Cubism and Abstract

4th April 2014

Cubism was a revolution in the first half of the 20th Century that occurred in the practice of art. another word for Cubism is called Non-Objective Art.

Early Cubism

It was an important movement at the beginning of the 20th Century that was originated by two famous artists of that time that are Pablo Picasso (1881-1971) and the Frenchman George Braque (1882-1963)... Who are they..... ?? 

Pablo Picasso (1881-1971)

He was born in Malaga,Spain 1881, but he lived most of his life in France. he started to learn drawing from his father, Don Hosei, that was an art teacher. he wanted Pablo to discover the world of art to improve Picasso's natural talent. in 1900 Picasso left Spain and moved to the world of art (Paris), during this time Pablo painted several works that are important works such as; The Old Guitarist (1903) from his Blue Period (1901-04) and the Softer Description of Circus People from his Rose Period (1905-07). Cubism was being developed. A part from painting Picasso was a sculpture too. These sculptures was mainly made from founded objects that most of them were rubbish,that were imaginatively transformed. Most of Pablo Picasso's work and style were based on the famous works by Velasquez, Rembrandt and Manet.

George Braque (1882-1963)

This artist was a colleague of Pablo Picasso, together the founded the world of Cubism and Abstract. Braque was obsessed by the two formal elements that he used in his painting that are Shape and Form, by ignoring traditional perspective. Even in his painting he used a technique called Passague'. This technique is done by using a simple palette, mainly with natural colors, ignoring the positive an negative spaces and create a movement with shadows that moves like this.. Light ans Dark... and keeps repeating the same way. a good example of this technique is shown in the painting that he did called The Chateau De La Roche-Guyan (1909). Together Braque and Picasso developed the Cubist movement not only painting shape and form but also painting figures in an Abstract way and eve creating a collage. Basiclly these two artist started the era of Modern Art.

They were the main artist of Cubism and Abstract, that together started to breakdown objects into their Geometrical Shapes. In their work the main subjects were taken from the Cafe in Paris that consists Still Life and Portraits.
The Cubist were also inspired by the recently discoveries of the African Negro Masks, that were used by African people. A painting that Picasso produce with this inspiration of the African Masks is called; Les Desmoiselles D' Avignan (1907). In this painting Faces are painted into a simple, masks- like forms.

Les Desmoiselles D' Avignan , 1907

Late Cubism

Between 1909 an 1913 Pablo Picasso and George Braque were still working together. Eventually their paintings started to develop in their techniques by producing abstract paintings. at that time these were done by using color and line. Abstract started to be developed while artists began to add real words by cutting and adding pieces of newspaper on their canvas to create an abstract work ( collage). Even they were lating actual textures such as; wood, metal, plastic and even fabrics. Brighter colors were used on their canvas, that was known as synthetic cubism. At that time important artists were being influenced from Pablo Picasso and George Braque's work.

Artists that were influenced in that time......

Robert Delauny ( 1885-1941)

Juan Gris (1887-1927)

Fernand Leger (1881-1955)

 Cubism and Abstract Before World War 2

In 1910, there was a great emphasis on color and form rather then a subject. Many different artists from many different countries that moved towards Cubism and Abstract Art. A famous artist from Russia Vassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) introduced Abstract trough Expressionism. This artist was a member from an independent group  that gave German Expressionist further that was called Der Bloue Reiter ( The Blue Rider ), that was formed in Munich in 1911.

Der Bloue Reiter ( The Blue Rider ) Group Munich 1911

Piet Mandrian (1872-1944) was another artist from Holland that developed through Cubism and abstracting forms. A painting that this artist produced is called; Combination With Red, Yellow and Blue.

Combination With Red, Yellow and Blue, Pier 1921

In this painting Mondrian used his artistic vocabulary to combine horizontal and vertical lines and a palette of, Black, White, Grey and the use of the Primary Colors.



Reference.....
- Ian Crofton 1990, The Guinness Encyclopedia, Gunness Publishing Ltd,1990, The Visual Arts, Cubism and Abstraction

- Alastair Sooke, Modern Masters - Pablo Picasso. [video online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBrY1vpwPhU [Accessed on Dec 7, 2013]

- The Forger's Masterclass, Ep 06 George Braque, [ video online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rejhieJL4CQ [ Accessed on April 22, 2012]

Impressionism

06/03/2014

The name of this movement was taken from a Painting called the Impression of Sun Rise that was done by an artist that was a key figure in that period called Cloude Monet in 1874

Impression Of Sun Rise, Claude Manet, 1874

The seeds of this art movement was launched in 1874 by a group called The Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, Print makers etc.... Cloude Monet was one of the other members that were in this group, together they organised an exhibition that was held at the studio of the photographer Nadar. During this exhibition 39 artists exhibited their work.

Nadar, First Photographer Who Shot An Aerial
View From His Own Parachute 

Nadar's Photography Studio 

Artists That Exhibited In The Nadar's Studio In 1874

- Claude Monet (1840-1926)

- Auguste Ronier (1841-1919)

- Edgar Degas (1834-1917)

- Berth Morisot (1841-95)

- Camille Pissarro (1831-1903)

- Alfred Sisley (1839-99)

In all there were 18 exhibitions of the Anonymous Society Group, that were held between 1874 and 1886.

Impressionism is Characterized by its interest in the effect of the light and proportion. A good example of this effect is shown in the painting that Alfred Sisley did called The Flooding At Port Marly. In this painting the artist is showing the reflection of the building in the water and how the light is hitting with all around the surrounding.

  

The Flooding At Port Marly, Alfred Sisley

Another example of this effect is the painting by Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral 1890. he did this painting of this Cathedral more then ones by using the different tones of shades and color in different time of day.

The Roune Cathedral, Monet,1890

Reference.....
- Ian Crofton 1990, The Guinness Encyclopedia, Gunness Publishing Ltd,1990, The Visual Arts, Cubism and Abstraction

- HEILBRUNN TIMELINE OF ART HISTORY, Impressionism: Art and Modernity [online] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/imml/hd_imml.htm.

Exhibition- 'Xebgha Nies' Different People

By: Debbie Caruana Dingli
      Andrew Diacono
      Marisa Attard
      Steve Bonello
      Moira Zahra
      Mark Scicluna 
      Paul Scerri
      Saviour Baldaccino
      Kenneth Zammit Tabone 

Another exhibition that I visited was healed in the Saint Cavallier Lower Gallery that was hosted by many artists that presented their work, that has a mixture of many materials such as: Pencil drawing with Indian ink, Ceramic works, Oil on canvas, and Rielifs.

Saviour Baldacchino

This is a collection that Saviour Baldacchino presented in this exhibition that have a significant subject of Religion. They are all aspects from our Religion. the one that most amazed me is the Last Dinner. In this painting the artist used warm colors to present the sense of sadness, and he used several face expressions to create a movement.

  

Andrew Diacono

This is another artist that his work is inspired from the classic style, because of the style that he use to work. In this exhibition Diacono presented structures of men in different poses and actions and even he presented paintings on wood with different media. A structure that I liked is the Man On Penny Farthing, that is done with mixed materials. This is ax example that shows clearly that Diacono looked at the Classic Style.

 Mark Scicluna

the inspiration behind this collection that scicluna did for this exhibition, is inspired from the Maltese Subject. This is clearly shown in two works that he produced. Starting from the first one 'Cerva Maltija' (Top Corner Left) he used the Maltese plant that is called 'Bajtra tax- Xewk', to create something on her hair as an adornment (Head Piece) .

The second work that the artist is showing the Maltese Subject is at the bottom-middle that is inspired from the Fat Lady 'l- Mara l- Hoxna' that we find in the Maltese Temples such as: Hagar Qim and Imnajdra.

Exhibition: Eccentricks

Emmanuel Bonnici Exhibition....

While seeing this exhibition that was held at the Saint James Cavalier with a range of a good digital work design I noticed that most of the work that were exhibited were influenced from the Maltese Culture by transforming it into something that is functional and used in everyday life.

(F) lush

#An interesting structure that he produced from one of his designs is called the (F) lush that he was influenced from the Maltese Traditional Boat called the 'Luzzu', but he transformed it into a Lavatory. When seeing a 'Luzzu' from the front and this piece of art that the artist did, one can notice the study that he did by using the same shapes and movement to create this piece of art.

(F) lush From The Inside

For me the most interesting and amazing part of this piece of art is the inside structure how it looks and how it is built. Emmanuel here is showing us that he used the same methods and techniques that are used in the 'Luzzu'

(F) lush, Concepts or Designs

With each piece of art, Emmanuel is presenting Concepts or Designs of the particular piece of art by using Digital Media.

Hugo Clocks

Another piece of art the the artist Emmanuel did is called Hugo. This is a collection of three clocks that are inspired from the Maltese Traditional Clocks. Mainly the Maltese Clocks have that Bombastic colors such as; Reds, Gold and, Black... all combined in one clock. when looking at them one can notice that the artist haven't look at the colors that the Maltese Clocks have but he looked at the shapes that they are made of. Again he included something that he noting to do with Maltese Clocks. he included the top part of the Guitar to develop more the Maltese traditional clocks into something more artistic way.

   

Quintet, Digital Drawing

I think that music is something important to Emmanuel. This is clearly shown in another Digital Media concepts or designs collection called Quintet. Apart from combining the Guitar with a Traditional Maltese Clocks he also used parts of  a Trumpet and manipulate and combined them with objects. In this digital media concepts and designs he used the architecture element.

Another piece of art that is inspired from the Maltese 'Karettun' that was used in Malta fro transport and to carry things. Emmanuel Bonnici changed it's function into a Rocking Chair by using all the thing that the Maltese 'Karettun' have.

  

Emmanuel in this exhibition included a Telephone box that one can find this in England. he used this to show something that is popular with the people and to show movement in an artistic way. 

The Victorian Art

28/02/2014

The Pre- Raphaelites Brotherhood were rebellions against the Victorian Art Period. The Victorians knew that life was changing so they recorded periods in that time so people from different generations will see how the Victorians lived. Queen Victoria had ruled over 64 Years as a Queen, 1837-1901

Queen Victoria, 64 Years as a Queen, 1837-1901

In the 19th Century Britain was on the move. During this time many developments was done such as towns were getting more and more bigger, and even new machines were being developed. But many people were living like animals in the streets.

Luke Fildes is an artist that wanted to show different kind of emotion and how people were living during these times. The painting Applicants For Admission To a Casual Ward is a painting that Fildes saw on a winter night in the streets of London. This painting is forcing the viewer to look at the poor, but in the Victorian times the poor people were noting. Luke Fildes wanted to show that people like these were only good to work in the the work house.

Luke Fildes, Applicants For Admission To a Casual Ward, oil on canvas,
571mm x 940mm, Tate Collection, After 1908

When artists wanted to sell their work to Rich people the sense of the painting was in a happy way so the client would be more happy and satisfied with the piece of art that he bought. A news paper engraving by Herbert Van Herkamer is showing old women suffering during work in the Victorian times, but when the artist had the opportunity to sell this type of painting, he gave a sense of happiness in the painting by making the old women look happy, with a smile on there faces, a vase of flowers and a cup of tea.

The Engraving on the Newspapers, Westminster Union, Herbert Van Herkamer

Herbert Van Herkamer, A Scene in the Westminster Union.

Reference....

- Jeremy Paxman 2004, The Victorians,2009 EO1, Painting The Towns. [video online]. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmP9KL7o9A [Accessed on: Jan 5 2011]

The Pre-Raphaelites

27/02/2014

The Pre-Raphaelites Brotherhood (PRB) was founded in 1848 that consists a number of seven people, but originally they were three. The most eminent members were; John Everestt Millais, William Holman Hunt, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The artists were determined to shake up the Victorian London.

John Everestt Millais

 

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

William Holman Hunt

 
In their paintings the Pre-Raphaelites used real people to produce there art for the viewers to understand their situation in the painting.

Engravings that the Pre-Raphaelites
looked for to inspire their drawings 

This is an example that the Pre-Raphaelites used to produce their paintings. One can find this type of work in the engravings that were produced before Raphael. Themes that were shown on the canvas of the Pre-Raphaelites Brotherhood were about; Love, Death, Legends, Religion, and Morality.

A painting that Mallais painted is the Lorenzo and Isabelle. A painting that is giving us the sense of love, between a man and a woman, and even the sense of death from his brothers to kill Lorenzo. This was painted in a medieval look, but it is showing a protest against social expectations.

John Everestt Millais, Lorenzo and Isabel, oil on canvas,
103cm x 142.8cm, Walker art Gallary, Liverpool, 1849 

During the 19th Century woman were working as a prostitutes. In 1853, Holman Hunt began to paint the painting that he was influenced by matters that were contemporary issues. The Awaking Conscience is one of Holman Hunt's painting. Hunt is showing many things that represent something. One of  them is the glove that is in the floor. This is a representation that the woman can be abandoned  from the man that she will marry and work as a prostitute. At the same time Hunt painted another painting that is The Light of the Word. When combining these two wonderful painting one can see clearly the meaning that Hunt wanted to put trough his work is that everyone can be saved any one can hear the knock on the door.

      

William Holman Hunt, The Awaking Conscience,
oil on canvas, 76cm x 56cm, Tate Collection

 

William Holman Hunt, Light of the Word,
oil on canvas, 1853

      

Reference....
- Andrew Lloyd Webber 2011, 1/4 A passion For The Pre-Raphaelites. [video online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm03Z09TGgA.[Accessed on Jul 22, 2013]

Realism

21/02/2014

The word Realism was used as a aesthetic creed by Gustav Curbet in 1855

Realism period took place in the 19th Century between 1840 and 1880, in France. It continued to be spreed throughout Europe and to America. the realism consist a typical style in out that happened every day life. this period lay in a discussion of a group of artists, writers and intellectuals in a Parisian Bar.

In the Realism period the artists of that time had an artistic trend to paint on their canvas such as; politics and social issues. An example of this trend is the painting of Courbet's The Burial at Ornans, 1849. This is a social issue that happens every day life that shows the sense of death and sadness by using the chiaroscuro technique in the background.

Curbet's, The Burial at Ornans, oil on canvas, Louvere Paris, 1849

Another painting with a political trend is the work of Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier, The Barricade in Rue Mortellerie, Paris, June 1848, 1850-1. This painting is showing the sense of tragedy and death. The inspiration after this painting is the sense observed  after the Barricade was taken down during the workers riots in June 1848.

Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier, The Barricade
in Rue Mortellerie, oil on canvas, 1848 

Reference....
- Ian Crofton 1990, The Guinness Encyclopedia, Gunness Publishing Ltd,1990, The Visual Arts, Realism.