Visual Arts and Film Studies - Research Paper Example

Visual Arts and Film Studies-Question 3 & 15 #3 How did Cubism change the way we see the world? Cubism refers to a new formof painting style and sculpture that emerged in the 20th century. This style can be attributed to the works of Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso who came up with Cubism in 1908. Upon its discovery, Cubism had a lasting impact on the artworks which were dominant during its discovery. Cubism was more of an abstract art style, which laid the foundation for the discovery and development of other artworks such as Surrealism and Dadaism. As a result of Cubism, new art modes such as futurism and Orphism came to being. Cubism changed the way people perceive the world in numerous ways (Robinson 7-30). With Cubism, the world was not to look the same again because of the huge impact, which this movement had on the world. The revolutionary nature of this movement was so phenomenal that it changed the way artists viewed the components of art. Cubism also changed the world; through it, all aspects of a subject could be seen at the same time. As a result, this allowed the simultaneous view of the parts that comprised an art work. The development of modern art can also be attributed to the discovery of Cubism as a form of art. This innovative movement led to the establishment of a new plastic order, which was different from the form of art that was existent before its discovery. Cubism also enhanced revolutionary changes in visual representation as artists strived to change the look of art images (Robinson 7-30). Analytic and synthetic Cubism was also phenomenal in changing the way people viewed the world. Analytic and synthetic Cubism details phases, which took place in the field of art. Synthetic Cubism helped in the combination of many forms of art as it brought numerous art forms. Analytic Cubism encompassed the bringing together of separate elements of artwork and connected them to the whole. With the changes that it brought to the nature of paintings, Cubism was phenomenal in changing the way people viewed the world. Through Cubism, painting evolved, and it changed from the older forms, which encompassed spatial planning and structure (Cottington 3-36). Cubism changed the way people see the world as it introduced cubes and facets, which were arranged in transparent and superimposed planes. In addition, the cubes had edges that could be regarded as clearly defined; they introduced aspects such as space, mass, as well as what the movement of Cubism implied. Cubism was also influential as it led to the introduction of such aspects in the art such as muted greens, ochers, browns, as well as grays. Cubism also changed the world as it consisted of a combination of both traditional aspects of art and modern aspects. For example, the Cubist movement included a subject matter consisting of traditional portraits, still life, and traditional landscapes. This was coupled with fragments consisting of wineglasses, faces, as well as guitars that became main subjects of the Cubist works (Chilvers 185-190). The other way in which Cubism changed the way the world is perceived is through introducing the use of bright color in artwork. Cubism also introduced the use of decorative devices such as the stippling technique, which came from pointillism. As a result of Cubism, artists started using shadow, tone, as well as broken brush strokes in their paintings. These aspects, together with the distance established between planes that used to be denser, led to the introduction of light. Synthetic Cubism was extremely phenomenal as it provided the basis for the creation and description of visual reality, which could now be done without illusionism in painting. The synthesis of objects became a reality with the Cubism as artists were able to use real components in collage (Martin 52-76). Cubism also changed the way people see the world by introducing new forms of art, which replaced Western art. Cubists held the belief that Western art was traditional and that it had become obsolete. As such, they advocated for the use of artworks from other cultures such as African art. The expressive styles employed by African art became common after the discovery of Cubism. Artists started treating aspects of African art as subversive elements, which could as refreshment the tired nature that they associated with the artwork from the West. The spread of Cubism across Europe had a lasting impact in the field of art as this movement became part of the artistic consciousness of various countries across Europe. For example, it led to the emergence of Vorticism in England, Futurism in Italy, Expressionism in Germany, and Constructivism in Russia. Moreover, it had an impact on some architectural designs of the 20th century, which prevail up to date (Wallis 4-10). #15 Why was Picasso considered so important? Give Examples of his work. Born on October 25, 1881 in Malaga, Spain, Pablo Picasso can be regarded as one of the most influential artists in the 20th century. His father used to be an art teacher, as well as a painter. Picasso’s family moved to Barcelona when was aged fourteen years. Picasso can be attributed to the founding of Cubist art movement during the 20th century, which he cofounded with his friend Braque. His artworks encompassed painting, sculpturing, and he also used to be a draughtsman. Some of the most famous paintings that can be attributed to him include Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, a proto-Cubist and Guernica, which portrayed the bombing of Guernica by Germany during the Spanish Civil War (Charles 7-20). Picasso started displaying his artistic talent at a young age; he used to paint realistically during his childhood and adolescent years. In the first decade of the 20th century (1900-1910), his style changed dramatically as he started experimenting with various ideas, artistic techniques, as well as different models and theories. His creativity could be demonstrated by the various mediums that he used, which included sculpture, architecture, oil paintings, as well as drawings. As a revolutionary artist, he accomplished a lot and gained worldwide prominence as a prolific figure during the 20th century. The importance of Picasso in artwork hinges on his innovativeness and the influence he has had over other artists (Penrose 10-43). Picasso’s combination of various styles of work has inspired many artists who have emerged after him. His contributions to artwork can be seen through his innovations, which included assemblage, collage, and the influence he had by introducing constructionist models in sculpture. Picasso can also be regarded as crucial due to his influence on the development of modernism in artwork, as well as the huge impact that he had on abstraction. Picasso can be regarded as an inspiring artist who laid the foundation for the modern forms of art that can be seen today. The works of many contemporary artists can be attributed to the influence that Picassos had in art. Figurative symbolism and analytical cubism can be regarded as some of Picasso’s styles that have had an influence on artwork. The admiration of his work by many artists explains why he can be regarded to have been an influential artistic figure (Charles 7-20). Most of the works of Picasso encompassed paintings and sculptures, which he advanced through cubism and other art movements. His works also included the depiction of urban misfits such as prostitutes and beggars in his paintings, especially during the blue period. Picasso also developed his first sculptures during the blue period. His works included “La Vie’, which he created in the memory of Casagemas, a poet and a friend of his who committed suicide. Another famous work, which he created during the Blue Period, included “The Blind Man’s Meal”, which he developed in 1903. The most mysterious and lyrical work created by Picasso encompassed “Woman with a Crow”, which he created in 1903 (Walther 6-48). The Blue Period ended, and this led to the beginning of the Rose Period, which started in 1904. This period saw the introduction of new themes in Picasso’s works. His paintings embraced dominant features such as roses, light blues, as well as beiges and pinks. His subjects also changed to include clowns and harlequins who were inactive as well as mute. One of his most notable works during this period included “Family of Saltimbanques”, created in 1905. This work is a portrayal of a group consisting of circus workers who appear isolated (Brink 25-34). Picasso moved briefly to Holland in 1905 after which he returned to Paris and his work underwent significant changes.  In Paris, his works resembled early Greek art as it encompassed an aura that was classical with the inclusion of female and male figures. Some of his works during this time included “La Toilette.” Other works that can be attributed to the works of Pablo Picasso include the Iberian sculpture and the Gauguin’s sculpture. The Portrait of Gertrude Stein can also be regarded as another form of an artwork that can be attributed to the works of Picasso. This portrait can be considered as a vital as its uniqueness paved way for the era of Cubism, which Picasso developed afterwards. Another example of artwork developed by Picasso includes “The First Communion” and “The Choir Boy”, which he had developed when he was young (Green and Pablo 75-90). Works Cited Brink, Andrew. Desire and Avoidance in Art: Pablo Picasso, Hans Bellmer, Balthus, and Joseph Cornell: Psychobiographical Studies with Attachment Theory. New York: Lang, 2007. Print. Chilvers, Ian. The Oxford Dictionary of Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print. Cottington, David. Cubism and Its Histories. Manchester: Manchester Univ. Press, 2004. Print. Charles, Victoria. Pablo Picasso. New York: Parkstone International, 2011. Print. Green, Christopher, and Pablo Picasso. Picasso: Architecture and Vertigo. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005. Print. Martin, Richard. Cubism and Fashion: [published in Conjunction with the Exhibition "cubism and Fashion", Held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from December 10, 1998, hrough March 14, 1999]. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1998. Print. Penrose, Roland. Picasso: His Life and Work. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981. Print. Robinson, Shannon. Cubism. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 2005. Print. Wallis, Jeremy. Cubists. Chicago, Ill: Heinemann Library, 2003. Print. Walther, Ingo. Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973: Genius of the Century. Ko?ln: Taschen, 2007. Print. Read More