Modern Art Movements: Art in the late 19th-20th Century
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An extra copy of the Art History slide list (in case you lost it)...
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IMPRESSIONISM
• Originated in France during the 1860’s and spread throughout Europe. • Tried to capture the instant impression of an image (quick) • Purpose: capturing light and colour accurately, according to lighting conditions (colour theory: avoided using black) • Often painted outdoors (en pleine air), with oil paint tubes • Interested casual subjects for their paintings (i.e. people going about their lives) • Photography impacted greatly on the Impressionists: 1. justified new approach with colour 2. used to capture new moments / compositions to paint NEW TECHNIQUES / APPROACHES: • Painting from life (as seen, not composed) • Study of the science of optics (how light works) • Development of colour theory • No use of black paint (used complementary colours) • Broken Colour – Painting technique, using loose unblended brushstrokes • Optical Mixing – the visual effect of colours appearing to mix when placed side-by-side POST-IMPRESSIONISM
• Post-Impressionists – literally “after the Impressionists” • based their work on the colour theory and techniques of Impressionism, but developed their own unique styles: a variety of styles were produced. • Often combined the study of colour and light with planned compositions that used to be seen in more traditional paintings. Two main directions of Post-Impressionism: 1.Concentration on Form & Design... •Planned out compositions •Technical painting approach (e.g. pointillism) •Examples: Cezanne, Seurat 2. Emotional & Sensuous Expression... • More spontaneous approach • Colours used to show emotion • Examples: Van Gogh, Gauguin Other common characteristics of Post-Impessionism: • influence of Japanese prints – outlined • 2-D / flat shapes of colour • colour is symbolic (not a copy of nature) 
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EXPRESSIONISM
• Expressionism emerged in various cities throughout Germany and extended to other parts of Europe • Resulting from the feeling of discord / separation from spirituality and authenticity in society • Inspired by emotional Post-Impressionists such as Van Gogh • Expressionists sought to express emotional states as well as stresses brought on by modern life. • Art was now meant to come from within the artist (feeling) • Social criticism of urbanization (cities) & capitalism NEW TECHNIQUES / APPROACHES: • Exaggerated brushstrokes (e.g. swirling, swaying, loose) • Exaggerated colours to emphasize emotion • Lack of emphasis on realistic subject matter DIE BRUCKE
• Die Brucke means “the Bridge” • They are a group of German Expressionist artists formed in 1905 in Dresden, Germany • Opposed the old social order in Germany • Members of the group had no formal art education • Aimed for authentic emotion in their art – emphasized use of colour and simplified / primitive shapes & forms FAUVISM
• “Fauvism” means “wild beasts” and emphasize bright colours and flat application of paint • Colour is used for expression and becomes independent of describing form • The “fauves” were a loose group of French painters inspired by Van Gogh, Gauguin, Seurat & Cezanne • Valued direct experience of subject, emotional response to nature, and intuition • Considered to be an important first step towards later forms of abstraction (e.g. Cubism)
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WHAT IS "ABSTRACT" ART?
- Abstract art came about at the beginning of the 20th century.
- It is essentially the opposite of Expressionism because the subject matter is often devoid of emotion or psychological meaning.
- The main focus of abstraction is design - how all the parts of the composition relate to one another.
- The point of abstraction is to simplify or reduce an image to its elemental forms (in terms of shape, colour, line, etc.).
- There are a variety of ways in which abstract art was explored - three important movements we will look at are Cubism, Futurism, & De Stijl.
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CUBISM
• artists abandoned perspective & realistic modeling of figures
• A style of art in which the subject is broken apart and reassembled in an abstract form, emphasizing geometric shapes. • Cubism paved the way for non-representational art by putting new emphasis on the unity between a depicted scene and the surface of the canvas • Part representation / part abstraction • Inventors: Picasso, Braque, Gris, and Leger NEW TECHNIQUES / APPROACHES: Analytic Cubism: • structured dissection of image / shattered images into fragments • shows objects from various angles & multiple viewpoints at the same time • overlapping planes • simplified palette of colours Synthetic Cubism: • looks like combining various synthesized views or aspects of an object • textures & patterns added through newspaper and paper collage • flattening image and removing all sense three-dimensional space • simpler shapes and brighter colours |
FUTURISM
• A style of painting and sculpture that emerged in Italy in the early 20th century.
• Interested in the problems of modern life • Influenced by Cubism, with a variety of planes • It emphasized the machine-like quality of “modern” living. • Often there was a focus on dynamism or “lines of force” in objects – trying to capture a sense of movement in art pieces. DE STIJL
• (literally “The Style” in Dutch) – a cold and intellectual approach to design begun by Piet Mondrian.
• It developed into a specific non-representational style called De Stijl - led by Piet Mondrian. • It shows complete reliance on design and no feeling or emotion – consists of precise geometric forms, usually straight lines, squares, and rectangles--and primary colours • Meant to show precise, mechanical order that does NOT exist in nature. • Greatly influenced by the horrors of World War I • A utopian approach to a new style to remake society |
| cubism-futurism-destijl.pptx |
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DADA
NEW TECHNIQUES / APPROACHES: Readymade - taking and using pre-made objects in one's art Assemblage - attaching found objects into a sculptural piece photomontage - cutting and pasting a variety of photos into one image |
SURREALISM
NEW TECHNIQUES / APPROACHES: - very detailed and realistic paintings, but recognizable content is combined in imaginative, dream-like, illogical, or disturbing ways (e.g. Salvador Dali or Rene Magritte) - alternatively, surrealist art can be more abstract but based on the personal imagination / association / dream-like state of the artist (e.g. Jean Arp or Joan Miro) |
| dada_surrealism-2016.pptx |
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ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM
• This movement began in New York after World War II - shows a desire to hold onto humanity during an insane time.
• Rooted in the styles of Kandinsky and Gorky from Europe. • It is both abstract / formal (without recognizable subject matter) and expressive / emotional. • THEORY: The image is the result of creative process (NOT a preconceived or planned idea) NEW TECHNIQUES / APPROACHES: • “Action Painting” – emphasizes energy, action, kineticism (i.e. kinetic energy - movement of the human body). • Major debate at this time: what is art?
POP ART
• 1960’s – new art movement based on everyday objects and people from popular culture.
• Named “Pop art” because the subject was based on popular items such as Coke bottles, beer and soup cans. • Impersonal attitude towards the work and subject – shows frustration with the art establishment. • Directly contrasts Abstract Expressionism with recognizable subject matter and no emotional content. • Incorporates wit, humour and satire. • The average viewer much preferred Pop Art to abstraction so it soon became in demand. NEW TECHNIQUES / APPROACHES: • use of silkscreening / mass production techniques (e.g. The Factory) • common / everyday materials
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OP ART & COLOUR FIELD
OP (OPTICAL) ART:
• Op (“Optical”) Art uses scientific principles to create the sensation of movement by tricking the viewer’s eye. • There are no focal points or centres of interest in optical art. • Sometimes movement is created through the use of colour and sometimes shapes. • Carefully calculated and manipulated. COLOUR FIELD: • Colour Field developed during the ‘50s, 60’s and 70’s - • owes much to artist Mark Rothko • Relies solely on flat fields of colour – impression is cool and serene. • Some colour field painting is very loose (eg. Rothko, Frankenthaler, Louis) • Some colour field painting is called “hard edge” (eg. Albers, Bush, Stella) • Became important aspects of the interior environment as murals in buildings. • Draw viewer into active participation with the work – goal: to create a total environment.
PHOTO-REALISM
• In the seventies, a revival of realistic art began in California and spread throughout the United States & Canada.
• Various commercial art techniques were used: airbrush, photography, spray and other materials. • Rooted in genre art and Pop art of the fifties. • Approach is cool and intellectual (unemotional) – reflects aspects of contemporary North American life (1970’s-80’s).
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MODERN ARCHITECTURE
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ANTONI GAUDI
BIOGRAPHY:
• Born June 25, 1852 in Reus (Catalonia), Spain • Son of a coppersmith – studied in his father’s workshop beginning in 1860 • Excelled in school in Geometry & Arithmetic, had a traditional education • Gaudi studied and worked as an assistant in an architecture practice and in the workshops of a carpenter, a glassmaker, and a locksmith (learned these trades). • Graduated in Barcelona as an architect in 1878 – gradually proved his talent through various commissions. ARCHITECTURE PHILOSOPHY: - "The straight line belongs to man, the curved line belongs to God" - If an architect looks for the functional in his work, he will ultimately arrive at beauty. - The lesson of Gaudi is not to copy his solutions but rather to look at nature for inspiration. There is such a variety of solutions in natural forms that there is never a risk of repetition….nature does not go out of fashion. Casa Batllo: • Josep Batllo Casanovas (industrialist) • 7 floors (commercial / residential) • The Batllo family lived on the first floor, other families rented the rest. DESIGN INSPIRATION: • St. George and the Dragon • Sea forms UNIQUE FEATURES: • organic forms (scales, bones, etc.) • variations of colour (ceramics) • designed for light and ventilation NICKNAMES: • “House of Bones” • “House of Yawns” Casa Mila: BUILT FOR: • Pere Mila & Roser Segimon • Commercial / Residential building DESIGN INSPIRATION: • Natural forms UNIQUE FEATURES: • designed for light and ventilation NICKNAMES: • “La Pedrera” (the stone quarry) Park Guell: BUILT FOR: • Don Eusebio Guell (Count of Guell) DESIGN INSPIRATION: • Intended to be a “garden city” • Private residential urban development • Natural forms & mushrooms UNIQUE FEATURES: • Integration of architecture with nature, in harmony • Meant to contain gardens, houses, viaducts, squares, etc. • hypostyle hall (intended to become a covered market), • on top: a large public square with ergonomic winding bench. Sagrada Familia: BUILT FOR: • Josep Bocabella (promoter) • Financed entirely by donations • Gaudi’s sole project from 1914 until his death in 1926 DESIGN INSPIRATION: • Begun as a Neo-Gothic Latin Cross Plan (before Gaudi) • Culmination of Gaudi’s knowledge & experience UNIQUE FEATURES: • “Biomimetic Architecture” (use of math that occurs in nature such as parabolas, hyperbolas, conoids, ellipsoids, etc. NICKNAMES: • “Cathedral of the Poor” (Powerpoint was too big to upload! - find the slides on Quizlet)
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FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
BIOGRAPHY:
• Born June 8, 1867 in Wisconsin, USA • Graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1887 • Worked with Adler and Sullivan (inventors of modern skyscraper) • Began his own architecture firm in Chicago in 1893 • Developed a style known as the “Prairie school” – his home in Chicago being the first example of this. • Created the “Usonian style” – an architectural style considered American • Created some of his greatest works later in his life (from his 70’s-death at 91) ARCHITECTURE PHILOSOPHY: “Prairie School” style building features: • Unpainted organic materials • Low lying horizontal structures • Wraparound windows • Central hearth (fireplace) • Open-space plan interior The term “Organic Architecture” was created by Frank Lloyd Wright. He approached buildings as organisms with all-inclusive designs where everything (technical design, windows, furniture, etc.) relates to one another. Goals: •Unified, harmonic, interrelated whole of buildings and environment •Synthesized form and function (independent from style) "I would like to have a free architecture," Wright wrote. "Architecture that belonged where you see it standing—and is a grace to the landscape instead of a disgrace." Kaufmann House (Fallingwater): • Built in Pennsylvania from 1936-1939 • For the Kaufmann family who owned a department store in the 1930’s • Instantly famous because it is situated over a 30 ‘ waterfall • Initially the area (Bear Run) was a summer retreat from the city of Pittsburgh • Asked Wright to design it because the son was studying architecture with him • The family expected to have a view of the falls, but instead Wright designed so that that could live “with” the falls (can be heard at all times) • Today it is a National Historic Landmark in the USA Duncan House: • Originally built in 1957 in Illinois – dismantled and relocated to Pennsylvania in 2007 • Example of his Usonian design Guggenheim Museum: • In 1943, Wright was asked by Hilla Rebay (art advisor to Solomon R. Guggenheim) to design a museum for the four year old collection of Non-Objective Painting • Caused struggle between architect, clients, city, etc. • Wright did not want it built in New York, but situated it near Central Park • Wright whisked people to the top of the building via elevator, and led them downward at a leisurely pace on the gentle slope of a continuous ramp. • The galleries were divided like the membranes in citrus fruit, with self-contained yet interdependent sections. • The open rotunda afforded viewers the unique possibility of seeing several bays of work on different levels simultaneously. •The spiral design recalled a nautilus shell, with continuous spaces flowing freely one into another. • Wright died just 6 months before it opened Taliesan House, West: • Begun in 1937 and lived there until his death in 1959 • Residence / business place / architecture school • Natural light is a major part of the design • Use of natural rock & wood forms filled with concrete • Today – tourist site and home of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture
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Art History Resources:
Here are some links to really great Art History resources on the web...