Art is beautiful

Art is beautiful
click on image for answer :)

WHY ART MATTERS!

With time, and historical events, art changes all the time and in today's society art could be considered nearly everything. Influences such as the camera, which was invented by Nicéphore Niépce in 1825, created new styles and changed the meaning of a painting. Before the camera, paintings would "capture reality in detail" and represent status. Certain objects in paintings would represent important meanings and the more detailed the painting, the more impressive it was. But once the camera was invented, it was no longer necessary to paint in detail and many artists began to paint abstract and focused on other things as colors, composition and personal style.
The problem with art is, everyone can interpret it differently. To my mind art has a major influence on society and can express opinions/world views much more than one realizes.
In today's news, one can use art, as for instance cartoons to express political views and comment on current events. For example, the most discussed cartoons in the press are probably the 12 cartoons of Muhammad, published in several European newspapers, as for instance the danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on September the 30th 2005. Muhammad, the Muslim Prophet, was shown in many different humorous situations and many Muslims felt it was too much of a deliberate offensive joke that should not be taken in a humorous way. Cartoonists were asked to express their opinions about the Islam and it was not intended to provoke anyone directly, but some Islamic radicals took them to the Middle East and that's when the violent reactions began. Danish Embassies were burned only because of the cartoons published in the newspapers. This is when I began to wonder how art can have such an intense influence in the world. Cartoons, which is considered as art can provoke and unnecessarily cause problems in society when at the same time it is something so beautiful.
Just click on the link below and you will be able to see the 12 cartoons that were published.
http://www.hissheep.org/islam/images/12drawings.jpg

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Yes, Art does change!

1840, Coquelicots, environs d'Argenteuil by Monet
As mentioned in my other postings, art has gone through many changes. In today's society there are so many different styles and categories, it is difficult to define what art really is. Many people do not even realize what a great impact art has on one's lives, just imagine what life would be like if there was not art! That is as good as impossible, because art has been around ever since one can remember. Art gives one the possibility to be more creative and express ones feelings and emotions in different ways than perhaps writing. The style of art changed so much, that today it is nearly impossible to really clarify what art is. To some people a trashcan which was painted in different colors, ripped apart and stuck back together can be considered art, but to others it could simply look like junk. So how can one tell the difference? Why is something like that art in today's society, but let's say 100 years ago not? Because of the development society went through and the historical periods, art changes constantly. Paintings were used to capture a moment in time, to hold on to a moment in history and also portrait status. It was important to paint so exact, that it could have been reality. But once the camera was invented, this was no longer necessary. Now the artists have free hand to paint in what ever style they preferred.

Bansky in Sweeden
 One example is Impressionism. It was formed in 1860 by a group of french artists and was the new "realistic way of painting" (The Impressionist Movement and it's greatest Painters) and broke off from the traditional European painting techniques. At first it was considered "avant-garde", which means it is "significantly ahead of the majority in its technique, subject matter, or application." (Avant-Garde Art) and the artists were not interested to paint in details, but rather more focus on the colors they saw. Edouard Manet, who was one of the members of the original group that formed Impressionism once said: "I paint what i see, and not what other like to see" (Impressionniste). From this time on, many further styles in art developed. At first the new styles have always been rejected by society, but with time, more and more people begin to accept and love it. Impressionism today is considered as one of the most romantic styles and found all over France. Artists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cezanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir are known worldwide for their beautiful paintings, but to their time, not considered as real artists.

1632-1675, The girl with the pearl earring
 Today we have the same problem, there are so many things we do not consider being art, because it brakes off of the traditional ways of painting. But does that mean it isn't art? Maybe 100 years into the future, what ever now is considered "not to be art" will be so valuable one day. Who knows what the future will hold. Art should not have to be used against people, rather more to express feelings and thoughts. Everyone has different ways to show this, might it be Modern Art, Dadaism, Impressionism, Cartoons or even Street Art. There should not be any hate towards the artists, just because they did not paint according to your preferences.


  







Works Cited

"Avant-Garde Art: Definition, Meaning, History: Experimental Artists, Painting, Sculpture, Installations, Conceptualism." Art Encyclopedia: Visual Arts Guide To European, Irish, American Painting & Sculpture: Greatest Artists, Best Museums, History of Art Movements, Renaissance. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2011. <http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/definitions/avant-garde-art.htm>.

"Impressionism - Biography of Edouard MANET." L'Impressionnisme et les peintres impressionnistes. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2011. <http://www.impressionniste.net/manet_edouard.htm>.

"Impressionism and Impressionist Painters ." L'Impressionnisme et les peintres impressionnistes. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2011. <http://www.impressionniste.net/impressionism_history.htm>.

Period, Time. "Impressionism: Art and Modernity | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art." The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: metmuseum.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2011. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/imml/hd_imml.htm>.
 
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