Blog #8: Jean-Jacques Efiaimbelo

When looking to do the second Non-Western blog, it came down to the two African artists: Jean-Jacques Efiaimbelo of Madagascar and Willie Bester of South Africa. While Bester’s art was more appealing to my eye, I made a certain connection to Jean-Jacques Efiaimbelo’s piece seen bellow.

Although it has no title, the piece was created by Efiaimbelo in 1992. Let us first look at the artist before I explain what my connection to the piece is. 

Jean-Jacques Efiaimbelo, born 1925 in Androka, Madagascar, the same place which he lived and worked until his death in 2001. Most of his work is rooted with deep cultural meaning as his specialty, as seen above, was creating funerary steles called aloalos. These aloalos serve as grave markers at tomb sites in Madagascar and Efiaimbelo is said to be the first artist to create these for decorative purposes only. Traditionally these aloalos are created to serve a particular memory of the deceased while also serving as reminders for the era which the person had lived. There is not much else to be found on Efiaimbelo unfortunately, therefore, onto why I chose this piece.

Ultimately I chose this piece because I am a wanna-be pilot, and will hopefully have my private license by mid-summer. The airplane which sites on top of the piece speaks the freedom of the blue sky and the vast amounts of great land which can be seen flying above the tree tops. It reminds me of flying, freedom, and the goals which I am pursuing in aviation. After finding out more about the piece, why it was constructed, etc, it means even more to me. I have a great appreciation to aviators the have come before me, and if this was for more than decorative purposes, it would have served as a monument for one of those many aviators. It is a love and a passion that small amounts of people actually get to experience, and for me this aloalos, serves as a reminder of that. 

 

Work Cited:

“Jean-Jacques Efiaimbelo.” CAACart . N.p., 22 Apr 2013. Web. 22 Apr 2013. http://www.caacart.com/pigozzi-artist.php?i=Efiaimbelo-Jean-Jacques&bio=en&m=45

Efiaimbelo, Jean-Jacques. Unknown. 1992. http://www.caacart.com/pigozzi-artist.php?i=Efiaimbelo-Jean-Jacques&m=45&s=383

 

Non-Western Art: David Alfaro Siqueiros

The painting above is the work of David Alfaro Siqueiros, whose work I have chosen to show case non-western art work. The image above is titled Vista Aerea, painted by Siqueiros in 1968. Before I tell why I picked this painting let me first tell you a little more about the man himself. David Alfaro Siqueiros is a Mexican national who was born in 1896 and died only a few years after painting the image above in 1974. After training at  Academy of San Carlos of the National Academy of Fine Arts, he joined Mexico’s  Constitutional Army fighting in the Mexican Civil War against Victoriano Huerta’s government, and was involved in the internal fighting after Huerta’s government had fallen. Throughout his life David was very involved in politics, even ending up in prison for painting images contrary to the government at the time. He is known for both his painting (as seen above) and his murals, which include one at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and another at Escuela de Bellas Artes, a cultural center in Mexico. 

Now that we know a little more about the man, I’ll tell you why I picked his painting Vista Aerea. I picked this work first, because it reminds me of the lost city of Machu Picchu, Peru, I enjoyed how it shaped the mountains and town into something completely different by the use of colors. The next reason is what I found when translating the title, which when translated to English means,” A Bird’s View.” This intregued me even more than the painting is now transformed into something like a map. The final reason for picking this image is that it is by a Latin American painter, and in a World Literature class which I am taking we are reading Latin American literature, and the way some of the stories are written and the way thought progressed through the story is much like the painting above, much like Siqueiros’s style of Social Realism.

 

Work Cited:

Siqueiros, David Alfaro. Vista Aerea. 1968.

“David Alfaro Siqueiros.” The Adani Gallery. N.p.. Web. 12 Apr 2013. http://www.adanigallery.com/Siqueiros/main.html .

“David Alfaro Siqueiros.” Wikipedia. N.p., 11 Apr 2013. Web. 12 Apr 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Alfaro_Siqueiros .

“Victoriano Huerta.” Wikipedia. N.p., 21 Mar 2013. Web. 12 Apr 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoriano_Huerta .

“Vista aérea.” Wikipedia. N.p., 10 Mar 2013. Web. 12 Apr 2013. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vista_aérea , http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vista_a%25C3%25A9rea&prev=/search%3Fq%3DVista%2BAerea%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den&sa=X&ei=0lxoUbikLqHKigLQwICgBg&ved=0CDsQ7gEwAQ

“Machu Picchu.” Wikipedia. N.p., 8 Apr 2013. Web. 12 Apr 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu .

Modern Impressionism: Photography

The theme for my online gallery will be Modern Impressionism: Photography. In this gallery I will include works from photographers Peter Lik, Clark Little, Jack Brauer, and local artist Ronn Murray. Impressionist art is art, which is created to instill an emotion in the viewer and what better than to use some of todays top photographers to help instill the emotion.

First is the world-renowned photographer Peter Lik from Melbourne, Australia. If there is an award that he hasn’t won, I would be surprised. The self taught photographers life changed dramatically on two different occasions, the first when he decided to come to the United States in 1984, and the second is when he was introduced to the medium format Panoramic cameras, panoramic cameras which he still utilizes today. With fourteen galleries spread across two countries it is easy to see why he is one of the greats. I have been fortunate enough to visit is gallery in Honolulu, Hawaii and see one of the two photographs presented bellow.

This is a photo by Peter Lik titled Spirit Island, taken in 2012, location unknown.

This photo titled Heaven On Earth, was also taken by Peter Lik in 2011, location unknown.

The next photographer is the Hawaiian wave great, Clark Little. Little started his photography career after his wife brought home a photo of a wave from the outside; upon looking at it he thought to himself,” I can take a better photo than that.” Ever sense that day in 2007, he has been doing just that and in the six short years his work has been presented in exhibits from Canada to Japan, and the United States to Brazil. I too have been lucky enough to see his work in a gallery in Hilo, Hawaii.

Photo by Clark Little titled Cloudbow, taken on Oahu, Hawaii in January 2013.

Photo titled Tropic Flow, taken by Clark Little in January 2012 on Oahu, Hawaii’s North Shore.

Jack Brauer is a photographer from Ouray, Colorado, smack in the middle of the great San Juan Mountains. A degree in Fine Arts Printmaking at the University of Colorado helped him get his start in photography. The San Juan Mountains themselves seem to inspire Brauer and most of his photography, and it’s the love of photography that allows him to continue the exploration of the mountains, of which is said to be his first love.

Photo by Jack Brauer titled Uncompahgre Sunset. This image was taken in Ouray, Colorado in August 2010.

Jack Brauer, Capital Creek Aspens, Capitol Peek, CO, taken in September 2010.

Last but not lest is the local photographer Ronn Murray. Ronn Murray is a man of many traits, most known for his Aurora Photography, while he also does wildlife, portraits, and is a corporate photographer as well.  I encourage all to check out his Facebook page or website listed bellow in the work cited section. I have had the opportunity to meet and learn the art of Aurora Photography from him and his stuff is worth looking at.

Photo is an unnamed photo, cited bellow as unnamed photo #1, taken by Ronn Murray, Fairbanks, Alaska, March 2013.

This photo is another unnamed photo cited bellow as unnamed photo #2. Taken by Ronn Murray, Fairbanks, Alaska, 2011.

 

Each of the photographs chosen above fit the description of Modern Impressionism. From Peter Lik’s sunsets to Jack Brauer’s mountains and Ronn Murray’s aurora to Clark Littles tropical waves, each photograph inspires a particular emotion, and a unequally different emotion, in the viewer. Hopefully you all see the connection and enjoyed the beautiful pieces of art displayed, and let them inspire you, just as much as they do me.

 

Work Cited:

. Peter Lik USA. N.p.. Web. 9 Apr 2013. http://www.lik.com/

“Peter Lik.” Wikipedia. N.p., 16 Mar 2013. Web. 9 Apr 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lik&gt;.

Lik, Peter. Spirit Island. 2012. http://www.lik.com/

Lik, Peter. Heaven On Earth. 2011. http://www.lik.com/

. Clark Little Photography. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr 2013. <http://www.clarklittlephotography.com/&gt;.

“Clark Little.” Wikipedia. N.p., 15 February 2013. Web. 9 Apr 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Little&gt;.

Little, Clark. Cloudbow. 2013. http://www.clarklittlephotography.com/gallery/detail/590.html

Little, Clark. Tropic Flow. 2012. http://www.clarklittlephotography.com/gallery/detail/514.html

. Mountain Photography by Jack Brauer. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr 2013. <http://www.mountainphotography.com/&gt;.

Brauer, Jack. Uncompahgre Sunset. 2010. http://www.mountainphotography.com/photo/uncompahgre-sunset/?gallery=favorites

Brauer, Jack. Capitol Creek Aspens. 2010. http://www.mountainphotography.com/photo/capitol-creek-aspens/?gallery=favorites

“Ronn Murray Photography.” Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr 2013. <https://www.facebook.com/RonnMurrayPhoto&gt;.

. Ronn Murray Photography. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr 2013. <http://www.ronnmurrayphoto.com/&gt;.

Murray, Ronn. Unnamed Photo #1. 2013. https://www.facebook.com/RonnMurrayPhoto

Murray, Ronn. Unnamed Photo #2. 2011. https://www.facebook.com/RonnMurrayPhoto

 

Early Modern Art and the Great Depression

When looking into the era of Early Modern art and its influences, it is easy to see how two factors influenced the art during is era greatly, the first is increasing “modern” technology and the second, which will be the one to focus on more greatly, will be the influence of the great depression. In some examples these two figures go hand in hand, for instance while looking at the work of photographers Walker Evans or the more popular Dorothea Lange. 

The picture above is a symbol of the Great Depression given to us by Lange titled Migrant Mother taken in 1936, in Nipomo, California. Photography displays the great advancements in technology, by way of advancements to cameras, and also shows the migrant workers who roomed the United States just simply looking for a job to feed them and there families as part of the hardships of the time. Another symbol of the Great Depressions impact on art is through the “New Deal” and the then created Works Progress Administration. The WPA employed artists to create murals in public places, such as San Francisco’s Coit Tower.

The image above is one of the murals on the grounds near the tower, this image was created by WPA’s employed artist such as Maxine Albro who helped create this image titled California Agriculture, created in 1934. This “New Deal” employed and empowered artists to make creations to stand the test of time and influence future generations. The Great Depression is the item all downfalls in the economy are linked to today, the simple fact that nearly 80 years later it is the world economic event which all things are compared it is easy to see how it would have a great influence on things at that moment, and all things after it. Which is why I feel, and the examples have shown that the Great Depression is the most significant impact on Early-Modern Art.

 

Works Cited:

“Maxine Albro.” Wikipedia. N.p., 07 February 2013. Web. 29 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxine_Albro&gt;.

“Timeline of the Great Depression.” Wikipedia. N.p., 12 Mar 2013. Web. 29 Mar 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Great_Depression

“Walker Evans.” The J. Paul Getty Museum. N.p.. Web. 29 Mar 2013. <http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1634&gt;.

“Dorothea Lange.” Wikipedia. N.p., 22 Mar 2013. Web. 29 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_Lange&gt;.

Lange, Dorothea. Migrant Mother. 1936. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lange-MigrantMother02.jpg . 29 Mar 2013.

Albro, Maxine. California Agriculture. 1934. Coit Tower, San Francisco. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coit_Mural_Agriculture.jpg . 29 Mar 2013.

Impressionism Review

The intent of this blog is to write my opinion on the Impressionist style of art, therefore it is important to answer the question; do I like the impressionist style? No, well yes, but still as an overall item, no. Here is why yes, I enjoy the subject matter of impressionism and all types of art, which falls in that time frame. Subject such as this painting, “Hay Harvest at Éragny,” created by Camille Pissarro created in France in 1901.

Another example of an impressionist painting with subject matter of which I favor is Claude Monet’s “The Cliffs at Etretat,” created in 1885.

I favor this type of subject matter because it is real, and it is beauty. This is not the perfect paintings’ from the Italian Renaissance, which featured the gods and other perfect beings. Paintings from the impressionism era show how real, everyday life, can be beautiful and how it is beautiful. Something every person should strive to see everyday.

Now onto why I do not like this style of art, the answer to that is how the art is created. I prefer solid lines and fine detail in every painting, and paintings from the impressionism era utilized quick, thick brush strokes, which hold everything except for the fine detail that I find appealing. Details like the Baroque Era painter Diego Velázquez’s work “The Surrender of Breda” created in Spain in 1635. 

The paintings fine details of everything to the clouds in the sky is something that Baroque painters utilize much more so than Impressionism painters do and is something which I find very appealing. In the end, Impressionism painters revolutionized how we look at art today, how it should bring out a feeling in an individual, to leave an impression, which although the subject matter of such is appealing, the construction of the work is the reason I am happy to move onto the next subject.

 

Work Cited:

Velázquez, Diego. The Surrender of Breda. 1635. Museo del Prado, Madrid.

Monet, Claude. The Cliffs at Etretat. 1885. Clark Art Institute, Williamstown.

“Impressionism.” Wikipedia. N.p., 22 Mar 2013. Web. 23 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressionism&gt;.

The Classical Era: Arts and Science

For the blog assignment for the Classical Era, our job was to construct three artists whom were connected by a similar theme; the theme for which I chose was how art in the 1700’s was inspired by scientific discovery and invention. For this I will use examples from the artists Sydney Parkinson, Alexander Buchan, and George Frideric Handel.

This piece above is titled “Portrait of a New Zealand man” by Sydney Parkinson created in October 1769, created in New Zealand. Sydney Parkinson was on Captan Cooks first voyage to the South Pacific leaving in 1768. Parkinson was inspired by science simply by where he was on Captain Cooks ship which was on a mission of Scientific discovery of the Terra Australis Incognita or “unknown southern land”. Not only would this voyage inspired by science and discovery inspire Parkinson and put him in a place to create such work, but the voyage in itself would shape mankind and help to create new sciences, for instance possibly laying the pathway for Charles Darwin’s voyage. 

The next individual on the list of Classical artists inspired by science is George Frideric Handel. The German turned British composure was inspired by science, to show this look no farther than his work “Minuet“ which was created in 1747 in the city of London. Click on the link to listen to the work, now the question in lies how was Handel inspired or his work somehow shaped by science? Well, by 1700 Bartolomeo Cristofori an Italian music maker had invented the Piano. This invention laid the way for Handel to create his work, such as the link “Minuet”, on the piano.

Last but not lest is the artist Alexander Buchan, whom was also on Captain James Cook’s first voyage, but unlike Sydney Parkinson, Buchan died on the voyage and was buried at sea. Like Parkinson though, Buchan was influenced by science on what he encountered on this scientific voyage to the south-land. 

The Painting above is that of of Buchan’s titled “View of the coast of Tierra del Fuego,” created on the coast of New Zealand in January 1769. The painting illustrates the ship of Captain Cook and the landscape of the land which they had just discovered, pioneering new settlements and other new discoveries.

Work Cited:

“George Frideric Handel.” Wikipedia. N.p., 25 Feb 2013. Web. 5 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frideric_Handel

“Sydney Parkinson.” Wikipedia. N.p., 27 Feb 2013. Web. 5 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Parkinson&gt;.

“Bartolomeo Cristofori.” Wikipedia. N.p., 04 Mar 2013. Web. 5 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartolomeo_Cristofori&gt;.

“Piano.” Wikipedia. N.p., 03 Mar 2013. Web. 5 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano&gt;.

“First voyage of James Cook.” Wikipedia. N.p., 27 Feb 2013. Web. 5 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_voyage_of_James_Cook&gt;.

“Alexander Buchan.” Wikipedia. N.p., 04 Jun 2012. Web. 5 Mar 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Buchan_(artist)&gt;.

Buchan, Alexander. View of the coast of Tierra del Fuego. 1769. British Library, London.

Parkinson, Sydney. Portrait of a New Zealand man. 1769. British Library, London.

Handel, George Frideric. “Minuet”. 1747. London. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4KTpHW0ZP4>

“Captain Cook Timeline.” Timeline. N.p.. Web. 5 Mar 2013. <http://www.captcook-ne.co.uk/ccne/timeline/voyage1.htm&gt;.

Baroque Era: Jacob Isaakszoon van Ruisdael

When looking at modern day Art I idolize landscape photographers such as Peter Lik or Clark Little, the beauty of the great land which they are able to capture. Therefore, when looking at the Baroque Era of Art, who better to look at then one of the landscape pioneers, Jacob Isaakszoon van Ruisdael. The Dutch painter Ruisdael was born in the Netherlands to a family of painters. Although his personal style is unlike the rest.

This painting, The Windmill at Wijk bij Duurstede, created in 1670, shows Ruisdael style of simplicity and everyday items, a style which was made for the common man. The rise of the merchant classes during the Baroque Era lead to a market for simple, everyday paintings, which in turn fit for the style of Ruisdael. Such as the Still Life paintings which began during this same time period, landscape paintings to drew attention, being something the common man could relate to. After all landscapes capture the natural beauty of everyday items, like the windmill, the boat in the water, or the women walking down the street as shown above.

View of Harlem, created in 1670 shows what some consider to be what Ruisdael was really after in creating such works. While his paintings and style are simple enough to speak to the common man, many say that in reality his work was a, “metaphor of human psychology, specifically its darker aspects. Through the work of Jacob van Ruisdael landscape painting was no longer simply a record of how nature was perceived but rather it came to symbolize a deeper aspect that reflected the very soul of humankind.” Whether or not Ruisdael was meaning to create a one-two punch of simplistic style and deeper meaning will never really be known, but he did help pave the way for generations of Landscape artists, and artists in general to attempt to pursue such greatness. 

Work Cited:

van Ruisdael, Jacob. View of Harlem. 1670.  Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Amsterdam. Wikipedia. Web. 22 February 2013.

van Ruisdael, Jacob. The Windmill at Wijk bij Duurstede. 1670.  Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Amsterdam. Wikipedia. Web. 22 February 2013.

“Jacob Isaakszoon van Ruisdael.” Wikipedia. N.p., 21 Feb 2013. Web. 22 Feb 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Isaakszoon_van_Ruisdael&gt;.

“Jacob van Ruisdael.” Artble. N.p.. Web. 22 Feb 2013. <http://www.artble.com/artists/jacob_van_ruisdael&gt;.

Blog Post #1 Italian/Northern Renaissance

For the first blog for the online Aesthetic Appreciation 200X, we have been asked to pick two artist, one from the Italian Renaissance and one from the Northern Renaissance, and describe what each artists influence was given a list of influences. For this blog I have selected the great sculptor Benvenuto Cellini from the Italian Renaissance, and the famed painter, Pieter Bruegel, from the Northern Renaissance. The reason for picking Cellini is because of the fact that I had never researched, or given much thought to, the work of sculptors in anytime period, and what better way to start then to look at his sculpting’s for Francis I of France. For the painter Pieter Bruegel, it was his work with landscape paintings that drew me into researching the man, as I myself enjoy landscape painting and photography above all types of art.

First we shall look into the influences of royalty on Benvenuto Cellini’s works of art. According to the Web Gallery of Art, Cellini spent five years working directly for Francis I, whom ruled as King of France. During this time period, Cellini’s most notable work is the Salt Cellar of sculpture, which is said to be the most important piece of goldsmith work remaining from the Italian Renaissance. These detailed sculptures are noticeably different from the remains of his prior work, and the level of detail developed in his time under royalty seem to carry on throughout the rest of his work. For an example, the detail of his Perseus sculpture made directly after is time in France or the fine detail in the head of the sculpture titled, Crucifix, created in 1562.

Next we will look at how the Reformation, influenced Pieter Bruegel’s painting. The Reformation of the Roman Catholic Church allowed people to see that all things, even sometimes the church of god, were not perfect. While this did not detour the major populations from their faith in the lord, it did allow the Northern Renaissance and the artists like Bruegel, which we involved to differ their work from the Italian Renaissance. Northern Renaissance artist were not fascinated by the “perfect” person and an individuals beauty, they were more interested in the real person, normal people. Much like the Protestant reformation was like the normal people having the same responsibilities in the church as those of a higher class. Looking at some of Bruegel’s work, like the Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, or a more famous work like The Hunters in the Snow, the people which are portrayed in the paintings are not perfect people, these are average, everyday people, much like the Reformation was about the everyday people unsatisfied with the church because the wealthy, upper class, could pay their way out of their churchly duties and morals.

 

 Work Cited:

Cellini, Benvenuto. Crucifix. 1562. Monasterio de San Lorenzo, El Escorial.

Cellini, Benvenuto. Perseus. 1554.  Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence.

Cellini, Benvenuto. Salt Cellar. 1544. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Kren, Emil, and Daniel Marx. Web Gallery of Art. N.p.. Web. 11 Feb 2013. <http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/bio/c/cellini/biograph.html&gt;.

. “Francis I of France.” Wikipedia. N.p., 12 Feb 2013. Web. 12 Feb 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_I_of_France&gt;.

Bruegel, Pieter. The Hunters in the Snow. 1565. Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna.

Bruegel, Pieter. Landscape with the Fall of Icarus. 1558. Musees royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels.

. “Mannerism.” Vision & Aging Lab. N.p.. Web. 12 Feb 2013. <http://psych.ucalgary.ca/pace/VA-Lab/AVDE-Website/mannerism.html&gt;.

Off The Beaten

Photo taken by me on January 2nd, 2013 in Miloli’i, Big Island, Hawaii