Month: October 2018

The react to the past game was a very fun experience and one I think deserves to be offered to many more students. The game does need a few tweaks so it runs more smoothly, like ensuring necessary details are known to all who need the information. Still, our game sessions were overall straightforward and enlightening. 

Throughout much of art history, there is a significant focus on an elite few dictating the rules of art. For instance, the Classical art style was highly praised by an Academy, which constructed a hierarchy of genres in art. Regardless, rules on how to apply paint, how to use color, and how to compose a work of art were present throughout the genres of art. Similar high expectations were placed on artists during the 1930s by the elite class, as well. But not only were artists expected to cater toward these preferences if they wanted to achieve success, they were also limited by the possible drawbacks of exercising free political speech in art. Regionalists and Social Realists had to be particularly careful because they created representative works of art, which was favored by the privileged class. However, Abstractionists would compete against these artists holding the belief that, while Abstractionism strays from the styles of art that receive the highest praise, it is void of personal bias and exclusivity. 

Many artists from all three movements could, however, agree that their art could be powerful tools to fight Fascism, the common enemy of the right to free artistic expression.  Consequently, artists had to balance the need to surpass their competitors and obtain success with the value in uniting for a cause that could benefit the entire art world. The art community today is still both highly competitive and supportive, but I believe our contemporary society is more privileged than America was eighty years ago. Censorship is not so pressing a concern and diversity in art is embraced far more. Because contemporary art is almost timeless due to its historical influences and rapidly evolving state, there appears to be no desperation to define this period of American art, except perhaps among art historians. What has not changed from the 1930s, though, is that artists still must be aware of their audiences and must be wise about how they put their art out in the world, especially if their works contain strong persuasive messages. Art is powerful and beautiful, but it is not welcome with open arms by all, whether it is the style or the message that serves as one’s “make-or-break.”

Even today, the debate regarding whether or not fashion is an art form continues. The discussion is layered and complex, but in the broad scope of things, fashion is indeed art. In its simplest definition, art is a form of creative expression. Fashion is too a medium for creative expression. Therefore, fashion is art. It is distinct in the way paintings, sculptures, film, and music differ from each other. But an analysis of fashion will reveal its many similarities to the fine arts and other forms of artistic expression.

In protest of fashion being considered an art, opposers reference fashion’s practicality in contrast to “true” art’s lack thereof. ^[1] However, could a colorful, whimsical dam in the shape of a dragon not be considered both art and a practical structure? And what elevates the most minimalist painting above an intricate article of clothing? Though the two items would differ in numerous ways, they can also share many similarities. One, the items would be capable of providing insight into the time period in which they were crafted. Just like fine art, fashion has an extensive history of evolution that reveals distinctions in social classes, technological advancements, widespread ideologies, the relevance of religion and laws, and standards of beauty. Sometimes, beauty is prioritized over functionality in fashion, or the wearer must practice the separate “art,” if you will, of not falling victim to the hazards of their extreme fashion. Inventions of heelless platform boots and 20-inch heels are positively impractical, but practicality and safety come second to their powerful creative expression. ^[2]

Two, fashion can be an artistic outlet for an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and personality. Many painters like Van Gogh have conveyed their inner self through their works. Likewise, a myriad of fashion styles exists from gothic to bohemian, with the purpose of outwardly displaying one’s individuality. At some point or in some manner, many of these styles were or are considered avant-garde, boldly venturing away from social norms like Abstractionists veered from the Classical art style. Such movements were not just a means of personal expression among a few. They were groundbreaking changes in the art world. As art continues to do, the art of these avant-garde movements offered critiques of society and Academy-style artwork. Once again, fashion is capable of achieving the same, persuading onlookers with shocking imagery or inspiring repressed followers of cultural norms to come out of their shells.

Fashion and fine art remain distinct, but they are both art forms, ever-evolving, creative, and diverse in their achievements.

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References

1. “Is Fashion a True Art Form?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 July 2003, www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2003/jul/13/art.artsfeatures1. 16 Oct. 2018.
2. Erika. “Highest Heels in the World – 5 Tallest Shoes of All Time.” Your Next Shoes, 23 Apr. 2018, www.yournextshoes.com/highest-heels-world/. 16 Oct. 2018.

 

The Thursday panel of “Art Power” offered a compelling look into the strong influence of art, from its value as a tool for free expression, to its ability to catalyze radical change. I was shocked to learn that the current political environment in Hungary drove many artists to leave the country in order to obtain greater artistic freedom. But I also was intrigued to see the nation’s dilemma reflected in the React to the Past game in which we are participating. Like the members of the American Artists Congress, the emigrating Hungarian artists are exercising at least one approach to resist the oppression, manipulation, and neglect of artists. It is inspiring, but the situation must be approached with care.

Change cannot happen overnight, nor can entire systems simply be overthrown. But there are multiple ways to tackle a problem and successfully subvert the regulations of an institution through art. Dr. Matthew Mongiello lists three means of action that can be taken: a pluralist approach, a disruptive one, or a plebiscitary method. In many cases, the third tactic is most effective when carefully executed. It often manifests in the form of protests, demonstrations, and marches. The best of them balance the ability to grab people’s attention and to frame a message so it is digested in the intended way.

This is not an easy balance to achieve, especially because, like words, art can be twisted to be interpreted or relayed differently. Imagery meant to shock to send a message can be reduced to a crass act. A lack of unity in the execution of persuasive art or too much uniformity can leave viewers confused about or apathetic toward a cause. The right means of execution is something the Congress in the React to the Past game had certainly struggled to obtain. As our class attempts to walk in their shoes, we will gain valuable perspectives of the art world that will be useful to use in our lives as artists.

Color and linework pop in Edward Hopper’s Office at Night (1940). Though the hues in the painting are bold, they are not bright. The furniture is burgundy and army green, and the floor is a murky aqua. While the lamp on the desk casts light onto the male figure and the paper he is holding, the lighting is still soft. Similarly, the light cast across the white wall is just bright enough to make the human figures stand out against the background. The colors across the canvas are mostly balanced in a subtle manner. Noticeably, the chair and desks match in color, as well as the typewriter and telephone. Less obviously, the papers around the room share similar hues from ash blue to off-white. The red lipstick the woman is wearing appears to match the man’s tie. The woman’s lipstick also forms a rectangle of the painting’s most vibrant colors, with the green and yellow of the lamp and the blue of the woman’s dress.

Speaking of rectangles, the shape is repeated throughout the image. The army green file cabinet, the desks, the sheets of paper, and the windows are all rectangular. The vertical lines that form most of these objects communicate a sense of order. The composition of the painting is indeed highly organized. In an interesting contrast, however, Hopper also uses many diagonal lines. As a result, the floor appears to be slightly tilted, as if everyone and everything in the room could slide to the right end. In fact, if the viewer visually traces the top right end of the brown door down to the woman’s head and further down toward the man, the viewer will notice a blatant diagonal composition forms. The diagonals also heighten the cramped sense of space, which in turn is emphasized by the strong offset of the colored environment against the white wall. The blankness of the off-white surface makes a small setting feel tinier, by intensifying the viewer’s attention on the colored area of the painting. 

Hopper’s Office at Night also displays a strong sense of naturalism, despite the clear brushstrokes.