June Explores Art

     Postmodern art is one of the biggest artistic revolutions we've seen to date. With a history heavily rooted in questioning authority and the traditional roles put on society, it exploded into countless homes, reaching people it may have never influenced before. How many of you have listened to music? Watched a movie? Played a video game? All of these things are art, and an amazing example of how it has expanded beyond sculpture and painting. (Kljaich)     In specific, one of the most interesting changes is the use of technology within artwork. These changes have been very controversial, with many arguing that art has fully devolved, as anyone can now create it. (Gever) I'm sure anyone reading this has heard the drama surrounding these art forms. Whether it be the demonization of video games, or the mockery of creative artistic expression, there is most certainly a lower respect for artists. Today I will be examining video games, 3-D printing, and digitally rendered influ

     During the Early Modern era, African American's had a massive influence on the art of the era. This is due mainly to the Harlem Renaissance, which lasted from the 1910's to the 1930's.  It grew within Harlem New York, and was considered a Renaissance of African American art, music, and overall culture.      Due to rapid improvements in this area, buildings weren't filled, and landlords wanted to fill the vacancy's. The middle class black community began to move in, and the area became flooded, due to a "Great Migration" from the south.      Art from this time was often inspired by the artist's African roots, and called back to a time before African's were transported to the USA against their will. It acted as a glue for African American's, bringing them together as one concise cultural push in the arts, something they had been frequently barred from participating in. The Harlem Renaissance, in my perception, is the refusal of white culture

Post Impressionism Post-Impressionism focused on a more stable line work then impressionism, and was heavily subject to artistic impression. Importantly, color was used to invoke certain feelings from the audience, and spark emotions. Essentially, the representation of the subject matter was clear, but the colors used took on a surreal feeling, that was subject to artistic whim. I'm not a big fan of this art style. I find it very jarring to look at, and dislike the strange combinations of color, when applied to the realistic subject matter. I also find it very difficult to connect with what the artist intended, because I don't have a good grasp on colors and what emotions they're intended to provoke. Because of how I process stimulus, these paintings make little sense to me and just seem unattractive. This use of color to grant a glimpse into the artists perspective falls short on me, so I don't particularly enjoy it , although I do have an appreciation for the historic

     Morality in the Classical era focused on glorifying a high moral standard. These standards oftentimes stemmed from the French and American revolution, or classic stories, such as those about Sparta. Themes during this era included patriotism, sacrifice, and moral good, such as family. (Kljaich) If I were to speculate, I would imagine that these themes within artwork were used to enforce a cohesive unit during a time of turmoil, and bring people together on common ground. Between rapidly advancing science, multiple revolutions, and fading religious influence , one can easily see how divided the population may have been.               This piece is called The Settlement by William Hogarth, completed in 1744. This artist specifically focused on British society in his pieces, so I believe it is a safe bet to assume that's where it was painted.      This piece is an excellent representation of the high moral standards of this time period. According to the Artsy article, this piec

                                                                       Background      This piece is called Head of Christ Crowned With Thorns, painted in 1620 by Guido Reni.  I could not find a specific location for this piece, however, the artist is Italian,  so it is safe to believe that was this was where the painting was created. More specifically, it was likely painted in Rome If it was not created in Italy, his biography also mentions that he created a lot of work in Naples, where he took a lot of commissions. Beyond that, it appears as if not a lot is known about this painting.                                                                        Influence     This painting is an excellent example of the influence of The Council of Trent on Baroque era art. The Council took place between 1545 and 1563, and determined that art should glorify God, and be easily understandable by both the secular and religious world.      This piece paints a moment of immense trauma (the days l

                                                                                                                                                 Background   This piece is a small portion of a larger work, called the Portinari Altarpiece , painted in 1476 by artist Hugo van der Goes. The full piece is a triptych, which is a large, three-panel piece of artwork that unfolds to reveal the painting within. The work was commissioned by Tommaso Portinari, a wealthy Italian banker who worked within the Medici network.    The altarpiece resided within the Sant'Egido church in Florence, acting as the main altarpiece. It was only opened for holidays and feasts, the outer doors of the piece bearing the painted statues of two angels for decoration. (Howard) I will be focusing on the redheaded girl found at the very top of my post, but have included the interior and exterior of the triptych for your reference and enjoyment.                                       Connections To The Medici Dynasty