The Campo Santo, Venice
Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, 1775-1851)
1842
24 1/2 x 36 1/2 in. (62.2 x 92.7 cm)
oil on canvas
Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, 1775-1851)
1842
24 1/2 x 36 1/2 in. (62.2 x 92.7 cm)
oil on canvas
The painting has much more beauty than chaos. The colors are calming blue and clean whites. The painting is impressionistic in its blurred, soft nature. There are a few visible figures that appear more clear in the foreground. One boat with a darker figure, heavily laden with clothing, seems sort of sad. This boat is slightly behind a lighter one where the two figures are dressed lightly. It’s difficult to tell where each of these two boats separate from each other. The other boats on the water seem to be going about their business or pleasure with no care of these two. The city is painted in toward the edges of the painting in a neutral color palette of tans and white. It seems that people are going about their work on the sea in a dream like setting. We see hints of edges and they fade into the smooth sea. The boats in the foreground seem a little disheveled. There are items floating in the water. Are they intentionally together on the water? Are they conducting business together? The water is slightly stirred near them. It looks as though they are returning from a day of fishing while others are using the day for recreation.
Nursing
1948
Glazed terracotta, 80 cm
Ferenczy Museum, Szentendre
Magrit Kovacs, Hungary
1902, Győr - 1977, Budapest
1948
Glazed terracotta, 80 cm
Ferenczy Museum, Szentendre
Magrit Kovacs, Hungary
1902, Győr - 1977, Budapest
Kovacs is a Jewish Hungarian clay artist. She has her own museum in Hungary. She has many works displayed throughout her hometown. This piece seems like a classical piece from the middle ages yet made in the 20th century. Her work also has a folk-like feel. The colors are oranges and blues. the colors painted in swirling patterns. This sculpture is a mother nursing her baby. By the way she is dressed we might assume that it is a classical portrayal of a medieval Madonna.
I think this piece has beauty and chaos. It's beautiful in its subject matter. The object itself is a bit abstract in the forms of the mother and child. The painting that is applied is in swirling pattern. The sculpture has a primitive feel to it. It is unpolished, with a matt appearance. It feels well worn which gives it a little of a chaotic feel. The chaotic part to me makes it interesting and different from how we are used to seeing this subject matter portrayed.
I think this piece has beauty and chaos. It's beautiful in its subject matter. The object itself is a bit abstract in the forms of the mother and child. The painting that is applied is in swirling pattern. The sculpture has a primitive feel to it. It is unpolished, with a matt appearance. It feels well worn which gives it a little of a chaotic feel. The chaotic part to me makes it interesting and different from how we are used to seeing this subject matter portrayed.
Gloria Swanson, New York
Edward Jean Steichen (American, 1879-1973)
1924
Overall: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm)
mount: 44.5 x 33 cm (17 1/2 x 13 in.)
Gelatin silver print
Photographs
Edward Jean Steichen (American, 1879-1973)
1924
Overall: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm)
mount: 44.5 x 33 cm (17 1/2 x 13 in.)
Gelatin silver print
Photographs
This is a photograph of the famous Gloria Swanson which is a gelatin silver print. She is shown with a very intent and wild look. She is peering through lace and has a black turban on her head. Her gaze is direct. She is beautiful and intense. At first the lace looks like a tattoo across face and neck. It is clear to see why she was successful in her silent movies. She is able to convey so much in a single look.
This photograph for me feels like it leans toward beauty mostly. It feels crisp and fully focused. Her eyes are fully focused on the viewer. Her eyes are what makes the chaos. There is nothing soft in her look. Her eyes are piercing into the viewer. It almost feels uncomfortable to meet her gaze. The lace feels transformed into part of her skin. This photo has a modern feel and look to it. I don't remember seeing photos of that period that have the subject posed in that way. The photographer captured her dramatic abilities perfectly.
This photograph for me feels like it leans toward beauty mostly. It feels crisp and fully focused. Her eyes are fully focused on the viewer. Her eyes are what makes the chaos. There is nothing soft in her look. Her eyes are piercing into the viewer. It almost feels uncomfortable to meet her gaze. The lace feels transformed into part of her skin. This photo has a modern feel and look to it. I don't remember seeing photos of that period that have the subject posed in that way. The photographer captured her dramatic abilities perfectly.
https://art21.org/watch/extended-play/barbara-kasten-beauty-was-a-problem-short/
Barbara Kasten was teaching textile sculpture when she needed a way to show how to render the woven surface in 2D. She thought of the cyanotype process. She experimented with photograms and loved her pieces.
Her work was put away for a while as she didn't want it to be out in the world without it being recognized for the beauty that it is. The world came around and she started showing her photogram paintings.
Barbara had no photography experience at the time and chose this because of its simplicity. I too love the simplicity and the brilliant blue color that comes from this process.
Beauty was apparently a problem in the seventies art world. I think that is where the chaos comes in. The idea of beauty not being wanted at the time shows the upheaval that was going on then. Social change was happening. The Vietnam war was ending. People were challenging established norms. People were appreciating art that was going against the past norms of beauty.
I am happy she decided to save her artwork and show it to us. I had not seen cyanotype art other than photos that were done in the beginning of photography. These were botanicals that were more of a scientific nature. I got the idea that it wasn't an appreciated art form, though I still enjoyed making my own photograms.
“In the ’70s the rest of the world thought that beauty was a weakness, but the reality is, it’s a strength.”
Barbara Kasten
art21.org/watch/art-in-the-twenty-first-century/s3/cai-guo-qiang-in-power-segment/
The artistry of Cai Guo-Qiang is quite chaotic at first look. He uses gun powder to create some of his art. I include a website for you to browse. He has many years worth of work and shows to take in. https://caiguoqiang.com/
Gun powder brings to mind destruction, explosions, danger, and chaos. The artist chose this medium because of its unpredictability. He likes that it is uncontrollable and that there could be physical danger involved. I feel like its comparable to the term "dancing with the devil".
The artist draws inspiration from his father. His father made landscape paintings on scrolls and matchbooks. The Chinese read their paintings. They don't just look at them. They tell a story like a diary. Guo-Qiang says that art is more about what is not said. Opening a scroll is like opening the universe.
The artist sees the explosions as a look at the universe. It contains both a destructive nature and heroic. He accepts his medium as uncontrollable and lets it take him where it wants to go.
He also talks of his art in a romantic way. He compares drawing to lovemaking. The laying of the paper is like the laying down of sheets. After a long time of working at it he wants it to be finished in an explosion. Either it will end with great satisfaction or disappointment.
The 9/11 tragedy is referenced in his work. Terrorism and its effects on our society are reflected not only in his gun powder works but in others where he shows us pain by using objects. He has tigers with arrows appearing to be piercing their bodies. They are not real, but give the viewer the feeling of agony. He also has an airplane that he uses confiscated sharp objects that seem to stab at every inch. These works elicit an emotion in the heart of the viewer.
Although his art starts as looking chaotic it has much order to it. It is drawn from the philosophy of his Chinese ancestry. It is a reflection of our society today. He shows a continuation from the destructive nature of the Big Bang to the terrorism of today like a long scroll from the beginning of time. He deals chaos by accepting the uncontrollable nature of it all. By flowing with it he pulls out the beauty.
The artistry of Cai Guo-Qiang is quite chaotic at first look. He uses gun powder to create some of his art. I include a website for you to browse. He has many years worth of work and shows to take in. https://caiguoqiang.com/
Gun powder brings to mind destruction, explosions, danger, and chaos. The artist chose this medium because of its unpredictability. He likes that it is uncontrollable and that there could be physical danger involved. I feel like its comparable to the term "dancing with the devil".
The artist draws inspiration from his father. His father made landscape paintings on scrolls and matchbooks. The Chinese read their paintings. They don't just look at them. They tell a story like a diary. Guo-Qiang says that art is more about what is not said. Opening a scroll is like opening the universe.
The artist sees the explosions as a look at the universe. It contains both a destructive nature and heroic. He accepts his medium as uncontrollable and lets it take him where it wants to go.
He also talks of his art in a romantic way. He compares drawing to lovemaking. The laying of the paper is like the laying down of sheets. After a long time of working at it he wants it to be finished in an explosion. Either it will end with great satisfaction or disappointment.
The 9/11 tragedy is referenced in his work. Terrorism and its effects on our society are reflected not only in his gun powder works but in others where he shows us pain by using objects. He has tigers with arrows appearing to be piercing their bodies. They are not real, but give the viewer the feeling of agony. He also has an airplane that he uses confiscated sharp objects that seem to stab at every inch. These works elicit an emotion in the heart of the viewer.
Although his art starts as looking chaotic it has much order to it. It is drawn from the philosophy of his Chinese ancestry. It is a reflection of our society today. He shows a continuation from the destructive nature of the Big Bang to the terrorism of today like a long scroll from the beginning of time. He deals chaos by accepting the uncontrollable nature of it all. By flowing with it he pulls out the beauty.
“My work is sometimes like the poppy flower. It has this almost romantic side, but yet it also represents a poison.”
Cai Guo-Qiang
Dzama is a contemporary artist living in New York City. He is best known for his watercolor ink drawings. His work is influenced by Duchamp, William Blake among others. From his work he also creates costumes of the creatures that appear in his work.
Dzarma states his work is a mix of subconscious and reality. He doesn’t limit himself and lets himself free to draw whatever comes to mind. He believes that this process allows for the possibility of anything to happen.
Early in his career he suffered the loss of larger works and belongings. There was a fire on his grandpa’s farm. This incident may have helped him move on to New York. While living in Canada he feels isolated by the weather conditions. New York on the other hand leaves him feeling claustrophobic.
This claustrophobic atmosphere feels chaotic to him and he feels the need to add order to his work. To do this he adds characters in dance positions. His work feels chaotic to me. The dancers seem to be placed chaotically all over the paper. The characters are masked, and polka dotted. They have a circus feeling to them. He uses masked figures. It feels like a disturbing dream world. He describes his move to dancers as comparable to a Broadway show.
Dzama talks of his white backgrounds as being influenced by the way the sky and land appears in winter in Winnipeg. It is like a white piece of paper where the dark figure is visible in the isolation. This idea seems to carry through all his drawings.
His work is surreal. Sometimes he lifts his characters off of the paper and creates 3D work, costumes or films.
Dzarma states his work is a mix of subconscious and reality. He doesn’t limit himself and lets himself free to draw whatever comes to mind. He believes that this process allows for the possibility of anything to happen.
Early in his career he suffered the loss of larger works and belongings. There was a fire on his grandpa’s farm. This incident may have helped him move on to New York. While living in Canada he feels isolated by the weather conditions. New York on the other hand leaves him feeling claustrophobic.
This claustrophobic atmosphere feels chaotic to him and he feels the need to add order to his work. To do this he adds characters in dance positions. His work feels chaotic to me. The dancers seem to be placed chaotically all over the paper. The characters are masked, and polka dotted. They have a circus feeling to them. He uses masked figures. It feels like a disturbing dream world. He describes his move to dancers as comparable to a Broadway show.
Dzama talks of his white backgrounds as being influenced by the way the sky and land appears in winter in Winnipeg. It is like a white piece of paper where the dark figure is visible in the isolation. This idea seems to carry through all his drawings.
His work is surreal. Sometimes he lifts his characters off of the paper and creates 3D work, costumes or films.
I was amazed at the size of Mehretu's work. I found it amazing that she could know what she was doing and be so close to the painting. Her work is very unique.
Her use of a musician was the part of her process that I enjoyed. Having a person there to play while you work is something that I hadn't seen mentioned being done by other artists. I like that she promotes
Her use of a musician was the part of her process that I enjoyed. Having a person there to play while you work is something that I hadn't seen mentioned being done by other artists. I like that she promotes
“I don’t think it’s possible for me to ever think about the American landscape without thinking about the colonial history—and the colonial violence—of that narrative.”
Julie Mehretu
Matthew Barney was a difficult artist to look at. I was repelled by the image of him initially shown for the video. His face seems terribly disfigured. Even though its not real, it effects something within that makes you want to turn away.
I watched the video and had a hard time seeing the animals appearing to be rotting, living corpses. He is good at evoking that uncomfortable feeling of horror when you see something that goes against ideas of what is beautiful. He shows things we naturally try not to see, things like death and decay.
His process is quite organized. He seems to have everything well mapped out for his films. I was impressed by his management skills.
His film is shot like a zombie film. The horses were dressed with prosthetics and had to be monitored carefully for overheating. They couldn't be left long in their costumes. It must have been difficult to work on and complete.
I watched the video and had a hard time seeing the animals appearing to be rotting, living corpses. He is good at evoking that uncomfortable feeling of horror when you see something that goes against ideas of what is beautiful. He shows things we naturally try not to see, things like death and decay.
His process is quite organized. He seems to have everything well mapped out for his films. I was impressed by his management skills.
His film is shot like a zombie film. The horses were dressed with prosthetics and had to be monitored carefully for overheating. They couldn't be left long in their costumes. It must have been difficult to work on and complete.
youtu.be/HJfmSRtUYpc
The Path to Paradise: An Interview with Artist Judith Schaechter
www.judithschaechter.com/
The Path to Paradise: An Interview with Artist Judith Schaechter
www.judithschaechter.com/
Judith Schaechter is a stained glass artist. I found her work beautifully disturbing. Her subjects such as her beached whale bring a sense of sorrow for the animal. The colors of the work bring joy. It is a strange combination of beauty and chaos.
It is refreshing to see a new take on stained glass. We are used to seeing it used in churches or on lamps. She talks about the challenges of making it do what she wants. The process sounds arduous, but I get the impression she loves every bit of it.
Her characters that she uses are born of her sketchbook doodles. Some of them end up immortalized on glass. The colors of the glass panels really bring her work to life.
I really enjoyed seeing her work and hearing her talk about it. She is relatable and passionate about her artwork.
She talks about being a painting major in college. She felt a like her instructors looked down on the craft of stained glass as if it were separate from the fine arts. Judith says she was seduced by the beauty of the glass. Frosting on a cake is how she refers to it and she likes frosting! Schaechter likes to work with her hands. She wondered why this art form had existed so long without any change from medevel times.
Her figures she uses she describes as dolls. Judith talks about this being a safe outlet for trauma. Her work gives her an outlet to dive in to ugly topics and she works to evoke empathy for the subject.
Agnes Martin is an artist with incredible patience. She would remake her paintings over and over till they were perfect in her own mind. She would destroy the previous versions.
Her work looks simple at first. As you learn about her process you realize they were incredibly difficult to make. She had very high standards for her finished product and a great amount of determination to get it exactly right.
I feel like she had a lot of passion for her work. She had a very different, quiet determination about her. Very much a perfectionist.
Her work looks simple at first. As you learn about her process you realize they were incredibly difficult to make. She had very high standards for her finished product and a great amount of determination to get it exactly right.
I feel like she had a lot of passion for her work. She had a very different, quiet determination about her. Very much a perfectionist.
How loss helped one artist find beauty in imperfection | Alyssa Monks
youtu.be/6-eYu0fCtU8
www.alyssamonks.com/
youtu.be/6-eYu0fCtU8
www.alyssamonks.com/
Alyssa Monks work is very beautiful. Her paintings are realistic. She combines the human figure with flowers, trees and water.
Her video takes us through her mother's cancer diagnosis and how it affected her and we see her work change before and after.
Before dealing with this life changing event her work seems more ordered. After, her work gets more chaotic than it had been. The artist although dealing with the grief of the loss of her parent, seems to be exercising more freedom in her work. The paintings take on more feeling, more rawness, more pain. They feel more authentic than realistic. We see the artist in a deeper way emotionally.
Her video takes us through her mother's cancer diagnosis and how it affected her and we see her work change before and after.
Before dealing with this life changing event her work seems more ordered. After, her work gets more chaotic than it had been. The artist although dealing with the grief of the loss of her parent, seems to be exercising more freedom in her work. The paintings take on more feeling, more rawness, more pain. They feel more authentic than realistic. We see the artist in a deeper way emotionally.
Caitlin Cherry combines the human figure with neon like colors. Her work is about man and machine in combination.
This work feels relevant to what is happening in todays world. We are injecting medical devices. We are becoming machines.
The artwork is abstract in nature. You can see a human figure as the subject. The colors are bright and neon. Swirling shapes are flowing around the figure. The work feels bright and exciting.
Maybe the artist sees this as humans of the future? Chaotic and energetic, man and machine swirling out of control. We are at the precipice of major changes to humanity. The artist blurs the lines making the figure like a glitch on a screen. The figure feeling not quite human to the viewer. Beautiful color pallette.
This work feels relevant to what is happening in todays world. We are injecting medical devices. We are becoming machines.
The artwork is abstract in nature. You can see a human figure as the subject. The colors are bright and neon. Swirling shapes are flowing around the figure. The work feels bright and exciting.
Maybe the artist sees this as humans of the future? Chaotic and energetic, man and machine swirling out of control. We are at the precipice of major changes to humanity. The artist blurs the lines making the figure like a glitch on a screen. The figure feeling not quite human to the viewer. Beautiful color pallette.