CONSTRUCTIVISM
Constructivism was created in Russia in 1913 by Russian sculptor Vladimir Tatlin who during his journey to Paris discovered the works of Braque and Picasso. When he returned to Russia he began producing sculptures out of assemblages, but abandoned any reference to precise subject or themes. His art-works has been marked as appearance of Constructivism.
Constructivism art has powerful messages yet uses simple images demonstrating how clarity and brevity can create complex meaning from apparently simple information. Important elements of Constructivism art include the optimistic, non-representational relief construction, sculpture and paintings. The movement had close links to the Russian Communist Revolution. The protaganists of the movement merged the arts with modern technological rationalism for political and ideological uses. Essentially it was form of soviet-era propaganda. The aesthetic of constructivism is similar to the geometric abstract supermatist paintings of Kasimir Malevich.
Constructivism was also a departure from Russian Futurism which also sought to break tradition.
” Beat the whites with the Red Wedge” by El Lissitzky” is one of my favorite pieces of Constructivist art which shows how simple information can create complex meaning. The artist used geometric abstraction along with the dynamic angles and view points, photomontage and abstract uses of light contrast.
ED RUSCHA
“ The most an artist can do is start something and not give the whole story. That’s what makes the mystery.” Ed Ruscha.
This inspiring and enigmatic exhibition includes paintings from each period during Ruscha’s 50 year career.
One of the most striking elements of these pieces is the sense of division, contradiction and conflict. Sometimes this conflict/division is between two halves of the paintings (for example “Standard Station” where the half above the sharp diagnol split dominates the lower section). In the abstract, self portrait “Box Smashed Flat”, there is not only two distinct halves (representing changes in Ruscha’s life and in US history), but also a reference to Vicksburg, a town which was the last to fall to the Union troops at the end of the Civil War and symbolises “division”.
In other pieces the conflict/division is between words and images. Ruscha said “if you stare at a word long enough it begins to lose its meaning..…words are almost not words- they’re objects that become words”. Often using his own type face “Boy Scout Utility Modern” Ruscha wrote ironic (sometimes sarcastic) thought provoking and mysterious phrases on images which seem (on the surface) to be detached/separate but, on further reflection, are actually connected. Good examples of this are “Me” and “Mountains”. ]
A further example of the sense of conflict is in relation to solids v liquids e.g in “U” the letter is entirely made from liquid. The sense of space he creates also has an inherent sense of an uneasy conflict e.g. “Amphetamines; Marble” is a painting with no words but the objects seem to be suspended in mid-air and given the sequence, each could almost be a letter.
Other examples of works evoking a sense of conflict are “Burning Gas Station”, “Norm’s La Cienga, on Fire” and the epic, 3-D “Los Angelese County Museum of Art on Fire”. In these magnificent pieces, Ruscha brings chaos by fire to calm, serene surroundings. He challenges what society sees as ‘normal’ by setting them alight. Brilliant.
Ruscha is many things: a conceptualist, a surrealist, a Pop Artist, but he is also an excellent graphic designer. The colours are bold; the fonts are original; the images are exhilirating; the messages are subliminal, the reflections which are evoked are at times sophisticated and others, simple.
I found his versatility incredibly inspiring. Each room contains a different mood and shows a different stage in his journey through life, as he learns more about himself and the world around him, his art achieves new breadth and depth.
After an introduction to his early works, Room 1 leads us into an explosion of colour and punchy words with “OOF”, “Noise” and the excellent “Scream” with its almost psycadelic use of the diagnol straight line. His sense of space is striking as he treats words like objects. Ruscha provides a commentary to 1960s life in America with “Large Trademark with Eight Spotlights” drawing from the commercial symbolism of 20th Century Fox. I was impressed by his use of original materials such as shellac and egg yolk on fabrics like moire and satin for works such as “Its Only Vanishing Cream” and “Sand in the Vaseline”.
Room 2 is full of exhilirating epic, wide panoramic landscapes such as the incredible but beautiful “ A Particular Kind of Heaven”.
In this room the words and phrases seem to float in front of the huge images.
“Wen Out for Cigrets” marks a striking introduction to Ruschay’s “City Lights” period. I was fascinated by his use of white spray paint to create a collage of bright lights. It is his use of light in these pieces which I found particularly interesting (particularly “Heaven and Hell” and, later, “Sin”). But no sooner is his use of light in the forefront of our minds than he switches to the use of darkness. The spooky “Untitled” and “Howl” are eery, ghostly images which demonstrate the almost evil power of the silhouette.
In Room 3 we are delighted with the sinister sight of clock hands slowly sliding past the eleventh hour as darkness creeps upon us. Here we see strong evidence of the influence which cinema had on Ruscha’s use of colour and light (especially “Exit” and “the End”).
Finally, Room 4 marks the end of the emotional journey through fascinating Ruschay’s world. The level of detail on each of the Mountain paintings is quite extraordinary. Here we also witness Ruschay’s take on “progress”- the “Blue Collar Tech Chem” becomes the “Blue Collar Trade School”, the “Old Tech-Chem Building” becomes the “Old Trade School Building”. It is apparent that Ruschay does not approve of the changes “progress” has neccessiated.
I felt humbled and inspired by this outstanding exhibition. I kept searching for meanings in the puzzles of words and images. The first thing I did when I arrived home was paint.
Nicolas Poussin – “A Dance to the Music of the Time”- Analysis based on the first observation
I saw this extremely impressive painting at the National Museum in London. By creating this piece of artwork Poussin touched a timeless issue concerning truths about all of us. and the society we have created for ourselves.
It is a trianglular composition with dark background which is blue and gray apart from beautifully highlighted golden chariot with Appollo, the god of light and the sun; truth and prophecy, medicine and healing and the arts. Below are four allegorical figures who have joined hands and are dancing, but, importantly facing outwards with their backs to each other. Poverty is a man in a black robe, Labour is is a bright white golden dress. Wealth and Leisure are also present.
The figures are choreographed into a ring which is the symbol of the circle and cycle of life.
Although the different circumstances of human life form opposites (hence they all have their backs to each other and cannot see each other) they are conditional upon each other as they execute the dance hand in hand. Without Poverty there would be no Work and with no Work, no Wealth, without which there would be no Leisure. In one corner there is Time and in the other we see the roman god Janus with two heads- one looking to the future, the other to the past.
Biography- Stefan Sagmeister
because is not a commercial “gun for hire”.
Stefan has created eye-catching graphics for clients including the Rolling Stones and Lou Reed. He has said that he pours his heart and soul into every single piece and this is clearly evident from work. His original design work is timeless and out of the moment, and his painstaking attention to the smallest details creates work that offers something new every time you you look at it . Sagmeister achieved notoriety in the 1990s as the designer who self-harmed in the name of his craft: he created a poster advertising a speaking engagement by carving the salient details onto his torso. His work surprises, touches, provokes makes me laugh and makes me think.
In 2001 he published the book “Made you look” containing all of his work up to that point, took a year off client work and toured the world talking about Graphic Design and the importance of content over style. In March this year he published another book- “The things I have learned so far”. The book is based on a list of maxims made by the graphic designer on his “experimental year” where he took time out from working on commercial projects.
This is a wall made from 7,200 bananas . “Self-confidence produce fine results” It’s part of artist Stefan Sagmeister’s exhibition “Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far.”
This is a typographic installation in a public space, set up on the street around Pietheinkade, September 21 –November 2 2008 titled “Obsession makes my life worse and my work better”.
Biography- Jan Saudek
Jan Saudek is the world-famous, controversial Czech photographer, whose original photographs are either loved or hated. He was born in 1935 into a Jewish family which was persecuted by the Germans. Most of his relatives died in concentration camps, but he and his twin brother Karel were kept in a special children camp for twins. Both of them survived the war. Karel later became a famous comic artist.
Jan was forced to work in a clandestine manner in a cellar, to avoid the attentions of the secret police, as his work turned to themes of personal erotic freedom, and used implicitly political symbols of corruption and innocence.
In the late 1970s he became widely recognised in the western world and in 1984 the official authorities finally allowed him to became the “Professional Artist”, which meant he did not have to work in the factory any more and could have make his living officially by photographing. His images are often about young girls in the prime of their youth, and naked women’s bodies – boyishly thin or voluptuously fat – with tightly bound breasts. All are taken in a morbid, backyard atmosphere in which it has been said that you are constantly expecting a janitor to turn up and interfere with the proceedings.
Today he is probably the most well known photographer in the Czech Republic, not only for his pictures, but also for his extrovert lifestyle as well as for having many sexual partners and not hiding it.
Art and computer chips
I am particularly interested in finding beauty where you would not ordinarily expect it to be. A particularly good example of this is computer chips. Such items conjure up notions of soul-less progress, rigid, empty technological advancement.
Yet the chips themselves are actually inherently fascinating, almost beautiful design structures.
A great example of the use of computer chips in art is this 7-foot-tall sculpture created by Brazilian artists Adriana Varella and Nilton Maltz which blends technology and art together with staggering results.
Christoph Koch has designed modern jewellery using computer chips and circuit boards. The designer created chic circuit-board necklaces which make a very powerful fashion statement.
The concept of finding beauty where one would not expect it is not new. For example, Warhol found something fascinating in everyday objects such as tins of soup. But as the world becomes increasingly dominated by information technology, as we find more automated shopkeepers at multi-national supermarket chains replacing real people, there are more opportunities to find beauty in new, original circumstances.
References:
http://www.greendiary.com/entry/12-amazing-creations-made-from-computer-chips-and-circuit-boards
Situationist
“We have a world of pleasure to win, and nothing to lose but boredom” The Revolution of Everyday Life – Raoul Vaneigem.
The extremely influential yet enigmatic Situationist movement began in France 1957. A form of libertarian Marxism, its ideals are notoriously difficult to explain and are open to many differing and at times conflicting interpretations.
Anarchy is a belief which is central to this movement. Situationists believed that workers are exploited in capitalist societies and they should organise themselves and take control of production channels. The basis of society should be democratic workers’ councils – power should be vested in the people. The views of “Situs” such as Guy Debord on consumerism are still fundamental truisms even in todays modern society.
Situs believed in community as the essence of human existence. They considered that society should be joyful and not restrictive or oppressive. Human desires should be embraced and we should all work together for a better, more meaningful existence. Situationist tactics included attempting to create “situations” where humans would interact together as people, not mediated by commodities. Situs believed in the priority of real life, real live activity, which continually experiments and corrects itself.
References:
The Revolution of Everyday Life – Raoul Vaneigem.
Dada
Dada is a literary movement which began in Switzerland in 1917. Protaganists included Hugo Ball and Tristan Tzara who published poetry and edited a publication called DADA.
This movement followed Cubism, Expressionism, and Fauvism. The Dadaists were mainly a group of ill-organised artists experimenting with bizarre art and literature.
This movement had a strong elements of destruction and negativity. Dada was a way to express the confusion that was felt by many people as World War 1 turned their lives upside down. This ‘anti-art’ was clearly influenced by Futurism and evidences a rejection of, and protest against, tradition and orthodox values.
Dada represented everything that art stood for and ignored aesthetics. As for meaning, the interpretation of Dada is dependent entirely on the viewer and that is part of its appeal to me.
As for techniques, Dada artists saw letter forms not just as phonetic symbols but as as concrete visual shapes. Also the use of photo-montages originates from this movement for example Hannah Hoch took elements from printed sources and put them together in original ways.
Dadaists in Berlin were highly critical of Nazi Germany and used photo-montages as a propaganda weapon.
References
http://www.dadaland.00server.com
http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/C20th/dadaism.htm
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/surrealism.html
Pop ART
The term ‘Pop Art’ was first used in Britian in the 1950s. This post-war, post-rationing society was optimistic and consumerism was vibrant. Its adherents – Joe Trilson, Richard Smith, Peter Phillips, David Hockney and R.B. Kitaj all shared interest in the urban, consumer, modern experience. The leading artists of this movement were Lichtenstein, Oldenburg, Rosenquist, and Warhol.
Pop Art coincided with the youth and pop music phenomenon of the 1950s and ’60s, and became very much a part of the image of fashionable, ‘swinging’ London. Peter Blake, designed album covers for Elvis Presley and the Beatles while at the same time Warhol immortalised Marilyn Monroe in the USA.
British artists such as Richard Hamilton and the Independent Group aimed at promoting less academic and more mainstream art e.g. the ‘Man, Machine, and Motion’ exhibition in 1955, and ‘This is Tomorrow’ in 1956.
Lichtenstein comic-strip paintings are legendary. Drowning Girl is one of his better known works and is a good example of the design features of Pop Art. He uses thick lines, bold colors, and thought bubbles. His work also often included boxed captions and words such as “WHAAM!”, commonly found in comic books.
The most famous Pop Artist is, of course, Andy Warhol and his works such as “Campbell’s Soup” are classic examples of the techniques used by Pop Artists.
printmaking 