My Aesthetics of HUM 108 - My Final Blog

During my educational upbringing, basically K-12, we barely touched the surface when it came to any art. I’d have to compare that to a color wheel, just the primary colors, but when getting to college and taking your course, it was like a full fledged 120 box of Crayola crayons. I've learned more about the artist styles and meanings to their art, and all the isms, than I ever knew existed. Frankly, all I knew was a couple of artist and what they painted and that was about it.  I was even named after one, well that and the song pertaining to him, "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)" - Don Mclean, 1971). Knowing what I know now, it opened my eyes and certainly peaked my curiosity. So, I plan on taking in the Phoenix Art Museum this summer to expand my knowledge and love for the arts. Now when it comes to dance and the theater, I'm more inclined to explore the theater part and so, I might take in a few plays locally. I've been to a theater before with the tux's and gowns but, I felt weird, stuffed actually. Therefore, I might find a melodrama instead, for that’s pretty much my style. A mix of contemporary comedies, musical parodies and old-fashioned melodramas, all accompanied live by the music director. During intermissions, the actors clear tables and serve snacks and drinks —saw dust on the floor included — offering up a cheery snippet of song whenever a patron plunks some change in the tip jar. After every performance they are followed by a themed vaudeville revue featuring songs, sketches and pop culture parodies. I know, sounds pretty cool eh?  When it comes to the architecture, I completely forgot we have quite a few right here. America’s best-known architect of the 20th century, Frank Lloyd Wright, henceforth, the Boulevard in Scottsdale. He revolutionized American architecture through his innovative treatment of space, light, and materials.  Also, the style that I really like is the art deco period and I’m curious to see if any of that is anywhere in downtown phoenix still.  All and all, I’d have to say this class has given me a great step off to the arts and it socially broaden my horizons.

Performance art

There was some very interesting performance art, but there were two pieces that were disturbing to me the most.

Shoot (1971) by Chris Burden

In many of his early 1970s performance pieces, Burden put himself in danger, thus placing the viewer in a difficult position, caught between a humanitarian instinct to intervene and the taboo against touching and interacting with art pieces. To perform Shoot, Burden stood in front of a wall while one friend shot him in the arm with a .22 long rifle, and another friend documented the event with a camera. It was performed in front of a small, private audience. One of Burden's most notorious and violent performances, it touches on the idea of martyrdom, and the notion that the artist may play a role in society as a kind of scapegoat. It might also speak to issues of gun control and, in the context of the period, the Vietnam War.

Trans-fixed by Chris Burden, 1974

Trans-fixed was Burden's most captivating, dichotomous work. For the action, Burden was crucified to the back of a Volkswagen Beetle, though his initial performance was summarily brief-it's said Burden performed the action, the car was wheeled out of a garage for two minutes, with the engine revved, for the infamous photograph to be snapped, and then the car pushed back in.

Annual Student Art Show

There was some very interesting work at the Art Show, but there were two pieces that intrigued me the most. One of the paintings that I chose to talk about is called "Darkness". This type of art work is related as a "symmetry achromatic" piece. This painting has a very scary or death look to it because of the black and white color.  I can see it has a lot of pain and suffering to it. Also, there was two skeleton like forms in the picture with a single tombstone in the background and the trees almost looked as if they were alive. Also, I noticed there is a wish bone kind of symbol in the painting too? Or maybe it's a cane, because everything in the picture is basically a mirror image, except for the tombstone.  Overall, it made me feel, "personally" like I was at a funeral, you know, death is final when it comes to the body. Then again the double image still has me wondering, that maybe one life ends and another begins after death, meaning their soul.

The second painting that I have picked is called "Hummers Mosaic". It was the complete opposite of the first painting that I picked. It has the beautiful cool tones of blueish purple and chocolate brown color to it. There are hummingbirds in the picture as well, which made me think of my late grandfather. It gave me an "at ease feeling and great comfort" knowing he is around, even in this picture. The sun and cube rays of light interpretation was interesting.  It reminded me a little bit of cubism, perhaps?  There is some flowers in the picture but, some of the flowers are still waiting to bloom. This means, it maybe spring in the picture? In retrospect the feeling I received from this is, in the light of a new day - everything is new, and life is reborn.

Suprematism

Suprematism was an art movement founded in Russia during the First World War. In 1915, the Russian artists Kseniya Boguslavskaya, Ivan Klyun, Mikhail Menkov, Ivan Puni and Olga Rozanova joined with Kazimir Malevich to form the Suprematist group. Their work feature an array of geometric shapes suspended above a white or light-colored background. The variety of shapes, sizes and angles creates a sense of depth in these compositions, making the squares, circles and rectangles appear to be moving in space. Other Supermatism artists later included Ilya Chashnik and Nikolai Suetin, who were students of Kazimir Malevich.

Red Square and Cross - circa 1928 was painted by Ilya Grigorevich Chashnik (1902, Lucyn, Russian Empire, currently Ludza, Latvia - 1929, Leningrad). He was a suprematist artist, a pupil of Kazimir Malevich and a founding member of the UNOVIS school.

Untitled - Abstract Composition - 1924, Watercolor and Graphite on paper by Nikolai Suetin (Russian: Николай Суетин, 1897 – 1954). He was a Russian Supermatist artist who worked as a graphic artist, a designer, and a ceramics painter. 

In both paintings, these artists push the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo. I mostly enjoyed the painting by Nikolai Suetin, it looked like the skyscrapers in New York City, almost futuristic.

Flag Raising on Iwo Jima by Joe Rosenthal 1945

This black and white photograph depicts six United States Soldiers raising a U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi, during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. 

It is but a speck of an island 760 miles south of Tokyo, a volcanic pile that blocked the Allies’ march toward Japan. The Americans needed Iwo Jima as an air base, but the Japanese had dug in. U.S. troops landed on February 19, 1945, beginning a month of fighting that claimed the lives of 6,800 Americans and 21,000 Japanese. On the fifth day of battle, the Marines captured Mount ­Suribachi. An American flag was quickly raised, but a commander called for a bigger one, in part to inspire his men and demoralize his opponents. Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal lugged his bulky Speed Graphic camera to the top, and as five Marines and a Navy corpsman prepared to hoist the Stars and Stripes, Rosenthal stepped back to get a better frame—and almost missed the shot. “The sky was overcast,” he later wrote of what has become one of the most recognizable images of war. “The wind just whipped the flag out over the heads of the group, and at their feet the disrupted terrain and the broken stalks of the shrubbery exemplified the turbulence of war.” Two days later Rosenthal’s photo was splashed on front pages across the U.S., where it was quickly embraced as a symbol of unity in the long-fought war. The picture, which earned Rosenthal a Pulitzer Prize, so resonated that it was made into a postage stamp and cast as a 100-ton bronze memorial.

Mr. Rosenthal took this picture in order to memorialize this imagine in our minds, to never forget the sacrifices made and who was here to accomplish them. Even though he almost missed it, he did more with that one shot than he ever imagined. It showed me personally that the solders sacrifices were not in vain. It showed me bravery, honor and dedication to a common goal, this goal was to defeat the enemy and restore freedom and peace.  Our Stars and Stripes had a specific meaning at that time, not just to Americans but, to others around the world. I felt that his photograph showed that meaning loud and clear. It is very emotional to sit back and really analyze the depth of this historical event.  Even though it was way before my time, I can full understand with such respect and appreciation for all that was given to make it possible for me and us to be here today.  No matter how many generations have been made since that time, this poignant time in history will never be forgotten or erased from our hearts and minds, EVER.

God Bless America by Faith Ringgold (1964)

My Analysis of God Bless America 

Today, she is known for her painted story quilts which by the name alone tells you that the art combines painting, storytelling, and quilted fabric of your choice. The painted story of "God Bless America" relates to the universal truths of the political and social issues that African-Americans have endured during that time period which personally she felt compelled to address. Faith Ringgold composed this piece by using oil paints on a 31 by 19-inch canvas. She uses line, shape, color, value and texture to depict the points she’s trying to make. The painting itself was painted during the Civil Rights movement in 1964 where white prejudice against African American was enforced by the legal system. The painting represents the imprisonment of the American Flag. The star on the flag symbolizes a sheriff's badge and the stripes on the flag symbolizes the bars of a jail cell.

Existentialist: Part I & II

Part I...
Freedom of choice, well there's no such thing as that, not really. Sure, you can chose to get up in the morning and make yourself breakfast, etc., but once you hit that door the outside world is not yours entirely. We have limited choice and we are like mice in a maze, looking for the cheese. We MUST have a purpose, that is what we call survival.

We are not given the choice to being born or even who our parents our. Although, I'm lucky on that cause I have a loving and supportive mother whom I love unconditionally. Most are not so lucky, which shakes me to the core. Yes, we are being taught by someone else and their ways, rules and laws. We can chose to abide by them or not but, there are consequences, and these consequences yet again are from someone else. I feel like there's a form or mold that ALL humans MUST be fit for. For example, your either far to the left or far to the right. There's never a happy medium for anyone, because it's just not natural in the eyes of the world.  Hogwash, I say.  Say, is all I can put out there for the moment, because I know sure as anything someone will challenge it. I'm speaking hogwash for myself, I control myself alone, on certain issues, etc.  Everyone's different on certain things but, yes its true we are all molded one way to do one thing and that is to survive, however we do it, we ALL have to survive. Like I said about the maze, in that big scary place we call the world, you have the choice to live or die.

You can either be lead like cattle to slaughter with no place to go, except to the end of the line OR you can be like those suicide ants going around in a circle until someone places a finger in the middle to help you break free. The choice is yours.

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Part II...
Now, I'm to Imagine??? Mmmm... I really don't have to imagine that existential hero. People have always had that perception about me anyways. Why?  Maybe its because I don't have any friends, or maybe because I am quiet and sometime to myself.  I just scope out the lay of the land sort of speak and little by little find my way out there.  I'm just myself and being me. Sure things are not always easy but, it's working for me. I'm doing it the hard way for a reason and learning the experiences but, it will make for a harder shell to crack and I'm stronger because of that. It'll all come out good in the end, hard work will prevail they say and I believe that.