Slide Library Visual Art IISurrealism, Dadaism, Photography

20th Century Art2nd Quarter 2012/2013

Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory

This painting by Dali was created after his experienceIn Spain with the Civil War. The devastated landscapeSpeaks to the destructive powers that man is Capable of .The desert like scape implies that nothing will grow In the soil.The bird like image with the eyelid and eyelash isSaid to be a portrait of Dali –shown in a state of comaOr sleep. The moment is frozen in time as the clocks have stoppedTicking symbolizing a moment of death.

Salvador Dali, Sacraments of The Last Supper

This image by Dali recreates the scene of the Last SupperFrom the Bible. Jesus and his disciples are shown At the table partaking of the bread and life blood of Christ.Dali is dependent upon the classical traditions of Perspective, anatomy, proportion, form , volume, Observation and shadingHe uses both atmospheric and linear perspective

The subject matter is religionThe style is Realism / Movement Surrealism

Salvador Dali, Christ of St. John of the Cross

In this image of Christ on the Cross by Dali, the body of Christ is shown from the perspectiveOf the heavenly father.Dali is showing is talent at using anatomy, foreshorteningLinear and atmospheric perspective

Although this image illustrates the dream world of Surrealism the technical foundation here is based On classical traditions

Mid 1990’s Subject matter religion , Realism , Surrealism

Marc Chagall, I and the Village

I and My Village- Marc Chagall Early 20th century painting

Marc Chagall in his painting I am my village painted from Memory and Dreams of his childhood. The influence of Freud and Carl Jung can be seen in this work.The subject matter is – Personal Expression /MemoryThe Style is AbstractionThe color scheme is warm – red and green He focuses on the triangle shape to create unity in the workHe also shows the theme of man in relation to his environmmentIn an agrarian society ( The role of the church is evident

Jean (Hans) Arp, Birds in an AquariumMovement Dada or DADAISM

Style is NON OBJECTIVE- Shape and Form /Contrast/Space

Birds in an Aquarium,- Jean Arp Painted Wood3D Sculpture/ Non Objective / 1920

The DADA movement was formed during the aftermath of WWI in EuropeArtists felt that the traditional classical formulas or approaches to Art were no longer validArtists deliberately created work that rebelled against classical artThe piece by Jean Arp shows a NON- OBJECTIVE STYLEThe subject matter is actually the elements and principles of designThe artist is NOT interested in creating reality but rather personal Expression. Main Elements: Shape, Form , Principles;Assymetry, Movement, Unity

Joan Miró, Women at Sunrise

This painting by Joan Miro indicates an emphasis on The artists personal world of symbols and dreams

The figures are biomorphic ( human like shapes) and The background is a transparent plane so this indicatesA rejection of classical linear space

The title Women at Sunrise suggests that the figures are woman At daybreak but much of the interpretation is left up to The viewerStyle- Abstraction Movement in Art History Surrealism

René Magritte, Time Transfixed

Magritte is known for his surreal treatment of ordinary Objects in an impossible situation Magritte – The style is REALISM/ Surrealism is the art history MovementMagritte has used traditional classical perspective, along with the Techniques of drawing, shading and rendering

His work is very clean with attention to detail and he is not interested In creating movement rather his objects appear suspended in timeAnd space. A type of frozen moment.

James Van Der Zee, Future Expectations

James Van Der Zee is an African American Photographer Who created well known images during the early 1900’sIn Harlem, NYAs part of the Harlem Renaissance ( an emphasis on arts And culture in the early 1900’s in NYC) he used His photography in two ways. One approach was to Shoot the film and record it in a straightforward mannerAnother approach was to use multiple exposures to Stage and or manipulate the image so that it suggested Other meaning.IN the image he suggests that the couple wants a lovely Home, a stable traditional environments and a wonderful Daughter as well.

Alfred Stieglitz, The Steerage

The photographs by Alfred Stieglitz called the Steerage represents the Ideas of a straight photographer. The image is NOT manipulated ratherThe artist sought to record what he saw from life. He captured this moment When he was sailing for Europe in 1907.The steerage compartment of The ship represents the cheapest level of fare..so the people under the Bridge or walkway ..are from a different class . The photograph shows two separate worlds that co exist in the same Moment.

Theme – Photography is used to record life as we know it and Stieglitz Applied his knowledge of design in composing the image.

Edward Weston, Pepper

Edward Weston mainly photographed organicShapes from nature. His close cropped images Emphasized the strong shapes and forms foundIn the objects resulting in an ABSTRACT Interpretation of the subject matter

Most viewer felt that a photograph even in an Abstract format was more realistic than a Painting that was presented in an abstract format.The result is that Weston ‘s work helped the public To accept Abstraction as a valid art form in the US

Ansel Adams, Mt. Williamson from Manzazar

Ansel Adams was like most late 18th century and 18th Century landscape artists in that he felt inspired by Nature. He was technically a genius at capturing allThe details of the soft lighting in the landscape.He photographed the WEST and YOSEMITE National Park extensively.His work on the ZONE system ( dividing captured light into Ten zones of gray ) is still used today in teaching students Photography.

Painting the image with light- Ansel Adams

Dorthea Lange, Migrant Mother

The WPA ( Works Progress Administration ) helped to Put people to work during the Great Depression in The US.The government hired artists and asked them to Photograph( document) the various regions of the country.One photographer was Dorothea Lange who took this Image titled Migrant Mother in the 1930s. This sceneShows the desperation of a mother in trying to shield Her children from the harsh realities of hunger and Poverty.The documentary style is still used today in newspapers And magazines today.

What is the difference between Abstraction and SurrealismWhat are the characteristics of RealismObservation, likeness, proportion, anatomy, light source.Linear perspective, and or aerial perspective

Abstraction- Use of subject matter found in nature but it May be distorted, elongated, or flattened. The artistUses more interpretation of the subject and copying an exactLikeness is NOT the priority

Surrealism-Combining Realism with Fantasy / ImaginationImpossible situations ( Magritte)

Non – Objective Art – No effort to create a likeness. The artistIs interested in using the elements and principles of design .NonRealistic .