THE VISUAL WORLD Important terms & ideas from Sayre, Chapters 1-3

Transcription

1 THE VISUAL WORLD Important terms & ideas from Sayre, Chapters 1-3

2 Roles of the Artist Artists help us see the world in new or innovative ways Artists make a visual record of the people, places, and events of their time and place Artists make functional objects and structures (buildings) more pleasurable and elevate them or imbue them with meaning. Artists give form to immaterial hidden or universal truths, spiritual forces, personal feelings.

3 Seeing & Visual Literacy Seeing is believing is a common assumption. Seeing is both physical and psychological. Visual conclusions are influenced by an individual s complex perception of the world: filtered through history, fears, emotions, customs, desires. Concepts of Visual Literacy: The relationships among words, images, and objects in the world The idea of representation The distinctions among form and content in art Conventions in art Iconography

4 Words & Images Rene Magritte, The Treason of Images, 1929 Oil on Canvas 21 ½ x 28 ½ in.

5 Words & Images What is this?

6 Representational portrays natural objects in recognizable form Realism attempts to be photo-realistic Abstraction is representational, but less realistic Nonrepresentational (or non-objective) does not refer to the natural or objective world at all

7 Andy Warhol, Race Riot, 1963, Acrylic & silkscreen on canvas, four panels each 20 x 30 inches.

8 Albert Bierstadt, The Rocky Mountains, Lander s Peak, 1863, oil on canvas, 73 ½ x 120 ¾

9 Naturalism: realistic elements, but presented in a biased or subjective way Albert Bierstadt, The Rocky Mountains, Lander s Peak, 1863, oil on canvas, 73 ½ x 120 ¾

10 Kasimir Malevich, Suprematist Painting, Black Rectangle, Blue Triangle, 1915, oil on canvas, 26 1/8 x 22 ½

11 Form & Content in Non- Objective art In this example, the art is about form. So its content has to do with form. Malevich is demonstrating how purely formal relationships can transform otherwise static forms into a visually dynamic composition. Kasimir Malevich, Suprematist Painting, Black Rectangle, Blue Triangle, 1915, oil on canvas, 26 1/8 x 22 ½

12 Iconography and Cultural Context Iconography: a system of visual images the meaning of which is widely understood by a given cultural group. Symbols: visual images that represent something more than their literal meaning

13 Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, Kamakura period, Japan, 13 th century

14 Mudra: symbolic hand gestures Raised right hand: symbolizes Buddha s fearlessness Lowered left hand: symbolizes the granting of protection Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, Kamakura period, Japan, 13 th century

15 Jean-Michel Basquiat, Charles the First, 1982, Acrylic & oil paintstick on canvas, 78 x 62 in.

16 Basquiat employs symbols of his own & other s making to create a coded visual language S : Superman, and SAMO (Basquiat s graffiti pen name) Crown: Basquiat s symbol for African American hero X : OK, All right. Basquiat discovered this in a book section Hobo Signs. But we also associate X with a negativecrossing out. What other symbols do you see? Jean-Michel Basquiat, Charles the First, 1982, Acrylic & oil paintstick on canvas, 78 x 62 in.

17 Iconography & symbols logo exercise Art & Public Perception Group work

18 THE GATES, CHRISTO & JEANNE- CLAUDE 2005 Central Park, NY

19 FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DAMIEN HIRST Art as a commodity What is the value of art? Damien Hirst, For the Love of God, 2007, platinum, diamonds, human teeth

20 THE HOLY VIRGIN MARY, CHRIS OFILI Chris Ofili Controversy, public (mis)understanding

21 TILTED ARC, RICHARD SERRA Public sculpture flashpoints/visualarts/tiltedarc_a.html

22 THE HOMELESS VEHICLE PROJECT, KRZVSZTOF WODICZKO Activism in art wodiczko.html