The velocity of an automobile, Giacomo Balla, 1911
Dear class: you have a good list of themes to pick from. Neoplasticism, Surrealism in graphic design (see the different techniques) & Depero and his onomalanguage (which is Depero's way of standardizing Futurism for commercial purposes). Three female surrealist artists: Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington & Dorothea Tanning. WW 2 & the German propaganda machine. NY designers such as Alex Lieberman, and Herb Lubalin. Russian Cubofuturism & Malevich.
I would add the following (which I didn't have time to talk about):
4. A more detailed analysis of the graphic techniques of Max Ernst and John Heartfield.
Remember 200 words. No echo chamber.
17 comments:
The revolutionary movement of Dadaism collage and the techniques used by its artists were very influential to art. Within Dada collage, there are three forms that are particularly prominent: Cubomania, Decoupage, and Décalcomanie. Cubomania is where an image is cut into small squares and then reassembled in a random order to create a new image. This technique was used by Dadaists to challenge traditional composition and representation. By breaking down the original image and reassembling it in a random way, they created new meanings and challenged the viewer's perception. Decoupage involves layering various materials onto a surface to create a new artwork. These materials can be different sizes, shapes and colors. This allows for a wide range of textures and colors to be incorporated into the artwork, creating a sense of depth and complexity. Décalcomanie involves pressing paint or ink onto one surface and then pressing that surface onto another surface, creating a mirror image. The resulting image is often distorted and abstract, allowing for the creation of new and unexpected shapes and forms. Overall, these three forms of Dada collage are powerful tools for artists to challenge traditional ideas and create new works of art.
- Emily Collins
Neoplasticism was a Dutch artistic movement that originated in 1917 and refers to the abstract style of concrete art. The movement of Neoplasticism consisted of mainly primary colors and non-primary colors. Shapes were also involved such as the utilization of squares and rectangles as well as the different lines being formed in the composition. The lines consisted of straight and either vertical or horizontal lines. With all the theories in neoplasticism combined, a pattern would be created and would be a form of artwork. The artist that developed the art movement was the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian (1872-1944). He made a greater contribution to the art movement by outlining the principles of Neoplasticism in his essay “Neoplasticism in Pictorial Art”. Neoplasticism in Dutch means “Nieuwe Beelding” or the “New Image”. In simpler terms, it means “New Art”, and this helped describe Mondrian’s main purpose as to why he created the art movement that allowed him to expand his vision. The main goals of this concept or artistic theory were to focus on the most basic elements of painting: color, line, and form and to have an artwork that was abstract in a way that influenced the viewers. Overall, the movement led an impact and contributed to art by influencing architecture, interior design, and fashion.
- Joshua Escobedo
What I found the most compelling about the suite of topics we discussed last week was the conceptual innovation of Surrealism on the practice of collage. As a form of art that already relies on the cohesion of seemingly unlike parts, collage perfectly allows for themes of contradiction, space, and anachronism to be portrayed effectively. These themes are exhibited masterfully in the works of Dalí, Ernst, and Man Ray and are underscored in the works of the Dada movement. One particular artist of note who exists at this intersection of Surrealism, Dada, and collage is Hannah Höch (1889-1978). As one of the originators of the photomontage technique, Höch is cemented in the art historical canon as one of the first artists to reappropriate mass produced print media for the purposes of satirical and biting socio-political commentary. During the Weimar Period in Germany, Höch challenged elected officials of the Weimar Republic while simultaneously commenting on the social state and identity of women during Germany’s “new woman” social movement. Her work managed to incorporate visuals of both the Surreal and Dada periods to create playfully strange, yet poignant, works that were reflective of their times and challenging of the status quo, simultaneously. I’d argue that the use of photomontage and collage in her work drives home these central messages by not only dissecting, rearranging, and juxtaposing popularly available print media, but that it also permitted Höch to invite a sort of grotesque whimsy into her work by allowing her to “frankenstein” her pieces together.
-Ricky Durga
So far, so good as history goes. But now add how "that thing you talk about" affect you as a student of history.
As somebody with an Italian background, I was interested in the Italian artist and designer Fortunato Depero and his contribution to the surrealist movements in the 20th century. One thing that he was well-known for was his creation of onomalanguage, which is a visual language instead of verbal and consists of pictograms and symbols from all different cultures that aimed to create a language understood by all, regardless of their nationality or language. This creation by Depero was driven by his interest in futurist movements that emphasize speed and technology. Depero also did not believe that the traditional alphabet was not fit to express the modern world and that the creation of a new language was necessary to communicate the dynamics of the new world. This new language created by Depero, had a larger impact on surrealism in graphic design than he or most others expected. The new shift in surrealist graphic design began to focus on dreams and the unconscious mind and the new universal language allowed artists to communicate in a direct way to all viewers. Many famous surrealist artists I have studied in other classes such as Salvador Dali took inspiration from Depero’s onomalanguage. The language created by Depero played a crucial role in the transition of graphic design and has made me interested to learn about other Italian artists and their roles in the evolution of art and graphic design.
-Damien DiTaranto
Surrealism is a particularly thrilling art movement, walking the line of the theoretical and the magical, majority of pieces from the movement are whimsical portrayals of artists’ imagination. Leonora Carrington’s paintings caught my interest for their unabashed lunacy and ethereal energy. They have Surrealist whimsy but are contrastingly shadowed by an eerie aura that can only be summed up to one attribute: bewitching. There is something inherently feminine about the slightly off-kilter worlds imagined by Carrington, the subjects of her paintings are not of this world—anthropomorphic animals and people of inhuman proportions—but are seen partaking in everyday activities such as making dinner and hanging with friends (see “Down Below”). The contrast of mundane actions and imagined subjects paints a complex story full of appealing visuals. One painting that sticks out to me especially is “Offering”, depicting a group of people present for a spiritual ceremony. A religious being offers a tree branch adorned with a lemur-like animal to a seated figure, with others present, and a figure investigates the room from behind a door. While not one of her most unusual paintings, “Offering” captures Leonora’s essence through the bizarre looking characters, muted color palette, and the message of foreboding conflict. A pioneer of the feminist movement, Carrington painted for herself, not the public; the result are paintings of varying degrees of insanity, drawing a viewer in and leaving you with questions.
-Mary Gorski
Surrealism as an art movement is one that is highly unique in its origins, as well as its aesthetic principles. Gaining inspiration from psychological concepts and emotional catharsis, the movement as a whole is catalyzed by the raw and visceral nature of the human mind. Following Dada art in the general “timeline” of the history of art and visual culture, Surrealism is outlined by Andre Breton. Breton aims to form connections between the subconscious mind, subliminal ideas, and tangible aesthetic output. Furthermore, by approaching the dreamlike state of the mind with a sort of lucidity, Breton states that Surrealism can act as a method of translation between these two mental states: the conscious and the subliminal. In terms of specific artists, discussing Salvador Dali would be the obvious first choice. However, I find that with the discourse surrounding the history of visual culture being so focused on the masculine side of aesthetic production, it is necessary to discuss female Surrealist artists in relation to the overall practice. Remedios Varo was a Surrealist artist and at first glance, many of her paintings are obviously connected to the realm of dreams. By combining painterly aesthetic and techniques with blurred atmospheric perspective, her style is representative of the bridge between dreaming and reality. Overall, it is important to understand Surrealism as an impactful artistic style and movement, as I feel that it is a unique aesthetic style that encaptures the progression of the consideration of art, bringing the study of art history to a more contemporary perspective.
Divya Srinivasan
Neoplasticism is the purest abstract art form so far. Like abstract expressionism, Neoplasticism chooses to gradually abandon the natural features of things in the picture. The difference is that Neoplasticism chooses to emphasize the expression of various relationships in modeling and expresses various relationships in the form of modeling through the contrast of colors and lines. Neoplasticism stands for equality. There are always color blocks of different colors and shapes on the screen at the same time, which makes the screen have no visual center. These color blocks seem to have no primary or secondary but are interdependent to make the screen harmonious. Neoplasticism defined a new social order. The most classic of these is the red, yellow, and blue block. Mondrian and Doesburg founded Neoplasticism together. They insisted on completely eradicating natural forms, and with the philosophy that less is more, they created a pure aesthetic expressed in abstract forms, a kind of aesthetics that everyone can enjoy. Comprehensible harmony and unity, without the supremacy of the individual, is a deliberately created non-objective art. Neoplasticism aesthetics has influenced many people and has been widely used in different fields. Even now, Neoplasticism still influences people's artistic style. We must know how trendy Neoplasticism was at that time.
--Kai Gao
Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, and Dorothea Tanning were three of the most important female Surrealist artists. Their work was characterized by a fascination with the subconscious, the dream world, and the mysteries of the human psyche.
Remedios Varo's artwork commonly depicted unusual and surreal landscapes, as well as mystical creatures. She frequently integrated symbols associated with alchemy and the occult into her paintings. Her artwork was often marked by an atmosphere of intrigue and enchantment, and she had a keen interest in science and technology. Her peers held her artistic style in high esteem. Her artworks were amazing and impressive to me. She uses some bright colors to create the picture. I also read an essay about her artwork "The flammable man". And realized that Varo's painting raises important questions about the role of technology in our lives and the impact it has on the environment and society as a whole.
Rui Zhu
I find the work of the surrealist artist René Magritte very interesting. He depicts familiar objects in unfamiliar contexts and evokes a sense of mystery in his art. Surrealism originated in the late 1910s as a literary movement that experimented with a new mode of expression called automatic writing, which sought to release the unbridled imagination of the subconscious. Magritte used the techniques of surrealism to challenge the viewer’s perception of nature or reality. Famous examples of Magritte’s art include Not to Be Reproduced, and The Empire of Light. In Not to Be Reproduced, a man is standing in front of a mirror, but instead of seeing his reflection correctly, he only sees the back of his head. Magritte subverts expectations of what should be seen in a mirror by showing a book sitting next to the man properly reflected. In The Empire of Light, a nocturnal street scene is set against a light blue sky with fluffy clouds. Magritte confuses the viewer with the paradox of day and night. Magritte forces his audience to question what they are seeing and wonder if certain things are possible. Magritte’s style has had a significant impact on much of the modern art seen today including literature and film.
-Robert Bolton
Without prior knowledge I decided to research Dorothea Tanning. Immediately I was taken by the beauty of her art and upon further reading fascinated to see the artist she was. What I found interesting was the unapologetic way in which she was an artist, specifically a surrealist and a woman. I appreciate the way she refused to be molded by the teachings of an art school and throughout her career, continuously explored various art forms to depict her "psychological exploration," including poetry which she continued until she passed. I think what makes Tanning such a prominent Surrealist was her ability to allow her conscious and subconscious to come together and be transferred into art. This really allowed her to capture the essence of Surrealism, which stemmed from the Dada movement and focused on positive expression of the mind. Characterized as eclectic and innovative, Tanning was known for capturing her psyche and feminine/sexual motifs which challenged societal notions about women. Looking over Tanning's career and the core of surrealism, I think back to my appeal to the synthetic cubist movement, and I appreciate these efforts to express what I feel is a very outward and beautiful expression of the internal, personal side of the artist.
- Kailyn Hayes
In previous weeks we discussed the concept of Gesamtkuntswerk: a German term signifying a complete and total work of art that transcends a single medium of expression. The Italian futurists held a similar code of values, working to achieve “un opera d’arte totale”. One Futurist, pioneered a new element of artistic expression through his development of “onomalingua”. Onomalingua, a term deriving from the words Onomatopoeia and Lingua creates a rough and effective “language” of abstract sounds meant to capture sensations and convey emotions. Fortunato Depero’s linguistic mastery paired with visual typographic manipulation was exercised in his employment of onomalingua in his compositions. Depero selected illustrative sounds, and depicted them on the physical plane of his work in unconventional layouts that best accentuated his onomalingua. Depero compositions include phrases arranged in everything from angled text to spiraled manifestos. As if to curate an ambiance, Depero’s unique arrangement of text, and selection of typeface made the omanolingua appear as organic as it sounded. This method of communication in his work contributed to the “opera d’arte totale” sensation experienced by those who viewed his work. Depero did the seemingly impossible by harnessing the nonsensical to communicate in the most literal, effective way possible.
Sarah Stehling
Leonora Carrington was a British-born artist whose use of surrealism was unique and highly influential in the art world. She is now known as one of the most prominent figures of the surrealist movement. When looking at her artwork, one can see how she incorporated mysterious and dreamlike aspects, such as hybrid creatures, fantastical landscapes, and mythical beings (all keystones to the surrealist art movement). Carrington's artworks reflect the surrealist interest in the power of the subconscious and the irrational. She often used symbolism to convey complex ideas/emotions that helped create a dreamlike world in her artwork. She frequently used animals in her work, such as birds, horses, and hyenas, with anthropomorphic qualities (human faces/clothing) to explore the relationship between humans and nature. This is what caught my attention when I first saw her work in Venice. Her use of symbolism reflected the surrealist movement and helped me gain a deeper understanding as well as lead me to question how I perceive reality.
- Milla Nader
Dorothea Tanning was a fascinating artist who was known for her paintings, sculptures, and writings. She was part of the Surrealism movement, which explored dreams, the subconscious, and the strange things that happen in our minds. One of her most famous paintings is called "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik," which means "A Little Night Music" in German. It's a painting that shows a room filled with strange objects that look like they're alive. In the front of the painting, there's a big plant that looks like it has a mouth that's open wide. In the back of the room, there's a door that makes you wonder what's behind it. The painting is really interesting because it looks like what one's dreams would look like. The objects are strange and surreal, but they also seem familiar, like things we might see in our everyday lives. The plant is both beautiful and a little bit scary, and the objects that look like they have arms and legs make you wonder what they might do. Through "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik," Tanning invites us to explore a world that's a little bit strange and a little bit scary. She makes us think about the things we might dream about and the things we might be afraid of. Her painting is a great example of Surrealism, and it shows how talented and creative Tanning was.
-Sydney Essex
When studying surrealism, there are only a handful of female artists. These women have shown the world such powerful and unique work. Remedios Varo, a Spanish born Mexican surrealist who has struggled economically, and with family matters. Has specifically shown such strength in her works. She holds a unique approach and elegance. Her colors are very vibrant, and she shows a textualized style. Seeing a lot of where the paint has played on the picture plane. Slight fuzz like feeling. The tonality of the golds and reds is quite amazing. Mary Leonora Carrington, a British-born surrealist painter, but lived in Mexico City. She was a founder for the women’s liberation movement in Mexico in the 70’s. Being a part of a powerful stand, she has shown this. Creating pieces with feminine divine strong energy. As her colors are not as vibrant and more monotonous, there is still an amazing look she gives off. Browns, greens, reds, are very common amongst her images. Her humans are not very human like, more animal. Dorothea Tanning, An American painter. She found a love for surrealism and composed such beautiful work. Also showing a very feminine energy. All showing a same style, but different poise. All altering a certain form of realities they came from. Taking each of their lives and manipulating them into a space, where the viewer is invited into.
-Gianna Guirgis
Remedios Varo is an extremely influential artists in the surrealist movement. She began to develop her style while supporting herself through commercial illustration. Renaissance art inspired the harmony, tonal nuances, and narrative structure in Varo’s paintings. Some critics have described her art as “postmodern allegory.” Her paintings reflect the precision drawing skills that she had learned in her early life. She considered surrealism as an “expressive resting place within the limits of Cubism, and as a way of communicating the incommunicable.” Varo grew up in a Catholic household, and that influence can be seen in her work. Her frequent use of religion in her work is what separated her and most other surrealists. She used a wide range of mystic and hermetic traditions for influence, both Western and non-Western. Varo was very connected to the natural world, and her work reflects the relationship between the natural and mechanical world. Her belief in mystical forces and the fanatical ways of her mind allowed her to create incredible works of art. Varo captured surrealism in a perfect manner, allowing the innerworkings of her mind to be shown through art. Her work shows a beautiful balance between a rational vision of life and the power of dreams and the unconscious.
Gigi Moynihan
Joseh Binder is a graphic designer born in 1896. His work really impressed me from the very beginning. The designer from Vienna was part in the introduction of Van der Rohe's concept of "less is more" and a remembered figure in modernist posters. He was very influencial in expanding and showcasing Austrian design to the world through the organization "Design Austria", which he founded after graduating from Vienna School of the Arts. He illustrated many well known posters, including a known one for the New York's World Fair. There is a clear presence of basic shapes like triangles and circles being used as connecting elements in the piece. We can also see a high contrast of light as well as the primary colors: red, blue, yellow. He reduces forms and details so that only the most important factors for understanding remain in the piece. People are supposed to look at them and very quickly understand the message, without too much thought.
He created posters for Air Corps in the US Army, Nivea, Fortune Magazine, and the Navy.
Overall, the reasoning behind creating graphic design for clients or to promote a brand remain the same, being that clients who have not been in contact with the brand should understand the message as soon as they come in contact with it, so it's very clear that Binder's work influence designers until today.
-Roberta Macedo
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