Art?? What is it??

Well, I am going to start off with the question, ‘What is Art’, I find this question exciting and the answer somewhat intriguing.

Well the answer is; well, we struggle with the answer! We struggle with the visual side of art which grows from symbolic creativity. Although some people would like to define art with what they think should be an actual definition, take the Wikipedia for example, it gives the definition as follows; "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others.”

First time in modern art, our feelings in represent and capture what and how people feel, for example, emotional when looking at it.

I think differently to this definition, I feel that art can be something that we can experience through every day meaning. It’s just a thought!

Marcel Duchamp is known for his found objects which he has portrayed in such a way that some view them as art. Take the case where Duchamp used a urinal and which he signed “R.Mutt” on it and named it Fountain. This falls into to part of the Dada Movement (anti-art movement.) His art faced the questioning and rejection from what others like to call ‘art’. It challenges what people think to be the meaninglessness of the world today. The exhibition of art has been refined; they are now looked at as the repercussions of fine art.  

But how do we exhibit art? How do we experience art? Can we connect with it, get close with it? I feel a good example on how to explain my point is the Projector, Tate Modern in held in the Turbine Hall in London. Artists have to create a spectacular piece of art work to fill the hall and to make those visiting the exhibition to feel overwhelmed by the experience. In my opinion I feel this is far better than visiting a bland exhibition not being able to interact with the artwork or feel the texture. Will people begin to question if we need a gallery at all?

Are some of us more attracted to site specific art for example? The concept lies within a place, and what if we were to put a gallery in this place; will the art concept have no meaning? It does today in the 21^st century. We re big fans of conceptual art in today’s society, we like decisions and planning, perhaps it’s got to do with all the modern technology. In a way it all dates back to Dunchamp. Dunchamp made a statement; he stood up to the so called ‘definition of art’ and started a new generation of ‘anti-art’ artists. We will take Jem Finer as a prime example, who discovered a underground river in the well, (80ft underground).  In order for it to work Jem uses a high brass trumpet and chimes played by falling water, to create music. this again it contributing to the rise in conceptual art. I feel anti-art is the way to go! 

PoMo V's Modernism!

Why is it that you can put a date on Modernism? This date goes back to around the nineteen hundreds to nineteen fifty. Everything that has happened and developed within these years has helped define a meaning for Modernism. New theories based on psychology made modernism rocket. These theories were very controversial but also somewhat influential. They made people take a self-examination of themselves and also examine their beliefs. The society soon developed a set of ideas (Thesis) which ‘Marxism’ explains. These ideas were put to the test by ‘anti ideas’ to repeat this progress. Is there a grand narrative? The bible shows purpose of life.  Marxism progresses until equals.

Within the space of 1900 and 1950 there were two wars. This brought the coming of a new era in rock music which stayed around World War One and World War Two. This had a huge impact within the music industry (technology) and also civilisation.

What is culture?  There are explanations of both high culture and low culture. High culture lies within the theatre, opera / classical and ballet. Low culture within these years is somewhat defined under pop culture. Richard Hamilton produced a painting called “Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?” this is recognised as one of many to the beginning of pop art, as he is trying to portray what life was like in 1960. This indeed was the moment when modernism turned into postmodernism. Richard Florida introduced pop art, creating postmodern and pop culture. Bauhaus brought in new technology for design; he believed function should always follow form.

Postmodernism took place in the time of the revolution.  Society wanted to break away from what we call modernism and the same old everyday life. People wanted to become individual’s and were just looking and longing for something different; from here on in people began to question things. Soon after, in the 1960’s a new era began, an era of love, culture and politics. Key examples of this were hippies, style, drugs and of course; music!

Postmodernism is most defiantly alive within the world today. One example of this would be the old mini car, on the first occasion it was the first car of its type to be able to purchase. In today’s society, there are several different types of new minis which have been created and which are available to buy.

A second example of this is the leather jacket. The leather jacket was used in modernism as a fashion statement. Again, it is brought back into today’s postmodern society and the idea of this ‘fashion statement’ is used again and again. I could also take the television for example, once made to watch but now, such gadgets as the ipad may eventually take over modernism. I guess what I’m trying to say is not always will the old and new ideas come together; one could eventually win over the other.