Modern Art History Exam 2

THREE WOMEN, 1921

• Created by Fernand Leger using oil on canvas.
• Represents a Purist, machine-age interpretation of the reclining nude.
• Purism aims for clear forms to reflect machine age efficiency.
• Composition features women dehumanized with identical round faces, set in an asymmetrical geometric grid.
• The surrounding vibrant colors suggest order within an industrial society.

STREET, 1913

• Painted by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in oil on canvas.
• Depicts two prostitutes confidently walking past bourgeois men, highlighting urban alienation.
• Features artificial, masklike facial expressions and stiff postures, creating psychological distance.
• Uses harsh colors, tilted perspective, and aggressive brushstrokes to convey Expressionistic themes of urban decay.

STANDING CHILD, 1910

• Artwork by Erich Heckel, created with oil on canvas.
• Portrays a stylized image of a naked girl, presented against a stark background.
• The subject, Fränzi Fehrmann, embodies a confident yet unsettling youthful sexuality, reflecting the artist’s emotional depth.

IMPROVISATION 28, 1912

• Created by Wassily Kandinsky using oil on canvas, this work is a landmark in abstract art.
• Colors and forms in the painting express a wide range of emotions, paralleling musical experiences.
• Kandinsky believed art should transcend the physical world and evoke spiritual awareness and emotional resonance.

SUPREMATIST PAINTING, 8 RED RECTANGLES, 1915

• Produced by Kazimir Malevich, using oil on canvas.
• Represents the second phase of Suprematism, emphasizing dynamic use of primary colors.
• The composition suggests ambiguity, appearing as both floating shapes and aerial views, referencing Malevich’s interest in aerial photography.

COMPOSITION WITH YELLOW, RED, AND BLUE, 1927

• Designed by Piet Mondrian, utilizing oil on canvas.
• Integrates primary colors and neutrals within a framework of horizontal and vertical lines.
• Introduces the concept of "dynamic equilibrium," symbolizing a universal beauty through balanced design.

UNIQUE FORMS OF CONTINUITY IN SPACE, 1913

• Crafted by Boccioni in bronze.
• Represents a dynamic figure striding through space, showcasing athletic forms.
• Emphasizes Futurist ideals, celebrating motion and energy before Boccioni’s wartime death.

Reciting the Sound Poem "Karawane," 1916

• Presented by Hugo Ball in a Dada performance at Cabaret Voltaire, Zurich.
• Featured nonsensical sounds to critique traditional language and poetry.
• Designed in costume to symbolize the absurdity and anti-art sentiments of the Dada movement.

FOUNTAIN, 1917

• Conceptualized by Marcel Duchamp using a porcelain urinal.
• Challenges notions of art by presenting a readymade object and asking conceptual questions about art’s essence.
• Provokes mixed reactions, questioning conventional aesthetics in the art community.

Composition, 1933

• Created by Joan Miró using oil on canvas.
• Features whimsical, biomorphic shapes arranged in a seemingly random manner.
• Reflects Surrealist techniques that encourage spontaneous expression and exploration of the subconscious.

VILLA SAVOE, 1929-1930

• Designed by Le Corbusier, exemplifying the International Style through geometric simplicity.
• Utilizes a domino construction system, elevating the structure on pilotis for functionality and design flexibility.
• Represents Le Corbusier’s vision of architecture as a rational, beautifully functional “machine for living.”

ROBIE HOUSE, 1906-1909

• An early Prairie Style architectural masterpiece by Frank Lloyd Wright.
• Features low overhanging roofs and bands of stained glass windows, integrating nature and design.
• Emphasizes an open floor plan with a central fireplace as a focal point of warmth and utility.

SCHRODER HOUSE, Utrect, 1925

• Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, noted for its innovative use of asymmetry and primary color accents.
• Incorporates sliding partitions for adaptable living spaces to meet contemporary needs of elegance and functionality.

RED CANNA, 1924

• Painted by Georgia O'Keeffe, focusing on the heart of a flower to evoke sensuality.
• Employs abstraction to explore the lifeforce of the flower, inviting interpretations of femininity through its organic forms.

ASPECTS OF NEGRO LIFE: FROM SLAVERY THROUGH RECONSTRUCTION, 1934

• Created by Aaron Douglas, commissioned for the Harlem branch of the New York Public Library.
• Illustrates the history of African Americans from slavery to Reconstruction, highlighting themes of empowerment and struggle.

AUTUMN RHYTHM (NUMBER 30), 1950

• Produced by Jackson Pollock, this large-scale painting demonstrates his drip technique.
• Emphasizes chaotic yet structured gestures that transform traditional painting conventions.
• The energetic composition invites viewers to engage with the artwork on an emotional and physical level.

WOMAN 1, 1950-1952

• Created by William De Kooning, capturing the complexities of feminine imagery.
• Combines aggressive brushwork with themes of sexuality and violence, reflecting societal ambivalence towards women.
• Reflects a thorough process of experimentation, marrying spontaneity and intention in painting.

LAVENDER AND MULBERRY, 1959

• Conceived by Mark Rothko, focused on shapes representing fundamental ideas in Color Field painting.
• Aims to evoke emotional experiences through color and form, favoring indirect illumination to enhance viewer immersion.

CANYON, 1959

• Created by Robert Rauschenberg, blurring lines between painting and sculpture through combines.
• Incorporates diverse materials and images to reflect modern urban chaos, challenging viewers to derive personal meaning.
• Engages with unpredictability, mirroring the disorder of contemporary life through mixed media.### Jasper Johns - Target with Plaster Casts, 1955
• Johns redefines the boundaries between painting and sculpture.
• Fragmented body parts juxtaposed with a defined target reflect identity complexities amid Cold War America.
• Artwork critiques Abstract Expressionism's non-hierarchical approach through its use of a targeted focal point.
• Raises questions about representation: Is it a depiction of a target or an actual target?
• Combines recognizable imagery with conceptual depth, emphasizing the interplay of form and meaning in art.

Andy Warhol - Brillo Soap Pads Box, 1964

• First sculptural project involves replicating commercial packaging to critique art commercialization.
• Fabricated boxes mimic Brillo pads cartons, transforming the gallery into a mock grocery stockroom.
• Challenges traditional definitions of art, reflecting on the transient nature of consumer culture.
• Warhol highlights the difference between art requiring contemplation and advertising demanding instant attention.

Andy Warhol - Marilyn Diptych, 1962

• Created shortly after Monroe's death, memorializing her as a cinematic icon rather than as Norma Jeane.
• Features flat, repetitive images, culminating in a blend of reverence and critique of celebrity culture.
• The diptych format suggests religious overtones, portraying Monroe as a modern martyr.
• Contrasts the vibrant left side with progressively fading images on the right, symbolizing the ephemeral nature of fame.

Roy Lichtenstein - OH, JEFF...I LOVE YOU, TOO...BUT... 1964

• Utilizes techniques from commercial printing to create a high-art representation of a cartoon-like narrative.
• Captures soap-opera melodrama in a single-frame artwork, blending illusion and reality.
• Invites reflection on the nature of narratives in both high and popular culture.

Allan Kaprow - Yard, 1961

• Interactive installation filled with used tires and tar, inviting viewer engagement within the space.
• Evokes sensory experiences, challenging traditional gallery norms and audience expectations.
• Reflects urban life's physicality, bridging the gap between everyday encounters and artistic expression.

Bruce Nauman - Self-Portrait as a Fountain, 1966-1967

• Nauman humorously embodies both a physical fountain and Duchamp's "Fountain."
• Provokes questions about identity and artistic authorship, prompting viewers to consider the nature of a "real" fountain.

Joseph Kosuth - One and Three Chairs, 1965

• Installation includes a physical chair, photo of a chair, and its dictionary definition, exploring semiotics.
• Challenges the viewer's understanding of representation and communication through varied interpretations of "chair."

Judy Chicago - The Dinner Party, 1974-1979

• A mixed-media installation honoring women throughout history, merging art with feminist scholarship.
• Features a triangular table with 39 place settings representing notable women, asserting women's contributions to art and culture.
• Combines craft and fine art to elevate traditional women's crafts within the art canon.

Miriam Schapiro - Personal Appearance #3, 1973

• Merges women's crafts with fine art to counter the male-dominated Minimalist aesthetic.
• Aims to highlight the emotional and formal richness of traditional crafts in contemporary art.

Faith Ringgold - Tar Beach (Part I From the Women on a Bridge Series), 1988

• Narrated by an eight-year-old, the artwork reflects personal and collective memories of Harlem.
• Cassie's fantastical dreams symbolize resistance against social injustices faced by African Americans.
• Combines storytelling with visual art to address racial and socioeconomic issues.

Cindy Sherman - Untitled Film Still #21, 1978

• Features Sherman in roles representative of various female archetypes, critiquing gender stereotypes.
• Highlights the performative aspects of identity and societal expectations of women.

Henri Matisse - The Dessert: Harmony in Red (The Red Room)

• Celebrates pattern and color, merging the elements of the room into a cohesive visual experience.
• The painting exemplifies flatness while creating an illusion of depth, uniting interior and exterior elements.

Kazimir Malevich - Suprematist Composition: White Square on White, 1918

• Represents Malevich's Suprematism, emphasizing pure feeling and perception over the material.
• The minimalist composition reflects the post-Revolution spirit, radicalizing notions of art through its simplicity.

Vladimir Tatlin - Counter-Relief, 1915

• Example of the influence of icons in Tatlin's practice, exploring surface textures and forms.
• Engages with the surrounding space, suggesting a dialogue between object and environment.

Vladimir Tatlin - Model for Monument to the Third International, 1919-20

• Constructivist design intended to symbolize modernity, integrating industrial materials and innovation.
• Envisioned as a monumental structure with multiple rotating components for public engagement.

Jean (Hans) Arp - Collage Arranged According to the Laws of Chance, 1916-17

• Embraces chance as a means of creative liberation, allowing randomness to guide artistic expression.
• Demonstrates a balance between order and spontaneity, highlighting the beauty of serendipitous outcomes.

Marcel Duchamp - Bicycle Wheel, New York, 1951

• First "Readymade," challenging conventional definitions of art through selection and designation.
• Revolutionizes art-making by emphasizing the artist's role in choosing everyday objects for artistic expression.

Charles Demuth - My Egypt, 1927

• Depicts a grain elevator as a modern monument, framing industrial achievement alongside historical context.
• Uses geometric planes to convey dynamism and draw connections between industry and spirituality.### Artist and Artwork
• Charles Sheeler created Classic Landscape in 1931.
• The artwork depicts a landscape associated with cement production, utilizing by-products from the car manufacturing process.

Composition and Elements

• Silos depicted in the background stored cement waiting for shipment.
• The scene is intentionally anonymous, focusing on industrial landscapes rather than automobile production.

Title and Implications

• The term "classic" in the title suggests a generalized portrayal of industry, emphasizing typicality and standards.
• "Classic" also evokes ancient Greek and Roman culture, drawing parallels between modern America and classical achievements.

Architectural References

• The silos have a temple-like form, and nearby buildings feature pediment-like roofs, reminiscent of classical architecture.
• Sheeler appreciated functional architecture influenced by specific uses rather than traditional stylistic conventions.

Architectural Influence

• Influenced by French architect Le Corbusier, whose work emphasized timeless design principles rooted in ancient architecture.
• Sheeler viewed American industrial structures, like grain elevators and factories, as modern embodiments of these classical ideals.

Recognition and Importance

• Classic Landscape was well-received since its public debut in New York in 1931.
• It became one of the most exhibited and recognized American artworks of the 20th century.
• The painting is regarded as a key masterwork within American art history.