I Paint Self Portraits Because…
…I am the person I know best.”
These honest words were spoken by the very talented Frida Kahlo. If anyone is to have a story to tell, it would be Kahlo, whether in painting, literature or music. She was the daughter of a Hungarian-Jewish man and a Spanish/Mexican/Indian woman. Being the survivor of polio, she was involved in a very serious bus accident that fractured multiple bones and shattered her pelvis. This made her incapable of bearing children, and she constantly suffered from frequent pains in relation to the severe damage done to her body.
In her painting of The Little Deer (1946) Kahlo portrays herself as the animal stuck with multiple arrows, leaving her to die in the middle of the forest. Because she knew herself better than anything else, that it was Kahlo chose to paint. Most of her paintings were very symbolic of her struggles and the pain that she constantly dealt with after the accident. In this painting, the arrows appear to be located at very strategic places on the animal’s body, coinciding with the sources of her pain.
I am very intrigued by Kahlo’s work because she wasn’t afraid to openly express her agony through her artwork. The woman went through hell and was able to become well-known because of it. Not many people would keep on thriving after incidents that Kahlo dealt with. Rather, we would have wasted away without leaving a legacy for others to appreciate. Some of her artwork may be honest and gruesome, but it relays her emotions to the audience, allowing us to sympathize with her.
Source:
Add a comment December 15, 2009
From Violence to Valor
MEET THE ARTIST:
Gonçalo Mabunda was born in Mozambique and has only been a full-time artist since 1997. Previous to this exposure of African art, I had never heard of Mabunda. He focuses primarily on sculpture, but it is the materials used that make his work so incredibly fascinating. The scupltures aren’t just made from ordinary scrap metal, but from deactivated weapons that had been stock-piled and hidden during the civil war that divided Mozambique. His website states that he uses these materials of ”strong political connotations which carry collective memory.” For Mabunda it isn’t always about what he makes. Instead, it is more about the emotional story the materials have. The reason I chose not to pick one piece of his artwork is because they all are amazing. The symbolism behind these sculptures doesn’t pertain to the subject of the sculptures anyways. The first presentation of his artwork actually occured on the Africaserver in 1999, and since then his popularity has increased. I decided to share this artist simply because this man has managed to take something used for violence and turn it into something beautiful and enjoyable. It’s like taking evil and turning it into good.
“Jesus Christ Riddled”
“The Artist”
“The Rescue Helicopter”
sources:
http://www.designserver.nl/nucleo2/
http://www.vmcaa.nl/vm/virtual/index.html
http://www.goncalomabunda.net/
1 comment December 15, 2009
Women Speaking for the Minority
Judith A. Baca was born in 1948 and continues to be a prominent female figure in art, especially murals. She inaugurated the Citywide Mural Project in Los Angeles, and she founded and currently sponsors the Social and Public Art Resource Center. In 1976 she began her creation of the Great Wall of Los Angeles as a representation of “a giant scar across the land which served to further divide an already divided city…Just as young Chicanos tattoo battle scars on their bodies, Great Wall of Los Angeles is a tattoo on a scar where the river once ran” (Benton 458).
A Vision of the Future Without Fear. Judy Baca. 1986-2003.
This mural is one segment of the “The Great Wall of Los Angeles” which symbolizes the history of an interracial struggle, focusing on the roots of racial conflict.
Respect Your Perspective. Judy Baca. 1985.
This billboard mural has two parts: this side stating “Respect your perspective,” and another side proclaiming “Be skeptical of the spectacle.” The purpose of the billboard, which was funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education, is to warn the viewer of media propaganda and reinforce independent thinking.
Dead Homeboy Killed by a Placa. Judy Baca. 1974.
As wood stain on paper, this work portrays the aftermath of a mural crew member who has been murdered.
MAYA LIN:
Maya Ying Lin, an American woman of Chinese descent, was only 21 years old during te creation of her most famous piece. As a Yale University architect graduate, won a national competition with her design of the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial.
The Civil Rights Memorial. Maya Lin. 1989.
This stone water table incorporates people killed during that time, a brief history, and a quote from the book of Amos by the assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “We are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.’”
LISA FIFIELD:
Lisa Fifield, born in 1957 of Iroquois-Oneida descent, is a painter of traditions and beliefs of Native American peoples. Many of her canvases are based on the results of Wounded Knee, but Ghost Dancers Ascending is her recreation of the release of Native American spirits after their deaths. Believing their clothing was impenetrable by bullets, the Native Americans inevitably were slaughtered.
Birch Bark Woman. Lisa Fifield.
Ghost Dancers Ascending. Lisa Fifield. 1995.
This watercolor shows the spirits rising above the earth after the massacre at Wounded Knee.
Within the works of these three women (Judy Baca, Maya Lin, Lisa Fifield) the stories and sorrows of the minorities are revealed. With all three women being of a minority descent, it would seem as though the public could more easily relate to their works. Their creations are a way of making a conscious effort to pass along tradition and history, as well as exposing the grievances of the minorities.
Judy Baca’s A Vision of the Future Without Fear has several murals, but the one depicted here shows sad women of different backgrounds watching a man begin a quest into the unknown. Just as races come closer to equality, the scary and unknown is revealed. This character traveling into that unknown is a representation of the journey that must be made in order to achieve the desirable. Similarly, Baca’s Respect Your Perspective is a reassurance to minorities that they do have a clear and bright future; it’s simply behind the clutter and propoganda of society. The African-American girl is cleaning away to clutter to reveal that bright and opportunistic future. With any struggle, there will also be losses, and Baca makes this clear in her Dead Homeboy Killed by a Placa. A 17 year-old boy is murdered on the side of the street and left to die.
Maya Lin is an architect, but she still successfully unveils the emotions behind any conflict in history. In her Civil Rights Memorial, she uses symbolism, quotes, and history to show the meaning behind the memorial. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s biblical quote, “We are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream,” appears to be the base of the rest of the memorial. The disk is a water fountain, hence the reference to water, and who better to quote than the late MLK Jr? On the disk are names of those killed in the fight for civil and equal rights during that time in history.
Lisa Fifield is from Native American ancestry, and she paints of what she knows. Her depiction of Birchbark Woman reveals the Native American appreciation, understanding and traditions of respecting Mother Earth as their home. In addition to tradition, Fifield also focuses on the losses that Native Americans took during the struggle over land in the Americas. In Ghost Dancers Ascending, she is showing a happy moment in lives of late Native Americans even though they have just faced the gravest slaughter.
Not only are these three incredible artists women, but they speak for the minority through personal perspective. There is no greater effect on the public than that of those who have suffered or lost telling the story as they felt and experienced it.
source: Benton, Janetta Rebold and Robert DiYanni. Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities. Third Edition. Volume 2. 2008.
Add a comment December 14, 2009
The Great Divide
They Also Found Discrimination by Jacob Lawrence
from the series The Migration of the Negro
Panel 49. 1940-41. Washington DC
Shortly following World War I, many African Americans traveled northward in search of employment. Early migrators were capableof finding jobs, but many found out that the issues faced in the South were prevalent in the North. The African American population was faced with injustice, racism and poor living conditions. Because of this large movement of a population and the mistreatment, Jacob Lawrence, an African American painter created a series reflecting the occurences. The Migration of the Negro is a depiction of the hardships African Americans were faced with during this time.
In They Also Found Discrimination the viewer can see the physical divide between the white population and the African Americans. Not only does it symbolize social segregation, but it is representative of the troubles every African American faced. Jacob Lawrence left the African American subjects faceless in order to depict anyone African American. It was a way for the oppressed to feel recognized, as well as for the white man to realize this was happening to all African Americans.
I mostly enjoy this painting because is a bold creation to show physically and symbolically what the African American population were faced with. In an effort to “fit” into America’s population and survive, they were cast to the side and separated from everyone else. It is through the actions of people such as Jacob Lawrence that brought about awareness of the African American discrimination.
source: Benton, Janetta Rebold and Robert DiYanni. Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities. Third Edition. Volume 2. 2008.
Add a comment November 4, 2009
What an Impression
Claude Monet, Impression Sunrise, 1872, France
Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines, 1849, France
After learning about the Impressionism era, I quickly found out that I didn’t like the artwork at all. I really enjoy the meaning and excitement behind the brush strokes the artists used when creating their pieces, but the final products don’t seem to excite me nearly as much. The idea behind Impressionism focused on the way the painters worked. The movement of the brush across the canvas was that of happiness. Painting out in the open air and starting on light canvas, forced the artist to layer the colors to achieve the desired darkness. It was completely opposite of the way previous artists had achieved their final pieces. For example, when comparing Claude Monet’s painting with Rosa Bonheur’s painting, there is a noticable difference in styles.
Because of the loose, happy brush strokes the Impressionists worked with, the outcome was a very loose image. This is visible in Impression, Sunrise where there is no real definition to the objects in the painting. The background seems to be filled with trees and brush, but it appears to be misty or foggy because of the loose gestures. Same is seen in the image of the boat in the middle of the painting. On the other hand, Plowing in the Nivernais has a very defined layout of the objects in the painting. This Realist painting is so specific with the defined brush strokes that it almost looks like a photograph rather than a painting.
It is the ellusive images of the Impressionist paintings that make me unable to relate to the artists. I enjoy definition and specificity, and that is exactly what Impressionism lacks. However, Realism (which happens to be one of my favorite genres of art) has all the definition and specificity that I like in artwork. Indeed, it is supposed to replicate reality.
Sources: Benton, Janetta Rebold and Robert DiYanni. Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities. Third Edition. Volume 2. 2008.
2 comments October 24, 2009
Haydn’s “Farewell” to Middle Class Oppression
Franz Joseph Haydn served as a court musician in Vienna for almost thirty years, and in 1772 he composed one of his most famous symphonies, “Farewell” no. 45. The clips of the symphony are only two of four movements that make up the entire composition. However, each movement is just as compelling as the others. During the time that “Farewell” was written, musicians that worked for the courts were unfairly treated.
Court musicians were forced to live 30 miles away from Vienna where the palace was located in an isolated area. They weren’t allowed to visit their families very often, and their families weren’t allowed to visit. There were so many court musicians forced to live in such small areas, that they were extremely cramped and felt oppressed by the upper class (in this case, royalty).
The “Farewell” Symphony is seen as a protest against the musicians’ living arrangements mainly because of how it is formatted. The most critical part to understanding Haydn’s protest lies within the last movement. The second clip is the last movement, and one can eventually start to notice the number of instruments dropping down until there are only two left. Not only is this unusual, but Haydn had the musicians slowly stop playing and leave the stage during the symphony. Even though this kind of thing wasn’t heard of, this was part of Haydn’s plan. It was in an effort to get the king to see just how much the musicians didn’t appreciate the way they were being treated.
I find this piece so interesting because not only is it unique and original for its time in order to get a point across, but the first movement makes me think of an argument. It is as though I can hear the musicians pouring their hearts out to the king about how sad they are. Then almost as a response, I can hear the king standing firm in his decisions about how he dare not change his ways. The music isn’t at all sad, but I can’t help but picture both sides of the story through Haydn’s music.
This symphony was not only popular because it helped the musicians get what they wanted by standing up for themselves, but it also gave others the courage to stand up for themselves too. The middle class deserved to break away from the oppressive barrier they had always been under. Using Haydn as a stepping stone, the middle class could easily start to stand up for themselves to say “Farewell.”
2 comments October 14, 2009
Velazquez and Baroque
Maids of Honor (Las Meninas), painted in Spain by Diego Velazquez around 1656, is truly a masterpiece of the Baroque era. As the king of Spain, Phillip IV strived to make his reign the most prominent in European history. Because of this, Phillip appointed Velazquez the royal painter, sponsoring any and all paintings. Eventually, Velasquez was knighted for his work and named the Order of Santiago. This title was well-deserved from the resulting Las Meninas.
The painting depicts three dimensions (points of view) that no other artist had ever accomplished succesfully. The painting shows the perspective of the people being painted (the king and his second wife). It is as though the viewer is the king and queen themselves. One can see the reflection of those being painted in the mirror directly across the room.
Velasquez also depicts this painting as a genre scene from the perspective of himself simply because it shows the everyday lifestyle of the royal family. The princess is being waited on and surrounded by servants, a pet, and a dwarf; just as it would have been during that time.
The third view is the space the extends from the plane of the painting. This is apparent with the ascending set of stairs in the back of the room where the man appears to be leaving. Brilliantly placed, the set of stairs adds to the three-dimensional aspect.
The biggest reason I always find this painting so intriguing is because a viewer is forced to really ponder which perspective they would like to focus on. Is the viewer the king and queen? Is the viewer witnessing the life of the royal family from the perspective of Velazquez, or are they a bystander ascending the stairs in back of the room? Much like abstract paintings, the viewer is forced to think and evaluate on a different level. Had it not been for the support of King Phillip IV, Las Meninas may have never been such an inspiring masterpiece for so many artists that followed behind Velazquez.
4 comments October 3, 2009
Bosch and the Renaissance in Northern Europe
Garden of Earthly Delights, painted by Hieronymus Bosch around 1505, is a brilliant prelude to the Protestant Reformation. This alla prima painting focuses mainly on the moral issues of the Catholic, as well as the corruption within the Church that lead to the ultimate divide. Using strategic symbolism, the audience is able to develop an understanding of the image that Bosch is really trying to paint. The left panel focuses on creation, while the right panel shows the torturous hell. The central panel, which is twice the size of the two outer panels, explains the bulk of the moral issues that gives rise to the corruption in the Church.
In the central panel, the rotting fruit explains the short-lived pleasures in life, which are “earthly delights” that cannot be taken to neither heaven nor hell. The exposure of several lovers to the world, without their knowledge, hints to the idea that private, lustful actions are still exposed in the end. Even though the left panel of creation appears to resemble the biblical perception, hell is filled with several symbolic images of sin. The seven deadly sins of the earth are punishable in hell: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.
The most significant image in the painting relates directly to the exposure of the Church’s corruption. In the bottom right corner of the right panel, there is a mother superior pig embracing a dying man. This signifies Bosch’s criticsm of the Church for extracting wills that benefited the monasteries.
Even though Bosch was a Catholic, he grew up in a small area of Holland where religious, political, economic, and social ideas were constantly clashing. Ideas concerning witchcraft, astrology and visions of the supernatural were openly accepted. The painting really stands out among the rest because of its unusual fragile and delicate style of the images. I find it extremely interesting because of the true meaning lying behind every image. It seems as though it is a puzzle exposing the Church, without actually being direct. Had Bosch been so bold as to paint a literal portrait of the corruption, he probably would have been deemed a heretic and executed. Ahead of his time, Bosch really opened the doors to the rest of the Reformation artists who also focused heavily on the corruptions of the Church.
2 comments September 23, 2009
My first post :)
My name is Lacy Christisen, and when I saw this picture it was not only creative, but taken from a great angle as well.
1 comment September 9, 2009
Hello world!
Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!
1 comment September 9, 2009
