Art Inquiry

Periods in Art History  Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the 50's & 60's The video starts off with first generation abstract expressionist artists such as: Franz Kline and Willem de Kooning. This movement was all about raw emotion. Artists moved away from European traditions by using abstraction to convey strong expressive content. First Generation Abstract Expressionism  Franz Kline's signature broad black brush strokes were used on a large scale. His powerful gestures across the canvas create evoke an immediate response. Willem de Kooning is known for his use of cross layering brushstrokes, and intensified colors. In his 1952 painting,  Woman I,  we again see broad brushstrokes used to showcase the expressiveness of de Kooning's fragmented figure of a woman. Second Generation Abstract Expressionism  Helen Frankenthaler, a second generation abstract expressionist, influenced a new generation of artists, the color field painters, ...

Mask Exploration  Inspo: Funerary Mask This mask dates back to the 9th-11th century in the Lambayeque region in Peru. The mask depicts a face with upturned eyes, a prominent nose and ornaments on the ears and below the nose. The gold seems to have been hammered due to various indents which create a bumpy texture all throughout the face. The raised elevation of the nose and the shadow below it emphasizes the center the face. War Mask This mask dates back to the 14th-16th century. The Tibetan mask uses color and pattern to frame the face. The flame like designs in gold are used symmetrically and act as eyebrows above the eyes. Areas of silver metal peek through the aged, bronze color on the cheeks and bridge of the nose, which emphasize those areas. Mask (Kavat) This mask created by Central Baining peoples was used for a night time performance lit by firelight. Compared to the other two, this one is quite long. The use of the red and black pigment creat...

Video Reviews Olmec Mask A small mask was found buried as an offering in an Aztec temple. However, this mask was from a far older culture than the Aztecs. It was actually from the Olmec culture which thrived more than 1500 years before the Aztecs. The Aztecs collected artifacts from ancient cultures before them. Feathered Headdress  Costume was a significant part of life to the Aztecs. The replica of the headdress featured in the video contained over 450 quetzal tail feathers. These feathers are a long, almost metallic green that only come from the male bird. This bird is found in Central America and they usually have about three tail feathers. Bundu / Sowei Helmet Mask  The Helmet Mask for Sande Society was actually meant to be worn on top of the head while raffia hung down and essentially covered the face. Their ritual is unique because women wore the mask. The entire ritual was made and performed by women. It was made to help young girls go through initiation...

Video Reviews  The Great Wave  I found Katsushika Hokusai's signatures on Fisherman (1849) and Woodcutter (1849) unique. Hokusai wrote about his desire to live up until he was 110. He created those paintings during the end of his career. Both of his signatures record his age and translate to "old man aged 90." "Mangi" was written below that which was a name that he went by later in life. The reading states he went by many different names. Beneath all of that text is a seal in red. It means 100 and is meant that Hokusai has more years to live since he was 90 when those paintings were completed. Early Photography: Making Daguerreotypes   Joseph Nicephore's invention of a light sensitive surface was the foundation for the basic principle of photography. However, his photographs required long exposure times which lasted about eight hours. There was also no way to stop light from further exposing the final image. The video describes how Louis Jac...

Video Reviews 1. I chose the Renaissance and Baroque videos to help gain a better understanding within each movement. I studied the Renaissance in previous classes, but I wanted to refresh my knowledge. On the other hand, I've never went into depth, beyond a few artworks, about the Baroque movement. I wanted to learn about its architecture. Florence: Heart of the Renaissance The first great dome of the Renaissance was built in Europe by Filippo Brunelleschi. This dome combined with the art on the facade of the Florence Cathedral defined the first century of the Renaissance. Once completed in the fifteenth century, the duomo was the largest anywhere in the world. Lorenzo Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise can be seen across form the Florence Cathedral. His use of perspective gave the bronze panels depth. The scenes depicted on the doors of the Baptistery had a clear foreground, middle ground, and background. Understanding Art: Baroque Part I The Baroque movement doesn...

Exploring Line  1. It was fun using my hand as the subject matter for this drawing. I was able to study them and really focus on all of the different creases and wrinkles. 2. I decided to use pencil for this drawing. I've used charcoal in the past, but I wasn't successful at capturing small details using that media. 3. The upper hand was done using my non-dominant hand. I don't use my left hand for anything making it hard to get even strokes. I had to draw slower, but that caused me to shake more often. 4. I think these drawings are a good base study. I wanted to focus and capture the outlines of both hands.  5. I most likely won't be using my non dominant-hand to create future artworks. My left hand is so sad and shaky. 

Art of Faith Series  Islam Video Various significant Islamic mosques were examined. This video started out by describing the first great masterpiece of Islamic art built in the seventh century, the Dome of the Rock. I'm familiar with both this mosque and the Hagia Sophia, but I've never heard of the other mosques listed in the video before. The Great Mosque of Kairouan immediately caught my attention. The amount of columns in the prayer room is remarkable. It was said that the intended propose of these series of columns was to create a sort of forest to block the view between those who pray and the imam. It was also dim, faintly light by countless chandeliers, in the prayer hall to help people focus on their prayers. In Islam, the relationship between people who pray and god is direct. Hinduism Video   The Kailashanatha Temple, Kandariya Temple, and the Temple of Vishnu of Angkor Wat stood out to me. It was amazing to see the Kailashanatha Temple carved out from a...