OLD MODERNISM NOTES DO NOT USE LOL Flashcards
Name and analyse 3 works of Judy Chicago
- Rainbow Picket 1965, geometric shapes, latex paint on plywood, bright colours and triangle forcing the viewer to move around or through it. Primary Structures exhibition 1966
- Cock-Cunt Play 1966, depicts a man and a woman arguing over dishes and delves into and makes fun of the stereotypes around gender
- The Dinner Party 1979, took 5 years, uses feminine materials, the women skipped over by history- euro-centric, essentialist.
What is Hannah Hoch’s best known work and why
Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer Belly Cultural Epoch of Germany 1919. Created as a part of the Dada movement in response to the social discord after WW1. German expressionist Kathe Kollwitz on the body of dancer Niddi Impekoven. Men are on women’s bodies and limbs connect different groups of society (Science, Politics, Dada)
Name and analyse 3 fetish objects from 1920-1940
- Cadeau, Man Ray, 1921. Named the gift the nails are glued onto an iron. References to sexual violence and the fear of “vaginal detente”. Also a nod to the domestic violence and tension between man and woman.
- Object, Meret Oppenheim, 1936. Teacup covered in gazelle fur, it is meant to evoke the fear and expectation of “vaginal pleasure”. Unusual and disgusting it seeks to subvert the expectation and make the utility of the teacup emotive/sexual rather than for tea.
- Lobster Telephone, Salvador Dali, 1938. Dali believed in the psycho-sexual writings of Freud that object and fetish brought out our inner desires. Combining surprising objects , the lobster representing eroticism and pain, creates fear and anticipation. (Lobster genitals are placed where the mouthpiece goes)
How did the invention of re-enforced concrete affect buildings, name 1 and analyse how materials are used
- Perret Tower 1925, 95 metres tall and 8 metres wide. Extended lantern and polygonal system in the centre and ribbed dome. Inspired by the apartment buildings in Paris
How does Villa Savoye reflect the international style?
Purism, the idea of powerful stripped down forms lacking detail (Le Corbusier). Mathematical perfection and the value of new architecture prioritising volume over mass. Structural/columnar support from pilotis unconnected to the facade (decreasing load-bearing walls) increases perceived volume (+lots of windows uninterrupted by the pilotis). Darker level painted dark green to blend with nature (floating illusion) and leaves open space to “give back to nature” and gives room to the car. Meant to mimic the perfection of the Parthenon (upper level and steps leading up to it +painted white). Le Corbusier made “Dom-Ino”s where the upper levels make more room and rely on simple shapes.
How have Mies van der Rohe and Venturi/Scott Brown interpreted their commissions? Compare the two museums and explore form, function and style in context of the commission and the site.
- Mies van der Rohe created the Nationalgalerie in Berlin in 1968. Compared to a gas station, practically walls are all glass. All paintings are exhibited downstairs and sculptures upstairs. The roof is a marvel of engineering, pure steel held up by 8 columns on a cantilever. Glass of windows frequently broke and doors were too small to fit pieces. Defied ornamentation or symbology to meet modern requirements. Steps up to it meant to mimic the Parthenon
- Robert Venturi/Scott-Brown created the Sainsbury Wing of the national portrait gallery in 1991. Prejudice against modern design led them to use aspects of the neighbouring gallery. Old department store footprint lead to use of facade. Rhythms of columns becoming less detailed from right to left (crumpling like a curtain). Fusion of industrial and neo-classical (big metal framed windows and interior steel frame covered by white stone)
‘Cubism had matured into a complex system that is seemingly so esoteric that it appears to have rejected all aesthetic concerns’ Create an essay plan
INTRO
Cubism has certainly matured since Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, however, to claim it complex/esoteric or claim it has rejected all aesthetic concerns is unconvincing.
Viaduct at L’Estaque, Louis Vauxelles
MATURED
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso.
- The women represent the dangers of solicitation, such as STDs. In previous sketches there was a medical student holding a skull and
- The faces of the women are based off of African and Iberian masks to make them appear foreign and terrifying
Ma Jolie/ Girl with Mandolin
ESOTERIC
- Champs de Mars, the tower is recognisable
- Fruit Dish and Glass
- At the time artists are wearing overalls so that art is less elite and more of a trade
REJECTED ALL AESTHETIC CONCERNS
- George Braque and Cezanne have not abandoned aestheticisms
- Seated Nude does not show a nude
- Orphic cubism such as champs de mars are aesthetic
- Le Portugois similar to Rembrandt
Cubism critical texts
CRITICAL TEXTS
Cubism and Culture, 2001, Mark Antliff and Patricia Leighton
- “subjectively evoked through limited colour range; shifting perspectives, signified by long, vertical and diagonal bands cutting off the edges of objects contained within them” Ma Jolie
- “taking on the conception of pure creation, an art detached in its basic principles from all conscious intention”
- “Though there is not a real cube anywhere in the picture, a confusing plethora or straight lines and blocky shapes, virtually all the same ochre colour, vertically mount the surfaces of the canvas” Houses at L’Estaque
- “the overall effect is one of increased simplicity with wonderfully complicated tensions and contradictions between realism and abstraction” Fruit, Dish and Glass
Cubism, David Cottington, 1998
- “that the result is not incoherence is partly due to the deftness and beauty of Picasso’s deployment of chiaroscuro” seated nude
- “Sometimes suggesting the volumes of the subject and sometimes denying them” Le Portugois
- “Braque pushes the juxtaposition of different perspectives to the point of contradiction” Houses at L’Estaque, or Viaduct at L’Estaque or Bottle of Suze
- “Braque saw the illusionistic and compositional implication of the technique” Fruit, Dish and Glass
- “The result of these interrogations were paintings accessible only to this small audience of initiates for they were dense, difficult to read, elliptical in their interreference”
- “From an image anchored in illusion to one who’s meaning is dependent on the disposition of forms in a grid” (Referring to Delaunay’s The City II, but also applies to Ma Jolie)
- “radical syntax of angular facets”
“We must smash, destroy and diminish our traditional harmony” (Boccioni) Explore the significance of Boccioni’s statement in regard to two Futurist artists and include at least one sculpture
-> this question is based off an independent essay that has not been marked or teacher checked, please update and cite
Traditional harmony in painting is the balance between colour, composition and form so that all elements of a painting come together in a unified way- and while many Futurists artists do not completely disregard this balance, they subvert the traditional idea of how this should be executed.
Giacomo Balla: to say they destroy traditional harmony would be incorrect as they retain their aesthetic pleasure (Hand of the Violinist 1912 breaks the canvas but retains physical form)
Boccioni (quoted) sought to destroy traditional harmonies, in his sculpture “The Artist’s Mother” 1912, reflects many traditional or previous works of art (such as classic busts or Head of a Woman 1909 by Picasso)
The Fauves were called ‘Wild Beasts’. Do they deserve the title? Analyse two works of art and refer to other works and context. Use critical texts in your essay.
Introduction: Overall, I do not believe the Fauves deserve the term “The Wild Beasts”. While there are reasons behind the name, such as their strange use of colour, rejection of classical artistic rules and theories and their often unflattering portrayal of the human form- to refer to this as “wild” is arguably a reflection of colonialist prejudice against primitive art styles (as seen by the public rejection of the works of Gaugin in the South Sea series which made use of the native art style).
Paragraph 1: Matisse, woman in a Hat
Other works in context: Port of Ciotat Braque and Gaugin
While some would say:
- The use of colour does not adhere to any colour theory and arguably is jarring for the viewer as it doesn’t reflect any inherent aesthetic
- “A pot of paint has been flung in the face of the public” Camille Mauclair
- “Donatello at home among the wild beasts” Louis Vauxcelles
- The background includes parts of unfinished canvas, and his wife is reportedly wearing black, yet she appears to be in a rainbow of colours
Pivot:
- Matisse believed the purpose of painting was not to express any literary idea, or adhere to an aesthetic perpetuated by others, but rather to act as a reflection of the artist’s intentions and experiences
- While the use of colour may be unorthodox, to say that it fails to even portray the worm of a woman is untrue- and in using such unusual methods, Matisse makes a statement about his love for his wife
- She is jarringly off-centres, slightly to the left with her hat cut off, yet this does not matter as again, this only refers to the way Matisse sees her.
- To call him a Wild Beast in a contemporary context where perhaps the use of emotive art is seen as primitive is arguably a reflection of colonialist notions and therefore, it cannot be considered such in today’s society.
- As for the empty spaces, we see Braque use the same methodology in Port of Ciotat in 1907, therefore, the Fauves were certainly adhering to a structure in their work (one which accepts nuanced use of negative space and unorthodox colours) even if their works are vastly different.
Paragraph 2: Matisse, The Blue Nude
Other works in context: Bonheur de Vivre
While some would say:
- The Blue Nude is not a flattering portrayal of a woman, making a mockery of the traditional Oriental postcard with a nude woman on the front of it
- If the intentions of these postcards was to be pleasing to the eye, then the nude does not fulfil its purpose
- The form is twisted unnaturally in a performative manner, muscles bulging and almost masculine looking
Pivot:
- While one cannot make a comment about Matisse’s intentions regarding the depiction of women (or at this extent Biskran women), he is certainly attempting to twist the classic idea of what a nude portrait is
- This Transgressive idea of what the female nude represents, both colonial superiority over the country but also the patriarchal stance over the female body is well reflected here.
- Bulging muscles and short masculine hair is a part of this transgressive nature which openly challenges one of the most classical instances of art: which is a nude of a woman. He is clearly picking up on the aesthetic values of art rather than the ideological excuses for such beauty.
- The background of the piece is not inside a studio (as, for example, Manet’s Olympia is) she is on the ground in the dirt, surrounded by her exotic plants. It is a less sophisticated way of what has been done before, which is having these women in foreign brothels with instruments and servants.
- This twisting of the classic portrayal of the human form is shown also in Bonheur de Vivre, except it adheres to far more principles, such as the pleasing lines of the feminine nude and the compositional adherence. The value placed upon these is shown by its increased popularity.
- To call Matisse a wild beast for challenging these conventions is hardly fair, as it shows him to be an intellectual. Perhaps those who refused his nuanced thinking are far more brash and primitive.
‘Andy Warhol’s Gold Marilyn is just another typically vacuous pop art picture. It’s as superficial as the glamorous world it depicts’. Do you agree?
- Considering Monroe’s suicide a short time before the creation of this work, the Golden Marylin carries an almost elegiac tone; a sacred memorial photo or a star well-loved and admired. However, the image of her we are provided with is flat, low quality, fake, reminding us that even in the face of the Monroe’s suicide, the only mourning society feels for her is superficial
- Instead of following a high philosophical idea of artistic excellence, the Golden Marilyn grapples with the reality of contemporary society, namely an obsession with stardom and the objectification and consumerism of individuals.
- a celebrity loses their humanity in the eyes of the public due to being idolised as a sex symbol, to the point that even in death, the only narrative seen by the public is focused around an artificial image of them (use of gold as religious imagery)
“Works of art associated with the pop art movement are essentially a response to the new aesthetic of capitalism and consumerism” How far do you agree?
INTRO:
While there are many American works of art responding to the new aesthetic of capitalism and consumerism, other works associated with the pop art movement, such as British pop art, are a response to the growing American influence over culture. Furthermore, other pieces also associated with pop art are a response to the growing liberalism and civil rights of the 60s. Therefore, not all pop art is a response to the new aesthetic of capitalism and consumerism.
SEXUALITY:
- Roy Lichtenstein’s “Drowning Girl” 1963
- reflects on the fast production of items for money. Though painted, many of his pieces appear as though they are comic strips
- Andy Warhol’s “Golden Marilyn” 1962
- Andy Warhol’s work regarding Marilyn Monroe was often a reflecting of his sexuality- and Marilyn herself was a gay icon as she advocated for liberation of sexual endeavours
AMERICAN CULTURE
- Peter Blake’s “Self-portrait with Badges” 1961
- Covered in badges and in double denim holding an Elvis magazine and wearing his shoes. Shows how individuals’ identities are now linked to what they consume
- Inspired by Gainsborough’s Blue Boy 1770, a class image showing a noble boy
- Also Watteau’s Gilles 1790 which shows a clown standing in a similar fashion
Tate wrote, “Blake uses these items like a 17th-century portrait painter, to suggest his interests or achievements”.
WAR AND MASCULINITY
- Claus Oldenburg’s “Lipstick ascending on Caterpillar tracks” 1969, anti-war propaganda shown at the Yale student Vietnam protests.
- Connects the idea the male genitalia only focuses on the pleasure of war. Inflatable contraption resembling a missile
- “Lipsticks in Piccadilly Circus” 1966, representing phalluses where the statue of Cupid would normally be. New consumerism is reflected by masculine erotics
- Faith Ringgold’s “Ben” 1978, shows the aftermath of the Vietnam war on black men, particularly how their bodies are used by the U.S. military
- He wears multiple badges which tie him to contradictory political groups, reflects current US political battle (arguing the country is reflected in homeless drunkard veterans like Ben)
- Made of feminine soft materials, too big to be a toy but too small to be a statue.
- Ben Andrews, Flag Day 1966, impact of the prison system on black men (the stripes of the flag are prison bars the man is trying to escape from)
- Use of black labour in the prison system to make profit from the incarceration of black men. Capitalism’s victims.
Summarise Brutalism as a movement and name an example of a Brutalist building
- From the French, “Beton brut” which translates to raw concrete
- After the second world war cheap materials were the fashion
- Form follows function, use of simple forms and prioritising movement within the building. HOWEVER:
- Understated cost and truth behind materials
- Intricate forms and use of textured surfaces (Shattering, Bush-Hammering, Exposed aggregate finish, Pebble-dashing and Exposed slip form)
EXAMPLES:
- Denys Lasdun, Nation Theatre (Southbank, London)
- Higgs and Hill, Hayward Gallery
- Goldfinger, Trellick Tower 1972
How does Goldfinger’s Trellick Tower 1972 adhere and expand on Modernist principles?
- The tower is pebble-dashed as opposed to pasted over in smooth concrete creating a textured surface
- Built under Labour government with the intention of being council homes after WW2 erased much class restrictions
- Utility tower is separated from main building with walkways. The bridges contain “viewing galleries”
- Use of stained glass and exposed boiler room to add decoration (or “interest”) to the building
Summarise Deconstructivism and name an example of a building from the movement
- Fragmentation and manipulation of a structure’s surface with unpredictability and controlled chaos
- Jacques Derrida and Peter Eisenman pioneered the movement as they questioned the utility of structures and aimed to expose and undermine the dominant way of thinking
EXAMPLES:
- Guggenheim, Bilbao, Frank Gehry 1997
- Gehry Residence 1991
- Dancing House, Gehry, 1996
