tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76205183792539782782024-03-19T15:36:27.185-07:00A R B I T E RUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-35913284114420947742011-12-12T09:47:00.000-08:002011-12-12T10:03:56.875-08:00Baroque France, pt 2<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Alas, Poussin.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.szecesszio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Nicolas_Poussin_0528x6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460px" src="http://www.szecesszio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Nicolas_Poussin_0528x6.jpg" t$="true" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Poussin/The Shepherds of Arcadia/1638)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Poussin exemplifies the classical harmony of the French Baroque. In temperament, the Poussiniste taste was mild, even, predictable and calm. The figures are at rest-- compare this to the flamboyant dance movements of Rubens. Ruben's colors burn with passion, Poussin's are cool and subtle. (Can you see a connection between Poussin's aesthetic with the French garden?)<br />
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Poussin, French born, spent most of his life in Rome where he studied the work of Raphael. It is Raphael's influence that turned Poussin into a Classical painter. This means that Poussin's subject matter was taken from classical mythology or Christian heritage, not the secular or pedestrian. What governed Poussin's work was decorum and restraint. In <em>The Shepherds of Arcadia</em>, the shepherds trace the <br />
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inscription on the tomb: "I too once dwelled in Arcadia", a reminder of mortality and that we all too will die. The woman draped in gold to the right of the men is the Muse of History, affirming the inscription. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Nicolas_Poussin_043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232px" oda="true" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Nicolas_Poussin_043.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Notice the musculature of the figures, understated in comparison to Rubens as well as the understated colors-- the strong geometry: horizontals and verticals-- the even composition of he figures, arranged in a cube. Granted, the farmers are idealized, which is to be expected at the time. Prior to the 17th century, the Renaissance laid the aesthetic for the exagerrated human form. Somply, that was just the way the body was portrayed. But in comparison to the rippling backs and dynamic energy of Rubens, Poussin seems tame. <br />
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Of course, this is not to say that Poussin's paintings were never dynamic, never included motion. That is not the case. But the emphasis in Poussin's work is symmetry, balance and restraint anchored in the intellect, not the senses like Rubens. For Rubenistes, color was paramount to painting and for the Poussiniste, drawing. In a sense, Ruben's represented the Baroque expression while Poussin represented the Classical Baroque. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Poussin_RapeSabineLouvre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" oda="true" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Poussin_RapeSabineLouvre.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Peter_Paul_Rubens_068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" oda="true" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Peter_Paul_Rubens_068.jpg" width="229px" /></a>Remember that the 17th century marks the rise of Absolutism in France. Louis XIV erected Versailles, the most magnificent royal residence in the world, where he moved his court and government officials. Here, the Louis XIV's centralized monarchy exerted its royal power over its dominions on the ground of divine right. This divine rule has a long history, going back to the Middle Ages when popes crowned European kings and further to the man/god kings of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Louis XIV used art to grandeurize himself, to glorify his rule. In England, the monarchy struggled against Puritan factions that denied absolutism. The Protestant Reformation had been spurring itself since Martin Luther and would soon bring about <strong>major </strong>changes in the Western landscape. The subject of the next post will be the <em>promulgation of Protestantism in the West. </em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Stay tuned. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-55592432322639434202011-07-26T22:25:00.000-07:002011-08-06T15:04:48.555-07:00Baroque France, pt 1Thus far, we have explored both sides of the Baroque coin. We have seen the <b>emotionalism </b>of <span style="color: #b45f06;">Bernini</span> in Baroque Italy, sculpting for the Catholic Church during their <b>Counter Reformation</b>. We have seen the product of the prior century's <b>Reformation </b>in the Protestant north in works like those of <span style="color: #783f04;">Pieter Claesz, </span> <b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Ruisdael</span></b><span style="color: #783f04;">, and </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Saenredam</span></span><span style="color: #783f04;">. </span>We have also skimmed over the developments in science brought to us by <span style="color: #b45f06;">Copernicus</span>, <span style="color: #b45f06;">Galileo,</span> and <span style="color: #b45f06;">Kepler.</span> Next we go to France where we will explore the the continuation of the historical advent if <b>absolutism </b>with Louis XIV<b>, </b>and an artistic synthesis<i> particular</i> to Baroque France. Let us start with <span style="font-size: large;">Louis XIV</span>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Louis_le_Grand;_Rigaud_Hyacinthe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Louis_le_Grand%3B_Rigaud_Hyacinthe.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><h1 class="firstHeading" id="firstHeading"><span style="font-size: small;">Rigaud Hyacinthe's <i>Louis XIV</i></span></h1></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>France. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>1661</b></span>. Louis XIV began construction on Versailles 12 miles outside of Paris. He had grown tired of the Royal Palace in Paris, the seat of French government and residence of the French monarchy since the Middle Ages. <br />
By the efforts of 36,000 workers, Versailles was completed and stood as the symbol of Louis' <b>absolute</b> power and authority. There, he moved his government offices and court. Versailles became the unofficial capital of France. <br />
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Prior to Louis' rule, French nobility rebelled strongly against centralized government. They preferred provincial government and local aristocratic autonomy. Louis' father, Louis III, died during his childhood and <b>Cardinal Mazarin</b> assumed control until Louis XIV was of age. After a mob pursued Louis as he slept in the Louvre, his distrust of nobility was solidified. Louis shared the same goal as <b>Cardinal Mazarin</b>: dominance, but once he assumed the thrown, his tactics proved far more effective than his predecessor's. He amassed a well paid army and was extremely mindful of the regional parliaments, consulting with them at court often. <br />
Louis XIV beckoned the <u style="color: #45818e;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Age of Absolutism</span></b></u>-- an age in which almost every European court modeled itself on Louis XIV's court. He essentially drew them in to conquer them (he banned them from holding high government positions). Louis wielded authority over the French plebeians, the aristocracy, and the church-- as <b>Absolutism </b>implies, he had <b>absolute, </b>divine right to ruler ship (think ancient Egypt). <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #666666; font-size: large;">Lets take a look at his art</span></div><br />
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Schloss-Versailles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Schloss-Versailles.jpg" width="400px" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> The Palace of Versailles in 1722</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">As we continue to witness, art of the past usually had utilitarian purposes, whether it be in the service of the Church or aristocracy (for art meant for pedestrians is seen only sparsely for most of history). The goal of the art Louis XIV commissioned was to declare his divine, <b>absolute</b> right, thus: Versailles had to be unequaled in ostentatious extravagance, scale and ornamentation. This was achieved.</span> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><img height="480px" src="http://jebsharp.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/versailles-june-6-2008-036.jpg" width="640px" /></div><div align="center"><b><i>Hall of Mirrors</i>,</b> Charles Le Brun and Jules Hardouin-Mansart</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <i>Hall of Mirrors-- </i>the tunnel that appears to never end. When bathed in light, its windows and mirrors extend the great space beyond its walls and your imagination. In a word:<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>extravagant.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: small;">Louis's accomplishments were displayed on the ceilings in paint (he was depicted as a Roman emperor). Talk about artisan ship-- talk about detail-- talk about ornamental lavishness-- talk about splendor. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.versailles.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/hall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313px" src="http://www.versailles.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/hall.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b><span style="font-size: small;">The room was originally filled with solid silver tables, lamp holders, and potted orange trees. The glass came from Paris glass factories, created to compete with Venetian glass (Venice was famous for its glass factories at this time). This place dripped with the grandeur of Louis XIV's baroque tongue. Later, the objects that littered the space were melted down to finance Louis' war efforts.It is important to note that outside of these sickeningly wealthy walls, the pedestrians of France were starving. Louis's government did not address the threats of his people, namely: drought, famine, plague, and pestilence. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #999999;">THE FRENCH BAROQUE GARDEN:</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span>Versailles's grounds boasted what is now known as the <b>French Garden</b>. The park of Versaille was designed by <b>Andre Le Notre </b>who transformed an entire forest into a park. Here is what is important to know: </span></div><ul><li><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">they are methodically planned/geometrical in design/they manifest the <b>rationality</b> sought by Louis XIV</span></blockquote></li>
<li><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"> geometrical units were tightly arranged with focal points at their centers (like sculptures, pavilions, reflecting pools and fountains/ the design loosens the farther away you get from the palace/ trees frame or screen open views of the countryside</blockquote></li>
<li><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"> apparently, one must walk through the garden to understand its dynamic design/ the park unfolds itself to its visitors</blockquote></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Versailles_Plan_Jean_Delagrive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Versailles_Plan_Jean_Delagrive.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://kjelstrup.org/kris/europe_2005%20France/One%20of%20the%20many%20gardens%20at%20the%20Palace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" src="http://kjelstrup.org/kris/europe_2005%20France/One%20of%20the%20many%20gardens%20at%20the%20Palace.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="color: #b45f06; text-align: justify;">Essentially, Louis XIV's commissioned <b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Architecture">Classical</a> architecture </span><span style="font-size: small;">(harmony/balance)</span></b> on a <span style="font-size: large;"><i>Baroque scale </i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>(grandiose/monumental)</b>. French baroque architecture is often called <u>Classical Baroque</u>.</span></div><br />
These opposing forces were not solely embodied in the harmonious melodies of the (French)Classical Baroque, but also in a cacophonous clash between two of the greatest artists of the period: The<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Classicist</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b style="color: #b45f06;">Poussin</b></span> and the<span style="background-color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Baroque</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b style="color: #b45f06;">Rubens</b>.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">But before we get to them:</span></div><br />
<div style="background-color: #999999; text-align: center;"> <b><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #0c343d; font-size: x-large;">Thought Food:</span></b></div><div style="background-color: #999999; text-align: center;"><ul><li><span style="background-color: #999999; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Where do you think the peasants were and what were they doing while Versailles was occupied?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #999999; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Living well?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #999999; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">With all his time spent erecting his monarchical penis, do you think his kingdom was well kept?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #999999; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Does this effect the way you view his art and aesthetics? Might this effect the way you view French Baroque art? </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #999999; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Philosophically, do you think Absolutism was an innate understanding in the people or was it forced upon them? Is more historical knowledge required to understand this? </span></span></li>
</ul></div><div style="background-color: #444444; text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b45f06;">Is it a symbol from a preferable or regrettable time in history?</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b>Rubens v.s. Poussin</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Rubens </b>was a charming breed-- an international superstar. He was Flemish by birth but this hardly is telling of his aesthetic. What is telling is that he visited Italy where he studied the predecessors of the Baroque invention and its right holding innovators: the Renaissance Michelangelo and Titian and the Italian Baroque Caravaggio and Carracci. In consequence, his excursion was a branch in art history that is absolutely nonnegotiable in importance. Rubens synthesized his own style that was Pan-European. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.westcler.org/GH/curlessmatt/arthistory/14/RubenRaisingOfTheCross1609-1610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412px" src="http://www.westcler.org/GH/curlessmatt/arthistory/14/RubenRaisingOfTheCross1609-1610.jpg" t$="true" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Rubens created this masterpiece after his return from Italy to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flanders">Flanders</a>. What is revealed in this triptych is his interest in Italian aesthetics. </div><blockquote><b>Notice: </b><span style="color: #45818e;">the tension and counter forces of the muscularity-- the strain in their arms as they let down the dead Christ. The contortion and foreshortened anatomy reminiscent of reminiscent of Michelangelo's paintings and sculptures. The energetic violence, physical and emotional distress, stressing sinew and anguished faces: parallel to Mannerism's transformation to Baroque. The colors of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titian" style="color: #45818e;">Titian</a><span style="color: #45818e;">. These bold colors and dramatic light would later give way to a subtler style. Baroque intimations: dynamic composition/diagonal sensuality. </span></blockquote><blockquote><b>The Mannerism of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronzino">Bronzino</a> and Michelangelo + the color and texture of the venetian school of Titian + the light and dark of Caravaggisiti = <span style="font-size: large;">Rubens</span></b></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Rubens consorted with and served the heavy weights. Among his clientelle: the court of Mantua, Charles I of England, and the Spanish government of Flanders-- not to mention, he was the grandson of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_de%27_Medici">Marie de' Medici</a>. This relationship yielded a powerful series of 21 paintings in celebration of her life, including this famous doodle:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><blockquote><img border="0" height="640px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xhCGCLr1AmU/SXKnzL17ubI/AAAAAAAB5v4/nD75jV46nBk/Rubens%25252C%252520Arrival%252520of%252520Marie%252520de%252520Medici.jpg" t$="true" width="482px" /></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><i>Arrival of Marie de Medici at Marseilles</i></div></blockquote><span style="color: #45818e;">Depicted is Marie's arrival in France from Italy. She is en route to her marriage to King Henry IV. Fame flies above her, trumpeting her arrival. Neptune and his son Triton, accompanied by 3 water nymphs</span>, <span style="color: #45818e;">emerge from the sea to greet her. France (the helmeted man wearing a fleur-de-lis robe) bows before her. Marie is nestled in a flourish of rich textures and colors (she was not known for her beauty).</span><br />
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<b>Notice: </b>The fleshy bodies of nymphs. These fleshy bodies are known as <i>Rubenesque. </i>Fleshy folds and drapes over their bodies with...freedom. They are sensual in a way that does not quite translate well into contemporary tastes. But you can tell that these ladies indulge in a sensual life-- in excess. </blockquote></blockquote><div style="color: #b45f06; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strike> </strike></span></div><div style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>In the interest of length and attention span, Poussin and Baroque France will be picked up at a later date. Thank you for joining me. It appears that what is pretty is not often nice... Before we glorify the magnificent, maybe we should ask ourselves at who's expense it was created. More on this is on the way. Take care.</b></span></div><div style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Arbiter</b></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-74496559763693073652011-07-16T11:02:00.000-07:002011-07-25T21:48:50.964-07:00Things to consider:The art we have been viewing is from the past, thus, we are <i>interpreting </i>these objects through our own context-- our own, contemporary lens.<br />
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<div></div>We use historical information and <i>empathy </i>in an attempt to view the art through the eyes of the people contemporary to its creation (known as appreciation) and from different, sometimes critical, perspectives.<br />
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<div></div>Ex: It is important to view Northern Baroque art through Calvinist eyes in order to <i>appreciate </i>(and understand) it. So on and so forth.<br />
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<i>Appreciating</i> art is different from <i>liking </i>it. I often give this demonstrative example:<br />
<div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.oes.org/albums/userpics/10002/Starry_Night-Vincent_VanGogh%281152x864%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" id="il_fi" src="http://photos.oes.org/albums/userpics/10002/Starry_Night-Vincent_VanGogh%281152x864%29.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320px" /></a></div><blockquote style="border: medium none;"><br />
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></div><div style="border: medium none;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Mona_Lisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" id="il_fi" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Mona_Lisa.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="264px" /></a>Many people would want to go to the Louvre to see <i>Mona Lisa</i>. But many people would actually want to <i>have </i>Van Gogh's <i>Starry Night </i>in their home. </div><br />
When people say that they do not "know" about art, they are victims of ambiguous and assumptive language. There is nothing that one needs to <i>know </i>in order to <i>like </i>art. People instinctual <i>know </i>what they <i>like</i>. One needn't any historical knowledge, only a genuine aesthetic reaction, which we are biologically programmed with (i.e. bright colors are used in nature to attract attention, like flowers, etc). This is referred to as <i>taste</i>. </blockquote>One must make a distinction between <i>taste</i> and <i>educated taste</i>. First, I must insist that in order to be empathetic of all people, I must understand that people's reasons for viewing art vary greatly-- some view art for catharsis, some for enjoyment, others view art for education. Thus, one's pursuit with art may only require <i>taste</i>, and not <i>education </i>(to educate their taste).<br />
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Lets us first disambiguate taste. Taste does not refer to appreciation, although, we erroneously treat them as synonyms in the colloquial. <i>Appreciation</i> requires education. <i>Taste, </i>or what I would called <i>instinctual taste</i> is serendipitously, subconsciously developed by your experiences, disposition, personality, etc. Taste is what you are moved by. Your taste, however, does not always serve you or your image well (i.e.: your taste may lie in Sports Illustrated posters, Kitch, the simplistic, the obvious, the erotic). <i>Taste </i>has historically been used as a test of sophistication, morality, and character-- a way to show discipline in character, order, and intelligence.<br />
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English satirist, <b>William Hogarth</b>, jabs at the English aristocratic facade (<b> </b>their <b>taste</b> and sophistication) in his series <i>Marriage a la Mode</i>. Below is a work from this series.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARscccbQR-OJ7kN2CPSpyPGXMm1hlkOtbtEDySPr_i50d6VyCbfulVZc26qkQ2AptulC-Y0S-Efn7pZumwyr-zIyb5uHT_wCRU3dOx9gmUHZTe31phYl0mu-riH_5Ns4prQ6HRyF8Grc/s1600/779px-HogarthMarriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="491px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARscccbQR-OJ7kN2CPSpyPGXMm1hlkOtbtEDySPr_i50d6VyCbfulVZc26qkQ2AptulC-Y0S-Efn7pZumwyr-zIyb5uHT_wCRU3dOx9gmUHZTe31phYl0mu-riH_5Ns4prQ6HRyF8Grc/s640/779px-HogarthMarriage.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><blockquote><br />
</blockquote><blockquote><span style="color: #76a5af;">"Hogarth...portrayed grand interiors as fitting settings for his patrons, but here he shows splendid decor as a contrast to the trivial pursuits of the young aristocrats: paintings of martyred saints overlook card tables; the dignified bust of a Roman matron is surrounded by amusing oriental figures bought by a flighty young bride with her stays undone and hair falling over her brow."</span> - <b><a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pd/w/william_hogarth,_marriage_a-la.aspx">The British Museum</a></b></blockquote><blockquote><span style="color: #45818e;">"...the series of paintings, the marriage of the Viscount and the merchant's daughter is quickly proving a disaster. The tired wife, who appears to have given a card party the previous evening, is at breakfast in the couple's expensive house which is now in disorder. The Viscount returns exhausted from a night spent away from home, probably at a brothel: the dog sniffs a lady's cap in his pocket. Their steward, carrying bills and a receipt, leaves the room to the left, his hand raised in despair at the disorder."</span> - <a href="http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/william-hogarth-marriage-a-la-mode-2-the-tete-a-tete">National Gallery</a></blockquote><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[Notice the partially hidden painting of a nude woman in the back room next to the displayed portraits.]</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Good taste</i> as a projection of sophistication to the world/ <i>instinctual taste </i>is hidden beneath it</div><br />
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Because your <i>good taste </i>is often used to represent you or your morals, it is often embarrassing when your <i>instinctual taste </i>differs from <i>good taste</i>. For instance: I did not enjoy anything about Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescoes other than its impressive scale. I did not enjoy the <i>Mona Lisa</i>. I did not enjoy Picasso's <span style="font-size: small;">Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. </span>I appreciated them, but they were not my <i>instinctual taste</i>, they did not <b>move</b> me viscerally. I <i>appreciated </i>them, which required education. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>But: </b></span><i>Appreciation, </i>which requires thinking about what you know about the work, sometimes translates into enjoyment-- a visceral, experiential response! Sometimes, you have an instinctual, visceral reaction to a work and once you have education about it, your enjoyment of it increases! Having no reaction to a work and the education you receive transforming into visceral enjoyment <b>beyond </b><i>appreciation</i>... <b><span style="font-size: large;"><-- This is the goal! </span>Education facilitates <i>appreciation</i>, which, when planted, can grow into aesthetic/emotional/visceral enjoyment!</b><br />
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<b style="color: #45818e;">[Thank you for bringing your mind on this journey to aesthetic pleasure. Stick with it because the rewards extend beyond the images we investigate in this blog-- your eyes and mind will speak to each other in a different way and you will <span style="font-size: x-large;">see <span style="font-size: small;">differently.]</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Next up: the opposing forces of Poussin and Rubens in the Baroque France, Velazquez and Ribera in Baroque Spain, and then onward toward the Enlightenment!</span><br />
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<div style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stay well,</span></span></div><div style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arbiter.</span></span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/GENTILESCHI_Judith.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/GENTILESCHI_Judith.jpg" width="524" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Artemisia Gentileschi</b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">'<b>s</b> </span></span><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Judith" title="Book of Judith">Judith</a> Slaying <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holofernes" title="Holofernes">Holofernes</a></i> </div><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"></div></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-28383569972037302802011-07-11T15:38:00.000-07:002011-07-25T21:49:47.426-07:00A Bit of Retrospective Housecleaning<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"><b> A Note from the Arbiter </b></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Arbiter</b> has embarked on a descriptive survey of the humanities spanning from the Baroque period to the 21st century.</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;">Thus far we have covered the <i>emotionalism</i> of Baroque Italy, the austere <i>piety</i> of the Baroque North, and the blossoming of scientific thought in the 17th and 18th centuries. Next, we move onward toward the <i>Enlightenment</i>!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;">The objective of this series to provide the <b>contextual information</b> one needs to interpret and empathize with the art forms of the past, as well as a description of those art forms-- to bring language to the intuition. <b>Arbiter </b>believes that all audiences have an intuitive, abstract understanding of art forms (as we are all humans, however separated by our experiences) and it is the job of historians, curators and the like to bring <i>coherency</i> and <i>discernment</i> to this intuition. Further, situating this intuition in a foundation of historical and cultural context helps better filter this intuition toward an astute, critical lense, enhancing the degree of empathy and translating this intuition into "knowledge". Art (and expression) is a <b>language of knowledge</b>.</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Tizian_041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="669" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Tizian_041.jpg" width="364" /></b></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Titian's </b><i>Ascension </i></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"> Arbiter </span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-44601765504558858502011-07-07T15:09:00.000-07:002011-07-07T15:09:11.619-07:00Glass Art<span><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"></span></span><div style="background-color: #45818e; color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>ARBITER</b></span></div><div style="color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b> PROUDLY ANNOUNCES A NEW <a href="http://glasscontempart.blogspot.com/">VEIN</a>:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcrjCLEHBhP5LY8V1C0Cj6bijIhdhwL2uRmirmEc__D3pzQMaEOaFyRcwnpsiQ8s9Pm3S7Q0iTBnhqQWSax2XgIpBwvnvIhw7NQa3qKlxXy_OmB0LULxa2FlVvGBNQpaY3Pb5PrG-H6o/s1600/5joshkeyes7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcrjCLEHBhP5LY8V1C0Cj6bijIhdhwL2uRmirmEc__D3pzQMaEOaFyRcwnpsiQ8s9Pm3S7Q0iTBnhqQWSax2XgIpBwvnvIhw7NQa3qKlxXy_OmB0LULxa2FlVvGBNQpaY3Pb5PrG-H6o/s1600/5joshkeyes7.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1517335443"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
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</span></span></b></a></div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1517335443"><span id="goog_1517335437"></span></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://glasscontempart.blogspot.com/"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">G L A S S <span style="color: #b45f06;">CONTEMP</span>ORARY <span style="color: #b45f06;">ART</span></span></span></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://glasscontempart.blogspot.com/"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"> http://glasscontempart.blogspot.com/</span></span></b></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="background-color: #b45f06; color: #cccccc; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Come get up to date</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </span></span></b></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-25157249568642857522011-07-06T16:33:00.000-07:002011-07-27T19:03:59.391-07:00Scientific Revolution<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">The authority of religion was supreme in the 17<sup>th</sup> century. Both Catholicism and Protestantism had firm grips on the way people were allowed to view the world. The relationship between science and religion has always been a tumultuous one though. There was only a small window of time in which the Greeks were able to dissect human bodies without dissent from religion. This accounted for the mistaken beliefs about human anatomy through antiquity from dissections that were done on animals, their findings being erroneously transposed onto human anatomy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsapikrPs3cCfPlvwoJjlh3ReuxH36cowXVd_uZeHFpmC6gfNNTRPFpOcWKLfyzQXsiJArtpNRJfcrsl1ThkFdVBmFKaGm6Z4qmmItY7Q67Nat4I9blp_DVbVf5cWMc215NSwq5l7mCs/s1600/225px-Nikolaus_Kopernikus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsapikrPs3cCfPlvwoJjlh3ReuxH36cowXVd_uZeHFpmC6gfNNTRPFpOcWKLfyzQXsiJArtpNRJfcrsl1ThkFdVBmFKaGm6Z4qmmItY7Q67Nat4I9blp_DVbVf5cWMc215NSwq5l7mCs/s1600/225px-Nikolaus_Kopernikus.jpg" /></a> In the Renaissance, crossover artists like Leonardo Da Vinci contributed greatly to knowledge of human anatomy, breaking the tradition of animal anatomical knowledge used in place of human anatomical study. This is largely due to the shift in the relationship between religion and science, although this was slight when considering that most astronomical endeavors were greatly limited by Christianity which was threatened by such endeavors. Again, the in Renaissance, <b style="color: #134f5c;">Nicolaus Copernicus</b> (1473-1543) started the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copernican_Revolution">Copernican Revolution</a>, shifting the world’s paradigm away from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_system#Ptolemaic_system">Ptolemaic model</a>. In essence, <b style="color: #134f5c;">Copernicus</b> postulated that the Earth was not the center of the universe, but it was the sun at the center. In what way does the Ptolemaic model make sense for the time period? In what ways do you think the Ptolemaic model effected the way people lived and understood the universe and themselves in it? It makes sense that people would want to believe themselves to be the center of the universe and the center of God's affection when the Church's controlled both spiritual knowledge and scientific.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9arEo1BccQSWlS0mTPMfJZ8cF589ySN_MV_KHK68VFWC4jp9RtoYXMePk4dPFRyXEumW2sKrjUHZvLUMkp2qc4-kI-s5Zknxmzx8GzFVeHw2Ec8byF8AlqbGT3mg5ykLYBYswaQD5FNY/s1600/225px-Johannes_Kepler_1610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9arEo1BccQSWlS0mTPMfJZ8cF589ySN_MV_KHK68VFWC4jp9RtoYXMePk4dPFRyXEumW2sKrjUHZvLUMkp2qc4-kI-s5Zknxmzx8GzFVeHw2Ec8byF8AlqbGT3mg5ykLYBYswaQD5FNY/s1600/225px-Johannes_Kepler_1610.jpg" /></a></div><b style="color: #45818e;">Johannes Kepler</b> (1571-1630) furthered Copericus’s theory of a heliocentric universe with his investigation of the movements of the planets of our solar system (at the time, only 5 were known) in the 17<sup>th</sup> century. He suspected that the planets moved around the sun in elliptical paths because of the magnetic pull of the sun and their respective distances from it. Using a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura">camera obscura</a>, he studied the diameter of the moon as a study in optics. The camera obscura was used by many people interested in optics, including Baroque artists like Vermeer. Simultaneously, <span style="color: #45818e;">Galileo Galilei</span> perfected the telescope, increasing its magnification and with it, he described the surface of the moon, sunspots, and the moons of Jupiter. He also established basic knowledge of light—that it may exist as particles or waves and both forms travel at both a measurable and uniform speed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JosyZoLeORFV9r0CmyOpvURxTxlcMlt89ifXWlhYt0dFNr5YIB0Cl-uQsUkMd2i6UU8L6s1MEVZAg65W3siVDoasbrhSYyLIl-ehnUnllLQXiwCnAbq1lASqxljdaJsRJLSMWCEOiD4/s1600/552px-Bertini_fresco_of_Galileo_Galilei_and_Doge_of_Venice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JosyZoLeORFV9r0CmyOpvURxTxlcMlt89ifXWlhYt0dFNr5YIB0Cl-uQsUkMd2i6UU8L6s1MEVZAg65W3siVDoasbrhSYyLIl-ehnUnllLQXiwCnAbq1lASqxljdaJsRJLSMWCEOiD4/s320/552px-Bertini_fresco_of_Galileo_Galilei_and_Doge_of_Venice.jpg" width="294px" /></a></div><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">Galileo Galilei</span> <span style="color: white;">(</span></b></span>1564-1642)<span style="color: #660000;"><b> </b></span>was another crusader of the Scientific Revolution and his work in astronomy have since earned him the title "Father of Modern Science". . He supported <b style="color: #134f5c;">Copernicus</b> and heliocentrism and further, refuted Aristole's idea that heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects. Thus, the theory of gravity was born! The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refracting_telescope#Galileo.27s_telescope">refracting telescopes</a> he constructed could produce magnified, <i>upright</i> images. <span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">Galileo's</span> </b></span>advocacy was not uncontroversial, however. The Church did not look favorably on the theory of heliocentrism for it contradicted many passages in the Bible. To take an example, the Bible tells the story of a man by the name of Joshua who makes the sun stand still. The assertions of <b style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Galileo</span> </b>implied that it was <span style="font-size: large;">impossible</span> for Joshua to have performed this feat (although it seems odd that it took heliocentrism to challenge this story). The postulations of people like <span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">Galileo Galilei,</span> </b></span><b><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Nicolaus Copernicus</span><span style="color: #45818e;">,</span></span></b><span style="color: #660000;"><b> </b></span>and <b style="color: #134f5c;">Johannes Kepler</b> could lead to an infinite regression of reconsiderations of the inerrancy of the Bible (which history has shown us, has happened with modern reform movements). <b style="color: #45818e;">Galileo</b> was required to defend his theories before Pope Paul V in 1615. Galileo took Augustine of Hippo's position on scripture-- that scripture is not to be interpreted literally, especially when the scripture is from a book of songs or poetry. But, nonetheless, he failed to convince Pope Paul V which lead to the restriction of him publishing his findings and the spread of his ideas. Later, Pope Urban VIII demanded a full retraction of Galileo’s assertions from him and attempted to banish him to life in prison, although this was never carried out. In the same century, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno" style="color: #45818e;"><b>Giordano Bruno</b></a><span style="color: #45818e;">,</span> another astronomer, was <i>burned at the stake</i> for claiming other solar systems exist in our universe that is infinite and without a center.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWX5BVGC7P40QD214qo-XHLYWkfw4x-WYvf9Va6cKeFcWazXWEMtU3RyxfQjOBXjq7JaeBOKl7IthRJ73Jhacqav25PAh8vsRHGkX_ppIQhs4vaAJU1awUgwrWapl4s7vmienFsfNJqa4/s1600/225px-GodfreyKneller-IsaacNewton-1689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWX5BVGC7P40QD214qo-XHLYWkfw4x-WYvf9Va6cKeFcWazXWEMtU3RyxfQjOBXjq7JaeBOKl7IthRJ73Jhacqav25PAh8vsRHGkX_ppIQhs4vaAJU1awUgwrWapl4s7vmienFsfNJqa4/s1600/225px-GodfreyKneller-IsaacNewton-1689.jpg" /></a></div>Further in history, mathematician <b><span style="color: #134f5c;">Isaac Newton</span></b> (1643-1727) brought the world the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_Principles_of_Natural_Philosophy"><i>Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy </i></a>which told it that the universe is an intelligible system, ordered by guiding principles that dictate the way it operates. He postulated that every object exerts an attraction on everything else-- this means that the sun has a pull on the planets and the planets pull their respective moons and each other. These forces working with each other form a harmonious system, like a clock. It will not be until Albert Einstein that this idea is teased to a more detailed understanding of the universe. By Newton's time, despite complications with the and Church, <span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">Galileo</span> </b></span>and<span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"> Kepler's</span> </b></span>theories were popularized (the history of this popularization may be explained in a future post), and experiments we actually a form of entertainment. This is the theme of Joseph Wright of Derby's famous<i> <span style="color: #7f6000;">An Experiment on a Bird in the Air-Pump</span></i>, 1768.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W20-JYx_LPVuZFPe2JR7ImAKYoUxfRY-6V9IONCT0pevQ6sZaWazUhx2NPARNB_uTdnGaFjq_5few4Y0MaTlyphfmPtaZLssKKWaNGyJWTwkQSZ0_NK5w9-vCR57NukMP9jJf6FCu0U/s1600/wright-experiment-bird-air-pump-NG725-fm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W20-JYx_LPVuZFPe2JR7ImAKYoUxfRY-6V9IONCT0pevQ6sZaWazUhx2NPARNB_uTdnGaFjq_5few4Y0MaTlyphfmPtaZLssKKWaNGyJWTwkQSZ0_NK5w9-vCR57NukMP9jJf6FCu0U/s320/wright-experiment-bird-air-pump-NG725-fm.jpg" width="320px" /></a>It depicts the performance of a magician-scientist resurrecting a seemingly dead bird in front of an audience, demonstrating the power of science. Europe was galloping toward <b>Enlightenment</b> in Newton's time and on its cusp was the dubious Industrial Revolution which, as will be explored later, did not bring" progress" in the way that one might assume (or the way it was hoped for). But to put first things first,we must get through the rest of the 17th century to understand the coming Enlightenment.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-large;">Thought food:</span></div><blockquote class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein">Wikipedia</a>:</div></blockquote><blockquote class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Near the beginning of his career, Einstein thought that </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newtonian_mechanics" title="Newtonian mechanics"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Newtonian mechanics</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;"> was no longer enough to reconcile the laws of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_mechanics" title="Classical mechanics"><span style="color: #b45f06;">classical mechanics</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;"> with the laws of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_field" title="Electromagnetic field"><span style="color: #b45f06;">electromagnetic field</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;">. This led to the development of his </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_theory_of_relativity" title="Special theory of relativity"><span style="color: #b45f06;">special theory of relativity</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;">. He realized, however, that the principle of relativity could also be extended to </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_fields" title="Gravitational fields"><span style="color: #b45f06;">gravitational fields</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;">, and with his subsequent theory of gravitation in 1916, he published a paper on the </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_theory_of_relativity" title="General theory of relativity"><span style="color: #b45f06;">general theory of relativity</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;">. He continued to deal with problems of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_mechanics" title="Statistical mechanics"><span style="color: #b45f06;">statistical mechanics</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mechanics" title="Quantum mechanics"><span style="color: #b45f06;">quantum theory</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;">, which led to his explanations of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle" title="Particle"><span style="color: #b45f06;">particle theory</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;"> and the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownian_motion" title="Brownian motion"><span style="color: #b45f06;">motion of molecules</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;">. He also investigated the thermal properties of light which laid the foundation of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon" title="Photon"><span style="color: #b45f06;">photon</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;"> theory of light. In 1917, Einstein applied the general theory of relativity to model the structure of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe" title="Universe"><span style="color: #b45f06;">universe</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06;"> as a whole.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Nobel_4-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein#cite_note-Nobel-4">[5]</a></sup></span></div></blockquote><ul><li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">What might Einstein's </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_theory_of_relativity" title="Special theory of relativity"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">special theory of relativity</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> say about the nature of science?</span></span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Is science colloquioally talked about as fact-- absolute and resolute?</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">In what ways are science and mythology similar? Do they answer similar questions? Do they both require faith to accept as FACT in the way that people often profess them?</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">How much of science do we take on faith? How well do you really understand science (something elementary, now, like gravity or heliocentricism)?</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Why is science so convincing in some arenas like medicine (why do they religious trust in doctors when they are sick but God when they are dying? perhaps because of a clause built into the doctrine?) but challenged in existential arenas (like the afterlife and creation?)</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Does science yield better Earthly results than religion?</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Does religion yield better existential (or moralistic) results than science?</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">For those that profess to beileve in scientific creation explanations, how different is their belief from that in a Pantheon of Gods or Yaweh? </span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">How many people actually understand the science of the Big Bang Theory?</span></div></li>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-50416648266922832532011-07-03T17:13:00.000-07:002011-12-12T11:11:58.910-08:00Northern Baroque<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sustainablesushi.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/europe-map_gif.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="574px" src="http://www.sustainablesushi.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/europe-map_gif.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It must be kept in mind that the 17th century gave more to European history than the Italian baroque. The North had a Baroque period of its own. When talking about the North, we are referring to such currently defined geographical areas as Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Norway, Finland, and Sweden, but in this time period, primarily the low country of the Netherlands.</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And on opposing sides of the 17<sup>th</sup> century Christian geographical world is the evocative extravagances of Baroque Italy and the stark piety of Baroque Northern Europe. In the 17th century, the Netherlands went through a particular proliferation that is referred to as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Golden_Age">Golden Age</a>. Also of importance, the reform movement led by Martin Luther in the previous century, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation">Protestant Reformation</a>, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">gave way to Calvinism, the dominate religion of the Netherlands. <b>[A note for clarity: Dutch is a term that refers to something from or related to the Netherlands.]</b> Because of a ban on overtly religious art in the Dutch Reformed Church (a Calvinist church) the Dutch embraced new subject matter which include landscapes, still lifes, moralized domestic and secular scenes and portraiture. <b>[Note: The Dutch were a very tolerant people, however, and they did alow artists (often Catholics) to create religious artwork. But we will be focusing on the art which best reflects the dominant cultural force: Calvinism]</b> As previously explored, the Italians embraced an emotive exuberance in their work that aimed to invoke a new sensuality in Catholic faith. On the other hand, because aesthetics reflect lifestyle, value, and dogma (among many other things), the work of the Dutch in the 17th century was appropriately dissimilar. We will now compare and contrast a few examples of 17th century art. </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: #e69138; line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Pieter Saenredam’s </span><i style="color: #783f04;">Interior of the Buurkerk, Utrecht</i><span style="color: #783f04;">, 1645</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9f3x0-DOfYnYKe769mckIMVPln7ljiG05kVtnOVlE17zlf6oA3X5UeNCzKy1kO4U9fzB5yD78xsoRw5SWbc4d5ds_tXnQfqk-7YSoWRync7LFn-EviYk_2dbDzHTYxG4DYrnnPwV8P4/s1600/520px-%2527Interior_of_the_Buurkerk%252C_Utrecht%2527%252C_oil_on_panel_painting_by_Pieter_Janszoon_Saenredam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9f3x0-DOfYnYKe769mckIMVPln7ljiG05kVtnOVlE17zlf6oA3X5UeNCzKy1kO4U9fzB5yD78xsoRw5SWbc4d5ds_tXnQfqk-7YSoWRync7LFn-EviYk_2dbDzHTYxG4DYrnnPwV8P4/s1600/520px-%2527Interior_of_the_Buurkerk%252C_Utrecht%2527%252C_oil_on_panel_painting_by_Pieter_Janszoon_Saenredam.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #76a5af;">Interior of the Buurkerk, Utrecht</span> </i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> provides an illustrative example of Calvinist aesthetics as a reflection of their disposition. Of first emphasis in the interiors of the Dutch Reformed Church is their austerity. It is in the stripping of ornament that a symbol of their piety is seen. The walls are literally whitewashed. A tiered chandelier hangs from the ceiling, but the its is otherwise devoid of ornamental elements. In comparison to the exuberance of the Italian Baroque,</span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i> <span style="color: #45818e;">Interior of the Buurkerk, Utrecht</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> appears humble, but intentionally so, as reflection of the piety of Calvinist devotion in contrast to the extravagance of the Catholic Church. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In the interiors of the religious structures, the piety of the Reformation is scene in the religious imagery’s absence. The austerity is a symbol of discipline, humility, and in many ways, depravity; in this a difference in theological emphasis is found between the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. In Baroque Italy, the socio-religious climate was one of indulgence and sensuality and the evocative was emphasized by the Roman Catholic Church. To be moved emotionally by revelation or worship was the goal, as evidenced by Bernini’s <i style="color: #45818e;">Ectasy of Saint Teresa</i>, which in permeated with sexual undertones. Emphasis on the papacy is evidenced in the scale of the Catholic structures and their exuberant ornaments and the theology was expressed through indulgence, not deprivation, as in the Reformation. In the Catholic interpretation of worshiping graven images there is an obvious difference—Roman Catholics used graven images to their advantage to advance their agenda of securing followers and proclaiming their dominance of the Counter Reformation. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Assetimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Assetimage.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Continuing on the our exploration of the breadth of Dutch art, we look into the Dutch landscape and their pious efforts in portraying it.</span><br />
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<div style="background-color: #e69138; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">Jacob van Ruisdael's <i>View of Haarlem from the Dunes at Overveen</i></span> </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0av9KnwfcRgudEaGi6hSNhe5SfzzTwH1vBSEzVc_oeKTRMBrJFDI28jwbYkNiggH7ojpR4SM0vfwtGhekP8bmyr4V-hdDN0AQlwY3TdNBlEBa1EzcdHZipGH1JxMqwrEZwoF0a6PBAY/s1600/van-ruisdael-haarlem-1672-cmp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0av9KnwfcRgudEaGi6hSNhe5SfzzTwH1vBSEzVc_oeKTRMBrJFDI28jwbYkNiggH7ojpR4SM0vfwtGhekP8bmyr4V-hdDN0AQlwY3TdNBlEBa1EzcdHZipGH1JxMqwrEZwoF0a6PBAY/s1600/van-ruisdael-haarlem-1672-cmp.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The English commonly pejoratively referred to the United Provinces as the "united bogs" as their land was reclaimed from the sea (this is why the windmills was created, to pump water out of the low lands, and its symbolism for the Netherlands was created). The Dutch saw this as analogous to God's restoration of the world after the Great Flood. In the painting lies a Gothic church, small and in the distance. It rises over the flatland where small, infinitesimal figures toil in their fields, lit by ambient, pious light, falling over them through the clouds. Remember how <b>Carravaggio </b>used light to symbolism divinity? Notice how de-emphasized the figures and their homes are and how much space is given to the expansive sky above them. It is almost as if they are being watched over by the heavens-- the they are children beneath the benevolence of their God. The Dutch referred to themselves as <i>Nederkindren</i>, the children below, looked after by God in an eternal covenant. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/The_Windmill_at_Wijk_bij_Duurstede_1670_Ruisdael.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/The_Windmill_at_Wijk_bij_Duurstede_1670_Ruisdael.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b> [Continue to notice the scale of the sky and humanity beneath it]</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Salomon_van_Ruisdael_Deventer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Salomon_van_Ruisdael_Deventer.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: #e69138; color: #f3f3f3;">Vanitas and Still lifes</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZi-npm7r5J1_65mZd3iFzL_Q244Jo4Md-cjAGQdniMAIvysh0LFtQ6SwiU-RBlWvusDJJXbIzJS8ufBWFkaCiKiaLTSRA_MWqyc13Uqi23Ons_jY1_LEreDP014hTRJgLagL4w8Ajq8/s1600/800px-Pieter_Claesz_002b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZi-npm7r5J1_65mZd3iFzL_Q244Jo4Md-cjAGQdniMAIvysh0LFtQ6SwiU-RBlWvusDJJXbIzJS8ufBWFkaCiKiaLTSRA_MWqyc13Uqi23Ons_jY1_LEreDP014hTRJgLagL4w8Ajq8/s640/800px-Pieter_Claesz_002b.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Dutch were particularly interested in the portraits of object arrangements (known as still life) and were particularly prolific producing theme of still life called <i>vanitas.</i> The goal of <i>vanitas </i>was to remind the viewer of the transience of life and the ultimate judgment they thought all man would incur by their God. It is meant to almost raise your heart up with pride in world riches (which is what the Dutch very much cultivated at this time) but then jarring but subtly hint at their imminent death. Symbols for death were used for this-- commonly used for this were: rotting fruit, skulls, smoke, watches,and hourglasses. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Pronkstillleven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="526px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Pronkstillleven.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><h1 class="firstHeading" id="firstHeading" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Abraham van Beijeren's</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Pronkstilleven", c. 1655</span></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Dutch Republic was <b>prosperous </b>in the 17th century. Amsterdam had the highest per capita income in Europe! The Bank of Amsterdam was founded at the beginning of the century and the city was the financial capital of the continent. The Dutch were masters of the sea, thus, their trading efforts were impressive, extending beyond Europe into North and South America, Africa, China, Japan and Southeast Asia, and the material fruits of these relationships were a source of pride. So how do you show off and exalt these riches? By painting still lives or them, of course. But this is at odds with the Christian de-emphasis on materialism and worldly goods... right? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So these vanitas paintings were almost self-flagellating-- they allowed themselves to indulge in their material fancies but vehemently reminded themselves that their enjoyment was erroneous and against their God's will.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: x-large;"><i style="background-color: #e69138;">Genre Scenes</i><i></i></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Dutch were particularly fond of the genre scene: <b> </b></div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genre_scene"><b>genre scenes</b></a> or <b>genre views</b>, are pictorial representations in any of various media that represent scenes or events from everyday life, such as markets, domestic settings, interiors, parties, inn scenes, and street scenes. Such representations may be realistic, imagined, or romanticized by the artist. Some variations of the term <i>genre works</i> specify the medium or type of visual work, as in <i>genre painting</i>, <i>genre prints</i>, <i>genre photographs</i>, and so on.</div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.friendsofart.net/static/images/art1/gerrit-van-honthorst-supper-party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" src="http://www.friendsofart.net/static/images/art1/gerrit-van-honthorst-supper-party.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gerrit Van Honthorst's <i>Supper Party </i>is an excellent example of a Dutch genre scene. Un-idealized figures, sitting in a tavern, serenaded by a musician, enjoying themselves. A young woman feeds a piece of chicken to a man who holds both his wine glass and bottle of wine. But remember, the Dutch were a moral and self-aware people, so might this painting be read moralistically? Might it be about glutton, lust and indulgence? Is the woman a prostitute and the older woman by her side her procurer? Also, notice its aesthetics. Notice the light, the shadows and the drama. Reminiscent of Caravaggio? Honthorst did spend time in Italy, studying his work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: #e69138; clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: x-large;">Judith Leyster's <i>The Proposition </i></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQE7rJl_TbjXAAz0nhnke1p-gPIUw_JOVkcprI0XFIDBy5uIKkJw1PyXYSe9kgAEukS8s28iDiM8U-Jm78E7qrpXyiYqrKYL2UouNZEcuQjUw9Psizjv0LH5WwSMKq3kcfFrxh6NvAQA/s1600/ts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQE7rJl_TbjXAAz0nhnke1p-gPIUw_JOVkcprI0XFIDBy5uIKkJw1PyXYSe9kgAEukS8s28iDiM8U-Jm78E7qrpXyiYqrKYL2UouNZEcuQjUw9Psizjv0LH5WwSMKq3kcfFrxh6NvAQA/s1600/ts.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Leyster, like many Baroque artists, was interested in dramatic lighting effects. In <i>The Proposition </i>(the the image above does not do it justice), she creates a shadowy encounter between a pious Calvinist woman and a sleazy lurker. The lusty man grins over her, resting his hand on her shoulder, presenting her with a handful of coins. The woman devotes her attention to her needlepoint, ignoring his proposition. But you can see in her face that she is not calm. The scene depicts a moment of moral conflict, between the man and the woman, but between the woman and herself as well. We do not know how this scene may have ended in the 17th century, but it mirrors the conflict present in the cross-section of religion and sexuality that is still debated over today.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Special Focus: <u><b style="color: #0b5394;">Rembrandt</b></u> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of particular importance to this time and region, an artist that cannot be skipped in discussions of the 17th century Dutch artistic landscape is <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rembrandt.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artinthepicture.com/artists/Rembrandt/self.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="http://www.artinthepicture.com/artists/Rembrandt/self.jpeg" width="325px" /></a> </div><ul><li>Dutch/1606-1669/painter and engraver/generally known as one of the greatest painters and print makers in Dutch history.</li>
<li>Prolific self portraitist/ landscape painter, narrative history painter/ allegorical/biblical illustrator</li>
</ul>Rembrandt is known for his rare and daring psychological sincerity.There is an emotional empathy and honesty that is captured in the expressions of his subjects in their portraits and emphatically in his self portraits. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Rembrandt_Harmensz._van_Rijn_103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Rembrandt_Harmensz._van_Rijn_103.jpg" width="539px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #999999; font-size: large;">Do you see it?</span></div><blockquote>Further, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt">wikipedia</a> offers this: "In a letter to Huyghens, Rembrandt offered the only surviving explanation of what he sought to achieve through his art: <i>the greatest and most natural movement</i>, translated from <i>de meeste en de natuurlijkste beweegelijkheid</i>. The word "beweechgelickhijt" is also argued to mean "emotion" or "motive." Whether this refers to objectives, material or otherwise is open to interpretation; either way, Rembrandt seamlessly melded the earthly and spiritual as has no other painter in Western art.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt#cite_note-25">"</a></blockquote><ul><li>Stylistically, his paintings progressed from the early 'smooth' manner, characterized by fine technique in the portrayal of illusionistic form, to the late 'rough' treatment of richly variegated paint surfaces, which allowed for an illusionism of form suggested by the tactile quality of the paint itself.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/The_Nightwatch_by_Rembrandt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="531px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/The_Nightwatch_by_Rembrandt.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><b><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jan Pieterszoon & Johann Sebastian Bach</span></span></b></u> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">As follows with visual culture, the music of the Baroque </span>period differed between regions. But, both areas sought to create a dramatic and arousing experience for the listener. The blossoming of the churches of the north and the south equaled a steady necessity for new music for services. During this time, new instruments were created, more so than in any other period. Traditional instruments were also transformed and the organ took on a new emphasis in both Catholic and Protestant services. But alongside the organ's popularity was the piano's emergence as an important instrument and the harpsichord was technically perfected. Also of note was the rising popularity of instrumental virtuosos, now competing with popular vocalists of the time. </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was Amsterdam's official organist. Although during services he was required to play standard hymns at regular tempo, his virtuoustic prelude and postlude improvisations were popular.He helped draw large congregations and routinely gave public concerts. By his death in 62, he had transformed the use of the keyboard (not to be confused with the modern colloquial definition of <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_keyboard">keyboard</a></span>). Heir to Sweelinck's innovations is Johan Sebastian Bach. Like Sweelinck, he was Protestant composer and conveyed his piety and devotion through his compositions. He wrote elaborate Lutheran church services which were allowed more exuberance than Calvinist services. Bach, for each Sunday service, composed what is called a canata. A canata is multimovement commentary on text of the service that was sung by a soloist and accompanied by a chorus and one or two instruments. One of the major advents found in Bach's canatas is his use of <b><i>counterpoint</i></b>.To secular music, Bach gave the <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Well_Tempered_Clavier">Well-Tempered Clavier</a></span>, a work that popularized equal temperament in musical tuning (this is a big deal). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BixPLIWcb0s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span id="goog_290485457"></span><span id="goog_290485458"></span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Thought Food:</span></span></span></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b45f06; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-large;">Isn't it weird that we didn't study Germany when talking about the North? What was going on there? </span><span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"></span></li>
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<blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Were the Dutch really so unique that they must be paid special, distinct attention to? What about them yielded this distinct visual culture?</span> </span></li>
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<blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;">What makes Germany so different at this time when Martin Luther (father of the first phase of the Protestant Revolution) was German himself? Couldn't one assume that something similar happened to German religious life and visual culture at this time?</span></li>
</ul></div></blockquote><ul style="text-align: center;"><li> <span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;">What did German Baroque art look like? </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: center;">Like this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Blenheim_Palace_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Blenheim_Palace_cropped.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;">?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Stay tuned. Answers are on the way. </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-60453727863946658802011-07-03T09:04:00.000-07:002011-08-06T15:22:53.050-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #783f04; text-align: center;"><u><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">17<sup>th</sup> Century Italian Baroque</span></b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">The 17th century was a time in which art and religion were inextricably connected. The <span style="color: #990000;">Counter Reformation</span> was Catholic Church's attempt to command authority over the Christian world and battle the Protestant threat. How is this seen in the art? In the attempt to win back those that had been drawn away by Protestantism, the aesthetics of the time became<b> dramatic,</b> <b>emotional</b>, <b>sensual, grandiose, and opulent</b>. Religious works became imbued with sensual undertones.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><blockquote><b><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.artinthepicture.com/styles/Baroque/">Artinthepicture</a></span></b> <span style="color: #134f5c;">offers this</span>: <span style="color: #b45f06;">"</span><span style="color: #b45f06;">The Baroque originated around 1600. The canon promulgated at the Council of Trent (1545?63), by which the Roman Catholic Church addressed the representational arts by demanding that paintings and sculptures in church contexts should speak to the <span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"><u>illiterate</u></span> rather than to the <i><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">well-informed</span></b></i>, is customarily offered as an inspiration of the Baroque, which appeared, however, a generation later. This turn toward a<span style="color: #134f5c;"> <b>populist conception</b></span> of the function of <b><span style="color: #134f5c;">ecclesiastical (church) art</span></b> is seen by many art historians as driving the innovations..."</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><b></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;">In an attempt to win back those that had been drawn away by Protestantism, the aesthetics of the time became dramatic, emotional, sensual, grandiose, and opulent. Simple, right? To attract people, awe them. Religious works, like sculptures and buildings, were imbued with sensual undertones. What is more viscerally understood than sensuality, right? </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMd0czrQRLdlkKkL1TTFmjb6pyFkXUfiwZD0YRJ7PeHVimzCihe_g776qVAUNp01r5l92SNw-d9uzLgOz15kqJZG4SFwIwgipuW_7mW7_pGcTGJEZm02yk9Bj3egcdW3QRKveALdfdBs/s1600/teresa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMd0czrQRLdlkKkL1TTFmjb6pyFkXUfiwZD0YRJ7PeHVimzCihe_g776qVAUNp01r5l92SNw-d9uzLgOz15kqJZG4SFwIwgipuW_7mW7_pGcTGJEZm02yk9Bj3egcdW3QRKveALdfdBs/s640/teresa.jpg" width="443px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Berini's </b><i>Ecstasy of Saint Teresa </i></div><b></b></div><br />
When talking about the Baroque, perhaps the most salient work to discuss is <b>Berini's </b><i>Ecstasy of Saint Teresa . </i>It is, in a word, <b><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">stunning.</span> </b><br />
<div><blockquote><div><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>smarthistory.org:</b></span> <span style="color: #b45f06;">Saint Theresa was a nun who was canonized (made a Saint by the Church) because of the spiritual visions she experienced. She lived during the middle of the 16th century in Spain—at the height of the Reformation. Saint Theresa wrote several books in which she described her visions. </span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;">This is her description of the event that Bernini depicts: </span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Beside me, on the left, appeared an angel in bodily form.... He was not tall but short, and very beautiful; and his face was so aflame that he appeared to be one of the highest rank of angels, who seem to be all on fire.... In his hands I saw a great golden spear, and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire. This he plunged into my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. When he pulled it out I felt that he took them with it, and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease, nor is one's soul content with anything but God. This is not a physical but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in it—even a considerable share.</span> </span></div></blockquote><blockquote><span style="color: #b45f06;">Saint Theresa describes her intensely spiritual experience in very physical, even sexual terms. Why? We know that an important goal of Baroque art is to involve the viewer. Theresa is describing this in physical/sexual terms so that we can understand. After all, being visited by an angel and filled with the love of God is no small experience. How can we ordinary mortals hope to understand the intensity and passion of this experience except on our own terms?</span> </blockquote></div><b></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBioZIPSz257_8Iw9YYOKU46-CmwU_Ji-b7cmTIm1o0RPku8ZYbsYz6oOHd2zLVvwy3eU4-JowDVKHknVP4yPdcrk0o_L_3Dj_7JMha9WMOmevMAh9A0YHCqYXwfLuYcrkYoRlhHl0Cbk/s1600/david_full_front.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBioZIPSz257_8Iw9YYOKU46-CmwU_Ji-b7cmTIm1o0RPku8ZYbsYz6oOHd2zLVvwy3eU4-JowDVKHknVP4yPdcrk0o_L_3Dj_7JMha9WMOmevMAh9A0YHCqYXwfLuYcrkYoRlhHl0Cbk/s400/david_full_front.gif" width="233px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Compare Renaissance master, <b style="color: #45818e;">Michelangelo</b>'s <i>David</i> (left) with Baroque master, <b style="color: #45818e;">Bernini</b>'s <i>David </i>(right). The visual art of the Renaissance was about seeking balance, symmetry, and perfect optical observation. This is seen well in <b style="color: #6fa8dc;">Michelangelo</b>'s <i>David</i>. He displays a calm poise, control, and determination. He is captured after the action-- his sling hangs down his back as he looks confidently onwards, almost to an unseen crowd. </span><br />
Compare this to <b style="color: #3d85c6;">Berini</b>'s <i>David</i>. This David is about the tension </div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRVcZqZV78zXCMnOtfrHvOKbUuNioj98Vcq0AhhU3mz6VnL1YZhUMth_yk5LiZHsFZ0TU8_s1vVxB-YG6Fp8tbdW4j6n6UU8bhyL_RxE0Qigng90ug092nfjCI5-yGWSKi5mYFFHFZho/s1600/bernini-david1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRVcZqZV78zXCMnOtfrHvOKbUuNioj98Vcq0AhhU3mz6VnL1YZhUMth_yk5LiZHsFZ0TU8_s1vVxB-YG6Fp8tbdW4j6n6UU8bhyL_RxE0Qigng90ug092nfjCI5-yGWSKi5mYFFHFZho/s400/bernini-david1.jpg" width="301px" /></a>before the rock leaves his sling.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8USOorFXaWvNZoCnpF2uv7eAehXM6DGphWGdMQoRo0IEFVhQLHwpn-uRXITDEgSyEr_PcFnLLsBSFO2Sn1gHwconBrwrNgqk6cOBKjFyBeXAzmpr1YBUQl7T_I8QpFnYAxNuYn67R1_E/s1600/St.-Peters-Basilica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8USOorFXaWvNZoCnpF2uv7eAehXM6DGphWGdMQoRo0IEFVhQLHwpn-uRXITDEgSyEr_PcFnLLsBSFO2Sn1gHwconBrwrNgqk6cOBKjFyBeXAzmpr1YBUQl7T_I8QpFnYAxNuYn67R1_E/s320/St.-Peters-Basilica.jpg" width="320px" /></a>Its composition is dynamic, his arm extends behind his back and you anticipate its flight across his body and the explosive trajectory of the rock, through the air, and into Goliath. This is the energy that transformed the Renaissance mastery of sculpture and painting into the evocative <b><span style="color: #660000;">Baroque</span> </b>style. <b><span style="color: #45818e;">Bernini</span> </b>is known as one of great Baroque masters, responsible for the arms added to the <span style="color: #38761d;">St. Peter's Cathedral</span> in the 17th century that are now symbolic of the Vatican. <span style="color: #38761d;">Saint Peter's Basilica</span> underwent a large renovation-- its purpose was to establish itself as the seat of Roman Catholicism. The plan that <span style="color: #45818e;">Michelangelo</span> originally laid out for the structure was considerably expanded by architect <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Carlo Maderno</span> to accommodate the large congregations.<br />
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<u><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: x-large;">Caravaggio and the Caravaggisti</span><i> </i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Nowhere is <b>drama </b>more seen in Baroque art than in the work of Michelangelo Merisi, commonly known as <span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #3d85c6;">Caravaggio</b>.</span> Caravaggio perfected a way to render light with a dramatic and palpable quality. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-4KcXgJRrvWhaKD3rJSjj4YmAgqdgsE4Z9FkrWFhoPTQiUMfzYMpr3O3Yy9Hjw-gLpIWEpPhSYB5P-u0Tb5Kkd0mhADkM2m0EgRHZc2d73NtVhwkjmHvM4ujlewCnkoybstDDxhfhv8/s1600/artemisia_gentileschi_judith_maidservant_dia1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-4KcXgJRrvWhaKD3rJSjj4YmAgqdgsE4Z9FkrWFhoPTQiUMfzYMpr3O3Yy9Hjw-gLpIWEpPhSYB5P-u0Tb5Kkd0mhADkM2m0EgRHZc2d73NtVhwkjmHvM4ujlewCnkoybstDDxhfhv8/s320/artemisia_gentileschi_judith_maidservant_dia1.jpg" width="202px" /></a></div>This is known as<span style="font-size: large;"><b> <span style="color: #660000;">tenebrism</span>.</b></span> This technique uses large areas of darkness to contrast sharply with brightly lit areas. The artists that followed in Caravaggio's footsteps and utilized the dramatic effects of tenebrism are known as Caravaggisiti.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWhvQaWQ4XZxIMYdzSBnGB99K09Mz87owtJw2LImR2N3BFABzpbLT64oBuUZlPTT-9Z8MJGfPidZF_Iu-EHjfyWZ3_XqiQ2r6OkXu4QWeCkUi6mFUb0pJVHv2uB97zVOGJJOGJEP_b90/s1600/caravaggio-the-calling-of-saint-matthew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWhvQaWQ4XZxIMYdzSBnGB99K09Mz87owtJw2LImR2N3BFABzpbLT64oBuUZlPTT-9Z8MJGfPidZF_Iu-EHjfyWZ3_XqiQ2r6OkXu4QWeCkUi6mFUb0pJVHv2uB97zVOGJJOGJEP_b90/s400/caravaggio-the-calling-of-saint-matthew.jpg" width="400px" /></a>(Calling of Saint Matthew, Caravaggio, above) They include in the great female artist Artemisia Gentileschi (<i>Judith and Maidservant with Head Holofernes</i>, Artemisia Gentileschi, right). For Caravaggio and the <span style="color: #660000;">Caravaggisti</span>, light was used as a metaphor for the divine and revelation. This is the difference between <span style="color: #660000;">tenebrism</span> and the Renaissance's <span style="color: #660000;">chiaroschuro. Chiaroschuro</span> was used to simulate spatial depth through graduations of light and dark-- it is based on empirical observation of light and shadows (a technique called modeling). <span style="color: #990000;">Tenebrism</span> was a exaggeration of <span style="color: #660000;">chiaroschuro</span> and is not optically correct. The revelatory light is analogous to faith-- it changes the way one sees the world. In <i>Conversion of Saint Paul</i>, Caravaggio illustrates the moment when Paul, not yet Saint Paul, fall off his horse and hears God calling his name. The horse, nor the servant hear God's call. But an understanding of Caravaggio would suggest that the light in which Paul is bathed as actually the presence of God. (<i>Conversion of Saint Paul</i>, Caravaggio, below)<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b style="color: #134f5c;">Thought food:</b></span></div><blockquote style="background-color: #444444; color: #b45f06;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;">Comparing Caravaggio's work to Bernini's, based on their garb and content, do they seem like they worked in period?</span></div></blockquote><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Giovanni Gabrieli and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">the <i>canzona</i></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"> The canzona was derived from Renaissance secular music, like the madrigal, known for its distinctive LONG~short~short rhythm known as the <i>canzona rhythm. </i>Gabrieli designated specific instruments for specific parts (a practice known as <i>orchestration</i> today). He controlled the variation in volume and intensity (known as <i>dynamics</i>) with the designations <i>piano </i>(for soft) and <i>forte </i>(for loud). This is well heard in <i>Canzona Duodecimi Toni</i>. His compositions mirror Carravaggio's contrast between light and dark. Gabrieli is also responsible for the organization of music around a tonic note, or a central note that is the focus of the composition. <i>Canzona Duodecimi Toni's </i>resolution is on C. His compositions mirror Carravaggio's contrast between light and dark. Gabrieli is also responsible for the organization of music around a tonic note, or a central note that is the focus of the composition. <i>Canzona Duodecimi Toni's </i>resolution is on C. <br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: x-large;"><u>Claudio Monteverdi and the Opera</u></span></div><div style="text-align: right;">Claudio Monteverdi was appointed musical director at saint Mark's where he proposed a very different approach to composing music. Traditionalists at the time preferred that the text served the music and Monteverdi sought to reverse this relationship-- thus, the <b><span style="color: #660000;">opera</span></b> was born. Although he was not the first to write an <b><span style="color: #660000;">opera</span></b>, as a group called the Camerata of Florence, dedicated to discovering the style of singing that the ancient Greeks used to unite their poetry and music and Caccaini, in the 16th century, wrote works that placed solo vocal lines above instrumental lines, he is known as the first to integrate music and drama successfully.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><u><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto</span></span></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">Vivaldi specialized in composing <span style="color: #660000;"><b>concertos</b><span style="color: black;">, <span style="color: white;">which are a secular form of instrumental music arranged in three movements. This form was in existence prior to Vivaldi but he systematized it-</span>- </span></span>the first movement usually being allegro (cheerful and quick), the second, slower and expressive, and the third, livelier than the first. Concertos usually feature one or two instruments that perform passages that contrast back and forth with the orchestra in the first and third movements. This form is called <b style="color: #660000;">ritornello </b><b style="color: #660000;">ritornello</b> in the tonic and the solos interrupt in different keys, back and forth, until the <b style="color: #660000;">ritornello</b> returns in the tonic in the concluding section. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/7BbpNukE8yY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="color: #b45f06; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-33548466146323389882011-06-12T11:04:00.000-07:002011-12-12T11:06:42.095-08:00Commodity and Beauty<div class="MsoNormal">The beauty in man and object-- paintings, lips, breasts, sculptures, muscles-- is systematized, I am beginning to think. I am beginning to think that beauty rarely exists in objects. The power is in the people. When an object is universally esteemed with beauty, it becomes capable of convincing people of its beauty solely by name, or canon. This phenomenon is imbued in culture. Culture conditions values for beauty. For instance:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUrBumMrPHpBFpQxIwtZiMKRCwVAOhgbvunBlVFzKQ132sT-t2yRkjHxqf6BMmxG3Vw32Yq8ofhnaUPmdbXUt8za-adhL_dUUI5oUBBn8B_LqLIX4TAxpMm4NitnK6S8QDwT3JLVmbD0/s1600/monalisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUrBumMrPHpBFpQxIwtZiMKRCwVAOhgbvunBlVFzKQ132sT-t2yRkjHxqf6BMmxG3Vw32Yq8ofhnaUPmdbXUt8za-adhL_dUUI5oUBBn8B_LqLIX4TAxpMm4NitnK6S8QDwT3JLVmbD0/s640/monalisa.jpg" width="411px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>Is this beautiful?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was not universally esteemed, it quite literally would be less beautiful. What do you think?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOR4Sa9ZPB7qHHgkdvkyKuliEIhqvTqP9blyUbVSIVdaXiM90Eg3WpVBRF5h5_CHq_S_AA1LjpLu5qBfqE_dBwSoOYQ_hulNMaN6HWEqvm3nWsvEjPkA7ESaWKhwUdDpbkwyuFpwIFW4/s1600/Creation+of+Adam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOR4Sa9ZPB7qHHgkdvkyKuliEIhqvTqP9blyUbVSIVdaXiM90Eg3WpVBRF5h5_CHq_S_AA1LjpLu5qBfqE_dBwSoOYQ_hulNMaN6HWEqvm3nWsvEjPkA7ESaWKhwUdDpbkwyuFpwIFW4/s640/Creation+of+Adam.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Michelangelo's <i>Creation of Adam</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>Is it beautiful?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"> When something is exalted so much, when it becomes a commodity, an accessory. Its beauty becomes expected. It is no longer discovered but imposed. Michelangelo’s work is expected to be beautiful and most of the world has been convinced of it. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq7LFrfOzKdLCqO5OvV52nwNIkbHsrWAbCN4pjvzeIrH5TE6hx93AidCVTts3SIaqaCnrA6lmxt9LJ84LZsQs2a73BC5t-vZlwmSoa1nOeX1WAdhzlcXBOREm6KAK1hytcJzXMiNCJwA/s1600/avignon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq7LFrfOzKdLCqO5OvV52nwNIkbHsrWAbCN4pjvzeIrH5TE6hx93AidCVTts3SIaqaCnrA6lmxt9LJ84LZsQs2a73BC5t-vZlwmSoa1nOeX1WAdhzlcXBOREm6KAK1hytcJzXMiNCJwA/s640/avignon.jpg" width="603px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Picasso's D<i>emoiselles d'Avignon</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>Do you find this beautiful?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Muscular men have become accessories, expectations of beauty, not discovered, inspired beauty. Large breasts, light eyes, blond hair: expected, uninspired, and systematized, in most cases. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MJ4KT62Xnhg1j06O5Lt7snvP_gbS1450SuFvLV5KZVhpqlEYSqOyZl7P9JSet2iR1g9yDDaMRNuFZVgJ0IKH6wQ172DQrHpkijPQ1mvE1awLof3Go9ocpcM4MZ9-dArKqnaCOdgF9mU/s1600/marilyn_monroe_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MJ4KT62Xnhg1j06O5Lt7snvP_gbS1450SuFvLV5KZVhpqlEYSqOyZl7P9JSet2iR1g9yDDaMRNuFZVgJ0IKH6wQ172DQrHpkijPQ1mvE1awLof3Go9ocpcM4MZ9-dArKqnaCOdgF9mU/s640/marilyn_monroe_3.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Was her beauty discovered or sold? </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
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</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OdSlFCbQ07rCaKhXAtpJD7_MuRL6KwyPL9vkXSQN3pUsjydtpzQHFW9Pvr0h7NdbZL-FRqDzuVOd63_4qZnM1OfRd14TMam8YWBM0dhgNm5lzt-45YV1hBGIJEunjR9ouedmRzuPQhw/s1600/CRI_159222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OdSlFCbQ07rCaKhXAtpJD7_MuRL6KwyPL9vkXSQN3pUsjydtpzQHFW9Pvr0h7NdbZL-FRqDzuVOd63_4qZnM1OfRd14TMam8YWBM0dhgNm5lzt-45YV1hBGIJEunjR9ouedmRzuPQhw/s1600/CRI_159222.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Or is she just a Campbell's Soup Can?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOQFmkUSH6tGyqEDwjSf8GLnR30IakfBoi-fGi0s67B-uMP9eqXErPz4Rg1AKer8jvb0twb3m5r5YIMGhepI7jEf4hOsrgBt8lC4Ojm3d12XUPiwn6xC2Bk76vVDBEEQQTdTv36GD-F4/s1600/A-shot-of-Marilyn-Monroe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOQFmkUSH6tGyqEDwjSf8GLnR30IakfBoi-fGi0s67B-uMP9eqXErPz4Rg1AKer8jvb0twb3m5r5YIMGhepI7jEf4hOsrgBt8lC4Ojm3d12XUPiwn6xC2Bk76vVDBEEQQTdTv36GD-F4/s1600/A-shot-of-Marilyn-Monroe1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Look at her </b><i>over, </i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Sv1ZaJHA-T3wSjEHYi__zB4ROQXhLvBVJDN-SMiaIZLwWwh2t85p6JNXSiLpEt-mkLECVXr1IrPHsh8Y5IdoFdKMxrldS7oa_qauohEpqmBE3B1QmuKdhM1U789TLAWeKg5ZjmN1S2Y/s1600/heidi_klum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Sv1ZaJHA-T3wSjEHYi__zB4ROQXhLvBVJDN-SMiaIZLwWwh2t85p6JNXSiLpEt-mkLECVXr1IrPHsh8Y5IdoFdKMxrldS7oa_qauohEpqmBE3B1QmuKdhM1U789TLAWeKg5ZjmN1S2Y/s1600/heidi_klum.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>and over,</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WjB6O0CL77XvgdYJHut9NBcC5DAjUoMhoDzag070eifmI_8wvpODnWjS6_Mbm1ZTN_z69xu_kTz-q2UnJZxiWpje8w-uOVJGA5XN4A6GjDWnuRWdZSnr_rd6BQ4e1LuxnbpZq9O11RQ/s1600/jenna-jameson-foxy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WjB6O0CL77XvgdYJHut9NBcC5DAjUoMhoDzag070eifmI_8wvpODnWjS6_Mbm1ZTN_z69xu_kTz-q2UnJZxiWpje8w-uOVJGA5XN4A6GjDWnuRWdZSnr_rd6BQ4e1LuxnbpZq9O11RQ/s1600/jenna-jameson-foxy.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>and over,</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6ZDzXHnJVPdWfKOaRNeAx4O30bDwJixYqGicfFZmJXhlQQhT7r_gexgMUebY9LGUmMXw56dLXaYxhTeaQojb2pomMa9EpC6B2RxNhgERVgRWRtNkNevTYYSorru1dfLv6zKiEJQ1eEI/s1600/Mannequin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6ZDzXHnJVPdWfKOaRNeAx4O30bDwJixYqGicfFZmJXhlQQhT7r_gexgMUebY9LGUmMXw56dLXaYxhTeaQojb2pomMa9EpC6B2RxNhgERVgRWRtNkNevTYYSorru1dfLv6zKiEJQ1eEI/s1600/Mannequin.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and over,</span></b></i></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSxsk45AzYDNptsjc0_Ylp9W2V5pvLsVkuz460ZhidMZIJsUO9FAjyBbFX2_A4LG-EXTEeJcWaTENlHjV7fg0rdTBNMH_OYT8PPiORxm7If7wkurCs0Ze1f3jUlrGqv9epAH1hIMXZYk/s1600/doryphoros1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSxsk45AzYDNptsjc0_Ylp9W2V5pvLsVkuz460ZhidMZIJsUO9FAjyBbFX2_A4LG-EXTEeJcWaTENlHjV7fg0rdTBNMH_OYT8PPiORxm7If7wkurCs0Ze1f3jUlrGqv9epAH1hIMXZYk/s1600/doryphoros1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br />
</i></div><div><div style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and over,</span></b></i></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hycwxzAmXK2iBy7g4qxE5uiO8nX9v5SAAIM6zH2IEmUqD9AWAJ0-xDk94obL1QpWWqm2cghTqc7wnfech7wnVkKSSeQqi6GHi0v4vxHUPieBFNy8MTbgZYTFGvTuXIp03Or0COeT0Lo/s1600/male-models8120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hycwxzAmXK2iBy7g4qxE5uiO8nX9v5SAAIM6zH2IEmUqD9AWAJ0-xDk94obL1QpWWqm2cghTqc7wnfech7wnVkKSSeQqi6GHi0v4vxHUPieBFNy8MTbgZYTFGvTuXIp03Or0COeT0Lo/s1600/male-models8120.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br />
</i></div><div><div style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and over,</span></i></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQDlqlZ2g8F4-g35KASvhSzXzK5QbyUsnfC1vE-X1xe6RM_HompeRE2fGHDb1U3dfrR81NeBh-Mtbw_md7jKxVaymJN6l7T6wlmwH6aXIv4MUny2_ep3ffVopYf44upOmI3IbDOo20_0/s1600/rusty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQDlqlZ2g8F4-g35KASvhSzXzK5QbyUsnfC1vE-X1xe6RM_HompeRE2fGHDb1U3dfrR81NeBh-Mtbw_md7jKxVaymJN6l7T6wlmwH6aXIv4MUny2_ep3ffVopYf44upOmI3IbDOo20_0/s1600/rusty.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br />
</i></div><div><div style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and over,</span></i></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtUrbzcTPpKD7uIj1Cd3C0uMclCIQRc0ujuduqyvSE9ZUC1xSkx8JSTrVZjQLqa8AvARet-2nbMtxViRal-AeDD3kPaHP0fWK58YZz2540nMW6iqhjmh2YOKbD7o6meR70FQYqKpQ11Q/s1600/Male+Mannequins+With+Sculptured+Hair_229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="509px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtUrbzcTPpKD7uIj1Cd3C0uMclCIQRc0ujuduqyvSE9ZUC1xSkx8JSTrVZjQLqa8AvARet-2nbMtxViRal-AeDD3kPaHP0fWK58YZz2540nMW6iqhjmh2YOKbD7o6meR70FQYqKpQ11Q/s640/Male+Mannequins+With+Sculptured+Hair_229.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br />
</i></div><div><div style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>and over again.</b></span></i></div><div style="font-style: italic; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I am attempting to ask: "What is beautiful?" And what have we been told to find beautiful. And for those that don't fit the canon for beautiful, where does it leave them?</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYc0GhmV32EobxwTYfkc-qp1rb6uHV6IezcOBGF4NDJajBlPILwFK57oJHY7kaNacGNGj_f5jucXHPmq5tj_B4OKGU2b-U8YjizYlKC-5ppTQ80n0QA-TgrCBVnbcTbn6Lmzmrk19Vio/s1600/3_04-primping-550x434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYc0GhmV32EobxwTYfkc-qp1rb6uHV6IezcOBGF4NDJajBlPILwFK57oJHY7kaNacGNGj_f5jucXHPmq5tj_B4OKGU2b-U8YjizYlKC-5ppTQ80n0QA-TgrCBVnbcTbn6Lmzmrk19Vio/s1600/3_04-primping-550x434.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jen Davis/ photographer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCc-ErkjEoZw0Vf-8k5AltE_OwmIzkWnecEurb6TfB-4PRQigE-F30CMNRFbDIbNbNj9NR1QCscav-7ZsCqD1SxD8Wp0Uo-VUYZYJH9GDC7JExCYsf-5R4eIVqU1FgBf5WusgTVyrDqg/s1600/nappy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCc-ErkjEoZw0Vf-8k5AltE_OwmIzkWnecEurb6TfB-4PRQigE-F30CMNRFbDIbNbNj9NR1QCscav-7ZsCqD1SxD8Wp0Uo-VUYZYJH9GDC7JExCYsf-5R4eIVqU1FgBf5WusgTVyrDqg/s320/nappy.jpg" width="303px" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsgiYMu4k8wUo2MCxDnIS0IXRX3PY_Zvo9ykOwWI5y6VQCturjdE4hN5Z6oQ-eR6r4IpvOSHaI8M4HR_o6lTIBqFegfjvWZWG3FNIdqKehv2YXZ7baOGyIy72U9NgBFbwcXBOoTrY0MA/s1600/naomicampbell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsgiYMu4k8wUo2MCxDnIS0IXRX3PY_Zvo9ykOwWI5y6VQCturjdE4hN5Z6oQ-eR6r4IpvOSHaI8M4HR_o6lTIBqFegfjvWZWG3FNIdqKehv2YXZ7baOGyIy72U9NgBFbwcXBOoTrY0MA/s320/naomicampbell.jpg" width="256px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What is real beauty?</b></div><div><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who wants to be a Campbell's Soup Can? Who is envious?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, should we feel bad for like what we do? Is it okay to continue to exalt and adore only our tastes, conditioned or not? Does this thinking leave other's out? Or is it just a nature, objective truth that some traits are ugly and some are beautiful? Where do you fall in the canon? Where do your children? What message are they receiving?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbhxlqaNBd1KccG54BuoUxHYOgup8X1uFClHr8L-ENTJuslVvyxZSciAmS6tKGMxe10plocdnkLl4egPvFBDqvcxG9OhoWtf8QPaOTRyzJRAXUiNM-nQSlQuXEA_x1fX9PrJh8fGpEJc/s1600/LornaSimpson_Gap2-771638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbhxlqaNBd1KccG54BuoUxHYOgup8X1uFClHr8L-ENTJuslVvyxZSciAmS6tKGMxe10plocdnkLl4egPvFBDqvcxG9OhoWtf8QPaOTRyzJRAXUiNM-nQSlQuXEA_x1fX9PrJh8fGpEJc/s1600/LornaSimpson_Gap2-771638.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">or</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zFvOxvcUYy4zE-UrwFU174SD2qHdsTvxydCEZLTLGvpEfFatWFf3ffo1QZDJurThKPexrz7hdNzhOAIYQmiN5VB5w_thrrIwmD8SMjjtQCteeOEwWgI4mM3BS40CvA-8xYQpHNKVNd4/s1600/bradvei-tyra-banks-dtmar05-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zFvOxvcUYy4zE-UrwFU174SD2qHdsTvxydCEZLTLGvpEfFatWFf3ffo1QZDJurThKPexrz7hdNzhOAIYQmiN5VB5w_thrrIwmD8SMjjtQCteeOEwWgI4mM3BS40CvA-8xYQpHNKVNd4/s1600/bradvei-tyra-banks-dtmar05-09.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-63651308819083156782011-06-08T20:19:00.000-07:002011-06-08T20:19:54.064-07:00Kill Art Manifesto, 2011<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Kill <i>Art </i>Manifesto</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">, 2011</span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">The widespread colonialism of “<b>art</b>” is now dead. The past is among its victims. The discovered worlds of the Non-West are among its victims. The future is among its victims.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">The disgraceful word has destroyed the ability to appreciate objects and their splendor.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">A new consciousness has been brought to return power back to the pure experiencers—the brave beings that have the courage to see like a child and disregard classifications.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">The dogmas and domination over the individual is now lifted by the death of “<b>art</b>”.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">The <b><u>Kill <i>Art</i></u></b><i> </i>founders now call upon all who believe in the reformation of the now disgraced word “<b>xxx</b>” to annihilate its remnants from museums, galleries, culture, life, and language and discussions that in any way prevent the pure experience of our lives and its objects.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">The “artists” of today have been working under the imperial dominion of “<b>xxx</b>” and have now been set free from the implicit constraints of the categorization of “<b>xxxxxx</b>”.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">From now on, those who were formally insulted with the term “<b>xxxxxx</b>” will forever more been known as “makers”, “producers”, “beings”, “forms”, “live-ers”, or any other non-colonizing term by which they wish to be referred, if at all.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>8.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">From this moment forward, what was formerly the <b><u>Kill <i>Art </i>Manifesto</u></b> shall now be referred to as the <b><u>Kill <i>XXX </i>Manifesto</u></b>.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>9.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Co-operation in this movement is possibly by:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>I.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Sending critical, philosophical, literary, performance or material and immaterial articles.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>II.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Translating articles into different languages or distributing thoughts published in by <b><u>Kill <i>XXX</i></u></b>.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span>III.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Destroying all printed materials containing the disgraced words: “<b>xxx</b>” and “<b>xxxxxx</b>” as well as individuals that use these disgraced words, including this one.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 3in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Signatures of the present collaborators:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">JAHFRE COLBERT</span></b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">, thinking being/ <b>CARA PENTECOST</b>, maker/ <b>ANNA CRUZ</b>,live-er / <b>BORIS UGARTECHEA</b>, uncategorized</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-67683537455387477082011-05-07T21:42:00.000-07:002011-07-06T09:25:41.080-07:00A Guided Tour<div style="text-align: justify;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">In Postmodern art, meaning is often embedded beneath formal aesthetics. It is through the analysis, comparing and contrasting, or question asking that meaning in Postmodern aesthetics is articulated. The content of the contemporary art is can be esoteric when one is uninformed or unaccustomed to art evaluation outside of the formal. To practice interpreting the language of contemporary aesthetics, the following is a guided interaction with the work of two contemporary artists with useful juxtaposed images to aid in analysis and interpretation. Questions will be posed and answered with brief descriptions that include useful historical knowledge and contemporary art language. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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<span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">Renée Cox's<i> Hott-En-Tot </i>V.S. Wm.H. West’s Big Minstrel Jubilee</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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<span style="color: black;"></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_esYE2JhKVfAmpdHrGzFJFfQztOJvSJEhGB7Q77CZHdVxiL9gcMRSxwgs_4l_SF_XMMQh6yhVr2UGITU3Zbc-Ovii6gaFZvkoUzcPbW5Nww4xh-gmK876iz-M2CLoP-IzVdTwUNjIsM/s1600/315.1891-384x500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_esYE2JhKVfAmpdHrGzFJFfQztOJvSJEhGB7Q77CZHdVxiL9gcMRSxwgs_4l_SF_XMMQh6yhVr2UGITU3Zbc-Ovii6gaFZvkoUzcPbW5Nww4xh-gmK876iz-M2CLoP-IzVdTwUNjIsM/s400/315.1891-384x500.jpg" width="306" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMCEANqI_A6wEVNElYCqtyRhMrouaL-ld16AljrHvgAWI8nY8ZzCG29FnCJN2kVUistGxlusfoOCRMW8Bv9iM229n1KJYItD-nUo0lp3v2LOfndM9gda98y3T7wdAyeeVbQig8vwHKrU/s1600/minstrel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMCEANqI_A6wEVNElYCqtyRhMrouaL-ld16AljrHvgAWI8nY8ZzCG29FnCJN2kVUistGxlusfoOCRMW8Bv9iM229n1KJYItD-nUo0lp3v2LOfndM9gda98y3T7wdAyeeVbQig8vwHKrU/s400/minstrel.jpg" width="251" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small; line-height: 200%;">Do you know anything about Renee Cox? Does the name of Renee Cox's work mean anything to you? </span></b><span style="line-height: 200%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="line-height: 200%;">Do you see them both as "art"? Are they made for the same audience? </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="line-height: 200%;">What is Renee Cox wearing? Might her enhancements carry any symbolism?</span></b></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="color: white;">Renée Cox is a popular contemporary artist that deals with numerous themes rooted mainly in race and women. The name of her photo, Hott-En-Tot, gives away its meaning. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saartje_Baartman"><span style="color: white;">Saartje Baartman</span></a><span style="color: white;"> was a famous Khoisan woman from South Africa who was exhibited in human zoos (or freak show). Her display name, Hottentot Venus, is a composite of the derogatory name for the Khoi people, Hottentot, and the Roman Goddess of Love, Venus. Her body is a symbol of a racist Otherism that is now realized as tragic and regretful. Her large buttocks, elongated genitalia and large breasts are symbols for an identity (freak),that belittle her and transform her into a skeptical. Cox is recreating the symbolism in her features in a contemporary setting that is obviously jarring for their intentional fakeness and its defiant arrangement. Cox looks at you in the eyes and manipulates her identity—exaggerates her actual forms, now a brand of the fetishized African identity, to the point of ostentation. In this way, the black-faced minstrel evokes the same exaggeration of identity but from the other side of the interaction. He is exaggerating his body with another’s identity to become a spectacle himself. But of course, this is for an entertainment that the entertainer has the luxury of being in on. The skin of a black man is an object with engrained meaning itself: the tap dancing nigger, the bamboozled jester, shucking and jiving for claps and change. The minstrel makes light of this history. In a way, Renee Cox is responding to it by not allowing you to laugh. To see it on a stern, starring black woman robs it of its humor and calls attention to the seriousness of its past.</span></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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<span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: #45818e;">Yinka Shonibare MBE's <i>The Swing</i> (After Fragonard) and Fragonard's </span><i><span style="color: #45818e;">The Swing</span> </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70P16mLbftW8LnA-bz09J2kI_9DffzVtLlKLjYXmWgES8dZV8i0OId8UORwuryg4U6EGlOVQ7ALDShyphenhyphenFYtA3ReCZi00lNbLzlvSwHqC6D45jM0DLu6djuWBHMeelXkby502170L-3J8Y/s1600/tumblr_lglqenMXAG1qzn4kzo1_1280.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70P16mLbftW8LnA-bz09J2kI_9DffzVtLlKLjYXmWgES8dZV8i0OId8UORwuryg4U6EGlOVQ7ALDShyphenhyphenFYtA3ReCZi00lNbLzlvSwHqC6D45jM0DLu6djuWBHMeelXkby502170L-3J8Y/s400/tumblr_lglqenMXAG1qzn4kzo1_1280.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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<span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yLnTAL69sNWij41o1pyjdOUvnYaDg3yBlRMsKHYYjsy8xyVdxYVa3RyxxfARCWGgW-vpQcPfgZpK2A4ptbumK6HJMQxP86zX80AJSxieL3QOB95spLciUlF3S1Rv9V9-Jzacfc3Ujkc/s1600/The+Swing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yLnTAL69sNWij41o1pyjdOUvnYaDg3yBlRMsKHYYjsy8xyVdxYVa3RyxxfARCWGgW-vpQcPfgZpK2A4ptbumK6HJMQxP86zX80AJSxieL3QOB95spLciUlF3S1Rv9V9-Jzacfc3Ujkc/s400/The+Swing.jpg" width="317" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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<span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small; line-height: 200%;">Do you know anything about the artists? Do the names of the works mean anything? </span></b><span style="line-height: 200%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small; line-height: 200%;">When do you think both images were made? Does the period in which they were created change its meaning</span></b><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small;">? Is there a difference in media?</span> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Yinka Shonibare MBE's The Swing(After Fragonard) was made in 2001. Fragonard's The Swing was made in 1767. Yinka Shonibare is a contempoary Nigerian artist and Fragonard was a French artist working in the Rococo style.</span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small; line-height: 200%;">Who makes art in both time periods? For whom were the images made, given their time periods? Does anything about the subjects carry symbolism of a people or culture? </span></b><span style="line-height: 200%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: #45818e;">How might Yinka Shonibare MBE's nationality affect his art, if at all? Is his identity potentially important in the image? What about his sculpture signals his identity and other identities? Do they carry meaningful symbolism?</span> </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 36px;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="color: white;">Yinka Shonibare MBE is a contemporary hybrid artist. His parents are Nigerian but schooled in an exclusive boarding school in London. He straddles national identities and in the space between both influences he creates a dialogue about the identity created in Postcolonial Africa and how this informs life in the homeland of his colonizer. He calls himself a "postcolonial hybrid”. A motif used in this dialogue is the Dutch wax fabric, designed in the former-Dutch colony Indonesia and manufactured in Manchester, England. The fabric ended up being exported to Africa where it was absorbed into African cultures, creating a synthetic "African" aesthetic identity. "It's the fallacy of that signification that I like," Shonibare told Pernilla Holmes of ARTnew in 2002. "It's the way I view culture--it's an artificial construct." Shonibare MBE brings together Europe and Africa, colonizer and colonized, authentic and artificial, through his use of the hybrid "African" cloth and references to well-known European painters such as Fragonard and Goya. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: white; font-size: 10pt;">(Shinobare just recently added the MBE to his name, recently initiated as a Member of the Order of the British Empire. Even his name conjures thoughts of imperialism, globalization, and cultural confluence.)</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #45818e; line-height: 200%;">With these ideas in mind, make light of the follow Shinobare MBE's images.</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-origin: initial; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-68479315210319321902011-05-07T16:51:00.000-07:002011-07-06T09:10:11.332-07:00An Essay on St.Vincent and A New Generation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGi70YTXaa31s_CSAL5hpT7Ep4cWdp_S44spnFVMguF2CI7lYE3-P9kuWnVid9Bpl3UQD0f28M-Btcpj5laCXHWwaqTl4T4IeIVrOGHRrgdommjzrLRPCYy_nGZ-qvN3dsVPc-LWjL1I/s1600/stvincent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGi70YTXaa31s_CSAL5hpT7Ep4cWdp_S44spnFVMguF2CI7lYE3-P9kuWnVid9Bpl3UQD0f28M-Btcpj5laCXHWwaqTl4T4IeIVrOGHRrgdommjzrLRPCYy_nGZ-qvN3dsVPc-LWjL1I/s1600/stvincent.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">What you dance to is dangerous, according to Roger Scruton in his essay: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Decline of Musical Culture</i>. The way you sway your hips, rock and dip suggest who you are and what you stand for. When you dance, you are sympathizing with the music and its messages. So what do you sympathize with? What do you think you should sympathize with? If you are unsure, philosopher Roger Scruton certainly has an answer; “Taste in music matters, and [the] search for objective musical values is one part of our search for the right way to live…”(<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">Scruton </span></span>125). Scruton recommends the “moral refinement of Bach, Mozart, and Schubert” (<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">Scruton</span></span> 132). However, if you disagree with Scruton’s taste and would rather listen to Led Zeppelin or Nirvana, award winning philosopher, Theodore Gracyk offers an essay you may enjoy. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Music’s Worldly Uses, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and To Love Led Zeppelin</i>, Gracyk challenges Scruton, in a “family” manner, with his belief that the exaltation of classical composers “seems to be a pretty limited thing to think about if you want to think about music” (Gracyk 142) and asserts that we use music to express our own identities and to give us an opportunity to imaginatively explore other identities. Both philosophers suggest that something can be said about your disposition and the disposition of your community based on what music you sympathize with. Were Grayck and Scruton to assess the disposition of the listening community of the popular rock artist St. Vincent, how would they characterize them? “The Bed”, off her 2009 album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Actor</i>, offers insight into the sympathies of her community. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
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Art matters, according to Scruton, because, “through the free play of sympathy in fiction our emotions can be educated and also corrupted.” So it is interesting that St. Vincent is influenced by popular film fiction and uses it to communicate with her audience. In an interview with the popular music magazine Pitchfork, St. Vincent described her process during the scoring of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Actor</i>: “I would just watch films on silent and think, ‘How can I score this scene?’ as a writing exercise. So I envisioned the whole thing to be a film score” (<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">Pitchfork</span></span>). Scruton would pay particular attention to the kind of films she envisioned her audience would dance to. He asserts that: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In responding to a piece of music we are being led through a series of gestures which gain their significance from the intimation of community. As with dance, a kind of gravitational field is created, which shapes the emotional life of the one who enters it. We move for a while along the orbit of a formalized emotion and practice its steps. Our truncated movements are also acts of attention: we do what we do in response to the sounds that we hear, when we attend to them aesthetically. If this is what it is to hear the meaning, then hearing the meanings is inseparable from the aesthetic experience.(Scruton 125).</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">According to Scruton, what matters about St. Vincent’s “The Bed” would be the meaning found in the gestures and dance that the music leads one through. So how do people dance to St. Vincent? It is important to point out that when Scruton refers to dancing, he is referring to both the performed kind as well as “the kind of dancing [resembling] our experience in the concert hall, which is itself a kind of truncated dance” (Scruton124). This can be the way we sway to music, or tap our feet, and when we do this truncated dance our “whole being is absorbed by the movement of the music, and moves with it, compelled by incipient gestures of imitation. The object of this imitation is life-- life imagined in the form of music.” He is claiming that there is a sympathy that is conveyed through the gesture that incorporates not only the dancer, but the “sympathetic space” of the entire community as well (Scruton 123). In the case of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bed</i>, the sympathetic space, the community, and the intimated meaning is sympathizing with the nostalgia of Disney and all that it represents. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
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Gracyk would agree that gestures to music suggest sympathy with the meaning of the music, but would add that the meaning is hinged to the “informed listener,” not every listener. It is not in the actual formal elements of the music—the tonic and harmony— that the listener is sympathizing with, but in the intentional realm. He would say that only those who are familiar with St. Vincent’s musical references to Disney would be able to be a part of the sympathetic community. In the same way that most contemporary audiences could not sympathize with Mozart or Schubert because they simply do not know how to listen to them. Gracyk says: “When I sit down to write, I have the option of working to the percussive flow of a Javanese gamelan orchestra, to the bleating trumpets of a Tibetan Tantric Buddhist ritual, or to a choir trilling traditional Chinese folk songs. But that music wouldn’t really yield a musical experience to me, because I don’t really know how to listen to it” (Gracyk 137). He might say that St. Vincent and her audience know how to listen to Disney film scores, not Milhaud, Schoenberg or Stravinsky. Gracyk gave the example of the scene from the 2000 film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Almost Home</i> in which a homesick rocker and his band mates take a sullen drive back to their little community after a tumultuous tour. The radio begins to play Elton John’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tiny Dancer</i> and at first, only a few sing. The protagonist joins in and then his mates and road crew follow suit. He is told: “You are home” (Gracyk 144). The same effect happens in St. Vincent’s music. When her flutes flutter and ghastly violins flurry, nostalgia and whimsy are induced in the informed listeners. She uses these devices as compositional and emotional indicators for the audience that references a strong, familiar sensation that is unexpected and fantastic. The common characteristic of this response is the defining element of the relationship within the community of listeners. It is in this way that one can begin to see how St. Vincent’s music can describe a person or community through a familiar nostalgia that one must have experienced in order to be a part of the informed community. He says that, “music does not yield its meaning to listeners outside the continuing culture that gives the music its significance” (Gracyk 142). </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
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There is also juxtaposition in “The Bed” within its formal components. The music begins with the rhythmic melody of a modern, Fender Rhodes sound, and the classical percussion instrument, the tympani. Harp and clarinet enter in polyphony, yet the harp plays block chords in common tension and release often heard in Western Classical music. These progressions are considered to have their first and most prominent articulation in Bach (Bach). Gracyk would say that the song requires an ear for European harmony, and familiarity with Disney film scores and contemporary indie rock music. Although the structure and emotional landscape are arranged with the juxtapositions and theatrical freedom of indie rock, the instrumentation and arrangement are firmly rooted in classical tradition. Scruton would have to say that the sympathetic gestures that accompany this song can be paralleled with the “moral refinement of Bach “(Scruton 132). As the song continues, anchored by the tympani, woodwinds, strings, and organ accompany the leading chords that suggest deceptive cadences which pace the overall harmonic progression. Her voice leading on top leads the ear to suggest anxiety but suggests harmonic resolve on the tonic, mirroring the feeling of accompanying lyrics: “We’re sleeping underneath our beds to scare the monsters out. With our dear daddy’s Smith and Wesson. We’ve got to teach them all a lesson.” Scruton would have to admit that this is not the “brief [exhalations], which cannot develop since they are swamped by rhythm, and have no voice-leading role” (Scruton 132), as is prevalent in many styles of contemporary music. About the aesthetic (formal) arrangement of the song, Gracyk would note that “this music is multiculturalism in action. It reveals a cosmopolitan orientation in which cultural boundaries are continually erased and then redrawn, integrating diverse traditions without erasing differences and without any expectation that one dimension of one musical culture should rule supreme” (Gracyk 142). With an understanding of “The Bed”, Gracyk would be inclined to comment that the multiculturalism and juxtaposition can be extended to describe the community that listens to this music. The audience is informed about this new tradition of mixing classical and contemporary traditions, in the same way that the grunge community was informed in the distorted, expressive style of Nirvana. “The Bed” is about freedom in compositional expression—dipping in and out of traditions at will, Disney and Bach, with no concern of expectation or musical hierarchy. A quote from Gracyk about Led Zeppelin can be used to describe this music and its audience: “It abandons the presumption that there is one musical tradition that is inherently superior to all others and with it the view that there is only one right way to live. It deflates the utopianism of Scruton’s insistence on music as a realm of pure abstraction” (Gracyk 142).<br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvryM4SOtNXYRwN7k1dDKR1dlNVXbKnht113KUgOjKhMLW1cUpWrOrbZs5LRBmTjvW8JeSotC5bYIfKIU1JSA2A0de2AIS1tCC_aj5-Yz6MeGzF6SAtAyKtHR081MnPK1qaqSgmGcjOw/s1600/SBS_1352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvryM4SOtNXYRwN7k1dDKR1dlNVXbKnht113KUgOjKhMLW1cUpWrOrbZs5LRBmTjvW8JeSotC5bYIfKIU1JSA2A0de2AIS1tCC_aj5-Yz6MeGzF6SAtAyKtHR081MnPK1qaqSgmGcjOw/s400/SBS_1352.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> St. Vincent is showing that she and her informed listeners are not ignorant of the past or its traditions. She uses, at will, references to contemporary and Classical culture. Perhaps she and her community are telling traditionalists like Scruton that it is he who is detrimental to society because of his myopic view of music. Perhaps it is he who is detrimental to the potential of pure music and higher culture. Gracyk certainly would be reinforced by St. Vincent. For many musicians, Scruton says “tonality has become a ‘dead language’, or a language that can be used only ironically—maybe even sarcastically—so as to neutralize the banality of its overexploited terms”(Scruton 121). St. Vincent shows us the myopic nature of Scruton’s point. She shows us that she can infuse classical tonality with indie rock juxtaposition with skill; in her new community, no one musical culture rules supreme. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Vlz8FQZXQwy0yCtbz2CatLuzaZX7H8Y2_TC3DASf98ZQU3vgoozaP-wEEZq74Y6bmUUCloBVE8GqDc3I5LAXKjvmIeho1oX2PtbzxgxzTrxkynP-vatfCtoPHIu5GgXxdbannrq8tQ8/s1600/bach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Vlz8FQZXQwy0yCtbz2CatLuzaZX7H8Y2_TC3DASf98ZQU3vgoozaP-wEEZq74Y6bmUUCloBVE8GqDc3I5LAXKjvmIeho1oX2PtbzxgxzTrxkynP-vatfCtoPHIu5GgXxdbannrq8tQ8/s400/bach.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;">Work Cited</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">"Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier « Earsense Blog."</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Earsense—home</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http: ?p="37" blog="" www.earsense.org="">.</http:></span></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Gracyk, Theodore. "How I Learned To Love Led Zeppelin."</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Arguing about Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">. Ed. Alex Neill and Aaron Ridley. London: Routledge, 2008. 137-48. Print.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">"Pitchfork: St. Vincent Talks New Album, Aerosmith, Twilight."</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Pitchfork: Home</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. <http: 34732-st-vincent-talks-new-album-aerosmith-itwilighti="" news="" pitchfork.com="">.</http:></span></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Scruton, Roger. "The Decline of Musical Culture."</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Arguing about Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates</span></i></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;">. Ed. Alex Neill and Aaron Ridley. London: Routledge, 2008. 121-35. Print.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small;"></span></span></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-17037451781930671602011-01-30T18:51:00.000-08:002011-01-31T17:32:38.717-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Who is Jessie Mann?</i></span></b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhConUCSsnoxkmGMYZ2a39pQ4aYEOdDJVpX9Hdl9TKkpBKwWEVfevv4a7vAFmalowyMnjbSs1wXv4nanlKn6EEr3l6eJ3NFMjIqYfZ7RBjSomqZFF09e4-ynNSvrZOgWr8wTjO8P5sgiHY/s1600/sall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhConUCSsnoxkmGMYZ2a39pQ4aYEOdDJVpX9Hdl9TKkpBKwWEVfevv4a7vAFmalowyMnjbSs1wXv4nanlKn6EEr3l6eJ3NFMjIqYfZ7RBjSomqZFF09e4-ynNSvrZOgWr8wTjO8P5sgiHY/s1600/sall.jpg" /></a></div><div style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">Jessie Mann appears as an enigma. The ambiguity in name and face does not help the viewer solve the photo’s mystery. In the backwoods of Virginia, Sally Mann posed and documented Jessie and her other children for the show: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Immediate Family</i> in 1992. It debuted at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia and attracted a storm of fear and criticism. The photos were said to be pornographic. Despite the controversy over the lines between fine photography and child pornography, other intriguing issues are imbued in the contents of the photos. What is beauty and when and how can a person (or child) be beautiful? Are any of the qualities of beauty defined by gender or can qualities of beauty cross between genders? At what point does a handsome boy become a beautiful girl? In what way is a gender allowed to be attractive? Jessie poses just those questions in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Madonna, </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Jessie</i>, two photos in the recent XX/XY exhibition at the Orlando Museum of Art. <o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKd7IkZXhfa_FwBp0fEgfBnz4r5L9b6Bd7iYZ01UATqzFGP74feR_EFSy_q-rcCYeXRIGj7CwAC3hWB8XMYfb40Bz2mRNAQ49ZbqrmNg3XqprFg8MgjI6II0jXr9XIaWR9Ey0qNcHURVY/s1600/tumblr_kxfmjhM7n51qa7qdfo1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKd7IkZXhfa_FwBp0fEgfBnz4r5L9b6Bd7iYZ01UATqzFGP74feR_EFSy_q-rcCYeXRIGj7CwAC3hWB8XMYfb40Bz2mRNAQ49ZbqrmNg3XqprFg8MgjI6II0jXr9XIaWR9Ey0qNcHURVY/s320/tumblr_kxfmjhM7n51qa7qdfo1_400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"> Jessie Mann is a pretty young girl. But Jessie Mann is also a handsome young boy and the difference between the two is hard to find. A little girl looks like a little girl, dresses like a little girl, and behaves like a little girl. And it is the same for little boys in American culture. Little girls play dress up and little boys play with toy trucks. A woman is pretty and a male is handsome. And yet, both adjectives, pretty and handsome, could be applied to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Jessie</i>. Jessie asks audiences consider if Jessie could be a pretty boy or a handsome girl. One could be convinced of both, and yet, how quickly would the adjectives change was the photo to be named <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie is a Boy </i>or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie is a Girl</i>? Would the word pretty even be conjured to describe Jessie were an audience believe Jessie to be a boy? It seems to make one question the ownership of these adjectives. One is asked to evaluate if the word “pretty” is de-masculinizing and if “handsome” is de-feminizing. The androgyny of a child is less threatening to an audience than and that of adults—it is expected that the looks and behavior of a young child is not telling of their future sexuality or affinities. They are considered innocent. But, had Jessie been ten years older and still androgynous, would an American audience react differently? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Jessie </i>in a show like XX/XY confronts audiences with exactly these issues. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jessie Mann is also a handsome boy, dressed as a sensual woman. Jessie Mann is also a pretty girl, dressed as a sensual woman. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Madonna</i> asks audiences a a different, perhaps deeper, set of questions about what many find sacred. And for the questions to be posed by a child, painted with lipstick and rouge, is intolerable. It straddles the line of child pornography.<span style="color: red;"> </span>But, despite this controversy, the questions are of worth. Is it more acceptable for Jessie to be an attractive young girl dressed up as an uncomfortable, yet alluring woman, and is it more uncomfortable to accept Jessie as a handsome young man in drag? And why does a culture become distressed about a sexualized child and not a sexualized adult, as many children become? If we take Jessie to be a girl, she asks us what ways we encourage young girls to become magnetizing and how. It certainly could have been Jessie’s idea to dress as a woman for fun in an innocent game of dress-up. But Jessie’s face suggest otherwise. The strained neck and squinted eyes send a threatening message<span style="color: red;">. </span>It is clear that Jessie was aware of what the enhancements suggested and what she would be capable of with the same enhancements in ten years older. So one must wonder, will she use these same enhancements? The power that pursed lips and red lipstick suggests to girls should not to be overlooked and Jessie throws this in audiences’ faces<span style="color: red;">. </span>Jessie could be saying that that photo is practice for future intentions and that one day, Jessie will too become magnetizing, in the same way that Marilyn Monroe was. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM7daLBfVx6XF2eV2pIxoIISmZAmam3BFCnioualtIMd16HpD92480pjAT_fNkJpDyCtVB64D6BQc_LvwsUs2Jw3s4uUi8vciH_P0PP0MrLDmZfqRphYnE8SDtoiGWPmcCdmZAU9RqjI/s1600/6a00d83451586c69e200e553f8f1168834-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM7daLBfVx6XF2eV2pIxoIISmZAmam3BFCnioualtIMd16HpD92480pjAT_fNkJpDyCtVB64D6BQc_LvwsUs2Jw3s4uUi8vciH_P0PP0MrLDmZfqRphYnE8SDtoiGWPmcCdmZAU9RqjI/s640/6a00d83451586c69e200e553f8f1168834-800wi.jpg" width="465" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Marilyn Monroe</span></i></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">And it is no coincidence that Marilyn Monroe’s images were in close proximity to Jessie’s on the gallery walls. We find Jessie’s image haunting. Perhaps out of guilt for what may be inevitable. When living in a world in which female sexuality is sold, where the role models that Jessie and her mother were told to imitate were scarcely powerful without their sexuality, Jessie scares us into looking at our culture values regarding women and sexual power.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNOiNQAGLDY7PgoWmDIuFvTgNabKAlLCwyHIER3iadnVkaHO-XJIQUKoTFvjdwvO2OBdK1qU_9bIR_FMHTP6vkvhth1jChFlHxjNZzkh3Rkcs1pDuUsXQtwcCNFSVbL3GyrfrSlGY-BM/s1600/1lgR7c8CD9bebye6dNNFjkHq_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNOiNQAGLDY7PgoWmDIuFvTgNabKAlLCwyHIER3iadnVkaHO-XJIQUKoTFvjdwvO2OBdK1qU_9bIR_FMHTP6vkvhth1jChFlHxjNZzkh3Rkcs1pDuUsXQtwcCNFSVbL3GyrfrSlGY-BM/s320/1lgR7c8CD9bebye6dNNFjkHq_400.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>pepper</i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jessie as Madonna shows us what Marilyn was before she became a powerful pepper, (a term that the juxtaposition of Edward Weston’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pepper, 1930</i> and <span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nude, 1936</i></span> gives us)—that Jessie is a child with potential to be something else, perhaps something better. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEeOvlSX9yt1j_r9eOvYZyURMpnD-rSub4UdL_rqVAzL3_tyzOdEyuPN6JSmjEpRszkjdyYywgdtVgXw3FXsYWb3iwJ80PDTv8l5O6W8SKiy2zuEC0ZpZm_Q_7uJ5cFUHO1vEdFiHaR20/s1600/edward_weston_pepper_1930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEeOvlSX9yt1j_r9eOvYZyURMpnD-rSub4UdL_rqVAzL3_tyzOdEyuPN6JSmjEpRszkjdyYywgdtVgXw3FXsYWb3iwJ80PDTv8l5O6W8SKiy2zuEC0ZpZm_Q_7uJ5cFUHO1vEdFiHaR20/s320/edward_weston_pepper_1930.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>woman</i></span></div>And to live in a culture that is so keen on simultaneously expecting prudence and seductive appeal from women, if Jessie is a girl, the image becomes ironic. It is ironic that an audience is likely to be offended by a sexual child because the culture thinks of children as innocent and yet, it relentlessly endorses the powers of sex appeal and magnetism. It will not be surprising if one Jessie one day picks up the lipstick and rogue and embodies their powers of magnetism. But the image is also dualistic—for if Jessie is a boy, it takes on another meaning entirely.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">A boy in drag may be the hardest interpretation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Madonna</i> for audiences to handle. It is fair to assert that a sexualized child is more tolerable than a homosexual child. The possibility of a gay child attacks some of our most sacredly held absolutes. Child sexuality is not questionable or negotiable to many parents and it is insulting and intolerable to consider. American culture refuses to accept the idea of a child having sexuality. This idea has been fought against since America’s Puritan beginnings, through Freud and now into contemporary times. The possibility of child homosexuality is found especially threatening to beliefs about nature and life. So then, when OMA shows who is believed to be Sally Mann’s son with rouge touched cheeks, painted lips, and a false mole, the consideration of these issues is asked. Jessie, as Madonna, squints at the audience uncomfortably. Is this a lewd joke on behalf of Sally Mann? Or, could it have been Jessie’s idea and if so, why is it considered a bit more worrying? Could Jessie be a gay little boy? Catherine Opie’s captured her son (Oliver) at her washing machine, in a pink tutu, and crowned with a tiara.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL26K_-VsMedhYVxn8Xbe_MdeIS3tbO4vC-8sRqS5rKUmVwcAXGKtknSj9dZWdhN9gWKQbnoqSLBb_8bZk280LCGuJtu0enhQgWCvNQIV91v025UUFsPyu6jVkMUKI19hEOaYkevaF63Q/s1600/side_Opie_oliver_tutu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL26K_-VsMedhYVxn8Xbe_MdeIS3tbO4vC-8sRqS5rKUmVwcAXGKtknSj9dZWdhN9gWKQbnoqSLBb_8bZk280LCGuJtu0enhQgWCvNQIV91v025UUFsPyu6jVkMUKI19hEOaYkevaF63Q/s1600/side_Opie_oliver_tutu.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Oliver, boy</i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"> Catherine Opie had no problem releasing the photo. Why would she display what would be a worrying and embarrassing moment to many parents to the world? It might have something to do with how her disposition on gender and sexuality is affected by her being a lesbian. It also may be for the purpose of making the same points that one could find in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Madonna</i> were Jessie to be seen as a boy. Further, there is a possibility that both Oliver and Jessie may grow up to be gay, transgendered or transvestites. They ask the audience about how they will decide to treat these them—how they will treat their homosexual or transgendered children. This is exactly the confrontation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Madonna</i> may bring to the worrying parent or homophobe. How will they treat their gay and transgendered children or neighbor is glimpsed in the reaction to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jessie as Madonna.</i><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jessie Mann is as an enigma. He leaves tricks and traps at around every corner that make us questions what we accept as beautiful and acceptable. Jessie makes audiences question what they are asking of children without realizing and what they expect them to be or not be as they grow up. Jessie’s ambiguity is a strength that allows questions to be asked on both gender’s behalves.<br />
<br />
On one hand Jessie says: “<u><b>Look at the world we are living in. Look at what we must be to be magnetizing</b></u>”,<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAwXfWg6OX7dTYWo_hO0NuOiGXwtbGI3g7HTqyByYU3F4GhBZDbADdhKP67eM7BafjsaIrrV1vrtkUoSoLGnGVtK8xjrhG3flb5D1lQLNwJyEeMKmKotvksotejEZoDwa40LIytHYB2E/s1600/madonna_sexy_screensaver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAwXfWg6OX7dTYWo_hO0NuOiGXwtbGI3g7HTqyByYU3F4GhBZDbADdhKP67eM7BafjsaIrrV1vrtkUoSoLGnGVtK8xjrhG3flb5D1lQLNwJyEeMKmKotvksotejEZoDwa40LIytHYB2E/s640/madonna_sexy_screensaver.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Madonna, singer</span></i></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and on the other, asks: “<b><u>But what if I don’t want to become that—will you still accept me</u></b>?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJz5kCzllBnLHiQ2Iu5p6zotsAH_n2kZ3CbJqeRvJYBF108s7lR-B9K3Uptm9qYLihIqtNhU5hB3qYPjDIFHj-Bo8SGGInysbh_YSDiSbIcgDmbdq8e3vuZp38Sum9xNHeXWlG6cU04Ns/s1600/amapnew42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJz5kCzllBnLHiQ2Iu5p6zotsAH_n2kZ3CbJqeRvJYBF108s7lR-B9K3Uptm9qYLihIqtNhU5hB3qYPjDIFHj-Bo8SGGInysbh_YSDiSbIcgDmbdq8e3vuZp38Sum9xNHeXWlG6cU04Ns/s1600/amapnew42.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Robert Mapplethorpe, gay artist</span></i></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> Can Jessie be a handsome girl if he wants? Can Jessie be a pretty boy is she wants? What if Jessie grows into a gay man or woman, or transgendered adult or powerful pepper? She asks us, what is okay, what is not, and in what ways will you accept her. He asks us to consider the possibilities of a world in which people are allowed define for themselves the ways they are magnetizing. She makes us image a world in which people are beautiful in whatever way they choose to be—a world in which a woman doesn’t have to be a beautiful pepper to be magnetizing<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEFUgmk3tzK-zxV4qOPYEDGy5EpsZEJ8jqUFxvqXYoWQ1YwwEZ6_Bd_Svwai1TKZlih22q4yun9KQ-DQRyakR31cjyn8ekokWGOn-5Jgnd0Gxz9HrnPPrRpGPBKFuwA_HccRdi1c73Yw/s1600/vfds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEFUgmk3tzK-zxV4qOPYEDGy5EpsZEJ8jqUFxvqXYoWQ1YwwEZ6_Bd_Svwai1TKZlih22q4yun9KQ-DQRyakR31cjyn8ekokWGOn-5Jgnd0Gxz9HrnPPrRpGPBKFuwA_HccRdi1c73Yw/s640/vfds.jpg" width="479" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Marylin Monroe, powerful pepper</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">and a man doesn’t have to be <i>handsome</i> to be <b style="font-size: x-large;">beautiful</b>--</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidTrawKtgEhq6EErs3GoVU4SIniySLu7RlvKTQ3fleuW2H7fFZhD-bs2HYdQwx73PrCIVck6omxdO6-Y3pisJFfoPwLnXL_ueSXe636pnKbz47UFF0lNK6QJzEQajvqYfBkbW8x0QUJ0/s1600/james-dean+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidTrawKtgEhq6EErs3GoVU4SIniySLu7RlvKTQ3fleuW2H7fFZhD-bs2HYdQwx73PrCIVck6omxdO6-Y3pisJFfoPwLnXL_ueSXe636pnKbz47UFF0lNK6QJzEQajvqYfBkbW8x0QUJ0/s640/james-dean+%25281%2529.jpg" width="576" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">James Dean, powerful pepper</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">a world in which beauty is genderless. <b>He shows us that all should be beautiful.</b></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-46328580770707329232010-08-15T20:30:00.000-07:002010-08-16T09:34:33.334-07:00Creativity and Human Splendor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9u9mghEZHy-4bG_urgy9dldEvldsqWulweNXJFDufNIDLbHtZNn37isrAfGd2NTFUgQKQVD7wQuI5gdvEubyVhfJ02B095-MK9mc-eMSCtEQa8O6LUF8Ahmh4RBBPaugIjWRgZpjLns/s1600/barack_obama_change_fairey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEMyv5I0iRfEL_WV1OEfzFOwFrUWK-fgFptmGKK5PgoR1q7Y3C5xzbeMzQb7x6pU4xrt5J2UKGcV8TpslgA9Ku6nlqk_Md81HuTuOQSSn5Kus6aIOl8vNth-M_M9pcC6tSN_T104Wby4/s1600/klimt_kiss-758589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEMyv5I0iRfEL_WV1OEfzFOwFrUWK-fgFptmGKK5PgoR1q7Y3C5xzbeMzQb7x6pU4xrt5J2UKGcV8TpslgA9Ku6nlqk_Md81HuTuOQSSn5Kus6aIOl8vNth-M_M9pcC6tSN_T104Wby4/s640/klimt_kiss-758589.jpg" width="628" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The consumption of art is among the purest human indulgences. </span>The hunger for the most succulent delicacies of the human mind is and forever will be, insatiable. Every culture, of every time, everywhere, has participated in the gobbling of art in the vastness of forms it manifests. From the cave paintings of Lascaux, France, dating to 15,000 BC to <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shepard Fairey's</b></span> Obama campaign images, <i>art is swimming</i> through veins of all humans and it seems that the basic contagion for it is simply: vision. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu62-r145BKf4s0bkA7AtK6DrUSQcbNNST0Cv6Yqem4kpkNTGqdAV2kDEQYKoNJV08uHNFuqnkcqKozdzAqF4BXC25dmJS8v4a3f2WnXtFrsNEgQMySflQLAc2XV50yTDVRkRT3tWpVHo/s1600/jeff-soto_earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu62-r145BKf4s0bkA7AtK6DrUSQcbNNST0Cv6Yqem4kpkNTGqdAV2kDEQYKoNJV08uHNFuqnkcqKozdzAqF4BXC25dmJS8v4a3f2WnXtFrsNEgQMySflQLAc2XV50yTDVRkRT3tWpVHo/s400/jeff-soto_earth.jpg" width="397" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9u9mghEZHy-4bG_urgy9dldEvldsqWulweNXJFDufNIDLbHtZNn37isrAfGd2NTFUgQKQVD7wQuI5gdvEubyVhfJ02B095-MK9mc-eMSCtEQa8O6LUF8Ahmh4RBBPaugIjWRgZpjLns/s1600/barack_obama_change_fairey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9u9mghEZHy-4bG_urgy9dldEvldsqWulweNXJFDufNIDLbHtZNn37isrAfGd2NTFUgQKQVD7wQuI5gdvEubyVhfJ02B095-MK9mc-eMSCtEQa8O6LUF8Ahmh4RBBPaugIjWRgZpjLns/s400/barack_obama_change_fairey.jpg" width="256" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Artists represent, in their purest form, the <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">relentless pursuit of the relief from isolation</span> that all human beings engage in. They are the necessary idealists of a society, society: implying the giving up of one's personal passions in place of survival behaviors that enable us all to benefit-- the working survival machine. Whether their compulsion to create is born of a mental health defect, neurosis, or whathaveyou, the artist must create to survive, less they accept lesser levels of living--forms of life in which the preservation of their ideals and expressions of their beauty are replaced by performing the means of strict surviving, a job that truly should be left to the "others". This is death for the artist, the loss of essence that some would say separates us from 'animals', in the insulting sense of the word. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Without stopping to dispute what credentials qualify an artist to call his or herself an artists, it can be said that that essence is creativity and the artist is the person in society who's value is drawn purely from the compulsions of their own passion-- purely from the forms that are born as a product for and of themselves-- their pure expression. Herein lies the important distinction between artisan and artist. In pure aesthetic appreciation, artisan and artist can play on the same ball field. If one wishes to talk about the special qualities that artists possess, it lies in what is essentially their </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3UILOWvZsj_hCpAUF73sJ5tQQ1oeTNN2XJbUHYgxrRPFSPzVIHkt3qECF7pjFnUqbAmnSLaSkQZZSe_dXGSOp13FuSJoLLRMuHw1W53seOn9M8YrHNiPlWrxChdtckuHU45nzhZg6vg/s1600/hagia_sophia_interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3UILOWvZsj_hCpAUF73sJ5tQQ1oeTNN2XJbUHYgxrRPFSPzVIHkt3qECF7pjFnUqbAmnSLaSkQZZSe_dXGSOp13FuSJoLLRMuHw1W53seOn9M8YrHNiPlWrxChdtckuHU45nzhZg6vg/s640/hagia_sophia_interior.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">ego, which is to say that an artist's work is an extension of their ego, of their soul-- unbridled personal expression who's truth only the artist holds. And although both artisan and artist posses a level of creativity, this type of creativity is a purely self motivated force and yet greater and more important than any other human force available. It is the difference between a potter and a sculptor. If there is any quality that should be venerated in man, it is this. It is the expressions born from that quality that stops a person dead in their tracks, mouth gaping, eyes teary with awe and making them utter "Wow", dripping in reverence for the grandiose ambition of the human spirit. It is the greatest display of <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">human splendor</span> </span>man can own. To create is to manifest the what the individual thinks the world ought have. It is the force that shapes in the world in the ways we see fit. Artist's (and artisan's) creativity is what turned earth into the <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hagia Sophia </b><span style="font-size: small;">and oil into </span><i>The Kiss</i></span>--</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> created so that we can discover meaning and relation in their work-- so that for those who cannot express the ineffable-- the liquid gold sensation sparked from the visceral kiss of one's sultry lover, or the astronomical ineptitude one feels when basking in reverential adulation for their god-- they can take solace in knowing that someone else has felt it too.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3UILOWvZsj_hCpAUF73sJ5tQQ1oeTNN2XJbUHYgxrRPFSPzVIHkt3qECF7pjFnUqbAmnSLaSkQZZSe_dXGSOp13FuSJoLLRMuHw1W53seOn9M8YrHNiPlWrxChdtckuHU45nzhZg6vg/s1600/hagia_sophia_interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujmccIyprumHUfbNPnbgfkV-eiRQ01HfqZCXMB0gT9soNQM6ewnO-v_bmDxhRdyGCrJ4Vh9Mq7Hus3CgSXB-QVGO87LoRhHW9EpJkt_HZAF9OYFGEF3r6RuMA-1HLFDxlgfWomEAgDdk/s1600/almond_blossom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujmccIyprumHUfbNPnbgfkV-eiRQ01HfqZCXMB0gT9soNQM6ewnO-v_bmDxhRdyGCrJ4Vh9Mq7Hus3CgSXB-QVGO87LoRhHW9EpJkt_HZAF9OYFGEF3r6RuMA-1HLFDxlgfWomEAgDdk/s640/almond_blossom.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">So why support them when they add nothing tangible to our survival machine? Because someone must be allowed to live for the creation of their ideals. Someone must do it for the rest those who haven't a passion for anything-- who haven't a compulsion to create more than the means of their own survival. We need someone to be out there, being a martyr, devoting their lives to themselves, to their work, so that we can look to it for inspiration, for guidance and for love-- so that we can have a direction. Imagine a world without movies, music, art, design, architecture, a world in which none spoke up to tell people where to go and how to go-- none to tell us what a cup or car or cellphone should look like--none to direct us--none casting into the world their own ideals for the scrutinizing world--none brave enough to extend their own egos into form in front of the eyes of humanity. It requires bravery to plaster your soul and thoughts into material and put it in front of the world to misunderstand and depreciate, a world tainted and ravenous. The artist is simultaneously selfless and selfish. The artist is the only creature that, through living for himself, lives for the world.</span></div><br />
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<i>Klimt</i><i>/ </i>http://www.gustavklimtcollection.com/</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i>Shepard Fairey</i>/ http://www.shepardfaireyprints.com/?gclid=CNb3m7aKvaMCFRkcswodW187cA</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i>Jess Soto/ http://www.jeffsoto.com/</i></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i>Hagia Sophia</i>/ http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/istanbul-hagia-sophia<br />
<i>Van Gogh/ http://www.vangoghgallery.com/</i> </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620518379253978278.post-64327526772118774272010-08-09T19:05:00.000-07:002010-08-15T20:43:17.847-07:00Low Brow Seductress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">She is creeping through the windows of galleries and seducing the art world</span> -- a shift in artistic philosophy has been solidified and <b>we</b>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">the generation with more voice than thought, besieged by troubles too great for digestion, for comprehension and for action, retreat back to the indulgence of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Romantics and Surrealists</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">, to the imagination, to the beautiful, to whimsy. The imagination reigns as the only necessary muse for artists of this day. And yet, within the rule-less artistic expansion of modern imaginative and innovative forms there emerges some </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">order</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">rhythm</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">. A motif and a collection of iconography has taken form and while this genre is growing exponentially, it appears as though it’s own imagination is beginning to choke itself out—the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">wolves</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> are now starting to sniff out who is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">genuine</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> and who is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">posing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">. The swollen eyed, fecund cherub-fatale seems to hold the fancy of these art makers.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhup0tfDvH8SI8QJu8wXA3S0psoRArDAhkjuPcIgZ0-9rWiOuq7VAzOwSnOZ6IzI5zGGM9-zkxyrQlr0fUp-bgBYdhJVRVdU19aE1v96k-VTmqzJcwgptGIqCxfqdJ5eEtQqlBZtvv6kUY/s1600/40256511_03_09_2007_0939820001188766504_lori_earley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhup0tfDvH8SI8QJu8wXA3S0psoRArDAhkjuPcIgZ0-9rWiOuq7VAzOwSnOZ6IzI5zGGM9-zkxyrQlr0fUp-bgBYdhJVRVdU19aE1v96k-VTmqzJcwgptGIqCxfqdJ5eEtQqlBZtvv6kUY/s640/40256511_03_09_2007_0939820001188766504_lori_earley.jpg" width="640" /></span></span></a></div><div style="border: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div style="border: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">WHY?</span></b></div><div style="border: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Is this turn to imagination the 21st century's "postmodern" stance? Are we running from something and hiding somewhere (in the imagination of our subconscious)? Are we burying and refuting the need for meaning or intention beyond pure expression? Is this pretty, therapeutic dribble hoisted onto a platter? </span></span><br />
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<div style="border: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What is she whispering behind her plastic eyes?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Is she the effigy of a culture's boredom? Her depictions are as varying and monotonous as trading cards and yet her reverence is evident in the strictly modern galleries. She is the Mary of the contemporary art world, but instead of Annunciations and Crucifixions she is placed in rococo palaces with glistening carnage in her lap </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">or floating in seascape voids, nursing space creatures with from their pink, prepubescent nipples.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxtx4H3JeMdiGKm03wbpiktiuqfPUVlm6tyfu8XShH__z65gn8xJAPZRFQaXkINkUo4Xl_NJ9o0HepYnNXf_xniPvYhCvxWUXGif0nReIVjemSZum_mGynF8aqreeiTHQnsj3WXzl4ck/s1600/DRDCPS4_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxtx4H3JeMdiGKm03wbpiktiuqfPUVlm6tyfu8XShH__z65gn8xJAPZRFQaXkINkUo4Xl_NJ9o0HepYnNXf_xniPvYhCvxWUXGif0nReIVjemSZum_mGynF8aqreeiTHQnsj3WXzl4ck/s400/DRDCPS4_1.jpg" width="311" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div style="border: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What are the chances that the expression of so many artists in the most publicized branch of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“counter-culture”</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> happens to take the form of staring, exaggerated</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">little girls doing weird shit</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">? Not that trends are not useful or natural, but when a dozen sheep cry wolf, appearing as innocent as murderous pubescent alien-children can, one has to wonder if this trick has become over used.</span></span></div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"> The artistry, however, is undeniable. Inherent in most great art is the mastery of the material, which, thankfully, these Low-Brow artists, mostly, have in spades. The cheeks of the plastic girls glow with a similar believable light that the Proto-Renaissance artists mastered with their glazing. <i>The blood is warm beneath that plastic coating, and we can tell.</i> If <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Caravaggio, Heiryonomous Bosch, Salvador Dali, and Lady Gaga</span> a sort of laboratory love creature, multi-headed and a sprinkle of almost ambiguous pedophilia, it would produce the veins of work of the Low Brow. This is meant to be a compliment. Despite the content, the skill stands impressive enough to earn gallery time. This Low Brow aesthetic is inspiring popular culture-- whether this is unfortunate or not is for audience to decide-- Lady Gaga's style team has already awarded her stamp of approval, and if extraterrestrial fame mongers can find the value in these figures, then certainly pubescent girls around the good ole United States will certainly follow suit and get hip to the style. Carnage is in. Masochism is in. Anything grotesque and unexpected is in. </div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkAyQ53S7QLIVgLq_XOih_IxJCd8SiFMq8mP8Z38D6fU_6srpESq2KL5s24WcCOu6lmnWPWJNtG5hjTlXPVJW1KRBae8xuAverSeXEWROU5Iifj8IzeJ90K7TWUkTSipeeCRpK4r0KEQ/s1600/hussar-daddysgirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkAyQ53S7QLIVgLq_XOih_IxJCd8SiFMq8mP8Z38D6fU_6srpESq2KL5s24WcCOu6lmnWPWJNtG5hjTlXPVJW1KRBae8xuAverSeXEWROU5Iifj8IzeJ90K7TWUkTSipeeCRpK4r0KEQ/s640/hussar-daddysgirl.jpg" width="513" /></a>It seems as though all it takes to convince audiences of valuable originality is do something extremely ugly and uncomfortable, call them unsophisticated for the not understanding it, beat them with pretentious smirks from some collective intelligentsia circle and insert ambiguous iconography that stands for some ineffable introspection or worldly or spiritual cause. Overstated? Perhaps, but it appears that we are lost in a sea of Postmodern relativity in which no order is needed, and ever rebelled against.<br />
<b> It is said that "Postmodernists are fated to become pleasure-seeking narcissists lacking any strong identity, purpose, or attachments. Cynical and amoral, they live for the moment, without any concern for larger issues, which are imponderables in the first place."</b></div><div style="border: medium none;">Has our environment produced us in this fashion? Has the world gotten so big and the weight of man and God shrunk so small that the retreat to imagination is the only source of inspiration to draw from? Are there no brave souls reaching to express something beyond themselves-- someone who isn't running away from the world or rendered a useless "Postmodernist", attempting to say something meaningful and helpful for the world in which we play? An understanding of the iconography of Low Brow would help. But these questions are for another essay.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11Ccpnx2oBB99CafsYp4v9eTYTPVgyEdq06HOgJrj6X8odynlU5PWGX_RLbXhea3KGifeV8ThM1cZjD78AP6U88XpqMiREhm6luV9kGDqWMfixqdhmwhdmR_m4YlwbMxljNU-Q0yv_zM/s1600/RayCeasar09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11Ccpnx2oBB99CafsYp4v9eTYTPVgyEdq06HOgJrj6X8odynlU5PWGX_RLbXhea3KGifeV8ThM1cZjD78AP6U88XpqMiREhm6luV9kGDqWMfixqdhmwhdmR_m4YlwbMxljNU-Q0yv_zM/s640/RayCeasar09.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border: medium none;"> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Escapism </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is what I see.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></b>It is a thing to be appreciated for it's own value and perhaps this is the redeeming quality about this art: it allows us to escape. It is "pretty", if one chooses to use that word. But is it unfair to apply a scale of standard to what we accept for our escapism? Does belligerent escapism not get old? Tasteful surrealism should be a more commonly used term. </div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_qAwsTdbW4GLLcIzhU98XfLwosH5VMA6GzwEhqR3ehlgivsKs9NEGuvT_syYgZgve5WKV2KG6oaEdxI2rmxYgwiahHRJ2E0oqwBFaHLPgU6Sbpbvp3ZT8kOZa0BHWqCdmc9A3ehrMpo/s1600/mark-ryden-59-allegory-of-the-four-elements.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_qAwsTdbW4GLLcIzhU98XfLwosH5VMA6GzwEhqR3ehlgivsKs9NEGuvT_syYgZgve5WKV2KG6oaEdxI2rmxYgwiahHRJ2E0oqwBFaHLPgU6Sbpbvp3ZT8kOZa0BHWqCdmc9A3ehrMpo/s400/mark-ryden-59-allegory-of-the-four-elements.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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The weirdness, the sultry macabre, the fucking eyes: the genre of Tim Burton inspired sadists—the kind of art that museums should be purchasing but don’t surely want to, this is a movement to be called an <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i>unleashing of the seductive, at times innocent, at times, sinister, subconscious of the 21th century.</i></span> It is unfair to deny the genius that has arrived in this wave. However self-indulgent, some of the work is undeniably sublime—some of it makes you want to follow these Alice-s down their rabbit holes, where ever they may lead.<br />
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</div><div style="border: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYh30oTWKabcNvbPE1sZ2FWHYwMbvabpKTCEMyyCUhzfxo5omQxupW8P7OSlZ9BYC5A6Bz6mYBIvgCrhKTF_mgf7Dny5mglbAIQCuNgVOf7QJSK8jIa2ceS_D1D1mT892dVajQWBQjh9U/s1600/mark-ryden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYh30oTWKabcNvbPE1sZ2FWHYwMbvabpKTCEMyyCUhzfxo5omQxupW8P7OSlZ9BYC5A6Bz6mYBIvgCrhKTF_mgf7Dny5mglbAIQCuNgVOf7QJSK8jIa2ceS_D1D1mT892dVajQWBQjh9U/s320/mark-ryden.jpg" /></a>If there is one thing that must be commended it is the fearlessness to imagine, to create, to explore the realms of ineffable subconscious that may only be uttered in the expression within the eyes of the icons. If creativity was ever an envelope in need of pushing in the art world (which is an endeavor seemingly inherent in modern art) then these artists are not afraid to do it.</div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;">It is advised to jump in, get saturated in the tales these girls are telling—it may be found that they hold the secrets of a culture laughing at the world and amusing it—they may be saying “Fuck it, why not?” </div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;">This seems to be an age in which purpose needn’t any other purpose than itself (Sartre would be proud), a time in which pure, unabridged, entertainment is not feared but revered—videogame dreamscapes meet classical precision—art made from no other place but the creative ego and collective unconscious of a generation that stands as individuals and yet united. This is existential surrealism, existing for its own sake, to sequester and express the boredom of an ambiguous culture. </div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEv0Zip_xwzUf59XquaYI0818PMbShXBXyn9qaqyYkf8UaLj3T7cIabzdgP-erk796fV3bnqjsqxIwKvI-5hbCllZZF3t63geM4kYJWxqC3HzLVayEKv6rwt_TTCW27L2LPJA4MJsB-z4/s1600/morningglory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEv0Zip_xwzUf59XquaYI0818PMbShXBXyn9qaqyYkf8UaLj3T7cIabzdgP-erk796fV3bnqjsqxIwKvI-5hbCllZZF3t63geM4kYJWxqC3HzLVayEKv6rwt_TTCW27L2LPJA4MJsB-z4/s640/morningglory.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Artists in order of appearance:<br />
Lori Earley/ <a href="http://www.loriearley.com/">http://www.loriearley.com/</a><br />
Tara McPherson/ <a href="http://www.taramcpherson.com/">http://www.taramcpherson.com/</a><br />
Michael Hussar/ <a href="http://www.michaelhussar.biz/">http://www.michaelhussar.biz/</a><br />
Mark Ryden/ <a href="http://www.markryden.com/">http://www.markryden.com/</a><br />
Ray Ceaser / <a href="http://www.raycaesar.com/">http://www.raycaesar.com/</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Truth be told, I love this stuff! I think find it mysterious and beautiful. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3