected together. A line can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, straight, curved, implied, and actual. Certain lines can be used to represent different things. For example, horizontal lines suggest stability while diagonal lines suggest movement and directionality. Lines are used to create shapes, which are all around us. For example, the television in your room is shaped like a rectangle. Although the television is in 3-dimensional form, the basic structure of it is a rectangle. A rectangle is composed of two horizontal lines and two vertical lines. Shapes create everything that we view in the world. A basketball is circular in shape, a door is rectangular in shape, a stop sign takes on the shape of an octagon, and yield signs are triangular in shape. Can we escape them? No because they are the basis for everything that is created. It's best to think of the world as a piece of art flooded with visual elements that defines it and gives it meaning and uniqueness. 

Unit 2: Unity

The most important principle of design a piece of artwork should possess is unity. Unity is how every aspect within the artwork complements each other. It is how everything comes together as a whole. To have unity, the elements within the artwork must be harmonious and equal. Unity can be achieved in a plethora of ways. The use of a specific color throughout a portrait could be used to unify the artwork. The use of the same kinds of lines, either curvilinear (curvy lines) or rectilinear (straight lines) could be used to unify the artwork. There are two types of unity when dealing with art: visual and conceptual. Visual unity is unity that is created by use of visual elements. Conceptual unity is artwork that has a common theme or concept throughout it. For example, the picture below achieves both visual and conceptual unity. It achieves visual unity by using rectilinear lines and squares throughout the composition. It achieves conceptual unity by displaying different parts of the human body within the squares throughout the composition. Also, the use of the colors gray, white, and black tie the image together. Unity is essential to ensuring that the composition can be viewed and understood in the way the artist wants the viewer to see and understand it. 

Unit 2: Focal Point

Focal point is a design principle that an artist can use to highlight the most important aspect of their artwork. Focal point is the specific part of a work that grabs the viewer's interest. It is the portion of the piece of art that great value is given to. If a piece of art was a story, the focal point would be the main idea. The focal point of an art piece can be anywhere within the painting, not necessarily in the middle. For example, when viewing the picture above, my eyes are immediately drawn to the brown object that the individual is holding. My vision then shifts to the view of the train tracks shown from the middle portion of the brown object. The brown object would be the focal point, which is placing emphasis on the view of the train tracks within it. The brown object is the main point of the picture and the artist wants to gain your attention there. Focal points are extremely important when dealing with art. Although all aspects of a piece of artwork is important, the focal point determines what the artist wants you to focus on and how it tells the story of the art piece.

Unit 2: The Importance of Color

Color is immensely important in not only art, but also in the society. Color visually defines something, distinguishing between different hues and shades of objects. For example, the sky can be a light blue while the clouds can either be white or different shades of gray. Sand is light brown and the ocean is a darker shade of blue. The variety of colors that we view around the world is large and each unique. Color is also defined differently depending on the person. Two individuals can view the same color and feel that they viewed two separate colors. The determination of the color viewed is in the eye of the beholder. Color also evokes emotion, which is a characteristic emphasized in art but unnoticed in daily life interactions. Color sets a tone or specific mood. For example, the color red evokes anger in some people. The color blue can evoke either calmness or gloominess in a person. Mark Rothko's art pieces Number 22 and Black on Grey emphasized how colors can evoke emotion. In Number 22, the colors suggest happiness and calmness. Black on Grey suggests emptiness, sadness, or even death. Colors are extremely important for setting the mood of art. Color is also culturally defined. One culture may use a color in a certain way, while other cultures may use it in a different way. In the United States, it is common to wear black to funerals and white to weddings. In China, it is common to wear white to funerals and red to weddings. The meaning behind a color is highly dependent upon the culture and how it impacts their values and beliefs. Despite the many meanings a color may have, it should be recognized and accepted that the world is a canvas, and the color is the paint that brings it alive. 

Unit 1: Influences on Art

Many factors play a role in how art is defined and how it is interpreted. An individual’s culture is extremely important in how they acknowledge art. Every culture is different and takes pride in different things. For example, in the African American culture, we enjoy viewing art pieces that strongly represents family and our elders.  African American abstract paintings have many bright colors incorporated into them. Also, African American portraits may have a musical aspect to them such as a gentleman playing the saxophone. The African American paintings focus on emphasizing factors that we believe are in important in our culture, which are things such as family, independence, harmony, faith, religion and happiness. An individual’s childhood experiences also influences how they view art. Items that they find familiar to them may be what they choose to incorporate into their art. For example, if a person visited the beach frequently as a child, they may incorporate the beach into many of their art pieces. Another major influence on art is religion. A person’s religion can determine how they view art and what they believe art should be about. There are a plethora of influences on art, each contributing to how a person views and determines art. 

Unit 1: Who Defines Art?

Who defines art? The artist defines art. The viewer defines art. Society can define art. Art is defined by many different people in many different ways. The way in which a person defines art depends on aspects such as their culture, their childhood, their lifestyle, and their values and beliefs. The person who defines art incorporates everything that makes them unique into interpreting what an art piece may mean to them. For example, a painting can be three shades of blue. One individual may believe that the artist was gloomy and was expressing sadness. Another individual may believe that the artist was calm and felt a sense of freedom. The definition of art is highly dependent on the person. What is considered as art is also highly dependent on the person. For example, Bruce Nauman created a stairway and stated that the stairway was art because he said it was. There are no limitations or boundaries on what can be defined as art because there are no limitations or boundaries on what a person can imagine. Who defines art? Everyone in the world defines art and for this very reason, art can have over a million definitions because every single person in the world can view the same art piece and have over a million different perspectives. 

Unit 1: The Role of Art in Society

Art is extremely important in today’s society. It is a major way for individuals to express themselves and their cultural background. Every culture has their own values and beliefs about what art is and how it should be expressed. For example, in the United States, tattoos and piercings are used by many individuals as a way to express their feelings. In Africa, marking or burning the skin into intricate designs is a way to express cultural values. Art is also used in society to send messages. For example, a mural in a community can promote helping others or a sculpture can represent peace and harmony. Art can send messages through the forms of writings, murals, drawings, paintings, sculptures, etc. There is no limit to the many forms that art can take. Art can also tell stories. For example, religious pieces of artwork can highlight a specific time in the bible. Art can also take us back to historical times by focusing on aspects that were important in different time periods. Art is all around us and it continues to assist us with understanding many different things in the world. The role of art in society is extremely complex, and the power of art tends to be underestimated. 

Unit 1: What is Art?

A question that constantly plaques the mind of many individuals is what is art or what defines it? The meaning of art differs for each individual. Art, to me, is an umbrella term that is used to represent many creative skills that individuals can possess. Art evokes emotion and delivers a message. Art is a way for an individual to express their feelings, their imagination and how they view the world. Art is completely dependent upon the artist and what they want to display to the world. So what exactly is art? Art is whatever the artist wants it to be. Art is extremely broad and can be depicted using things such as sculptures, drawings, paintings, writing, and many more forms of media. Art can be simplistic or complex. Art can be beautiful or ugly. Art can even be pleasing to the eye or extremely disturbing. The acceptance of different forms of art is in the eye of the beholder. The person viewing the diverse forms of art may have different beliefs than the artist and they may interpret the message in a different way. The true meaning of art is determined by the individual who is viewing or creating the art.