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.