ART APPRECIATION

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO ART

Definition of Art

What do you think is the definition of art? There is no exact definition as such
since artists have their own definitions of art and varied definitions of art. Even the
dictionary has varied definitions of art, the Oxford dictionary explains art to be;
'The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in
a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated
primarily for their beauty or emotional power." Defining art, how I would
personally define art as to express my emotional feelings be it in a 2d or 3d or any
kind of presentation that is how I see art, my feelings mixed with emotion
involving my creative skills.

Let us see how Encyclopaedia Britannica defines art to be; "The use of skill and
imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments or experiences that
can be shared with others. Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging
items (often with a symbolic significance) in a way that influences and affects one
or more of the senses, emotions and intellect. It encompasses a diverse range of
human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature,
film, photography, sculpture and paintings.

Coming to the need and search for art, what do you think is the need and search for
art?

THE NEED AND SEARCH FOR ART:

The study of the past proves that human beings have always been in search and in
need for art.
From cave paintings ranging from the lexes to Avant - Garde works of the 20th
Century, human beings have always been in a need and search for art. Regardless
of time and space, art has always been produced because artists have always
wanted to say something to the society and chose a particular way of saying it. As I
said, let it be the expression of emotions, conveying a social message or portraying
something to the public, they choose art. Let us see an example of it;

This is a cave painting from the Lexus and the study of bull by Picasso. It is
noticeable that the artists have always wanted to learn something; there has always
been a need and search for something.

ART, INTELLECT AND EMOTION:

What is the rule of Art?

> Art can make you think.

> Art can make you feel.

> Art can trigger associations.

ART STIMULATES INTELLECT:

In what way does Art stimulate intellect?
This is a Polyhedron drawing by Leonardo Da Vinci and the one on the right side
of the image is a Geodesic dome by Buckminster Fuller. The Polyhedron has been
an inspiration for Buckminster to create the Geodesic dome.

ART CREATES ORDER AND HARMONY

All of you must be familiar with the golden proportion incorporated in the
Parthenon, Athens. This is the shell of a snail and this is the derivation of the
Golden proportion from it and this is the incorporation of it, on the elevation of the
Parthenon. This is the application of the Golden section, thus, it is evident of how
nature's ways and creations are incorporated into buildings as well, thereby,
creating order and harmony.

ART REFLECTS THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT

This image is an example of Edward Hopper from the Nighthawks; this picture is a
live scene of the city of New York and a real life cafe. However, artists have tried
their best to locate this cafe and have failed to do so.

This cafe is located on an abandoned street and there are four people inside,
including the waiter. Taking a closer look at the people, none of them have direct
eye contact with each other, portraying that every individual in this world is alone.
Taking a closer look at the waiter, he depicts anger; the artist would be the only
one who knows the reason behind this. Thus, Art reflects the Social and Cultural
context.

ART MEETS THE NEED OF THE ARTIST

In what way do you think the art meets the need of the artist? Let us take a look at
an example. This is a drawing for The Gates by Christo and on the right, you have
the image of the executed work by Christo and Jeanne - Claude 30 years later. It
might seem simple, but the idea behind this, was to add more colour to the
landscape. The steel structure erected, ran for about 23 miles and there are about,
750 in numbers, each of them reaching a height of about 16 feet. For any
construction to take place, the artist first needs to visualize this place in terms of
proportion, balance, harmony and colour as well. In that way, art meets the need of
the artist. This is the basis for the creation of this kind of structure.

This is a vast example; let us take a look into a closer example. This is a sketch by
the famous artist "Thota Tharani", for the movie Shivaji for a song. He has created
these structures, this is his visual idea, he has produced it, using his own medium
and this is his executed part of his views. So we need art for many things.

Let us have a short exercise now; EXERCISE 1:

> What is art, Give your own definition of Art. You might have a different opinion
of art, your friend might have a different opinion of art. So, give your own
definition of art.
> In what way do you think, 'Art' has stimulated your intellect ? Like we saw an
example of the Geodesic dome with the Polyhedron structure of Da Vinci.

> Have you come across the instance where art served your need? it might be in
your design or conceptual stage, wherever you think, art has served your need, do
explain it and prepare a summary of it.

Let us take a closer look of the medium and Techniques of art.

TRADITIONAL PAINTING MEDIA EXPLAINED:

Off late there has been an overflow of new media and techniques. There have been
extensions of traditional approach. There has also been others without precedent.
All have been absorbed into the artist's armoury. There are a wide medium
involved in the production of art, it ranges from;

> Roplex
> Acrylics
> Lithograph
> Ceramic
> Enamels
> Pre Liquefied watercolours
> Charcoal
> Dry brushing
> Presco
> Lacquers
> Oil paint
> Distemper

Artists continue to explore the various mediums through which art can be created.
Now let us have a closer look at the various mediums used to produce art with
examples of each;

ACRYLIC:
This is an example of acrylic painting by Piet Mondrian, his Acrylic work on
canvas. Acrylic medium is generally thicker and stronger than tempera or
watercolour paint. Such type of paints, dry quickly and hence we must also be very
careful while mixing acrylic paints. Acrylic is water based "plastic" paint.

CERAMIC:

This form of art is used to describe the shaping, finishing and firing of clay. These
are examples of Ceramic works.

CHARCOAL AND CONTE CRAYON:

This is an example of Charcoal work and this is an example of Conte Crayon work.
The charcoal and Conte Crayon, both are in a stick form and they easily smudge.
Though both these qualities are said to a disadvantage the advantages of it are the
same. They could be smudged easily and creating various shades and hues and
these are available in stick form.
If you take a closer look at both these works, you can see the darker shades and the
lighter tones which thereby create a very realistic image. The one on the left is an
example of charcoal work while the one on the right is a Conte crayon work. Since
it tends to smudge very easily, we can produce all these kinds of effects, various
tones and shades. This is a major advantage of Charcoal and Conte Crayon work.

DISTEMPER:

This painting technique involves the use of powdered colours that are mixed with
glue size, or egg yolk and is applied onto a sheet/ canvas. Taking a closer look at
the painting below, the coloured powder is mixed with either glue or egg yolk and
the colours are applied. You can even see the bold brush strokes at the varied use
of colours, shades and textures. The distemper work even produces even distinct
textures which is quite interesting as well.

DRY BRUSH:
Dry brush is a technique and art where the paint is used more rather than the water.
So in this example you can actually feel the dryness in the painting, layers have
been applied over and over to create this kind of a piece.

FRESCO:

We all must be very familiar with this work, we have this sort of a painting since
ancient times. Here, the pigment is applied over the damp plaster, which makes it
more permanent and more realistic and the most existing works of all till date.

This is a Fresco painting on the ceiling of a chapel. Where the pigment has been
directly applied over the damp plaster. This was done centuries ago and continue to
exist. That is the long lasting quality of Fresco paintings.

LITHOGRAPH:

This is a printing process in which A small stone or metal sheet is used. The
printer, usually with the artist supervision covers the plate with a sheet of paper
which are then run through the printer. Thus, Lithography work is produced. This
is an example of Lithographic work.

OIL PAINT:

Oil paints are one the great classic media, and have dominated painting for five
decades. They remain popular for many reasons; their great versatility, offering the
possibility of transparency and opacity in the same painting, the lack of colour
change when the painting dries and ease of manipulation.

The mixing of colours are very interesting with regard to Oil painting when
compared to acrylics, it is easier to mix colours here since acrylics dry really
quickly. But in oil painting, the mixing of paints can be done at ease; we can keep
applying on and on to get the desired realistic effect of the painting. These are the
famous examples done with oil paintings. You would notice the darker shades, the
opaqueness, and the transparency producing a very realistic image of the scenes.
TERRA COTTA:

This is commonly used for ceramic sculpture; it is brownish - orange earthenware

clay. Terracotta Murals are famous even till date. They are widely and popularly
used as mural installations. What they do is, the mural or the sculpture is created
on a plane on pieces and then they are made to dry and install on the wall and the
gaps between the pieces are sealed with cement or any other firm material. They
are then coated and painted. This is not just an ancient method of art but a famous
method use widely till date, even as mural sculptures

EXERCISES

Let’s have a look into the exercise.

> Collect examples for each medium of art explained above, done by various
artists and analyse them and the procedure of creating the work like acrylic,
ceramic, oil painting etc., and analyse each of them and procedure of creating the
work.

> A clear understanding of these various mediums would guide you to your
comfortable working medium. Find it out your comfortable medium, whether you
are comfortable with acrylics, charcoal work or a pencil work, etc. and then try
creating a work of your own, either with a pencil/ charcoal or anything

> Then create a report of your process. Like how you started and your procedure of
doing it and come up with the pros and cons of your medium. Just the theoretical
notes of any media, wouldn’t be sufficient, you have to work out the medias to
experience them. That is the main task of this exercise.

Not to leave out Photography as a medium of Art - Study, the evolution of the
photographic as a medium of art and the various techniques involved in
photography. This would be your task and exercise for this session.

SCULPTURES:
These are 3 dimensional forms made using different materials, including;

> Ceramic
> Plastic
> Welding
> Composition board
> Aluminium
> Stainless steel
> and Other materials

Let us have a closer look into the examples, this is a Welded bronze sculpture by
Antoine Pevsner, known as 'Elan' and these are the plastic sculptures created by the
Japanese born artist Sayaka Ganz. I guess you must be very familiar with these
images by Sayaka Ganz, they have been viral online and across newspapers. Look
at the interesting composition made by her from the objects picked up from trash,
discarded plastics found in thrift stores. She has simply created them by picking
plastic from trash. It would be interesting if you try creating something like this or
something from your own idea that is how art evolves isn’t it? This is an example
for the cast, aluminium based sculpture, which is 100 ft tall which was created for
the sculpture exhibition and conference.

This is a Sculpture by the Indian born British artist Anish Kapoor, that is the
centerpiece of AT and T Plaza at Millenium park. It is made up of 168 stainless
steel plates that have been welded together; its highly polished exterior has no
visible seams of the welded plates. It measures, 33 by 66 by 42 feet. These are
Multi-channel aluminium animation installations in these days.

This is a File - based exhibition, encouraging artists to create site- specific

installations for the internet. Here, the space is given to the artist online and the
topic is given as well, what the artist has to do is, the artist has to create the
sculpture according to the theme, and upload it online and once the architectural
space is finished, the sculpture will be incorporated in it. Isn’t it interesting? This
shows the development of technology in the ways of sculpture and artistic
perception, everything.
Another Exercise

> Study the sculpture forms of various mediums; we had a look into the plastic
ceramic, welding, and aluminium sculptures, isn’t it? So, collect examples, to
study the sculpture form of these various mediums.

> Propose sculpture designs ( on worksheets) for various mediums and mixed
media. Take a sheet of paper and create your own sculpture with various mediums.

> Justify your sculpture form and once you have designed your sculpture and
designated the mediums to each part/ the technique which you are going to use.
Justify the sculpture form, why have you created the particular form, what was the
concept and context behind creating it. It is not just a sculpture but, there is much
more behind it. Your idea, thought process, everything matters a lot in this. Justify
the form and the various mediums, you have assigned for it.

APPRECIATING ART: ART ANALYSIS

Analyzing through the Form, Content and Context

Let us take the example of the famous, The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) of the
renaissance period by Jan Van Eyck.

Taking a closer look, notice the following;

> Subject
> Colour
> Texture
> Space
> Balance
> Symbolism - the touching of hands represents an agreement to wed.

This is a very famous portrait of Arnolfini and his bride and every single object in
this picture has been detailed so perfectly and there is a meaning for everything. It
will be even more interesting when you come to know the meaning and sequence
behind these artworks and the images in this picture. The touching hand between
Arnolfini and his bride represents an agreement to the wed. This picture is very
well composed and it is so proportional and it creates a sense of feeling of the
exact of the image to the artist. Every object portrayed in this picture conveys a
message. Looking at a closer look into the image, behind them, the curtains have
been opened and the bride is made to stand near the bed. It portrays that the female
is in charge of the domestic needs of the house and she takes care of the children
and bears a child. The man is made to stand near the window, portraying that he is
a social person. The Bedposts finial (crowning ornament) is a tiny statue of Saint
Margaret, patron saint of childbirth and from the finial hands a whisk broom,
symbolic of domestic care. The cast-aside clogs indicate this event is taking place
on holy ground.

The oranges on the table, below the window, conveys that they refer to fertility,
and the richness of the place. The richness cause oranges and lemons, the citrus
fruits are said to be very costly during that period, they had to be imported from
Spain and the all-seeing eye of God that seems to be referred to twice in this
image. It is symbolized once by the single candle burning in the left rear holder of
the ornate chandelier and again by the mirror, where viewers see the entire room
reflected. Having a closer look into the mirror, the small medallions set into the
mirror's frame show tiny scenes from the Passion of Christ and represents God's
ever-present promise of salvation for the figure reflected on the mirror's convex
surface. Who are the people reflected in the mirror? Arnolfini and his bride, having
a closer into the mirror you could see two more people in the mirror, Arnolfini and
the bride and two more, who are they? One could be the artist himself, who is
having a direct look at the scene and painting and the other person could represent
a person from the society who is witnessing the wedding. The writing from the top
of the mirror, even states that the artist was present there.

In the painting, the artist, Van Eyck has enhanced the documentary nature of this
painting by exquisitely painting each object and the detailing for them. He
carefully distinguished textures and depicted the light from the window on the left
reflecting off various surfaces. The artist augmented the scene's credibility by
including the convex mirror, because viewers can see not only through the
principals, Arnolfini and his wife, but also two people who look into the room
through the door. One of these must be the artist himself, as the florid inscription
above the mirror states, "Johannes de ... ", announces he was present. The picture's
purpose, then seems to have been to record and sanctify this marriage. Let us have
a look into the exercise for the art appreciation of the form, content and context.

EXERCISE 5:

> Study and analyze these art forms (below) with respect to their form, content and
context and prepare a report for the same.

> How would you analyze a building with similar formulae? This is a decoration at
a Cathedral and this is a famous portrait Mona Lisa by Da Vinci, for example
looking into this decoration detail of the Cathedral, it is not just a means of beauty
but to educate, the illiterates who come into the church. Taking a closer look into
it, it explains, the various stories and disciples of christianity. Explain and analyze
them, in reference to the example of Arnolfini portrait and do try to analyze a
building with the same concepts; the context of form, content and context - the
Parthenon, Greece.

AN EXPLORATION INTO ART REALITY, PERCEPTION,

REPRESENTATION

Let us have a look into the example by Dorothea Lange photographer, of the
Migrant mother. This is a famous photography by Lange which has served as an
icon for many years. What is the reality in this picture?

Reality:

As the United States sank into the Great depression, a photographer named
Dorothea Lange turned her attention away from studio and portrait work to take
pictures of the poor and needy around her.

Perception:

It can be interpreted in many ways that it is a symbol of beauty, motherhood, the

culture of the depression, a symbol of suffering or simply a piece of artwork. No
matter what someone may see as the most important aspect of Migrant mother, it is
undeniable that it is truly an incredible icon from the era of the Depression, and
still is an icon to this day.

However, Dorothea Lange perceives this picture to be a woman, Mrs. Thompson,

mother of seven kids. Looking at the picture even further, only three kids were
captured, the standing beside her and the other on her lap, nobody knows what
happened to the rest of them, her husband died because of tuberculosis and she was
the only breadwinner of her family, taking care of her children and taking up any
work that comes along her way. One could see the suffering and pain she has
undergone all these years, to take care of her children and for the betterment of her
life.

It can be interpreted in many ways that it is a symbol of beauty, motherhood, the

culture of the depression, a symbol of suffering or simply a piece of artwork. No
matter what someone may see as the most important aspect of Migrant mother, it is
undeniable that it is truly an incredible icon from the era of the Depression, and
still is an icon to this day. Till date this image is being used in books, magazines,
etc, to depict poverty and depression. It has created such a great impact on the
society,

Representation:

The image of a worn, weather-beaten woman, a look of desperation on her face,

two children leaning on her shoulders, an infant in her lap, has become a
photographic icon of the Great depression in America. It seems to be a simple
photograph of a woman and her children, yet it tells the story and the struggle of a
generation. When Dorothea Lange came across Thompson, in the pepeaker scam,
she neared her and asked if she could take a photograph of her and her children.
She never spoke a word with Dorothea and she just said she was 32 at that time,
she immediately took 6 snaps of her and Thompson eventually cooperated with
Lange for thinking of a better life for her, like how these photographs would bring.
Within a week of taking these photographs, the photograph went viral and they
were published in so many magazines and this photograph also reached the
government within a week and what the government did was.
They rushed a shipment of 20,000 lbs. of food to the camp. The photos' wider
impact included influencing John Steinbeck in the writing of his novel The Grapes
of Wrath. So you can see the power of photography or an art, the way the reality is
captured by the perception of the artist and the representation of it, all these three
play a vital role in portraying a piece of art.

The human and aesthetic elements merge, and a photograph initially used to
remedy social injustice in the 1930s survives today as a work of art and as an icon
as well. Let us have a look at the exercise for this piece of content;

EXERCISE 6:

> Select a piece of art - photograph/ painting, you could select the Third of May, a
painting by Goya and analyze it with respect to reality, perception and
representation. Have a look into what the reality behind this picture could be and
how the artists have perceived this and in what way has he represented it. Just
analyze this picture and submit a report.