Chapter One Lecture Notes

Key terms to know:

Aesthetics: branch of
philosophy that deals
with the nature, beauty
and meaning of art, and
our response
to it
Megalith: a large,
massive stone
Genre: art that depicts
casual moments of
everyday life and its
surroundings
Vanitas: (vanity) fleeting
nature of earthly life

Chapter Outline

WHAT DO ARTISTS DO?

Maya Lin, Vietnam Veterans

Memorial
Kente cloth, Ghana
Manohar, Jahangir Receives a
Cup from Khusrau
Shiva Nataraja, India
Vincent van Gogh, The Starry
Night
Ernst Haas, Peeling Paint on
Iron Bench, Kyoto, 1981
CREATING AND CREATIVITY

Tim Hawkinson, Emoter

LOOKING AND RESPONDING

Juan de Valds Leal, Vanitas

Chapter 1. Living with Art
Constantin Brancusis studio,
reconstruction

Audrey Flack, Wheel of

Fortune (Vanitas)
Jim Hodges, Every Touch

Constantin Brancusi, Bird in

Space
THE IMPULSE FOR ART

Artists: Maya Lin

Lion Panel, Chauvet cave

Artists: Vincent van Gogh

Stonehenge
Stemmed vessel, Longshan
culture

To understand art we must use

our imagination and
intelligence.
To appreciate and understand art, to
allow it to help you see things in a
new way, you must understand
something about art. That is the
focus of this course. While we focus
on the Western tradition, we must
also understand the impact of nonWestern traditions.
Aesthetic philosophy: What is art?
How and why does it affect us?
Artists debate passionately about
good art and beauty. Is it serious or
light-hearted, beautiful or shocking,
realistic or innovative, personal or
objective? We will look at a wide
range of approaches in the next
pictures.

Abstraction

Figure 1.2 Brancusis Bird in Space, 192830.

It allows for universal ideas.

It gives the essence or pure form
of a concept like: birth, kiss,
flight, dream.

Figure 1.1 Brancusis studio, as

reconstructed 1977-90

Selective perception or a
defensive grid allows us to
categorize quickly and make
assumptions. It is necessary in an
over-stimulating environment, such
as this, or in our own fast-paced
lives. It also forces us to miss details,
and have preconceived ideas. You
would have to move slowly through
this room to appreciate each of these
works on its own merit, without
categorizing. When interpreting art,
it is important to look long enough to
ask questions and find visual clues.
Your first impression will change if
you spend time contemplating these
works. Movies have 2 hours to impact
viewers; a novel has chapters; a
sculpture or canvas has only the time
the viewer is willing to give. Pictured
are versions of Endless Column and
Fish and Bird in Space. Brancusi does
not depict particular details, but the
essence of their existence. He states
that the work represents the soul
liberated from matter.

The Impulse for Art

Building & Aesthetics:

Figure 13.35 Frank Lloyd Wright,

Fallingwater, 1936
Art is all around us, but we often take
it for granted. Architects consider
aesthetics and their impact on human
emotions. Buildings are designed for
visual appeal as well as practical
ends.

Art in the House:

Art and aesthetics are part of your

everyday life, though we are often
unaware, due to selective vision and
familiarity. Art plays a part in the
decisions we make in furnishing our
homes, choosing cars, clothing,
jewelry, and other functional items.

displayed that you rarely use because

they are special to you.

The Impulse for Art

The impulse to create and
communicate has existed since at
least 30,000 BCE. Many times, we are
only knowledgeable of a peoples
existence because of the discovery of
their art. The discovery of this cave
pushed back our history of art by
several thousand years. What
compelled man to create visual
records? In this case there are
several theories: to decorate his
dwelling space, to pray for magic
and success of hunts, to educate
hunters as to the movement and
nature of prey. Often hunters needed
to be close to the kill and would cover
themselves with a hide. Their
movement would need to mimic the
animal in order to succeed. Artists
have an innate need to express
themselves.

Figure 1.5 Stemmed Vessel, c.

2000 B.C.E.
This particular piece of pottery from
China, dated from 2000 BCE, shows
the artists innate need to combine
function and aesthetics. In fact,
aesthetics were considered more
than function, as the section that
holds the liquid is proportionally
small and top heavy. It could have
been made for ceremonial purposes
and the socially elite. In your home
you probably have functional items

Figure 1.3 Chauvet cave, Lion panel,

c. 25,000-17,000 B.C.E.

Megalith: Massive stones

What Do Artists Do?

The Need for Art:

Figure 1.4 Stonehenge, c. 2000-1500

B.C.E., Salisbury Plain, England;
concentric circles of megaliths
Sometimes, knowing about the
culture, its history, and its
innovations adds to your
appreciation. This is known as
context. Archeologists have argued
over theories about why these
massive megaliths were quarried,
carved by hand, moved and raised
over centuries, beginning around
3100 BCE. Some of the stones weigh
50 tons each. Upon closer study, it
was theorized that the solstice,
seasons, and astrological movements
were accurately recorded in this
structure. Others feel it was a place
for rituals and worship. In this case,
man had an intrinsic need to make
sense of his world.

To create places for human

purpose

To create extra-ordinary
versions of ordinary objects

To record and commemorate

To give tangible form to the

unknown

To give tangible form to

feelings and ideas

To refresh our vision and see

the world in a new way

These functions would be difficult

to achieve without the arts. Most
of us prefer books with images to
allow us to relate to the words.

To create places for human

purpose

beginning of the war. As viewers

continue their descent the wall
grows taller until it towers
overhead, with names
multiplying. As the corner is
turned, the wall begins to
diminish, and viewers are directed
toward the Washington Monument
or Lincoln Memorial. It is a
journey downward to reflect on
death, then upward toward hope,
healing and reconciliation. Like
Stonehenge, it is meant to draw a
community together.

Create extra-ordinary versions

of ordinary objects

Figure 1.6 Maya Lin, Vietnam

Veterans Memorial, 1982

Stonehenge represented the

needs of a particular society and
purpose. While the theme of this
image is the same, the purpose is
for a different need by a different
society. Her task was to create a
memorial that honored the human
sacrifice of war, while neither
glorifying nor condemning the
controversial war itself. The Vshaped wall of granite is inscribed
with 58,000 names of the missing,
captured, and dead. The polished
surface reflects the Washington
Monument and the visitors
themselves. As viewers enter,
they are on level ground, which
represents the barely noted

Figure 1.7 Kente cloth, Ghana, mid20th century.

The Neolithic Stemmed Vessel is

more than a cup. Likewise, this
West African textile woven by the
Asante people is more than a
garment. Each of the hundreds of
patterns bears its own name,
history and symbolism. A king
would choose a new pattern to be
used for ceremonial purposes,
which distinguished him as an
extra-ordinary version of an
ordinary human being.

Record and commemorate

Figure 1.8 Manohar, Jahangir

Receives a Cup from Khusrau, 160506.

Function of artists: Art can

provide a record that is often
more insightful than history
books.
Manohar depicts a reconciliation
between a ruler of the Mughal
dynasty in India and his son. This
17th century artist depicted a
moment that would not last, as
the son eventually staged a
rebellion and dethroned his
father. This past leader will be
immortalized through painting.
How did the artist emphasize him
in this group of people
(centralized, contrast, pointers,
size)?

Give tangible form to the

unknown

palm in a gesture known to mean

fear not.

Give tangible form to feeling

Figure 1.10 Vincent van Gogh, Starry

Night,

Figure 1.9 Shiva Nataraja,

anonymous, India, 10th century
C.E.
Functions of art: Man has always
been intrigued with personal images
from spiritual motivations. We might
admire the grace of this bronze
casting, but unless we knew
something about the symbolism &
context, we might miss clues. This is
a sculptors depiction of the Hindu
god Shiva in his guise as Nataraja,
the Lord of the Dance. The ring
symbolizes the end of a cycle of time
and the beginning of the next cycle,
or rebirth and destruction in an
endless circle of flames. What are the
hands symbolizing? The upper right
hand holds the drum to summon
creation. The left holds the flame of
destruction. One hand points to the
foot beneath which worshipers may
seek refuge. The fourth raises its

Functions of art: This artist

attempted to express his personal
feelings. Van Gogh was intrigued by a
thought that people journey to a star
after death. Nature seems to be alive
and have an urgent presence, while
the village and those on earth sleep.

Refresh our vision and see the

world in new ways

Creating & Creativity

Creative people tend to
possess certain traits:
1. Sensitivity: heightened
awareness
2. Flexibility: adapt to new
possibilities
Figure 1.11 Ernst Haas, Peeling Paint
on Iron Bench, Kyoto, 1981, 1981.

3. Originality: problem solve

creatively

We often gravitate to familiar

ways of viewing things due to
selective vision and familiarity.
This photograph zooms in on a
small detail from an ordinary day
we would take for granted
(genre). Haas forces us to stop
and see the composition through
his eyes: bold contrast of colors,
positive & negative shapes,
textures. There is beauty even in
the most mundane.

4. Playfulness: humor &

experimentation
5. Productivity: ability to
generate ideas
6. Fluency: free flow of ideas
7. Analytical skill: exploring
problems and finding how
things work
8. Organizational skill: putting
things together in a
coherent order
These traits, attributed to
creative individuals, are sought
after by managers in all upperlevel employees. Most
professionals are valued
according to these traits:
doctors, professors, scientists.
All of these attributes are
fostered by the arts. Can a
person become more creative?
Almost certainly, if you become

comfortable with an open

mind, and release rigid notions
of what has been or should be.

Compare the creative traits in the

previous pictures with this
installation. Sensors link changes
in the artists face, which moves
continuously in response to the
signals from the monitor. An artist
is expected to be creative, but is
this a trait you think is
unimportant for yourself as a
student? Creativity can be
cultivated, but only if one is
motivated to disregard easy
answers and to trust your
experiences.

Figure 1.12 Tim Hawkinson,

Emoter, 2002.

Looking and Responding

Compare these two versions
portraying the fleeting nature of
earthly life and happiness, a
subject that was popular in the
17th century. Selective
perception or a defensive grid
allows each of us to take away
meaning according to our past
experiences and present needs.
We may take away different
insights on any given day
depending on our mood. Leals
almost overwhelming still life
takes time to sort out. Ask
questions and invite
interpretation to exemplify the
variety of personal perceptions.
Include questions about the
timepiece, flowers, bubble, globe
and painting (The Last Judgment).
Figure 1.13 Juan de Valds Leal,
Vanitas, 1660.

Audrey Flack referenced this

theme with modern day symbols.
Ask students to point them out
(photo in place of painting,
hourglass, makeup, tarot card).
Both messages speak of the
passage of time, the meaning of
life and immortality.

Figure 1.14 Audrey Flack, Wheel

of Fortune (Vanitas), 1977-78.