Research Korner: Art Essay Samples

HALF-LENGTH FEMALE NUDE 1906

Pablo Picasso’s Half Length Female Nude               Pablo Picasso’s Half Length Female Nude is a classic portrayal of a nude woman in half length. As the name of the name of the painting implies, Picasso presented a crafty manifestation on how woman are viewed during his time. The image of the woman with her total physique and accentuated with her exposed breasts or bust, reserved face, and long, curly black hair make the artwork worth looking. Basing from Picasso’s chronological record of facts, it could be said that the woman subject is , the woman she met that served as a model for sculptors and artists in Paris (1904).             Primarily, the painting’s material is oil on canvass. As similar to other painters of his time, Picasso widely uses oil as it creates a distinct expressive and dramatic effect to the work, easier to maneuver, less yellowing characteristic as well as the medium allows longer preservation to the entire work. Obviously, the subject of the painting is all about a woman – her physique and what constitutes its entirety as presented partly. As stated, the woman subject is . It is said that most number of artworks done by Picasso during this period were inspired by the artist’s relationship to this woman. It also increased Picasso’s exposure to French painting.              Art is an artist’s individual interpretation of a subject. In reference to this principle, it could be said that this artwork is classified under realism. Realism is considered as the factual description of subjects as they appear in everyday life without exaggeration or elucidation. Picasso’s Half Length Female Nude exudes a realistic materialization of a woman’s body. Though, it is recognized that no art can be fully realistic in form. In this artwork, there is distortion in form and simplification of details. Picasso once complained to  about the people who thought that realism in painting should mirror their reality. "How, he asked, could these people prate of realism when they had never even begun to understand what goes on in a painting? That's what reality is" (, 1993, ). To Picasso, he is a door in the sense that he is an opening in a wall, and openings in walls are desirable in the way that paintings are desirable (, 1997). Thus, with realism, the truth is revealed.             With reference to what is clearly illustrated, this masterpiece falls under the theme of women and sexuality. The female gender is always evident among Picasso’s creative masterpieces. As such, his obsession to the opposite sex paved way to his realistic and artistically relevant works. This open-ended image set off a series of individual reverberations, enhanced by the viewer's own imagination and experience and also by his or her familiarity with Picasso's other works (, 1997). As translated to realism which is human, complex, and visibly impregnated with a feeling of social responsibility, this painting speaks a lot about certain contemporary issues on women.             In general, there are minimal visual elements present in this artwork. Color, shapes, lines, curves, and the subject itself are the most remarkable visual features. The most dominant visual element, however, is a woman’s figure – her bust area. Picasso’s Half Length Female Nude is similarly a picture of innocence and grace as his former works (. 1994). The prevailing figure of the undressed woman is set in an equally opaque, raw and plain setting and composed of mixtures of colors that can be deemed to belong into similar shades.             The design principles included in this work include line, shape, direction, texture, color, and value. The lines and shapes are predominantly seen in the subject itself – the woman’s bust area. Further, the texture is smooth as it signifies innocence and grace. The color is characterized to be earth tone or brownish in hue. The impact was increased by adding value to the colors – dark and light in proper balance. Woman as the main subject is interpreted in a socio-cultural point of view. This painting presents the unique physical qualities of the woman. Also, it somewhat signifies women empowerment. Issues on gender such as biases, discrimination, and equality have always existed ever since the early ages. Although perhaps, the movement for gender equality gradually evolved in the late 19th century and was fuelled by women movements in the 20th century; the mild, moderate and radical feminist groups mustered their organizing influence to slowly inflict change in the society. Picasso played his part in delivering the message. Through this painting, he depicts his attraction to women and also he put high regard and admiration to women and the human body as a whole. (1998) affirmed that “the female object seems to preexist on some level in the conscious or unconscious mind of the artist: painting savagely reveals the icon, elaborates and embroiders on it, with sometimes obsessive iterations, but the image was always already there, waiting for pictorial expression.” Meanwhile, the traditional characterizations of women are no longer up to the standards of current society and means of living. As likened to a fad, the old-fashioned descriptions towards women are obsolete and irrelevant especially to highly industrialized societies like the US and other western countries. The views about women during this generation are strongly influential and definitive to the concept of worldwide gender equality and eventual social acceptance. As recorded in the history, the ultimate battle of sexes – of the man over the woman, is already outdated and concluded. Such ancient views on women as the weaker sex and just bounded in the house as a wife and a mother per se are no longer propagated in several areas of human life. With this fact, the women in Pablo Picasso’s artworks are the symbolic representation of a more sophisticated and competitive person as seen in different fields of expertise like in economics and business, politics and governance, the corporate management, lifestyle and fashion, sports and amusement, and other relative specializations. Thus, this painting – Half Length Female Nude is very artistically, socially, culturally and relevant. Reference

HALF-LENGTH FEMALE NUDE 1906

Pablo Picasso’s Half Length Female Nude Pablo Picasso’s Half Length Female Nude is a classic portrayal of a nude woman...

Art Appreciation

The stark difference between Roman from Greek art                The major difference between Greek and Roman art and architecture was the purpose behind the design. Greek architecture was meant to be viewed as a piece of art that would give pleasure to the gods. This was obvious in the ornate exteriors of the buildings; in the pediments and metopes and the relative drabness of the interiors. The Greek designed buildings as a sculpture in a sense, with all of the beauty to be viewed from the outside. Roman architectural style turns this around (Hattendorf, 2007).  Although their buildings are beautiful on the outside, the inside is equally beautiful, with the many-colored walls and paintings, and a use of space concerned with the lighting of the room so that the interior decorations could be seen clearly.  Roman buildings were meant to be gathering places for the public e.g. the basilica was was built to be a gathering place for Romans citizens to hold meetings, an people also met in large civic buildings such as bathhouses and market places know as forums that were as aesthetically pleasing inside as out. She-Wolf (c. 500 BCE) Capitoline Wolf (Italian: Lupa Capitolina) is a 5th century BC Etruscan bronze statue, cast in the lower Tiber valley, located since Antiquity in Rome. Approximately life-size, it depicts a she-wolf suckling a pair of human twin infant boys, representing the legendary founders of the city of Rome, Romulus and Remus ( , 2002). The wolf is depicted in anxious, attentive pose, with vigilant ears and glaring eyes watching for danger. By contrast, the human twins - executed in a completely different style - are oblivious to their surrounding because of being absorbed by their suckling. In addition, the Capitoline Wolf is the best known example of Etruscan art, which conforms in general to that of the Mediterranean as a whole, as that of the Greeks to which the rest is usually traced. Indeed, there was a Mediterranean cultural region with variations in each region. This is the explanation of the cultural periods given that the Etruscans are exactly parallel to the Greeks. The most important detail is the end of Hellenistic Greece 31 BCE, and the end of the Etruscans 89 BCE. I. E., the dates upon which each were officially absorbed by the  ( 2002).               Moreover, it is a nice archaic wolf, with sharply articulated patterns like the tufted hair at its soldiers and the chain-like patterns around its chest and down its back. Its angularity contrasts with the classical smoothness and organic curving of the later Classical work, which began in the 5th century B.C., which by its very name suggests marks the high point of that time, the 'golden age', of ancient Greece. and it may be that its familiarity and the wonderful contrasting detail for the two infants feeding at it teats have made it all the more unforgettable. Nike of Samothrace () One of the most famous images of Nike is the Nike of Samothrace, better known as Winged Victory. Currently located in the Louvre in Paris, was created some time between 240 and 190 BCE, perhaps by Pythokritos of Rhodes. In 1863  found it in several pieces. It was common from the Classical period on to depict Nike in poses that evoke movement, running, or in flight. She also is commonly shown in the context of holding weapons, pouring libations on an altar, or decorating a trophy (1981). The winged goddess Nike (victory) was the daughter of the Titans, Pallas and Styx; her siblings included Zelos (rivalry), Kratos (strength), and Bia (force). After helping Zeus banish the Titans from Mt. Olympus, the supreme god honored Nike, and she then earned her title as the goddess of victory. The image of Nike is prominent throughout Greek art and was traditionally associated with victory in war, athletics, and even poetry contests. Her presence invoked a spirit of celebration and commemorated the arête (physical and moral excellence) of gods and men. Made of Parian marble, the Nike is an excellent example of the expressive, Hellenistic style. The lively drapery, twisting pose, and dramatic setting create a dynamic composition that has much in common with the art of Pergamon. Although the Nike’s arms and head are missing, a hand discovered in 1950 clearly shows that the goddess was not holding a victory wreath, her usual attribute. Lastly, Nike of Samothrace is a rare example of the mastery over the rigid materials and deep understanding of the world as expressed through aesthetic conventions and techniques. The winged goddess appears to be in a process of suspended animation as her outstretched wings labor gracefully to prevent the force of gravity from anchoring the heavy stone to the ground (2004). The twists and deep undercuts of the drapery conform faithfully to the nude body underneath and in the process, reveal the physical human presence they contain as is struggles to resist an invisible external force. The imaginary wind that shapes the drapery becomes a physical presence and an intricate part of the sculpture itself in a playful interdependence of physical and imagined entities.

Art Appreciation

The stark difference between Roman from Greek art The major difference between Greek and Roman art and architecture was th...

ENGLISH INTO ART

Defining the Canon In a broad point of view canon refers to an authoritative list or collection of literary heritage that includes wide range of fact and fiction. The keepers or authority when it comes to canon are the high cultured and most influential critics, scholars and literary authors (, 1995). The definition of  canon ultimately derives from the ancient Greek word kanna, which referred to useful types of reed, the straight stalk of marsh plants with firm stems. The related Greek term kanon metaphorically and metonymically extends that use to include straight rod, bar, or ruler, as well as rule, standard, and model. In architecture it acquired the meaning of the right measure and, in the arts, corrects proportion (, 1989). The latter sense was developed most explicitly in antiquity by the celebrated sculptor Polykleitos.  Canon is significant in the field of literature studies especially to language because it provides culture and national identity. Canonical texts also have been the basis of Standard English language (, 1984). Literary confers status, social, political, economic, aesthetic, none of which can easily be extricated from the others. Belonging to the canon is a guarantee of quality, and that guarantee of high aesthetic quality serves as a promise, a contract, that announces to the reader has to enjoy some aesthetic objects. Complex, difficult, privileged, the object before you has been winnowed by the sensitive few and the not-so-sensitive many, and it will repay your attention. You will receive pleasure; at least you're supposed to, and if you don't, well, perhaps there's something off with your apparatus." Such an announcement of status by the poem, painting, or building, sonata, or dance that has appeared ensconced within a canon serves a powerful separating purpose: it immediately stands forth, different, better, to be valued, loved, and enjoyed. It is the wheat winnowed from the mock, the exceptional survivor, and it has all the privileges of such survival (, 1973). Traditional Canon   Around the beginning of the first millennium, the discrimination between "ancient" and "modern," classic and contemporary, major and minor, authors was beginning to be formulated, and the first explicit distinction of a whole literary canon, as a collected body of texts, was made. In the first century A.D., Quintilian already counted Cicero among the antiqui, and in the second century,  coined the term classicus to differentiate the ancient model authors. In his celebrated study, European Literature and the Latin Middle Ages (, 1993).   The canon was implicit to be a complete list of books for study, such as those of Christian literature. The long history of the formation of the authoritative biblical  canon, not officially finalized until the sixteenth century, has been recounted elsewhere (, 1993). Of more relevance here is the subtle shift in definition: Without abandoning the sense of artistic or moral exemplars, the early medieval.    Canon became a list of works for pedagogical instruction in the liberal arts, and especially in grammar, the study of which involved literature as much as linguistic practice per se.The authors studied in medieval schools included pagan and Christian writers, both of which were taken as authorities. Indeed, it was characteristic of the early Middle Ages that all auctores, or curriculum authors, were perceived as equally valuable, that each one was believed to be timeless. Lists of selected auctores were devised as examples to learn from and to follow, and although the lists differ in points of detail and were periodically challenged, a remarkable degree of consistency is also evident, as certain authors reappear on list after list across Europe from the fifth to the thirteenth century and beyond. The great list  of English Literary canon should include: Aesop, Homer, Plato, Terence, Cicero, Virgil, Horace, Livy, Ovid, Seneca, Lucan, Statius, Cato, Juvenal, and Boethius (, 1999). As late as the fourteenth century, the esteem in which many of the same writers were held was confirmed in Dante's Inferno (, ll.88-90) and Purgatorio (, ll.97-108), as well as Chaucer's The House of Fame (.1460-1519).   Various debates about Literary Canon Even though there is no particular general list of authors who are "in" our culture's literary canon, and in this sense the literary canon differs from "the books of the Bible officially recognized by the Church" (66 books for Protestants, 82 books for Catholics), canonized authors are those writers who are most normally educated in literary surveys and who are generally included in literary anthologies ( , 1999). The variety of English literature" (but do predominantly white, middle- and  upper-middle class male authors represent variety? (, 1983) The authors being taught, and thus selected for the anthology, represent "the greatness . . . of English literature" (but how is "greatness" defined, and who is privileged to define it?);  that the anthology is a disinterested facilitator of what teachers want to teach "the product of more than a decade of experimentation" by editors "who then proceeded to test the book in their continued teaching" (but to what extent does the anthology actually create the course once the anthology is put into circulation as "a product"? Why has the literary canon consisted mainly of male writers (and here we should qualify, "of white, middle-class and upper middle-class male writers")? ·         What have been the standards by which the works of women (along with non-white males and the economically-disenfranchised) have been judged? ·         Can women, or minorities, or working-class writers be comfortably added to the canon? Does the conception of a literary canon change as such writers are introduced? ·         Does the existence of a literary canon serve any useful purpose? Does it provide the needs of women or other marginalized groups of people (minorities and homosexuals, for example?)? ·         To what extent does the notion of a literary canon create marginalization? ·         Is it inevitable that there be a literary canon, or does the attempt to canonize some writers and leave out others serve an often unrecognized political purpose? An effort to overcome the problems associated with tokenism and supplementation, some feminists have compiled anthologies of women writers. Designed to serve as a "core-curriculum" text for the many courses in literature by women that have been developed in the past decade, this collection includes examples of women's work in every genre and period (, 1989). Offering itself as separate but equal, it appears to some a ghetto for women's writing, excusing the "standard" anthologies for their neglect of women authors instead of challenging the assumptions that make the standard anthologies standard (, 1984). More importantly, perhaps, the creation of a new set of accepted and acceptable texts results and the bases for canonization remain unclear. English and Writer’s Sense of Personal and Cultural Identity English as canon is often questioned by the following points: why should the literary works in the English canon composed by non-standard varieties of English language? Does the perspectives of the writers personal and cultural identity has a great influence in these works?             Nowadays, the term “culture” has already become one of the most common words in all kinds of public discourse. It has been constantly heard from journalists and politicians, not to mention of academics especially those in all disciplines of Humanities. “Popular culture”, “research culture”, “mass culture” – there is almost no limit as to the applicability of the term in any context. If one looks at the subject of culture in a historical way, three things came out ( 1994). The first is that culture as a subject and as a social issue is definitely not the invention of this time. as a matter of fact, the farther we go to the eighteenth century, the more we find that culture, its nature and composition is the central issue in the field of Humanities. In addition, it was not really in the 1920s and the 1930s (period of modernism in the English speaking world) that culture became another word for “high art”. The second is that from the beginning of the argument of culture in the eighteenth century, there has been a debate regarding the relative status and merits of its parts. Even though as a general theory, the farther one goes back to the eighteenth century, the more broadly culture is defined, this does not really represent that anything goes. Lastly, the third is that culture has always been a burning issue in times of perceived change and conflict as it is in the moments of change that is has already become relevant to ponder on what is good and worth preserving in a society, what is essentially meaningful to its experience and its civilization. The definition of culture even up to this date continues to be debated by anthropologists and other scholars. In one concept,  (1994) defines culture as “the system of understanding characteristics of that individual’s society or of some subgroup within that society” which includes “values, beliefs, notions about acceptable and unacceptable behavior and other socially constructed ideas that members of the society are taught as ‘true’” (p. 51). The members of cultures go about their daily lives within shared webs of meaning ( 1973). Upon associating the two definitions provided by , one can assess culture as invisible webs composed of values, beliefs, ideas about appropriate behavior and socially constructed truths.             According to  (1996) and  (1983), an individual’s own culture is most of the time invisible to the individual himself or herself. However, it should be noted that they are the circumstances within which people operate and make sense of the world. As individuals come across a culture which is different from their own culture, one of the issues that they face is a set of beliefs that marked themselves in behaviors that differ from their own. It is in this way that people often discuss regarding other people’s cultures and not so much on their own. It has been perceived that an individual’s own culture is usually hidden from them. People even describe it as “the way things are”. Nevertheless, one’s beliefs, ideas and actions are not any more natural or biologically predetermined than any other group’s beliefs, ideas and actions. They have simply emerged from the ways one’s own group has dealt with and deduced the particular circumstances that it has faced. As conditions change, so do cultures; hence, cultures are said to be dynamic.             However, individual cultural identity poses yet another layer of complexity. Even members of the same culture vary significantly in their beliefs and actions. All peoples have unique identities that have been developed within their specified cultures. However, these identities are not fixed or static. For this reason, stereotypes do not hold up since no two individuals from any culture are exactly alike. It should be noted that despite the fact that living inside a culture will allow its members to become acquainted with their total cultural heritage of that specified society, no individual actually internalizes the entire cultural heritage. As a matter of fact, it would actually be impossible for any individual to acquire a society’s entire cultural heritage since there are as you might expect complicated and conflicting values, beliefs and ideas within the specific heritage which is a result of the conditions and events that individuals and groups experience.                 References

ENGLISH INTO ART

Defining the Canon In a broad point of view canon refers to an authoritative list or collection of literary heritage that includes wide ...

Questions and Answers:Greek Drama

Questions and Answers: Greek Drama   Pity and Fear 1) We go to see movies and plays to entertain ourselves, to be able to appreciate or criticize art and the work of others, and somehow as our way of escaping the harshness of reality. Art functions for me as a way of expressing myself and exercising my freedom of expression. Yes, plays had a ritualistic function, for it is related to shamanism or animism, where shamans enter into a trance to be able to heal or exorcise spirits (2006). 2) Through tragedy, or the imitation of an action, which has serious implications, catharsis or purgation is being achieved, and this catharsis will be attained through a course of pity and fear (‘2006). 3) When one purges, then it means that he or she is trying to expel emotions from his or her emotional system (2006), and this can be option in relation to watching a tragic drama or play. 4) The play by Arthur Miller entitled “The Death of a Salesman” causes us to face certain ideas in avoiding fear, for the play discusses the reality being encountered as a common person ( 2003). Despite the problems being experienced in the society, one can never regret the existence of hope, which enables us to disregard the feeling of fear. With hope, we can have the edge of fighting fear caused by the harshness of reality. 5) Pity or the ability to sympathize with others, in the context of Aristotle, can be applied in the play Hamlet by Shakespeare with the situation of Hamlet. Hamlet has no choice but to obey the plans of the people around him, so with this, he resorts to suicidal depression and obsessive anger (2006). We can extend our pity to him because we are also subjected to this kind of situation that sometimes, we have to do what others plan for us, even if we do not agree to it.   Greek Drama 1 & 2) It has been reported that between 600 and 200 BC, the ancient Athenians created a theatre culture whose form, technique and terminology have lasted two millennia, and created plays that are still considered among the greatest works of world drama ( 2004). The drama or theatre in Ancient Greece developed from religious rites dating back to 1200 BC, wherein Greece was still inhabited by ‘primitive’ tribes. From this, a cult arose that venerated Dionysius, the god of fertility and procreation, and this cult, named the Cult of Dionysius, practices ritual celebrations, which may have included alcoholic intoxication, orgies, human and animal sacrifices, and hysterical rampages by women called maenads (2004). However, its most controversial practice involves uninhibited dancing and emotional displays that created an altered mental state known as ecstasis, which is related to the perception of theatre as a way of releasing powerful emotions through its ritual power (2004). 3) The term ‘orchestra’ means “dancing space” is a circular structure, where the chorus would dance, sing, and interact with other actors who were on the stage, and at its center is a thymele or altar for the worship of Dionysius. On the other hand, the term ‘theatron’ meaning “viewing place” is where the actor sat, and was usually part of hillside overlooking and wrapped around a large portion of the orchestra (‘2006). 4) The theatre attained its greatest height in the 5th century BC, for Pericles promoted and favored it with a series of practical and economic measures, and maintained the tradition according to which theater pieces served the moral and intellectual education of the people (‘2006). This represents the growth of democracy, for in the theater all audiences gather and unite for a single cause. Similarly, its process is the same with the concept of democracy, which aims to unite the people of Greece for a single cause. 5) The term chorus in ancient Greek drama originated from the singing of the dithyramb, or the hymn to the god Dionysius and became a true dramatic chorus when Thespis introduced the actor (2006), and was said to began as a part of a purely religious ceremony, lead off by the leader of a band of revelers, a group of dancers, dancing around an altar (2004). The chorus serves to accompany the actors with sounds, gestures, postures, costumes, and masks, to facilitate flowing actions and stage elements in bringing the play to life. It also serves to narrate, give opinions and keep the rhythm of the play (2006). 6) Since women were not allowed to participate in dramatic productions, male actors had to play their part, and for playing multiple roles, they had to use masks. Masks prevent the audience from identifying the face of any actor with one specific character in the play, and helped eliminate the physical absurdity of men mimicking women. The use of masks also enable the audience to identify the age, sex, and social ranks of the character they portray (2000).   7) In the play Antigone, Creon is a bad leader because he only uses his judgments in making decisions for his kingdom, and fails to listen to other opinions. He settles for what he believes, even if it is wrong, and because he was unable to undo his wrong deeds, his actions led to disaster and tragedy (2006). 8) Antigone’s character is complex, as she seems to change directions all throughout the play and is unpredictable. Her unpredictability makes her seem very hypocritical because she will say something and then turn on a dime and say the complete opposite. Her character is also heroic about her reasoning for attempting to bury her brother, and also shows her stubbornness (‘2004). Antigone knows that Creon is not strong enough to stand in her way, which shows that she is in total competence of the unlawfulness of her decision, and feels the law does not apply to her by challenging the king ( 2006).    9) Hamartia, a concept used by Aristotle to describe tragedy, a tragic flaw, or the fall of a noble man caused by some excess or mistake in behavior, not because of a willful violation of the god’s laws (2006). 10) Tragedies were designed to show the right and wrong paths in life, as were not simply plays with bad endings, but viewed as a form of ritual purification, Aristotle’s catharsis, which gives rise to pathos, or instructive suffering. They depict the life voyages of people who guided themselves or were guided by fate on their challenges in relation to society, life’s rules or simply fate (2004). 11) Medea was angered by Jason, for Jason left Medea, with the persuasion of King Creon to marry her daughter Glauce. Jason was said to have married Glauce, which caused Medea to kill her own two children by Jason. Fueled by a need for revenge, she sends Glauce a poisoned dress and crown that burn her to death, then Medea kills her two sons, namely Mermeros and Pheres, knowing it is the best way to hurt Jason (‘2006). 12) The purpose or essence of satire is aggression or criticism, and this is done because some things fall short of some standard, which the critic desires that it should reach. Its corrective purpose is expressed through a critical mode, which mocks or attacks those conditions needing information in the opinion of the satirist (1990). The play Lysistrata addresses the contribution that women could make to society and to policy making, but cannot do so because men are ignoring their views. Moreover, it shows the hurdling of public funds building and withholding sex from their husbands to secure peace and end the Peloponnesian War (‘2006). This shows and addresses the inequality of men and women in the Athenian society during the period.   Tragedy 1) The tragedy of Athens challenged its society, as it was able to expose and criticize or make use of satirical plays in order to demand change from the society. One of the forms of these plays include Lysistrata, which addresses the contribution that women could make to society and to policy making, but cannot do so because of their social status (2006). With the use of tragedies, the flaws of society are being criticized and given emphasis to be able to effect change. 2) The contribution of Athenian tragedy to empathy for outsiders is that it was able to give new perspectives to the outsiders regarding the situation of Athens in terms of its politics, society and economics. From these new perspectives, outsiders will be able to criticize and even make some actions to make the citizens of Athens aware of their situation and able to make some changes. 3) Recognition is this context is the acknowledgement of reality, and this occurs when Oedipus’ blind hope meets fate and is destroyed, and until the climactic moment of recognition that precipitates the death of hope, Oedipus wholeheartedly believes that he will succeed. Blind hope submits to fate at the moment of recognition when Oedipus learns that he has been working against himself and that his ambition and faith have become his undoing ( 2005). This happens when Oedipus learned that he is destined to murder his father and sleep with his mother, so he fled Corinth in his blind hope to outsmart fate with his cleverness and foresight. However, he travels unintentionally back to his birthplace in Thebes, where he murders his birth father and marries his birth mother (2005). 4) Reversal in this context is making actions, which contradicts the events that are supposed to happen. In the story of Oedipus Rex, this occurs when Oedipus tries to escape his fate by running away from his adopted parents in Corinth, and using his foresight and intelligence, he will be able to get away from his fate of sleeping with his mother and killing his father. 5) Yes, recognition is present in Death of a Salesman, for recognition or personal discovery is a crucial element of tragedy. In the requiem of the play, Biff had a hint of personal recognition, although Willy, Linda, and Hap never discovered the truth about themselves, and Biff realizes Willy had the wrong dreams. In accommodating the truth about his father, Biff is able to make a decision about his own future based on a realistic view of his potentials (1995). 6) The tragic flaw of Willy is in failing to question whether his dream is valid, for he believes and puts emphasis on the fact that being well liked will bring him to perfect success. This is not a dangerous dream; however, Willy adheres to this idea as if it is a lifesaver, refusing to give it up (2006). 7) It has been reported that Willy does not come to a full self-realization, and thus does not meet the definition of the tragic hero, for he is not of the noble stature, which is traditionally prerequisite of tragic heroes (2006). In essence, this play is not a pure tragedy in the classical sense, and Willy could be described as an anti-hero, for he lacks the nobility and high-mindedness expected of the traditionally distinguished tragic hero (2006). 8) Yes, catharsis is present in the play, such as the enactment of Willy’s suffering, fall, and partial enlightenment, which provokes a mixed response, and this mixed response is that anger and delight, indignation and sympathy, pity and fear, which is being described by Aristotle as catharsis (2003). Moreover, the tragic feeling is being evoked when we are in presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if needed, to secure one thing, which is his sense of personal dignity (2003).

Questions and Answers:Greek Drama

Questions and Answers: Greek Drama Pity and Fear 1) We go to see movies and plays to entertain ourselves, to be able to appreciat...

Art Appraising Essay

Shirin Neshat .Shirin Neshat uses images of a tree morphing with that of a woman. The tree/woman stands alone in a space surrounded by a wall. In the distance, a long parade of chanting figures approaches to pay tribute at the wall's edge. The work gives a deep sense of the poetry of grief and renewal (Lovejoy 2004). Shirin Neshat grew from an upper middle class family. She was from Qazvin, Iran but she moved to Los Angeles, California then to New York after finishing graduate school. Shirin Neshat’s work is about the various codes of Muslim societies and the complexity of opposites like man and woman.  She makes sure that stereotypes are prevented and her work shows the various forces that shape the image of Muslim women all over the world. Neshat‘s work are usually poetic, philosophical and complex kind of what she believes as intellectual abstraction. One work of Neshat was the rapture series wherein the main theme was women and their hands covered with handwriting. The Space Context and Locale for the rapture series is Iran where there is some maltreatment of women. The woman in that area has been given too much rules to follow as if it was engraved in the palm of their hands. Just like the other works of Neshat, it comprises of opposites. The white hand was complemented by the dark background.  As for Communities, the work is relevant to women who are abused. It is relevant to women who have fewer rights. As for the sub culture, the rapture series emphasizes the practices against Iranian women and the systems that degrade the value of women. The rapture also emphasizes the tradition of sub cultures within the country. Diego Rivera One of the principal artists in the Mexican mural movement, Diego Rivera helped initiate a national style based on socialist ideas and indigenous culture. Diego Rivera’s career was complicated by his involvement with the Communist Party, most painfully in his forced resignation from the directorship of the Academia de San Carlos. Nevertheless, Rivera achieved international fame as the greatest mural painter since Michelangelo. His work had a profound influence on muralists around the world. In Mexico, Rivera is regarded as perhaps the greatest artist in Mexican history (Roupp 1997). Diego Rivera was born in Guanajuato City in Mexico.  He came from a wealthy family. Diego Rivera’s work initially was influenced by cubism wherein his works were object broken up, analyzed, and re-assembled in an abstract form.  In later years he shifted into art that consist of simple forms and large patches of vivid colors or what was better known as Post-Impressionism. Rivera’s work gave him various accolades and immense popularity. One work of Rivera was El Vendedor De Alcatraces. The Space Context and Locale for El Vendedor De Alcatraces is not clear since it only shows a man carrying in his back a large bundle of lilies.  Behind the man and the lilies are a dark background and a set of feet underneath the lilies.  The community for the El Vendedor De Alcatraces includes vendors and those oppressed. As for the sub culture El Vendedor De Alcatraces emphasizes the oppression of vendors by those who are powerful individuals. Powerful individuals were shown through a set of large feet behind the vendor. The set of large feet seems to be observing the vendor. Jenny Holzer With her so-called Truisms Holzer wished to catch people's attention while they were waiting for the last train or at the moment they were grabbing their luggage in the transit zone of the airport to rush out into the metropolis. Jenny Holzer is among the artists who has continued and renewed the avant-garde tradition of what was once a heretical assimilation of elements from the entertainment industry and popular culture into the system of fine arts (Madsen & Plunz 2002). Jenny Holzer was from Gallipolis, Ohio. Holzer was an abstract artist, before she shifted her attention to working with text as an art form. Her work gave her a considerable popularity and a minimal sense of belongingness.  Holzer’s art is illustrated below. It’s Space Context and Locale is not clear. It composes of a dark background and combines abstract elements.  The community for her work is those who are unique but still want to convey a special message. As for the sub culture the art depicts how some messages can be both unique and appealing to all types of people. Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo knew very well the aesthetic and human value of her big eyes crowned by thick eyebrows joined in the middle like the wings of a bird in flight. Painting them dry or raining tears, she always represented them as fixed on the viewer, wide open and defiant. Her face was always serious and thoughtful. Rivera was the one who painted her smiling to commemorate the first anniversary of her death, and in a Mexicanist drawing he shows her as she used to appear before the others: smiling, playful, and vital (Madsen & Plunz 2002). Frida Kahlo was born in Coyoacan, Mexico City. Frida Kahlo had parents with an unhappy marriage. Frida was close to her father. Frida initially concentrated on making paintings of herself and the self paintings she made usually have portrayals of pain. Kahlo made use of bright colors as a way to show her influence by Mexican culture. Most of the time a Monkey was included in her works and Frida made sure that Monkeys were portrayed as tender and protective symbols. Aside from Monkeys Christian and Jewish themes were included in her creations. One of her works was a portrait of her smiling. The Space Context and Locale of her self portrait is in a small room. The background is yellowish. The theme is bright and some sense of joy can be seen in the theme of the portrait. The community for her work is strong willed women who wanted to make a difference and would fight for their ideals. As for the subculture, the portrait depicts someone who is showing a stance different from what is dictated by norms, traditions and cultures. The portrait shows Frida having high levels of confidence.   References Lovejoy, M 2004, Digital currents: Art in the electronic age, Routledge, New York.   Madsen, P & Plunz, R (eds.) 2002, The urban lifeworld, Routledge, London.   Roupp, H (ed.) 1997, Teaching world history: A resource book, M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, NY.   Tibol, R 1993, Frida Kahlo: An open life, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.

Art Appraising Essay

Shirin Neshat .Shirin Neshat uses images of a tree morphing with that of a woman. The tree/woman stands alone in a space surrounded by a...

Fashion Photography: the Stimulation of Desire by the Image Projected

Fashion Photography: the Stimulation of Desire by the Image Projected     The fashion photograph is not just any photograph, it bears little relation to the   news photograph or to the snapshot, for example; it has its own units and rules;   within photographic communication, it forms a specific language which no doubt   has its own lexicon and syntax, its own banned or approved ‘turns of phrase’.   - 1990 The Fashion System,     It is by the nature of people to be fascinated with the beauty they see around – may it be natural or inanimate. Though many people believe in the cliché “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, the universality of expression when it comes to beauty as a whole is uncontested. People will always rely on their personal judgment when it comes to defining and appreciating real beauty on its sense. This paper aims to discuss the extent of attractive presentation used in fashion photography to stimulate desire among individuals who see it. It will justify desire stimulation as an aim of fashion photography by presenting examples. Further, several examples are presented to support the claim.             Fashion photography is a specialty aspect of photography that caters to the artistic exposition of clothing and other fashion pieces. It is believed that fashion photography mastered its individual aesthetic characteristics in which the clothes and other fashions are taken into considerable angle and out of the extraordinary locations. According to  (1999), “Fashion photography is traditionally regarded as the lightweight end of photographic practice. Its close relationship to the economic imperatives of turnover makes the fashion photograph the transitory image par excellence.” As a primarily recognized fact, fashion photography is directed not only to artistic representation of clothes and fashion materials but also to the aim of persuading people and spectators to try, buy or purchase such products being endorsed and even the personality present as a subject in the photo itself. Further,  (1991), picture editor of The Guardian, affirmed in such related description that “fashion photography is like its models, nobody wants it for very long.”  believes that fashion photography is dynamic. The feeling of likeness the photograph brings in the eyes pf people who sees it changes. Thus, the relativity and duration of its effect is temporary. However, this belief was challenged by the fact presented by  (1990) that there are significant differences between how actual garments and representations of them are both produced and consumed. Since people originally wear clothing or fashion on our bodies, the description provided by  is said to be “reductive” (1999) or oversimplifying. The aspect of personal differences and individual characteristics in terms of physical traits and the appropriateness of such fashion items to people are overlooked. Fashion photography is always a dynamic area of camera work since it caters to a specified and more business-oriented side. The art presented by most ordinary photographers and visual artists is a bit diverse when compared to such kind of photography. However, the main aim in capturing the subject in the best and most artistic manner is the common denominator of every photographer who held their camera and focused their lenses. But the question is, why is desire stimulated by using attractive representations in fashion photography? The Aim of Fashion Photography   '...desire was stimulated by attractive presentation; for example, by using colours, exotic themes, lighting effects and phantasmagoria of abundance.'   -        2000,   Photographers, in general, aim to project the “art” out of the subject.  suggests that the invention of photography, far from setting its own standards for realism, merely fell into line with the dominant ideology laid down by painting. He added that photographs themselves try to depict an ape in a painterly style (1999). In fashion photography, the look of the subject as well as the fashion being endorsed is the main concern of the artist. In the process up to the publication of the material, the main goal is to attract people by using the taken photos. The most often media where the art of fashion photography is showcased is advertising and print (such as magazines and newspapers). Today, it is too evident in the daily encounters of people in various publications to see photographs adorn with strong color presentation, extraordinary themes, effects and bizarre images. Almost all glossy magazines distributed to the market are full of images that bear a specific message. On this case, fashion photography as presented in fashion oriented magazines and other publications will serve its own purpose: to persuade, stimulate and elicit desire among the readers and lookers. Indeed, fashion photography persuades people by the visual beauty being presented but at the same time separate them to the reality of the ordinary purpose of clothing ( 1999). With such representations, people no longer stick to the idea of clothes as a basic need for practical considerations such as protection, modesty, and adornment. Instead, it gives them the opportunity to ponder on the symbolism of fashion. Thus, the magazine as the principal outlet for photographic exposition as well as a prime motivator in helping individuals to assess the meaning of clothing, determining what is “in” and what is “out”, must serve its real objective. But more often than not, with the superficiality of images, use of strong visual elements, and surreal characters, people are subjected into fashion dilemma. For example, photographer  takes her lenses to Hollywood glamour.   understood the critical importance of fashion and its display, and worked with designers and subjects to the best advantage of both ( 2002). Most of her works were focused in the glamour portraits of Hollywood celebrities especially to the movies they starred in. However, there are significant examples applicable in the stimulation of desire in relation to fashion photography. A certain instance was when some stars seemed almost entirely identified with their wardrobes. “ was in Italy filming Ben-Hur, so far as the newspapers and fan magazines were concerned, she spent most of her time looking at the latest European fashions. The blonde wig Myers wears in her first scenes in the movie, for example, was said to be the result of a shopping expedition to Vienna. Upon her return to the United States, press photographers captured her in Paris gowns designed by leading couturiers such as Callot” (2002 ). After the publication of such photo, wigs became more popular (see Example 1 & 2). Thus, the presentation and the model herself persuaded people to imitate what she wore. Example 1   Carmen Myers in a feather beret     Example 2          Carmel Myers in a gown and in a wig accentuated with artificial berries     In reality, models for fashion photography are stars and celebrities. Because they are considered as such, the tendency is that their fans will be greatly influenced by the acts, ways, and looks they portray. Evidence that will support this observation is the fact that fans do not only collect and display the photos but were encouraged to imaginatively reinterpret and manipulate the images published in the magazines. It is deemed that the process of looking at stars' photographs, for the most devoted followers, was highly interactive and creative (2002).   Further, today’s fashion industry is multifaceted. If before, fashion industry is largely concentrated to women, today, men are also engage to the trend. Because the studios sold primarily to women, the products that came to be associated with the female were largely domestic ranging from intimate cosmetics or lingerie, for example, to functional household objects, to more subtle aspects of style and taste (  2002). For men, perfume, sports items and designer’s clothes like jeans is the inclination. Some of the most popular brands endorsed by men and women are Calvin Klein (see Example 3 and 4), Tommy Hilfiger, Versace (see Example 5) and the likes. The presentations of photos for such instances are depicted to be highly attractive that it will serve its persuasive function. Traditionally, women models are photographed wearing their particular dress in a specified setting. For example, ball gowns (like wedding gown) are depicted in an environment of elegance, nobility and high taste of quality like fabulous party scenes (see Example 6). Men endorsing clothes, aside from being handsome, the overall appearance of the suit and tie they wear correspond to the superficiality of the venue (see Example 7). With these instances, it could be said that the main aim of fashion photography in stimulating desire by using attractive presentation is valid and true. Examples 3 & 4   A woman in lingerie and a man on pants – a typical ad located in today’s magazines                   Example 5     Versace’s latest ad   Examples 6 & 7   A lady in a wedding gown photographed in peculiar location and two gents in their suit and bow/tie     Moreover, it is a common notion by many historians and critics that the fashion magazine and the fashion photograph is an ephemeral and exiguous form of cultural production (1999). It is a potential medium of transferring cultural characteristics of people with diverse origins. For example, in the anthology Beyond Desire ( 2005), several portraits in fashion were showcased including the works of Christian Dior and John Galliano, fashion photos, African studio photography, art, and documentary stills that holds the relativity of people when it comes to fashion sense. The collection of essay about the “idea” of Africa and Europe fashion is used as a useful medium to establish social relationships, local institutions, and transnational connection”. In here, “fashion creates fantasy onto which qualities such as seduction, eroticism, exuberance – and desire – are projected” (). The book provides a comparative analysis of “the random mixing of ethnic and contemporary elements” that makes the fundamental result both “strange and beautiful”. Fashion photography is not as simple as having a catalogue in which people can see what is new in the fashion industry. It is not also necessary that it should be a way for people such as the fashion shoppers in big commercial trading, to know what and how clothes may or really look like (1999). In reality, the photographic presentation of fashion has something to do with the process or the act of capturing the moment and the subject. For fashion, there are several considerations to be taken into account. Aside from the items and the models to be used, among these considerations are “the catwalk, designer's studio and changing room perform this function, affording the opportunity for scrutinising garments on bodies in movement, or for trying them on, while simultaneously enhancing their appeal with atmospheric music and lighting” ( 1999). Certainly, photos about fashion create an image of blissful and “beautiful” in the ordinary eyes of the viewer. It increases or even enhances the actual look of the item. Fashion photography offers an illustration of clothing that does not offer exactly the equivalent point of identification as it was demonstrated on the stage, or displayed on a mannequin or model in the studio (1999). Relatively, almost all images in fashion photography designate people into a world of unconcealed illusions and fantasies. It places fashion and the body in any number of rational contexts. More often, the sessions in fashion photography is far from the reality of imagery. It has either little or nothing to do with clothing. Or even clothing itself seems to become an alibi for the representation of other contemporaneous issues and ideas ( 1999).   The Issue of Digital Photography: Visual Truth in Fashion               With the advent of high technology in all segments of living, the process of fashion photography nowadays is also sophisticated. The presence of digital photography is another consideration to be taken into its revolutionary course of change. Researches find that digital photography has become immensely popular among recreational photographers and professionals alike while the benefits are multitudinous. The most pronounced benefits are the ease of reproduction and the effortless manipulation digital photography allows for exact replicas of images that can be made instantly and sent out where they have the potential to reach and affect millions of individuals. Furthermore, photo editing software allows for the manipulation of images, where any element can be altered, added or extracted but in doing so, the computer has followed the law of unintended consequences: the box that came to be seen as the conclusive media machine has made conclusions themselves more difficult to reach. The status of photos as visual truth has been severely shaken by this digitization of photography. The debate over the level of visual truth in photography has only been heightened with the arrival of digital imaging. Visual truth is the notion that a photograph has the power to project images of the truth and can be seen as an unmediated copy of reality ( 2001). While this view is extreme, traditional photographs do indeed all have a referent in the real world something of which they mimic and are reflections of. While simply digitizing a photo does not change that, when photographs are altered through the use of a digital technology, they lose this referent and can present a distorted view of reality. This thought is unsettling for some, as determining the authenticity of a photograph is nearly impossible. This can allow for people to create completely fictitious events and execute elaborate hoaxes.   Clearly,  (1999) believes that the expression of an attitude such as this in fashion photography bears witness to the fact that it can both make a profound impact on the social and cultural scene, and have the potential to make a lasting rather than fleeting impression on the consciousness of any individual. The deceiving tactics in order to persuade or stimulate the desire of viewers and more importantly buyers in the subject presented is evident in every images shown and products endorsed. Often, photographs are not meant to be strictly a depiction of reality, but instead to be art and evoke an emotion from its viewer. Thus, digital manipulation simply becomes another tool for the artist which allows them to convey meanings that would be otherwise impossible. One must not forget that the interpretation of a picture takes place in one’s heads. The meaning of what people see is never what they see but what it means to them. Pictures are not to concretize reality, but to interpret. Although the digitization of photography is an unavoidable evolution, it is important to understand that digitization does not necessarily include alteration. Digitization is an astounding advancement that will allow for endless and rapid distribution of photography worldwide especially to the fashion and even advertising industries. As tempting as digital manipulation may be, it is crucial that fashion photography maintains its integrity and continues to display unaltered photographs. Even in an unaltered state, however, photography will always be a subjective art, void of any absolute visual truth. It is digitization though, that allows for a new level of image that can be made to fulfill any desire. According to sources, it is said that the world becomes more controllable and we become more capable of projecting and confirming ourselves and our own world and in our own image as well provided that these digitally altered images are not labeled as authentic, one should be able to appreciate and accept this reconstructed version of photography. There has been a general argument that the diverse and complex array of images people encounter in their everyday lives, from paintings to news images to digital representations, are subject to the dynamics of social power and ideology, and that images acquire meaning and value according to context and use. Fashion photography aims not the excessively and overly visual presentation of images but to the artistic and realistic way that will induce the desire of people who loves fashion and the art of photography as a whole. As  in The face of Fashion deemed, “fashion photography provokes viewers and consumers into confirming their own identity through structures of desire … constituting a nexus between fashion and selfhood” (1999). In my own opinion, fashion photography must not be overly interpreted. The images should be attributed from the standpoint of a lens' creative and technical capabilities such as angle view, zooming, depth of field, perspective, aperture control, contrast or tonal and color reproductions. The element of visual truth is the most important aim that fashion photographers must meet. Thus, the presentation of images and subjects is not beyond the limits of real characteristics of fashion items, clothes, and models in the picture. The extent of fashion photography is limited to the execution and presentation of what is true and artistic in the eyes of every individual. Balancing artistry and honesty when it comes to stimulating desires of people is another vital denominator. Thus, people can observe fashion photography play with their own desires and fears and appreciate how the rational images appears without the main influences of “attractive presentation using colours, exotic themes, lighting effects and phantasmagoria of abundance” but with the idea that fashion is relative and that everyone is exceptional in the eyes of one another.

Fashion Photography: the Stimulation of Desire by the Image Projected

Fashion Photography : the Stimulation of Desire by the Image Projected The fashion photograph is not just any photograph, it be...