Summary Dadda and Surrealism

 Dadda

"Dadda" or Daddaism in French means rocking horse.

The movement started during the first world war in Zurich, Switzerland. It began there because there were so many artists fleeing from their own countries that were at war. They were very angry about Europe letting the war get to the stage that it did. It started with a revolt against world war 1 and moved against logic and highlighted scatological humour. It really discovered absurdity, stating if the world is going to lose all its senses and structure then so the art world followed. Urinals and bike tyres, Monal Lisa with a mo. All swipes at the norm.  Dadda has cropped up again and again throughout the 20th century.


                                                    Marcel Duchamp's Fountain

                                                                                  No skill required


References:

http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/dada.htm
http://roberthughesartloverdai.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/dada-is-so-foxtrot-ashtray-boolelsj.html


Surrealism

André Breton wrote Le Manifeste du Surréalisme in 1924 and this signalled the start of the surrealist movement. One of the most important in the history of the 20th century. He defined Surrealism as "Psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express - verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner - the actual functioning of thought."

Breton did many hours of work as a psychologist and through this he sought to influence other artists by promoting taking away the subconscious mind to let the imagination flow.


                                               Max Ernst - The Elephant Celebes

 extract from:

 http://www.theartstory.org/movement-surrealism.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism

Task 3 - Impressionist Painter - Vincent Van Gogh

Tess' instructions: 

Write at least 3 paragraphs on something of interest about one 

Impressionist artist, and make sure you give me your references.

 Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh was born into a Protestant family in the Netherlands in 1853, he was the son of a 

Pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church. He had another brother, Vincent, who was a "still born" child,

this brother was born exactly 12 months before Vincent. He had another younger brother also, his name, 

Theo Van Gogh, they wrote letters to each other until the day Vincent died. A lot of the information from

Vincents bio's has been extracted from these letters. Theo was also into art, like most of Vincent's family.

Van Gogh studied at King William Secondary school in Tilburg until the age of 15. 

He worked as an Art Trader with "Goupil & Cie" from 1869. Vincent had two Uncles, Uncle Cornilia's 

or "Uncle Cor" and an Uncle with the same name, Vincent, he was aptly called "Uncle Cent". Uncle Cent 

had a 3rd of a share in the Art dealer business but retired in 1872. Vincent stayed on with the 

firm, in this time, he was transferred to the London Office, where he was also an assistant Preacher with 

the Protestant Church and was romantically linked to the daughter of the family he was staying 

with at the time. 

He stayed in London for two years and then moved back to Paris. He wasn't coping with the move and 

decided to leave  "Goupil & Cie"  all together. In 1877, Vincent moved to Amsterdam to study 

Theology. He was only there until 1878 before he decided to move back home to Etten, Netherlands.

He moved to Borinage, a coal mining town in Belgium. He was the Pastor to the Coal mining families. 

The conditions were harsh and Vincent gave away his food and clothing to the miners. The church did 

not approve of this and subsequently let him go. He was relegated to a town close by Borinage where he 

struggled to live in the harsh environment. However this is where he got to see first hand how the poor 

lived. Theo, eventually sent him money, so he could move to Brussells to began studying art.  

Vincent returned home to Etten in the holidays. This is were he met and fell in love with his

cousin, Cornelius or nickname "Kee". She ignored his advances and it soured his relationship with

her and his father.  Van Gough had another cousin, who was an artist too, his name was Anton, 

he gave Vincent his first set of water colours. Their relationship was also strained when Vincent started

courting a prostitute, Sienne Hoornik. 

In 1886, after many years of refining his art Vincent Van Gogh produced the painting, "Potato Eaters".

it seemed to be influenced by his time in the coal mining town. It wasn't a masterpiece until later 

on but it did set him in the right direction back to Paris. 

                                           "Potato Eaters"

He moved in with his brother Theo on his return to Paris, this part of his life was harder for historians

to document now that his letters had stopped to Theo. Its well known that he befriended Paul Gauguin.

Van Gogh had painted one of his well known peices of art, "Sun Flowers",  to decorate his bedroom.

                                                       "Sunflowers"

Vincent was hoping Gauguin would be apart of his art school. Their relationship soured though due to 

Van Gogh's erattic behaviour, which included psychotic episodes and hallucinations. 

During an episode at Gauguin's, Van Gogh allegedly chased Gauguin around with a knife, later that day

he came back and as part of his apology cut off his ear!!

In 1888, Vincent committed himself to a mental asylum. In this time he's art work was confused and 

lacked form, he's only shinning light was "Starry night". On 27 June 1890, Vincent Van Gogh shot 

himself in the chest as an attempted suicide, 2 days latter he passed away. 

                                             "Starry night"

 references:

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/vgchr.htm

http://www.vggallery.com/misc/bio.htm

http://www.arthistoryguide.com 

Summary - Cubism and Futurism

Summary - Cubism and Futurism 


Before World War 1 1909 -1914, the world was in a state of flux.

Democracy, Capitalism and industrialisation made the world turn faster. Art was changing rapidly too. Painters were moving away from traditional still life's, portraits and landscapes scenes, instead starting to experiment with a modern take on the old images utilsing colour, lines, spaces and shapes.

From 1909 to 1914 Braque and Picasso collaborated so intimately that Braque said “We were like two mountain climbers roped together.” (quoted Hunter & Jacobus, p. 140 and taken from Tess notes.) 

Biraques example of Cubism :

                                                             "Head of a Woman" released in 1909

                                                


Picasso's remake of his painting "Old Guitarist".

                                          Ppaintinga.com

 Old Guitarist...

                                                 google.com.au

Photography had a movement of its own with Italian photographers discovering the ability to take an x-ray. There were lots of experimenting with some slightly madder photographers trying to capture the spitit in motion.

Photodynamism

This was a movement run by an Italian Photographer called Anton Bragaglia. Instead of capturing people via cinematography Braglia decided he would capture the actual movement of time a person takes to move their body and the space they go through to change positions see below, ref Italianfuturism.com

"Cubism, 1900s-1910s:
Characteristics:
-splintered shapes, flattened space and geometric blocks of color
-quest to find a new concept of painting as an arrangement of form and color on a two-dimensional surface
-multiple angles
-reconstruct objects
-battle between what the eyes see and what the mind knows to be there – based on Einstein’s theory of relativity 


Futurism, 1910s-1920s:
Characteristics:
-rejection of everything old, dull, “feminine” and safe
-promoted the exhilarating “masculine” experiences of warfare and reckless speed (of modern technology and urban life)"


Marinetti was  the architect of Futurist movement here is a copy of hos Manifesto taken from Tess' notes.

The Futurist Manifesto of 1909 by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti:
We want to sing the love of danger, the habit of energy and rashness.
The essential elements of our poetry will be courage, audacity and revolt.
Literature has up to now magniHied pensive immobility,
ecstasy and slumber. We want to exalt movements of
aggression, feverish sleeplessness, the double march,
the perilous leap, the slap and the blow with the Hist. (20-­‐cover journal) We declare that the splendor of the world has been
enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed. A
racing automobile with its bonnet adorned with great
tubes like serpents with explosive breath ... a roaring
motor car which seems to run on machine-­‐gun Hire is
more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace. (21 Victory)
We want to sing the man at the wheel, the ideal axis of which crosses the earth, itself hurled along its orbit.
The poet must spend himself with warmth, glamour and prodigality to increase the enthusiastic fervor of the primordial elements.
Beauty exists only in struggle. There is no masterpiece that
has not an aggressive character. Poetry must be a violent
assault on the forces of the unknown, to force them to bow
before man. (22 poetry cover)
We are on the extreme promontory of
the centuries! What is the use of looking
behind at the moment when we must open
the mysterious shutters of the impossible?
Time and Space died yesterday. We are
already living in the absolute, since we

have already created eternal, omnipresent speed.
We want to glorify war -­‐ the only cure for the world -­‐
militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of
the anarchists, the beautiful ideas which kill, and
contempt for woman.
We want to demolish museums and
libraries, Hight morality, feminism
and all opportunist and utilitarian
cowardice.
We will sing of the great crowds agitated by work,
pleasure and revolt; the multi-­‐colored and polyphonic
surf of revolutions in modern capitals: the nocturnal
vibration of the arsenals and the workshops beneath
their violent electric moons: the gluttonous railway
stations devouring smoking serpents; factories
suspended from the clouds by the thread of their
smoke; bridges with the leap of gymnasts Hlung
across the diabolic cutlery of sunny rivers: adventurous
steamers snifHing the horizon; great-­‐breasted locomotives,
pufHing on the rails like enormous steel horses with long
tubes for bridle, and the gliding Hlight of aeroplanes whose
propeller sounds like the Hlapping of a Hlag and the applause
of enthusiastic crowds.
It is in Italy that we are issuing this manifesto of ruinous and incendiary violence, by which we today are founding Futurism, because we want to deliver Italy from its gangrene of professors, archaeologists, tourist guides and antiquaries.

ref. academics.smcvt.edu

Summary - Impressionism, Japanisme, Orientalism, Brutalism

I was asked to Summarise each class notes by Tess to catch up after work commitments prevented me from attending in class.

Summary - Impressionism, Japanisme, Orientalism, Brutalism

Impressionism

1855 - Gustav Courbet started his own gallery by building his own pavillion, he called it the "Painters Studio". His painting, "the Allegory", was considered a masterpiece and was one of the primary reasons for Courbet to begin his exhibition. This came about after the French Art Acadamy of the time rejected 2500 paintings for its annual exhibition. Napolean the III got involved, the ruler at the time and suggested that artist such as Courbet (brisque) should be entitled to exhibit their art. The Academy refused the head of state and so the "Salon des Refuses" was started, this was a rival place for the popular annual "Salon" viewing. ref. "A Real Allegory" by Kennith Clarke, artchive.com and Wikipedia "Salon Des Refuses"

                                            The Allegory

                                            ibiblio.com

Through changes within the French government and the artworld, Impressionism was born. A defining moment at an exhibition was created as a critic described one of Monet's paintings as unfinished, stating “Wallpaper in its embryonic state is more finished than that seascape.” (quoted Tess notes, Wikipedia on Monet’s Impression painting)

A lot of the different art movement happened as an indirect change in government or social structure including war. The Impressionist artists including Cezanne, Monet, Renoir and Sisley exhibited 8 times over 30 years. Their unity was essential to the movement. Otherwise the alternative was structure and rigidity from the Art Acadamie, hope for a spot on their wall and struggle on until you were noticed. It seems this exhibition at well know photographers, Felix Nadar, was a revolution in the art world, because the pieces were no longer being censored by the Academe, so bright vibrant colours and nudes etc were allowed. The exhibiton also changed the way art would be shown in the future, people starting up their own exhibitions in groups, in their own space. ref. impressionism.org.

Japanisme

The term Japonisme was coined by Phillipe Burty published in a french local rag, classifying it to all things Japanese. After the treaty of Kanagawawas signed in 1854, which ended sanctions on anything Japanese,  Japanese Art started to flood the Western Art world.

 Popular Wood block prints like the one below were being re-created by Western Artists

                                          ref by google images



Popular western Artists were intrigued with Japanese art, usually becoming collectors in their own right. Van Gough first saw Japanese Art in Antwerp in 1885 and bought a few pieces. In 1886, Van Gogh's brother Theo, who ran an art gallery in Paris, put him in contact with a famous Japanese Artist Ukiyo-e. A slight co-incidence that an art gallery called, the Bing Gallery, was next door to Van gogh's apartment in Paris. They were a major supplier of Japanese Art and Vincent bought several of Ukiyo-e's works. ref Artlino.com



Primitivism


 Primitivism is defined as by the online dictionary.com:

a recurrent theory or belief, as in philosophy or art, that the qualities of primitive  or chronologically early cultures are superior to those of contemporary civilization.

 The Primitivism scene was best known for its exotic scenes and wildlife. Africa was being invaded by the white colonies and the art world was standing up and taking notice. Bright colours and animals were the main focus of the artist.The artist concentrated on simple forms but provided a real edge with emotional undertone conveyed in their painitings.



Henri Rousseu's image "Gypsy", shows a lion sniffing out a sleeping gypsy....

Changing Social Conditions

As society became more industrialised art stopped being about the elitist and became more mainstream, offering a fresh and raw view on the art world. With the existence of photography came a new debate about art work being copied and the legitimacy as photography as an art form. This could be looked at from a positive painters view point though, providing painters no need to capture the easily captured through film therefore concentrating on broader art forms.

Task 1 : Research an Artwork - Mona Lisa by Leonardo Divinci

Task 1

We have been introduced to the library resources and how to do research. After this presentation you will research the artwork you chose from the Powerpoint presentation last week and write three paragraphs about the work to hand in today. Try to write more than just the details of when and where the work was made, perhaps you can find some controversy or curious fact that excites you to write about! 


 Research Assignment - Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa is one of the most famous artworks in the world. It was believed to be painted by the great artist of that time Leonardo Davinci between 1503-1506* ref. Elsgood;  The model posing for the shot is Lisa Gheradini. Davinci was commissioned by her husband, Francesco Del Giocondo, to paint her portrait. Mona Lisa in Italian translates as My Lady Lisa.


Controversy surrounded the identity of the model. People believed the model to be a few different people including Davinci's lover, Gheradini or Davinci himself dressed up as a lady. These myths were dis-proven recently by researches at the Heidelberg University when a manuscript expert, Dr Armin Schlechter, confirmed the authenticity of a note made by a Florentine City Official, Agostino Vespucci, dated in early 1500's, confirming Davinci had been commissioned to paint Lisa Gheradini. *Elsgood, "German Experts Crack Mona Lisa's Smile", Reuters, Internet, 14 Jan 2008.


According to a reputable expert, Jacques Franck, the paintings eyes move because of the infinite detail that was put into the painting over two decades. Apparently the "cross hatching tecnique", could have been the reason, where Davinci would have been painted with brush in one hand micro-fying glass in the other! The Mona Lisa was stolen in 1910, adding to it's popularity. It's now one of the most recognisab,e peices of art the world has ever seen. *ref to www.independant.co.uk, article "Unmasking the Mona Lisa", 11 April 2006.


I like the lighting on the artwork. The backlit background, the hands, the chest and the attention to detail is outstanding. The colours from dark to light in the different layers. The artwork could be mistaken for a photograph, you can see why it took him two decades* to complete the work.

Getting Started with Research

Lecture 1

Research - The smart guide (paraphrasing the e-learn ppt document put up by Tess)

Write down the main topic of research that you want to study. Work out if there is any key phrasing that you can utilise to make sure the topic is researched properly.  Look for words that might hone in your search on key areas.

Understand Your Topic

Write down the key directions given in the brief. This is done properly by looking for key words that are used as a set of instructions. These key words will be used as a reference point or checkpoints on a map. They might limit your research or broaden it. Write yourself a list of what you want to cover, then you can utilise this as a check list.

Key Doing Words - Might include : discuss, research, write, read, brief

Make a plan to do your research, hit the library and reference text books, DVD's, video's, journals etc.
it's probably the more wide spread the research the stronger knowledge you will have on the topic. You could use your key words as part of the checklist and write a few paragraphs on each word.

Useful databases include Artful text, ANZRC and Info Trac.


Internet - Beware the knowledge is uncontrolled, if you use the web, make sure you keep the source. Double check the information and ensure that the source is reliable and not "News of the World" in 1970.