MODULE 13& 14

     I chose women in art as my subject because I had just finished a paper on feminism in art history. I was interested in the different ways women are portrayed though out the years in art. I began my search for images by looking up my favorite artists and paintings. I made sure to include various mediums because the subject matter for all of the art works was the same.
     Choosing the background for the slides was simple, I wanted something that would compliment the art works I chose and settled on a feminine light purple-pink. A cursive font complimented the simple font that was used more frequently. Although these things are stereotypically "girly", its ok to embrace typically feminine things.

MODULE 16

My expectations of this course were to improve my ability to understand, interpret and write about art. My expectations were achieved, I got a lot of practice writing about artwork using elements and principles. 

Art is created with the intent to express an idea or emotion. This definition is about the same as my initial one. 

In my original post, my favorite artist was Hayv Kahraman. This always changes as I look at different art. After taking an Italian Baroque class this semester, my favorite artist is Caravaggio.

I still enjoy the structure of an online class but the battle with my bad quality wifi might prevent me from taking another online class. I knew this would be a problem in the beginning but knowing the due dates of all assignments has its advantages. 

MODULE 15

     I chose to use charcoal because of how it allows you to blend smooth areas too look realistic but also when left rough and unblended it gives a more rough unfinished look. The most challenging part of creating this drawing was getting started and mapping out where all of the features are. This piece represents me mainly because it looks like me but also because the mix of smooth and rough charcoal marks describe my art making process. First I make a rough, freehand marks and later go in to refine it to be more specific and intentional. 

     I looked for shapes when shading areas of my face. Each value had its own unique organic shape. the way they curve reveals the form of my face. Heightening the contrast of the photo helped distinguish each area of value. I enjoyed working on this project after I was able to look past the fact that it was a drawing of a face and was able to see it as shapes. I think my self portrait was successful and looks like me.
     Visiting the Albright this morning, I could only find a couple self portraits. I enjoyed visiting the gallery in person and "hunting" for inspiration. Here is Frida Kahlo's Self Portrait with Monkey. I chose hers as inspiration because she is known for her self portraits. I noticed how even though she has drawn and painted herself many times, it doesn't always look exactly the same and that's ok.
   

Frida Kahlo

Self Portrait with Monkey

oil on canvas

1938

20 x 10 in

Next, Edgar Degas' self portrait was chosen for the mood it gives off. The dark values and sullen stare the subject is giving creates a darker portrait. This is a good example of expressing emotion through art.

Edgar Degas

Self Portrait

oil on canvas

1884

16 1/4 x 13 1/4 in

The next art work is not a self portrait, but I couldn't find anymore in this gallery. However, I chose this sculpture because the artist had to pay attention to every detail when sculpting this  woman in the round because the viewer is able to walk around the entire thing. I also liked how the form was simplified into rounded shapes. It gives the figure an exaggerated form but that helps you appreciate her body.

 

Gaston Lachaise

Standing Woman

bronze

1912

74 x 18 in

MODULE 15

Pablo Picasso

Guernica, 1937

oil on canvas

11' 6"x25' 6"

     Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, painted in 1937, is one of the most emotional, impactful and important Cubist images of all time. The scene takes place inside of what looks like a home. Light is cast on the various figures from the doorway on the far left of the composition as well as a light fixture mounted on the ceiling in the center of the room. Many of the figures are filled with despair and the monochromatic blue color scheme adds to the melancholy. In true Cubist fashion, the figures are composed of simple geometric shapes and flat planes of color. Curved lines are used to make people and animals, while straight angular lines and shapes are reserved for the structure of the room’s walls, windows, and door. 

In the doorway at the far left, a bull stands stiffly with an alarmed look, tail flung high in the air, legs stiff and straight. In front of it kneels a woman holding her dead baby, her head thrown back and mouth open as she cries out. In the center lies a dead man in pieces on the ground. Behind him is a wide-eyed horse neighing and perhaps thrashing its body around the room. Three figures are on the right side of this long painting. One is sticking their arm and head through a window holding a candlestick. They are shocked looking at the scene in the room. Another figure is dragging their body towards the door. They are low to the ground which gives their body a weighted feeling. The third figure is to the far right. Their arms are flung upwards and they are crying out in despair. 

Upon further research, I discovered the bull and horse are symbols of Spain. The meaning of each animal varies according to who is analyzing the painting. Some think the bull was a symbol of Fascism and the wounded horse represents the Spanish People. Picasso himself never specified what they represent. He believed the interpretation should be left up to the viewer. 

The entire scene is chaotic and jumbled with shapes. Since we read things from left to right, a long and narrow canvas is appropriate for this composition. The viewer is able to take in and slowly analyze each figure individually from left to right. The artist organized the composition linearly which makes it easier to read, which is usually difficult for a Cubist piece of art. Picasso and other Cubist artists take a subject apart and put it back together in an unexpected, jumbled way. The middle of this piece is hard to understand because of the overlapping figures and shapes. It is only after doing additional research on this painting was I able to understand that the body on the ground is likely in pieces.

  The reason Picasso wanted to illustrate this deadly, gruesome scene is the series of arial attacks on the unsuspecting Spanish city of Guernica by the Spanish government. With funding from the Germans, Hitler’s Nazis used the village as a test run of a training mission composed of over two hours of bombing the city, reducing it to rubble. This city was of no strategic military value and 1,600 innocent civilians were killed or wounded.

Picasso felt strongly against the war going on in his homeland and wanted to tell the world about this horrifying attack on civilians. Guernica is his response to the event.  He completely abandoned the commission he had been creating for the Spanish Pavilion and dispassionately working on for months and completed this mural-sized artwork in less than a month. Its grand size paired with moving imagery effects every person who stands in front of it. Because of its scale, it is as if you are surrounded by the chaos erupting in the small village. 

MODULE 11

The title of this specific exhibition at The Burchfield Penny Art Center is titled "HERE!". The theme is the history and culture that is unique to Buffalo. Most of the light was natural from a large window above in addition to some overhead lights. The walls were plain white and made of dry-wall. The floors were a light color and looked like wood. 

As soon as the viewer entered the gallery, they were greeted with a large wall with the exhibition title and a description of the exhibit written on the wall. After reading the description, the viewer is encouraged to continue past the wall into the main gallery. A large amount of works are visible as soon as you enter the main gallery. Throughout the exhibition, sculptures and glass cases are evenly spaced out.

All of the artworks kept with the theme of Buffalo. Some had recognizable locations, events, or people and others were just local Buffalo artists. If the work was framed, thin, simple brown or black frames were used. Small, white info cards containing multiple artists and titles were hung between every few piece. The artworks were hung close together and the ones that were paired or had multiple works in a series were placed one above another.

 I enjoyed looking at the gallery through a different perspective. Every aspect is important and carefully thought out, from the placement of each piece to the colors on the wall. Next time I visit a gallery or museum I will notice small details such as what kind of frame the works are in. 

Jerome Witkin

Portrait of Charles Rand Penny

oil on canvas 

1991

12'x7'

The subject matter of this painting is Charles Penny sitting in a white chair with red drapery hung on the wall as the background. He is surrounded by various trinkets and collectables such as a pair of dog statues, an African mask, and a set of plates. Drapery gathering at the floor serves as guiding lines to point to the subject. The two plates on either side and the two dogs balance the composition. A sense of space is made by the three walls covered in red fabric. The wooden steps provide a place for small trinkets. The subject's form and the folds in the drapery are emphasized by the light coming from one side of the room he is sitting in.

Portraits are an old practice and are often commissioned to remember a person of significance. This painting has the seriousness of a typical portrait but the added objects bring a lighthearted feeling to the work. The objects surrounding the subject are familiar and recognizable art items that could be found in any average person's home. Mr. Peanut figurines and Asian-style painted plates are common objects people can relate to. The artist was trying to make a connection with the act of collecting art and how anyone can do it. It doesn’t have to be by a famous artist or cost a lot of money for it to be deemed art.

 James J. Vullo

The Last of the Old Buffalo Public Library 

watercolor and gouache on paper

1963

10"x24"

    The subject matter of this artwork is the old Buffalo Public Library. Although it is in the Cubist style, some architectural details are recognizable such as a ladder, arched windows, the pointed peaks of towers, and a door. Much like the Cubist painters in the early 20th century, it looks as if the artist cut up the building and put it back together without any strategy. Geometric shapes with flat planes of color make up the building. Because most of the shapes are tall thin rectangles, all of the “cut up” pieces are unified to make one building. The top of the library is distinguishable by a group of triangles. Some of the straight lines used in the painting are diagonal which gives the building a dynamic and energetic feeling. 

    The main colors in this piece are Black, pink, green and burgundy. Keeping the colors consistent and not too busy makes the building cohesive. Overall, the library is a dark mass which is a strong contrast to the light paper it is painted on.  

    It is clear that the artist was inspired by Cubist painters because of his use of straight lines and geometric shapes. In true Cubist fashion, the subject matter is not completely clear and the viewer needs to take time to figure out what they are looking at. Small hints such as the arched windows and pointed towers. Perhaps the jumbled out come of this piece alludes to the tearing down of the library. I’m not familiar with the history of the public library but I interpreted the title as the building is not there anymore or no longer has the same use.  

Alice O'Malley

Justine Kurland, New York

gelatin silver print on paper

2005

10"x18"

    This black and white photo shows a woman in her late twenties stands in an empty white room against a plain white background. Her hands are on her hips and she is standing at a three-quarter angle showing off her pregnant belly. Draped on her shoulders is a waist length dark cape with a light colored trim. She is wearing black knee high boots. 

    There is a wide range of value in this black and white photo, from her black boots, to the white room she’s standing in, providing great contrast. The curves of her body offer a wide range of values as her body parts dip in and out of shadows. The woman is the only thing in the shot so all the emphasis is placed on her.  The room is completely empty which means all the attention is focused on the subject. A naked pregnant woman is not something one sees often so that captures the attention of the viewer or anyone walking by the photo hanging on the wall.  

    This portrait is extremely unique. The condition she is in, both nude and pregnant, paired with the quirky accessories gives her a strong sense of identity. She has full confidence in herself which is made apparent by her posture. To me this seems like a statement on being a woman. She has the power to create life, the confidence to be nude, and the freedom to wear whatever she wants. 

MODULE 12

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

1. I didn't know who Henry Moore was so I chose a video about him. 

2. THE ART OF HENRY MOORE

-early childhood was normal but had an influence on the art he would later create

-the explanation coming from the artist's own words help add accurate commentary to his artwork

MODULE 11

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

1. I chose the Surrealism and Dada video because the subjects in Surrealist art is always random and interesting. Also, Dada was only covered briefly in a class I took previously so I wanted to learn more about it. The second video I chose was The Impact of Cubism because there is a Cubist exhibition at the Albright Knox this month and I wanted to learn some background information before seeing the exhibition. 

2. DADA AND SURREALISM

-Surrealist artists first made a name for themselves as conventional painters. 

-Dada expanded what art could be, artfully and thoughtfully collaging objects together  

-Dada: "Yes, yes," in Russian

-Berlin Dadaists combine art and technology, chard this view with Italian Futurists

-Surrealists preferred dreams, visions and fantasy over normalcy perhaps to escape the real world or explore the subconscious mind

THE IMPACT OF CUBISM

-strong shapes interesting juxtapositions

-angular shapes and flat planes of color

-titles reveal subject matter 

-objects taken apart and put back together

3. The video on Dada and Surrealsim offered a more detailed, in depth look into the artists of that time and specific paintings. The textbook did a thorough compare and contrast using the two movements which cleared up some points for me. Historical context and what was going on in society at the time is important and was included in the video and textbook. 

The Impact of Cubism dove into the personal lives of famous Cubist painters and why they created each artwork. The textbook mostly talked about the two main Cubist painters and gave a summary of what Cubist art is defined as. 

4. Each video was very detailed when describing specific artworks. I would not have understood the topics if it weren't for the supplemental reading in the textbook after watching the videos. The textbook was more straight to the point where the videos provided a more intimate look into the lives of each painter and guided the viewer through the analysis of a painting and why it is classified as Cubist, Dada, or Surrealist.