Andy Warhol - Research Paper Example

Visual Arts and Film Studies Andy Warhol Brief Biographical Profile Andy Warhol has been regarded as a pop artist and cultural icon of the 20th century (The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts). Born on the 6th of August, 1928 in Oakland, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Andy’s full name was actually Andrew Warhola. He was the youngest of three children and was diagnosed of being afflicted with a rare neurological disorder (The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts par. 3). The disorder provided the impetus for Andy’s orientation to DC comic books and the celebrity magazines that proliferate during his time. He pursued a degree in Pictorial Design from the Carnegie Institute of Technology and graduated in 1949 (The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts par. 3). His official website revealed that “building on the emerging movement of Pop Art, wherein artists used everyday consumer objects as subjects, Warhol started painting readily found, mass-produced objects, drawing on his extensive advertising background” (The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts par. 5). In Open Culture, it was disclosed that Warhol decided to abruptly quit painting and delve into both music and film making. In this regard, the essay aims to describe contents and aesthetics of the Andy Warhols work, particularly focusing on the controversial “anti-films”: Sleep, Eat and Kiss, with the ultimate objective of responding to the question :"why it is art?". Sleep As the title depicts, Warhol’s first film, Sleep, shot a man in deep slumber with the shot taken from different views, initially from the foot as the person taking the film with only the face in clear perspective. Then, the film maker abruptly changes the focus in precariously near images where the viewer could not image which part of the face or body is being filmed. There was an extensive amount of minutes spent focused on the man’s face with the whole film totaling “40 silent minutes of Giorno’s long slumber” (Open Culture). The film maker purposely used clear and blurred depictions of the areas being focused highlighting the light versus dark portions and thereby emphasizing the shape and contour of the body parts. Kiss In Kiss, Warhol filmed different couples engaged in the act of kissing: men and women, women and women, and men and men. This is a 54-minute silent film in black and white where the focus is basically showing how couples are deeply immersed in kissing and nothing else. The film maker was effective in showing the range of emotions felt by the couples as shown in intermittent smiles, engrossed in the present activity they are engaged in. The film was consistently shot with only the couples’ faces being predominantly shown. Some shots were filmed with plain white background, others were set in dimly lit rooms where only the light from the film maker was eminent. Other shots were initially very close to the couple’s faces and eventually taking a more comprehensive view of the couples’ kissing, to reveal their gender. Eat The final film to this trilogy was taken in 1964 entitled “Eat” featuring Robert Indiana, a pop artist eating a mushroom. For the duration of the film at 40 minutes, viewers get to see only this activity where the actor was seated, viewing at a window by his right side where light clearly and vividly emanates. There are shadows on the left side of his face and when he directly moves his face towards the source of the light, the immense brilliance was overpowering and blurs a clear vision of his image. The actor is seen in various reflective emotions while gnawing: in retrospect, sometimes managing a smile, but predominantly lost in his own thoughts. Viewers are directed at the manner by which he slowly chews with utter disregard for urgency. The contemplative nature of the experience is therefore shared and relayed to the audience that eating could actually be a remunerating experience as one is in solitary confines of any particularly ordinary day. Why Is it Art From viewing this trilogy, one deduced that despite the controversial nature of the films, where only a particular endeavor was focused (sleep, kissing, and eat), it could still be regarded as art in its sublime and interpretative form. The film maker used various themes, subjects, topics and featured focused activity that elicited various reactions and response from the audience. Through personal techniques that illumined the subjects through lights, shadows, and focal points, despite the absence of sounds or auditory messages, Warhol was still able to relay the messages intended for these films. As revealed in Open Culture, “film is where he focused his creative energies. Between 1964 and 1966, the pop artist shot close to 500 short movies — or what he called “screen tests” — of friends, celebrities and models” (Open Culture par. 1). Having expressed one’s artistic and creative inclinations in whatever forms, genres, or medium, art is seen to be exemplified and manifested. Conclusion The essay thereby achieved its aim to describe contents and aesthetics of the Andy Warhols works, particularly the films Sleep, Kissing, and Eat. One thereby responded to the question “why it is art?", by indicating the fact that when an artist expressed oneself through a revolutionary form that enticed the viewers to react, respond and express different emotions and appeals, diverting one’s focus from the images themselves towards the ability to spur sentiments, feelings, and reactions make the personal expression a work of art. Andy Warhol has been regarded as one of the most renowned artists of contemporary times. Art has always been described as a form of personal expression encompassing various medium, forms, and genres and using diversity in materials to entice emotional appeal from those who view them. With this, one could definitely deduce that Andy Warhol’s works are valid and aesthetic forms of art – whether as paintings, films, music or other creative and innovative endeavors. Works Cited Open Culture. Three "Anti-Films" by Andy Warhol: Sleep, Kiss and Eat. 22 September 2011. 15 November 2011 . The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Andy Warhol Biography. 2011. 15 November 2011 . Read More