Sunday, May 15, 2011
Semi-Finished Pieces
Painting Experience
It has been unbelievable these past four days painting, in the style of Kandinsky. I never knew painting could be so enjoyable and its great just let your mind freely express itself. My first paintings were quite rigid in the shapes i used and the patterns of the shapes i used. On Thursday and Friday I stopped trying to feel the paper and let my hand draw free flowing shapes with less rigidity but with more fluidity.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
The Influence of Peggy Guggenheim
Was part of the wealthy Guggenheim family her father Benjamin went down on the Titanic and her uncle Solomon founded the Guggenheim foundation which established various museums. Peggy was known for her art collection, but also promoting such artists as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Picasso, and Henry Moore. Her galleries invited and promoted some of the great artists of the early to middle 20th century. She was fundamental in advancing Pollock's career especially as his style of painting was quite unknown and people were standoffish until Peggy deemed it as a new advancement in the art world. Peggy really embraced and encouraged others to take in the styles of surrealism, cubism, and abstract expressionism.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Stravinsky & Kandinsky
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
During the 20th century both of this artists one in the musical field of composing and the other in painting crossed paths where Kandinsky after hearing one of Stravinsky concerts how close music and the art of painting are so interrelated. Both men considered themselves inventors in their respective fields where they both agreed on the idea that "invention presupposes imagination, but should not be confused with it." His elements were quite formal, but were able to be coherent and have sense of unity between the elements. Kandinsky took the concepts of volume, tone, and speed of music and expressed that in the form of paintings. This can be most notably seen in any of his paintings labeled "Composition" which is supposed to symbolize the musical element of the art work.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Painting of the Day 5/10/11
Photo Courtesy Of The National Gallery
Before Rothko's large multiform paintings which were the large soft colors of paint that were transparent and done in a horizontal pattern he painted almost realist esque type paintings during the time around the the Great Depression. He uses abstract ways of painting to make it a perceptual piece and really outlying the architecture of the subway entrance. Rothko loved to focus on the idea of the relationship between the painting itself and viewer who is looking it at it.
Quote Of The Day: " Silence is so accurate" (Mark Rothko)
Place Of The Day 5/9/2011
The house was home to Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner wife of Pollock located in the town of East Hampton. The house still contains many of the orginal artifacts and furnishings. The house is home to some of Pollock's jazz record's, hi-fi phonograph, and one of his late 30's piece titled Composition with the Red Arc. The house was home to Pollock's studio in which he composed his drip and poured paintings. The floor of the studio is still to this day covered in the original paint spatter when he would drip the paint on the canvas which was lying on the floor. Based on paint samples seen on the studio floor we were able to conclude that pieces Autumn, Rhythm, Convergence, and Blue Poles were constructed here.
Source Courtesy of: http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/pkhouse/index.shtml
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Painting Of The Day 5/9/2011
Photo Courtesy of the National Gallery
This painting above illustrates the early artistic roots of Hart Benton in Pollocks beginning works, before becoming even more abstract in his designs. The painting above portrays Pollocks contentment with the American West in which he was brought up and raised in the state of Wyoming. The abstraction in the piece is most clearly seen in the swirling pattern done to the background which is the sky.
Quote of The Day: "Every good painter paints what he is." (Jackson Pollock)
Friday, May 6, 2011
Place of The Day 5/7/2011
Was at one point of the largest educational institutions in Russia. The institution played a key role in helping to develop realistic Russian art during the 20th century. Admissions to the school was based on merit in the arts, no background in other academics was really required. Famous artists that attended the educational place were Vasily Perov, Kazmir Malevich, and Boris Korolev.
Painting Of The Day 5/7/2011
Eight Red Rectangles (1915), Oil On Canvas, Kazmir Malevich
Photo Courtesy of Thecityreview.com
Malevich's painting above is quite interesting in that as it may seem as a regular Malevich suprematist piece which focuses on geometric and simple forms, the piece is actually very lyrical in its relation to music. Malevich wanted the viewer to create his/her owen interpretation of the work.
Quote of The Day: "The square is not a subconscious form. It is the creation of intuitive reason. The face of the new art. The square is a living, regal infant. The first step of pure creation in art." (Kazmir Malevich)
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Place of The Day 5/6/2011
It was founded in 1808 by Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria and is one of the oldest and most well establish art schools in all of Germany. The school influenced many artistic styles that included academic realism. It was home to many famous early 20th century and abstract expressionist artists such as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, and Josip Racic.
Painting Of The Day 5/6/2011
Ravine Improvisation (1914), Kandinsky Oil On Canvas
Photo Courtesy of ibiblio.org
Ravine Improvisation (1914): is a fin:e piece very different from his later abstract geometric paintings like "On White," this painting as a lot of depth, color, and movement to it. There is a ton of meshing and combing of shapes and forms which coincides with Kandinsky's personality and state of mind.
Quote of The Day: I value those artists who embody the expression of their life. (Wassily Kandinsky)
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Place of The Day 5/5/2011
The Old Cedar Tavern, West Village, NY
During My lengthy discussion with Mr. Starr, he brought up a place called Cedar Tavern located in the West Village in New York City which was a bar that was frequently visited in the 50's and 60's by abstract expressionist artists that ranged from Willem De Kooning to Jackson Pollock who was known as the drunkard of the bar and who would be consistently thrown out for his lewd and destructive behavior. The tavern was a great place for the artists to stray away from there state of focus when they were painting to being able socialize in a small place with people who share similar interests. A side note was my Cousin David Amram who was part of the Beat Generation and mentioned in a few Cedar Tavern related articles was seen spending some nights in the tavern enjoying a few drinks and so were the likes of Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, and Jack Kerouac.
Painting Of The Day 5/5/2011
Before Pollock's Drip Paintings became well known his previous works consisted of abstract art. This one in particular pertained to him when he was around the age of 26 when he was suffering from psychological breakdowns from his alcoholic binges that he would partake in. In this piece he transferred his emotions, feelings, and visions onto the canvas and made that the focal point of his art.
Photo Courtesy Of The National Gallery
Quote Of The Day: “The modern artist…is working and expressing an inner world – in other words – expressing the energy, the motion, and other inner forces.” (Jackson Pollock)
Place Of The Day 5/4/2011
Was Built by John and Dominique Menil as place of meditation and a sanctuary. What makes this chapel unique is that the interior is lined and decorated with Mark Rothko's paintings. Walls contain Rothko's triptychs and some walls contain single paintings on canvas. Most of those paintings done were in the style of his black paintings which incorporated texture and hue effects. The black paintings were designed to give a mediative and relaxed effect to those who came to worship and pray.
Inside The Rothko Chapel Paintings Like The Ones Above Fill The Interior Walls
Pictures Courtesy of Rothkochapel.org
Painting of The Day 5/4/2011
This Piece exhibits Rothko's interest in the simpleness of pantings in order to express a complex thought. The painting also illustrates Rothko's tendency for the big shapes and large canvases to show what is obvious. The Flat forms that are created take away from any illusion and show what is actually there.
Picture Courtesy of The National Gallery
My Initial Naive Thoughts On Abstract Expressiont Artwork
Before AP Art History had even begun and before i started to study artists like De Kooning, Pollock, and Rotho, what came to my mind when i saw their work at first was "How is this considered art?" With paint splattered on a canvas with pollock using just ordinary household paint, Rothko's blurred rectangular blocks of color, and De Kooning's woman which looks very sloopily done, everyone's first thought is this is not traditional art as we know it, this is an atroscity. After doing much research and have studied the artists listed above you realize there is a real talent and intellect behind the works. This paintings allowed for artists to express their emotions freely and independently. It allowed for the viewer of the artwork to connect with the piece itself as Rothko had wanted. These artists brought to our attention what nature is and what occurs in it. What we take away from such abstract expressionists are a break from tradition and the old masters and the establishment of a new art form that allows for free expression and for the viewer to have a spirtual and mystical connection with the artwork.
Quote of the Day:
"The attitude that nature is chaotic and that the artist puts order into it is a very absurd point of view, I think. All that we can hope for is to put some order into ourselves." Willem De Kooning
Quote of the Day:
"The attitude that nature is chaotic and that the artist puts order into it is a very absurd point of view, I think. All that we can hope for is to put some order into ourselves." Willem De Kooning
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Information On The Two Kandinsky Paintings Below
On White II" (Kandinsky 1923): Kandinsky's idea was to use color in a highly theoretical and mathematical way by associating tone of colors with volume. Kandinsky associated his painting with that of music, the color on the pallet was like like music in harmony the tone of color was like a tone of music and saturation of paint was linked with the volume and pitch of the music. He is quoted as saying, "
Composition X,. (Kandinsky 1939): He uses small squares of colours and the coloured bands seem to stand out against the black background. The star' fragments and pastel tones cover the large maroon mass, which seems to float in the upper left corner of the canvas. He wanted the forms composed on the canvas to resonate with the observer of the paintings own mind and soul.
Source: http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/kandinsky/
Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul.
Composition X,. (Kandinsky 1939): He uses small squares of colours and the coloured bands seem to stand out against the black background. The star' fragments and pastel tones cover the large maroon mass, which seems to float in the upper left corner of the canvas. He wanted the forms composed on the canvas to resonate with the observer of the paintings own mind and soul.
Source: http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/kandinsky/
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Two Paintings by Wassily Kandinsky Which I am Basing My Work Off
A Little Information on the Two Malevich Paintings Below
Suprematist Composition: The painting represents a constellation of geometry and color in space with rigidity. The painting holds cultural and historical importance during a time of war and uproar. Shapes and colors are assembled and plotted systematically throughout the canvas. Malevich is once quoted as saying, “Color and texture in painting are ends in themselves.”
Black Square: Was the turning point in Russian Avant Garde. Malevich said that Suprematist art was divided into three stages which corresponded with the three squares he painted which were red, white, and black. The square was painted accurately and uniformly using the same brush stroke throughout. These square paintings were a break and separation from artwork that had preceded his own.
Black Square: Was the turning point in Russian Avant Garde. Malevich said that Suprematist art was divided into three stages which corresponded with the three squares he painted which were red, white, and black. The square was painted accurately and uniformly using the same brush stroke throughout. These square paintings were a break and separation from artwork that had preceded his own.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Two Paintings by Kazmir Malevich
A Little Information On The Two Pollock Paintings Below
Number 5, 1948: This is a prime example of Pollocks abstract expressionist work. It was done on a 8 x 4 sheet of fiberboard, down in a drip technique where thick amounts of brown and yellow paint in this example is drizzled on. The painting is free flowing with no specific orientation and outline. Pollock lets his subconscious take over and let his body move and let the drip technique follow
Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist): Is Pollock's ultimate masterpiece done with ordinary enamel house paints. He allows for physical action to combine with his emotional expression in order to achieve a balance of color and order. Flinging, dripping, and pouring all techniques used to apply the paint to the canvas. Pollock exceeded boundaries and started a new form of art that many would characterize this painting as, "chaos--absolute lack of harmony-- complete lack of structural organization-- total absence of technique, however rudimentary-- once again, chaos...."
Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist): Is Pollock's ultimate masterpiece done with ordinary enamel house paints. He allows for physical action to combine with his emotional expression in order to achieve a balance of color and order. Flinging, dripping, and pouring all techniques used to apply the paint to the canvas. Pollock exceeded boundaries and started a new form of art that many would characterize this painting as, "chaos--absolute lack of harmony-- complete lack of structural organization-- total absence of technique, however rudimentary-- once again, chaos...."
Two Jackson Pollock Paintings Im basing My Artwork Off
A Little Background Information On Three Rothko Paintings Below
Mark Rothko, Untitled,1949: Getting into Rothko's later paintings he started to abandon conventional titles and names to his paintings. There were no explanations to why he painted in this style. He is famously quoted as saying, "Silence is so accurate," he said, fearing that words would only paralyze the viewer's mind and imagination."
Mark Rothko, No. 2, 1951: This paintings was down in thin layers composed of a combination of both oil and egg based paint. What he achieves through this style is a bright and illuminated color. Paint can be seen in a variety of directions because Rothko would invert, turn the canvas in various directions and paint from there.
Mark Rothko, Untitled,1953: What Rothko conveys is not meant have a specific meaning, but to be interpreted by the individual it is totally pictorial. They have symbolic and abstract meaning. Rothko once stated, "large pictures are like dramas in which one participates in a direct way."
Source: Nga.gov
Mark Rothko, No. 2, 1951: This paintings was down in thin layers composed of a combination of both oil and egg based paint. What he achieves through this style is a bright and illuminated color. Paint can be seen in a variety of directions because Rothko would invert, turn the canvas in various directions and paint from there.
Mark Rothko, Untitled,1953: What Rothko conveys is not meant have a specific meaning, but to be interpreted by the individual it is totally pictorial. They have symbolic and abstract meaning. Rothko once stated, "large pictures are like dramas in which one participates in a direct way."
Source: Nga.gov
Three Mark Rothko Paintings I am basing my Artwork off
Mark Rothko, Untitled 1949
Mark Rothko, No. 2, 1951
My Four Artists and the Reasons I choose them
Kandinsky (Expressionist): What attracts me to his work done in the
Bauhaus is the abstraction of geometric shapes and forms. Kandinsky was a
teacher aside from being a monumental artist he taught a class on point
and different forms of lines. His use of circles, semi circles, angles,
and straight lines were what composed most of his abstract paintings.
Kandinsky's bright use colors and gradation of of the paint really
attracts one to his paintings which are free flowing and open. During the
20's and 30's was time of turmoil not only in Russia but across the globe.
Kandinsky went against traditional painters before him, and the teachings
of the old masters. Kandinsky allowed for us to see shapes in there most
simple and natural forms and combine them to create a bright abstract work.
Rothko (Abstract expressionist): What strikes me about Mark Rothko is his
ability to make a painting so soft and serene. He was able to narrow down
painting to its most important element which is the color. Rothko's later
work which were his rectangular fields of color and light really stood as
a transition during the history of art. His use of a large canvas, his
vertical forms, and really vibrant colors strike the viewer with force
making one think about the true meaning behind his work. Rotko wanted the
person who was viewing his large scale oil on canvas to exprience an
intimacy, as well as awe, and to allow the person to think outside the
box. The reason i am chosing Rothko as a model artist his becuase his
style which may be concieved as simple forces one to think about the
unknown and what beyong the surface.
Malevich (Suprematist): One of my favorite artists during the early 20th
century was Malevich. The pioneer of geometric abstraction and the
suprematist movement, he trancended boundaries and created a new form of
art taht really made people think. Through is knowledge of cubism and
geometric shapes he created a new form of art called Suprematism which
focused on the fundamental geometric forms in particular squares and
circles. His paintings the White on White and the Black Square allowed to
us to see a new form of art, different from the old masters who focused on
detail and vibrant colors. Malevich painting a square canvas black to show
the importance of geometric and simple forms. Obviously people became
angry at his work because negated everything that was considered good
and pure. He went away from the style that loved life and nature. What
strikes me about Malevich's work is his talent and ability to stray away
from his predecessors before him and create a form of art that really
changes one perspective on what art is supposed to be.
Jackson Pollock (Abstract Expressionist): Another important 20th century
artist who changed the way we percieve art was Jackson Pollock. His
perfection of the drip painting technique in which he turned synthetic
resin paint into alkyd enames which was the the novel of his medium. He
used ordinary household paints to compose his paintings rather than
traditional artist paints. Through the drip paintings Jackson was able to freely express his emotions and feelings. In his pieces titled by numbers one can see the sentimentality through which colors he used and the drip in which they were put on.
Sources: Online, Wikipedia, Jensens, Gardners, and Prior Knowledge
Bauhaus is the abstraction of geometric shapes and forms. Kandinsky was a
teacher aside from being a monumental artist he taught a class on point
and different forms of lines. His use of circles, semi circles, angles,
and straight lines were what composed most of his abstract paintings.
Kandinsky's bright use colors and gradation of of the paint really
attracts one to his paintings which are free flowing and open. During the
20's and 30's was time of turmoil not only in Russia but across the globe.
Kandinsky went against traditional painters before him, and the teachings
of the old masters. Kandinsky allowed for us to see shapes in there most
simple and natural forms and combine them to create a bright abstract work.
Rothko (Abstract expressionist): What strikes me about Mark Rothko is his
ability to make a painting so soft and serene. He was able to narrow down
painting to its most important element which is the color. Rothko's later
work which were his rectangular fields of color and light really stood as
a transition during the history of art. His use of a large canvas, his
vertical forms, and really vibrant colors strike the viewer with force
making one think about the true meaning behind his work. Rotko wanted the
person who was viewing his large scale oil on canvas to exprience an
intimacy, as well as awe, and to allow the person to think outside the
box. The reason i am chosing Rothko as a model artist his becuase his
style which may be concieved as simple forces one to think about the
unknown and what beyong the surface.
Malevich (Suprematist): One of my favorite artists during the early 20th
century was Malevich. The pioneer of geometric abstraction and the
suprematist movement, he trancended boundaries and created a new form of
art taht really made people think. Through is knowledge of cubism and
geometric shapes he created a new form of art called Suprematism which
focused on the fundamental geometric forms in particular squares and
circles. His paintings the White on White and the Black Square allowed to
us to see a new form of art, different from the old masters who focused on
detail and vibrant colors. Malevich painting a square canvas black to show
the importance of geometric and simple forms. Obviously people became
angry at his work because negated everything that was considered good
and pure. He went away from the style that loved life and nature. What
strikes me about Malevich's work is his talent and ability to stray away
from his predecessors before him and create a form of art that really
changes one perspective on what art is supposed to be.
Jackson Pollock (Abstract Expressionist): Another important 20th century
artist who changed the way we percieve art was Jackson Pollock. His
perfection of the drip painting technique in which he turned synthetic
resin paint into alkyd enames which was the the novel of his medium. He
used ordinary household paints to compose his paintings rather than
traditional artist paints. Through the drip paintings Jackson was able to freely express his emotions and feelings. In his pieces titled by numbers one can see the sentimentality through which colors he used and the drip in which they were put on.
Sources: Online, Wikipedia, Jensens, Gardners, and Prior Knowledge
Start of my four week journey on my Art Painting Project
With no background experience in any form of conventional painting or prior knowledge of how to paint, i have embarked on a four week journey to learn about four painters during the 20th century. With knowledge from AP Art History and the help of Mr. Starr i have selected 4 amazing and talented artists who have had a major impact on various art painting movements.
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