Thomas Hart Benton's 10 panel mural is definitely a head turner. Containing mostly elements of the depression, it depicts everyday aspects of American's during that time period. He was shunned by Abstract Expressionist painters who thought of him to be too "retrograde" and "cosmopolitan." His mural transitions from New York City to the south, then finally to the west. The mural is complex values one of the key ideas of movement and time through its use of transitions.. However, his depictions are often said to be too stereotypical.
The first though I got from reading this piece and viewing this painting was that it was very iconic and dynamic. Its bright colors and dynamic figures convey a sense of movement and emotion that I believe many other paintings during this period lack. I admire the scale of his work and the dedication to his craft, as he had made hundreds of industrial sketches to utilize the best style for his mural. The idea of politics and the depictions of our everyday lives during the Depression is reflected well in Hannah's Connection Post, "...by the time conceptual art appeared, anger at art was not coming just from its appearance and form, but from the message behind the piece as well." As stated in the article, there was much backlash against this painting because of the racial stereotypes depicted in the painting and the message that that would carry over to future generations. I believe this painting is known not mostly for its style and beauty but for the message that it carries, whether it is controversial or not. A particular quote that stuck out to me in the assigned reading by Benton was "Art is being ruined by museums." I believe this shows how Benton refuses to be swayed by others in showing what he wants to show to the people. Hannah articulated Benton's idea extremely well when she wrote, "It takes artists who are willing to push forward in the art world, and face criticism from both the public and critics, for us to have new movements, and new art, with a new purpose." I believe that this was one of the messages and the purpose of Benton's creation of such a controversial piece.
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Yasunari Ikenaga's paintings have every subtle thing I like in a painting. It has flat colors, unique patterns, pretty subjects, and relaxed but interesting poses. Like Takato Yamamoto, mentioned in my earlier awareness post, Ikenaga's paintings are also influenced by the nihonga style and it usually shows beautiful women in a rather dreamy mood. It definitely shows seduction but in a manner that is artistic and pleasing and not necessarily offensive. From viewing his paintings, I wish to take away Ikenaga's use of color and outline into my own drawings and paintings.
A couple weeks ago I went to the VMFA with my friends . I focused mainly on art with distinct lines and more contemporary art.
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AuthorMaggie L. Walker Governor's School Student in Art IV. Archives
May 2017
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