Non Western Blog: African Artists- Modern Africa

Africa is a Continent full of great inspiration and artists most of whom we don’t know much about. I was surprised at how many artists lie in this great continent. When we hear about Africa we think about poverty and a place with brutal war lords and civil war. This is still true today but in a less extreme way; Africa has become a place for investments, new projects, and the arts. Below I will share a few of the great modern artists from this otherwise forgotten but progressive place.

Stadia 2 by Julie Mehretu, 2004, Ink and Acrylic on Canvas

The work above is one that I was really able to reflect on because it has a similar style to what myself likes to create. It contains lots of lines and different shapes put together to create something that is unusual but extremely creative, something I like to do also. Julie Mehretu is known for her layered kind of art work as you can see in this creation of hers. She starts out with lines and adds different components as she progresses. This piece represents accelerated urban growth and densely populated city environments. This is a good representation of that considering how cluttered the image seems to look and how cluttered the population can be in certain areas. I like the line aspects and shape configurations to this piece, and the fact that this art work can also mean a multitude of other things. I would own this piece because to me it represents organized chaos, something that is prevalent in life.

Epigraph, Damascus by Julie Mehretu, 2016, Johannesburg

This piece named Epigraph, Damascus by Julie Mehreu is in a style more well known to her. Most of her arts include layered creations of black and white that are meant to signify the chaos of life in the way she sees it. Damascus is a city in Syria and as we all know is in a state of civil war. This creation represents the chaos that is unfolding in that region. I appreciate the subject matter Julie chose to draw about because it brings awareness and shows the struggle in that area in a unique black and white way. This creation with its layers portray chaos and the layers depict the different stages of disagreement between Syria’s people and the government. Although I think this creation is unique and different I wouldn’t own it. It lacks color which I like in most of the art I own. That being said this is a great piece that represents trouble but resolution. It is created on six separate canvases giving it a unique representation of Julies layered style.

All That Glitters by Sokari Douglas Camp, 2015, Steel oil barrels and Gold Leaf

Sokari Douglas Camp is one of the artists whom I found most creative. As you can see in her piece All That Glitters It is created out of only steel and gold leaf. For someone to be able to create something out of few materials shows the creativeness that resides in the artist herself. Not only that but working with steel is already an incredibly hard thing to do let alone creating a realistic figure out of it. Her works are suppose to represent her relationship to Nigeria. She does this by using scrap metals, something that resembles Nigeria because it contains a lot of scraps also. Her work also reflects the government and society in a way that is suppose to come out humorous, she wanted to show some light in a place that is usually dark and unforgiving. I like the steel barrel incorporation of her art work as well as the sculpture of the person. The amount of manipulation in the steel must have taken a long time and for that I think she is not only a unique artist but a patient one. This piece would be best suited in public places where it can best inspire others.

Green Leaf Barrel by Sokari Douglas Camp, 2014, Steel, oil barrel, Perspex 

This other piece by Sokari Douglas Camp is another one of my favorites from her. Created in 2014 it is suppose to represent a person creating the world. There is a lot of  unemployment and trouble in Nigeria at the moment so Sokari wanted to create something that was more positive, that being Green Leaf Barrel. The person in the sculpture is creating vegetation out of two split oil barrels representing creation out of nothing. Again the steel work in this piece is out of this world. Bending steel is hard and time consuming enough, so I admire that she chose these lasting materials to create her works, especially because you don’t see that many artists working with steel and scraps. I wouldn’t own this piece because its too big but because Sokari Douglas Camp is one of Africa’s first international artists, her works are displayed all over the world.

Power and Religion by Abdoulaye Konate, 2011

African artist Abdoulaye Konate creates a lot of his works out of mainly scrap pieces such as bottles and bottle caps. His piece Power and Religion is no different and contains lots of scraps to create images with meaning. He focuses on visual impact as well as the richness of using so called poor materials. The piece above is actually quite different than most of his creations being this one is very vague and colorless. He usually creates things using more vibrant colors to promote positivity. The subject matter in this piece probably means a lot to the people of his region since power and religion are in many ways what divides the people. I wouldn’t want to own this piece because it is too large but I admire the way in which it was created. As you can see there are thousands of individual pieces to construct this art work, something that must have taken a lot of pre planning and time.

Biometric Generation by Abdoulaye Konate, No 5, 2008

This piece by Abdoulaye Konate titled Biometric Generaion is more typical of Konate’s style because it uses a variety of colors as is seen in most of his work. However the process to which he creates this is not unlike his others. He used easily attainable materials, in this case, cloth with different design and colors. Konate wanted to represent the troubles in his country but also the world. Each figurative element is suppose to portray a different kind of suffering in his own unique way. Abdoulaye Konate is an artist who likes to depict the brutality of the real world, but in a way that is also somewhat optimistic. This piece is showing that no matter where you are from, we are all facing problems, and to that we might be more alike than we know. I like the variety of colors as well as the subject matter this piece Is suppose to represent. Konate likes to show his engagement in society through his works and because of that I would own this art work in support of his message. Its also just a really intriguing piece full of color and culture and represents not only Africa but people from across the globe.

SOURCES:

https://theculturetrip.com/africa/articles/10-contemporary-african-artists-you-should-know/

http://sokari.co.uk/

https://africanah.org/abdoulaye-konate-2/

http://whitecube.com/artists/artist/julie_mehretu

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-julie-mehretu-paints-sense-violent-chaotic

 

The Influence of Digital Media (Post Modern 1980-Present)

The age of Digital Media has brought a totally new kind of art, an experimental style unlike anything else. Never before could something be created ‘Digitally” a meaning that comprises of endless possibilities and creations. Not only that but things can also be shared world wide with the click of a button. There is no question that the Modern age of Digital Media has influenced the world in many ways as well as brought us all closer together. For the first time in history we are learning about each other in a faster more influential way; Globalization on a high scale.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled #474, 2008 (Society Portraits Collection.)

The first artist I chose was Cindy Sherman, an American artist with quite an extraordinary art style. She has done photography, film, music, and even exhibitions, but as for this I will focus on her Influence as a photographer. I had never researched an artist quite as diverse in her subject matter as Cindy Sherman. If you take a look at her exhibitions of the 1990’s, which I will not display due to censorship, you will see what I mean. In the photo above, which is part of an even larger collection, it shows the American Woman in the struggle with the standards of youth and a status obsessed culture. Before issues such as Feminism could never be portrayed accurately enough to be believable. Now with the digital media age things can now be exerted in a way that makes sense by capturing raw emotion and real human beings. I like this creation by Cindy Sherman because it speaks value, and emphasizes the everyday struggles that American Woman face just by being a woman. The photo of the lady is genuine, but the background seems digitally altered making this piece what it is. If the entire work was as real as the lady herself it wouldn’t really be art, just a photo.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled #465, 2008 (Society Portraits Collection)

This creation by Cindy Sherman is another one that is part of a larger collection in the “Society Portraits Collection” A Collection of photographs that focuses on the Culture of American youth and beauty. Its strange to me that we live in a culture so obsessed with status and looking good. Not only that but we adore our movie stars, take constant selfies, and are always updating what we are doing. On some level it motivates us to become better people than we were yesterday, but on the other hand it just opens doors for inequality, hate, and for a lot depression. Cindy Sherman was able to capture the beauty of the American woman in a way that shows strength and power all whilst spreading the message to thousands of people through media.

 

Julian Beever, Drawing for World Card, Istanbul (1995)     Street Art

Julian Beever is a street artist who focuses on 3D creations with chalk. Due to the lack of time these works stick around as well as the lack of advertising , this kind of art wasn’t very popular until now. With Digital Media artist can now capture their creations and post them to thousands of people through social media sites. Today people have a wide variety of influences around them, art being a major one. Julian Beever however was in the 3D street art game well before a lot already spreading his influence way back then by visiting different countries to make his art known. Before Digital Media was really relevant Beever would take a simple snapshot of his creations, most would be unseen by the world, until now. I am a huge fan of this kind of art because just like the wolrd views, its all a matter of perspective. You must be at the right angle to see Julian Beever’s art in the way it was meant to be seen. A small difference in angle makes his creations look totally different, so this is definitely art that requires some skill. This picture above was created in Istanbul, Turkey and as you can see he is spreading his influence in the way he best sees fit. The 3D wording is just incredible, I really cant see how he is able to make his creations look so real as if they are floating and off the ground. I especially enjoy the different perspectives strategies he uses such as putting his hand under the letter W, or the girl in the back appearing to be laying on top of his art, it really gives the piece an xtra wow factor.

 

Julian Beever, DHL Boy, Created Mid 90’s in China (A DHL boy delivering a parcel all the way from China)

 

Julian Beever is an artist of acceptance, not only because of his accurate depictions of otherwise sensitive cultural material, but also because of his willingness to go to other countries and showcase his art in an influential way. The Chalk art above was created in China and showcase a Chinese boy delivering a parcel. The Photo above is actually meant to be showcased upside down but I have incorporated it her in this form to show the perspective at which you can look at his drawings. In this way it appears the boy is literally dropping the package down through a hole in the floor. Beeer created this because he wanted to show that even so we are a distance away from China, we are a lot closer than we know. This is represented with the Chinese Boy trading a good, a representation of Globalization, something China has really opened up to in the past 30 years. The influence of Digital media has a big part to do with this, its very hard to escape ideology and different cultures when everything can be seen online or through trade. On a side note, even North Korean Citizen get their hands on Hollywood movies. I like the color and subject matter to this drawing, and even so it can be captured by camera, its still unfortunate how quickly they will disappear from the streets. I wouldn’t mind owning this piece, the blue sky is the perfect blue in my opinion, and he did a great job accurately depicting the Chinese Architecture. He even has the kites in the air, something that is important to the Chinese culture. In the days before widespread digital media, I believe this is something that would have been appreciated by the locals.

 

Kurt Wenner, Gears of War, 2006, 3D Pavement street art (Drawing for Microsoft Xbox)

The Chalk drawing above features characters from the game “Gears of War” a popular modern game played by millions. Kurt Wenner was hired to create this on the opening day, and really shows the extent of his skill. Like a lot of artists today, they advertise on social media, and Kurt Wenner is no different. In fact he is knows for his influence through his social media account, capturing everything he has created, and showcased to his millions of followers. If you weren’t born before the age of texting and social media it can be hard to see how incredible this really is. To be able an post something online and have it viewed by millions in a matter of minutes is truly something we should be appreciative of. The world used to be more isolated, so the fact that we can share our cultures and ideas with people from across the globe really shows how far we have come in the past 30-40 years in terms of openness. I really admire the attention to detail in this work, as well as the accuracy in the characters. The color range isn’t very wide but its still a compelling piece, one that I wouldn’t mind owning on paper, or under a roof.

Kurt Wenner, Over Shanghai, 2000’s, 3D Chalk Art (General Motors Event in Shanghai, China)

The drawing above was created for an event in Shanghai, China. I like this picture because it showcases the cooperation between Chinese and American companies, and the influence they have on each other. Wenner did a good job empathizing this is his drawing with is very accurate skyline of shanghai with a then older view of the city before the influence and globalization spread. He is depicting an openess China, one for the world to see. One could even speculate that the drawing depicts the Hoover Dam, which would add fuel to this idea because Americans are shown as their neighbors. None of this would have been possible without the age of digital media, its quite uncertain these companies would have even heard of Kurt Wenner enough to hire him if it wasn’t for the openness of the internet and social media. This has got to be one of the nicest 3D art works I have ever seen. If you look at the water you can see the reflection of the buildings as well as a rainbow kind of texture to the water that makes this piece aesthetically pleasing to look at.

 

https://www.boredpanda.com/44-amazing-3d-sidewalk-chalk-artworks-by-julian-beever/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/12/street-artist-julian-beev_n_1668616.html

https://www.artsy.net/artist/cindy-sherman

https://www.thebroad.org/art/cindy-sherman

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/01/kurt-wenner-artist-who-invented-3d.html

Early Modern- The Influence of WW1

During and after the bloody conflict of World War 1 many different style of art were introduced such as Dada, Surrealism, and De Stijl, also called Neo-Plasticism. Artists were looking for a way to forget the madness and utterly horrendous times that was WW1. Tradition was a big part of the war, and therefore things as such would not be depicted by artists. In fact depicting reality at all was not very important anymore considering the harsh reality the war had brought to the eyes of the world. Artists wanted to rid peoples minds of the chaos and in turn created more abstract and experimental art.

Collage with Squares Arranged According to the Laws of Change (1916-1917) by Artist Hans Arp

 

The Art above was created in France by Hans Arp is considered Dada, a style which arose from World War 1. It is one of many of Hans Arp’s Collages of random shapes. After the War art was all about experimentation due to the disgust of cultural values which many claim contributed to the start of the war. Art now was something different and the above picture by Hans Arp is a good example of this. You wouldn’t normally see this as art because it looks like a bunch of random squares on paper. However its the creation of how this piece was made that makes it art. Hans would drop the squares and by that created the work or art by how they fell to the page. This notion of chance is what gave Hans his artistic style and contributed to the “Anti Art” kind of movement after the war. Nothing was traditional and creating art by chance was a new idea. I am not a fan of this artwork, however I do appreciate the creation of it. Although it isn’t necessarily stunning or relatable to look at, the chance creation makes it a unique piece. It inspires an almost universal quality to it because even though its a simple piece, the randomness of its creation is just like our creation here on earth.

The Spirit of Our Time– Mechanical Head by Raoul Hausmann (1919)  Created in Berlin

This sculptures was meant to represent the fragmented German society after the War. Even though Raoul Hausmann was German he was in many ways upset at how the German government went about things after the war. This sculpture was meant to be a metaphor to the governments inability to inspire the changes needed in society. He is in many ways mocking the supporters of this so called “corrupt” government as having no mind and an empty brain. Hausmann, being one of the leaders of the Berlin Dada movement did a great job in my opinion expressing the fragmented society of Germany at the time. The sculpture in itself seems fragmented or incomplete as to give significance to this. The expression was left blank on purpose, and the items on the sculpture were put there in a way that lacked creative thought, probably for the lack of creative though that persisted throughout the German society. This piece is a bit creepy to look at and I definitely wouldn’t want it. That being said I admire what it represents and the message Raoul Hausmann tried to present with it. The eyes stare with unknowing contempt, and many of the items on the piece give significance to the broken or badly made items that were given to the German Soldiers such as the leaky telescopic beaker, which ultimately might have led to their defeat. This is not my type of art but certainly one with meaning, and one that I can appreciate.

The Pillars Of Society by Artist George Grosz (1926) Created in Germany- oil on Canvas

George Grosz was a German artist who was involved with the Dada movement. He later started to focus more on his own personal disgust towards the cruelty of the bourgeoisie in his work as you can see here in the picture above. He is able to portray his hatred or contempt towards the hypocrisy of the politicians and ruling class. In this image he wanted to portray the real faces of his “ruling masters” in relation to their behavior. To me this is a brave thing to do and something that could of had major consequences. If he had created something like this during World War 2 he would have most likely been killed for it. George Grosz is another example of an artist who was unhappy about the way the ruling class was running the country, and so he portrayed it. I like this art piece because it portrays evil people in a way that they should be portrayed. Not only that but Grosz is also able to make it in a way that looks as if he incorporated many other images, something he was famous for doing, and is quite unique in my opinion. He has even shown the swastika, the emblem the Nazi party had adopted in 1920. The Pillars of Society is an all around creative piece that is a bit different than other art work, but still intriguing to look at with good artwork and most of all a deeper meaning. I would own a similar piece such as this but not this one in particular considering the subject matter and the swastika. However, the incorporation of different images that this portrays is something I do find different and pleasing, something I’ve always admired.

http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/dadaism.htm

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2003/sep/27/art

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/arp-according-to-the-laws-of-chance-t05005

https://www.theartstory.org/artist-grosz-george.htm

Romantic Era

 

During the Romanticism Period the French embraced the struggles for freedom and equality. Painters would draw current events and atrocities to shed light on injustices. The French Revolution was a big event during the Romanticism period in France so a lot of that contributed to the injustices and was also captured. You’ll notice that during the same time artists in Spain for instance focused more on scenery and the surroundings, two very different styles of the time.

“Liberty Leading the People” 1830, Artist Eugene Delacroix

The Painting, “Liberty Leading the People,” is a dramatic realsim scene of fighting that would have spoken volumes to the people of the day. It represents a country fighting for justice as a whole. It represents the country as a whole as there is a woman in front leading and holding the flag. Romanticism sounds like a nice time and more some countries such as Spain it was but for France it was still a time of injustice, inequality, and war. There is fine brush detail as well as lots of colors, most vividly the flag itself. That would have been something Delacroix wanted people to focus on, the idea of unity and justice around the flag, the country.

Charles Emile-Hippolyte Lecomte (1781-1857) The Battle of Porte Saint-Denis, July 29, 1830 Oil on Canvas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unlike the many landscape portraits that came about during the Romanticism period, the one by Charle Emilie another typical painting that came out of France during that time. It highlights the troubles during the French Revolution. Its a Realism painting and gives a reaction that one must stand. There was a lot of horror that can be seen in this painting but at the same time it gives a sense of forwardness. The idea that an end will come. This painting contrast quite well with the ones below first and foremost is the fact that it isn’t a landscape painting, and also that the message is very different. Not only that but the colors itself are quite different than the landscape paintings, The Battle of Porte Saint-Denis gives a more opaque almost dull look to it, while the painting Aurora Borealis is Oozing with color contrast and bewildering views.

Aurora Borealis By Frederic Edwin church, 1865, Oil on canvas, 56inx83.5in

Unlike the two paintings above Aurora, this is a landscape painting and portrays more of a positive feeling. This Painting was done by Frederic Edwin on an expedition up north. He saw the Northern Lights dancing above him one night and wanted to document his experience. This was done at a time when most people didn’t know anything about the true north or what the aurora borealis even was. It gives me a sense of wonder and awe about what is out there. I wonder if the French had depicted more paintings of subjects such landscapes and wonderment, if somehow that would have helped bring peace and stability to that region. Instead they documented their troubled realities through their paintings which on one hand is important but on another hand doesn’t let them think of anything else but that. That is kind of ironic though considering that might be indeed what they needed to do. The colors used in this painting are quite astonishing considering the contrasts and blending between them. Church did a fantastic job of capturing a realist sight of what a lot of people don’t get to see. It would definitely be a painting I would want to have for myself, and in the original size as well. Its without a doubt a more calming feeling looking at a landscape scene than anything else.

 

Voyage of Life:ManHood by Thomas Cole, 1842, oil on Canvas 53inx76in

This painting is the third in what is a group of four paintings from Hudson River School. The first one being the Childhood stage, youth stage, the “Manhood” stage, and lastly the old Age stage. The manhood stage of which this painting represents. Cole wanted to represent the harshness of what is reality. The idea of coming out of youth into manhood and seeing the world in its beautiful yet brutal form. You get a sense of well-being when looking at this picture, an imitation of life, and that we are all following a path within our own. The Landscape and surroundings give even more feeling to the idea, and getting a reaction is what romanticism is all about. You get that feeling and thoughts of meaning, every individual with their own idea of the world. It is different than two paintings at the top because instead of a sense of trouble and dispute this gives a more positive reaction due to it being a landscape painting. The Realism paintings from the top  give an overall negative vibe while the bottom two landscape ones from Hudson River School gives a more positive one.

 

 

https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/the-basics-of-art-the-romantic-period/

http://spiritualpilgrim.net/11_Western-Art/22_Later-19th-Century-Realism/22_Later-19th-Century-Realism.htm

http://people.bethel.edu/~rooway/American%20Art%20History/republican%20era%20painting/

Classical Era

These paintings will focus on the relation to the growing economic power of the Middle Class In the 1700s Classical Era. The first one below titled The Peale Family is a good example of what a typical Middle class family of the time might look like. The picture is the family of Charles Wilson Peale himself. There were lots middle class painters in the 1700s and Mr. Peale is a good example of one of them.

Charles Willson Peale, The Peale Family, 1771-1773

In the Classical Era a lot of the art focused on the portraits of people, but not just wealthy people. Much of the art is of self portraits of the middle class, and of society itself which in many cases depicts the middle class. The middle class were thriving during the 1700’s and the idea of having big families was being depicted all over. The economy was booming and the middle class was a big part of why. This painting really shows the importance and closeness of the middle class family back then, an idea still cherished today.

William Hogarth, English, 1697-1764, A Scene from the Beggar’s Opera, 1728/1729, Oil on Canvas

The picture above by William Hogarth takes place at the Beggar’s Opera. Going to the Opera has always been something the wealthy partook in. The middle class rarely had the luxury of going out all that much. This picture is a good example of some of the newer things coming about that the middle class started to influence, the Opera being one of them. One thing the Middle Class had going for them was that they were growing in their class. There were more and more people that could afford a comfortable life style, and their sheer numbers were an advantage. There were far higher numbers of middle class than that of the poor or rich giving them a huge influence over the population and society. A Scene from the Beggars Opera is a simple piece that depicts life in a casual way in an otherwise dramatic setting. It something I imagine everyday life being for the middle class society of the day. The gathering of many peoples is a show of strength and pride in many ways because it shows a willingness to exchange ideas and intellect therefore giving them the ability to grow even more as a class.

David Alan Painting, Highland Wedding at Blair Athall

The David Alan painting above takes place at Blair Athall and is a typical wedding one might see of the middle class family. Its nothing particularly fancy but it shows the people having a good time with the amenities one might see during a wedding such as music and dancing.  The Portrait gives a sense of freedom and happiness. It shows excitement that appears to be real emotion depicted. This was possible because the growing middles classes were able to afford moments such as these that make for good memories. There was happiness on and off the happy moments captured such as this one. It was a happy time for the middle class and they were gaining more and more power.

https://www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/british-conversation-pieces-and-portraits-of-the-1700s.html

http://www.americanyawp.com/text/04-colonial-society/

 

Baroque Era

 

The Night Watch by Rembrandt

One of Rembrandts most famous, and controversial paintings. It is a oil painting and one of his largest.  There were many things done to it over the years including having its sides trimmed to size, and even having a lot of its original color scraped away in the 1940s. It used to have more charcoal to it making it appear like a night scene which is how it got the name, “The Night Watch”

 

 

The Night Watch by Rembrandt inspires a feeling change because it depicts hope in a time that was other wise filled with war. Most of the people in this portrait are military but there are peoples of many classes which to me shows a sign of strength and unity. That would have been very inspiring for the people of Baroque era. Especially that this painting, which happens to be huge, was painted during the end of the so called “Thirty Years War“. The presentation of this portrait shows a scene in motion, a scene of excitement. It shows the eponymous Company as they are moving out, being led by Captain Frans Banning and his lieutenant. A scene in motion wouldn’t have been traditional during that period since military portraits of the day were normally static. I love the idea that Rembrandt decided to display members of the military in a hopeful manner rather than scenes of war. The amount of influence that must of had back then was probably pretty significant. I wouldn’t mind having a copy of this painting, but it would definitely need to be shrunk down from its original size of 142 by 170 inches.

The Dutch, of whom this portrait represent, are in a string of victories. If they seem hopeful its because they should be. The wars for them are for the most part over and its a more peaceful time. They are at the height of their Golden Age, a happier time for the Dutch. However, you cannot forget those who have been conquered. This painting may represent change, but in a way that could give hope to those who have sacrificed everything.

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/night-watch.htm

https://www.rembrandthuis.nl/en/rembrandt-2/rembrandt-the-artist/most-important-works/the-night-watch/

 

 

 

Italian Renaissance

One of the most famous paintings ever created if not the most famous is the Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci. It was created during the Italian Renaissance and is a good example of the different types of realism paintings that flourished during that time. The idea of Humanism came about, the idea that we are in charge of our own destiny, that man could change the fate of his own. It was this shift of thought that gave the life to more paintings such as the Mona Lisa, and other more prominent real life people who helped influence this era.  Life itself was the center of the arts, which include morality and the human worth itself. The new so called “confidence” in the human being brought more images of life around us thus including ourselves.

Mona Lisa, by Leonardo Da Vinci

 

The Disputation of the Sacrament, by Raphael was painted from 1509 to 1510 when it was completed. What strikes me about these murals are the attention to detail as well as all the colors. We take colors for granted today because they are everywhere, but have you ever thought about where the colors come from. To get the amount of colors back then was a task in itself. Many colors are derived from creatures in the ocean which are not easy to come by. The science of distracting colors and getting them to the painter is an accomplishment in itself. The subject matter of this painting is also quite symbolic as it represents the connection between heaven and earth, man and god.

The emotions elicited in this painting are of happiness, and enlightenment. The existence of the divine and humans as one shows the intelligence of the human being, but with the leadership of the wise. It was created when the idea of humanism was present, the shift to critical thinking over the acceptance of superstition. There was a prime importance to humans rather than divine or supernatural matters. More documented paintings would come to account everyday life rather than superstition. Just by looking at this mural, the amount of skill that one has to have in order to complete such an intriguing piece is mind blowing, almost no mistakes could be made.

https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/italian-renaissance

https://www.britannica.com/topic/humanism/Later-Italian-humanism

http://www.raphaelpaintings.org/disputation-of-the-holy-sacrament.jsp

 

 

Elements of Art/Shanghai Tower

The visual art below is one that has to be seen, like most art, in a certain perspective. Art for the most part is the representation of life, and the world around us. The Shanghai tower is a good example of how “Art” can be almost anything and even created somewhat unintentionally.

Looking at a piece of art can be enjoyable, and even mesmerizing at times. So its especially nice when its out in the open for the world to see. Buildings aren’t normally what one might think of when thinking of art,  but in the past decade Engineers and Architects have made major leaps in the design and construction of buildings. We are now seeing more and more art in designs such as “Shanghai Tower”.

While a lot of high end skyscrapers are designed with some type of aesthetic appeal in mind, The Shanghai tower is designed around the elements and the city in which it stands. The spiral is designed to deflect and manipulate the wind and other elements, and at the same time doesn’t disrupt the view of the surrounding buildings. Unlike the traditional cube skyscrapers, the Shanghai Tower has many curves and angles to it giving it a sense of unbalance, but being perfectly safe. It shows the achievements and progress we have made as humanity. To be able to manipulate the surroundings, with team work, and precision is art in itself. You get a feeling of curiosity and wonder as you ponder on what the future hold.

The presentation of this so called “art” Is the best presentation of art I think one can have. Architecture that is appealing, is out in the world for everyone to see. I would not like to own a copy of this art work because the fascination of it is its shear size and design that one should experience physically. I chose this as my visual art piece because it represents progress and endless possibilities.

Shanghai Tower

Shanghai Tower Forbes

Why should we look at art? Art gives each individual their own sense of perspective and meaning. It can even invoke certain thoughts, feelings, that make you who you are, and if were lucky art can even inspire us.

Why look at Art?

Intro Assignment

Hello all my name is Kevin Wehrer. I moved to Fairbanks, Alaska about 3 years ago from California when I was a then Architecture student. Moving up here to Alaska I found they didn’t have an Architecture program at UAF where I currently attend. Instead I find myself now pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering, a close relative of Architecture, minus the Art. As for my hobbies, I enjoy snowboarding and mountain biking as well as drawing. I look forward to working with all of you this semester.

My relation to Art is drawing/designing. I have a love for drawing, mainly the design aspect to it. I enjoy creating new building plans, or building/house designs when I can. Art is all around us so its essential in how we see the world. I hope to one day be an Architect and be able to use what I learn here to create different perspective in the world. The picture above is by Zaha Hadid, her Company is know for creating some of the most cutting edge designs made to manipulate the world around us. The designs are truly a piece of art and Engineering masterpieces.

http://www.zaha-hadid.com/archive

Different Architecture Art Forms

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