Art Appreciation Reviewer PDF
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This document provides a foundational overview of art appreciation, covering topics such as the definition of art, creativity, imagination, and expression, as well as various functions and types of art. It includes discussions on the elements and principles of art, and different art movements.
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ART APPRECIATION What is Art? ▪ Ancient Latin Ars– a craft or specialized form of skill, like carpentry or smithery or surgery (Collingwood, 1938). ▪ Medieval Latin Ars – any special form of...
ART APPRECIATION What is Art? ▪ Ancient Latin Ars– a craft or specialized form of skill, like carpentry or smithery or surgery (Collingwood, 1938). ▪ Medieval Latin Ars – any special form of book-learning, such as grammar or logic, magic or astrology (Collingwood, 1938). ▪ Early Renaissance artists saw their activities merely as craftsmanship, devoid of a whole lot of intonations that are attached to the word now. ▪ 17th century – the problem and idea of aesthetics, the study of beauty, began to unfold distinctly from the notion of technical workmanship, which was the original conception of the word “art”. ▪ 18th century – fine arts would come to mean “not delicate or highly skilled arts, but “beautiful arts” (Collingwood, 1938). ▪ A product made with the intention of stimulating human mind and spirit. The driving force for art is human creativity. Art Appreciation; Creativity, Imagination, and Expression THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY IN ART MAKING In art, creativity is what sets apart one artwork from another. Creativity requires thinking outside the box. ART AS A PRODUCT OF IMAGINATION, IMAGINATION AS A PRODUCT OF ART Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand. – Albert Einstein An artwork does not need to be a real thing, but can be something that is imaginary. – Collingwood, 1938 ART AS EXPRESSION What an artist does to an emotion is not to induce it, but express it. Through expression, an artist is able to explore his own emotions and at the same time, create something beautiful out of them. Functions of Art Personal Function of Art Highly subjective; the function depends on the person – the artist who created it. Social Function of Art When it addresses a particular collective interest as opposed to a personal interest. Physical Function of Art Artworks that are crafted in order to serve some physical purpose. Other functions of Art Sculptures used for religious purposes and commemoration. Architecture as the most prominent functional art form. It is also in architecture where one can find the intimate connection of function and form. Subject and Content There are clues that mediate between the artwork and the viewer, allowing the viewer to more easily comprehend what he is seeing. These clues are the basic components of a work of art: SUBJECT, FORM, and CONTENT. SUBJECT (What) – refers to the visual focus or the image that may be extracted from examining the artwork. CONTENT (Why) – the meaning that is communicated by the artist or the artwork. FORM (How) – how the elements and the medium or material are put together. Types of Subject Representational/ Figurative Art -subjects that refer to objects or events occurring in the world. Example: Leonardo Da Vinci, “Mona Lisa” (1503) Non-representational/ Non-figurative Art – it does not make a reference to the real word. It is stripped down to visual elements such as shapes, lines, and colors that are employed to translate a particular feeling, emotion, and even concept. Example: Jackson Pollock, “Convergence” (1952) Non-representational Art and Abstract Art Abstract Art is a departure from reality, but the extent of that departure determines whether it has reached the end of the spectrum, which is non-representational – a complete severance from the world. Example: Pablo Picasso, “Head of a Woman, Mougins” (1962) CONTENT IN ART Factual Meaning – this pertains to the most rudimentary level of meaning for it may be extracted from the identifiable or recognizable forms in the artwork and understanding how these elements relate to one another. Conventional Meaning – pertains to the acknowledged interpretation of the artwork using motifs, signs, symbols and other cyphers as bases of its meaning. These conventions are established through time, strengthened by recurrent use and wide acceptance by its viewers or audience and scholars who study them. Subjective meaning of art – these meanings stem from the viewer’s or audience’s circumstances that come into play when engaging with art. When looking at an art, perception and meaning are always informed by a manifold of contexts: What we know What we learned What we experienced Values we stand for Elements of Art These are the “Elements of Art“, Color, Line, Shape, Form, Texture and Space, they are the building blocks we use to put art together. No piece of art is created without them, even when the artist is not aware that they are using them. But a discerning artist is always aware of them. They admire the well painted landscape, and then they admire the way the artist has put the elements together to create that landscape. 1. LINE o The most basic, oldest, and universal element. o A continuous mark which runs from one point to another. o The tone of a line would depend whether it’s thick or thin, or light and dark. Kinds of Line o Actual Line: visible and clearly expressed, may vary greatly in weight and character. o Implied Line: dotted and dash lines, created by positioning a series of points so that the eye tends to automatically connect them. o Psychic Line: created when there is no real line, but the placement of the objects or direction causes the viewer's eye to follow. Directions of Line Vertical line- basic framework of all forms, power & delamination, strength, stability,simplicity, and efficiency. Horizontal line- creates an impression of serenity and perfect stability. Rest, calmness, peace, and reposed. Diagonal line- it shows movement and instability. Portrays movement action. Jagged line- it shows violence, zigzag, confusion, and conflict. Curve line- it shows a gradual change of direction and fluidity. It signifies subtle form. Functions of Line 1. Lines can be used to designate spatial relations. Perspective or Perspectival Line – implied lines in a work that create the illusion of depth. Vanishing Point – perceived as the farthest point from the viewer. 2. Arrangement of lines suggests: Order – if lines are parallel or repetitive Disorder – if lines collide, presented randomly, chaotic, and gives an impression of conflict. 3. Lines are used to show the shape of things and their volume. The tone (light and dark, thick and thin) of the line helps bring out the shape of an object. 4. Lines are used to express emotion and how an artist draws line suggests emotions. Gesture Line – when lines come together to depict volume and surface as well as express movement and emotions. This is commonly used in Gestural drawings wherein we are making use of gesture lines. 2. VALUE o The intensity of light and darkness in a reflective or non-light transmitting surface or medium. o In drawing terms, when we use ‘monochromatic’ drawing materials, value refers to the different shades we can create by adding greater or lesser pressure with the given material, or, by adding further layers of the material. o Using an achromatic value scale, it shows value from the darkest black to white and all the gradations of gray in between. Achromatic Value Scale Chiaroscuro, (from Italian chiaro, “light,” and scuro, “dark”), technique employed in the visual arts to represent light and shadow as they define three-dimensional objects Rembrandt: Christ Healing the Sick (Hundred Guilder Print) 3. COLOR Color Meaning Black Death, despair, gloom, sorrow, Blue Infinity, Freedom, Calmness, o The phenomenon that Brown Humility humans perceive Green Nature, Freshness, Prosperity, Hope, Money visually. Orange Sweetness, cheerfulness o It has the most Pink Feminity, love aesthetic appeal. Red Bravery, Energy, Passion, War, Warm Violet Royalty, Dull White Purity, Clarity, Simplicity, Virginity, Peace Yellow Joyful, Life, Vibrant, Sunshine, Happiness Properties of Color Hue: Hue is the name of the actual color. So, for example, Blue is a hue. Intensity: Intensity refers to the purity or brightness of a color. A High Intensity Blue is the pure hue right out of the tube. We can diminish it’s intensity by adding a small amount of that particular hue’s complement to it. So if we add a very small amount of orange (the complement of blue) to blue, the blue will become duller. We will have created a Low Intensity Blue Value: Value refers to how light or dark a color is. We call the darker values Shades, which we create by adding some black to the hue. We call the lighter values tints, which are created by adding white to the hue. So a Dark Blue is a shade of blue, Light blue is a tint of blue, these are two different values of the hue, blue. Classification of Colors a. Primary colors- colors that cannot be formed from mixtures because they are pure colors. b. Secondary colors- colors form out of combination of two primary colors. c. Intermediate colors- colors form out of mixing one primary and one secondary. Example: Yellow + Green = Yellow green Red + Violet = Red violet Red + Orange = Red orange d. Tertiary colors- form out of combination of two secondary colors. Example: Orange + purple = russet Orange + green = citron Purple + green = olives Warm Colors: The warm colors are Red, Orange and Yellow. These colors can give a painting a sense of physical warmth, such as in the desert or by a fire. They can also be used to portray intense emotions such as anger or love. Cool Colors: Green, Blue and Violet are the cool colors. They can be used to convey a sense of cooler temperatures, or to represent the calmer, more internal emotions (such as sadness(not a lesser emotion, rather an emotion dealt with internally, unlike anger which is generally directed more outwardly). Such emotional connections to color are well ingrained in us, such as, “She’s sad/she’s feeling blue.” Complementary Colors – colors that are opposite with each other on the color wheel. When used together, a color’s complement help bring it out. When a little of a color’s complement is added to it, it neutralizes the color somewhat, reducing the intensity of the color. When too much is added it creates a muddy or neutral color. Analogous Colors – Colors that lie next to another color. Using at least two, but no more than three colors which all share a common color. These colors are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. Example: Orange, Red and Violet are all analogous, as they all share a common color: Red. Red-violet and Red-orange would also fit in this color set. 4. TEXTURE o When we reach out and touch an object we feel ‘something’ about the surface; rough, smooth, soft, furry, bumpy, ridged, etc. This quality is referred to as texture - the characteristic of a surface. Two Kinds of Texture 1. Actual - this is the texture that we can feel. In three- dimensional pieces, an artist creates an actual texture that can be reached out and felt to the work. This means they use clay tools or carving tools to create an actual texture on the surface of their material, or they add materials possessing texture to the sculpture.2. 2. Simulated - texture that appears to our eyes as textured but in fact it is not. In a drawing, painting or other two-dimensional piece of artwork, artists create a simulated texture that gives a viewer a sense of how the object might feel: hard, soft, rough, smooth, hairy, leathery, sharp, etc. These simulated textures can be created through series of lines or layers of value. 5. SPACE o An object that we draw has a shape, a sculpture we build has a form, but Space is all the area around those things. It is above and below, between and around the subjects of our art, and is every bit as important. o Element that allow the art work to be perceived as a whole. Types of Space 1. Planar - In drawings and paintings, the space is flat, in fact as it has no depth. We are instead forced to create the illusion of depth. 2. Actual space - In sculpture, the space is real, it has height and depth and width, and we refer to it as actual space. It is our ability to move through the actual space that surrounds a sculpture that makes sculpture as interesting a media as it is. 3. Flexible space -In performances, the space is wide and must be dealt with certain flexibility. It is the ability of the artist to freely move in a certain space that makes him occupy the whole area. Whether sculpted or painted we often refer to forms and shapes as being “positive” forms or shapes. Meaning that they have a mass of their own, or at least the illusion of that mass. At such times we refer to the space around those forms as being "negative" space. o Positive Space - space occupied by an object, the subject of planar work, or of body in motion. o Negative Space - the void in between the subject and around the subject. Which is positive? Which is negative? Often artists work with negative space to refine their ability to examine form. Really paying attention to the shape of the space allows us to notice things about a form that otherwise we wouldn’t normally do. 6. SHAPE AND FORM Shape and form are the terms that define objects in space. o Shape has two dimensions; height and width. To create shapes on a page we need to use other elements of art such as line, to define those shapes. The triangle, pictured on the right is a simple 2 dimensional shape. o Forms exist in three dimensions, with height, width, and depth. Forms are things that we can experience in the real world, like sculptures. We can reach out and touch them. Shapes may be put together on a piece of paper or canvas to create the illusion of being three dimensional, of being a form, but they never truly become actual forms. The pyramid to the right would be a form if we saw it in real life. Right here it is really just a picture of a pyramid, so it becomes a number of different shapes that create the illusion of having form. In real life the pyramid is a form, in a picture it is a series of triangular shapes. Two Kinds of Shape o Geometric Shape ▪ Are circles, rectangles, squares, triangles and so on - have the clear edges one achieves when using tools to create them. ▪ Most geometric shapes are made by humans, though crystals are also considered to be geometric despite the fact that they are made in nature. ▪ Are regular and precise shapes. o Organic Shape ▪ Are shapes with a natural look and a flowing and curving appearance. ▪ Organic shapes and forms are typically irregular or asymmetrical. ▪ Organic shapes are associated with things from the natural world, like plants and animals. Principles of Design Composition is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of art creation. It’s also one of the most important aspects to get right. There’s obviously more to creating a successful work of art outside of mark-making and medium mastery. Our composition plays an important role in how our works are viewed and experienced by our audience. Composition is the arrangement of elements within the pictorial space (or three-dimensional space with a sculpture). The positioning and arrangement of elements within a work affect how a viewer interacts with what we create. PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN The principles of design refer to the manner in which the elements of art are arranged in a work of art. Since the principles of art mostly deal with the organization of a work of art, they mainly influence the composition. By mastering the principles of art, we can improve our drawing and painting compositions. BALANCE ✓ Balance refers to the overall distribution of visual weight in a composition. A well-balanced composition feels comfortable to look at. ✓ Each visual component of an artwork has visual weight. Different than actual weight, visual weight is not measured using a scale but must be observed instead. Visual weight balances around an artwork’s axis. The axis may be vertical, in which visual elements balance on both sides of the axis. Artworks may also balance around a horizontal axis, in which visual elements balance from top to bottom. Three Kinds of Balance Symmetrical Balance Symmetry is a type of formal balance in which two halves of an artwork mirror each other. This type of balance is familiar and common. The human body is balanced symmetrically as is our planet, our cars, clothes, furniture etc. Symmetry imposes a strong sense of order and stability on both the composition and the subject. Radial Balance Radial balance is symmetry in several directions. Visual elements are arranged around a central point in the composition. Often, radially balanced designs are circular. Other shapes lend themselves to radial balance as well – squares, hexagons, octagons, stars, etc. In nature, we most easily observe radial balance in the form of flowers. Radial balance is prevalent in human design as well; car wheels, architectural domes, clocks, man-hole covers, a compass, etc. Asymmetric Balance Asymmetry is informal and seems less organized than symmetry. The two halves of a balanced asymmetric artwork do not look the same but have similar visual weights. Asymmetric balance is more subjective than both symmetry and radial symmetry. Asymmetry allows for more variety in a composition than symmetrically balanced designs. It provides the same “comfortable” feeling as symmetry without using like elements on each side of a central axis. Many artists appreciate asymmetric balance because it feels less rigid and more realistic than symmetric balance. Although symmetry makes clear the artist’s desire to present a visually balanced image, asymmetric balance does not happen by accident, but instead requires planning and intention. PROPORTION ✓ Proportion is the principle of art that refers to relative size. Proportion is largely about the relationship of the size of one element when compared to another. When drawing or painting realistically, proportion is important. If the proportions are incorrect, then the resulting image will look less realistic or abstracted. ✓ Proportion does not refer to overall size, but rather the relationship of the sizes of two or more subjects or elements. In art, the size of an element is referred to as scale. For example, a basketball and a baseball are different in scale but share the same in proportion. ✓ Alternatively, artists can use proportion for effect. By manipulating proportion, the artist can make his/her subject seem strong, weak, funny, mysterious, etc. We can exaggerate proportions to emphasize a meaning or an element within the scene. For example, a caricature artist distorts proportion in order to create a stylized image of the subject. MOVEMENT ✓ Visual movement is the principle of art used to create the impression of action in a work of art. ✓ Movement can apply to a single component in a composition or to the whole composition at once. Visual movement is dependent on the other element and principles of art. Rhythm, line, color, balance and space are all examples of elements and principles of art that can play a major role in developing movement in a work of art. Creating movement with Rhythm Rhythm is everywhere. Rows of windows and columns add rhythm to architecture. Books on a shelf and tiled floors add rhythm to daily life. Each of these examples have something that is repeated. The repeating element is generally referred to as a motif. To create movement through rhythm, an artwork must have a motif. If a motif is variable in size and spacing, then the rhythm is said to be irregular. An irregular rhythm feels natural. Trees growing in a forest have an irregular rhythm. Each tree is unique. Some are thin and some are wide, but all are trees. If the motif is identical in size and spacing it is said to be regular. A regular rhythm feels organized and intentional. Lamp posts along a city street have a regular rhythm – each one the same as the next. A motif acts as a guide through the composition. Our eyes move from one example of the motif to the next. The amount of space between manifestations of the motif set the tempo or speed at which our eyes move around the composition. Types of Rhythm 1. Regular – symetrically repeated parts separated by equal intervals in between. 2. Alternating – different components separated by set intervals. 3. Eccentric – irregular but the beats still connect. 4. Progressive – visual beats move from fast to slow or slow to fast. EMPHASIS ✓ Emphasis is the principle of art that helps the audience put the story of a painting together in their own minds. ✓ Any object or area of emphasis is called a focal point. The focal point is meant to be the part of an artwork to which the viewer’s eyes are first attracted. Artworks can have multiple focal points. The degree to which the focal points stand out determines the order in which the viewer notices them. Ways to create emphasis Contrast Take a look at the image of tomatoes below. The green tomato is mixed into the red tomatoes but does not get lost in the group. It is clearly the focal point because of a strong contrast of color. Three elements of art: color, value and texture are useful in creating emphasis through contrast. Using texture in only one spot or placing a light object in an otherwise dark environment will attract the attention of the viewer. Isolation Isolation is a straight-forward way to ensure the “main character” of a picture is noticed. Place an object of emphasis outside of a grouping and you will force your audience to take notice of it. Look at the drawing of coins below. The large pile of coins on the left may be worth more than the single coin on the right, but the coin on the right seems more important simply because it is isolated from the rest. Location Using a bulls-eye as an example, the location of a compositional element contributes to our feelings about emphasis as well. The bulls-eye on a dart board is in the center for good reason. All things being equal, a viewer will look at the center of a composition first. Placing important objects or people near the center of a canvas will add to their emphasis. Convergence Lines and edges can work like arrows to indicate a focal point. Not only obvious lines work but implied lines (invisible lines) as well. For example, the direction of a person’s gaze can indicate to the audience where to look next. Try it yourself. The next time you are standing outside with other people, just stare intently into the sky for a moment and others will begin to follow your gaze with their own. In the drawing below, the architectural features point towards, or converge, at the small figure in the road. Additionally, the figure is located near the center of the composition to help the audience find him. The Unusual A fun way to create emphasis in a composition is to have one element stand-out because it is so different – a round object among angular shapes, a line of people with one facing the wrong way. Think of it as the “twist” at the end of a movie. If you are changing what the audience expects to something unexpected, then you will create a striking point of emphasis. Look at the line of people in the illustration. See how the person with the head of a fly just pops-out and demands your attention. VARIETY, HARMONY, AND UNITY These three principles are best understood as a group since they are related. HARMONY ✓ Harmony is the principle of art that creates cohesiveness by stressing the similarities of separate but related parts. ✓ One should note that harmony is not the same as unity. Harmony does, however, enhance unity in a work of art. Specifically, harmony uses the elements of art (color, line, shape, form, value, space, texture) as a vehicle to create a sense of togetherness amongst otherwise separate parts. ✓ A set of colors that relate according to a specific scheme creates harmony. Likewise, a uniform texture of brush strokes across the surface of a canvas creates harmony. ✓ Another way to guarantee harmony is to choose compositional components that are similar in shape and contour. For example, a composition that utilizes only curvy shapes will have more harmony than a similar composition that includes both curvy and geometric shapes. VARIETY ✓ Variety is the principle of art that adds interest to an artwork. All harmony and no variety is boring. ✓ When an artist places different visual elements next to one another, he/she is using variety. Straight lines next to curvy lines add variety. Organic shapes among geometric shapes add variety. Bright colors next to dull colors add variety. ✓ Harmony and variety play tug-of-war in a composition. Too much harmony is boring while too much variety is aimless and incomprehensible. Look at the image below. Both harmony and variety are evident. The orange squares and the blue grid that surround them are in harmony based on both color and shape. The round form of distorted squares adds variety. The ball breaks the monotony of squares and adds interest. UNITY ✓ Unity is the principle of art that gives an artwork a feeling of “oneness”. Unity and harmony are similar, but unity is more broad. There are numerous ways to create unity in art. Some of those ways are particular to individual artist’s style. ✓ Unity is about separate parts working together. We can better understand unity by thinking about a car. A car’s purpose is to provide transportation. When the many parts of a car are working together, it moves. No part of the car, separated from the whole, is capable of providing transportation. When the car functions as it should, the parts are working together in unity. Here are some proven methods that ensure a unified composition… Simplicity Repetition Proximity Simplicity – Simplicity refers to purposely reducing the amount of potential variety. For example, a graphite pencil drawing is likely to exhibit some measure of unity, given the lack of color. By eliminating color, the image is simpler than it potentially could have been if color was introduced. Look at the image below. The simplicity of the line-type and the lack of color are simplifications of the original reference. Much of the visual information has been intentionally left out. The result is a unified image. Repetition – Repetition within a composition will guarantee a feeling of unity. Tessellations are an obvious example of how repetition unifies a composition. A tessellation is an arrangement of shapes that fit together in a repeated pattern without gaps. Repetition can also unify an entire series of artworks, like a group of paintings. A certain shape, object or texture that is repeated among a group of paintings acts as a motif, helping each painting to feel as though it is part of a greater whole. Proximity – Proximity refers to the closeness of different components in a work of art. By placing parts close together, the mind is able to see the parts as one thing, a mass. Visual Art Movements Looking back through Western history, it’s incredible to see how many types of art have made an impact on society. By tracing a timeline through different art movements, we’re able to not only see how modern and contemporary art has developed, but also how art is a reflection of its time. These visual art movements are fundamental to understanding the different types of art that shape modern history. PREHISTORIC ART Paleolithic Art is a product of climate change. As the climate got colder, part of the early humans’ instinct is to look for shelters that would provide them with warmth. Caves became protective havens for the early humans and these caves paved the way for the birth of their first attempts to create art. Hall of Bulls in the Cave of Lascaux, France Some would say that these caves with paintings all over the walls and ceilings served as a kind of sanctuary for the early humans. As a safe haven, religious rituals could have possibly transpired within the confines of the caves. Some believed that there was a linkage between what was drawn and what could happen in real life. Neolithic art has developed especially when life for the early humans has become more stable. They have learned to cultivate the land and domestic animals. By 4000 BCE, there were several monumental and architectural structures erected. One of them is the Stonehenge located in Southern England. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE ART From the 14th through 17 century, Italy underwent an unprecedented age of enlightenment. Known as the Renaissance—a term derived from the Italian word Rinascimento, or “rebirth”—this period saw increased attention to cultural subjects like art and architecture. Italian Renaissance artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael found inspiration in classical art from Ancient Rome and Greece, adopting ancient interests like balance, naturalism, and perspective. In Renaissance-era Italy, this antiquity-inspired approach materialized as humanist portrait painting, anatomically correct sculpture, and harmonious, symmetrical architecture. Artists to Know: Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael Iconic Artwork: David by Michelangelo BAROQUE ART Toward the end of the Renaissance, the Baroque movement emerged in Italy. Like the preceding genre, Baroque art showcased artistic interests in realism and rich color. Unlike Renaissance art and architecture, however, Baroque works also emphasized extravagance. This opulence is evident in Baroque painting, sculpture, and architecture. Painters like Caravaggio suggested drama through their treatment of light and depiction of movement. Sculptors like Bernini achieved a sense of theatricality through dynamic contours and intricate drapery. And architects across Europe embellished their designs with ornamentation ranging from intricate carvings to imposing columns. Artists to Know: Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Bernini Iconic Artwork: The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Bernini ROCOCO Rococo is a movement in art, particularly in architecture and decorative art, that originated in France in the early 1700s. Rococo art characteristics consist of elaborate ornamentation and a light, sensuous style, including scroll work, foliage, and animal forms. Iconic Artwork: The Swing, Jean-Honoré Fragonard REALISM Realism is a genre of art that started in France after the French Revolution of 1848. A clear rejection of Romanticism, the dominant style that had come before it, Realist painters focused on scenes of contemporary people and daily life. What may seem normal now was revolutionary after centuries of painters depicting exotic scenes from mythology and the Bible, or creating portraits of the nobility and clergy. French artists like Gustave Courbet and Honoré Daumier, as well as international artists like James Abbott McNeill Whistler, focused on all social classes in their artwork, giving voice to poorer members of society for the first time and depicting social issues stemming from the Industrial Revolution. Photography was also an influence on this type of art, pushing painters to produce realistic representations in competition with this new technology. Artists to Know: Gustav Courbet, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Jean-François Millet Iconic Painting: The Gleaners by Jean-François Millet IMPRESSIONISM It may be hard to believe, but this now beloved art genre was once an outcast visual movement. Breaking from Realism, Impressionist painters moved away from realistic representations to use visible brushstrokes, vivid colors with little mixing, and open compositions to capture the emotion of light and movement. Impressionism started when a group of French artists broke with academic tradition by painting en plein air—a shocking decision when most landscape painters executed their work indoors in a studio. The original group, which included Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille, formed in the early 1860s in France. Additional artists would join in forming their own society to exhibit their artwork after being rejected by the traditional French salons, who deemed it too controversial to exhibit. This initial underground exhibition, which took place in 1874, allowed them to gain public favor. Artists to Know: Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Mary Cassatt Iconic Painting: Water Lilies series by Claude Monet POST- IMPRESSIONISM Again originating from France, this type of art developed between 1886 and 1905 as a response to the Impressionist movement. This time, artists reacted against the need for the naturalistic depictions of light and color in Impressionist art. As opposed to earlier styles, Post-Impressionism covers many different types of art, from the Pointillism of Georges Seurat to the Symbolism of Paul Gauguin. Not unified by a single style, artists were united by the inclusion of abstract elements and symbolic content in their artwork. Perhaps the most well-known Post- Impressionist is Vincent van Gogh, who used color and his brushstrokes not to convey the emotional qualities of the landscape, but his own emotions and state of mind. Artists to Know: Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin Iconic Painting: The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh CUBISM A truly revolutionary style of art, Cubism is one of the most important art movements of the 20th century. Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque developed Cubism in the early 1900s, with the term being coined by art critic Louis Vauxcelles in 1907 to describe the artists. Throughout the 1910s and 1920s, the two men—joined by other artists—would use geometric forms to build up the final representation. Completely breaking with any previous art movement, objects were analyzed and broken apart, only to be reassembled into an abstracted form. This reduction of images to minimal lines and shapes was part of the Cubist quest for simplification. The minimalist outlook also trickled down into the color palette, with Cubists forgoing shadowing and using limited hues for a flattened appearance. This was a clear break from the use of perspective, which has been the standard since the Renaissance. Cubism opened the doors for later art movements, like Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism, by throwing out the prescribed artist’s rulebook. Artists to Know: Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris Iconic Painting: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso SUREALISM A precise definition of Surrealism can be difficult to grasp, but it’s clear that this once avant-garde movement has staying power, remaining one of the most approachable art genres, even today. Imaginative imagery spurred by the subconscious is a hallmark of this type of art, which started in the 1920s. The movement began when a group of visual artists adopted automatism, a technique that relied on the subconscious for creativity. Tapping into the appeal for artists to liberate themselves from restriction and take on total creative freedom, Surrealists often challenged perceptions and reality in their artwork. Part of this came from the juxtaposition of a realistic painting style with unconventional, and unrealistic, subject matters. Artists to Know: Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, René Magritte Iconic Painting: The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí EXPRESSIONISM The main contribution of expressionism to "modern art" was to popularize the idea of subjectivity in painting and sculpture, and to show that representational art may legitimately include subjective distortion. A movement in fine arts that emphasized the expression of inner experience rather than solely realistic portrayal, seeking to depict not objective reality but the subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse in the artist.” Iconic Painting: The Scream by Edvard Munch ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM Abstract Expressionism is an American art movement—the first to explode on an international scale—that started after World War II. It solidified New York as the new center of the art world, which had traditionally been based in Paris. The genre developed in the 1940s and 1950s, though the term was also used to describe work by earlier artists like Wassily Kandinsky. This style of art takes the spontaneity of Surrealism and injects it with the dark mood of trauma that lingered post-War. Jackson Pollock is a leader of the movement, with his drip paintings spotlighting the spontaneous creation and gestural paint application that defines the genre. The term “Abstract Expressionism,” though closely married to Pollock’s work, isn’t limited to one specific style. Work as varied as Willem de Kooning’s figurative paintings and Mark Rothko’s color fields are grouped under the umbrella of Abstract Expressionism. Artists to Know: Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Clyfford Still Iconic Painting: Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) by Jackson Pollock FAUVISM Short-lived, dramatic and highly influential, Led by Henri Matisse (1869-1954), Fauvism was 'the' fashionable style during the mid-1900s in Paris. The new style was launched at the Salon d'Automne, and became instantly famous for its vivid, garish, non-naturalist colours that made Impressionism appear almost monochrome! A key precursor of expressionism. The main contribution of Fauvism to "modern art" was to demonstrate the independent power of colour. This highly subjective approach to art was in contrast to the classical content- oriented outlook of the academies. Iconic Painting: Green Stripe by Henry Matisse FUTURISM It is an early 20th century art movement that started in Italy, which highlighted the speed, energy, dynamism, and power of machines. In addition, common themes for works in this movement are restlessness and the fast-pace of modern life. Iconic Artwork: Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni Modern and Contemporary Art MODERN ART Roughly between 1860s-1970s Modern art saw the digression of artists away from past conventions and traditions and toward freedom. With the world becoming increasingly complex, it required an art that could accommodate such range and breadth. This period saw the heavy mass production of goods, along with the encouraging environment made possible by industrialization, new technology, urbanization, and rise of commercially driven culture. Artists were committed to developing a language of their own – original but representative. CONTEMPORARY ART Art made and produced by artists living today. This period can be traced from the 1970s to the present. The cutoff was hinged on two reasons: o 1970s saw the emergence of “postmodernism” o 1970s saw the decline of the clearer identified artistic movements. In Between Modern and Contemporary Art Reaping the benefits and drawbacks of the dramatic changes that occurred at the beginning of th the 20 century, the social, political, and cultural context continued to provoke the artist to create. There is a potent source of reference for his works so that he may continue to question the existing and emergent values of society. This multiplicity of perspectives brought to light a more difficult terrain to map out in terms of clear and distinct movements because what compelled artists’ works were not the prevailing medium, technique, or style; rather, it was the themes and concerns they addressed. And the conversation was no longer limited to geographic locations, but became increasingly a global conversation. Contemporary art was heavily driven by ideas and theories, and even the blurring of notions of what is and can be considered as “art,” with the involvement of television, photography, cinema, digital technology, performance, and even objects of the everyday. It was the idea that was more important than its visual articulation. The following are art movements that were caught in between the succession of modern and contemporary art Abstract Expressionism (1940s-1960s) – took the basic tenets of abstraction and combined it with gestural techniques, mark-making, and a rugged spontaneity in its virtual articulation. Two major styles emerged from this: that of action painting and color fields. Example: Jackson Pollock – Number 4, 1951 “Op Art” or Optical Art (early 1960s onward) – relied on creating an illusion to inform the experience of the artwork using color, pattern, and other perspective tricks that artists had on their sleeves. Example: Op Art by Victor Vasarely Kinetic Art (early 1950s onward) – harnessing the current and direction of the wind, components of the artwork which was predominantly sculptural, most were mobiles and even motor-driven machines, was an example of how art and technology can be brought together. Example: Kinetic Construction (Standing Wave) Naum Gabo, 1919-1920 Gutai (1950s-1970s) – embodiment or concreteness, it preceded the later forms of performance and conceptual art. The goal was not only to explore the materiality of the implements used in the performance, but also to hold a deeper desire to make sense of the relationship that is struck between the body, the movements, and the spirit of their interaction during the process of creation. Example: Kazuo Shiraga, Torimono, 1958 Minimalism (early 1960s)- it was seen as an extreme type of abstraction that favored geometric shapes, color fields, and the use of objects and materials that has an industrial sparse. Example: (Untitled) by Agnes Martin, 1992 Pop Art (emerged in 1950s but found its footing in the 1960s) – it drew inspiration, sources, and even materials from commercial culture. They turned to commodities designed and made for the masses, particularly drawing inspiration and material from ads, packaging, comic books, movies and movie posters, and pop music. The aim was to also elevate popular cultureas something at par with fine art. Example: Campbell’s Soup Cans by Andy Warhol, 1962 Postmodernism – highlighted the importance of individual experience and was often steeped in complexity and contradiction. As an upshot, formerly established rules, barriers, and distinctions were abolished. In a sense, the artist’s creativity was in its most free – with an “anything goes” disposition, artworks fell within the broad spectrum of the humorous to controversial works that challenged not only taste but also former sensibilities and styles. Their awareness of styles was not for them to copy or be governed by them, but to borrow, critique, and even turn to their heads. Other Contemporary Art Movements Photorealism Much like artists working in the Pop Art style sought to artistically reproduce objects, those involved with Photorealism—a concurrent movement—aimed to create hyperrealistic drawings and paintings. Photorealists often worked from photographs, which enabled them to accurately reproduce portraits, landscapes, and other iconography. Portrait of Chuck Close (Stock Photos from Rushay/Shutterstock) Conceptualism In turn, Pop Art also helped shape Conceptualism, which rejected the idea of art as a commodity. In conceptual art, the idea behind a work of art takes precedence. Though this experimental movement is rooted in art of the early 21st century, it emerged as a formal movement in the 1960s and remains a major contemporary art movement today. Ai Wei Wei, “Circle of Animals/ Zodiac Heads,” 2010 (Stock Photos from Alisa_Ch/Shutterstock) Performance Art Another movement with Conceptualist roots is Performance Art. Beginning in the 1960s and retaining its popularity today, performance art is a drama- inspired approach to art. While the art form is performed by artists (as the name suggests), it is not solely intended as entertainment. Instead, its goal is to convey a message or idea. Installation Art Like performance pieces, installation art is an immersive medium of art. Installations are three- dimensional constructions that transform their surroundings and alter viewers' perceptions of space. Often, they're large-scale and site-specific, enabling artists to transform any space into a customized, interactive environment. Yayoi Kusama, “Gleaming Lights of the Souls,” 2008 (Stock Photos from ephst/Shutterstock) Earth Art A unique spin on installation art, Earth Art (or Land Art) is a movement in which artists transform natural landscapes into site-specific works of art. Robert Smithson, “Spiral Jetty” (Photo: Wikimedia Commons Public Domain) Street Art As one of the most recent contemporary art movements, street art is a genre that gained prominence with the rise of graffiti in the 1980s. Often rooted in social activism, street art includes murals, installations, stenciled images, and stickers erected in public spaces. Keith Haring, “The Pisa's Mural, 1989 by Stock Photos from peepy/Shutterstock History of Philippine Art Stylistic Overview Cultural Overview I. PRE-CONQUEST CAñAO or KANYAW (CAR) a traditional practice by people from the Cordillera mountains of Northern Philippines where animal sacrifice, feasting, and dancing is involved for healing, thanksgiving, entertainment, and asking for a bountiful harvest. Varied and Vibrant Musical Culture KUDYAPI – three-stringed guitar KULINTANG – array of bossed gongs GANSA – flat gong AGONG – a large bossed gong Dance forms imitated the movements of animals, humans, and elements from nature PANGALAY - Sulu, mimics seabirds movement KINABUA (Mandaya), BANOG- BANOG (Higaonon, B’laan) MAN-MANOK (Bagobos) – predatory birds. TALIP (Ifugao) – wild fowls INAMONG (Matigsalugs), KADALIWAS (T’boli) – monkey BULUL (Cordillera) – the granary God that plays an important role in rituals. - appears in containers, bowls, and spoons. HAGABI (Ifugao) - a wooden bench that marks the socioeconomic status of the owner. OKIR (Ukkil in Tausug, Samal, Badjao) - curvilinear decorations - painted in primary colors of mythical sarimanok, naga or serpent, pako rabong or fern. - can also be found in the panolong or protruding beams of torogan. - found in musical instrument ornamentation and sheaths, grave markers called sunduk, marking for ceremonial boats. Manunggul Jar (890-710 B.C.) Manunggul Cave, Lipuun Point, Palawan Secondary burial with two figures at top travelling to the afterlife. Traditional Pagbuburnay in Vigan thrives and is currently valued in Ilocos as part of its creative industry. Textiles are not only functional; they also impart knowledge about people’s belief systems: o the reverence for spirits and nature o criteria for the beautiful o societies’ sociopolitical structures. Pis siyabit- headpiece woven by Tausug of Sulu Malong with Langkit woven by Maranao of Lanao Del Sur A colorful double-layered tepo mat of the Sama of Tawi-Tawi made of pandan leaves as a remarkable example of a mundane or everyday object with high artistic value. Ovaloid baskets made of nito and bamboo used as a head sling to carry harvest. BUBO - Fish traps made of bamboo strips in Ilocos Region BOXER CODEX - a manuscript written c. 1590,] which contains illustrations of ethnic groups in the Philippines at the time of their initial contact with the Spaniards. Tattoos are valued because: o aesthetic function o protection from evil spirits o badge of maturity and bravery Jewelry is: o believed to make the wearer more attractive o pleasing to the Gods Betel Nut Boxes (Lotoan) Maranao, Lanao del Sur o Made of brass or bronze o Textured designs on the exterior of functional containers o Lost wax process II. ISLAMIC COLONIAL (13th century to the Present) How did Islam influence art before the coming of the Spanish colonizers? Ummah – community of believers. Tawhid – unity of God - emphasizes the impermanence of nature and the incomprehensible greatness of divine being. LUHUL Forms are repetitive and elaborate that they seem to distract us from the actual natural elements from which they were derived. Panolong – an elaborately carved protrusion akin to a wing attached to the torogan. III. Spanish Colonial Period (1521-1898) Baroque Style Churches was predominantly employed; they were characterized by grandeur, drama, and elaborate details that purposely appealed to the emotions. RETABLO - a decorative altar which integrates architecture and sculpture and is often embellished with rosettes, scrolls, pediments, and columns which may be gilded or polychromed. Relleves – carved figurative protrusions Plateria – organic designs of hammered silver Carroza – used for the parade of santos during toen processions Pasyon or Pabasa - The biblical narration of Christ’s passion chanted in an improvised melody. During the latter half of the 19th century when revolutionary sentiments began to develop, the kundiman which usually spoke of resignation and fatalism, became a vehicle of resistance. The lyrics were that of unrequited love, except that the love object was the Philippines who would be cleverly concealed as a beautiful woman. Mangyans cut bamboo poles into smaller nodes and etched Baybayin script. Zarzuela or Sarsuwela - An operatta which features singing and dancing interspersed with prose dialogue which allowed the story to be carried out in song. Senakulo -its narrative was culled entirely from the biblical account of Christ’s passion and death on the cross, adapted into verse form and translated into the local language. Komedya – depicts the conflict between the Muslims and Christians. o Komedya de Santo -centers on the life of Christ or any Saint. o Secular Komedya ✓ Moro- moro – spanish word “Moor” which refers to North African Arabs who ruled parts of Spain from the 8th to 15th century. ✓ Love story between a Christian hero and an Islamic heroine or vice versa. ✓ Dialog done in verse in vernacular language ✓ clashes were done in dance ✓ Results to the conversion and baptism of the leading Muslim character ✓ Ending with a Christian wedding ✓ And they lived happily ever after. Heaven, Earth, and Hell (1850) Jose Dans, Paete Church, Laguna A map of the universe features a terrifying depiction of hell. The painting seems to warn that a sinful life on earth would lead to torment and eternal damnation. Basi Revolt by Esteban Villanueva - Chronicles the defeat of Ilocanos who rebelled against the Spanish government’s monopoly of basi or rice wine in 1821. Doctrina Christiana (The Teachings of Christianity) Printed in 1593 in Spanish and in Tagalog by Dominican Priest First printed book in the Philippines compiling song lyrics, commandments, sacraments, and other catechetical material. Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas, 1734 Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde with Francisco Suarez and engraver Nicolas de la Cruz Bagay The first scientific map of the Philippines. Flora de Filipinas, Fr. Manuel Blanco, 1878 - An extensive compilation of Philippine plants. - Covered with exquisite leather - Contents consist of lithographic reproductions of remarkable watercolor illustrations by Filipino artists. Academia de Dibujo was the first art school in the country established by Damian Domingo in 1821. Use of large panels, adoption of mythological themes and historical scenes, application of chiaroscuro (the play of light and dark and the contrast between them to heighten the composition’s sense of drama. In 1884, the expatriates Juan Luna and Felix Resureccion Hidalgo won medals in the Madrid Exposition. Luna won gold for Spoliarium; while Hidalgo garnered a silver medal for Las Virgenes Christianas Expuestas al Populacho. Both works testify to Filipino artistic excellence which proved to be at par with the standards set by the European academy IV. AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1898-1940) to the POSTWAR REPUBLIC (1946-1969) In 1909, UP School of Fine Arts was opened. Fabian De la Rosa was known for his naturalist paintings characterized by restraint and formality in brushwork, choice of dull colors, and subject matter. Fernando Amorsolo (National Artist in 1972) Known for his romantic paintings that captured the warm glow of the Philippine sunlight. Produced numerous portraits of prominent individuals, genre scenes highlighting the beauty of dalagang filipina, landscapes, and historical paintings. A graphic artist who rendered drawings for textbook series. Guillermo Tolentino (National Artist in 1973) He is credited for the iconic Oblation (1935, original/ 1958, bronze cast found at the UP Oblation plaza) of the University of the Philippines and the Bonifacio Monument, 1933 in Caloocan The academic tradition of painting and sculpture of Amorsolo and Tolentino prevailed in the art scene. This challenged the return of National artist Victorio Edades where its modern art movement influenced him. His homecoming exhibition in 1928 at the Philippine Columbian Club unveiled paintings which departed from the conservative style of Amorsolo. Modern Art and It’s Challenges to Academic Art Carlos “Botong” Francisoc, Victorio Edades, Galo Ocampo are considered as the “Triumvirate of Modern Art”. Vicente Manansala is known for the use of transparent cubism. Transparent Cubism – a style marked by the soft fragmentation of figures using transparent planes instead of hard-edged ones. Cesar Legaspi distorted the subject by elongating or making round forms in a well-ordered composition. The 1950’s also saw the construction of modern architectural structures, particularly churches that modified or veered away from traditional cruciform designs like the Church of the Holy Sacrifice and Church of the Risen Lord in UP Diliman Abstraction - Consist of simplified forms which avoided mimetic representation. Sometimes referred to as non-representational or non-objective art as it emphasized the relationships of line, color, and space or the flatness of the canvas rather than illusion of three- d. V. 70s to Contemporary Cultural Center of the Philippines ✓ It was created on June 25, 1966 through an Executive Order 30 and inaugurated in 1969, the year Marcos was elected to his second term. ✓ Leandro V. Locsin, designed the modernist cantilevered building described as a cross between the vernacular bahay kubo and art minimalist structure. ✓ It stands like a shrine to High art on land reclaimed from the Historic Manila bay. Satellite Structures of CCP o Folk Arts Theater o Tahanang Filipino or Coconut Palace o Philippine International Convention Center o Manila Film Center Social Realism - A form of protest art that exposed the sociopolitical issues and struggles of the times. - worked collectively, and in collaboration, not only in terms of producing murals and other art forms, but also in making aesthetic decisions grounded on a common mass-based, scientific and nationalist framework. Prepared by: Anj Hechanova