Abstraction
Look at theses painters and spend some time considering how they construct their images and what they might be trying to imply: Philip Guston, Cy Twombly, Julian Schnabel, David Salle, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Georges Baselitz, Sigmar Polke, Martial Raysse and Gerhard Richter. Make some notes in your learning log.
Of the artists mentioned above I have chosen 2 that interest me or whose methods may be applicable to my emerging style.
Of the artists mentioned above I have chosen 2 that interest me or whose methods may be applicable to my emerging style.
Julian Schnabel
This American painter tried to find the balance between intellectualism, technical ability and emotional response, which he achieved by working with and combining unconventional materials like black velvet supports and aged tarpaulins to create collage-like paintings (DiTolla 2018). In Portrait of Andy Warhol (1982) the artist made use of a black velvet ground. He painted the figure with with abrupt strokes of bone white while adding texture with scumbled violets and yellows. On the right are splashings of oil paint and modeling paste (Rubenstein, 2011). Schnabel was a devout Catholic and many of his work has religious imagery. The vulnerable naked body could be implying that our body is only temporary. The fact that the body begins to disintegrate into dust floating upwards, may again be suggesting a soul. The part of us that leaves our mortal body and makes its way to Heaven. |
The techniques I may like to explore in my own work would be:
- the use of unconventional canvas - the fragmented application of paint - the creation of texture with paste - the loose interpretation of the sitter Something I also find interesting, is how there is so much of the canvas left untouched, this is also an area I need to explore or at least to break free from the notion that everything has to look 'finished'. |
Gerhard Richter
This German painter adapted many of the movements during postmodernism into his work. The are elements of realism, abstract, conceptualism and minimalism in his work. He played with the idea that no piece of art can truly reflect reality, whether captured by the lens of a photograph or by the eye of the artist. In his Abstraktes Bild series, he created pieces that challenge the need for content, as he wanted the viewer to focus on the colour, gesture and layering of materials. He worked in layers of colour, using a knife or cloth to either scrape away paint or to swipe across the canvas crating areas of colour that smear and mix. What is also significant is the scale of his works and the size of the scraping tools he used, which can be seen in short video. “When I paint an abstract, I do not know what it is going to look like beforehand, nor do I know where I want to go when I’m painting.” (Richter cited on Lorber, 2018) |
I am quite drawn to the affects he creates on the canvas by swiping and dragging colour. The sheer size of his scraping tools are also something of wonder. I especially like how scraping away areas revel the colours beneath. I imagine this is something he had to experiment with a couple of times. Even though he says he did not 'plan' anything, there is definitely a rhythm to his work which I don't believe simply happened by chance.
Research Point: Art and Language
The combination of text and painting can be traced back to religious iconography and illuminated letters such as The Book of Kells, which is held in Trinity College, Dublin. Today’s artists, for example Ed Ruscha, use text to evoke an atmosphere or idea/concept in a very direct way to the audience.
The Art and Language Group was a conceptual art group formed in 1968 "that questioned the critical assumptions of mainstream modern art practice and criticism" (TATE, 2018)
Text has often appeared in art throughout history with a great example of this being Egyptian hieroglyphics. With the development of modern contemporary art, artist began using numbers, letters and text to further their message or evoke particular emotions. Text can be seen in the cubist works of George Braque and the pop art illustrations of Roy Lichtenstein.
The Art and Language Group was a conceptual art group formed in 1968 "that questioned the critical assumptions of mainstream modern art practice and criticism" (TATE, 2018)
Text has often appeared in art throughout history with a great example of this being Egyptian hieroglyphics. With the development of modern contemporary art, artist began using numbers, letters and text to further their message or evoke particular emotions. Text can be seen in the cubist works of George Braque and the pop art illustrations of Roy Lichtenstein.
Barbara Kruger
This American artist used the combination of image and text to make statements about society. In Your Body is a Battleground (1989), she has used a found image and captioned it with a declarative statement. She is making a statement against the media in the impact commercialism had on society. (The Broad, 2018) the face is split into the 'positive' and 'negative' print, which could be referring to our relationship with our image. Advertisers, especially the beauty industry, tend to use the idea of lack in order to get us to purchase products. These negative means lead us to believe that we can only achieve perfection (or the advertisers idea of perfection) by purchasing their product. But as there will always be new products, we will continue to have lack, thus never winning the battle. |
Figures
Lucian Freud
Freud is a British painter and draftsman and definitely one of my favorite portrait/ figure painters. He experiments with surrealism, realism and no-romantisism in his work. He describes bodies in his paintings according to shape and structure, often using brush strokes to convey form. The features of all his subjects are greatly exaggerated in his paintings, and it truly creates a sense of character. He favored painting relatives and friends and this is possibly why there is such a great emotional connection to the subjects and the way they are portrayed.
Below are two of his etchings that I was lucky to view at Art Basel. When you look at his portraits it is like looking into the sitters soul. I believe this is due to a combination of factors:
- he has a relationship with the sitter
- he uses stark contrasts between light and dark
- he exaggerates features
- he creates texture and movement through un-abandoned, yet thoughtful placement of strokes
Freud is a British painter and draftsman and definitely one of my favorite portrait/ figure painters. He experiments with surrealism, realism and no-romantisism in his work. He describes bodies in his paintings according to shape and structure, often using brush strokes to convey form. The features of all his subjects are greatly exaggerated in his paintings, and it truly creates a sense of character. He favored painting relatives and friends and this is possibly why there is such a great emotional connection to the subjects and the way they are portrayed.
Below are two of his etchings that I was lucky to view at Art Basel. When you look at his portraits it is like looking into the sitters soul. I believe this is due to a combination of factors:
- he has a relationship with the sitter
- he uses stark contrasts between light and dark
- he exaggerates features
- he creates texture and movement through un-abandoned, yet thoughtful placement of strokes
Freud's incredible ability to capture the human form also comes from years of meticulous observation and obsession. He endeavored to capture people the way he sees them; real, raw, unapologetic and in their truest form. I am really drawn to the texture and depth that is created by his work. His heavy brush work and the depth of how he has built up colour, layer by layer, makes the portrait feel personal and alive. His palette was distinctly muted, although it contains a wide array of colour combinations. |
Roman Lombarte
This is another artist whom I draw great inspiration from when looking at the female figure. This Spanish artist manages to capture moments in daily life with a combination of ease, flawlessness, mystery and sensuality. I like the fact that his figures are clothed, and yet they still look sexy. There is a realness to the women, a clear indication that they are celebrated. He also uses colour beautifully to create warm areas in paintings, where light is the focal point and its hits the subject in all the right places. The space is comfortable and inviting, yet you feel like you are intruding on an intimate moment. There is an interaction between what is revealed and what is hidden (Helmut, 2000) |
Research Point
Look at Alexander Tinei, Luc Tuymans and Marlene Dumas. Notice their reduced palette and attention to tonality. Pay close attention to how the face is handled. Are you concerned with ‘identity’ in your work?
Alexander Tinei He explores identity in two ways. In many of his portraits he uses 'masks' and blue lines to show identity. It is not a literal mask, but the faces are often slightly distorted, making them unidentifiable. The blue veins are another common thread. Potentially showing that even though the person may not be identified there is a connection, likely a connection in our humanity and the idea that we all have the same blood flowing through our veins. |
His earthy palette further creates a sense of detachment. What I am drawn to especially is his use of the palette knife to create textured details in his paintings. It gives a feeling of it being unfinished and could potential provide further meaning in the sense that we are all still developing.
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Luc Tuymans
This Belgian artist tends to make use of photographs and film stills of significant people or places. He works with a muted palette that almost feels like an over exposed photograph. He not only examines our relationship with photographs but also our emotional responses to subjects we may know (Artnet, 2018). |
Marlene Dumas
This South African artist explores identity through anonymity, as her portraits are generally of unknown people. Her use of facial distortions or inserts of facial features that are not from the original sitter, further blurs the lines for the viewer. There are often focal areas in the face that are flat in comparison, which is unsettling. |
Comparing the three artists
The three definitely have the muted palette's in common, though their techniques are quite different. When considering the muted palette there is something metaphorical about it, as the earthy quality of the colours serve as a reminder that we are all just dust, made from the earth. The idea of taking away identity or playing with it helps the viewer consider their own place in society, but also to recognize that there should be an equality among people. However, the combination of blurring faces and muted tones does enhance the sense of sadness (for me at least) which may be significant for a particular period, but can become morbid. If I have to compare this muted palette to that of Lucian Freud for example, his work still brings a vibrancy and celebration of people. I guess it feels like the above 3 artists choose to show identity by sort of stripping it away and creating equality, while I would rather show identity by celebrating what is unique.
The three definitely have the muted palette's in common, though their techniques are quite different. When considering the muted palette there is something metaphorical about it, as the earthy quality of the colours serve as a reminder that we are all just dust, made from the earth. The idea of taking away identity or playing with it helps the viewer consider their own place in society, but also to recognize that there should be an equality among people. However, the combination of blurring faces and muted tones does enhance the sense of sadness (for me at least) which may be significant for a particular period, but can become morbid. If I have to compare this muted palette to that of Lucian Freud for example, his work still brings a vibrancy and celebration of people. I guess it feels like the above 3 artists choose to show identity by sort of stripping it away and creating equality, while I would rather show identity by celebrating what is unique.
detailed observation
David Hockney (1937 - ) has a preoccupation with perspective. Look at the painting Sunbather (1966), here he juxtaposes flat and deep space playing with convention. He says; “Surface is an Illusion, but so is depth”. Look now at Hockney’s The Red Table (2014) what he describes as a photographic drawing. Compare the works and investigate Hockney’s exploration of perspective.
David Hockney has spent a lifetime confronting the concept of how we see. He combats this idea in much of his art, particularly through his paintings and photography. David Hockney is a celebrated English painter, printmaker, stage designer and photographer. Mostly known for his influence in the pop art movement through his paintings of LA swimming pools and themes of homosexuality.
Hockney has always admired the works of Braque and Picasso, who are considered the pioneers of the revolutionary art movement, Cubism. As painters they challenged the traditional techniques of perspective and instead showcased the many views of a subject at one time with the aim to ‘emphasize the two-dimensionality of the canvas’ (Rewald, 2004). What makes both of these images interesting is how they appear flat and reseeding at the same time. Let's explore how he has achieved this.
Sunbather 1966
As the viewer your eyes meet the water first. This is where the flatness of the canvas is most evident. The water in the lower half of the canvas is one tone and the use of exaggerated serpentine lines makes the water feel 'fake'. Now as your eye moves up towards the top half of the canvas, there is suddenly a shift in the dept of the canvas. Their is a tonal fade where the water meets the edge, which suddenly gives the impression of space, but really it is the figure that provides the biggest change in perception. Foreshortening has been used on the body give a more realistic appearance. The use of shadows and tonal variation further add to the feeling that the figure is 'real'. Hockney's placement of the pool and figure plays with the eye, as he has not given you additional landscape to put the image into perspective, a great representation of his ability to confront how we see.
The Red Table 2014
This is from a series of photographic paintings where Hockney wanted to push the limits of the photograph even further, as he considers it to be too flat. “If you look, the eye is always moving. If it isn’t, your dead. This means there are hundreds of vanishing points not just one.” (Hockney cited on Brown 2015). He uses a collection of photographs and then pieces them together like a puzzle. Each photograph has its own perspective and when placed within the larger image provides layers of focal points that draws the viewer deeper into the space represented on the canvas. It is not only the use of vanish points that makes the perspective effective, but also Hockney's detail to light and shadow. However, despite him including all the 'tricks' for creating a realistic space, you cannot help but notice how unrealistic it is.
Reflection
Looking at the two works and considering Hockney's other work, the most interesting thing about them is the play between what is real and not real. On the one hand it is clear that Hockney uses the techniques of the masters in his work by incorporating shadow and light, vanishing points, foreshortening and foreground/ background, however he also has a whimsical way of reminding the viewer that they are still looking at a piece of art, by exposing the 'flatness' of the canvas.
Hockney has always admired the works of Braque and Picasso, who are considered the pioneers of the revolutionary art movement, Cubism. As painters they challenged the traditional techniques of perspective and instead showcased the many views of a subject at one time with the aim to ‘emphasize the two-dimensionality of the canvas’ (Rewald, 2004). What makes both of these images interesting is how they appear flat and reseeding at the same time. Let's explore how he has achieved this.
Sunbather 1966
As the viewer your eyes meet the water first. This is where the flatness of the canvas is most evident. The water in the lower half of the canvas is one tone and the use of exaggerated serpentine lines makes the water feel 'fake'. Now as your eye moves up towards the top half of the canvas, there is suddenly a shift in the dept of the canvas. Their is a tonal fade where the water meets the edge, which suddenly gives the impression of space, but really it is the figure that provides the biggest change in perception. Foreshortening has been used on the body give a more realistic appearance. The use of shadows and tonal variation further add to the feeling that the figure is 'real'. Hockney's placement of the pool and figure plays with the eye, as he has not given you additional landscape to put the image into perspective, a great representation of his ability to confront how we see.
The Red Table 2014
This is from a series of photographic paintings where Hockney wanted to push the limits of the photograph even further, as he considers it to be too flat. “If you look, the eye is always moving. If it isn’t, your dead. This means there are hundreds of vanishing points not just one.” (Hockney cited on Brown 2015). He uses a collection of photographs and then pieces them together like a puzzle. Each photograph has its own perspective and when placed within the larger image provides layers of focal points that draws the viewer deeper into the space represented on the canvas. It is not only the use of vanish points that makes the perspective effective, but also Hockney's detail to light and shadow. However, despite him including all the 'tricks' for creating a realistic space, you cannot help but notice how unrealistic it is.
Reflection
Looking at the two works and considering Hockney's other work, the most interesting thing about them is the play between what is real and not real. On the one hand it is clear that Hockney uses the techniques of the masters in his work by incorporating shadow and light, vanishing points, foreshortening and foreground/ background, however he also has a whimsical way of reminding the viewer that they are still looking at a piece of art, by exposing the 'flatness' of the canvas.
Research point
Which artist is really inspiring you at the moment? Write a short paragraph describing how this artist’s work is ‘playing out’ through your own experiments. Aim to find some videos of the contemporary artists you are interested in and also of curators talking about historical works.
As I have mentioned before, I am still exploring many aspects of art and am often trying out different methods. From my experiments I have mostly realized that I am drawn to using both watercolour and oil as a medium. From a subject perspective, I enjoy painting figures and urban landscapes. When it comes to application techniques, I am mostly drawn to techniques that create a sense of movement or energy, thus when working with watercolour, I favor splashes and smudges. When working with oils, I find that the palette knife is a great way of creating energy, as you can not be too refined which means that the dispersion of edges provide a sense of movement and the texture a sense of dynamic energy.
There are quite a few artists who have influenced or inspired me within these mediums and topics. As mentioned during my figure research, I really enjoy the work of Freud and Lombarte. Lomarte has a great sensuality, which I try to use when sketching poses, while Freud has a keen grasp on expression and dynamic skin tones (something I am yet to experiment with). But, as I have discussed some of their methods before, I would like to here focus on some of the other artists that inspire me.
There are quite a few artists who have influenced or inspired me within these mediums and topics. As mentioned during my figure research, I really enjoy the work of Freud and Lombarte. Lomarte has a great sensuality, which I try to use when sketching poses, while Freud has a keen grasp on expression and dynamic skin tones (something I am yet to experiment with). But, as I have discussed some of their methods before, I would like to here focus on some of the other artists that inspire me.
Gabriel Marino
I first discovered this artist work in 2015 during the Affordable Art Fair that happens in Hong Kong every year. He is a Spanish artist who mostly works in media and is well known for his illustrations. The information that follows is from the gallery pamphlet provided by Retrospective Galleries. He uses a combination of media to create his work, including pencil, ink, marker, watercolour and the combines it with digital media. His aim is to depict women as delicate, strong, sensual and intellectual. The elements of his work I was drawn to at first was the use of bold sweeping colours, as I also like to create those movements when working in watercolour. I was also capitvated by the contrast created when combining the ink lines. It really plays with the idea of hard and soft. I used these to do my own experiments during previous units. In Wondering Woman you can see how I have incorporated the use of colour splashes along with the line drawing. Here I used charcoal which gives a softer appearance. In I Do I chose to use more muted colours, brown and blue and combine that with ink pen to create a more graphic look. The idea of movement is still incorporated by applying large dollops of paint an letting it run down the canvas naturally. |
Gao Xiaoyun
I first discovered this artsits work during a visit to the Asia Contmporary Art Show, which happens twice a year in Hong Kong. Gao is a Chinese artist who works mostly with oils and mostly focuses on how the medium behaves. "In term of techniques, it is crucial to paint spontaneously and flexibly to achieve an effect that appears at once “dense and light, quick and slow, hard and soft, cold and warm” (ACAS, 2018). Once again, I am drawn to the application of the paint, as it is done thick and loose. I like how he balances this use of unfinished frayed edges, with areas of hard lines and more definition. It definitely shows his fascination with hard and soft. He also has an eye for placing down colour in the right focal points, something that can often be hard to judge.
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His work firstly inspired me to look at the urban landscape in a different way. Hong Kong, where I live, is a maze of buildings. The idea of painting that in detail would be incredibly daunting, so I liked his method of only focusing on blotches of colour or small areas of detail. So in Tram Party I set out to create a simpler depiction of the city. I have included more details into more the Gao and my use of colour is also bolder. But the areas I like most, are those where the palettle knife and paint work together in creating texture. It gives the image movement and atmosphere. I also incorporated ideas from Picasso's cubism work, as often worked with outlines and tonal changes to show the flatness of the canvas, while also creating movement with the image. I think there is more opportunity to keep playing with this technique in order to develop a greater sense of atmosphere and colour combination. |
I have also more recently discovered the work of Carole Melmoux when I attended Art Central. I have not really had a chance to investigate her work deeper since then, as this was while I did my unit in Art History, so it would be good to have an opportunity to play around with some of her techniques.
Carole Melmoux
She is a French painter who is concerned with finding beauty in common things. Her work is deals with reality, but attempts to find the 'soul' within what she seas. This means that her work is very poetic, she has an easy about how she applies paint and she is not overly concerned with minor details, but rather the interplay between colour and line. She paints various subjects, but it is mostly her portraits and urban landscapes that I find especially dynamic, as can be seen below.
Carole Melmoux
She is a French painter who is concerned with finding beauty in common things. Her work is deals with reality, but attempts to find the 'soul' within what she seas. This means that her work is very poetic, she has an easy about how she applies paint and she is not overly concerned with minor details, but rather the interplay between colour and line. She paints various subjects, but it is mostly her portraits and urban landscapes that I find especially dynamic, as can be seen below.
There are actually many videos on the artist and her work, but they are all in French unfortunately. However, there is a step step demonstration on her website that shows her painting the above portrait, which you can find here. It appears that she works with diluted oils and especially allows the brush to dictate movement and texture. The works with a free hand, not being overly focused on lines separating areas. She finally makes use of distinct warm and cool colours in the last layers to create focal areas. In both paintings you can see the use of orange and burnt umber to create warm areas and the use of cerulean blue to create cool highlights. What is quite striking is also how she uses the brush almost like a pencil, as there is a sketchy element to her work.
Elements I like about her work and may choose to experiment with:
- The ides of blocking out colours and shapes without specific details.
- Overlapping colours to cross borders
- Allowing the brush to move energetically in order to create a sketchy style and dynamic texture.
David Shevlino
I am really drawn to his use of loose and rapid brushwork. He has many demonstrational videos on how he creates his work which I watched to get some additional information on his techniques:
Abstracting the Figure
Portrait Demonstration
Sumo Wrestler Demo
Observations on techniques:
- He tends to start with a charcoal drawing of the subject in order to distinguish features and movement.
- He creates short fast flick using flat brushes of various sizes
- He is not confined by the 'borders' of shapes or areas, but continues painting streaks into other areas.
- He use a combination of thick and diluted paint, often applying diluted layers which allows to drip.
- He creates quite a few layers at first, but he seems to mostly work with wet-in-wet, which allows the paint to blend, especially when he drags the brush across the canvas with pressure.
- He tries to find a middle ground between traditional representation and abstraction
- For flesh tones he uses burnt sienna, cadmium orange and white with red as an addition for cheeks and lips. He ads ultramarine or olive green to this for areas of shadow.
- He often uses rags, the back of the brush, scrapers or his fingers to drag the paint where he need areas of movement.
I am really drawn to his use of loose and rapid brushwork. He has many demonstrational videos on how he creates his work which I watched to get some additional information on his techniques:
Abstracting the Figure
Portrait Demonstration
Sumo Wrestler Demo
Observations on techniques:
- He tends to start with a charcoal drawing of the subject in order to distinguish features and movement.
- He creates short fast flick using flat brushes of various sizes
- He is not confined by the 'borders' of shapes or areas, but continues painting streaks into other areas.
- He use a combination of thick and diluted paint, often applying diluted layers which allows to drip.
- He creates quite a few layers at first, but he seems to mostly work with wet-in-wet, which allows the paint to blend, especially when he drags the brush across the canvas with pressure.
- He tries to find a middle ground between traditional representation and abstraction
- For flesh tones he uses burnt sienna, cadmium orange and white with red as an addition for cheeks and lips. He ads ultramarine or olive green to this for areas of shadow.
- He often uses rags, the back of the brush, scrapers or his fingers to drag the paint where he need areas of movement.
research point
The Smithsonian Institute website is a great resource for visual culture in art and design. Find and listen to Megan Gambino (a curator from the Hirshhorn Museum) explaining how art historians distinguish between modern and postmodern art and reflect on this in your learning log.
Modernism
It is difficult to pin point the exact moment that modernism starts or how it is defined, but Gambino notes that it is easier to look at what it is not. The art of the 17t to 19th century was packed with traditions and prescribed ideals, whereas modern art stepped away from these prescriptions and started working from personal expression. “With modern art, there is this new emphasis put on the value of being original and doing something innovative” (Melissa Ho cited on Gambino, 2011)
Postmodernism
This is marked to begin after the second world war. Where modern art was very personal, postmodern art is impersonal. The artist is the bringer of ideas and 'art' and is therefore valuable and needed. This meant that they didn't necessarily need to produce art, only conceive it.
As with any movement or period, enough time has to pass for people to look back at it and find common factors that define it. As more time passes, it is likely there will again be shifts in these views or classifications.
Modernism
It is difficult to pin point the exact moment that modernism starts or how it is defined, but Gambino notes that it is easier to look at what it is not. The art of the 17t to 19th century was packed with traditions and prescribed ideals, whereas modern art stepped away from these prescriptions and started working from personal expression. “With modern art, there is this new emphasis put on the value of being original and doing something innovative” (Melissa Ho cited on Gambino, 2011)
Postmodernism
This is marked to begin after the second world war. Where modern art was very personal, postmodern art is impersonal. The artist is the bringer of ideas and 'art' and is therefore valuable and needed. This meant that they didn't necessarily need to produce art, only conceive it.
As with any movement or period, enough time has to pass for people to look back at it and find common factors that define it. As more time passes, it is likely there will again be shifts in these views or classifications.
reading point
Read ‘Painting, The Task of Mourning’ in Bois, Y. (1993) Painting as Model. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. You’ll find this article on the OCA student website. Reflect on the author’s argument and make some notes in your learning log. Why, in your view, is painting still a valid form of artistic expression in this age of technological advances.
Notes
Bois writes about the 'death of painting' specifically abstract painting. He argues that the very nature of abstract painting is what leads to its 'death'. Here is a movement that reacted against modernism, more specifically, industrialization. It broke free from traditions and ignored academics in order to liberate themselves. Artists like Duchamp reacted to their social-economical surroundings, specifically mechanics, photography, mass-production and capitalism. They questioned the very nature of what constituted art and how it is valued. I must say that I also find it difficult to to consider and object made by a machine and placed on a gallery floor a piece of art. I rather consider that a message (statement), a means of getting the viewer to consider their relationship with objects.
Bois the refers to Meyer Schapiro's theory that art requires a form of labour, and indication of the artists hand. This resonates more with me as I believe that for a piece of art to have 'value' or 'meaning' there would be a process of creation. During this process an artist will make aesthetic decisions, they would consider their artistic intentions and be conscious of their creation.
Painting is still a valid form of expression, because as Bois remarks at the end of the essay, 'the desire for painting remains' (Bois, 1993). As long as there continues to be people with the desire and imagination to paint, there will also be people with the desire to view and appreciate it. Our interpretations of what constitues painting will inherently continue to change, but to me that does not signify its death, but rather its evolution.
Notes
Bois writes about the 'death of painting' specifically abstract painting. He argues that the very nature of abstract painting is what leads to its 'death'. Here is a movement that reacted against modernism, more specifically, industrialization. It broke free from traditions and ignored academics in order to liberate themselves. Artists like Duchamp reacted to their social-economical surroundings, specifically mechanics, photography, mass-production and capitalism. They questioned the very nature of what constituted art and how it is valued. I must say that I also find it difficult to to consider and object made by a machine and placed on a gallery floor a piece of art. I rather consider that a message (statement), a means of getting the viewer to consider their relationship with objects.
Bois the refers to Meyer Schapiro's theory that art requires a form of labour, and indication of the artists hand. This resonates more with me as I believe that for a piece of art to have 'value' or 'meaning' there would be a process of creation. During this process an artist will make aesthetic decisions, they would consider their artistic intentions and be conscious of their creation.
Painting is still a valid form of expression, because as Bois remarks at the end of the essay, 'the desire for painting remains' (Bois, 1993). As long as there continues to be people with the desire and imagination to paint, there will also be people with the desire to view and appreciate it. Our interpretations of what constitues painting will inherently continue to change, but to me that does not signify its death, but rather its evolution.
landscape
In his landscapes Anselm Kiefer uses thick accretions of black paint, mixed with sand, straw and ashes. His works are loaded with references to Germany’s past and national identity, see Link 19 to watch a video of Kiefer discussing his work with Tim Marlow in the run up to a large retrospective of his work in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. His canvases are epic in scale and execution, they are evocative, drawing the viewer in. Have you considered making a large scale painting? Make a study using thick impasto paint, what did you use, how was it to work with?
Anselm Kiefer
He is considered to be a modern day version of a history painter. He uses history as an inspiration for his work, but finds the academic definition of history to be quite boring (Kiefer cited on RA, 2014). This German artist worked on monumental pieces with a great emphasis on Germany's history. He works with very thick impasto paint, which can be seen in the painting below. During his interview with Tim Marlow he mentions that looking into history is a way of finding your own opinions on situations, but also a way of finding yourself, as you would consider your own actions during these events. |
Another point he makes that is quite interesting, is that art is a quest to represent the truth. However, truth can never be represented as the environment and outside factors are always changing, therefore the truth represented on a canvas will constantly evolve.
Another artist who creates a social commentary within his work is Chinese Artist Liu Xiadong who uses photography as a source material for his paintings. He is concerned with China’s social, economical and political transformation and the affect it has on it’s people. Look at the work Three Gorges: Newly Displaced Population, how could you create a narrative in your work? Do you use photography as a source material for your paintings.
In order to build the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze river, many of the areas around the area had to be submerged. The dam was menat to protect the areas from flooding and to generate electricity. But many say that these benefits do not outweigh the many local villages, agriculture and people that the dam displaced. Liu's painting is clearly depicting the impact on the people in The Three Gorges Project, a series of paintings he created to show the displacement and despair of close to 2 million people (Lemon, 2006).
Looking at the piece as a viewer you get a sense of how vast and enourmous this project is. This is a monumental piece created on 4 panels, and Liu has chosen to show the largest portion as the dam. His painting style has a great sense of realism, as well as his choise of subject matter. The figures in the scene looking back at you, almost does so with a sense of judgement. Their expressions seem to suggest that you (the viewer) might have been able to do something about it, but instead you are just another onlooker. A provoking piece indeed.
works cited
Artnet (2018) Luc Tuymans. [online] At: http://www.artnet.com/artists/luc-tuymans/ (Accessed on 26 November 2018)
Asia Contemporary Art Show (2018) Gao Xiaoyun. [online] At: https://www.asiacontemporaryart.com/artists/artist/Gao_Xiao_Yun/FantasyDream/en/ (Accessed on 29 November 2018)
Bois, Y.A. (1993) Painting as Model. MIT Press
Brown, M. (2015) David Hockney changes perspective with move indoors for London show. [online] At: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/apr/17/david-hockney-perspective-london-show-painting-la-portraits-photography (Accessed on 28 November 2018)
DiTolla, T. (2018) Julian Schnabel. [online] At: https://www.theartstory.org/artist-schnabel-julian.htm (Accessed on 23 November 2018)
Gambino, M. (2011) Ask an Expert: What is the Difference Between Modern and Postmodern Art? [online] At:https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/ask-an-expert-what-is-the-difference-between-modern-and-postmodern-art-87883230/ (Accessed on 4 December 2018)
Helmut, O. (2000) Fragment from the book “Female Fascination”. [online] at: http://www.ramonlombarte.com/fragment-from-the-book-female-fascination/ (Accessed on 23 November 2018)
Lemon, C. (2006) The Three Gorges Project: Paintings by Liu Xiaodong A Dam Shame. [online] At: https://www.sfstation.com/the-three-gorges-project-paintings-by-liu-xiaodong-a1973 (Accessed on 4 December 2018)
Lorber, K (2018) Gerhard Richter. [online] At: http://www.gerhardrichterpainting.com/# (Accessed on 25 November 2018)
Retrospect Galleries (2018) Gabriel Moreno [online] At: https://retrospectgalleries.com/artist/gabriel-moreno/ (Accessed on 29 November 2018)
Rewald, S. (2004) Cubism [online] At: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cube/hd_cube.htm (Accessed on 27 November 2018)
Royal Academy of Arts (2014) Anselm Kiefer in Conversation with Tim Marlow. [online] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlm5tgistqA (Accessed on 28 November 2018)
Rubenstein, R. (2011) The Big Picture: Reconsidering Julian Schnabel. [online] At: https://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/magazines/julian-schnabel/ (Accessed on 23 November 2018)
TATE (2018) Art and Language - Art Term. [online] At: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/art-language (Accessed on 25 November 2018)
The Broad (2018) Untitled (Your body is a battleground). [online] At: https://www.thebroad.org/art/barbara-kruger/untitled-your-body-battleground (Accessed on 25 November 2018)
Asia Contemporary Art Show (2018) Gao Xiaoyun. [online] At: https://www.asiacontemporaryart.com/artists/artist/Gao_Xiao_Yun/FantasyDream/en/ (Accessed on 29 November 2018)
Bois, Y.A. (1993) Painting as Model. MIT Press
Brown, M. (2015) David Hockney changes perspective with move indoors for London show. [online] At: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/apr/17/david-hockney-perspective-london-show-painting-la-portraits-photography (Accessed on 28 November 2018)
DiTolla, T. (2018) Julian Schnabel. [online] At: https://www.theartstory.org/artist-schnabel-julian.htm (Accessed on 23 November 2018)
Gambino, M. (2011) Ask an Expert: What is the Difference Between Modern and Postmodern Art? [online] At:https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/ask-an-expert-what-is-the-difference-between-modern-and-postmodern-art-87883230/ (Accessed on 4 December 2018)
Helmut, O. (2000) Fragment from the book “Female Fascination”. [online] at: http://www.ramonlombarte.com/fragment-from-the-book-female-fascination/ (Accessed on 23 November 2018)
Lemon, C. (2006) The Three Gorges Project: Paintings by Liu Xiaodong A Dam Shame. [online] At: https://www.sfstation.com/the-three-gorges-project-paintings-by-liu-xiaodong-a1973 (Accessed on 4 December 2018)
Lorber, K (2018) Gerhard Richter. [online] At: http://www.gerhardrichterpainting.com/# (Accessed on 25 November 2018)
Retrospect Galleries (2018) Gabriel Moreno [online] At: https://retrospectgalleries.com/artist/gabriel-moreno/ (Accessed on 29 November 2018)
Rewald, S. (2004) Cubism [online] At: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cube/hd_cube.htm (Accessed on 27 November 2018)
Royal Academy of Arts (2014) Anselm Kiefer in Conversation with Tim Marlow. [online] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlm5tgistqA (Accessed on 28 November 2018)
Rubenstein, R. (2011) The Big Picture: Reconsidering Julian Schnabel. [online] At: https://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/magazines/julian-schnabel/ (Accessed on 23 November 2018)
TATE (2018) Art and Language - Art Term. [online] At: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/art-language (Accessed on 25 November 2018)
The Broad (2018) Untitled (Your body is a battleground). [online] At: https://www.thebroad.org/art/barbara-kruger/untitled-your-body-battleground (Accessed on 25 November 2018)