Damien Hirst

I did not hear about Damien Hirst or his artwork for that matter until I took Art Appreciation this semester. Hirst is a prolific artist from the United Kingdom. His art can be best described as in your face and abrasive. When I first looked at his artwork I was like the wtf. Who buys this stuff and why would anyone want this in their house. Needless to say, I was not too fond of Hirst's work. But his work does remind of Salvador Dali, one of my favorite artist. There are some similarities between the two artist. I think both artist's work can be called abrasive and have a tendency to make people uncomfortable. One piece of artwork of Damien Hirst's that I did like was his Virgin Mother sculpture. I like how half of the woman's body shows the external features while the other half shows the internal features. It reminded of something that I would see at Nature and Science Museum. I thought it was pretty cool how Hirst made a woman's pregnancy, a common occurrence in life, into art. I may not be completely on the Damien Hirst band wagon, but I have no problem giving credit when it's due.

image: google images

Edward Hopper

I first came across Edward Hopper's artwork my senior in high school in an AP Lit. Yea, I know not the most likely place one would learn about art. The painting that we were required to analyze was Nighthawks. This is probably one of Hopper's most famous paintings. The thing stuck out the most to me about this painting was the eerie feeling it gave me. There are only four people in the painting: the waiter, two gentlemen, and a lady. But outside the diner it is barren and not another living creature in sight. It kind of has a I Am Legend feel to it except there are four people. It's just them in their own bubble; alone in this diner. If Hopper was trying to convey isolation with a 1950s diner theme, then he nailed it right on the head.

Edvard Munch...

I personally think that Edvard Munch is one of the most underrated artists. The only painting of Munch's that many of us are aware of is The Scream. It is probably one the most captivating pieces of art ever painted. It gives you an in depth look into the tortured soul of the figure in the painting or perhaps Munch himself. One of my favorite paintings of Edvard Munch, is his Madonna painting. It is very different from other paintings with a theme focused around a Madonna. They tend to be a religious ode to the Virgin Mary. Munch was able to think outside of the box and create a Madonna that was worldly and perhaps one that we could identify with. His Madonna painting is more sensual and has sexual undertone. This Madonna could have been a lover or whatever. It is more realistic in my opinion. I also like the colors that he uses around this nude figure. It is like she has an Ora or euphoric presence about her. I think Munch used these colors to give her saintly presence; a saintly presence that reflects the beauty of the woman and a more modern Madonna.

Images: google images

Salvador Dali: Soft Construction with Bolied Beans(Premonition of Civil War)

This is another great masterpiece by Salvador Dali. It has so much emotion, chaos, and destruction in it...it's amazing. It's violent, just like what war is in reality. Some people might find it disturbing, but I like because Dali does not try to sugar coat war. War is brutal and so is this painting. The two disfigured bodies demand your attention, this is not a painting that one would just take a quick glance at. The painting grabs you whether you want it to or not. That is the best thing about Dali's work; it is so disturbing and yet, so captivating at the same time. This painting represents the dark side of war that the media and government try to sweep under the rug. It's a bold painting and what Dali envisioned. If this doesn't make Dali the crowning jewel of the Surrealism movement, then I do not know what does.

image:www.artquotes.net

Simpson's take on Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali is one of my all time favorite artist. His interpretation of life and himself through his artwork is very intriguing. Salvador Dali was born in Figueres, Spain on May 11th, 1904 and died on January 23rd, 1989 (http://www.artquotes.net/). Dali is one of the greatest artist from the Surrealist art movement. His most recognizable artwork includes: "The Great Masturbator", "Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bumble Bee", and "The Persistence of Memory". I will be looking at Dali's "The Persistence of Memory" and the Simpson's spoof of this famous painting. The original piece of artwork is very mind boggling because the painting consist of melted liquidity clocks in a vast, but kind of barren background. At first, the painting looks like it has something to do with time(hence the clocks),but the title suggest otherwise. To me, I think the painting is Dali's way of commenting on life. How time is always changing and seems to be passing us by, but the memory of those times remain. I personally think that the is a reminder of how mortal we are as humans and how everything must come to an end. On the totally opposite end of the spectrum, you have the Simpsons. The popular dysfunctional family that has been on TV for twenty plus years. The Simpsons have been known to do parodies of many influential things. This is no different. All characters,with the exception of Lisa, all have that melted liquidity vibe and they even add in Homer Simpson's two favorite things: a doughnut and beer. It's a lighthearted joke on a very famous painting and I got a kick out of it.

Archibald Motley: Another Man of the Harlem Renaissance

Archibald Motley is considered one of the major contributors to the artwork that was produced during the Harlem Renaissance. I chose this particular painting of his because it reminds of the Cotton Club...for black people. The people in this painting are not entertaining a white crowd with their "exotic" dance moves; they are having a good time and enjoying themselves. It's like their own little world where they can escape their problems. That's why I like this painting, it shows the good times that black people had in the 1920s...it's positive and a stark contrast to pictures of young black men being lynched that often circulated around the country at the time. The painting is simply beautiful and is one of my favorites. I like the colors that he uses, especially different colors that he uses for skin tone. There are different shades of black and it makes the not so diverse crowd look diverse. The details that Motley put into the painting is also very good. Not only does he put emphasis and detail into the people, but the bar as well. It's like Motley just sat down at club and painted what he saw, it's that realistic. Another painting of Motley's that I'm fond of is Mending Socks. It is a painting of an elderly woman mending a pair of socks. I like this painting because it reminds me of my late great- great grand mama Kaiser. She was very frail like the elderly woman in this picture and I can picture her mending the socks of my great-grandmother and so forth. It's painting that reminds me of my family and a part of everyday life that I did not get to witness because it was ahead of my time. Just like the painting that talked about earlier, Motley uses great detail to draw the viewer in. The items on the table, the picture hanging on the wall, and Jesus Christ on the Cross...all very vivid details of the room in which this elderly woman is sitting in.

Harlem Renaissance

So this blog is my short, yet oh so sweet ode to the Harlem Renaissance artist, Malvin Johnson. No I'm not talking about Langston Hughes or Zora Neale Hurston. This is about the painters, the sculptors, and etc. When I learned about the Harlem Renaissance my sophomore year in high school, we just focused on the writers and how they influenced the world of literature. James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, and Duke Ellington always get the praise and noteworthy attention, that no one ever stops to think about other African Americans who played a role in the Harlem Renaissance. For these individuals their canvas illustrated their stories and their thoughts. And yet, we hardly ever hear about them or their work. But that is about to change, starting with this blog. The artist that I'm blogging about today is Malvin Gray Johnson and his painting titled Negro Soldier. This painting is so simple, but the historical back story is what makes this painting so interesting. The broad shouldered soldier seems proud and very confident. The light colors that surround the soldier, give him an omniscient glow and makes him even more intriguing. He looks like any soldier that fought long and hard for freedom and democracy. However, unlike most soldiers in the 1920s, this black soldier isn't necessarily free nor does he feel like he lives in democratic society. This what makes this painting so interesting. You have his black soldier who probably felt more free and alive in Europe while he was being shot at than he ever did at home. His physique and lighting around him make him seem strong and brave and yet for a soldier who was on the winning side, his facial expression seems so complacent and lacks joy. But who would want to smile exuberantly knowing that you are not too inferior to die next to a white man,but too inferior to live like one.

image:www.tfaoi.com/cm/7cm/7cm51.jpg

Shamed Face Woman

This painting really stuck out to me. It's one of those paintings that is simple, but has a complex meaning behind it. The woman in the painting is so beautiful and ugly at the same time. Her face is calm and yet her and body language suggest that she is in a state of disarray. Her shame does not leap out of the canvas immediately,but I can tell by the look on her face, that she is contemplating what she is about do or just did. I like the painting because it is so easy to relate to. There are many things that I have done that I feel shameful about so I feel that this painting relates to me. It's like a song that you hear on radio and the lyrics fit your life or particular situation to a tee. This is what that painting is to me. I like how realistic the woman is and the situation that is as well.

image:photobucket.com

WE WEAR THE MASK

When I'm not looking at or blogging about political propaganda, I like to look at African American art. It is something that is very near and dear to my heart. African American art is very powerful and thought provoking and deal with various things that deal with the black community. This piece of African American that I' am blogging about to today reminds me of a Paul Laurence Dunbar poem titled We Wear the Mask. The poem is about how people put up this facade or mask to hide their pain and malcontent with world because the rest of the world won't be able to relate. The painting has a young African American male pealing off the white mask that once adorned his face. I think that this painting picks up where the Dunbar poem left off. In the painting, the man is finally able to take off the mask and be himself and be free. This painting represents where we are as a society are today. We are no longer afraid to voice our concerns,malcontent,etc. Now whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is entirely another. I think that this painting correlates perfectly with Dunbar's poem.

Image:http://www.artnsoulgallery.com

How to Slaughter the Opposition Through Art...

So, this blog focuses on how political parties use art to rally their respective sides. I find this form of propaganda very interesting. Political parties have been using art, political cartoons, commericals,etc to discredit their opponents. They all serve the same purpose, but they are done through a different medium. Most political propaganda conveyed through artwork, is usually about rallying the country and uniting as one...or at least that's what the people who release them claim. These two pictures so how artwork are be used to unify their political base. It shows how far art has come how those in the political sphere are using it to draw more attention to their platform. The first picture is of fmr. VP Dick Cheney with and oil mustache and the phrase 'Got Oil'? written across his forehead. This picture or ad pokes fun at Bush Administration and what many believe to be the real reason for the Iraq War. The second picture plays on the fears of the relations of between Iran and the U.S.A. The top of the picture is adorned with Pres. Barack Obama's famous catch phrase 'Yes, We Can!' I'm sure many of you are comtemplating if this is real art. I think it is. It may not have been painted, sculpted,etc, but it conveys an emotion or thought just like art. This form of art is not really done by artist per say,but it has an agenda just like the art hanging up in your local art museum. It wants the viewer to stop and think or it just might piss you off...nonetheless I think these poster can be consider art and I think that they represent where propaganda through the form of art is going.

Images: google images

Vladimir Lenin: Gateway to the Russian Revolution

Vladimir Lenin is known as the father of Communism. The noble man who was all about, the proletarians and a new way to strengthen Russia. This image of Lenin may not be a painting, but is art nonetheless. The poster was created by Shepard Fairey, you might recognize or know him for his posters of President Barack Obama. I like this poster because it is very simple and straight to the point unlike other political artwork, that you have to do some research on to understand the meaning. It's not trying to convince a group of people of anything. It is more of an ode to a man who made bold move(whether or not you agree with Lenin's political ideology is another thing). The poster is mostly blue and red with Lenin looking out into the unknown and the year 1917(the year the Russian Revolution took place) dwells above him. It nice poster that honors an influential man and it also showcases Fairey's other artwork.

Getting Back On Track...

So my blogs WERE suppose to be about propaganda artwork and how it impacts a generation and culture. This piece of artwork comes from the American printing press and takes jab at our good ol' pal, Adolf Hitler. The poster depicts Hitler with his pants down revealing his swastika covered boxers and beneath him lay tons of bombed Panzer tankers. This poster shows how art can be used to boost the morale of a country. It took aim at the German army and gave the American army hope that if they kept on fighting that they would find Germany's weak spot and eventually win the war. Most propaganda art can be misleading but this one is kind of inspiring and based on how WWII played out, I guess the Allies did find Hitler and his army with their panzers down.

Image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Ww2_poster_oct0404.j

Zhong Biao's Absolute Happiness

I am a really huge fan of Zhong Biao's artwork. He takes social and cultural changes that are slowly but surely happening in China and incorporates it into his work. Biao gives his viewers a glimpse into a world that has been shrouded in mystery and into a country that gives many Americans a sense of uneasiness. This piece of artwork is titled Absolute Happiness. The painting blends the old China with the new China and where it is headed. The old China is reflected in an old statue that lacks color and is sort of a backdrop or piece of a background. The man, the child, and naked woman steal the spot light from the statue. All three seem to be jumping for joy for some unkown reason. The child undoubtly steals the spotlight from the rest of the figures in the painting. She is bigger and very colorful. I think that this child represents the youthfulness of China and how colorful and vibrant China is becoming. The new China is trendy and exciting and more inviting. This painting by Biao represents all these things. It is his personal critique of what he sees happening in his country. I like it. It's very thought provoking and it total different side of China. I think it's better than the side of China that we got to see doing the 2008 Summer Games because that could have been a fascade,but this painting isn't.

'Good Times' Painting aka Sugar Shack

Okay, let me start off by saying if you don't recognize this painting than something is wrong with YOU!!! I really enjoy the late Ernie Barnes' work and Sugar Shack has to be has to be one of his most recognizable paintings. The painting is amazing. Its colorful vibrant and showcases a group of people enjoying themselves at the Sugar Shack. This painting to me represents what clubbing was like back in the day; it was enjoyable. The music had soul, more quality, and the house band didn't suck. Everything seems larger than life in this painting and maybe that's what having a good time was about back then, being apart of something that was bigger than yourself. Just looking at this painting makes want to go clubbing, but my experience wouldn't be anywhere near this one.

Painting Worth A Thousand Words

So I was browsing through some African American art and I found this painting by Chelle Brantley titled Destruction of a Man. It really spoke volumes to me. It shows some of the things that have plagued and continue to plague young black men. The center of the picture drew me in. In the center, sits a slave with blood gushing down his back from a recent beating with a whip. This figure reminds me of a famous picture of a slave sitting with his back towards the camera. His bare back reveals scars from being beaten repeatedly. Above this severely beaten slave, is another slave with shackles and chains around his wrists and neck. To the right of him there are two young men that have been lynched. These four figures represent shear hatred that we African Americans have overcome as a whole. This blind hatred cost many dear souls their lives, but more particularly young black men. The other elements of the painting are more modern: the waiter, the cop car, the gun, the gang member, and the young man wasting away in a prison cell. All these images confront an ugly truth about some young men in the African American community. With so many opportunities and so many avenues to venture down, why do some choose the path of chaos and destruction. This painting shows how others once created the young black men's hell and tormented their rich vibrant souls until there nothing left. It also shows how young black men have created their own hell and how they tormenting their loved ones, their community, and most importantly themselves. Can these strong, smart, and handsome men awake from this self induced coma before they succumb to their environment? That is the question that this painting is posing. This painting may shed light on the negativity, but it also shows that there may be light at the end of the tunnel. This piece of art makes its audience look within to confront their flaws and weaknesses and turn it into something positive. And maybe one day Chelle may paint another painting about young black men uplifting themselves, no longer looking back at the past.

The Statue of Liberty Gets Busy

I choose this art piece or poster because it really caught my eye. The person who created this clearly had a strong political feeling and chose art to express their frustration. My last two post show how countries used art to bolster their ego and superiority. This piece is the complete opposite. There is no glory. There is no pride, but the statement of art itself is just a bold as the Stalin/Nazi art. The creator of this poster took one of the most iconic symbols of United States of America and gave it more feminine and human characteristics. The Statue of Liberty represents our nations prowess, the glory of the past, and a sense of hope that millions of immigrants felt as they passed it to start anew. In this poster, the Statue of Liberty looks vulnerable and unsure. The man seems to have all the power, emotionally and sexually. I also liked how the artist used sexual connotations to show their displeasure with the government. I think its different from other works art where politics is being mocked or bashed. Some people might find this disrespectful, but it's a form of expression. This person chose art to express their feelings. This is what they feel and that is what makes it so powerful...the raw emotion and imagery. It made me think and evoked a feeling from me and therefore I believe that this is art. And it's done its job as far as a piece of art goes.

Image:http://www.domnx.com/gallery/liberties/jpg

Propaganda:Russian Style

It's amazing how art can be used for many things and how it can convey many things as well. Art can be a great thing when it comes to boosting a country's ego and rising the country's morale. Russia( or I should say the fmr. Soviet Union) used art in this form. When they were not building nukes to further fuel the Cold War with the United States; the Russians used art to display their prowess and might. The picture that I'm analyzing features a larger than life Stalin flanked by huge red flag. Beneath Stalin, is a large army and they are carrying these red flags as well. The illustration makes Stalin look like a strong powerful leader. He points to the future and leads his army into the future. The picture makes Communism look so bold and ballsy. It looks like there is not a man or another country that can stand up to this big mean Soviet machine. The red background represents the fury that fueled this nation and where this unabashed fury would take them.Fast forward a few decades and it is obvious that this mind frame or sense of thinking was wrong, but at least the Soviet Union got there day in the sun.

Image:www.smev.de/flags/speigel2001~4.html

Nazi Proganda

The first piece of art that I will be analyzing comes from the Lustige Blatter, a German magazine. During World War II, this magazine was used spread the views of the Nazis. This particular piece features Winston Churchill. His face is removed as if it were some kind of cheap Halloween mask. There stands a man with a skull face in a nice suit and a background that looks as if Armageddon is upon the world. It is clear that it pokes fun at Mr. Churchill and Great Britain. When I look at this picture, it looks like Churchill is just a joke. Behind the facade, is a man who is just as evil or sinister as the Nazis...or at least that's what they wanted you to think. The illustration makes the Prime Minister look weak and makes one question his authority. Giving the historical background of what was happening at the time, these thoughts might have been justified, but when this criticism is coming from the Nazis, it makes you think a bit. This simple illustration has so many meanings, yet it is so powerful and may have helped the Nazis strengthen the German people through proganda.

Image:www.bytwerk.com/gpa/

lustige.htm

Propaganda Through Art

Art represents so many things. It represents human expression, flaws from within and from society, an emotion or thought. With that being said; what happens when the government takes something so free and unbinding and molds it their will? You get propaganda through art. Over the course of history many empires/governments have used art as way to brainwash its citizens and turn them to sheep that follow the leader without any hestitation. This semester, I will be looking at this 'art form' and the impact it had on the people and the society that they lived in. I will look at Nazi Germany first and the various pictures that released during WWII. So stay tuned....