Art Comparative Study

Transcription

1 Artwork Name: City View Artist Name: Friedensreich Hundertwasser Year: 1999 Artwork Name: Casa Batlló Artist Name: Antoni Gaudí Year: 1906 Art Comparative Study Artwork Name: Himalayas Center Artist Name: Arata Isozaki Year: 2010 This comparative study examines links between three artworks from three different cultures and time periods: Hundertwasser s City View, Gaudí s Casa Batlló, and Isozaki s Himalayas Center. The main theme explored is the relationship between man-made objects and nature. By: Jialin Sun

2 Applying McFee King s conceptual framework to Friedensreich Hundertwasser Audience Hundertwasser is a well-known artist who received lots of controversy from the public due to his open criticism to all existing art forms and his unconventional ideas. His artworks have been especially criticized for their primitivism. Critics claim that his artwork resembles childart because of the irregular shapes and bright colours used. Hundertwasser claims that the intention of his artworks is to offer his audience a glimpse into a world of paradise. The main way his audience experiences this paradise is through the vibrant colours on his artwork. As Hundertwasser once said, A colourful world is always a synonym for paradise. City View is highly decorative, and its vibrant colours successfully catch the audience s eyes. Audience s World Image from: Flickr, RasMarley Artwork Name: City View Completion Date: 1999 Style: Transautomatism Material: Mixed Media Size: 1000 mm x 1395 mm Artist Hundertwasser is often called a rugged individualist because he never joined any art movement. He preferred to be alone. Many of his colleagues found his works decadent because they were filled with swirls and vibrant colours. Despite the controversy, his artworks became very popular with the general public, and by 1965, each painting was sold for more than $17,000. In 1981, Hundertwasser was awarded the Austrian State Prize, the country's highest cultural award. In the post-war period, the international art scene was dominated by Abstract Expressionism, and the European art scene was dominated by a similar style called Tachisme. Hundertwasser opposed both styles. Instead, in 1954, he developed his own painting style which he named Transautomatism. He has been painting this unique way ever since. Hundertwasser once said, A style does not mean anything. The style is only an empty tool to express yourself. A true artist has no style. (Schmied, Wieland) Transautomatism is a type of surrealism. It focuses on the audience s fantasy rather than an objective interpretation (Aaronson, Béa). Since Hundertwasser used unconventional shapes and did not provide his audience with any detailed explanations of the artwork, City View allowed his audience to form their own interpretations. Different people would see different things in this same artwork. Hundertwasser believed that Transautomatism put his artworks at the vanguard of creativity. He believed that the style allowed his audience a departure towards true creativity by engaging their minds through his art. As Hundertwasser said, Art has to do good. He believed painting is pointless if it didn t benefit the audience(schmied, Wieland). City View was completed in 1999, at the Kaurinui valley in New Zealand. This was more than 50 years after World War II, and was at a time period when cities with tall buildings started to develop at rapid rates. Since this artwork is titled City View, the audience may connect it to the development of cities and hence the loss of nature. Artist s World Hundertwasser was born in Austria but is viewed as an international artist because of his travels and work in various locations all around the world. City View was created in New Zealand, which had a profound impact on the greenery and blocks of land in the artwork. Hundertwasser lived through the Second World War. He and his mother were Jewish and avoided persecution by posing as Christians. However, many of his relatives were killed in Nazi concentration camps. As a result, Hundertwasser developed an anti-totalitarian position and campaigned against the European Union, which he believed would eradicate the regional variation he valued. Therefore his artworks contain highly varied and irregular forms. Hundertwasser s art education was largely insignificant as he openly opposed all art theory and followed his own imaginations while painting. One of his more noteworthy art educations was from in the Montessori School in Vienna, which he later said influenced his use of vibrant colours in his paintings.

3 Analysis of City View by Hundertwasser Material used: This artwork is a mixed media piece. It was created with: water-colour; egg tempera; oil on primed paper glued to canvas with PVA & cellulose glue; silk screen fragments; gold & silver leaf. Hundertwasser preferred to make his own paint by grinding together various substances(e.g. soils). He applied them to his artworks without mixing them. He liked to use oil paint, tempera and watercolor techniques together in order to bring out the contrast between matt and shiny areas. Using his own paint was important to Hundertwasser because he believed that readymade colours are like dead materials. To him, colours manufactured by someone else or a machine loses creativity. This loss in creativity would not be able to make his artworks come to life. The texture of this painting is smooth. Hundertwasser likes to paint in thin layers of paint. He strongly opposed the profligate use of material in the Tachisme movement in the post-war period. He believes that most other artists want immediate results and thus end up making their artworks look sloppy. Hundertwasser loved irregularity. This is evident in the slanted lines on these windows. In fact, this whole painting is composed of irregular shapes. These squares are not actually typical perfect squares upon closer investigation. The spirals also have bumps in certain areas that make them uneven. These irregular shapes form patterns that are repeated throughout the artwork. Hundertwasser relies heavily on the vibrancy of colours to make his art stand out. Here, he uses bright distinct colours of red and yellow to capture the audience s attention. He ensures that most colours used directly next to each other are highly contrasted. As a whole, this artwork corresponds to its name. It is an abstract representation of a city. In the dark background, there are rows of brightly-lit windows which allude to the windows on city buildings. The colourful lines at the front appear like highway lanes, and the brown/green shapes resemble the natural soil/grass areas in a city. Image from: Flickr, RasMarley Hundertwasser used the whole colour spectrum in this artwork. He loved all colours and especially loved to use contrasting colours, because they create a world of paradise for him. He has the rare ability to maintain colour harmony in a single painting that contains the entire spectrum. For example, the green and red colours here contrast with each other, but does not create a clash that disturbs the audience. Although this artwork has a dark background, the use of vibrant colours in all the shapes create a dynamic atmosphere. The dark background only serves to bring out the colors even more. Also, the highly decorative approach with many overlapping patterns and shapes makes the artwork appear busy and full of life. The artwork almost seems like a dream city lit up with bright and interesting architecture during the night. The forms are archaic and primitive. Hundertwasser uses simple and repetitive shapes in this painting, such as these rectangular and pentagonal windows. Hundertwasser once claimed that he cannot draw, and that the strong colours he uses make up for his lack of drawing skill. Most of the lines on this artwork are curved. Only the lines on the windows in the background are more linear and rigid. In fact, Hundertwasser strongly opposed straight lines. He often called them the devil s tool. This opposition may have been caused by his early fears of the orderly marching parades during the Nazi regime. The spiral design here is one of the most widespread and significant in all of Hundertwasser s paintings. It appears in three areas of this painting. The spiral is his symbol for growth. It is also a representation of the fusion of opposite forces, which symbolizes the paradise world that Hundertwasser wants to show to his audience. The two strands of this spiral are in the contrasting colours of red and green, which links further emphasizes the fusion of opposite forces.

4 Significance of City View by Hundertwasser Image from: Flickr, RasMarley The spirals in City View are very significant to Hundertwasser. He has become known as the painter of spirals. It is a motif that combines his two favorite thematic groups: architecture and vegetation. Spirals were first introduced in his art in 1953 and are present in almost all his artworks. The spirals in Hundertwasser s work may have been influenced by Gustav Klimt s highly decorative designs. However, Klimt s spirals are clearly distinguishable from the background, while Hundertwasser s spirals are part of the painting s background and usually indistinguishable from it. This further emphasizes just how important and fundamental the spiral is to Hundertwasser s life. The spirals usually consist of 2 strands in complementary colours. They are inextricably linked: their ways in and ways out go together. By following a strand to the centre, you will be shown the way out of the spiral by the other strand. In the middle, the paths converge, and the opposites disappear. This links to the idea of harmony and paradise in Hundertwasser s works. He believed the spiral form corresponds to the effect created when opposites move and fuse in harmony. It brings out the paradise and dream world he wished to convey to his audience. Since Hundertwasser had a harsh upbringing, a paradise without dangers would mean a lot to him and many of his older audience who also experienced the Nazi Regime. Another reason why Hundertwasser used the spiral so much is because it allowed him to attain his goals slowly. Hundertwasser liked to take his time while painting. He applied paint in thin layers because he believed this method made the colours more vibrant. In fact, it took him 3 to 4 months to finish City View. Hundertwasser s painting style directly opposed Tachisme and its profligate use of materials. Tachisme is characterized by spontaneous brushwork, drips, and blobs of paint straight from a paint tube. Hundertwasser believed that Tachisme took away the vibrance of colours. Colours are another main feature of Hundertwasser s work. The highly varied and saturated colour scheme in City View is captivating. To Hundertwasser, colours mean nothing in themselves, but when juxtaposed they are able to form a kind of visual music. He believes that the greatest painters are those who can impress their audience with visual music. In fact, colour was so important to Hundertwasser that almost everything in his life related back to his art. There aren t many painters whose life and work are more closely interwoven than those of Hundertwasser. He did not have a separate studio space, but rather transformed his whole living space into a studio. He painted objects in his daily life in such an unique colour composition that they became works in their own right. City View, like most of Hundertwasser s other works, displays an explicit integration of the two thematic groups, architecture and vegetation, in addition to the spirals. The architecture in this artwork is shown through the architectural code symbol of windows, and the vegetation is expressed through the animistic designs patterns of wavy lines and irregular rectangular shapes. A main idiosyncrasy of Hundertwasser's art is that both motif groups are inextricably linked: the vegetative forms are static in order to solidify the architecture and enable it to last, whereas all architecture constructed seem to have grown organically from nature itself. In City View, the highway lanes and windows are shaped in such an irregular and natural way that they seem connected to the Earth. They are completely unlike the the perfect geometric designs we see in cities. Hundertwasser was a strong supporter of nature and believed that humans can only exist happily when surrounded by nature. This idea is reflected by the culture of New Zealand, which considers nature as highly important. Therefore Hundertwasser may have created City View to demonstrate that a city should never be solely based on buildings. There has to be greenery as well for a balance in life. Hundertwasser also shows in City View that natural greenery alone is not enough; the buildings also need to mirror organic natural forms. Hundertwasser believed that humans have lost their connection to the organic geometry of nature by forcing themselves to live in symmetrical box-shaped houses. This is reflected by the trend of symmetrical buildings across the globe in the late 20th century. Hundertwasser believed that since we are born on Earth, we need to be in constant connection with the fluid lines of nature in order to be happy. While this may have been influenced by the political and social standardization of his cultural experience during the Nazi regime, Hundertwasser was also very concerned with environmental issues and claimed all humans shared an intrinsic connection with nature. He often called himself an Environmentalist. Unlike a Surrealist, an Environmentalist does not transgress the laws of nature. The universal rules that organize substances & living things are precisely what Hundertwasser reveres. Humans are part of this universal rule and are meant be part of nature. With large cities developing in the late 20th century, the ultimate aim of this artwork is to hint that nature and buildings can co-exist. Although all of Hundertwasser s artworks are purposefully left open to interpretation, the explicit combination of architecture and vegetation in City View will guide the audience along this pathway of thought. Image from: Flickr, RasMarley

5 Applying McFee King s conceptual framework to Antoni Gaudí Audience Casa Batlló is located on the street Passeig de Gràcia. This street is in the center of Barcelona. It was the most popular and fashionable street during Gaudí s time. All of the most luxurious shops could be found there, and Casa Batlló added to the fashionable reputation of the street. (Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona) The incredibly bold and modern style of Casa Batlló was exactly the style sought after by the wealthy elites in Barcelona. Most of the buildings on the street had very bold and distinct styles. While all contained elements of Gothic architecture as it was a prevalent style in the early 20th century, each building had a unique overall design. Casa Batlló specifically reflected a marine design. Image from: kj cartoons Artist Casa Batlló is identified as the avant-garde of Catalan Modernisme. Its irregular oval windows and flowing sculpted stone work are incredibly unique. It appears as though one of Gaudí aims for the house was to avoid the use of straight lines completely. The overall bold design was created to invite attention from passing pedestrians on the famous Passeig de Gràcia street. (Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona) Joseph Batlló, an influential textile industrialist, bought the house in 1900 for its centralized location. However, he did not like its previous design and wanted to search for an architect who could create an audacious house that stands out. In 1904, Batlló chose to hire Gaudí after seeing his innovative designs in Park Güell. He gave Gaudí the freedom to design almost anything he wanted. Gaudí fully utilized this freedom and designed an astonishing final product. Casa Batlló fully represents Gaudí s ground-breaking genius. Audience s World Casa Batlló was completed in 1906 in Catalan Spain. It is located on Passeig de Gràcia, the most fashionable and prestigious street in Barcelona in the early the 1900s. Towards the end of the 1800s, Barcelona was thriving under economic prosperity brought about by the Industrial Revolution, and was developing into a modern society. Moreover, the organization of the First International Exhibition in Spain in 1888 drove Barcelona to significantly improve its buildings and other urban developments, which further boosted its economic growth. Barcelona was arguably one of Europe s most influential cities at that time. (Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona) Artwork Name: Casa Batlló Completion Date: 1906 Style: Modernisme; Architecture Artist s World Antoni Gaudí an internationally renowned Spanish Catalan architect. He was born in 1852 and took an interest in architecture from a young age. His family is in the boilermaker business, which allowed Gaudí to experiment with space and volume in the family workshop. His talent in designing spaces grew into a fondness for architecture, and he graduated from the Provincial School of Architecture in Barcelona in But soon after graduating, Gaudí's designs began to defy the conventional styles he learned in school. Gaudí was initially part of the Catalan Modernisme movement, but eventually transcended it with his unique organic style based on natural forms. Modernisme is cultural movement characterized predominately by curved lines and asymmetry. It also involved the use of immensely intricate metal and ceramic decorations on architecture. The use of intricate details are evidently present on Casa Batlló, but Gaudí added an extra edge by incorporating his own organic forms into the building(thiébaut, Philippe).

6 Analysis of Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí Interior Parabolic Arches Image from: Wikimedia Foundation Gaudí tried his best to avoid using straight lines in the building. Instead, he used wavy lines. There are two unique styles in this work and Gaudí s other work that distinguish him from other architects. One is his refusal to join walls at right angles, which resulted in a series of wavy lines on this building. Another is his use of parabolic arches to in the interior space of the building. This is not apparent in the facade of the building, but can be see indoors. These styles give Casa Batlló a highly modern feel. The roof here is composed of another type of trencadís. It is a mosaic made up of colourful porcelain tiles, which makes the house appear like a precious enlarged jewel. This would have given the house a prestigious aura during the early 1900s while the Batlló family lived there, which fulfills their purpose to attract attention to their family. This use of trencadís also gives the roof a rough texture, which makes it stand out against the smooth walls. Exterior Wall The great undulating surface on the windows appears like the surface of a lake with water lilies. This makes Casa Batlló appear like a beautiful representation of nature. This may have been inspired by the beauty in Monet s Nymphéas. Gaudí used a technique called Trencadís on the windows and walls. This technique is the use of ceramic disks and pieces of glass to make a mosaic with an undulating surface, which gives the windows an uneven texture. These glass windows give the building s exterior a marine design because they reflect light just like water would. The broken glass also creates a beautiful ripple pattern. In contrast, the walls are made from Montjuïc sandstone, which gives them a smooth texture. This use of opposites allows both features to stand out strikingly. Roof Image from: Barcelona Guide Bureau This fanciful roof has attracted multiple interpretations. The most popular one is an allusion to a dragon s back. The multi-coloured tiles represent the scales on the dragon, and the protruding stones at the very top represent the dragon s spine. In fact, some people see this design as an analogue of the legend of St.George slaying a dragon during the middle ages. Thus the boldness and honour associated with St George would have been skillfully connected to the house, which effectively displays the prestigiousness of the Batlló family. Image from: Flickr, jean-jacques Mattei The calm marine colours are a main feature of the building. To Gaudí, colours are so powerful that they can bring a building to life. The sandy colour of the walls complements the skeletal forms of the building, and the clear blue disks on the windows allude to a beautiful lake. Overall, Gaudí brings the unique marine structures of the building to life through the combination of harmonious colours. It is also important to note that the tone of the two main colours are contrasted to add dimension to the building. The walls are in a calm tone while the windows are in a rich tone of deep blue. Gaudí used very elaborate architectural spectacles. The windows are built in unique egg-shaped stone frames. The balconies take on a bone-shaped structure. All the arches and pillars are in a form that appears to represent a state of liquefaction. The overall composition of these fluid lines effectively connect to the alluring organic forms of nature that Gaudí wants to express.

7 Significance of Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí Image from: Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona Gallery It is important to note that Antoni Gaudí designed Casa Batlló specifically for the Batlló family. Joseph Batlló himself wanted the house to stand out from other houses in order to attract attention and establish a high status for his family. Thus the purpose of Casa Batlló was to appear innovative, which Gaudí did an incredible job fulfilling. The dragon back design on the roof of the house is in vibrant rainbow colours, which makes it stand out remarkably from the calmer marine tones on the house s exterior. Since dragons were a symbol of strength and power in Spanish culture in the early 20th century, this design would have given the Batlló family a prestigious position in Barcelona s society. Therefore Casa Batlló was influenced by both political and historical matters. Image from: Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona Gallery Although Casa Batlló was designed for the Batlló family, Gaudí s own ideologies have also been incorporated into the house. Casa Batlló is also known as Casa dels ossos" (House of Bones), mainly due to the innovative visceral and skeletal qualities found on its pillars and balconies. The colour of the walls further support the bone-like quality. Gaudí once said, Architecture must not renounce colour, but must on the contrary use it to bring shape and physical volume to life. Colour is the complement of form, and the clearest manifestation of life. (Thiébaut, Philippe) This philosophy is evidently present in Casa Batlló. The beige walls complement the bone-like structures, and the clear blue disks complement the undulating windows to make them appear like ripples in a lake. This effective use of colour and form brings the building to life and allows pedestrians passing by to easily connect it to natural marine structures. Since Barcelona was a coastal city, this marine structure is highly representative of Spanish culture. In fact, nature is a central theme that repeatedly appears in Gaudí s works. Gaudí was strongly interested in biomimetics(casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona). Biomimetics refers to human-made processes that imitate the systems and elements of nature. Through biomimetics, Gaudí was able to closely study nature s structures and functions, and this turned him into a pioneer in environmental issues. He ensured that his architecture would not only be respectful to nature, but would also be an extension of nature s essence. This explains Gaudí s unique technique of Trencadís, which promotes the recycling of ceramics and glass. This also explains the vivid natural forms present on Casa Batlló that almost seem to belong to nature itself. Overall, Casa Batlló is a vehicle for Gaudí to express his love for nature and the importance of the environment to his audience. In Casa Batlló, Gaudí has really managed to integrate architecture and decoration into one. Such innovative and decorative designs were very popular in Spanish culture during Gaudí s time. It is the natural elements and free organic forms that made Gaudí s style distinctive from those of his peers. Gaudí followed some of the conventional styles of his time, but he played with them in such a way that he transcended the styles and made them into his own. Gaudí, like his peers, was influenced by Moorish architecture(thiébaut, Philippe). Moorish architecture originated from the North-African culture in the 14th century. It became immensely popular in European cultures in the early 20th century. However, unlike his peers, Gaudí did not try to reproduce Moorish architectural features. Instead, he extracted random elements from them and incorporated his own designs. For example, Gaudí used corbels from Moorish architecture on Casa Batlló, but he turned them into bone-shaped structures on the windows in order to add to the house s natural elements. In addition to Casa Batlló, all of Gaudí s architecture have come to symbolize Barcelona and make it a popular tourist destination today. Overall, Casa Batlló displays a revolutionary visual richness. Gaudí used the building to express his concerns towards nature, and he did it in such a beautiful and creative way that it was bound to attract attention and admiration.. Image from: Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona Gallery

8 Analysis of Himalayas Center by Arata Isozaki The light blue glass windows reflect light and give the building a more modern feel as they allude to the glass skyscrapers in Shanghai s city center. The glass contrasts highly with the grey stone walls and thus creates another interesting juxtaposition for the building. Isozaki ensures to make the building appear modern by using glass. The tone of the building is quite dull, which allows the structures to stand out. Isozaki focuses more on forms than on colour. The colours he uses are calm and cool, which allows the audience to easily notice the organic forms of the building. Grey is an effective colour to use here because it is calm and also contributes to the building s cave-like and natural structure. This building lives up to its name. President Dai Zhikang of the Shanghai Zendai Group,the firm that created this building, wishes to be able to open his eyes and see the Himalayan mountains(designisthis). The organic forest facade is comparable to the red mountains in Mustang, Nepal. The arches in the building appear like the secret hideaways found on the mountain. The graceful stone-like curves on the building further enhance the freedom and spiritual value that the Himalayas mountains possess. Image from: Design Is This Personal Image The texture of the stone walls is generally smooth because smooth stone is used. The walls are composed of horizontal strips of stone, with clear distinction lines in between them. The intentional dents between these horizontal lines allow the building to appear more natural. Moreover, the stone walls on the Himalayan mountains also have dents in them, so this technique Isozaki used creates a closer connection between the building and the mountain. The organic structure here is inspired by a forest. Isozaki translated the irregular nature of a forest into a cave-like building with arches for visitors to meander through, thereby allowing a freedom of movement. The organic forest is very freely structured. The holes are irregularly-shaped and the walls are purposefully uneven. This sense of freedom connects the building to the natural structures on the Himalayas. The main colour used is grey. Since Isozaki adheres to one colour scheme, this combines the organic structures and lattice grids together and makes them appear as one unified building. The middle section is in a lighter tone of grey than the lattice grids at both ends, which allows the audience to immediately notice a difference between the two structures. The different tones of grey maintain a clear distinction between the free and rigid structures on the building. Isozaki most probably used grey to allude to the natural grey stone walls on the Himalayan mountains. As a whole composition, this building contains 1 main juxtaposition. This is the striking contrast between the organic forest-like facade in the centre section and the orderly Chinese-styled lattice grids at both ends. Isozaki integrates these two distinct styles into one homogenous building complex, which stands out due to the individualistic combination. Geometric shapes are used here. Strict cubes with symmetrical straight lines are used, which appear like traditional Chinese patterns. This incorporation of traditional Chinese designs is tailored towards the Chinese culture and Chinese visitors. It allows the building to appear like it should belong in Shanghai because its structures integrate local cultural elements. It also shows Isozaki s strong awareness of cultural differences between countries. Although Isozaki is Japanese, he is highly educated in other Eastern cultures due to his studies in the University of Tokyo. This enabled him to create this Chinese design.

9 Comparison of City View, Casa Batlló, and Himalayas Center City View by Hundertwasser Incredibly vibrant and diverse colours. Includes the entire colour spectrum Distinct colors used. No variance in tone of colours. Although this artwork contains natural forms, it focuses on the artist s own fantasies rather than natural forms in real life. The forms here are interpreted according to the audience s evaluations. Abstract representation of a cityscape Motif: Spiral Patterns. Spirals combine the two thematic groups of architecture and vegetation. Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí Soft colours link to natural colours of marine structures Visceral and skeletal qualities on pillars and balconies. Architectural details such as pillars and balconies are absent on other artworks. Straight lines are avoided as much as possible. Even the decorative lines on windows are curved. Designs on each artwork overlap. This creates a dynamic atmosphere. Highly decorative. Focus on intricate details. Artwork composed of small individual designs. Used technique called Trencadís on the windows, which involves using recycled materials. This creates a rough texture. Organic natural forms Emphasis on both architecture and nature Irregularly shaped windows Undulating surface on the facade Colour scheme complements the designs on the building Calm colour schemes contrast with bright windows Materials used include stone and glass 3D architecture Texture is generally smooth Large sections of wavy lines drawn/carved into the surface Straight lines used in windows, but the lines are slanted at angles. Dull grey colour Simple natural colours link to colours of stone walls on Himalayan mountains This artwork can only be looked at as a whole because the emphasis is on the overall form. A single section would not be able to express the grand undulating forms on the walls. Simple and grandiose designs on the forest section contrast with intricate geometric shapes on lattice grids at both ends of the building. This is the only artwork here that contains strict geometric lines, though they only appear at the ends. No additional designs on walls. Walls are completely plain with no intricate details. Himalayas Center by Arata Isozaki

10 Similarities between City View, Casa Batlló, and Himalayas Center In the late 20th century, cities and buildings were developing at an immense rate. Trees and fields were being torn apart to make space for new buildings. Since Hundertwasser lived through this development, he saw the removal of nature in favour for concrete streets and buildings. Hundertwasser was concerned because he loved nature and believed that humans and nature should co-exist. He despised rigid lines because he believed they oppressed freedom. Thus he incorporated natural elements into City View probably as a reminder for his audience to appreciate and retain nature in cities. Isozaki lives in our modern 21st century world and realizes the lack of natural elements in cities, especially in the concrete scene in Shanghai. He used many organic forms in the Himalayas Centre to counteract this lack of nature and to imitate the stone structures in the Himalayan mountains. As for Casa Batló, it is located in Barcelona, which is a coastal city. The building consists of many natural forms, especially marine structures, because Gaudí wanted his building to fit in with Barcelona s culture and to accurately represent the beauty of his beloved country. Like Hundertwasser, Gaudí also opposed straight lines because he believed they restricted innovation and the flow of vitality. Architecture & natural forms: City View Himalayas Center Casa Batlló City View & Casa Batlló : City View Both Hundertwasser and Gaudí used overlapping designs in their artworks. In City View, the spirals overlap with windows in the background. This suggests that to Hundertwasser, spirals overpowered all other architectural elements. The spiral is a motif that represents a combination of architecture and vegetation. To Hundertwasser, this was the most important. He realizes the need for buildings but despised highly structured buildings. Instead, he wanted architecture to resemble natural forms because he believed humans and nature should always coexist. Gaudí used many overlapping and intricate details because moorish architecture was the most popular movement in Europe during his time. Moorish architecture contained many elaborate designs, which Gaudí took inspiration from. Moreover, since Gaudí designed Casa Batlló specifically for Joseph Batlló, so he had to ensure the designs would be considered stylish during his time in order to please his client. Irregularly shaped windows: City View Casa Batlló & Himalayas Center : Casa Batlló Himalayas Center Both Gaudí and Isozaki used irregularly-shaped windows in their works most probably because the window is a component that can be easily manipulated on a building. Since both of their goals was to avoid straight lines and create natural forms, the windows would be a structure on which they can easily display their skills with wavy lines. As for Hundertwasser, he outrightly despised straight lines, most probably due to the rigid Nazi regime he spent his youth under. Thus, he avoided perpendicular lines on all aspects of his painting. Even the windows consisted of slanted lines to show his audience that all components of buildings should be structured freely, including smaller details such as windows. Gaudí designed undulating surfaces on the facade of Casa Batlló in order to allude to the waves of the sea. He used a calm colour scheme to complement the marine structures on the building because he believed colour should be linked explicitly to form in order to create harmony. Isozaki believed in the same concept. The undulating surfaces on Himalayas Center imitate the great stone structures on the Himalayan mountains. Moreover, since the great stone structures on the Himalayas are dull in colour, Isozaki had to use a similar colour to create the same grand and natural effect. Both artists used stones because stones are strong and easy to sculpt. Glass was also used because it is the convention for buildings to have glass windows to allow sunlight in. On both buildings, the duller walls contrast strikingly to the reflective glass windows, which create a beautiful and modern effect that would appeal to the audience, who are constantly looking for stylish designs. Himalayas Center & City View : Himalayas Center City View Both Himalayas Center and City View have smooth textures. Isozaki used smooth stone walls to allude to the stone walls in the Himalayan Mountains. Hundertwasser liked to paint slowly with thin layers of paint because he believed time would increase the quality of his artworks. This resulted in a smooth texture. Moreover, Hundertwasser especially enjoyed going against conventions. The Tachisme movement during his time was focused on the heavy use of paint, so Hundertwasser of course did the opposite. Also, both artists also used large sections of wavy lines add more detail into their artworks. Isozaki carved wavy lines into the stone walls to further mimic the details in the natural stones in the Himalayas. Hundertwasser most probably used wavy lines to highlight his strong opposition to straight lines.

11 Differences between City View, Casa Batlló, and Himalayas Center City View City View Colour Scheme & Abstract Designs Colour Scheme: Hundertwasser is the only artist here who used incredibly vibrant colours, because the colours were his representation of a world of paradise. Colours were significant to him in a way that exceeds the significance to both Gaudí and Isozaki. Gaudí believed that colours should be used to complement a building s form, not used excessively. Isozaki believed that colours should be kept simple to avoid muddling with a building s structure. Meanwhile, Hundertwasser believed that the contrast and harmony between colours are exactly what make his artworks stand out. Hundertwasser s perspective was influenced by the monotonous architecture built after Austrian architect Adolf Loos during the Nazi regime. He believed those dull buildings were responsible for the human misery during World War Two. Both Gaudí and Isozaki did not live through such terrible experiences, so the diversity of colour was less important to them. Abstract Designs: Both Casa Batlló and Himalayas Center are based on clear subjects: marine life and the Himalayan mountains. City View, on the other hand, does not explicitly appear like anything upon a first look. While Gaudí and Isozaki had clear structures in mind to imitate, Hundertwasser allowed his imagination to take over. City View is loosely based upon a cityscape, but the wavy lines and spirals can be interpreted in many different ways. Since Hundertwasser was not creating his artwork for anyone else, he didn t have to conform to expectations. Thus he chose to paint abstract paintings. Casa Batlló, Marine Structures Casa Batlló is the only work here based upon marine structures because Gaudí is the only artist here who had profound exposure to the sea, since he lived in Barcelona. Both Hundertwasser and Isozaki are more well-traveled than Gaudí. Hundertwasser had lived in various places such as London and New Zealand. Isozaki has designed buildings all around the world, such as in the U.S. and Spain. Therefore their artworks are less influenced by their native cultures. Casa Batlló, Trencadís Gaudí used a technique called Trencadís on the windows and parts of the walls. He is the only artist here who used recycled materials in his artwork. While Hundertwasser was concerned with nature, he focused on the importance of incorporating natural structures into buildings rather than the recycling of materials for sustainability. Gaudí, meanwhile, lived during one of Spain s most prosperous time periods. Factories discarded lots of broken ceramic tiles, which gave Gaudí the perfect opportunity to collect them and use them. Casa Batlló consisted of many undulating forms, so Gaudí would not have been able to use whole ceramic tiles anyway as they would not fit oscillating structures. Moreover, modernist architects during Gaudí s time used ceramics extensively, and Gaudí had to follow this popular trend in order to please his clients. Casa Batlló Casa Batlló Himalayas Center Chinese Designs Himalayas Center is built in Shanghai and was completed in 2010 to coincide precisely with the Shanghai 2010 expo(luxury Insider). Since the building is in China itself, it makes sense for Isozaki to be the only artist here who incorporated Chinese lattice-grid designs into his artwork. Isozaki had to respond to cultural influences in order for his building to be representative of China during the Shanghai expo. In fact, Isozaki is the only artist here who is recognized for his sensitivity to cultural context in his works. Isozaki was born into a wealthy family and graduated from a the University of Tokyo, which exposed him to a more diverse environment and contributed to his flexible style(goodwin, Dario). Himalayas Center Unembellished Designs While both City View and Casa Batlló contained highly intricate details, the Himalayas Center by Isozaki is largely unembellished. The focus of Himalayas Center is on the overall structure rather than the details. This may be influenced by the increasing desire for simplicity in the modern 21st century. For example, popular products by Apple Inc. focus on simplicity. More and more new buildings focus on simple but grandiose structures, and Isozaki had to follow these styles in order to please his client. Himalayas Center Himalayas Center

12 Significance of Hundertwasser and Antoni Gaudí to my own work Main Thematic Influence: Man-made versus Nature Hundertwasser: City View Significance of Man-made versus Nature to myself: In the past few years, I have witnessed the destruction of numerous blocks of green space for the construction of buildings. This concerns me because greenery reduces global warming and pollution, among other potentially dangerous effects. Here in Shanghai, I am constantly exposed to pollution and have experienced its negative health consequences. Moreover, I never see enough greenery. I believe nature is beautiful, and as inhabitants of this world, we should conserve its intrinsic beauty. Its diversity and exquisiteness have been particularly inspiring towards my creative development in art. Nature can also offer relaxation and peace for all of us. Therefore, my main message is to illustrate the importance of nature. My artwork is inspired by buildings at Stanford, CA, where I lived before Shanghai. The abundance of greenery there contrasts sharply with the concrete streets of Shanghai, and I felt that the atmosphere was much more natural and relaxing there. I hope that people in Shanghai will realize the significance of nature and make an effort to conserve it. Personal Artwork: Coexistence Night Other significant influences: Combination of architecture and vegetation Contrast between organic natural forms and rigid lines Parabolic Arches Intricate and decorative elements Vibrant colours Personal Artwork: Coexistence Day Antoni Gaudí: Casa Batlló In both City View and Casa Batlló, there is a clear combination of architectural elements with vegetation. In City View, there are asymmetrical patches of greenery and shapes filled with blue paint that hint to water. On Casa Batlló, the irregular marine blue windows especially remind me of lakes. I have incorporated both elements in my personal artworks. I especially emphasized the organic forms and natural colours of the greenery and water in my artworks. Although I adopted the vibrant colour scheme from City View, I ensured that the colours I used were representative of the items they refer to. Architectural elements such as windows are present in both City View and Casa Batlló, which is essentially a building in itself. I ensured to include buildings in my artworks to fully display the contrast between man-made and natural elements. Moreover, both City View and Casa Batlló consist of many intricate details. I used paint to add details into the arches in my paintings to emphasize their significance. Just like the both Hundertwasser and Gaudí, I let the architectural elements become the background, and I focused on the creative natural structures on top of them instead.

13 Significance of Hundertwasser and Antoni Gaudí to my own work Main Concept: I really liked the parabolic arches in the interior design of Casa Batlló. Buildings conventionally contain rigid lines, but the arches in Casa Batlló, which are inspired by arches in Gothic architecture from the North-African culture, go against this convention. The curves of the arches create a sense of gracefulness and freedom that rigid lines cannot. However, it is important to realize that this freedom is limited. Unlike truly natural structures, the arches still have to conform to a designated shape. Nature in its purest form is diverse and unrestricted. Man-made objects may try to imitate forms of nature, but they are unable to achieve the boundless freedom that nature holds. Man-made objects can convey freedom, but never to the extent that real natural objects can. This is the concept I wish to express in my artworks, and is why the forms of many of the arches in my painting are so controlled. This also reflects the theme of manmade vs nature. The green arches in front of the building are a representation of nature. They are more varied in form and size, which reflect the greater degree of freedom they possess. The rigid lines enforce a sense of restriction created by the man-made building. Hundertwasser believed buildings without elements of nature would make people unhappy. I agree, but also believe that the presence of buildings limit the ability for nature to develop freely. This is reflected by the rigid lines in the green arches. When men destroy nature to make space for buildings, they are also reducing the biodiversity and variation of forms found in nature. The arches on the background building are more controlled than the green-coloured arches in front. Each arch on the building is exactly the same size, which conveys a sense of order and restriction. This expresses my belief that although man-made objects may try to emulate nature, they are still under the restrictions of the mind. They cannot truly convey freedom. Both City View and Casa Batlló contained highly intricate designs, which I took inspiration from. Here, I painted decorative elements in the form of lines and dots. The lines represent strict order and control. The dots are more free because they vary slightly in size and shape. However, they are still quite similar, which conveys the underlying restriction from the building which prevents nature from becoming too wild and unconstrained.

14 Significance of Hundertwasser and Antoni Gaudí to my own work The organic arches are a representation of nature. However, they do not represent nature at its truest form because they still take a parabolic form. Although forms in City View and Casa Batlló are organic, they are also constrained. This suggests that nature is hindered by manmade objects. I made the background colour of this painting very dark, just like the background in City View. Although the building is painted with contrasting colours to the background, I blended the edges of the building into the background, which makes it appear hazy. This creates a mysterious effect and allows the building to fade away, which suggests that the building is being taken over and eclipsed by the natural forms in front of it. In City View, Hundertwasser overlapped spirals in front of architectural elements in the background to stress their importance. I used a similar technique here. The section here becomes highly complex, which suggests that nature is getting out of control. Since I believe that nature can easily become too wild without man-made objects to keep it in place, this section on the far end of the painting furthest away from the building offers the audience a glimpse of what may happen. The thick white edges surrounding all the arches add to the sense of restriction. White also attracts the audience s eyes, which is effective because I want the focus to be on the organically-shaped arches. I believe the organic natural forms that both Hundertwasser and Gaudí used truly express a sense of surrealism and grace, and I want to convey a similar atmosphere. This atmosphere epitomizes the balance between man-made and natural objects. A balance is needed between man-made objects and natural objects. Manmade objects only would be too rigid and repressing. Natural objects only may become too wild. Since nature is so varied, too much of it may start to become uncontrollable. This connects to both artists beliefs that man-made objects and nature should co-exist. Therefore the arches I painted here appear both like the arches on a man-made building and like natural greenery. This combination between the two qualities is what we should aim for in our lives. I used a highly varied colour scheme to emphasize the diversity between the different forms in the painting and to make it appear surreal. Hundertwasser used a similar technique in City View to present his concept of a paradise, which I thought was effective. I adhered to the a green colour scheme on all the arches. Gaudí chose colours on Casa Batlló that represented the natural structures they refer to. I used a similar technique here. Since the purpose of these green arches is to represent nature, I used the colour green. Nature does contain a lot of other colours, but green is the primary colour associated with plants, fields and forest greens. It would be the most representative of nature.

15 Bibliography "992 VUE DE VILLE CITY VIEW STADTBLICK." The Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < Aaronson, Béa. "Spirals, Mildew and Transautomatism Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Art and Life." Atención San Miguel, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < "Antoni Gaudí." Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < "Antoni Gaudí." Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < "Arata Isozaki." Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 Nov < "Barcelona and Modernism." Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < Biography.com Editors. "Antoni Gaudí Biography." The Biography.com Website. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < "Casa Batllo, Barcelona." Kj Cartoons, 27 Mar Web. 8 Nov < "Casa Batlló." Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < "Casa Batlló." Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < "Clásicos: La Casa Batlló." Catálogodiseño, 22 May Web. 8 Nov < "Friedensreich Hundertwasser Facts." Friedensreich Hundertwasser Facts. The Gale Group, Inc., n.d. Web. 08 Nov < "Friedensreich Hundertwasser." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 08 Nov < "Gallery Casa Batlló." Casa Batlló Gaudí Barcelona, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < Goodwin, Dario. "Spotlight: Arata Isozaki." ArchDaily, 23 July Web. 20 Nov < "Hundertwasser's Painting Individuality and Significance." Art and Style. KUNST HAUS WIEN GmbH., n.d. Web. 8 Nov < Jean-Jacques Mattei. "La Casa Batlló De Antoni Gaudí." Flickr, 13 Sept Web. 8 Nov < Kwok, Natasha. "Arata Isozaki Sculpts Shanghai Himalayas Center with Organic Cave-like Façade." Designboom, 11 Aug Web. 20 Nov < Lagunas, Francois. "Casa Batlló Parabolic Arches." Wikimedia Foundation, 10 June Web. 8 Nov < %C3%B3_Parabolic_Arches.jpg>. RasMarley. "Hundertwasser, Friedensreich ( ) City View (Private Collection)." Flickr, 28 Feb Web. 8 Nov < Schmied, Wieland. Hundertwasser. Germany: Taschen, 2005, n.d. Print. "Shanghai Himalayas Center by Arata Isozaki." Design Is This, 31 Oct Web. 20 Nov < "Tachisme, Characteristics of Art Informel, Style of European Abstract Expressionism." Tachisme. Visual-arts-cork.com, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < Tan, Lawrence. "The Himalayas Center in Pudong, Shanghai." Luxury Insider, 17 Nov Web. 20 Nov < "The Gaudí Tour." Barcelona Guide Bureau, n.d. Web. 8 Nov < Thiébaut, Philippe. Gaudí: Builder of Visions. London: Thames and Hudson, Print.