When on holiday in any city, the visitor inevitably snaps photographs of the iconic public statuary and buildings in an effort to identify a location through association with landmarks and architecture. It is allowed freely without intrusion of private indoor spaces and confirms the identity of the place visited. The relationship of the art to the environment is illustrated and the fact that one is “being there” is documented. When at home in any city, the citizen approves or disapproves of what is presented in the form of urban public art as part of his or her own cultural identity. A sense of ownership and contribution confirms that one “belongs there”. From time to time what doesn’t belong, in the view of the citizen, is the art. There is no question that urban public art has value. Visitor and citizen benefit from the safe, politically correct selections of well-formed art committees that portray history, fame, or simply artistic caprice. This paper will discuss three specific examples of modern sculpture in Canada, all of which at one time have been considered contentious and controversial. The fourth example is of art that was never created. In each case, the specific relevance and importance of the pieces to the associated environment have been determined according to prevailing local civic attitudes.
The service of urban public art to the civilized population is as old as civilization itself. Ancient monuments, architecture, and sculpture of almost every continent and every era are important facets of historic cultures. Exceptional figures and events have been immortalized through art. Religions have been fostered through worship of inanimate representations of divine symbols. The dead have been memo...
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... and the artist are not on common ground in some cases. Art appreciation and art itself is constantly changing and the public forum is important not only for open expression, but also for open appreciation and freedom to express opinions. Even the incredible Gothic style of architecture was criticized in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries as opus modernum, or modern art (Gardner, 1959, 243) as if it were inferior to the traditional and known. The three sculptural pieces mentioned caused similar discussion about misfit in three different decades but also found a societal best-fit in the end. All have supporters and detractors which illustrate the relationship between art and community is alive—not that one kind of urban public art is favoured over another—rather that we all have opinions and we all care about who and what “belongs there”.
With the different styles of artists’ works planned to be showcased in this exhibition I hope viewers will be able to see what sorts of artworks were being done during the Renaissance that do not consist of works done by Michelangelo, da Vinci, Donatello, or Raphael. With a topic not usually covered when studying about Renaissance artist, I hope viewers will be able to not only learn about the interesting stories of famous Martyrdoms, but also learn about some of the lesser known Renaissance artists and their styles. Paintings of angles and landscapes from the Renaissance may look pretty but with these different and shocking pieces I hope to create an exhibition that will not soon fade away from visitor’s memories after they leave the National Gallery.
With works in every known medium, from every part of the world, throughout all points in history, exploring the vast collection of the Museum of Modern Art was an overwhelming experience. The objects in the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts are an important historical collection, reflecting the development of a number of art forms in Western Europe. The department's holdings covered sculpture in many sizes, woodwork and furniture, ceramics and glass, jewelry, and tapestries. The gallery attracted my appreciation of the realistic qualities of the human body often portrayed in sculpture.
The subject of artist-patron relations has been a touchy one since the beginning of the phenomenon. Nowadays it does not take such great precedence, as the artist leans more toward a personal, individual type of art typical of freelance. Serious commissions exist only in public art and architecture, where the needs and feelings of a large group are considered. Artist and patron must work out a compromise as to what is acceptable and also respects the aims of the artist. The patron in this case generally has the last word, as demonstrated by Richard Serra’s “Tilted Arc” controversy in the mid-80s where the artist’s piece was actually removed from its site because of public objection. However, nowadays the artist is insured against such damages, which was not the case in the beginning of the Renaissance, when artists were just starting to make a name for themselves. At this time, artists still depended greatly on patronage for a living and fought to distinguish themselves from the guild system. They still succumbed to religious guidelines and subject matter which generally limited their exploration of more personal means of expression, but with the rise of secular art collectors such as the Medici, we see a more modern artist-patron relationship emerging. By so distinguishing themselves in their field, patrons gave them certain leeway in commissions. Patrons and artists worked together, the patron outlining material, size, and general subject matter, but leaving aesthetic decisions concerning composition up to the best judgment of the artist--- the master--- himself.
When beginning my sketch, I took a moment to analyze the work of art and found that the statue illuminated a sense of serenity. Like most viewers my initial reaction was to explore the statue from head to toe as I sought out the different elements and principles of art. The statue was close to life-size and just about my height, so looking straightforward we were eye to eye. I noticed the softness gathered about the facial structure, but all the same time the depth and complexity that was engulfed around the muscularity of the body. The rigorous symmetry was accounte...
Brisbane is a city that embraces the idea of public sculptures in the streets, which can be inspiring to fellow artists and people of Brisbane. Specifically, 'George V' and 'The Guardian' are to be compared and contrasted in their successes of enriching the community of Brisbane and influencing the people. Supporters and people of the city claim that both public arts enhance the streets although in very different ways. While both 'George V' and 'The Guardian' portrays a figure of some kind, 'George V' is more concerned with history while 'The Guardian' focuses on its symbolisms and objects that are shown.
There are thousands of types of art work all over the world including mural art which is one of the oldest types of art, painted on walls and ceilings that are usually filled with many different colors. Murals show hope, values and memories of the community. Public art is outside of the gallery or museum, public art exist outdoors. It shapes are abstract, realistic, built, etc. Public art is can express community values, and enhance the environment. However, as our evolving culture of technology increase, more of those mural art, and public art are vanishing in the eyes of the people.
The memorialization of certain people or past times is an important part of humanity. These can be memorialized in books, poems, and artwork, but many times these times or people are memorialized by creating monuments. There are many monuments throughout the world, all of these having different, special meanings. When creating monuments, people must consider the materials they’re made of, size, and the location in which they are placed. In doing so, the monuments can have greater meanings, and can cause powerful emotions inside people.
Recent events in Canadian politics have shocked the artistic sector in Canada. The conservative party of Stephen Harper attacked the arts and culture sector by cutting funds to some major art programs in the country. Art has played an important role in the development of societies around the world. Everything from social structure and religion to politics and military was reflected in various forms of art; from painting and sculpture to theatre and dance. Ancient Egyptians build pyramids and had symbolic depictions of deities. Ancient Greeks, the fathers of democracy, were the masters of pottery, sculpture as well as architecture and painting. In ancient times art was not isolated from science, philosophy and of course politics. Everyday political, social, military and economical affairs were reflected in the arts, and vice versa. Artists were the thinkers, and thought provokers of the culture. In the Renaissance artists were synonymous with progress, invention and liberalism. They were the builders and reinforcers of cultural value and tradition. Modern day is seeing a variety of art forms that reveal the culture that art is produced within. Canada is a country rich in history, traditions and multiculturalism. It is important to sustain and develop the art sector in Canada in order to maintain and “voice” Canadian culture and identity. Moreover, the art industry in Canada not only improves the cultural fabric of the country, it also showing significant revenue to the government. The Harper Government funding cuts to the arts and culture sector is an unjustified act of censorship. Underfunding of Arts in Canada will hinder the development of values and unity in Canadian culture and Identity as well as hinder freedom of exp...
This paper deals, in broadest terms, with the questions of how artwork is connected to the changes and dynamics that prevail in a society. To describe these changes, I will investigate how a specific type of art reflects its social content in contemporary societies. My analysis is carried out by closely looking at the Pop Art movement, especially with Andy Warhol, who has come to be known as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. It will be argued that Pop Art managed to successfully articulate its time, and in so doing, it became a widely influential art movement whose effect is still very much existent in today’s world of art. In order to prove its claim, this paper relies on the theory of “the field of cultural production” by Pierre
Art is trapped in the cage of society, constantly being judged and interpreted regardless of the artist’s intent. There is no escaping it, however, there are ways to manage and manipulate the cage. Two such examples are Kandinsky 's Little Pleasures, and Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain. Both pieces were very controversial and judged for being so different in their time, but they also had very specific ways of handling the criticism and even used it to their advantage. We will be looking at the motivations for each artwork, what made the art so outrageous, and the public’s reaction to the pieces.
The artworks of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Aegean cultures, and Ancient Greece have similarities that not only reflect objects and images, but also the media, style and representation. These countries were not always wealthy, clever, creative and powerful enough to gain supplies, but they all find a way to create art with what they had. They have all influenced on each other’s cultures and belief through their artistic values and ways, ranging from the materials and tools they use, position and representation of their monuments and their religious intent.
During the ancient times in Greece, Plato was the first human to document and criticize the existence of art and artists. He mentioned that human art was always in a form of a representation of something else. In one of Plato’s famous works, he demonstrates the idea of art is like an “imitation of nature” (Blocker 3). In other words, the purpose of art was to represent nature and nothing else. Art was not created for the sake of its own self nor was it created to appreciate its own beauty by any means. Instead, art, usually in forms of writings, paintings, or sculptures, was created to only to represent nature, Gods, emperors, families, or other important individuals. Furthermore, Plato had a very critical view towards the existence art in our society because art makes us more emotional, and our emotions lead to many errors about life. He believed it is our rational thinking, not our emotions or senses, which helps us und...
The subject of art conservation and restoration has long been debated in the art world. Experts and historians have never agreed that all art must be salvaged at any cost. This paper will examine what art conservation and restoration is, what is involved in these endeavors, and what has been done over the centuries to many of history’s cherished art pieces.
“In a decaying society, art, if it is truthful, must also reflect decay. Moreover, unless it wants to break faith with its social function, art must show the world as changeable. And help to change it.” This quote by Ernst Fischer, a German composer, means that truth in art exposes the parts of society, and of life, that no one wants to see. In order for art to change society, it must first reflect the fears and failures of its people. The artist can change how people think of themselves and the world by using less conventional methods of creating art. The artist, in doing this, introduces new ideas of human placement in time and space, new frontiers of thought, that are furthered by the disciplines of science and philosophy. The artist works to introduces unique- and sometimes offensive- ideas so that society will be exposed to new ways of thinking and understanding the world. The artist does this through experimentation with color, style, and form. Therefore, the purpose of the artist should be to challenge how individuals perceive themselves and the offensive aspects of society reflected in art to bring about innovations in the greater society.
...troversy as all countries have lost, to a great or lesser extent, treasures of national renown and significance over time. Wars, theft, treasure seeking, changing boundaries and migration have all in some way contributed to this diaspora of art. There is clear evidence that the historic placing of objects in locations remote from their origin has on occasion afforded protection and preservation, The Elgin Marbles in The British Museum being a case in point. However, given the overarching principle of self determination it is difficult to argue that serendipitous historic placement is sufficient reason for items of true national heritage to be kept indefinitely. A world-wide system of touring exhibitions and cultural exchange, with context being provided by the originating society may provide the natural progression to the accessible widening of people’s experiences.