Hi class! It is Prof. Steve here. Welcome to the Arts in NYC. I look forward to meeting you on Wednesday.
“The indefatigable pursuit of an unattainable perfection, even though it consists of nothing more than the pounding of an old piano, is what alone gives a meaning to our life on this unavailing star.”
-Logan Pearsall Smith (1865-1946)
Victor Rerick
Professor Graff
In 1940 Piet In Mondrian not only moved to a new continent in 1940, he also transitioned from a traditional style of landscape painting to an increasingly abstract approach. Fleeing the Netherlands just before Europe was consumed by the darkness of World War II, Mondrian was eager to shift the focus of his artistic material. He was fascinated by New York, the city in which he settled. The fast pace of life, the commotion and confusion of a simple walk down the street, and diversity of the city all captivated Mondrian. He also happened to take a liking to a new form of jazz known as Boogie Woogie. He combined his new interests in the title, and style of his penultimate painting Broadway Boogie Woogie.
The painting is minimalistic in nature, and is what Mondrian described as his “neoplastic” style. The painting is mostly white space, covered in a pattern of grid-lick structures. The intersecting, multi-colored lines reflect the overlapping streets that criss-cross Manhattan. Anyone who has ever visited the city will be familiar with the sight of a long straight Avenue, stretching miles in either direction. A blurred mixture of lights, both bright and dull, overwhelm the viewer. So it is with Broadway Boogie Woogie. On first glance, the painting seems to consist of countless colors, all interwoven in an overwhelming pattern. Yet there is only a mixture of subtle tones. Yellow, light blue, and red are the only colors present in the painting. There are also several gray blocks, used to break up the longer yellow streaks. The gray and yellow blocks have the same luminance. This means that if the color was drained of color, and only seen in black and white, the gray dots would become indistinguishable from the yellow lines. By contrast the Red and blue dots would still be of a noticeably different shade. I believe this was a commentary on how the smallest aspects of the city (its people) begin to blend with the larger more noticeable aspects of the city (its architecture, streets, infrastructure etc.). The city than begins to function in a way similar to that of the human body. The living parts, which are the minority in both cities and bodies, come to define the larger parts, in this case either organs or buildings. Most of a city is made of lifeless objects as most of the city is made of lifeless buildings. But the multitude of bright little squares the would seem insignificant alone, come to dominant the viewer’s understanding of the painting. The rhythmic “stop and go” aspect of the small square’s placement also reflect the tempo of boogie woogie jazz that Mondrian came to admire.
Salvador Dali’s The Persistance of Memory, is one of the strangest paintings I have ever seen, on par with most of Picasso’s more interpretative pieces. But unlike the work of both Picasso and Mondrian, Dali’s work is less minimalistic. The canvas is almost completely covered in color. Very little white space is visible. There is only roughly four distinguishable figures in the whole painting, and the rest is covered in a drab brown hue. Melting pocket watches dominant the foreground, one noticeably covered in tiny ants. Another flops on a dead tree branch. In the center of the painting a large indistinguishable oozing figure seems to be sleeping. In the distance a scenic landscape is bordered by a large, possibly metal reflecting object. Fortunately, like Mandrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie , the title provides some insight into the paintings meaning.
The painting is meant to evoke the world of dreams that takes over the mental process of each human as we drift to sleep each night. As it is in our dreams, the painting makes it difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is pure fantasy. Dali placed the objects at distances from eachother that are hard to measure. The ocean, mountains and sky are impossibly placid and empty. A tree grows (or perhaps dies) on a perfectly shaped and seemingly man made brown rectangle. The ghost-like, pillow shaped being in the middle of the paintings calls to mind the antagonists that haunt or nightmares. They are large adversaries, yet they are difficult to measure. The fear of the unknown nature of the bring increases our discomfort. The watches show a meaningless passing of time. Dreams, which often only last a matter of seconds, or minutes at longest, feel to a waking human as if they were day long events. Each watch shows a different, but equally meaningless time. The colors are hazy, brighter in the distance than in the immediate vicinity of the viewer. The curious dreamer walks forward toward the sunrise, unsure of what lays ahead.
Victor Rerick
Artist Letters
Dearest Anselm Hüttenbrenner,
I am sorry to trouble you at such a time dear Anselm. I know you are madly dedicated to your requiem in C Minor as of late, but I must interrupt your workings if only for a moment. A hope, that perchance it will be a welcome reprieve from your hours of banging wildly on your wine-stained piano. You know of course I jest. But now to the matter!
You know me, I suppose as well as any man, so you most recollect what others consider my peculiarities. My obsessions. My intricacies of character, shall we call them? But no I speak not of my trouble of the ear of even that of my abdomen. This time my struggles have transcended the physical. They are of an entirely different nature. It is society dear Anselm that drives me to the edge of madness. Society! And you had thought I had been troubled enough with my ears to put a knife to my own throat. Why as of late I consider myself blessed that I am spared of hearing what this world has to offer. From the highest kings to the lowest beggars on the streets of Bonn, the whole city has gone to ruin!
What is this talk I hear of grand plans by our Little General, or our Little Emperor should I call him, to conquer the whole of Europe. I thought I was alone in my madness, but it appears that even royalty has joined me. What has the man to gain? In his eyes I suppose he sees the world before him open for conquest. But are these lands not filled with humans like us. Maybe they do not march under the French flag, but who is to say which race is superior. Can Napoleon take their lands from under their feet as if they are animals? Will he try to conquer us as well? The Holy Roman Empire already stands on the brink of collapse, and now we have a madman roaming our lands, seeking whom he may devour. It would not surprise me if he brings destruction on this entire continent. And perhaps he shall travel further. Is he mad enough to venture into the bitter Russian cold (Although I don’t believe such a climate would trouble his already numbed brain).
This is what troubles me dear Anselm. A man I once admired for his leadership, now seems aimed to take the civilized world by its throat. All in the name of country! Of conquest! I think you will remember my Third Symphony. I should hope you would, as you were indeed the editor! As such I trust you remember to whom it was dedicated. It pains me to say it but yes! It was to the very same Napoleon Bonaparte that now seems poised to undue all of humanities progress in the last century. He treats the world like his sandbox, as if life is a game to be one by consumption of land and dominance of the masses. What makes him so different from us? Is it his swords? His uniformed men who relieve themselves only at his command? They are like finger puppets on his child-sized hands. Is mastery over another truly the path to satisfaction? No, I prefer a different kind. Mastery of the bow is to be envied. Of the piano keys. Of the harps cords. Of the quill which composes. Of the rod which conducts. These are the objects we must display mastery over. Not our fellow humans.
As a man of Enlightenment thinking you know I cannot help but hate what this grave man has become. When I heard of his imperial ambitions, I spent the week furiously clawing his name from my symphony. I suppose I shall rededicate it to a man more worthy of my composition, that is, if can find one on the depraved streets of Bonn. You know I jest again of course dear Anselm. But of this I make no sly remarks: write soon. You must settle me my Anselm, I can stand my current company no longer. I must hear your voice of reason through these dark times. As a blind man I assure you the world can no longer hear the warnings of napoleons coming destruction. Will they really let this tyrant come to power? The thought sickens me. They are deaf to wise words. I hope my music shall shake them to action. Again, write soon!
Regards,
L.V. Beethoven
Garden at Sainte-Adresse – Claude Monet (1867)
I had never been one to court women. I was your typical bachelor, simply living out my youth up and down the banks of the Seine- testing the fancies of women and shouting at beggars and drunks. There was no stopping me, I was immune to the law and immune to the chains of fidelity spun by females. Of course, I had some extended runs with a few women, but those usually ended as quick as I wooed them into their undergarments. I can say I was happy dilly dallying through the streets of Paris being a carefree soul. Despite this, at 26 years old I knew nothing of maturity or love. When I met Ana I entered a new age in my life. Ana made me see the light at the end of a tunnel clouded by silly pastimes and a reluctance to be a real man.
I had decided I needed a break from the ruckus of Paris. One Thursday evening I packed my bags and set sail Friday morning to Honfleur- a quaint little city in northern France. I was feeling quite miserable due to an excess of alcohol the evening prior and the rocking of the boat was of no comfort either. As I leaned over the rail to relieve the gargling contents of my stomach, I felt a delicate hand run across my forehead. Almost instantly I felt a flow of relief overcome my body. I straightened myself, wiped my mouth and hesitantly greeted the nymph before me.
“Good evening madam, I’d like to thank you for your kindness,” I said as I extended my hand to her. I felt the urge to apologize for my behavior as the circumstance was not an accurate representation of who I was- maybe it was better she didn’t know.
“Oh, it was no problem. I’ve grown accustomed to these displays.” she replied as she looked at me from under the brim of her boater hat and revealed a soft smile.
Her features struck me as no other woman’s ever had. My palms were sweaty and I almost choked up before I found it in myself to reply to her. For the first time in my life I had felt nervous in the presence of a woman.
“May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?” I inquired with a slight bow.
“I’m Ana.” She smiled and walked away.
Ana occupied my mind heavily until the next time we met. I can say it was a situation of circumstance that made me fall in love with her that day. A storm passed over the weekend. A short vacation spent indoors changed directions on a Monday morning when I coincidentally bumped into Ana in a garden at the river bank.
It was a beautiful day, not a cloud above or a speck of humidity in the air. The calm that arrived after the storm coincided so well with the recent happenings of my life. The peacefulness of Honfleur compared to the calamity of Paris exerted a feeling of calm and bliss into my universe. This feeling combined with Ana’s appearance into my life after days of rain made me feel almost in ecstasy. It was a subtle feeling of lightness on my feet, weight off my shoulders, a frenzy in my heart, and a desire to spread my love.
I walked up to Ana from behind, she turned around half stunned and half delighted. As she turned, her hair bounced to fall in front of her gracious features. A whip of her head to the right revealed her eyes to me once more.
“May I?” I asked as I extended my arm to her. Ana linked her left arm through my right and we walked over to the water.
Ana told me about her life, how she grew up without a mother and only a nanny. She was a nurse in a little town outside Versailles and lived a modest life. We sat and conversed back and forth with ease, for hours on end. For the first time, I had viewed a woman as more than an object of my desire. I did not wish for one night- I wished for a weekend in the mountains with her, I wished for hours of sunbathing with her, I wished to bring her breakfast in bed, I wished to raise a child with her. Ana spun the shadows of my mind into vortices of love. I fell down Ana’s precipice of love on that fortuitous Monday morning by the river bank, and never climbed back up.
My Dearest Theo,
This letter has hitherto been far too delayed, but such postponement has a reasonable foundation in what I (and, I hope, you) deem to be a bit of bad news. Though I’m sure you’ve heard about it from some source, and though I’m positive a letter of consolation or inquisition is already on its way from you to me, I find it fitting that the words should come from my mouth anyhow — words frightful and ominous but surely not so surprising: I’ve gone mad.
Please, though, dear brother, do not alarmed. I have taken up residence in a rehabilitative hospital, and while I’m unsure of my complete state of mental health, I do know that it consists of at least a few less dark thoughts, and that this environment is more conducive to stability than my previous dwelling – the dwelling cohabited by the source of this madness, the monster whose name arouses in me sentiments unmatched by Satan himself, the man who single-handedly rendered to an abyss a once-vivacious mind: Paul Gauguin.
Surely, you know of his character. An arrogant, domineering man, he has all but eradicated any previously-held desire to work in harmony with him. But despite his distasteful disposition, I was able to bear him, I was able to put up with him – that is, until one night about a week ago. We were drinking absinthe (a vile liquid I might add) in my den, when he had the nerve to tell me, “Vincent, you might as well give up your art while still young. Your technique and flair is about as primitive as that of a 10 year old.” In a fit of rage I threw my bottle at him, aiming for, but ultimately missing, his inhuman forehead (Oh, Theo, how did I miss such a monstrous dwelling!).
I then proceeded to go to bed, but on the way, I noticed the unsightly mane that had recently made its home on my face, so I went into the bathroom to shave it off. But as I picked up the razor, a disembodied voice whispered to me terrible things – things that rattle my conscience and chill my already-weak bones – which I will not repeat, but rather paraphrase: it told me to use the deadly tool to end my enemy’s life. Thus my body, controlled by some unrestrained, unseen force, carried itself downstairs and outside to the garden, where it found its target hunched over, distracted, and vulnerable. But here a curious thing happened: I was able to gain control of my functions once again, and rather than carry out my possessed body’s original plan, I ran back inside, went once again into my original birthplace of insanity, and cut my ear off. I had to remove the source of the voice that told me to kill Gauguin.
I know I am not well, but I do hope you will soon visit me. Though your face might not make mine as bright as it usually does, I can assure you that it will nevertheless eradicate a few impurities in my soul. You do know how much more I care for you than I do for anyone else in this God-forsaken world.
But no matter what – no matter your face nor my new, “safe” home nor the advances of medicine nor my art nor anything else I once looked upon with joy or contentedness – I don’t think there is any hope for me. I’ve broken free from my depression before, but this time, I don’t think I’ll be able to escape this prison. Indeed, I’m sorry to say it, but I can’t help but feel like this sadness will last forever.
With utmost love, your brother
Vincent Van Gogh
Josh Sloan
Josh Sloan
Light, color and form are used in every piece of artwork, although the methods in which they are used vary, providing art with limitless possibilities. The two works that I chose are: Matchpoint by Kristen Bratsch and an untitled artwork by Josh Smith. While both pieces of art are comprised of various geometrical figures that have little to no relation to extant objects, they both still differ tremendously. The piece by Kristen Bratsch uses color to give the painting an additional vibrancy that the painting by Josh Smith lacks – being a black and white painting. Kristen Bratsch adroitly uses light and form together to give her painting a 3-dimensional perspective. Josh Smith uses light and form also, but to give his painting a flat 2-dimensional perspective. The use of color in Matchpoint groups different aspects of the painting together, implying a consistency in direction amongst cylinders of the same color. The use of color is seemingly arbitrary in Josh Smith’s work; the figures of the same color still lack a consistency in shape or direction. Consistency in form – cylinders of varying size- throughout the entire piece by Kristen Bratsch gives her painting a sense of deliberateness, while the inconsistent shapes that are portrayed in Josh Smith’s piece make you question what he actually intended his work to be. I believe that the consistency lends Kristen Bratsch legitimacy to her artwork, and the converse detracts from the potential appreciation one could have for the artwork. Due to the more random forms portrayed in Smith’s work, it leaves the painting open to further interpretation of what is being portrayed, although in Bratsche’s illustration, even though the forms seem to represent an abstract image, the lack of randomness restricts the creative interpretation that is replete in Smith’s work. The influence of these 3 imperative components of art – color, light and form – is evidenced through comparing these two paintings. Although, the substance –the figures- differs only slightly, the two pieces of art significantly differ; something only attributable to color, light and form.
“Exit the Ballets Russes” by Fernand Leger
“Taillade” by Joan Mitchell
Modern and contemporary art has taken shape through the 20th century. The constraints placed on paintings – such as the necessity for them to be of a scene, landscape, person or circumstance – were erased as a new, modern era of expression entered the artistic world. From this freedom came a form of applying emotions and feelings onto a canvas without distinct explanation or illustration. This led to the emergence of an array of works which have no limitations or boundaries; although different and diverse, these modern pieces have this free theology as their foundation. Fernand Leger’s “Exit the Ballets Russes” and Joan Mitchell’s “Taillade” depict this period with their vastly different works.
At first glance, the form of “Exit the Ballets Russes” is far more structured and defined in comparison to “Taillade.” The structure comes from the black outlining, and the clear distinction between colors. Because of this form, Leger’s piece would be categorized as Cubism. Whereas in “Taillade” there is no obvious structure, as the colors flow into one another, allowing the colors to overlap one another and join together. The structure of Leger’s piece portrays a mechanical and industrial feel to the work. The machines/objects make the painting look 3D, while looking at the actual paint, there appears to be little texture. “Taillade” lacks definite structure, giving a sense of uncertainty, with the interpretation left solely to the viewer. Even though the painting does not give a 3D effect, the actual paint on the canvas is textural, giving a literal feel to the painting.
The light and negative space used on each canvas is interesting, and either contains or frees the work. Mitchell’s “Taillade” has a more inconspicuous use of negative space, as it is uncertain as to what is canvas or the actual painting. This unperceivable aspect makes the beginning and end of the painting hard to define. It gives the impression that the painting could continue indefinitely. The two panels of which the painting are made up of, continues to establish this concept, as the idea that another can easily be added, seems to make sense. Leger’s “Exit the Ballets Russes” is different in the fact that the negative space is both discernable and intentional. This, along with the clear structure of the work makes the beginning and end of the work to be evident.
The colors of each painting are contrasting. “Exit the Ballets Russes” is composed of mainly primary colors; a prominence of blue, red and yellow. From those colors come the easily definable light green, brick red and black. The colors are clear, divided and specific. This leaves the viewer with an organized pattern, reinstating the distinguished structure. On the other hand the colors used in “Taillade” sweep across the color wheel, with no plainly pronounced colors, but there is rather an interaction between the colors taking place. They are overlapping and flowing into one another. This use of many colors, and their uncertainty rehashes the freedom of the painting, with the interpretation left up to each individual viewer.
The form, light and color used within Modern era paintings are all different. Each artist is left with complete freedom. There are no rules or expectations to be followed, but the canvas is full of endless opportunities. The artists can go in any direction they so desire. Modern Art truly defines the liberty in art through its no boundaries or constraints. Its work is a broad spectrum which has no beginning or end, no limits or rules; but rather the license to do whatever one wants.
Three Musicians by Pablo Picasso
Empire of Light ii by Rene Magritte
The 20th century art cannot be defined. This is because we live in a world that is constantly changing. Since art usually reflects society, we can expect that art is ever changing as well. Pablo Picasso and Rene Magritte, two amazing artists from this time period, differ greatly in their styles, even though their respective artwork is only 30 years apart.
The Three Musicians by Pablo Picasso is one of the most famous paintings of the 20th century. Completed in 1921, this painting embodies the Cubist style, specifically the Synthetic Cubist style. Cubism is an art movement that was created by Picasso himself and Georges Braque. In this type of art, artists break down the subjects they are painting into a number of facets, showing several different aspects of one object simultaneously. Synthetic Cubism, the late phase of the Cubism movement, is the use of more decorative geometric shapes, stenciling, collage and brighter colors. Instead of breaking down the subjects, artists created new structures. In Three Musicians, Picasso paints three figures, the Harlequin strumming the guitar, the Pierrot playing the clarinet, and the monk that holds the sheet music, in a box-like room. These three figures are made up of flat, abstract shapes. Even though this work is painted with oil on canvas, the sharp corners of the shapes suggest that Picasso cut out material and pasted it on the canvas, just like a collage. This work is overwhelmingly two-dimensional. Furthermore, Picasso dominantly uses warm colors but uses dark and bright colors to describe the figures. This painting is asymmetrical in balance; the brown floor extends much farther toward the left than the right. This suggests that the room is lopsided, but the figures in the painting are all-leveled and balance. In addition, it is hard to distinguish the musicians’ bodies, since they all seem to overlap one another. This also gives the impression of a cut-and-paste collage. Picasso utilizes shadowing when painting the dog, creating the dog with his head in the shadow. Overall, this painting gives out an energetic feeling with its use of abstract geometric shapes and distinct lines.
Contrasting with Picasso’s Three Musicians, Rene Magritte’s Empire of Light II, completed in 1950, is a painting that looks more ‘real’. It is an example of Magritte’s surrealistic style. This painting is focused on a street. Being the main source of light in the painting, the lamppost located in front of the buildings emits a bright light. There is also light illuminating from the windows of the buildings. Instead of using flat geometric shapes like Picasso, Magritte paints the scene in a three-dimensional world. When viewed in the museum, the painting looks like a photograph enlarged. However, upon taking a closer look at the painting, one can notice that the house is painted in an unusual situation. While the bottom half of the painting shows the street in the night, the top half of the painting is of a bright sky in broad daylight. This striking juxtaposition gives the painting a mysterious feeling. Like Picasso, Magritte contrasted with his colors; he used warm colors for the buildings on the street and then contrasts that with the bright blue sky. However, both parts of the painting are painted realistically. Even though there are no humans or animals in the painting, movement is evident; the floating clouds in the sky evoke motion.
Tom Wesselmann’s Great American Nude 2 (1961)
Roy Lichtenstein’s Girl With Ball (1961)
During the early 1960s, the pop art movement had started taking shape. Artists Tom Wesselmann and Roy Lichtenstein explored the human form and way of life through their works. The pop art movement originated in England during the early 1950s and emerged in America towards the late 1950s. The popular culture displayed within pop art is cartoonish and produced many well-known artists such as Andy Warhol and Peter Phillips. The era was tinged with funky artwork and playful pieces. Tom Wesselmann’s Great American Nude Number 2 and Roy Lichtenstein’s Girl With Ball, both created in 1961, explore women’s figures and sexuality.
Tom Wesselmann’s Great American Nude Number 2 is a work with harsh colors, hyper realistic patterns, and minimalistic features that makes a statement about women in general. The woman lying on the bed lacks facial features and any definition besides the features that indicate that she is a woman. The lack of depth paralleled by the hyper-realistic view outside the window implies that the woman is two dimensional and useless beyond her femininity. The room is filled with primary colors, from the blue bed, the red sheets and walls, to the shocking yellow hair of the woman. The bold colors contrast the muted pink of the woman, also a representative of her womanhood. The lack of light induced shadow creates an illusion of a two-dimensional world inside the bedroom, which can be contrasted to the world outside the window. The painting seems to imply that women should not be viewed as the center of anyone’s world since there is an adventure waiting just outside their window.
Roy Lichtenstein’s Girl With Ball, like Wesselmann’s work, seems to be very cartoonish. Unlike the previous work, the woman has a defined face and figure. She is clothed, but she seems to be on the beach. The intense, vibrant colors, consisting again of primary colors, aren’t shaded or shadowed which gives the painting the cartoon-like feeling. The woman is catching a ball, but she is in such an unnatural position that she looks just as plastic as the beach ball she is playing with. The unnatural position she’s in paired with the odd expression she holds resembles that of a doll. The message is similar in this painting: women have become so sexualized that they are no longer anything greater than their womanhood and femininity.
Both paintings explore the depth of the female form and sexuality through the use of brash colors and physical features, or lack thereof. The lack of shadow creates a cartoonish vibe, reminiscent of the pop age of which the paintings were created. They use facelessness and plasticity to represent the way in which women have become overly sexualized. The depth of the paintings, despite initially seeming extremely shallow, extends far beyond simple lines and primary colors.
The Funeral of the Anarchist Galli (1911) by Carlo Carrà
Still Life with Old Shoe (1937) by Joan Miró
Carlo Carrà, a leading figure of the futurist movement, and Joan Miró, a surrealist artist, are remarkably similar artists in that each utilizes dark shades, lack of bright light, and intense exclusive colors to convey the emotions or meaning of the subject in their respective paintings. Although the works of art, The Funeral of the Anarchist Galli and Still Life with Old Shoe, created by Carrà and Miró respectively, were made almost three decades apart, each painting depicts a grim scenery with the help of expressive color choices.
The painting The Funeral of the Anarchist Galli by Carlo Carrà was painted in 1911 in Italy. As a leader of the futurist artistic movement, Carrà created works of art centered on concepts of the future, one of them including violence. The subject of this piece of artwork, as the title suggests, is the funeral procession of the Italian anarchist Angelo Galli. Police in fear that the event would become a political protest barred anarchist mourners from entering the cemetery. Thus a chaotic clash ensued between police forces and anarchists. Carrà illustrates the tension and hatred apparent in the scene. The shades and hues of the color red convey the feelings of aggression and act of war apparent in this scuffle between police and anarchists. The artist relies on dark shadows, the dark color of the black anarchist flag, and lack of bright colors to express the idea of death and the danger in the violent gathering.
Although the subject matter of Joan Miró’s painting, Still Life with Old Shoe, differs from the clearly gruesome nature of Carrà’s art, the two artists each employ specific colors and dark shadows to embody a sorrowful message. During his stay in Paris in 1937, in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, Miró created this particular still life of a table with an old shoe. As it is understood, in this painting Miró expresses his anguish over the war-ridden situation in his homeland of Spain. The artist detailed the rise of evil in Spain through the use of the color green, which often exudes a sinister feeling. This inclusion of different shades and tints of green as well as the use of black and lack of light further portrays the declining and monstrous nature of Miró’s Spain. The color is acidic, highly saturated, and, in correlation with the other colors such as muted red, yellow, blue, and brown, somewhat dissonant.
As the futurist movement influenced the surrealist artistic movement, Carlo Carrà and Joan Miró produced similar emotional, oil on canvas, art pieces. Despite the fact the paintings were produced 26 years apart, each artist uses specific colors to portray tension and war, as in the red used in The Funeral of the Anarchist Galli, and as in the green used in Still Life with Old Shoe.
Edvard Munch’s The Scream, is arguably one of the world’s most famous pieces of art. It appears in multiple forms of media, and while not many people know of the work itself, they have seen a form of it somewhere. The scream itself is representative of Munch’s attitude toward a single moment of his life. As he walked along a path and saw the sun setting in such a perfect manor, it for some reason gave him the urge to scream. The work itself consists of one clear figure in the foreground, with a series of swirls and flares in the background. It’s unclear where the sky meets the water, and yet you can clearly tell what is what. It’s almost as if Munch created a perfect balance between abstract and realism.
In comparison to Munch’s The Scream, we have Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night. This is another example of mixing abstract with realism. We can clearly tell what is the sky, what is a mountain, and what is a building, and yet all of these finite objects seem to mix and swirl into one another in a sense where they all seem somewhat connected. To contrast the two works, here in The Starry Night, we see a more dominant use of deep blues and greens; darker colors, while there are warm accents of yellow and orange mixed in. While looking at The Scream, the flaming orange background clearly dominates the work, almost to make it just as predominant as the main figure standing in the dead center of the piece. There are also accents of cool blues and darker pastels running through out the piece, yet none as dominant as the bursting sky in the background.
The two works The Scream and The Starry Night share very similar features, in that they both use a combination of both realism and abstract. Where in both works, there is no trouble seeing what objects are within them, the boundaries of these objects can be argued. What is sky, what is water, what is a person, what is a building, what is a mountain? All of these questions are easily answerable, however these objects flow into one another in a sense where you begin to doubt yourself.
