Friday, September 30, 2011

ESSAY #1A~Them and Us

Part One:Experience

*Summary:
When compiling my thoughts on This question, The picture became so large in my head that my thoughts became scattered and I immediately had to scribble away and actually rearrange all the blurbs to compile.It's amazing but they fit in the end. I was brought back to many class discussions and powerpoint notes,and these connections were excellent and helped my thought process flow and build.

*Reason: I believe The reason this question would be asked, is to really get down to earth and put some serious thought into why humans create artistic works. This question gives you the chance to get insight from your own answer. It pertains to this class because the point is to look in perspective at the culture, beliefs, ways and reasons behind art, not just the names,dates,and places.

*Purpose: The purpose of this question could be to have us delve into our knowledge,and connect it in new ways.The comparison of art in simplistic society vesus a technologic age really helps you see the purity that art in any form really contains.

*Direction: I was brought to a full circle in my essay question-anwering,back to the first day of class lookin at the bigger picture and reasons for creation of artwork. I went in a broad yet focused direction,if that makes any sense whatsoever.

*Impressions: I was truly amazed at the artistic capacity of the prehistoric artists! The shading and detail are amazing. I am in awe at the intricate studies of animals done with REAL charcoal (haha) and other various herbs and minerals.The innovation of these people is striking because of what they had to work with and how well the art is done.


(http://0.tqn.com/d/archaeology/1/G/O/H/1/Chauvet_cave_lions.JPG)
("Photograph of a group of lions, painted on the walls of Chauvet Cave in France, at least 27,000 years ago.")

Part 2:Answer

               When comparing the prehistoric people/artists to those of modern times, I find myself pondering both deep rooted similarities, and differences based on the advance in technology.The more obvious similarities are the innovation in creating mediums."In some places in prehistoric caves three stages of image creation can be seen:engraved lines using flakes of flint,followed by a color wash of ocher and manganese,and a final engraving to emphasize shapes and detail"(ART HISTORY,Fourth Edition Volume I, Page 10) A simpler example using a modern technique is the construction of furniture using cardboard,which i've experienced firsthand in a class at the CCRI Flanagan campus. Artists, wether pre-historic or in the here and now, will always find a way to express themselves and something to do it with.

                In art, your perspective on not just the medium, but the expression itself is key. This is why there are many reasons for the creation of pieces of art throughout history. If it were not open to interpretation, it would not be art.I believe we discussed similar ideas in class. The cave dwellers did paintings and carvings as a way to create a communal bond, and perhaps bring fertility to the animals they hunted for food.(ART HISTORY,Fourth Edition Volume I, Page 8)Other reasons for prehistoric art could be to record inventory and document stories and family histories. Many drawings and paintings look like studies of animals an art teacher would have you do,or just the wanderings of a creative mind being sketched out.Modern art portrays life,and whatever is in the artist's head. When you boil it back down to just being art as self-expression,it translates to the need for self-actulization.(reference to class notes)

                 When creating images, making something out of nothing but your hands and imagination, it is a way of exploring and discovering the unknown. This unknown being the spiritual connection we as humans have to our world. The Earth is truly fascinating to behold, so it is no wonder so many portray it's intense beauty through art.This is where we belong. Long before the scrapers blocked the horizon and highways pushed over the plains, it was us in harmony with our earth mother. This Bison carving in clay floor is a prime example of art and nature in perfect harmony.

( Bison carving, Unbaked clay, Artist Unknown,13,000 BCE)

                   "Faith is to believe what you do not see; The reward of faith is to see what you believe."Saint Augustine,Bishop of Hippo 354-430 CE. I believe art is a way to do this, to take control of that of which we do not know and, like magic, make things appear. Control is another thing that we as humans need a sense of to be happy in life.
http://art-history-rrf.wikispaces.com/The+Necessity+of+Art)
                     Our belief in this belonging has been the the driving force behind creation of all kind dating back to pre history. Knowing we belong gives us the sense of security that we need in order to be happy and fulfilled.(http://art-history-rrf.wikispaces.com/The+Necessity+of+Art) It also helps us to answer the age-old question: Who Am I?(class notes reference)When we create art, the piece does not only reflect the image or culture but a piece of ourselves as well. Our own stories connect us to the works and that,in a way, makes us live forever.
                        It is undeniable that the artists of pre-history and ourselves as modern artists in a completely new era still have many artistic similarities. We may have much more available to us to work with, as you can see in this picture of Christo's Surrounded Islands, but the same strive is there to express and feel we have an impact philisophically,spiritually,or physically in our world.



                                             (1983 - Surrounded Islands,fabric and earth, Florida, 1980 by Christo and Jeanne-Claude)

3 comments:

  1. Well stated! I'm getting the impression via this posting that answering the question is helping you to focus. And, with that said, you were just shy of hitting it totally on the head. Maybe if you went a bit longer. Not a complaint - just an observation. Although you had some Blogger design issues, which limited or made reading it difficult, except for not stating the question as required, you followed the citing requirements and supported your answer quite well - good for you!

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  2. wow, thank you for messeging! i cant even believe it didnt post i just checked my email and it told me i had a messege on blogger so i thought grades were posted already! sorry about that and thanks again

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