tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85274450534740228782024-03-21T22:24:12.766-07:00Inadvertently Art"All painting is an accident. But it's also not an accident, because one must select what part of the accident one chooses to preserve." -Francis BaconN.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-41538595864999074682012-01-11T20:39:00.000-08:002012-01-11T20:39:17.067-08:00It's the little things.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHujLM9Kmt6lU00tvAgumUW4K1jkIciwkE8TBLd3tUfgZWNFq2AK7fAyvWpRu93YNJAeHltRv0bJaOOz101F-IjfudgpmftB_89iVRv53GLJsXBENGgdByEhc3HiSZSmEdyW9_jSm9n7n/s1600/CRI_8729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHujLM9Kmt6lU00tvAgumUW4K1jkIciwkE8TBLd3tUfgZWNFq2AK7fAyvWpRu93YNJAeHltRv0bJaOOz101F-IjfudgpmftB_89iVRv53GLJsXBENGgdByEhc3HiSZSmEdyW9_jSm9n7n/s400/CRI_8729.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Blue Monochrome</i> by Yves Klein </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1961, 195.1 x 140 cm., <a href="http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=80103">MOMA</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Dry pigment in synthetic polymer medium on cotton over plywood</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Let's address the obvious frustration up front. You may be thinking something like "Huh?" which is what I thought when I first saw these works. The greatness lies in the weirdo that is Yves Klein. I've said it before and I'll say it again, most great artists are a bit weird but, Klein kicks it up a notch!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I haven't always been a fan of Yves Klein until I recently started studying him a bit more and realized what a quack he was. I loves quacks, especially in art. Double especially when people get annoyed by them! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Klein was completely obsessed with the color ultramarine blue and actually patented a shade calling it I.K.B. (International Klein Blue). Now, it's hard to hear the name Yves Klein and not immediately think blue. Many artists have created strong artworks that stick in your brain, but never has a single artist had such a foothold on a single color. I love him for that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 1957 he organized an exhibition displaying 11 paintings exactly like <i>Blue Monochrome</i>. They were all identical- all the same size, all the same material, and all unframed. The only difference was the price tag. This probably annoyed a lot of people (and still does) because it seems like he is mocking artistic tradition. I, on the other hand, think this is one of the main reasons Klein is such a lovable quack. In that single exhibition he basically declared that he thought the importance people placed on status and having a lot of stuff, was just plain silly. He priced identical works different to prove it doesn't matter the price of things, it's all the same.... pointless and unnecessary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, instead of getting annoyed with Klein, I actually have come to appreciate his absurdity. When I see a <i>Blue Monochrome </i>I am reminded that life isn't about who has what. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>It's the little things, like the color blue, that show the most truth. </i></div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-49022065127343789722011-04-12T22:07:00.000-07:002011-04-12T22:07:56.005-07:00It's been awhile.I still love and think about this blog all the time, but with my current school schedule I am not able to dedicate the time as of now.<br />
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I do, however, have plans to continue in a few months (who knows maybe sooner) and urge anyone who has stumbled upon this blog and likes it to drop me a line at <b>inadvertentlyart@gmail.com </b><br />
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It would be great to have some requests on what to write about or just some feedback for some added motivation. <br />
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I thought it was a good idea to post this little message so people know I am still here and plan on returning just as soon as I have the time!<br />
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Until next time! N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-77530909892296368852010-11-23T10:21:00.000-08:002010-11-23T10:21:09.511-08:00Alexa's art requires imagination.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aed0LbadEHr3OuZBSoDc65rIohdFFxdnqjq30r24Pcv1OQ52e-NH0gAsfvQ3BvsmSWGJeNSxhwWZWmTwRAl83GCuSHAj0hSpNevFynYsXbXD3WWnuBvTRmVpwlHnpkAM_dPp8gCJb48A/s1600/AlexaMeade1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aed0LbadEHr3OuZBSoDc65rIohdFFxdnqjq30r24Pcv1OQ52e-NH0gAsfvQ3BvsmSWGJeNSxhwWZWmTwRAl83GCuSHAj0hSpNevFynYsXbXD3WWnuBvTRmVpwlHnpkAM_dPp8gCJb48A/s400/AlexaMeade1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Transit by Alexa Meade</div><div style="text-align: center;">2009, C-Print, 18 x 24 in. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alexameade.com/index.html">Alexa Meade Official Website</a></div><br />
When I first saw the picture above I was REALLY confused, I literally said "WHAT?!" out loud. Basically, instead of putting paint on a canvas and creating a portrait Alexa Meade puts paint directly onto a person and makes them seem as if they are a two dimensional painting rather than a three dimensional person! It's quite bizarre if you think about it.<br />
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Here's what I love most about Alexa.<br />
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One, she has created another form of art that not only is something no one has ever done, but an art that combines painting, photography, installation, and performance. I always wonder when an artist creates a new technique or does something that has never been done before do they get really excited like someone would when they invent something that works? Like when Alexa first figured out this technique and how awesome it looks, did she think "Wow, I am going to be really famous one day because of this?"<br />
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Two, she is super young (23) and seems really for lack of a better word, normal. You can try and deny it but, most great artists are really strange or have some type of psychological disorder/problem. Van Gogh, Warhol, Pollock all had special circumstances that made them a little weird and/or mentally unstable. Alexa Meade is one of the first really amazing artists that I have watched an interview of and thought, wow she seems really normal which I think adds to her amazing art because I know it's not her insanity that is driving the piece, it's just her.<br />
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Three, her work is just awesome. I love looking at Trompe-L'Oeil art, or art that tricks the eye because it's art that anyone could look at and be intrigued. You don't have to look way into the meaning or be an experienced art goer to love it, you love it because it confuses the heck out of you. In an interview I watched Alexa said that usually the people who understand that her art is a trick are kids and that they usually explain it to their parents. That says a lot. One of Picasso's more famous quotes is "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when we grow up." Alexa's art isn't childish, it is art that children understand because they have such vivid imaginations. Her art challenges you to be creative as this is the only way you will understand it.<br />
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Alexa's art requires imagination and that is a quality every work of art should require.N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-78059921181716765892010-10-20T19:42:00.000-07:002010-10-20T19:42:59.353-07:00M.C. Escher's a good thing.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN3teakMcnOajmRDJAtFb2qXqu_mWSMpUKokAS8WeQLXvktTcUsC9jO4Vt12WC4m4aT9Sy-p2Ji0hjBtONQ2khRNJjZx9J_3Imt3sBNKXOWt_9qmPBf6VSqjvxSCBGGDG5_8HahrK4kQw/s1600/escher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN3teakMcnOajmRDJAtFb2qXqu_mWSMpUKokAS8WeQLXvktTcUsC9jO4Vt12WC4m4aT9Sy-p2Ji0hjBtONQ2khRNJjZx9J_3Imt3sBNKXOWt_9qmPBf6VSqjvxSCBGGDG5_8HahrK4kQw/s400/escher.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Relativity</i> by M.C. Escher </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1953, Lithograph, 10.9 in × 11.5 in</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mcescher.com/">The Official M.C. Escher Website </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started my obsession with art in 2nd grade when my elementary school teacher held up a Picasso and I was sold. Well shortly after I went to some museum and my Mom let me pick one postcard and I chose one with the M.C. Escher image above. Now all of this could very well be a dream as I am finding most of childhood "memories" are but, I am almost 95% sure I still have this postcard somewhere. The point is M.C. Escher captivated a 7 years old, so he must be good. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next to Salvador Dali, M.C. Escher seems to be an obvious favorite among marijuana users because his work is quite "trippy" but I am here to tell you that you don't have to smoke pot to love Escher, you can love him any old day! Escher has this ability to create these really insane images that you have to stare at for a minimum of ten minutes just to start and understand what the heck is going on. In my book, that's a pretty awesome artist because he doesn't make it hard to love art in fact, he makes it quite easy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A fun fact about Escher is that he was left-handed. I have always been extremely obsessed with left-handed people (and identical twins, but that's another story) so the fact that Escher was left-handed might not mean much to you, but to me it's fascinating. Left-handed artists are always awesome. Proof? Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Durer.... yep, all left-handed! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I feel like this post has no point so let me sum it up. M.C. Escher was brilliant because you don't have to love art to love <i>his</i> art. Google him when you are bored and I guarantee you will have to spend at least fifteen minutes looking at all his images because you won't be able to stop. His work makes you think, "Oh what the?!" and I think that's a good thing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">M.C. Escher's a good thing. </div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-90654718757240980952010-10-19T23:53:00.000-07:002010-10-19T23:53:12.271-07:00The Social Mirror is a reminder to be passionate.<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2GP9LJ8B5xp2Ib-dx-W6xkgWv-bnvtTH3TFnAQtRkPkzjBmFlrAP7uiLUTDCKQNTVmuODZUSo8zC8yQxB1-fy0MlE_w2ZEnc-RTTarmaAIri43dhFOf6j3HPiIPf7flBdUZOdY2klBl4/s1600-h/social-mirror-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2GP9LJ8B5xp2Ib-dx-W6xkgWv-bnvtTH3TFnAQtRkPkzjBmFlrAP7uiLUTDCKQNTVmuODZUSo8zC8yQxB1-fy0MlE_w2ZEnc-RTTarmaAIri43dhFOf6j3HPiIPf7flBdUZOdY2klBl4/s400/social-mirror-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Social Mirror</i> by Mierle Laderman Ukeles</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">New York City garbage truck with hand-tempered glass mirror and strips of mirrored acrylic</div><div style="text-align: center;">New York, USA, 1983, <a href="http://www.feldmangallery.com/pages/artistsrffa/artuke01.html">Ronald Feldman Gallery</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Okay so I noticed on my posts that I have had <i>The Social Mirror</i> post as a draft for months. Why? I have no clue, but I definitely have previously started this post a ton of times and just never thought it was good enough to publish. Another reason could be because Mierle Laderman Ukeles is really freaking hard to find any information on and I usually research any artist I am going to feature beforehand. All I can tell you is that she is an artist that often deals with feminist topics and anything that has to do with maintenance but, what the heck does that even mean?<br />
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So why do I love <i>The Social Mirror</i> if I don't know crap about the artist? Well, for starters the way she created the message of the piece is pretty darn brilliant. To state the obvious, the picture above shows a regular garbage truck however on one side of the truck there is a mirror and the mirror is reflecting dozens of people. Okay, so what? WELL the brilliant factor here is in the title <i>The Social Mirror</i>. Ukeles is simply showing how we the people of the world are creating a ton of crap and garbage and we should be blamed for the effects of this crap and garbage. You could even go as far as saying that she believes we are a wasteful, un-resourceful, and lazy people for not taking some responsibility. <br />
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I like <i>The Social Mirror</i> for other reasons too. I suppose the main reason isn't because it speaks to my inner love for our environment (which to be honest I could be greener) but, it speaks to my need for passion in my life. Mierle Laderman Ukeles is extremely passionate about sanitation, so much so that she created <i>The Social Mirror</i> and bases most of her artwork on the topic. She has found something in life that sparks her and ignites her to do something. <br />
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I am always desperate to find this in my life. Besides art, I can't think of one hobby or one cause that I have been obsessed with for over a year. <i>The Social Mirror </i>encourages me to find something that consistently excites me and motivates me to do something. <br />
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Thus, <i>The Social Mirror</i> is a reminder to be passionate. </div></div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-28525249696133851902010-10-18T12:01:00.004-07:002010-10-18T12:02:28.672-07:00Norman Rockwell cherishes the simple.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaumCbmpizYAQpw0fpN0ZrBAVW-VeGYR8K_5YUL1kdXwrV8c77qlUqgpnF9xGM4QULNY7X4vpp4Zh_tqba4NXLv8-D1LVbTCEEUULvVkdyO7UIu_V97rgzOSp0LwC-SBdeMXa3aBwB8-we/s1600/1951-11-24LG+Saying+Grace+-+Norman+Rockwell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaumCbmpizYAQpw0fpN0ZrBAVW-VeGYR8K_5YUL1kdXwrV8c77qlUqgpnF9xGM4QULNY7X4vpp4Zh_tqba4NXLv8-D1LVbTCEEUULvVkdyO7UIu_V97rgzOSp0LwC-SBdeMXa3aBwB8-we/s400/1951-11-24LG+Saying+Grace+-+Norman+Rockwell.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Saying Grace</i> by Norman Rockwell</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1951, oil on canvas </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="content">Featured on <a href="http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/">The Saturday Evening Post</a> Cover November 24, 1951</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="content">It takes me way too much time to decide what Norman Rockwell to put on my blog, there is just so many that all deserve to be talked about. After about an hour of looking I chose <i>Saying Grace</i>. </span><br />
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<span class="content">I often daydream about how Norman Rockwell chose the small details for his artwork. For example, the guy in the bottom left hand corner of <i>Saying Grace</i> is my favorite. You can't really see his expression, but you know he is staring at those praying. He was reading the paper, or pretending to, while drinking coffee and he just finished eating something... I like to think it was chocolate cake. </span><br />
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<span class="content">I suppose the real reason why I love <i>Saying Grace</i> so much is it's ability to evoke this feeling of a calm simple America. I always get wrapped up in the go go go attitude and will be the first to admit that too much technology surrounds my day to day life. I long for a simple life where my family and I would go a diner, grab a slice of pie, and bow our heads to say grace. The best we do now is speed to the nearest coffee shop, go through the drive thru, and ask for a Venti Latte. </span><br />
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<span class="content">I probably sound like I am 90 years old, but really I am just a girl who desperately tries to make my life simple and forget all the useless things I can get preoccupied with. So that's why I love Norman Rockwell because he knows just what I am after. </span><br />
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<span class="content">Norman Rockwell cherishes the simple. </span></div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-50820933021278544442010-09-23T11:21:00.000-07:002010-09-23T11:21:35.027-07:00Wayne Thiebaud exaggerates his imagery in the most delicious way.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwzn0uTrq5-nQSjrh8HAA7OUaGCFx46mOKSnbf07G8zC7pEH8-9Mt8r8gAw4MzMbpkVQldEqKRMREcyur64fWsIhu1MVqfxXN4My4h_c10koID0fzgkW3NnW8NKr4q2JK0kPJ9EhuJmAl/s1600/110860476_90ef609045_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwzn0uTrq5-nQSjrh8HAA7OUaGCFx46mOKSnbf07G8zC7pEH8-9Mt8r8gAw4MzMbpkVQldEqKRMREcyur64fWsIhu1MVqfxXN4My4h_c10koID0fzgkW3NnW8NKr4q2JK0kPJ9EhuJmAl/s400/110860476_90ef609045_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Potrero Hill</i> by Wayne Thiebaud</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1976, oil on canvas, 36 x 44 in.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.samuseum.org/main/">San Antonio Art Musuem</a>, Texas</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">While the above picture isn't one of Thiebaud's more popular images, it's just as electric as the others. Well-known for his paintings of delicious food and sweets, I would argue that he is much more well-known for his unique style of art, which is most obvious in <i>Potrero Hill</i>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Whenever an artist chooses to not only paint a specific place, but also label the painting with the specific place, they are inviting others to critique their art. No one looks at <i>Potrero Hill</i> and thinks "What a cool imaginary place!" instead they may think things such as "That is NOT what <i>Potrero Hill </i>looks like" or "I remember when I visited there in the 80's." Either way, people are going to talk because the subject of the piece is shoved into their face... and to me, that's brilliant. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I once read that Thiebaud is not so much labeled as an expressionist but rather likes to emphasis the expression of realism. Yeah, I know if you aren't an art junkie that could sound like blah blah blah. Basically, Thiebaud focuses on portraying real things in a way that is filled with emotion and livelihood. I mean look at <i>Potrero Hill</i> and tell me you don't want to live atop that beautiful hill in the yellow or lime green house! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">To create such a image that jumps out to your eyes Thiebaud had a pretty awesome method. He would go outdoors and directly observe what he wanted to paint that he would go into his studio and paint from memory to give the image room to be playful. I had the pleasure of seeing this image in person and I can tell you that the one thing that you can't tell from a mere picture is the brushstroke of the <i>Potrero Hill</i>. The most beautiful thing about this piece was that the paint looked like icing on a cake, actually that IS typical Thiebaud, he has that weird ability to make his images cause the viewer to salivate... go ahead, go google him and see for yourself. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So how can I sum up Thiebaud? Well he is actually kind of easy because if I had to chose one word to describe him it would be EXAGGERATION. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Wayne Thiebaud exaggerates his imagery in the most delicious way. </div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-1221074515584357442010-09-20T11:52:00.000-07:002010-09-20T11:52:36.183-07:00The Scream brings one comfort.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVoI-pl0wWkqTUSoZ9n_NXmUHxElAIE6FbNEx-IrNBOrORhEjJhrlPB3KlfoasmzqyMrIFntZS6zGD7RGKdZqGzh69-h8NjoT0_7LvafoJYtoZlYYKM9knY1khBXQhGADy88h6IGjzJam/s1600/munch.scream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVoI-pl0wWkqTUSoZ9n_NXmUHxElAIE6FbNEx-IrNBOrORhEjJhrlPB3KlfoasmzqyMrIFntZS6zGD7RGKdZqGzh69-h8NjoT0_7LvafoJYtoZlYYKM9knY1khBXQhGADy88h6IGjzJam/s400/munch.scream.jpg" width="308" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>The Scream</i> by Edvard Munch </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1893, Oil, tempera, & pastel on cardboard, 91 x 73.5 cm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nasjonalmuseet.no/">National Gallery</a> : Oslo, Norway </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This painting has been haunting me for the last few months and was surprised to find that I have never featured it in my blog, as it is such a timeless image. I have often heard<i> The Scream</i> being compared to other timeless images such as the <i>Mona Lisa</i> or a popular Picasso in reference to the image being a staple of art culture, but in all honesty, you just can't compare Munch with any other artist. <br />
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It would be hard to try and explain Edvard Munch within in the length constraints I would like to keep of my blog posts. He is one of those artists’ that can't be understood in a few adjectives or cleverly complied sentences; the best way to describe him would be to say well, he is Edvard Munch. But if I must, I will simply say that Munch was complex and simple, disturbed and perfectly peaceful, along with (insert appropriate oxymoron). <br />
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So, if Munch is so hard to explain, how on earth should I explain <i>The Scream</i>? Well, what makes this image so popular is because it is relatable to anyone and everyone. We have all had those minutes, days, weeks, and months where we feel as if the only word to describe our life is uncertain and in modern culture uncertainty is almost always followed by anxiety. We want to know what our life holds and more importantly, we want to be in control. When our control is taken from us, for even just a second, we panic and we may even scream. <br />
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This scream, panic, anxiety, and uncertainty is what makes Edvard Munch's <i>The Scream</i> so striking. Munch was able to capture a common emotion and make it visual and in doing so the rest of the world grabs hold to his image and cherishes it. Why? Because <i>The Scream</i> helps you feel and know that you are not the only person in the world that feels what you feel and in this you receive comfort. <br />
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Thus oddly enough, <i>The Scream</i> brings one comfort.N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-85562824039294374892010-09-18T22:18:00.000-07:002010-09-18T22:18:41.781-07:00The rumors are true....You guessed it, I am back! <br />
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I am sure you have heard all the rumors and have been wondering "But WHEN will Inadvertently Art be back?!? I CAN NOT WAIT ANY LONGER!!!!" Well I am here to assure you that September 20th will quickly became a holiday in your book as that is the day I am officially re-launching Inadvertently Art! <br />
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Okay okay, I know this isn't a big deal, but if I don't post this official announcement I am afraid I will a) forget and my blog with go ignored for many more months or b) make up some excuse to not write a post thus my blog will go ignored for many more months. <br />
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So my friends this Monday I will be back and back strong because honestly, life just isn't the same without art and more importantly life isn't the same without finding way to discover inadvertent art :)N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-2730437411309725882010-02-10T07:56:00.003-08:002010-02-10T07:59:30.125-08:00Central Park has a beautiful purpose.<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlTBkpSILtvq47gg4xPnSaK0UfwXZ-rC20K4QvbCsU0k_vk1Wd4SUqA0WfzRM1l6Txn-tB0jq83AeDdwT4g6YVVMa5LJdhTU04m98zh5jhib9LhW9pgmDhe2iR0zkJyi2Su_Ob5UzQAQc/s1600-h/central-park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlTBkpSILtvq47gg4xPnSaK0UfwXZ-rC20K4QvbCsU0k_vk1Wd4SUqA0WfzRM1l6Txn-tB0jq83AeDdwT4g6YVVMa5LJdhTU04m98zh5jhib9LhW9pgmDhe2iR0zkJyi2Su_Ob5UzQAQc/s400/central-park.jpg" width="420" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Central Park</i> by Frederick Law Olmsted & Calvert Vaux</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">New York City, USA, 1857-1887</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Though I have never been there, Central Park has always fascinated me. It was designed by these two landscape architects and has become one of the most prized possessions of NYC. It really is pretty amazing for more than just visual appeal; Central Park has a purpose. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
With the rise of skyscrapers and big cities came a major shift in design and concern. People finally started to think, "Hey, we should probably try and save some of our natural environment," and began to incorporate our environment into our urbanized world. Central Park was planned with the desire to keep a part of nature in big city Manhattan. Though big cities are appealing the crammed space and polluted air isn't. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, some people might be thinking why I am writing about a park in my art blog. Well, nature is most definitely art and landscape architects are most definitely artists. Landscape architects have to try and figure out how to keep our natural environment while making it better suited for human use. When you think about it, that's pretty dang hard. Not only do they have to figure the best way to incorporate nature, but nature affects presentation. So landscape architects not only have to think about where they will create, but what will surround their creation. That's a lot to consider! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Central Park is just a beautiful creation. It is this 2.5 miles long and about a half mile wide park filled with a ton to do. You can go to a musuem, a theater, the zoo, the lake, the pool, the rink, many monuments, or you can even walk along several trails and gardens. Each tree, each flower, and each pathway has a purpose: to keep natural beauty in our big city world and THIS is art at it's finest my friends.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Central Park has a beautiful purpose. </div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-3511096488896075882010-02-09T07:25:00.000-08:002010-02-09T07:25:30.045-08:00Norman Rockwell's work is always full of purpose.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nx5fmHYc6u6At9O73jEZofEqShyphenhyphenlHfNwaidIkGIsahjvQMjF52tT3L56BONhFocPWa0DE8V3Pkf5CxlxY0Km5Kzocs2gDVSDmYKCpk_Q6nxX8xebcg5E8lYu0g3DKaCw1ZCiwJ_yYB0S/s1600-h/john-f-kennedy-norman-rockwell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nx5fmHYc6u6At9O73jEZofEqShyphenhyphenlHfNwaidIkGIsahjvQMjF52tT3L56BONhFocPWa0DE8V3Pkf5CxlxY0Km5Kzocs2gDVSDmYKCpk_Q6nxX8xebcg5E8lYu0g3DKaCw1ZCiwJ_yYB0S/s400/john-f-kennedy-norman-rockwell.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Portrait of John F. Kennedy</i> by Norman Rockwell</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">On the October 29th, 1960 and December 14th, 1963 issue of </div><div style="text-align: center;">The Saturday Evening Post</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh Norman, I just love you. Norman Rockwell is like The Beatles in a lot of ways, every time I listen to the Beatles I find another song that I have to put in my top ten favorites. Well, every time I look through Norman Rockwell's work I find yet another one of my favorites. I must have like a top twenty in Norman Rockwell's, but this portrait of John F. Kennedy definitely makes the cut. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
All right, I admit it. I am really obsessed with John F. Kennedy, actually the entire Kennedy legacy, but I love Norman's portrait of him more than the official presidential painting of him (the one where he's looking <a href="http://twentydollars.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/john_f_kennedy_official_portrait.jpg">down</a>). As I have stated before, Norman Rockwell illustrated for<i> The Saturday Evening Post</i> and this was the only image that ever graced the cover twice, once right before the election and once for the tribute issue right after Kennedy was assassinated.<br />
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The only way to adequately describe why I love this work of art so much is so explain my love for John F. Kennedy. From the moment Kennedy was elected monumental change swept through the White House. From the interior design of the White House to political policy, Kennedy was behind a great deal of change. For being the youngest president in history, his brief presidency is something that inspires me daily. <br />
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Now, look at the portrait of him. What do you see? I see a man with confidence, determination, and hope. His expression is flawless and his poise is impossible to ignore. This is why I love it. Presidential portraits are <a href="http://inadvertentlyart.blogspot.com/search/label/Annie%20Leibovitz">difficult</a>, but as always Norman was able to create a piece that was effortless and full of purpose.<br />
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Norman Rockwell's work is always full of purpose. </div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-66872395278640083112010-02-04T07:16:00.000-08:002010-02-04T07:16:43.677-08:00Giacometti encourages positivty.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HpWANdnPOzcgP9x9nXcujgKEkwxbNmvhlgUdVuWSNSfB-k7mGyjBKUTi7Mpki_w84E-c05zydb16TzUH8HFrsqD4WPFLUz5dvbkpTiY8by94Iqv2cSaVrFEmhIdcedeFoPe2Ter_J52R/s1600-h/4b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HpWANdnPOzcgP9x9nXcujgKEkwxbNmvhlgUdVuWSNSfB-k7mGyjBKUTi7Mpki_w84E-c05zydb16TzUH8HFrsqD4WPFLUz5dvbkpTiY8by94Iqv2cSaVrFEmhIdcedeFoPe2Ter_J52R/s400/4b.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>L'Homme qui marche I (Walking Man I) </i>by Alberto Giacometti</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1960, Bronze, 180.5 x 23.9 x 97 cm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">People are going Giacometti nuts today, so I thought I'd address the insanity. Basically, the sculpture above sold for $104.3 Million last night in London at Sotheby's; meaning <i>Walking Man I</i> is now the world's most expensive piece ever sold at an auction. Honestly it doesn't surprise me much that it is was a Giacometti that broke the record because well, it's Giacometti! In the world of art (and the world in general) he is a pretty big deal. In fact, there are plenty of leather bound books written about him. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So just who is this guy? Well Alberto Giacommetti was a Swiss man who created a whole lot of art, but his sculptures are what remain the most famous. As you might imagine his work is analyzed a lot and a bunch of people have different interpretations (like always). He had a strange style and through the years his figures just got longer and thinner, almost as if Giacometti was merely trying to see how much he could stretch the sculptures out. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have to admit that one reason why I love Giacometti is because his name is just so dang cool to say out loud. It just rolls off the tongue beautifully. However, the main reason I love Giacometti is the message I feel his sculptures portray. These figures are shown with the idea of motion, but their feet are rooted to the ground. While one might see this as portraying stagnation or isolation, I like to view it as completely opposite. Notice how the figure is standing straight and tall, with it's head held up? Well, this is the beauty of <i>Walking Man</i>. While the figures feet may be grounded, it's head it upright and it is confidently looking toward the future. To me <i>Walking Man</i> says: <b><i>No matter how hard things get and how many people try to bring you down, you must always stand up confidently and continue onward. </i></b>It's the positive messages that I love most in art. There's just something special about <i>seeing</i> a positive message over <i>hearing</i> something say something like, "You can do it!" </div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Giacometti encourages positivty. </div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-88427723993455823032010-02-03T07:34:00.001-08:002010-02-03T07:35:03.436-08:00Siqueiros creates art that can not be overlooked.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1zAPPHWExSfplceqIV6FEQiTvhuhBBQHF3wHTVqAIZ4A8ffU7OmRpg5fGKzOMZsIE7CPrtHTrQjn63alviIFizBh0KCKeAo31xqH33M_gxmSU6B6CtBiWo8O5LejAq3hxCFvGJxXQJ8U/s1600-h/echo-scream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1zAPPHWExSfplceqIV6FEQiTvhuhBBQHF3wHTVqAIZ4A8ffU7OmRpg5fGKzOMZsIE7CPrtHTrQjn63alviIFizBh0KCKeAo31xqH33M_gxmSU6B6CtBiWo8O5LejAq3hxCFvGJxXQJ8U/s400/echo-scream.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Echo of a Scream </i>by David Alfaro Siqueiros</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1937, enamel on wood, 121.9 x 91.4 cm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.moma.org/modernteachers/large_image.php?id=177">Musuem of Modern Art</a>, New York </div><br />
I promise I didn't do this on purpose, but both today and yesterday's image are responses to the Spanish Civil War. I am not trying to make this "Spanish Civil War week," it just happened to coincidentally happen. <br />
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Siqueiros was as interested in creating art as he was in creating bold and moving political statements. A native of Chihuahua, Mexico, Siqueiros created numerous politically charged murals, however it is his <i>The Echo of a Scream</i> that hits me the most. Much like Picasso was outraged with the deaths of the innocent civilians of the Spanish Civil War, Siqueiros took his anger and created a piece that was both visually moving and visually disturbing. He chose to take the most innocent of all, a baby, and amplify the pain and horror of the war through the child's innocent scream of anguish. The child sits in a pile of debris, all of what is left of his world, and is alone, helpless, and in pain. Why did Siqueiros paint the larger head? Well, it symbolizes the lost lives and pain of all the victimss we don't see.<br />
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I know this isn't the happiest of posts, but there really is no other way to explain <i>The Echo of a Sceam</i>. If it wasn't the artist's main intention I would haved ignored the sad aspect, but that's the point.... I just can't. That's what Siqueiros wanted to do; he wanted to create a piece that was so visually distrubing it was impossible to ignore. Picasso chose to make a piece charged with symbolism so that the strange imagery would intice the viewers to read more into the piece, only then learning about the horror of the Spanish Civil War. Siqueiros chose to paint a piece that bluntly showed you the atrocities of the war. This is often how Siqueiros creates. His works are in your face, to the point, and in the process they are impossible to ignore.<br />
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Siqueiros creates art that can not be overlooked. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-71676506946510423062010-02-02T07:34:00.000-08:002010-02-02T07:34:46.589-08:00Guernica is our reminder to continually strive for peace.<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUn4Ndukp9nXvZBnEc5lq1nSCvJD6CKKt3OvQcstNbwD_kBIOjaF5HfrTjCmU3Lgod2Dzxmf_JKkCQ64JJkaHxo7mhWLU0HmwQLWYsx7WRl-_zFuX3SYHtwkZ2bJNvthgbf_N_NDkPBDb/s1600-h/picasso_guernica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUn4Ndukp9nXvZBnEc5lq1nSCvJD6CKKt3OvQcstNbwD_kBIOjaF5HfrTjCmU3Lgod2Dzxmf_JKkCQ64JJkaHxo7mhWLU0HmwQLWYsx7WRl-_zFuX3SYHtwkZ2bJNvthgbf_N_NDkPBDb/s640/picasso_guernica.jpg" width="515" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Guernica</i> by Pablo Picasso</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1937, oil on canvas, 137.4 in × 305.5 in</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.museoreinasofia.es/index.html">Museo Reina Sofia</a>, Madrid</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay, so I am pretty sure this is one of those paintings that everyone has seen. See, I don't remember the "common" art pieces because after studying them all so much I forget which are the more common that everyone knows and which aren't. Nevertheless, <i>Guernica</i> is something everyone should know, or at least be familiar with. To sum up the story behind the piece, it was painted after the city of Guernica was bombed by warplanes during the Spanish Civil War. Picasso was commissioned to do this mural and after much deliberation and contemplation, he created this amazing piece. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There's a few things I love about this piece. One, it brought about world-recognition for the Spanish Civil War, and more importantly, for the hardships of war. Two, it's filled with symbolism, which is always interesting and three, it's visually moving. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You know, I have been wanting to do a post on <i>Guernica</i> forever. It's just one of those pieces you HAVE to talk about every so often, but after starting this post I realized that the immense amount of symbolism in the piece isn't something I want to focus on (and if I did this post would be way too long). What I find so moving about <i>Guernica</i> is what happened after the work was created. <i>Guernica </i>was displaued in Paris at the World's Fair right after it was painted and it brought about this immense acknowledgement of the Spanish Civil War. Too many people often neglect the tradgedies of war and forget that others are suffering. Picasso painted this out of his anger and rage with so many innocent people dying, but little did he know that through his anger and hurt the mural he created would become an internationally known manifistation of peace. It was through the pain, the suffering, and the sadness that others would see <i>Guernica </i>and reflect on war. Reflect in a way that served as a reminder for the continual fight for peace, a fight that should and always will be never-ending.<br />
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<i>Guernica</i> is our reminder to continually strive for peace.</div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-18059712533368475812010-01-28T20:00:00.000-08:002010-01-28T20:00:29.764-08:00Neolithic art is purely fascinating.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXV5b7pLCiZJVJbcY-F15kCDP9LC7CGRYKD5wvEP0b1WYGA3Gq_rL1CGDyjBRo31hrHwEUR6ee8Zd0x6BZpNqkTxWcMJ81Ige3nlCRcurhg39WwwnvVlpDo-XRxKbocgeCljuv_uKizwoR/s1600-h/s16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXV5b7pLCiZJVJbcY-F15kCDP9LC7CGRYKD5wvEP0b1WYGA3Gq_rL1CGDyjBRo31hrHwEUR6ee8Zd0x6BZpNqkTxWcMJ81Ige3nlCRcurhg39WwwnvVlpDo-XRxKbocgeCljuv_uKizwoR/s400/s16.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Human figures from Ain Ghazal, Jordan</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">6750-6250 BCE, plaster, size varies</div><div style="text-align: center;">Some are located at the <a href="http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en">Louvre</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So I am taking ancient art history this semester and honestly I never thought that I was all that interested in ancient art... but I most definitely am. I have posted only one super old dating post (<a href="http://inadvertentlyart.blogspot.com/search/label/Lascaux">Lascaux</a>) but as I am outlining chapter one of my textbook and I had to stop to tell you all about these crazy human figures found in Jordan. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I am already finding that what I love most about studying ancient art history is that the descriptions in my book aren't like a million pages long. Now I don't mean this in the "I am such a slacker student and I hate reading" type of way, but I LOVE the fact that these things are so old that no one can really come up with an agreed upon explanation of everything. Additionally, every time some archeologist finds something new, every single thing gets re-questioned. I assume this would start to get annoying because they can never say things like, "We did it! We solved the mystery of Paleolithic and Neolithic art!," but for someone who is just studying it, it's really amusing. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyways, these human figures were found buried beneath these really old settlements (and by really old I mean like 6500 BCE old). The figures are made of white plaster and the eyes were made with this tar-like substance. Some of the statues suggest gender, but for the most part they aren't gender specific. For the most part it is mostly assumed that these figures were ritually buried and had some purpose. So what's the big deal? Well, some of these statues are pretty large for being so dang old (like 3 feet) and most importantly, they establish the beginning of monumental sculpture in the Ancient Near East. That's a pretty big stinkin' deal if you ask me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay I realize that my whole purpose of this blog is to make (cough, normal) people in to art history. I understand that Paleolithic and Neolithic art are the hardest types of art to get people interested in, but here's the thing; it's cool because it's so old. It's so old that people debate if they even should be considered art. I just love to marvel over the fact that people a million zillion years ago created these things of art. They inhabited this sense of artistic ambition. They had the desire to create, and that's extremely <i>fascinating</i>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Neolithic art is purely fascinating. </div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-87293433627504523442010-01-25T17:51:00.003-08:002010-02-02T07:37:29.930-08:00I just love Vincent Van Gogh.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykhlYzR1eXrwV8H59XjFWTBZZ5LiXuNtFLH_9cw-7nh1g8J7yGUngBd-B-V2O54PBDrY3wdp6O5YI3o2RgO58c-iKeEwR_e3Mp7eoCBa90iBCvs7IxsXTd4DKMQfFqAg55mdroUPysn5B/s1600-h/van-gogh-shoes-mid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykhlYzR1eXrwV8H59XjFWTBZZ5LiXuNtFLH_9cw-7nh1g8J7yGUngBd-B-V2O54PBDrY3wdp6O5YI3o2RgO58c-iKeEwR_e3Mp7eoCBa90iBCvs7IxsXTd4DKMQfFqAg55mdroUPysn5B/s400/van-gogh-shoes-mid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Shoes</i> by Vincent Van Gogh</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1888, Oil on canvas, 18 x 22 inches</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>, New York City</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I feel like I apologize for disappearing way too often, but I swear I don't neglect Inadvertently Art on purpose. If things went my way, I would have a specific allotted time each day to write in here, but I am human therefore, I must maintain a busy schedule. Anyways, I am in the processing of moving/setting up my new place so it's pretty hard to find a spare minute, but alas! Here I am. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I just finished putting up a lot of art in my room and I stumbled upon a bunch Van Gogh prints that I have and noticed <i>Shoes</i>. I don't know how I have ever over looked this, but it's brilliant. As many of you know, Vincent was a troubled man and the more I learn about his life the more I am amazed at his ability to still see the beauty of the world.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">He painted a lot of different works depicting shoes and honestly I love them all. <i>Shoes</i> first caught my eye because it's not a typical Van Gogh. I always love when people think they have pin pointed an artist and then they are thrown off by a piece like<i> Shoes</i>. Secondly, the premise behind the piece is beautiful. I am always amazed at the difference between an unartistic mind and the mind of an artist. Artist's are mentally able to see beauty in <b>everything</b>... even a pair of shoes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The truth of the matter is quite simple. While there is no denying that there is beauty in the sky, trees, flowers, and ocean there is also this unmistakable beauty in ordinary everyday things like shoes. There is so much to learn from this, but I'll just leave that up to you. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I just love Vincent Van Gogh. </div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-81368769074760003552010-01-06T09:48:00.001-08:002010-01-06T09:48:32.279-08:00Norman Rockwell was just simple, straightforward, and honest.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmSnwkdDiC337W1f3VViYQI5NoAr-N4BSIo_aeMLVXmFumq9TJkW7wWSxeGmwLeGeTi0vYIo1PQ1zqqwWRBZ9P5Z5u5mU_QSlCtGgHC0-M8pEGsZQBJ3sq4DJK3OnBMQplnCxc9HCbnLU/s1600-h/rockwell_self.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmSnwkdDiC337W1f3VViYQI5NoAr-N4BSIo_aeMLVXmFumq9TJkW7wWSxeGmwLeGeTi0vYIo1PQ1zqqwWRBZ9P5Z5u5mU_QSlCtGgHC0-M8pEGsZQBJ3sq4DJK3OnBMQplnCxc9HCbnLU/s400/rockwell_self.jpg" width="315" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Triple Self-Portrait </i>by Norman Rockwell </b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1960, Oil on Canvas, 44 1/2 x 34 3/4 in. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nrm.org/">The Norman Rockwell Musuem</a> at Stockbridge<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Before I write an entry, I always do some research on the artist and the piece and let me tell you, I have learned so much in that past couple of months. It's amazing how many random facts I have learned about all these artists. For example, Norman Rockwell's son, Thomas Rockwell, wrote the children's book <i>How to Eat Fried Worms</i>. I LOVED that book! I just really enjoy this blog. My hope is that other people enjoy it, but for the most part, I will always continue writing in this just for my own selfish pleasure.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Norman Rockwell has always been one of my favorites. I love artists that portray simple things and simple times. But on top of that, Norman was extremely talented. I mean, he left his school at age 14 to attend art school and everyone always knew he had potential. He couldn't escape his artistic destiny. When he tried to join the military for WWI, they made him a military artist. He is most known for his illustrations for the magazine <i>The Saturday Evening Post</i> where illustrations like <i>Triple Self-Portrait </i>frequently made the cover.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Triple Self-Portrait</i> remains my all time favorite Norman Rockwell. It's just so darn clever. He is looking in he mirror and seeing what he really looks like, but drawing the man he wished he looked like. My favorite part are the other self-portraits that are in the upper right corner of his canvas. He has included a collection of self-portraits from many various art periods. The first is a self-portrait of the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Durer who was from the late 15th to early 16th century. Next to Durer is Dutch artist Rembrandt, beneath that is an abstract Picasso, and the bottom piece is a self-portrait of Van Gogh. Each of these artists created a large body of self-portraits and were essentially known for some of the best self-portraits.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">You know, self-portraits are a funny thing. I mean, if someone asked me to draw myself I think it would be really hard. One, because I can't draw but more importantly because I wouldn't know how or where to start. If I made myself better looking than I really was, people might think I was vain. If I made myself seem over confident, I would seem self absorbed. If the expression on my face was a little stern, I might seem too angry. I mean, it just seems so hard. What facial expression do you choose? What clothes do you choose? What position? How big? It really seems a bit overwhelming. Thankfully, Norman Rockwell chose to go about his self-portrait with humor as he was a funny guy. It's really brillant actually. He painted himself three times. One in the mirror, one painting himself, and of course one of the canvas. In doing this he not only creates a triple self-portrait, but a strong statement. Self-portraits are usually never all that precise. There is just something about someone painting themself that is hard to accomplish. People always paint the person they want to be, adjusting details to their standard. Norman gives the viewer himself as he wishes, and himself as he is and in a way, this is the most honest self-portrait there is. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Norman Rockwell was just simple, straightforward, and honest. <br />
</div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-41537092132521073202009-12-29T19:44:00.000-08:002009-12-29T19:44:21.849-08:00Pollock was simply a man with little to say, but a lot to express.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGznlSzn2v5J5txhqUoUpVFpTjUZNnOgB1JIZHSm5MVJL1a3HZxFebRJ5-ea4K8NngWtovowWOusttgmWqNlYGDIWT0PP4dW1lU_EpCC-bymOFV40ZyTfHtFRAGfy6ZIpil6NEpStrAzPx/s1600-h/pollock_no5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGznlSzn2v5J5txhqUoUpVFpTjUZNnOgB1JIZHSm5MVJL1a3HZxFebRJ5-ea4K8NngWtovowWOusttgmWqNlYGDIWT0PP4dW1lU_EpCC-bymOFV40ZyTfHtFRAGfy6ZIpil6NEpStrAzPx/s640/pollock_no5.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">No. 5, 1948 by <a href="http://www.jacksonpollock.com/">Jackson Pollock</a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1948, Oil on Canvas, 243.8 cm × 121.9 cm<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Private Collection<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Okay so I have known that I wanted to feature Jackson Pollock for the past week, and I even started this post like a week ago, I just never got around to finishing it and I just realized why. It's really freaking hard to try and explain Pollock with words. But I will try....<br />
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So I can't tell you how many times I hear about people hating Jackson Pollock. In fact, a lot of people associate the whole "modern art" category with paintings like Pollock's; weird, lacking skill, and NOT art. I think the reason I defend Jackson Pollock so much is because I know about his evolution as an artist. I guess the best way to explain it is to breifly explain art around his time. Right after World War II ended, art changed. It changed big time. Art quickly became the visual expression in reaction to the chaos and destruction that occured during the war, the movement was called Abstract Expression. Just like WWII ended with a BOOM (literally), art drastically changed almost instantaneously.<br />
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Pollock's best known works are his drip paintings. Now here's where it gets a little tricky. Part of the whole Abstract Expressionism movement had to do with <i>expression</i>. Pollock did something huge. Instead of putting the canvas upright, or on a easel, he layed canvas on the floor and methodically worked dripping paint onto the canvas while moving around his creation. This is where people might say, "Okay how is that art?!" Well my friends, it's art and it's art at its finest.<br />
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In regards to his painting technique, Pollock once said, "<i>On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more a part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting.</i>" You see, Pollock didn't care about traditional artistic means. He didn't care about making a realistic image. He cared about creating a piece filled with expression. THAT is art. Also, it wasn't as if he shut his eyes and just started splattering paint everywhere, each stroke, each drip, and each splatter was meticulousy thought out and it definitely wasn't random as so many think. <br />
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In the world of Jackson Pollock, it wasn't about <i>wha</i>t he painted, it was about <i>how</i> he painted and in his case it made all the difference. So next time you see a Jackson Pollock drip painting, try to feel his mood, try to feel his emotion, and try to understand his form of visual expression.<br />
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Pollock was simply a man with little to say, but a lot to express.N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-45406849375107510402009-12-21T15:48:00.000-08:002009-12-21T15:48:03.614-08:00Audrey Flack encourages our inner beauty.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTdqoMpPAafEJr0kLWGU6TTq95LiI5ZI1ufMO-w2T5626mXI-wWd-Vhgr5Gvu_qbmnm_0GU2v1GvKn2hvM-hvHsjwDU4ZACZGHQCU3ALB8RN6T4exUOZmDYTuOTyvCDtqL5SKXopucYZo/s1600-h/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTdqoMpPAafEJr0kLWGU6TTq95LiI5ZI1ufMO-w2T5626mXI-wWd-Vhgr5Gvu_qbmnm_0GU2v1GvKn2hvM-hvHsjwDU4ZACZGHQCU3ALB8RN6T4exUOZmDYTuOTyvCDtqL5SKXopucYZo/s400/7.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Marilyn (Vanitas) by Audrey Flack<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1977, Oil over acyclic on canvas, 96 x 96 in. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Collection of the <a href="http://www.audreyflack.com/AF/index.php?name=photorealism&directory=.&currentPic=6">artist</a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I can't believe I haven't done an Audrey Flack, she is one of my favorite artists. Audrey Flack is extremely talented and works and many many styles, but my favorite can be seen by the work above- photorealism. In a nutshell, photorealist's create images that look as real as an actual photograph. It began in the 1970's, and Audrey Flack is part of the first wave of artists to use the style. Pretty cool because she is a woman and it's pretty dang hard to get recognized in the art world if you are a female and don't do something with outrageous feminist undertones. Another thing to note, is that photorealism stemmed out of Pop Art thus you get a lot of bright colors, reactions to the media, and iconic symbols. I just like photorealism because it's really amazing how realistic it is. Time and time again I am looking at a photorealist piece thinking it is a photograph and then casually glance at the medium and think, "WHAT?! This is paint?!"<br />
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<i>Marilyn (Vanitas)</i> is one of Audrey's more famous pieces. A few things to explain. Vanitas is a old form of symbolic painting. They did it a lot in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is associated with still-life painting, which is also rich in symbols. Each still-life piece usually centers around a few main themes: death, life, and pleasure. Basically, "Vanitas" refers to a visual expression of the "vanities" in life.<br />
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Tearing apart Audrey's <i>Marilyn (Vanitas)</i> you can assume quite a few things. First, there are a few symbols of death: the hourglass, the calendar, and the clock all refer to the passing of time. Marilyn Monroe was a sex symbol and thought to be the quintessential representation of beauty, but Flack includes lipstick, a compact, perfume, and jewellery all to show that beauty is fleeting. The fruit cut open usually is some type of symbol of death as well, as once you cut it open it will rot away eventually. The paint brush either symbolizes blood, as in death, or the fact that her life was short-lived, like an unfinished painting. The reflection of the image in the mirror is not precise, which is a visual commentary to the imperfections in Marilyn and more importantly, that beauty is not everything. Audrey also made the piece personal, as she included an image of her and her younger brother when they were young in the center of the composition.<br />
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There are a ton more symbols, but you get the idea. I guess you might be thinking, why do I love a picture filled with so many death related symbols? Well, I suppose I haven't made the good in this piece prevalent. <i>Marilyn</i> is a commentary on one of the most well-known icons of beauty- Marilyn Monroe. Though many thought she had it all, she died at a very young age from a probable suicide. Audrey's piece suggests that beauty is definitely short-lived and doesn't always lead to happiness. I think a lot of us, especially in today's world of plastic surgery, tend to forget this. So I loved Audrey Flack not only because her work is just amazing, but because she inspires deep thought on ideas that really matter. <br />
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Audrey Flack encourages our inner beauty.N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-53058833226911945612009-12-16T09:52:00.000-08:002009-12-16T09:52:11.196-08:00Seurat, dot. Simple enough.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkCP_Cb3YDpNeGhtHircfrpGXUPCT7yV_cuTcxmqUJTLSBjkp8Qaz8TnK148gCKuHWHsj2gR4bBCleZa7T5ExztQQqZubgadlxy9pT0UF4cjtXGBbwoPh737Jv2VWCo6gQFRkAzOY95T1/s1600-h/sunday-afternoon-by-seurat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkCP_Cb3YDpNeGhtHircfrpGXUPCT7yV_cuTcxmqUJTLSBjkp8Qaz8TnK148gCKuHWHsj2gR4bBCleZa7T5ExztQQqZubgadlxy9pT0UF4cjtXGBbwoPh737Jv2VWCo6gQFRkAzOY95T1/s400/sunday-afternoon-by-seurat.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="http://www.artic.edu/artaccess/AA_Impressionist/pages/IMP_7.shtml">A Sunday on La Grande Jatte</a></i> by Georges Seurat</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1884, Oil on Canvas, 207.5 x 308 cm<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Art Institute of Chicago<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have been trying to write this post for two days now, but during the last week of school, your teachers like to lock you in a prison with no fun. With that said, as of today school is officially over (until the next semester)! So I can re-begin my love affair with Inadvertently Art. Now on to Seurat.<br />
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Seurat, dot. That pretty much sums it up. If there are any Herold fans that read this, YOU know what I am talkin' about. Anyways, Georges Seurat is considered to be a post-impressionist, mainly because he came after the Impressionists. Clever? Not really. Seurat was obsessed with color, so much so that he began experimenting with millions of dots close together, in a style art people call<i> pointillism</i>. Basically, he just painted a bunch of dots of different colors close to one another and created these really cool images. Up close, you can't tell what the crap anything is, but from far away you can see the whole picture, which is pretty huge by the way. It's pretty dang cool if you ask me.<br />
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As far as what the painting "means," eh well there are many ideas. Personally, I hate that every painting needs to have a structured meaning, and I tend to like those that no one can figure out or agree upon (eg. Bosch) but if we must..... <i>A Sunday on La Grande Jatte</i> can mean a lot, but here's my opinion. It's important to notice that the park is really crowded, but on one seems to be talking and everyone is in their own little neatly confined space. So despite the fact that the park is crowded and at first might give one the impression that it is busy, after second glace you notice that it is just the opposite. It really seems like a slice of time, which I love. But on top of that, it really evokes peace, which I love even more. Instead of thinking, "What a busy and crowded park!" one begins to think, "What a peaceful place." To sum it up, I just like how the piece makes me feel, relaxed and at peace. And I really wouldn't want to imply anything further than that. <br />
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Oh by the way, as of some time last week, the Art Institute of Chicago (where the piece is held) launched their project to raise money for the Museum and Institute. They do it every year, but this year is actually pretty cool. You can "Adopt a Dot" from <i>A Sunday on La Grande Jatte</i> and recieve a color button of the dot you adopted. It's $10 for one dot, $25 for three, and $50 for all six color dots. I think it's a clever idea. If you're interested you can find more information <a href="http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=34899">here</a>.<br />
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Seurat, dot. Simple enough. <br />
</div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-71021519505463085692009-12-10T10:50:00.002-08:002009-12-10T10:53:07.227-08:00Let Bosch let you escape for a minute.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9sc3jAni84Vc_tnUaL13JxAQBnQMxW_vc1NR8H4LPQxZ2LScfyiYh71JlE9NYJBn-KjkksSiVlsq8uad380cJdMp_pzPvFx29RuLS3d6H7tYAQzNelnGtyCVVjQLYY1PCE5B4gJZKj57/s1600-h/delightc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9sc3jAni84Vc_tnUaL13JxAQBnQMxW_vc1NR8H4LPQxZ2LScfyiYh71JlE9NYJBn-KjkksSiVlsq8uad380cJdMp_pzPvFx29RuLS3d6H7tYAQzNelnGtyCVVjQLYY1PCE5B4gJZKj57/s640/delightc.jpg" width="428" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsOgW8gY3Fz9A0vf5PAWNvxqIO_YibMfpjJ2gLz1-z_qXF-8MMua34Ua2jNuRVNfNVa7VPXINUUvELWqacOWOz3QH9DYdKCNklr5a9ehfez1FlY007k6rmCLPmBevY8yIXTw4gpjPOgef/s1600-h/bosch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsOgW8gY3Fz9A0vf5PAWNvxqIO_YibMfpjJ2gLz1-z_qXF-8MMua34Ua2jNuRVNfNVa7VPXINUUvELWqacOWOz3QH9DYdKCNklr5a9ehfez1FlY007k6rmCLPmBevY8yIXTw4gpjPOgef/s320/bosch.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>The Garden of Earthly Delights</i> by Hieronymus Bosch</b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1503-1504, Oil on wood, 87 in × 153 in<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.museodelprado.es/index.php?id=250&tx_indexedsearch%5Bsword%5D=%20en%20ingles">Museo del Prado</a>, Madrid<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">It's Bosch day people! If you're are thinking, "What the crap?" You are on the right track. What the crap is exactly right. Bosch is like the 16th century equivalent of modern day Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga is really freakin' weird, if you don't believe go watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I">this</a>. After I saw that video I was left staring at my computer screen with a "what the crap" expression on my face. The funny part is people like Lady Gaga are accepted, and even more weird, encouraged in today's society and media, but 16th century Bosch... not so much.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bosch is puzzling, imaginative, and just plain weird. Let's take a gander in <i>The Garden of Earthly Delights</i>. Well I first should mention that the image I provided is part of a triptych, or a three panel painting, I just couldn't put that in here because my blog is structured narrow and it would cut off two of the panels. Oh and the second image is a close up from one of the panels. What's funny about Bosch is that no art historian has agreed on any interpretation for him. Actually it's even funnier when art historians try to explain Bosch. You get a whole lot of "odd like creatures" and "imaginative fantasy world," but that's where it stops. You can't get any further than that. A lot of people think that Bosch's work and symbols were widely reognized in his time, but seriously I don't believe this because one, why don't we know what they mean now, and two, yeah freakin' right. You can't tell me that an egg with tree stump legs and people living in it's butt was widely recognizable. True, some of the imagery is agreed upon. The triptych is called <i>The Garden of Eathly Delights</i> afterall, so you can infer some from that. Creation, Hell, Paradise, and Adam/Eve being among the few. For the most part, Bosch's work is just the typical pothead's splendor, but who am I to judge that!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bosch just created these huge works of art with all these really weird things. It's hard to imagine even thinking like that, but he did. I mean I can draw a really weird thing just as well as the next two year old, but Bosch takes it to the next level. He creates these amazing fantasy worlds, much like J.K. Rowling does with Harry Potter, and as we know about the popularity of Harry Potter- people like that. People like escaping from their present situation and stresses into an imaginary world. Though Bosch's work might have been intended to show people the fate of the immoral, I view Bosch as an outlet for frustration. If I am ever stressed about school or something, I google Bosch and just stare. And each time, like looking at a "Where's Waldo" print, I find another creature feasting on the fish foot of a 6 legged monster with blue foam coming out of it's ears pierced with rainbow spears.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So for once, let's not try and find a mutual interpretation of a piece. Let's not suggest religious undertones, let's not try and spot all the influences, and most importantly <i>let's just enjoy</i>.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Let Bosch let you escape for a minute. <br />
</div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-54484543244385092772009-12-08T09:35:00.000-08:002009-12-08T09:35:38.193-08:00Rachel Whiteread creates lasting memories.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgL_g-gtnbCL_U1T0bSLD_yyO34U7RqSEVI-nSgaHcNffpixP5TN4ANcjUkyhRybizqz9rxOWZk2DXxdjEPuD6hoO62W6K5TkEIJrieQUZBpHKmortvzMx7NwtrpM9q1sweelPGqBMvIZ/s1600-h/whiteread-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgL_g-gtnbCL_U1T0bSLD_yyO34U7RqSEVI-nSgaHcNffpixP5TN4ANcjUkyhRybizqz9rxOWZk2DXxdjEPuD6hoO62W6K5TkEIJrieQUZBpHKmortvzMx7NwtrpM9q1sweelPGqBMvIZ/s400/whiteread-house.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5z0qt2Pq9qzflQe5sRhk6LSLXIW-IzQ2kOfBgdhSIGA7AFWGseSawuXySPbud5Tz_ETqVfbZLdCIXLFd_UcqSRHVCFwqCZwi77asltH3v-Q2hmKaYsGIeGO1WQmVxf04ksuVRWBOr52Jt/s1600-h/hop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5z0qt2Pq9qzflQe5sRhk6LSLXIW-IzQ2kOfBgdhSIGA7AFWGseSawuXySPbud5Tz_ETqVfbZLdCIXLFd_UcqSRHVCFwqCZwi77asltH3v-Q2hmKaYsGIeGO1WQmVxf04ksuVRWBOr52Jt/s320/hop1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>House</i> by Rachel Whiteread</b><br />
1993, concrete cast inside a house<br />
Originally in East London, now demolished<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">First of all, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to write this post. Not because I love Rachel Whiteread (though I do), but because it shows how I currently have a minute of freedom from school (though not long-lasting)! Rachel Whiteread is a British artist and is most famous for the piece above. This piece was so controversial, monumental, and ground-breaking (literally), she won the Turner Prize, bceoming the first woman in fact to do so. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>House</i> is both easy to explain, though incredibly hard to explain at the same time. Let me explain, ha! For the process Rachel essentially filled the interior of an old Victorian terraced house in East London with concrete, then removed the physical house leaving a eerie yet breathtaking scultpure. So basically, she reversed the negative/positive space of the house itself. Kind of insane when you really stop and think about it. The process was extremely difficult and took a while to complete, but when it was done it just stood there with this absolute pressence for the world to see.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What's so amazing about this piece is the part that hardest to adequately describe, though I'll try. First of all, some people might get all pissed off saying, "This is NOT art." Okay, that is a topic that is such a hard thing to explain, but the idea is this is most definitely art, but perhaps me saying it's inadvertently art will put you more at ease. This piece, though relatively simple to look at, possesses so many concepts it's really just crazy. Take the doors for instance, what once used to lead into the interior of the house is now a sealed piece of concrete, allowing no visitors into the solidified house. What once welcomed and held people's belongings, memories, and life now houses concrete and there is no way in.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Furthermore, a house that is empty is somewhat depressing, desolate, and brings emotions of vacancy. While this can be thought to be negative, I look at it completely different. When I house for sale, I see an opportunity for a new family to create new memories in a place that once held other's memories. Building upon past times of both joy and sorrow a 'used' house is as exciting as getting clothes from Salvation Army. Who wore them? Where did they go? Who did they meet? What memories did they make while wearing the clothes? Memories. Perhaps that's the main reason <i>House </i>holds my attention. This sealed off, empty, vacant house isn't depressing at all, instead it positively holds the memories of those who lived inside- <b>forever</b>. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Rachel Whiteread creates lasting memories. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">P.S. For a great short video on the process as well as some of her own commentary <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEtsYIIIfkw">click here</a>.<br />
</div></div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-35223014909041654592009-12-04T19:58:00.000-08:002009-12-04T19:58:31.322-08:00Quick Update!Hello everyone,<br />
<br />
I am in my last week and a half of the semester which means finals, so I won't be able to post as often as I would like! December 15th is the day I will be free and able to start my every day posting once more!<br />
<br />
Happy Holidays!<br />
-N.C.N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-40417668283290039472009-12-01T16:41:00.003-08:002009-12-06T20:02:54.344-08:00Rest in peace Jeanne-Claude, you will be missed.Hello everyone, I know I momentarily disappeared, but Thanksgiving came and so did my Mom, so I was busy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidTRgIftVT5H7PNQ9uzoMlmgOaCDGUqboR3pJuacGQyqi0iGI8fC2iSh1ZBXoCwH1LJ0nE1L0Z8ruRWz8BD8wqMRLiBjRLjpuj0AzG9g1A6BTH4uGfHwfzSiMn8IwM7gOKhkW4FljasPE/s1600/JChPagePortraitKopie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidTRgIftVT5H7PNQ9uzoMlmgOaCDGUqboR3pJuacGQyqi0iGI8fC2iSh1ZBXoCwH1LJ0nE1L0Z8ruRWz8BD8wqMRLiBjRLjpuj0AzG9g1A6BTH4uGfHwfzSiMn8IwM7gOKhkW4FljasPE/s400/JChPagePortraitKopie2.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>This post is a few weeks overdue, but I needed to formally let everyone know that<a href="http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/"> Jeanne-Claude</a> passed away on November 18th, 2009. Christo is still continuing with the projects they were working on and as one might imagine is deeply saddened by his wife of 58 years death, as is the world. Jeanne-Claude was such an amazing woman. Dedicated to creating beautiful works of art, Jeanne-Claude knew the meaning of beauty. She was a compassionate wife, daring artist, and observer of the beauty all around us. If we learn anything from the life of Jeanne-Claude it should be that life is precious, the world surrounding us is true art, and that you are never too old to have really cool hair.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrre79mB1H6q8c9kVIBv1F7qLv8n5-XDJ_DB9MuqP6L-LbW_0lCEyT23sbb9ZjAfV_5mTgOWc6_rZa70zY0FB1V85vjz-GMCgu7M_YpqOoF5AyO8A-gZjwOSuKY7YecvwL4SZi6IhNDEA/s1600/jeanneclaude_wideweb__470x342,0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrre79mB1H6q8c9kVIBv1F7qLv8n5-XDJ_DB9MuqP6L-LbW_0lCEyT23sbb9ZjAfV_5mTgOWc6_rZa70zY0FB1V85vjz-GMCgu7M_YpqOoF5AyO8A-gZjwOSuKY7YecvwL4SZi6IhNDEA/s400/jeanneclaude_wideweb__470x342,0.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rest in peace Jeanne-Claude, you will be missed. <br />
</div>N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527445053474022878.post-54163314928659389992009-11-22T12:54:00.001-08:002009-11-22T12:55:35.539-08:00Thank you Pope Benedict.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLng5X1vbcaSs485nkDGierCVXIG4C2WGl20gSiBQ-mcwJ1AB9TwpXxA3Rc1uAlDb8JnojcIKRrKCavZiiacLTMv6UUYLycxASd1L_sULXu3muTMklpZ3KbOwWOkVk_siWYsicDTq2fPRc/s1600/last_judgment3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLng5X1vbcaSs485nkDGierCVXIG4C2WGl20gSiBQ-mcwJ1AB9TwpXxA3Rc1uAlDb8JnojcIKRrKCavZiiacLTMv6UUYLycxASd1L_sULXu3muTMklpZ3KbOwWOkVk_siWYsicDTq2fPRc/s400/last_judgment3.jpg" width="401" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Last Judgment</i> by Michelangelo</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1536-41, Fresco, 539.3 in × 472.4 in<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/x-Schede/CSNs/CSNs_G_Giud.html">The Sistine Chapel,</a> Italy<br />
</div><br />
So on Saturday Pope Benedict met with over 250 artists (including sculptors, architects, painters, and directors) in the Sistine Chapel to discuss art. The Church and art have always had an on again off again type of relationship. Take Michelangelo's <i>The Last Judgment </i>for example, painted for the Church to basically scare people. Michelangelo even included himself in the piece, however the self-portrait is a bit scary- he is the one who has been skinned by St. Bartholomew. Gruesome and shocking, the piece is still on the altar wall in the Sistine Chapel.<br />
<br />
It was beneath this image, an image representing the height of religious artistic expression, that Pope Benedict declared, "Faith takes nothing away from your genius or art. On the contrary, it exalts them and nourishes them." I can respect what the Pope is trying to accomplish. He is acknowledging the world we live in, and most importantly acknowledging that art can impact it for the better. Art can move people. Art can inspire people. Art can create <i>change</i>. This desire for more spirituality in art is the start of a new movement- a movement that has the capacity to be miraculous.<br />
<br />
Thank you Pope Benedict.N.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07374820523293848372noreply@blogger.com2