Sunday, November 21, 2010

Jackson Pallok

Week 12
Jackson Pallock
Number 1, 1949
Enamel and metallic paint
5’3” by 8’6” inches
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

This painting is depicting a feeling that Jackson Pallock had. He wasn’t trying to paint any particular shapes or images. It is more about emotion. Pallock has used several different colors. The types of colors he uses are more cool colors. There are no really bright colors that stick out. Each color used compliments one another. The lines created from the paint are very organic. They are created by just splattered paint there are no brush strokes being used. He uses up most every space on the canvas.
The purpose of this art piece is for Pallock to demonstrate his feelings and express them onto the canvas. I think he also is just trying to demonstrate a different type of painting. Each paint splatter is purposely put in that particular spot even though it may not look that way. The social issue I chose to go along with this painting is the media. When Pallock first began his paintings they were so unlike all the other paintings. So as a result he didn’t get the credit he deserved from the media. His paintings are a lot about feelings and his reactions towards something. He doesn’t paint to reflect an object or situation in life. It’s about his daily feelings.
            This painting has changed the way people views paintings as a whole. The way he painted this was so unique. He created a whole new way to paint and to look at paintings. His paintings weren’t just about objects but about emotions. He painted his emotions on the canvas. And it really came through with his splatters and colors.

Monday, November 15, 2010

The Persistence of Memory

Week 11
The Persistence of Memory
Salvador Dali
Oil on Canvas, 1931
91/2 by 13 inches
The Museum of Modern Art, New York

            This painting is depicting a lot of movement. All of the clocks in the painting are melting as if time is not stable. The clocks are the only thing melting in this painting. Everything else is stable and in its place. However in the bottom corner there is a pocket watch that looks like it isn’t melting. There are different types of lines in this painting. There are contours and outlines which are creating shapes. The clocks are depicting a lot of direction and movement to create the look of not being still or melting. The shapes in this painting are both organic and geometric. There are a lot of primary colors and warmer colors. There is a lot of wasted space in this painting. But it makes your eye look towards a certain part immediately.
            I think the purpose of this artwork is to demonstrate life and how people take the time they have for granted. The clocks are melting as if time doesn’t matter at all. This painting could be representing life and how people don’t use every minute of their life to the fullest. The social issue if chose to go along with this is the environment. The painting is representing clocks being outside in a deserted looking place. I think that this painting is representing how we take time and our world around us for granted. And we need to learn to take care of it. I think that this painting is just representing life in general.
            This painting really makes you think. People probably have all different perceptions of what it is trying to say. But I think that it changed how people think of their own lives in general. And it maybe even makes you think about how precious each day is and how precious the time is that you have to live. I think that this is a really neat painting. It depicts time in such a unique way.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Buddha Preaching the First Sermon

Week 10
Buddha Preaching the First Sermon
From Sarnath, 465-485
Sandstone
Height of 5’3 inches
Archaeological Museum, Sarnath

            This piece of artwork is depicting a sculpture of a religious artifact, or of a religious figure in the religion of Buddhism. It is a sandstone sculpture. It looks very smooth. The figure that is sculpted looks calm and at peace. It looks like a young boy trying to meditate. The texture of this particular art piece looks incredibly smooth. This is piece is very detailed in some areas, such as the top plate around the figures head. This artwork doesn’t look like it’s been painted at all.
            I think the purpose of this sculpture is to represent a holy figure in Buddhism. This sculpture could be for people to pray to or maybe to just use as remembrance for this holy figure. The social issue I chose to go along with this is religion. This is clearly a special figure for the Buddhist religion and they want it to be remembered.
            This helped change how we understand the Buddhist religion and what godly figure they pray to.  This sculpture gives us an idea of what Buddha might actually have looked like. And the position that he is sitting in also gives us an idea of how they pray and worship. They look like they are would be a very peaceful group of people. This statue gives us an understanding of how simple and peaceful their religion might be.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Jupiter and Thetis

Week 9
Jupiter and Thetis
Jean-Auguste-Dominque Ingres
Oil on canvas, 1811
10’85/8 inches by 8’65/16 inches
Musee Granet, Aix-en-Provence
           
            This painting is depicting what looks like a god in the heavens sitting on his thrown. And there is a woman admiring him. Also there is an eagle in the painting along with another women admiring from afar. Some of the clouds in this painting also look very dark like there is a storm. The lines in this painting are organic and geometric. Warm and cool colors are being used. The man is dressed in a very warm pink. Cooler colors are also being used in the background. This makes the people in the front of the painting really stick out. The man is placed right in the center of the painting. Everything is surrounding him. He is the center of attention.
            The purpose of this work is to represent a godly figure. This man looks very strong and powerful a lot like we think of a godly figure. The social issue I chose to go along with this is religion. When I think about God I think about a mighty man like the one represented in this painting. This painting makes him look like he is glowing like an angle from heaven. Everything looks like it is perfect.
            Paintings of gods such as this one have given us an understanding of how our true God might look like. Because there have been so many paintings of gods such as this one now we think of our God to look like this. They make him look so mighty and powerful. He is the leader of everyone and we look up to him like the other women in this painting are doing.