Post by Kajuanza Smith

10 days agoRe: Week 6 | Discussion – Representations of the Body

the Venus of Monruz/Neuchatel was one the first art form of the female body. It dates back to the prehistoric Paleolithic era. The necklace resembles a female form kneeling, this can represent ritual or praise.  It was also said by historians that the Venus represented fertility.

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/prehistoric/venus-of-monruz.htm

Apollo Belvedere, Roman copy, c. 120 – 140 CE of Leochares bronze original c. 350-325 BCE (c. 120 – 140 CE)

The statue was a human form of a Greek God of art and music. This piece of art is a full-body image that exhibits the human form in a strong and eloquent.  The art form is detailed it displayed all extremities, facial features, and sexual organs. 

https://www.theartstory.org/movement/classical-greek-and-roman-art/artworks/#pnt_3

Both are body images, are human form. However, the evolution of humans evolved the imagines became more realistic and detained. Every expression, abdominal indentation of the muscles are gracefully displayed.  I believe that today contemporary art has changed in many ways but one of the most interesting is the additional colors to the art. Especially in Greek art, modern art is using color and abstract techniques, while straying away from traditional Greek art. The painting below is an example of the differences in human form comparing past and present.

Three Graces” (1974) – Karas Christos © Tilemahos Efthimiadis/Flickr

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/greece/articles/10-contemporary-greek-artists-you-should-know/

Post by Kendra Keener

8 days agoRe: Week 6 | Discussion – Representations of the Body

Artists throughout modern history have represented the human body in many different ways. The human body is key in how we understand identity, ethnicity, sexuality, race, and gender. Every culture has its own symbolic and stylized ways to represent the body. The geographic region the artists came from or their religion are both and few things that could influence his or her representation of the human body. In western culture we probably think first of a Greek statue, or beautiful scientific depiction of  Da Vinci’s “Virtruvian Man” when we think of artworks across time and space that differently represent the human figure.

The difference between human representation through modern works of art are emotional, political, and actually reflect scientific biology. Some even consider all modern representations of the body to be “abstract” and “radical”. Abstract art talks about sensory and impressions because how else can we draw on human form? . Among the very oldest known human artifacts are fertility  figurines which are abstract representations of the female body and its importance in society. 

More recently in modern culture we have seen more “body positive” pieces in pop culture and art pertaining to social media, which is probably the most common type of art we come into contact with day by day. Modern people alter hair, clothing, and even gender to align with or rebel against society. Throughout  history, specifically western history it is well known that images and other types of materials used can be altered to depict the type of human body that is socially acceptable or “desirable” at the time. Comparably in past times artists would often depict their representations of humans in ways that were socially acceptable and perceived.

Seated Female Figure.15th to 20th century. Mali, Bougouni, Dioila region. Bamana People. Wood sculpture.

These figures served most importantly in rituals helping women to conceive children. The enlarged breasts and swollen belly are significant to their representation to the human body because procreation and child bearing is and important aspect  to their social customs and religion. 

Human Spoils and Excesses. Penny Siopis. 1986. Cape Town, South Africa. Oil paint on oil canvas. 

This painting describes a “disproportionately sized male looming  in front of glistening deserts, overripe fruits, overflowing and overturned plates”. It’s thickly painted as described by the artist, “connecting that kind of excess of surface and material and overload of symbols- mostly western to a moment of being if you- like in South Africa at the time, which was of course, a space of massive dispossession by the majority of people. 

I think this painting speaks plainly and boldly to the expression of disproportions Africans felt during this period. The humanistic depiction of a gargantuan human and all the worlds spoils is ironic in this case. 

Spanish Dancer. Edgar Degas. France. Modeled probably 1884, cast 1920. Bronze. 

I chose this piece because I think it represents the human depiction of the body in a way that is relevant to the time where artists like Degas took a thematic approach to things images of the body or nudity for example. 

“Identitychrist”. Joseph Lee. Los Angeles. 2018. Oil and oil pastel on canvas. 

I chose this piece because of its modernity and relevancy to the type of society we live in today. Lee depicts his “humanism” as a way of his self expression, he self described this piece of a creative struggling actor as expression of freedom. 

Post by Kendra Keener

8 days agoRe: Week 6 | Discussion – Representations of the Body

Artists throughout modern history have represented the human body in many different ways. The human body is key in how we understand identity, ethnicity, sexuality, race, and gender. Every culture has its own symbolic and stylized ways to represent the body. The geographic region the artists came from or their religion are both and few things that could influence his or her representation of the human body. In western culture we probably think first of a Greek statue, or beautiful scientific depiction of  Da Vinci’s “Virtruvian Man” when we think of artworks across time and space that differently represent the human figure.

The difference between human representation through modern works of art are emotional, political, and actually reflect scientific biology. Some even consider all modern representations of the body to be “abstract” and “radical”. Abstract art talks about sensory and impressions because how else can we draw on human form? . Among the very oldest known human artifacts are fertility  figurines which are abstract representations of the female body and its importance in society. 

More recently in modern culture we have seen more “body positive” pieces in pop culture and art pertaining to social media, which is probably the most common type of art we come into contact with day by day. Modern people alter hair, clothing, and even gender to align with or rebel against society. Throughout  history, specifically western history it is well known that images and other types of materials used can be altered to depict the type of human body that is socially acceptable or “desirable” at the time. Comparably in past times artists would often depict their representations of humans in ways that were socially acceptable and perceived.

Seated Female Figure.15th to 20th century. Mali, Bougouni, Dioila region. Bamana People. Wood sculpture.

These figures served most importantly in rituals helping women to conceive children. The enlarged breasts and swollen belly are significant to their representation to the human body because procreation and child bearing is and important aspect  to their social customs and religion. 

Human Spoils and Excesses. Penny Siopis. 1986. Cape Town, South Africa. Oil paint on oil canvas. 

This painting describes a “disproportionately sized male looming  in front of glistening deserts, overripe fruits, overflowing and overturned plates”. It’s thickly painted as described by the artist, “connecting that kind of excess of surface and material and overload of symbols- mostly western to a moment of being if you- like in South Africa at the time, which was of course, a space of massive dispossession by the majority of people. 

I think this painting speaks plainly and boldly to the expression of disproportions Africans felt during this period. The humanistic depiction of a gargantuan human and all the worlds spoils is ironic in this case. 

Spanish Dancer. Edgar Degas. France. Modeled probably 1884, cast 1920. Bronze. 

I chose this piece because I think it represents the human depiction of the body in a way that is relevant to the time where artists like Degas took a thematic approach to things images of the body or nudity for example. 

“Identitychrist”. Joseph Lee. Los Angeles. 2018. Oil and oil pastel on canvas. 

I chose this piece because of its modernity and relevancy to the type of society we live in today. Lee depicts his “humanism” as a way of his self expression, he self described this piece of a creative struggling actor as expression of freedom.