Author Archives: zachyadler

What We Learned from the War In Iraq

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The war in Iraq has torn this country apart, and the source of this elongated war may have just been resolved; the issue? A couple of old ornamental dishes belonging to the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.  The Iraqi mission at the United Nations heard of the plates and after hearing of the existing dishes claimed that the plates were taken illegally out of Iraq and they must return to its country.

Creative Time, a public art institution that “helps contemporary artists realize their weirdest and wildest dreams, turning entire buildings into musical instruments or creating signs for Coney Island merchants”, bought the dishes. They were bought for artist Michael Rakowitz, who used the dishware for his fine-dining performance piece, “Spoils.” The artist created this dish with a venison-and-date-syrup entree that guests could be perceived as loot from an unnecessary war or the culinary trophy for crushing a foreign dictatorship.

After reading this article, my first thought was, “Really? This is what you’re going to fight for? The silverware remains of your old dictator?” I then answered myself by reasoning that these dishes were now considered art! (Yes, I am going to be tackling the age-old question of what is art). I am not arguing the validity of the artist quality of “Spoils” by Rakowitz, as I have already stated in a previous blog post (“Edible Art”) that there should be no reason why food can not take on the form of art, especially here, where it is created with a meaning. The question then is, what is up with the dishes?

Taking the dishes away from “Spoils”, are we still considering the dishes art? My answer? Why not!. If we have learned anything in our class, it’s that art can take on many different purposes and mediums.  What one may consider art, the other may consider rubbish. Sometimes art doesn’t have to be a painting, sculpture, or a canvas with nice polka dots; it can sometimes just reflect history. This idea that art can sometimes just be art for its reminder of history, hit me when I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Egyptian exhibit. The exhibit itself felt like it was there to take me back in time, to show us a period that once was. Nothing that was on display was made for art. It was all either made to record history and tradition, or, the objects on display were part of the lives of the Egyptian people. Some objects that I saw were utensils, vases, pottery, and other daily objects. What was history is now art.

If we are supposed to appreciate the lives of the Egypt that once was, why shouldn’t the Iraq of the past be recorded as history. This history could then be translated as art. The tyranny of Saddam Hussein was a dark time period for the Iraqi people. Although I’m sure people would want to forget the horrible times, there is still a need to preserve a country’s history. History is not to be looked down upon but rather be looked at for guidance, as to learn from our mistakes. Art then takes upon itself this heavy burden of encompassing all that we are. Art, now as history, has the ability to show the beauty in the world we live in, no matter how one interprets our world.

 

The Snobs of Brooklyn

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Even without our Macaulay ID, as New Yorkers, we have free access to one of the biggest museums, the borough of Brooklyn. As a New Yorker I sometimes realize that I am jaded to have access to some of the greatest art outlets in the world. It is sometimes a good idea to step back and realize though that art didn’t originate in museums, but rather it originates from everyday (talented) people. Yes, there is great art found in the MoMA, and the MET, but what about on the streets?

Jaime Rojo and Steven Harrington has taken this idea of street art, although I wish there was a classier name for it, and has compiled a video showcasing the art pieces that are seen every day, whether one is passing it on the train or just walking to get a slice of pizza. This street art genre, if you will, can be added to that never ending question in class of  “what is art”. For me personally, this is art. The technique on some of the morals is incredible! If one would give me a can of spray paint or a bucket of paint, you would be lucky enough if I could write my name out clearly rather than it look like a combination of squiggly lines. Not only is there technique, but there is a thinking process to many of the art pieces. They aren’t just doodles; they require time to think what the piece should look like and how it can be connected with other works surrounding it.

The video itself has a touch of artistic genius inspired by the streets of Brooklyn itself. The soundtrack of the video is made up of sounds heard in Brooklyn and then mixed by electro duo Javelin.

Step back from being the art snob that would only look at the trendiest style and newest exhibit in the MoMA, and appreciate the art that surrounds you. Watching the video above might help you to realize the truly cultural and artistic land that you live, and to not just shrug off the next mural you see on the side of the street as some deadbeat with extra time on his hands.

It’s Enough!!!

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Steve Jobs would be very happy, but what about Da Vinci? The technological world is quickly taking over our day-to-day lives, whether an app helps deter one from procrastinating, or an app that supplies recipes for dinner, if there is a need, there is probably an app for that. The app world has slowly been creeping up in our world, and now it is affecting our arts

As we grow in our technological world, things are expected to go digital; but can we please draw the line at digitizing the arts? On my iPhone, I have an app called “Louvre”, and as one would expect, the app displays many of the paintings on display at the Louvre. On the side of a selected painting, the viewer has the option of reading “About the work”, “Technical information”, and “Location”. This particular app was free, but the recent price of digital art has spiked. Artists including Damien Hirst, Isaac Julien, Shepard Fairey and Wim Wenders have recently created limited edition digital works for a web platform, with Prices ranging from £5 to £500. The capability to now globalize some of the greatest artworks, both old and new, faces possible art enthusiasts with an interesting dilemma. Can we substitute the real masterpiece with a pixelated version delivered directly to the palm of our hands?

Yes, technology does make it simple to view the art, but what about appreciating the art? There is definitely a different experience when viewing and contemplating a piece of art when the piece is in front of you rather than from a computer screen. We can speculate this dilemma through our class’s own personal experiences. When we looked at a painting of Franz Halls in class, I saw the painting as just a picture that was in front of me; there was no excitement or feeling of being in the presence of greatness. Though my sentiment immediately changed when we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and I saw the painting in front of my eyes. Just by being in front of the painting I was able to see how each brush stroke worked, and I suddenly had the ability to appreciate the tiny details that the digital copy could not accomplish. Even if the digital picture could see the intricate details, the ability to admire the minor discrepancies and then to step back and see the picture as a whole elevates the painting to a different level that cannot be accomplished in some app or Google image.

Science has even decided that the real artwork is the only real way of experiencing art. In the book Blink, a study is referenced, in which people were able to determine that a certain statue was fake based on just a first glance, even though scientific research was thought to have proven otherwise. This study can then be applied here, where our brain can tell that the artwork is not the real thing when looking at it online, but when viewing the real piece, a true sense of excitement should take over a person. As an example of the excitement we feel when seeing the real thing, when a person has a certain role model, one can look at pictures of him/her endlessly, but when offered a chance to speak to the role model, a person would probably freeze up in awe of standing in front of the person he/she has dreamed about for so long.

Technology has brought with itself, both up and downs. Now, many people who have thought that they would never be able to see the Mona Lisa are as close to it as just downloading an app. People can now appreciate and have knowledge of great works of art; but the true appreciation, I think, cannot be accomplished until seeing the piece in front of you. The digital age has allowed us to broaden our knowledge of the arts, but we have to remember that the art itself is awe-inspiring. My parting message to all of you reading this, is to go out there and take advantage of the opportunity you have to see the arts for what it is, inside the museums; for it is only a train ride away.

The Original Anime

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Although not a bedtime story to put one to sleep, the stories of the recurated  “Storytelling in Japanese Art” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will keep one ensnared with the captivating tales of Japanese history and culture. Starting February 8th, the Met will be reintroducing this exhibit that through text panels, captions and diagrams, reveals the narrative side of Japanese art with acute clarity. What’s so different about this show, is that it is normally a permanent exhibit in the museum, though now it will have a temporary show filled with temporary loans, which makes this exhibit filled with more stories than ever before to be told.

The main showing in the exhibit is the emaki, or scrolls, which focus on human drama and stories rather than a scene or just an individual person. These scrolls were used as almost films to tell stories, not necessarily relating to reality. The scrolls could include stories about dragons, spirits, the afterlife, and the casual trip to hell and back. The stories were very important to Japanese culture and its relationship with the spiritual world.  The main goal of this exhibit is to follow the different narratives and its genres and style.

It is interesting to note the different uses of art used by different ancient cultures. Whereas we have the Japanese focusing on stories and traditions, one could see the Islam, I’m sorry, the “The Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia” exhibit focusing more on reality and the story of what actually happened both socially and culturally. Both these cultures had the similar capabilities to paint a message on their chosen medium, but each one chose their own path. We can then point out the different ideals that were important to each culture.

The idea that we are looking back on different people and trying to understand there lives through their art is kind of scary. If we are looking so deeply into the stories of older cultures, then I don’t want to fathom what people would think of us when they look back at our movies and then ask themselves what they think we valued in our lifetime.

 

“99 Problems” and None of Them in Concert with the 99%

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Everyone can calm down now. We have found the art that Occupy Wall street has been waiting for. The protest joining the young together has finally (inadvertently) found its source of artistic inspiration. Who is this Muse? None other than the man Shawn Corey Carter, AKA Jay-Z.

Daniel Edwards has recently revealed a sculpture that is causing quite some controversy with the music mogul. The statue, pictured above, depicts Jaz-Z as the base of many other smaller (fictional) figures, such as Scrooge McDuck, stacked above him.  This sculpture is meant to depict Jay-Z as one who is only looking out for himself and his pocket. This art piece is in response to Jay-Z attempt at making a quick buck by selling t-shirts with the words “Occupy All Streets” for a whopping $22-with no benefits going towards the Occupy Wall Street movement.

 

The statue is a critique of Jay-Z as usually a man who likes to think of himself as someone from the block, as the average Joe.; instead of helping the average Joe, Jay-Z decided instead to sell a product and take advantage of the movement that is looking out for the public rather than one’s private bank account.

One could take the side that these shirts are helping promote the cause, so it can’t be so bad. What do you think?

Although this sculpture may  not be “Born In the USA” we have finally seen some sort of effect that Occupy Wall Street had on the arts. The arts have done its job by protecting the people and their integrity for what they stand for. They aren’t the 1% that could afford a $22 t-shirt, but if that same shirt was selling for $4.99 at Target, with Jay-Z still receiving the profit, would there still have been an outcry?

Occupy the Arts!

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Strip away the crazy videos that FOX news posts on their YouTube channel, and search for the true causes behind the powerhouse that is Occupy Wall Street and one can find true organizations fighting for equality and the rights of the 99%. It is not just about the free handouts and jobs that people want, it is also about what has been promised and what has been actually done, or lack there of. One of the organizations that make up Occupy Wall Street is Picture The Homeless.

It was with great interest that I attended an event run by The Queens College Center for Ethnic, Racial and Religious Understanding led by Macaulay Honors student, Dasi Fruchter, where the focus was on those without a voice and their need to be heard. From the organization Picture The Homeless, two members, both homeless, spoke to a room filled with Queens College students, explaining the issues of poverty and homelessness and why it is so difficult for people to find homes once put into the “system”. The amount of injustice that occurs without being reported or noticed because of the overlapping between government and personal interest is repulsive; if it was not for this one event I would still remain clueless. I can not stress enough the importance of all the information that was shared with us and how important it is for everyone to know, but Carlsky has already beaten me to the punch, as seen by his blog post below. Therefore I would like to focus on how organizations, like Picture The Homeless, and others at OWS, will affect art.

Art and its expression constantly vary from time to time, because of the many different influences that change over the course of history. In the 18th century Romanticism was born in response against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment and a reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature. Romanticism, much similar to the discontent against Wall Street today, formed against the corruption of the upper class and the injustices that occurred to the larger lower classes. I would not be surprised then that if soon enough we will see an outpouring of art because of the buildup of frustration at OWS. Although I am not expecting a new type of art form, I am expecting lots of modern art to be influenced by Occupy Wall Street.

I would not be surprised that if one day while walking through a museum I would come across a piece of modern art that would be a collage of all the picture sweeping the internet of everyday people covering their faces with letters of grievance claiming to be part of the 99%. If you want, you can see examples of these pictures at the Occupy Wall Street TUMBLR site.

As I have mentioned in a previous post, “New Art or Old Art…It’s All The Same”, as of now we do not see the outpouring of Occupy Wall Street, but rather a lifeline to the past. We see that people are relying on music and art of the past, primarily showcasing dissent against the war in Vietnam, to represent their own feelings on modern issues. Some people may view this as an issue, that our generation is not living up to the standards of previous protests and its effect on art. As for I, this seems to be a non-issue. Is it not the point of artists to produce art that outlives their own lives? Art is supposed to find meaning for the people that search for it. If this is the case, then any art should be applicable to todays protest as long as someone finds meaning to it.

As a question that is constantly brought up in class, “where do we draw the line?”, this line can be questioned even further with the outcries from Occupy Wall Street. One can claim that all the protests and different expressions of discontent can be classified as art itself. Art is art as long as someone says that it is art. Should we then claim that all of the forms of discontent should be considered some form of performance art?

With many different organizations gathering with so many different purposes in the same tight spaces for one goal, to be heard, it is hard to deny the greater effect Occupy Wall Street will have on our culture. While I hope that the people of Picture The Homeless attain their goal of ending the selfish amoral system of “helping” the poor, our ideology as a people will never be the same. With so much affecting so many nationally, it is without a question that people will be able to find new and creative (and artistic) ways of expressing their discontent with the way that the government plays with its people. History finds a way to repeats itself. Whether we have common grievances with our government similar to the time of the Romanticists, or we use art of the past to represent the discontent of the present, some form of expression will be adopted by the minds of today to fully express the emotions that can not be contained to sitting behind a TV watching some reported tell you what is wrong and right

New Art or Old Art…It’s All The Same

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This Photo does not belong to me, though it can be found at http://www.nyc-arts.org/events/6682/joie-de-vivre

It is said that a classic is a piece of work that transcends time. A classic affects and belong to all generations, as many people relate and find meaning in an art piece that pre-dates themselves. With the ongoing outpouring of discontent with the economic situation currently in the U.S., the young, old and in between have gathered in Zucotti Park to “Occupy Wall Street”.

In the center of all the cries of economic woes, lies a sculpture that was made almost 50 years ago for a different protest. Mark Di Suvero’s ” has become the center of attention in Zucotti Park, as people use this sculpture to capture the attention of the crowd and to speak to the masses. This sculpture’s original intention was to symbolize the artist’s anti-war sentiment during the Vietnam War. Just like the protests of the Vietnam War, the “Occupy Wall Street” protest founded its roots in the grievances of the youth.

Recently, “Joie de Vivre,” has been barricaded because of the protestors that use it as a platform. In response to this barrier, protesters have reached out to the artist to allow his artwork to be liberated for use of the “Occupy Wall Street” cause.

Although it would seem that no great art has yet to emerge from “Occupy Wall Street”, maybe it is not needed. Art is meant to transgress the chains of time and space, and to find meaning in all generations. People still watch Operas and concertos from centuries ago and yet they still find entertainment and meaning in it. Maybe it isn’t so strange then, that we find the people of “Occupy Wall Street” using music and art from before they were born to help the cause they are fighting for. The opportunity that Mark Di Suvero is being poised with is one I would think most artists dream of. Instead of his sculpture being a thing of the past, it will now be able to effect today’s generation and have a possible ripple effect on the generation of tomorrow.

 

If anyone is gong to Zucotti Park anytime soon, I recommend looking out for the sculpture that has surpassed time.

A Revisited Experience

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These images do not belong to me, they can be found on their respective wikipedia page.

There is a change coming; and some people may even notice the resemblance between the revisions taking place in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts. This change is not so distant from most of us, as we have seen the exhibit that is being replaced. It is not that long ago that all of us traveled to the Met to see the artwork of the Dutch Master Frans Hals. An earlier Italian artist, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, with eerily similar art pieces, will soon replace the Hals exhibit.

Which we thought was so unique to Hals, his focus on the everyday mundane life, may not have been so idiosyncratic.  Caravaggio is actually a predecessor to Hals. Even though they have never met or have been in the same country at the same time, there should be some level of influence traced back to Caravaggio. This influence can be rooted to one of Carravagio’s followers and imitators, Gerrit van Honthorst, who actually traveled through the Netherlands, spreading the mastery of his teacher.

The similarities between the two masters can be easily found in Hal’s ‘Boy With a Lute’ and Caravaggio’s ‘Boy Bitten by a Lizard’. Both frames capture a moment in time, where all the action seems to have stood still. Just by looking at the two paintings one can notice even a similarity in the positioning of the boys in the two paintings. Sometimes by just staring at the paintings one can notice similarities without ever pinpointing the exact likeness. The biggest difference that I could see between the two paintings is the way the paint was actually used. When looking at Hals’s piece, there is a much more exaggerated and uneven use of the paint, where as Caravaggio’s paintings have a much more even and smooth look to them.

The Metropolitan Museum of Arts is giving us an interesting opportunity. In the same place where most of us were introduced to the works of Hals, we can go and see in the same exact spot, the works of Caravaggio. Maybe the Met had the thought of arranging it like so; so that the museumgoers can compare and contrast the works of two masters that never met. If anyone would like to point out more similarities and difference please comment below.

 

The full article on this idea can be read here.

Edible Art

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This photo does not belong to me, i found the picture at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_curry

How many times have you watched a television show on the Food Network, and have said to yourself “How can someone eat that? It looks like an art masterpiece!” Well soon enough, food will actually be a part of the artwork at a new exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. Rirkrit Tiravanija’s “Untitled (Free/Still)” as of November 17th will be installed as an exhibit on the second floor of MoMA. This exhibit was originally titled “Untitled (Free)”, where as the gallery’s back office to the display space was moved in front, so the public could see how a dealer works. He then furnished the emptied office with a temporary kitchen — a refrigerator, cooking utensils, tables and chairs — and cooked Thai curry, giving it free to anyone who wanted it.

This exhibit will help absorb the art enthusiast into the art piece as more than just a viewer; but gives the art enthusiast the ability to taste the art, literally. People have always had a connection to food; we eat when we are happy, and we eat it when we are sad. Most celebrations usually result in some sort of feast commemorating the great evens that have passed. It is no surprise then, that such a medium, that surrounds everybody’s life, should be elevated to an expression of beauty captured in art. This art experience can be one of the few times that three of the five senses, taste, smell and sight, can all be satiated from the same masterpiece. I hope to go see this unique exhibit when it opens November 17th, if anyone would like to join me please let me know, just remember to bring a bib.

 

 

A Lunch Date with Brahms

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A view of the orchestra from my seat.

As a student, I have an option of spending around $40 on a concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or I can spend my lunch at a free Johannes Brahms concerto, hassle free. This past Thursday, I decided to take advantage of the Lefrak Concert Hall, as I sat in the Concert Hall with great expectation to be swept away with a splendid blend of cellos, violins, flutes, and other instruments. The heart of the performance was the Grand Piano, as the piece being played was Johannes Brahm’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-minor.

It was very interesting to listen to my second concerto, as the makeup of the concerto become more apparent after already witnessing one, and studying it in class.  Of the three motions, the second motion I found the most affinity to. The second motion was played adagio; the slow, almost quiet, moments, created an intimate feeling. The second motion definitely was emotional; there was at times an escalation in the music and then a return to the softness of the adagio, which brought out a certain fluctuation in emotion. A perfect accompaniment to the intended intimacy of the second motion was the perfect balance between the musing being loud and soft.

Throughout the performance there never seemed to have beeen a struggle for one instrument to outshine the others. Even the piano, the heart of this concerto, was played in the background to enrich the sound of the string instruments. At other times, the string instruments were played to accompany and enhance the sound of the piano.

The emotions felt throughout the concerto were only complemented by the powerful performance of the pianist. Instead of a stoic performance of just playing the proper keying at the proper time, the audience member were able to see the pianist throw his whole body into each key he struck, resonating the feeling meant for each note played.

Maybe its time for people to take advantage of what they have. Instead of making a trek all the way out to the city, maybe you can spend your lunch listening to some of the greatest classics right here on the Queens College campus.

Sand Art isn’t for Children Anymore

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In class last Tuesday, Professor Smaldone mentioned a certain Japanese Sand Artist. Professor Smaldone’s reference to that artist reminded me of a certain artist that I came across on YouTube. This artist, Kseniya Simonova, uses sand to create a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table. The video below shows how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II.  Her art transforms the images into a film-like performance that captures each audience member. She ensnares each audience member as one can see the emotion that Simonova injects into each image she creates.  Her energy intensifies with the story line of the story, as the crowd breaks down into tears viewing the emotional performance.
The piece below is extremely emotional and I recommend viewing it with the sound of the video.

 

A New Friend on the Block

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photo: Facebook/Sesame Street
Somewhere in New York City is the most famed street that both children and adults dream of.  This street is filled with a giant birds, an elephant, people, and even monsters found in trashcans. “Sesame Street” has been a source of education and influence for most children for the past 40 years. The show has always tried to educate children of not only numbers and letters, but also issues that are sometimes difficult to explain to young minds. For the first time, Sesame Street is introducing a new character, Lily, who comes from an impoverished family.  This character truly hits home with Elmo, whose mother just lost her job due to the recession. The main idea for the creation of the character was in order to teach children about poverty and hunger. The new addition to the classic show has great potential to inform children that are in this situation that they are not alone; as well as to teach children not to make fun of peers that may be in a similar situation as Lily and might have to go to the food pantry for food.

It is sometimes difficult to explain to children issues that may affect themselves, or people they may now.  “Sesame Street” has therefore attempted time and time again to transcend the simple children entertainment Muppets, to an art form suited for day-to-day learning experience for both children and adults.

It is sometimes the little people that are forgotten. We have to remember that it is the small children that are the most impressionable at such a young age. Even the adults can take a message from Lily; maybe  its our time to step in and teach the children about others and the difficulties they might be going through. We can place the first barrier that a children has to cross before thinking about bullying  someone that may be different than himself.

Watch “Sesame Street” on Sunday, Oct.9, at 5:00 pm, on PBS, to see Lily’s first steps on Sesame Street.

The Beauty of Language, or Lack Thereof

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A scene from the play “Invasion!” This photo belongs to the New York Times.

“The true genius shudders at incompleteness – and usually prefers silence to saying something which is not everything it should be.” –Edgar Allan Poe

Words sometimes appear as just letters rearranged in many different orders, while other times, they can have a powerful, unexpected, rippling effect.
Although ten years have passed since the notorious day of September 11, 2001, it is still hard to come up with the proper words when speaking about the horrors that affected our whole nation on that solemn day. No matter what one tries to conceive, as a proper reaction to the day, there will never be a word that can explain, truly, the emotions felt, even ten years down the line. Sometimes that awareness of helplessness is best just to be embraced. Richard Nelson’s “Sweet and Sad” tells the story of a small family gathering on September 11, 2011. The family meeting is met with moments of uncertainty, and dubious attempts at conversation, as the topic of the day is the event that happened ten years prior. The overlapping of personal family losses with the never-ending dismay of 9/11, steals the words of each family member. Not one person is able to thoroughly express himself, resulting in cumbersome conversations and outbursts of emotions that are then blanketed with the usual ho-hum banal riposte to the troubling topics. The play is filled with beautiful awkward moments that fills the gaps of incomplete thoughts, letting only the true emotions be expressed.  Although the words don’t last long, the feelings of 9/11 are forever.

The Second play, “Invasion!” written by Jonas Hassen Khemiri, showcases the multifaceted use that a word can attain, without ever being created for its use purpose. A word throughout the play attracted to itself many different meanings. To a group of high school students the word, Abulkasem, meant something that was awesome. Yet, we learn the name is also the name of an Osama-bin-Laden like terrorist. Throughout the play the words mutates into different meanings and proper uses.

I find it quite interesting how language can be found to be useful in its two extremes; both its omnipotent ability to take form to the meaning needed at the moment, and the impotency it contains for being just a random order of sketches called letters.  Sometimes language is able to encompass all, and fully explain what one is thinking, at other times, only the silence is one’s loudest voice. The contrast of these two new plays I think shows a beautiful balance in the way art can be expressed; two people can take the same medium of communication and use its polar opposite abilities to create works of art. Although everything may not be able to be fully  expressed, all is definitely understood.

If you want to see these two plays, you can find “Sweet and Sad” at the Public Theatre until Sunday, and “Invasion!” at the Flea Theatre through October 1st.

 

The full article can be read here.

 

The Evolution of Woman In Art

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Disclaimer: Although this blog post’s main idea is not located in New York City, I thought that the video would be something interesting for all to see.
Art from all over the world has had a cumulative influence on the artists of today. With New York being a haven for both established and up-and-coming artists, one must look back at the history and evolution of a common interest in art.
Artists have been able to capture the irresistible beauty that a woman possesses with the simple stroke of their brushes.  Styles, qualities, and subjective beauty has varied over the many years that the artist has been ensnared by the allure of woman.  A video, created by Phillip Scott Johnson, accurately titled “500 Years Of Female Portraits In Western Art”, was made in order to be able to easily trace the different representations of women throughout time.  Apart from the differing representations of women, one can note the evolution of the appreciated style of beauty of women over the past 800 years. The video starts from second half of the 12th century with the painting of “Archangel”, and concludes with “Portrait of Francoise” by Pablo Picasso.

To view the full article click here.

“500 Years Of Female Portraits In Western Art” can be viewed right below