La Réconciliation, C’est le Baiser de la Morale

La Réconciliation, C’est le Baiser de la Morale is one of the most abstract and random pieces of artwork you will come across.  Created in 2008 by Amani Bodo, La Réconciliation, C’est le Baiser de la Morale tells a tale of great mystery and fantasy.  Bodo was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)  in 1988 and now works in Kinshasa where he still creates artwork that only he can understand.  Hist favorite theme was Africa and how it compared to the developed world.  Although his career never took off he still paints today and says he wants no credit because “he has been given a gift.”  His creativity and imagination is portrayed beautifully in this painting.  

La Réconciliation, C’est le Baiser de la Morale

There is so much to analyze in this painting.  The detail and meaning behind the many possible themes of this painting can only be speculated.  Keep in mind however that Bodo often drew paintings that compared Africa to the developing world.  Starting from the ground up you notice the hand is coming out of the ground.  This could mean something far more powerful and unknown is in control of the world we live in.  It can also mean that there are worlds outside of our world that we may not know about.  The hand with the faces of wise men on the fingertips can also mean a variety of things.  Ancient Greece as well as many other societies believed in multiple deities that controlled aspects of their life.  Bodo may be referencing this as well as saying that there is always someone watching.  Again, all of this is pure speculation due to the lack of information on the artist.  The next theme is tree coming out of the crystal ball.  In my eyes this means expansion of those in the crystal ball.  Those dwelling inside the ball have grown in their world and are now stretching and searching for further knowledge. 

Here are some of his other more famous pieces of artwork.  This painting is called Cigarette which was also created in 2008.

Again with limited information about when and where he drew this painting, one can only speculate what was going through Bodo’s mind.  One common theme is the hand coming from under the ground.  Another example of this is Zero which was created in the same year.

Amani Bodo is an extremely creative and abstract artist.  His art style is common today in the U.S. which is why I found it interesting that they also find this style popular in the Congo.  I wish I had more information to give about what influenced him to draw these obscure paintings.  Perhaps it is better not to know, allowing us to speculate what it means, making these painting more directed towards us as individuals. 

http://www.caacart.com/pigozzi-artist.php?i=Bodo-Amani&m=77&s=1131

http://en.angalia-arts.com/Amani-Bodo_a24.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/angalia-arts/7668332194/

Beau Temps

Beau Temps by Hama Goro is about as natural as you can get.  Made in 1996, this piece was crafted of “gifts from nature”.  Hama Goro is an artist from humble beginnings, born in  in Dinangourou, Mali in 1963, he began his style of painting called Bogolan technique.  Goro collects resources from the earth such as grass, weeds, dirt, and other vegetation to make his paint.  Most of his artwork has a very natural ting to it.  The piece I am featuring is extremely natural and creative.

This painting was created for the sole purpose of portraying Goro’s loneliness he felt when he visited Europe.  His visit was intended to broaden his horizons and culture.  The result of his visit had a different than was desired.  Goro stated that his visit made him realize how disconnected western civilization has become due to technology and modernization.  He stated that there is connection to any tradition or natural ways of life due to the rapid expansion and adaptation of society.  It is this mentality that Goro captures in Beau Temps.  He’s sitting by himself, secluded from the changing world ahead of him.  The shades of brown capture a dull and lonesome scene.  His ability to depict a lonesome world while using the resources the earth provides to make his paint is a feat in it’s own.  Beau Tempsis one Goros famous pieces of artwork and you can see why.  The creativity of how this work was created is what grabs my attention.  Making your own paint that is still able to capture a mood is truly difficult and Goro does it flawlessly.  

 

http://www.hatbuzz.com/www/www.africaserver.nl

http://www.vmcaa.nl/cgi-bin/mk2/

http://www.africancolours.com/hamagoro.htm

 

Street Art

Street art has no date of origin.  Mankind has scribbled art on random services since the beginning of time.  We have come a long way since charcoal and blood scribblings on cave walls.  Street art is temporary and for the public eye to see.  The art itself can be any style representing any time period.  Very common forms of street art are of illegal nature.  Graffiti is a very common form of street art.  Due to it’s already illegal nature, many street artists often centered their artistic work around very controversial subjects such as politics, religion, and social hot topics.  It is for this reason that I chose my 2 feature artists and their work.  They did not care about public popularity.  They put whatever thought they had, whatever belief they held to, and put on a wall or public area for all to see.  My featured artists are Frank Shepard Fairey and Banksy.

Frank Shepard Fairey was born February 15th, 1970 and was involved in street art since was a teen.  Constantly in trouble with the law, Fairey became very skilled in the art of graffiti and controversial art.  Below are four of his most popular achievements.

 

This poster was created after the creation of the piece below.  This poster, Obey the Giant, inspired a huge line of Obey products.  It was made in 1989 along with the other piece.

This is the original “Andre the Giant” which inspired the Obey line of posters and stickers.  The meaning of the pictures can be multiple things.  In 1989, Fairey created this poster by accident, stenciling a newspaper picture ad and making it public.  He had no idea that the picture would be so famous.

 

This poster of President Obama with the word hope below it has been coined the “reason for the election of Barack Obama”.  The Obama campaign never said they were a part of the production of the poster but they did thank Fairey for his creative poster.  This poster created in 2008 turned out to be Fairey’s most popular work.

Bansky has no first name.  He is believed to have been born in Bristol, England but after extensive research, no confirmation could be found about his birth name or birth place.  He was however very talented with street art challenging the traditions of the art world.  Bansky was fond of politically incorrect forms of art which may be why he wished to remain relatively unknown.  The dates of these public paintings are relatively unknown due to his nature of being semi-secretive.  These are 3 of his 80 plus street art masterpieces.

This painting on the Berlin Wall clearly displays the grievance that much of the public had against the wall itself.  Like the other street art pieces this piece has no name but was very popular amongst the public.

 

 

Made to capture the feelings of nations great athletes competing in the olympics during the cold war era.  Nameless again, this piece is controversial and very creative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again another nameless sketch of a person pole vaulting over a barrier long separating people from family and loved ones.  This simple public artwork says so much and is one of his most simplest pieces of art.

Both of these artists were not afraid to step outside the ordinary.  They never held punches when putting there thoughts or beliefs on canvas or an abandoned wall.  It is these different methods that made these artists so great and so innovative.  Art continues to redefine itself with every day and every artist.

 

Thinking About the Origins of Street Art, Part 1

http://www.biography.com/people/banksy-20883111

http://www.evi.com/q/banksy_place_of_birth

Dynamism of a Soccer Player

Dynamism of a Soccer Player by Umberto Boccioni is a futuristic masterpiece.  Created in 1913, Boccioni created this piece in Reggio Calabria, Italy where he was interested in the movements and dynamics of athletes.  The picture is dynamic to say the least.

Futuristic ideals were very popular during this time due to several technological advances as well as many accomplishes in the sporting arena.  Boccioni was very interested in the movement of athletes and so drew this painting.  This picture is extremely complex and very hard to make out.  The use of abstract colors and lines in this painting is awesome.  The distinct nature of the lines and multi colored shading was very popular among futurists during this time and it adds to the uniqueness of this painting.  

Boccioni focused much of his career on futuristic ideals such as advances in technology and the study of moving objects.  The analogy of a soccer player and the movements he or she makes is often overlooked. Blending all movements into one painting is an extremely hard task.  Although it is hard to disseminate some movements from others, visualizing one movement at a time helps to find that specific movement in the painting.  Dynamics and technological advances during this time were very popular and were center points by most artists.

I love this painting due to it’s unique nature.  This is the first painting of this style that I have come across.  Although I am not a soccer fan, I like the idea of an athletes movement captured on canvas that will essentially last forever.  I get motivated looking at this picture.  The colors and jumpiness of the painting portray an athlete playing the game he loves.

http://www.twocoatsofpaint.com/2010/06/twitter-notes.html

http://artwelove.com/artwork/-id/2ebcc4be

 

 

Impression: Sunrise

Impression: Sunrise by Claude Monet is arguably the foundation of the impressionist movement.  Made in 1872, this painting, which was made in France, was put on display at the first impressionist show in 1874, where it’s fame quickly took flight, carving a path for others to follow who shared the same views as fellow impressionists. The Harbor in Le Havre France was the scene of this masterpiece.  The loose brush strokes and blending of colors was typical of this era.  The very unique and mysterious attribute is the sun as scene below:

 

When looking at the scene as a whole you notice the blending of the sky, the mist, and the sun.  This is possible due the loose brush strokes and overlapping of colors.  It is with this coloring and loose brushwork that Monet captures the mood which is dreary and almost lonely.  Every item on this painting is blended in with each other and yet everything is in great detail.  The most interesting aspect of the painting is the sun.  When looking at the sun, it is noticeably different in color and contrast than the sky.  But when measured with a photometer the sun becomes invisible when compared to the sky.

 

This shows the creativity and mystery of Monet’s work.  I love this piece.  Had Monet simply used colors that were heavily contrasted against the sky than the creativity would be somewhat diminished.  This is arguably my favorite piece we have come across yet; there is a piece called dynamism of a soccer player but I wont talk about that until the early modern era.  The founding father of the impressionism movement truly set the tone with Impression: Sunrise.

William Tell

The play William Tell is a truly gripping story that has lasted through the ages.  Written by Friedrich Schiller in 1804, the stories main focus is on a hunter and marksman named William Tell.  Tell, a humble man, comes from small beginnings with a very tight nit family.  In a time where the Swiss are struggling for independence against the Hapsburg Empire, Tell gets thrown into the chaos that his country is part of when his family and friends are held captive by the tryant Gessler.

Gessler is on the left and Tell on the right.

This story illustrates the true power of a single individual.  It shows people of the lower and middle class that what they do in life does matter.  Standing up for yourself is a duty and must be done in the face of tyranny.  Many members of these classes have experienced something similar to Tell’s tale, giving them a sense of pride and ownership in the tale.

This play moved me in such a way that I found myself motivated to stand out above all others.  A true underdog story, this play was put together brilliantly, making its target audience the hard working individual of society.  Schiller made sure to capture the power of the bond of family and the love for country in many parts of the play.  William Tell was first performed publicly in Weimar and was directed by Johann Wolfgang Goethe.  The first of publication rendered a sale of over 7000 copies.  The characters of the play are on the Hungarian national deck of cards.

This tale will continue to last through the ages.  A tale of bravery, loyalty, and family, Schiller did not disappoint in the delivery of this play to the world.  William Tell will always be Friedrich Schiller’s legacy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tell_%28play%29

Gessler_und_Tell.jpg

La Pendaison

Les Grandes Miseres de la Guerre is one of the most memorable series of 18 plates created during this era.  These plates were created in Lorraine to remember a terrible time; a time in which soldiers preyed on civilians and many helpless people were left to fend for themselves.  Plates 1-3 consist of an introduction page, a parade, and a battle scene.  Plates 4-8 illustrate successive campaigns of soldiers attacking farms and homesteads of innocent town folk.  9-17 of the series take a turn and illustrates the soldiers being tortured and subjected to public execution.  The final plate depicts a king on his throne, showering his citizens with gifts to honor their sacrifice.  One of the most popular plates is the 11th in the series called “La Pendaison”, which in English means “The Hanging”.  Created by Jacques Callot in 1633, this peace truly represents how many felt during the Thirty Year War.  It is as dark as it is powerful.  (http://english.habsburger.net/module-en/die-kunst-und-der-dreissigjaehrige-krieg)

The Thirty Year War was a devastating time for the arts.  This war was fought by the Catholics and the Protestants in the Holy Roman Empire.  During the war, a great deal of art was stolen from Rudolph II.  On July 26th 1648, the Swedish army sacked the Prague castle, stealing almost all of the art, bringing it back to Sweden for Queen Christina’s personal collection. (http://blogs.artinfo.com/secrethistoryofart/2011/10/19/5-minute-history-of-art-theft-during-the-thirty-years-war-1618-1648/)

Queen Christina was later exiled however, she kept 70 or so paintings with her at the end of her reign.  After her death, a total of 123 of her paintings were passed to the Duke of Orleans.  This was a very hard for all classes of people during this time.  Many rich aristocrats could not live by the same means they had prior to the war.  To get by, they had to sell much of their land, estate, and valuables just to get by.  Artwork was spread out over all of Europe.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Grandes_Mis%C3%A8res_de_la_guerre)

I love this piece of artwork because it tells a story of a time which many people didn’t even knew existed.  The plate captures a shot of great sorrow and despair.  Callot used bites of acid to burn his artwork.  When adding depth to the plate, Callot left the background light and stained the foreground, giving the important aspects of the piece a bolder look.  He perfected this art which allowed for strength in the line.  The use of acid for artwork was very innovative for this time.  This is a beautiful masterpiece.

The Garden of Earthly Delights

Hieronymous Bosch was a creative artist to say the least.  Most, if not all of his art was biblical, represented by beautiful human beings and shadowed by evil demons.  While he was a known artist, the piece that made a name for himself was the following piece created in the Netherlands called:

The Garden of Earthly Delights

 

Created between 1490 and 1510, just before the reformation, Bosch staked his claim as being part of the greater artists of the Northern Renaissance.  Like the artists during the Italian Renaissance, Bosch spent most of his time depicting biblical themes onto canvas or wood.  The The Garden of Earthly Delights is cast on a triptych which, when opened, revealed the three panels as you see above.  The left panel represents Adam and Eve and God’s “acceptance of their partnership”.  This panel carries with it a mystical paradise with animals and beautiful landscapes, illustrating what we as a human race once had.  The center panel depicts illustrates the human race surrounded by temptations such as sex and the forbidden fruit.  The right panel depicts hell which Adam and Eve inherited because of their wicked ways.  This panel is dark with dismembered bodies and demons not ever depicted during this time or age.  (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hieronymus_Bosch)

Bosch’s artwork follows the idea of humanism.  Pico della Mirandola believed that you can choose one of two paths.  Choose the path of righteousness which follows the divine one and his ways.  The second path consists of the damnation of all those who cast the lord out of their lives.  This perfectly resembles Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights.  

The Garden of Earthly Delights is very intriguing.  This painting is before its time with futuristic demons and the ability to capture a mood driven by the background of a piece.  Bosch was an innovator and portrayed his big imagination through his artwork. ( britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/74589/Hieronymus-Bosch)

Jarred MacArthur

Jarred MacArthur’s First Post

My first post will involve the answering of baseline questions about my familiarity of the subject and its importance in today’s education.

 

1.  Why do you think that the University requires students to take a course like this?

I believe that the University requires students’ to take a course such as this to better develop a students cultural background.  I can also say that this course is going to enhance my computer skills as well due to the fact that I have never used blogs or anything related to blogs.

2.  What is your familiarity with visual arts?

I have very little background with visual arts.  I am however ready to take this course head-on, with an open mind the entire semester.

3.  Describe your relationship to music?  What do you listen to?

I am currently listening to Rammstein, which is a German metal group.  As I said before, I like to look at anything new with an open mind and am willing to entertain anything that is presented to me.  I love music and do not go a day without listening to some form of it.

4. Have you ever seen live theatre?  If so, describe what you have seen.

I have been to one play.  It was interesting.  I’m just going to live it there.

5. Completing your work on time is particularly important in this course – particularly the blogs.  What techniques will you utilize in order to keep yourself up to date with the required deadlines?

I just downloaded an app called Wunderlust which is a very useful tool which reminds me about my due dates and upcoming assignments.  Procrastination is extremely easy to fall victim to when taking an online course.  I will resist the temptation at all  costs.

   Jarred MacArthur