Sarah Hamilton talks on Pablo Picasso: Old Guitarist (1903)

Pablo Picasso
Old Guitarist
1903
Oil on Panel: 4ft 2/3 x 2ft 8 ½ in
 Art Institute of Chicago

This essay shall discuss Picasso’s Old Guitarist painting in relation to the turn of the century/ symbolist movement, the historical/personal context of the painting followed by a short description of the work and my opinion on the piece.

This painting was painted in 1903 and thus was included in ‘Turn of the Century art’ which ranges from Early Picasso, Fauvism, Expressionism and Matisse. During this time artist’s were striving to be individual and classed as ‘avant-guarde’ and thus there was a lot of different movements within this period.

In terms of Picasso’s Old Guitarist, the author of the text book (Schneider-Adams, 2002) states that The Old Guitarist is part of Picasso’s first individual style and described his paintings including this one in the ‘Blue Period’ as ‘Symbolist’.

“Symbolist painters used symbols from mythology and dream imagery as a visual language of the soul. Symbolists believed that art should apprehend more absolute truths which could only be accessed indirectly. Thus, they painted scenes from nature, human activities, and all other real world phenomena in a highly metaphorical and suggestive manner.” (Krstic, 2007)

So it short, they looked for other ways to express the ordinary in order to show the ‘the truths’ or ‘meanings’ of the subject visually. They often did this by vivid/different use of colour, textures, and predetermined associations with religious and spiritual ideas as well as other techniques.

Picasso used these symbolism techniques and has some key features of ‘Turn of the Century’  Artwork in his painting the Old Guitarist.
- As he depicts his state of mind rather than just his physical being via his use of colour, the way he portrays his subject for example he makes use of El Greco's elongated forms and hallucinatory space, but he employs these elements to express a feeling peculiar to his time-solidarity with distressed, famished, oppressed humanity.
- Uses vivid unrealistic colour to express feelings and emotions
- Has links with religious, spiritual mythical ideas as he paints a blind man as his subject which relates back to the literature of the symbolist movement as they were believed to have possessed powers of inner vision e.g. Tierius from Greek Mythology.
- He also chooses not to portray the industrialisation movement but instead shows someone who is possibly negatively affected by it.

There is also a huge reflection of Picasso within the work and his state of mind from 1901 – 1904. The tragic themes and expressive style of Picasso's Blue Period where triggered from his friend’s suicide in 1901 and his near bankruptcy in 1902, when he was moving between Paris and Barcelona. During this time, his subjects changed from cafes in Paris to vague figures on empty backgrounds becausehe identified with those living on the outskirts of society; he painted pictures of the downtrodden, depicting them in all of their misery, using a muted palette of blue - the colour of melancholy.

Simon Shaw-Miller, in his analysis of this painting, wrote that the painting points out;
“the solitary bohemian existence of the artist and the struggle for an artistic life, in contrast to the joys of shared experience of community” (1998). Rather than serving as an instrument to bring people together, Picasso portrayed music as a separating force from others and a burden, which is shown by the change in colour. Therefore he suggests that Picasso is contemplating the life of an artists and Cangailosi (2008) goes as far as to say, “The piece signifies an autobiographical moment in Picasso's early life as a street artist in struggle.”

In terms of description, The Old Guitarist, Picasso worked with a monochromatic palette, flattened forms, and tragic, sorrowful themes. The figure is bland and fits in with the empty background, the only shift in colour is in terms of the guitar, where the deep blue colours surround the browns of the guitar making it the central piece of the artwork. This could either mean its separating him from everyone else or that it is the man’s saving grace.

It is not only the colour that gives this melancholy feeling but also how Picasso chooses to portray the man. His thin, skeleton, ghostly figure, his expressionless face, blind eyes and clothing all hang in despair. They give the impression of no sign of life about the man and that he doesn’t have enough strength to keep his head up. His pose is cramped (and almost forced to fit into the canvas). This seems to suggest he has no ease in his surroundings and to have an easy life he must adapt to something that is unnatural to him. The only thing that is keeping him together is his guitar that he clings to.

This figure has roots in art from Picasso's native country, Spain. The old man's elongated limbs and cramped, angular posture recall the figures of the great 16th-century artist El Greco, which I touched on earlier.

 The painting itself is nearly life size, painted on a wooden panel (some suggest it was his wooden table as he could not afford a canvas hence the picture of the women underneath).The Boston Museum suggests,
"Details are eliminated and scale manipulated to heighten the impact of figures whose elongated proportions and attitudes of silent contemplation intensify a sense of spirituality.”

The thing that appeals to me most about this painting is its intrigue, the emotive factor created by the colour scheme and shape and the possible meanings of the life of the artist.

Class Question:

To Picasso, do you think this represented the plight of others or is it a biography of a struggling artist? If so, do you believe art has to have this personal connection to be a ‘masterpiece’?

Anon, “Picasso’s Blue Period”, Boston Museum
Available from
(http://www.boston.com/mfa/picasso/blue.html)
Accessed 11/3/10

Cangailosi, J. (2008) “The Masterpiece from Picasso's Blue Period”, Associated Content
Available from: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/580401/pablo_picassos_the_old_guitarist.html?cat=2

References:

Accessed 11/3/10

Krstic, L. (2007) “About Symbolism”, Symbolism 19^th Century Art
Available from:
 http://www.krcky.com/simbolizam/O_simbolizmu/index_en.htm
Accessed 11/3/10

Schneider- Adams, L. (2002) Art Across Time Vol II, 2^nd Edition, Boston McGraw College

Shaw Miller, S. (2002) Visible Deeds of Music: Art and Music from Wagner to Cage, 2^nd Edition, Yale University Press

Wong Lai Yung (Joyce)talks on Georgia O’Keefe: Cow’s Skull with Calico Roses (1931)

                               

Artist: Georgia O’Keefe

Title: Cow's Skull with Calico Roses

Year: 1931

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 91.4 x 61 cm (36 x 24 in.)

Georgia O’Keefe was an American female artist. The artwork “Cow’s Skull with Calico Roses” was done in 1931 which was just after the Great Depression and the rise of Fascism. These political and economical issues affected the style of the artists at that time. Also, the American president at that time was Roosevelt. He introduced social programs, employed many artists and granted some measure of official status to abstract art. We could see this in Regionalist and Social Realist artworks. This also flavored the development of Vernacular modernism, the artists could develop their own style without restrictions.

Under this circumstance, Georgia did not have a specific style, but through her artworks, we could see the influences of photography, 20^th century abstraction and the landscape of the American Southwest.

For this artwork, Cow’s Skull with Calico Roses, Georgia picked the desiccated skull from the dry desert of Arizona and New Mexico. She depicted the form of the skull in a simple way that we could hardly see the details of the skull. The roses on the skull were also depicted simply. Apart from the subjects, the black vertical part behind the skull and the horizontal horns led to the imagination of Crucifixion, which was the form of the cross. Furthermore, the death skull was softened by the living roses on it. This kind of juxtaposition of living and death things also related to the death and resurrection themes in Christian artworks. This reflected that Georgia kept the ideas of ancient art and changed these into own style, which was a characteristic of vernacular modernism. Besides, this format of putting the death and living things together also showed the feature of desert, which was also regionalist. Other than vernacular modernism and regionalism, this artwork also got the surrealism quality as we could hardly see a death things put with living things. This was impossible to happen in the reality and it was like a dream that only happened under our imagination and unconscious mind. In addition, the skull was dead and fragile, but the Calico roses were alive , strong and powerful as Calico was a heavy cotton fabric that is usually plain white. This created a big contrast. Also, the white skull and roses together with the black vertical past created a big contrast in color. Moreover, the plain background of this artwork created a harmony and peaceful atmosphere that made people calm and feel comfortable.

Alfred Stieglitz even commented that Georgia’s works were the “purest, finest, sincerest things that had entered 291 in a long time.”

I was interested on this artwork because when I first saw it, it gave me a simple and peaceful meaning which I always believe “simple is beautiful”. And when I look at it in detail, it was so mysterious that it was difficult to understand what the artist wanted to express. Therefore, we could use our imagination to explain this artwork and it was good for me to get something that belong to me only. This further made the artwork special.

And finally my question is : If you are asked to find a thing from your daily life, and turn it into an artwork, what will you use and why?

Here are my references

•         http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/61428

•         http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/

•         http://www.soho-art.com/Geogia-OKeeffe.shtml

...talks on Caspar David Friedrich: Moonrise over the Sea, 1817

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... talks on Mark Rothko: Number 15 (1957)

 

... talks on Georgia O’Keefe: Cow’s Skull with Calico Roses (1931)

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... talks on Diego Riveira: Ancient Mexico (1929-1935)

Yeung Yan Ki talks on Dorothea Lange: Migratory Cotton Picker, Eloy, Arizona (1940)

Artist : Dorothea Lange

Title: Migratory cotton Picker

Year:  1940

medium: Gelatin-silver print;

dimensions :  10½ X 13½in. (26.8 X 34.3cm).

Migratory cotton Picker is a work of social realism.  Social Realism appears in the early 20th century. It depicts the social and racial injustice, economic hardship through unvarnished pictures of life’s struggle, working class activities, and also contains political goals.

The artists of Social Realism usually depict the social troubles of urban lower class. They focus on the ugly realities of contemporary life, and sympathized with working-class people, particularly the poor.

Description: 

Migratory Cotton Picker is taken by Dorothea Lange in 1940. The medium is Gelatin-silver print. Its dimensions are 24.8cm X 34.3cm.

The photo depicts a Cotton picker with his sack slung over his shoulder rest at the scales before returning to work in the field. This photo was taken in Arizona in the southwestern part of USA. We can know that the man was under the hot sun since in the photo the sky is very clean and the contrast of dark and light is clear. And we can see that the man is with messy hair, rough and dry hands, and a broken sleeve that means he is poor. For the composition, his face is not really in the center of the photo, but also his sack slung, hand and the contrast of dark and light. It is because the photographer would like to depict the condition of the man instead of who the man is.

How this work fix into Social Realism.

First, it depicts a working class activity that is picking cotton. Besides, It shows the economic hardship. It can be showed by the hands of the man that is very dry and rough. It means he work in a very harsh working condition to earn a living. Also, It contains political goals such as to evoke the social conscious to the poverty after the Great Depression.

Key quote

“The man is physically attractive, but worn by laboring in the fields and toughened by the hot sun. Earth clings to his hands, the lines and veins of which create abstract patterns by virtue of close-up view. ” 

--- Laurie Schneider Adams

Why I choose this work…

The contrast of dark and light catches my eyes. Also the posture of the man makes me want to know what is happening to him.

I think this photo is very mystery that even the man looked at the camera but it seems that he did not want to be captured as the man used his hand to cover his face.

Question:

1.What do you think about his gesture?

2.Would it be outdated to use this photo taking method to depict the social problem nowadays? Why?

Seung Wai Lam (William) talks on René Magritte: Time Transfixed (1938)

Artist: Rene Magritte

Title: Time Transfixed (La durée poignardée)

Year: 1938

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 147 x 98.7 cm

The English title of this artwork is Time Transfixed and was painted by Renè Magritte. The original French text is La Durée poignardée , which means “Time stabbed by a dagger”, which is quite similar to the English translation but Magritte seems didn’t like it. This is an oil on canvas painting made at 1938, its height 147cm and width 98.7cm. Its style of course is belonging to Surrealism.

Surrealism is an art movement mainly began in 1920’s, following and influenced by Dada.

As same as Dada, Surrealists got inspiration from the First World War. There were plenty of high-tech weapons that caused large damages and deaths within a few seconds, and this impact shocks the people greatly, causing trauma and depression. They then discovered that sensibility, such as common sense or rational thinking, is no match with sense, which means emotions or feelings, the true thought.

Therefore, one of the leading people of Surrealism Andre Breton believes that our thinking was limited by our conscious mind, limiting our creativity, our freedom of thought. The unconscious mind should be the real and origin of thought, where the strongest creativity would be lying within. This led to the aim of surrealists which is get access to the unconscious mind.

As they thought that dream is the closest place to unconscious mind, many surrealist artists got inspiration from dream, or imagination of dream.

Their works then usually contains unexpected, irrational things. Therefore the images always look like a dream world, where there is no rules and order. Also those works usually have some contradicted scenario between reality and dream, maybe this can emphasize how sensibility is limiting sense.

Furthermore, despite these points, Jacques Meuris stated that one of the features of Magritte is mystery. From his book, Renè Magritte, he said that “the key word is ‘mystery’ ”. We can observe these features in Magritte painting by the following analysis.

In Time Transfixed, the focus point of the painting would definitely be the locomotive, which is the head of the train. Because it is placed at the middle, more importantly is that it is the only thick and solid horizontal line that intersects the vertical plane.

It is essential to mention that the painting contains a lot of large rectangular shapes. For examples, the fireplace, the mirror, the floor etc.. And these shapes contrasted with the circle and cylinder shaped objects which is less in amount and size, such as the clock and locomotive. Thus lead the audiences to focus on these two points.

Also, rectangular shapes provide a sense of rules, formal, and hard. Comparing with the circles which provide a sense of change, soft, and flexibility, a great contrast in terms of feelings is produced. Despite it emphasized the focus point. In terms of context, it may be about the contrast between reality or rationality and dream or sensibility, which is the main inspiration of surrealists.

In terms of colors, the overall color tone of the painting is warm and calm, producing a peaceful, ordinary day atmosphere. Especially the wood colors, and the brownish color inside the mirror, providing a sense of home and normal. Again, the only dark color elements are the train and clock, the contrast hence led them to be the focus points.

Furthermore, the sense of normal is related to the construction of the unreal or dreamlike situation. It strengthened the contrast with the irrational elements within the picture, as normal representing rationality.

It is important to mention the fact that the train was painted perfectly well and realistic, the situation is odd and unreal, the locomotive is breaking through the wall without causing any damage, this is nonsense in reality. And the shadow of the locomotive is not correct in my opinion, comparing the shadow of the fireplace, the light source of the train and surroundings is not quite the same. These made this painting looks unreal and dreamlike.

Then, we would focus on the upper part of the painting, the clock would be the second focus. Clock can be seen as a symbol of time which is exactly theme of this painting. Furthermore, there other iconographies within this painting, for instance, the reflection of the mirror may be representing the space of that mystery room, as there is nothing reflected inside it except the candles and clock. The candles, in some articles, represent knowledge. And the train can be represent science, rational thinking, although these are my own interpretation only.

There is no exact answer for the interpretation. Although someone may say that this might be over-interpretation, but I think most audience would think about the meanings and try to decode the symbols in their first sight on this painting. More unsolved questioned would be announced as Magritte might not know the answer either, because unconscious mind is the main stand of surrealism, and there is no reasons in it. It will only provoke more curiosity and mystery. That stands the reason of agreeing with the point of Meuris that paintings of Magritte or surrealist are full of mystery. 

Focusing on the technique he used, we can see that the scenario is very realistic. For instances, the marble texture of the fireplace, the wooden texture of the floor and the wall. All these things are painting in details. And the brushstroke is very smooth that you can’t see any watchable brushstroke on it.

Equally essential is that the lighting is very natural as an indoor room, except the weird shading of the locomotive, but the major point is that there is no exaggeration or big contrast in terms of lighting. The light source comes from one direction and seems like natural sunlight. The reflection on the locomotive also presents the sense of metal texture of Magritte. And the high brightness makes the picture crystal clear. These provide a sense of reality.

Placing these realistic elements together with those dreamlike, it produced a sense of paradox between reality and dream.

Based on the analysis, I think that Time Transfixed is definitely belongs to the category of Surrealism. And I really agree that our creativity is always limited or affected by the reality, conscious mind. Dream world is however unlimited, I believe that dream can reflect the true feelings and thought of a human being.

Furthermore, I think the technique of Magritte is admirable, since he can paint those very detail things such as the texture of marble, and most importantly is that it is very interesting and difficult to get access and capture the unconscious mind, as dream would be easily forgotten. I think people who can capture the unconscious moment and make a painting about it is very genius and lucky. And this would become my question: How to get access to the unconscious mind and make an artwork about it?

In my opinion, meditation would be a good method, since the purpose of meditation is to forget the surroundings, then lead our thoughts away from the materialistic world, getting access to our deepest and purest spirits. This is what I think the closest place to the unconscious mind.

References

Adams, Laurie. Art Across Time. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Bigsby, C.W.E.. Dada and Surrealism. London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1972.

Hopkins, David. Dada and Surrealism: A Very Short Introduction. NY: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Klingsohr-Leroy, Cathrin. Surrealism. Germany: Benedikt Taschen Verlag, 2004. 

Meuris, Jacques, Renè Magritte.  Germany: Benedikt Taschen Verlag, 2004. 

... talks on Joan Miró: Dog Barking at the Moon (1926)

Yang Xiao talks on Salvador Dalí: The Persistence of Memory (1931)

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Li Hoi Ching talks on Mies van der Rohe: Lake Shore Drive Apartment Houses, Chicago, (1950-52)

Mies van der Rohe, Lake Shore Drive Apartment Houses, 1952

• Basic Details:
  Artist: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe,
  Title: Lake Shore Drive Apartment Houses
  Year: 1952
  Medium: Architecture
  Dimensions:  26 floors, 254 ft (82 m)
  
  
  Description:
  Lake Shore Drive Apartment Houses are twin pair of glass-and-steel apartment towers. The materials are common: steel, aluminum, glass. Mie made the towers as if they are floating above the ground. At the entrance, a horizontal roof connects the two high-rise apartments towers. the towers was organized in a 21 foot grid that was represented with steel columns placed at the intersections of the grid. By using it for structure, Mies simplified the steel frame to simply express the grid.
  He covered concrete shells with steel plates, thus keeping the uniformity of the steel columns.
  The structure has a system of filling and framework that created a beautiful pattern of contrasting black steel against the glass surface.
  
  
  What Style it fits into:
  
  
  Modern Architecture
  First of all, it is a modern architecture/architectural modernism that’s of the style of Bauhaus or international style. Generally, Bauhaus style means the style that’s originated from Bauhaus school during 1919 to 1933, and played a great part in modern architecture. . And this time, the lake shore drive apartments here fit into the style that came from Bauhaus school and international style as a modern architecture. The principles of Bauhaus are the emphasis on modern materials, simplicity, clarity, and the designs of Rectilinear block-like building. The apartments we can see here consisted mainly of the materials of concrete, glass and steel, which we can know that it is the focus on the modern materials that emerged during the time of industrial revolution which prompted the existence of the modern architectural movement. Also, it appears to be simple enough as it doesn’t have any particular ornaments, decorative architectural materials with it, far indicating the idea of minimalism, “less is more” motto from Mies. We can see here, Mies also designed it particularly that we could see the steel frame against the windows and also the I-beam steel section, which reflects the elements that made up the apartments and also reflects clearly the whole structure of the apartments. Nothing fancy about it.
  The apartments demonstrate simplicity, clarity and the strict use of modern material. It also appears obviously as an architecture with rectilinear block like design, the flat roof and rectilinear lines that construct up the whole buildings. As a architecture of international style, aside from the above mentioned features which also belong to the categories of international style, like the use of steel, glass, and the radically simplistic form, the apartments also serve to demonstrate the idea that the architectural work should represent no particular national, cultural identities, which hoped to transcend all particular style, as an architectural style that could satisfy all human beings. And a form as simple as it presents here, it is as simple to the point that it stripped off the possibilities that you could see any national, cultural traces with it, just a building for people to live. It also adopted the feature of transparency,. As the whole building shows just “skin and the bone”, if it’s not the steel frame, concrete, then it’s just the glass, it attempted to be as transparent as possible.
  International style also emphasized on the honest expression of the structure, Mies put non functional mullions as a way to express the inner element, structural materials, therefore as a way to give truth to structure or materials.
  Mies also added the reason to add the I-beam steel section was to stiffen the steelplates that cover the corner columns, so the plate would not ripple. (Mies van der Rohe's New Buildings, Architectural Forum 97 (November 1952): 99) it demonstrates the idea of functionalism as an art or form follows function. If it weren’t for it to function or be useful in a certain way, Mies wouldn’t add unnecessary materials.
  The other things about the style of Bauhaus are the influences from De Stijl and cubism. De stijl, another international style that came from Netherland has the features of the flat roof, appearance of weightlessness, universal style that could satisfy basic human needs through mass production, also these characteristics could be seen through here. The precise angularity and the simple cubic extruded rectangle form and the 90 degrees angles of the façade could also be seen as the influence from the cubism.
  
  
  Why interest me
  First, this work interests me with its simplistic style which feels almost weightless to me but at the same time has such a great capacity. Like a building that’s actually flowing. I’m intrigued by this aspect and its aesthetic that shows through its weightlessness.  
  
  
  Key Quote
  By making the construction of the buildings the design priority, Mies created a system that led his perfect grid from structure, to windows, and finally interior partitions. “From outside to inside, from permanent to temporary, the architecture evolved in the sequence of construction.” The perfect order found in the modern 860-880 Lake Shore Drive led the buildings to become landmarks in Chicago
  Adelyn Perez
  
  
  Question
  Most of the Hong Kong people these days live in tall buildings and apartments; do you think these apartments I talked about today consist of different qualities that make them the ideal apartments or houses for you to reside at, especially in a city like Hong Kong?  

Deja Chenyang DU talks on Frank Lloyd Wright: Fallingwater, USA (1936)

Artist: Frank Lloyd Wright

Title: Fallingwater House

Year of construction: 1936

Year of completion: 1937

Materials: Reinforced concrete, stone

Building type: Private house (weekend house for Kaufmann Family)

Location: Bear Run, Allegheny Mountains of southwest Pennsylvania, USA

Broader style/Movement/Specific historical context

Frank Lloyd Wright is an important figure in 20C architecture development as he lauched the Prairie style which sought to integrate architecture with the natural landscape. In the design of Fallingwater, we can see combined elements of the International Style with the Prairie Style. Prairie Style, as a signature of Wright’s work, is embodied in the Fallingwater as always: the horizontal emphasis, low-pitched roofs with large overhangs and low boundary walls that are related to the flat prairie landscape of the American West and Middle West. The International Style is shown with the terrace built of modern reinforced concrete and which is related to emphasis upon volume, thin planes, regularity and dependence upon the intrinsic elegance. Actually Wright’s Fallingwater has influenced the International Style architect such as Gerrit Rietveld in his work of Schroeder House. As an admirer of Japanese Architecture, Wright incorporated many Japanese/Oriental elements in his design exterior and interior. The connection with nature that Wright believed as his credo is probably influenced by Japanese/Confucius emphasis on harmony between human beings and natural surroundings, where he tried to fully utilize the landscape and natural existing materials instead of causing any destruction, and interior decorations are also full of Japanese/Oriental elements and philosophy which fit the simplicity very well.

Description of the work

 (A short 3D simultation on Fallingwater construction)
Fallingwater is built in the forested mountain area where the Bear Run flows rapidly between rock cliffs and the water falls down from the rock deck with the beauty of speed, volume, sound and elegant curve. The main building is built above the running falls on a narrow cliff ledge. The main building has a typical horizontal emphasis, where the platform of the first floor and second floor extend out largely into the open air, resembling another layer of natural cliff ledge. The color of the house is in light beige, elegantly fits with the darker colored woods whilst still catches your eyes with its lightness especially in the whole piece of dark green in summer and also responds with the white snow in winter. The house is designed to fit the routines of a family that enjoyed contemplative time indoors, reading and good conversation, as well as vigorous exercise out of doors. As a result the house is constructed with a guest wing located upper hills with the connection of sheltered path from the main building, an outdoor pool in the guest wing. The usage of glasses on the wall is massive, making the indoor space transparent and open, which might largely related with Japanese style. The only pop-up color is the red frame of the glasses on the wall, naturally attracts your attention to look outside the windows. The floor is comprised of local masonry and the wall is constructed to resemble the layers of sandstone. Bedrooms are not in big size but with natural wood colored furniture and Japanese styled paintings, with sandstones reaches out serving as book shelves.

The romance of Fallingwater and its designer Frank Lloyd Wright could be traced back to 1934, when Edgar Kaufmann, Jr., a 25 year old apprentice of Wright’s introduced the great architect to his father, owner of the Kaufmann Department Store in Pittsburgh. Wright said to Kaufmann when sitting in the family’s house, “Edgar, this house is not worthy of your parents”. In the following months, a masterpiece in the architecture history was brewing. The weekend house that Wright was to build is located in a forested Appalachian hollow where the Kaufmann family loved to picnic near a waterfall. Wright started to coordinate with Fayette Engineering Company to survey on the complicated landscape in 1934, and with the survey result fully carried out in the spring of 1935. In Sept. 1935, after 9 months of hard work, Wright finished crystallizing his idea into sketched up design. The whole construction including interior design and furnishing cost 155000 USD at that time which equals 2.4 million in 2009.The resulting structure is fitted onto a narrow cliff ledge, with walls of rough local sandstone and terraces of reinforced concrete that project dramatically over the stream and falls. The family was surprised by the idea that Wright was actually building the house above the cascade instead of below it. Fallingwater served as a country place for the family from 1937 to 1963, and later it was devoted to the Pennsylvania Conservancy as a public museum till now. Fallingwater has astonished the public since its completion, as it was designated as a “National Historic Landmark” in 1966 and also named by the American Institute of Architect as “the best all-time work of American architecture”.

Key quotes

“In Fallingwater Wright captured the perfect essence of our desire to live nature, to dwell in a forested place and be at home in the natural world.”---------Edgar Kaufmann, jr.

“Living in a house built by you has been my one education.”---------Liliane Kaufmann

“I began to see a building primarily not as a cave but a broad shelter in the open, related to vista without and vista within.”---------Frank Lloyd Wright

"I think Wright learned the most important aspect of architecture, the treatment of space, from Japanese architecture. When I visited Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, I found that same sensibility of space. But there were the additional sounds of nature that appealed to me."

--------- Contemporary Japanese architect Tadao Ando

My own opinion of the work

I had the chance to see this masterpiece when I was in the USA in the fall of 2009. It was such a marvelous view when I walked up to the hill in a distance to the house and look at it through the woods and leaves, and actually it’s the only spot you can see the full view of the waterfall. It might be Wright’s design to encourage the family for a regular outing in the forest. As you are in the building, you actually could never see the waterfall from any angle though you hear the intriguing sound of the water flows every minute.

I love the closeness a man-made work could have with the nature and how it is embodied in every little details of the design. There is an on-the-floor window that you can open to access to the stairs which directs you down to the water side from the living room. The first floor is composed of a large central core of living room where you will find a subtleness of the combination of luxury, simplicity, leisure and nature. The floor is made of local masonry, with pieces of luxury patterned carpet covered somewhere on the ground in the living room. Near the fireplace, there are outstretched rocks serving as step stones to the fireplace. There is even a wood stake near the stove serving as a bar table for wine. The furniture is in well alignment of rectangular shaped areas and lines. I was very impressed by how much thought and consideration Wright has put into the design. You could not see the kitchen in the main building, but it is intentionally hidden somewhere, since the family didn’t cook by themselves instead all the cooking was done by domestic servants. Standing on the balcony, you hear the running stream, you feel the dampness of the fresh air, and you see a full eye of green. And surprisingly, you will also see the joy of life and taste of the family through the artistic statues purchased by the family which are put on the balcony, including Buddha head, copper made Libra like statue, etc. The path to the Guest Wing is sheltered to keep guests from the dropping rains and sun in some seasons. And Wright had treated trees as reserved ancestors, and in deference to their exalted position, when one was in too close proximity to a building, he chose either to build around it or to incorporate it in to the design rather than cut it down.

Reference/Resources

Lynda S. Waggoner, Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Romance with Nature, 1996.

Greatbuildings,http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Fallingwater.html

Fallingwater Official Website, http://www.fallingwater.org/

3D Simulation of Building Fallingwater, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CVKU3ErrGM

A look at Fallingwater, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSbjVgpXDoA

Question

What do you think Wright’s combination of technology, imagination, and nature in Fallingater. If you were Wright, how would you design the house, also in the more connected to nature way, or in a more trendy way at that time as “machines of living”?

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Lai Mei Yu (May) talks on Pablo Picasso: Guernica (1937)

Artist: Pablo Picasso
Year: 1937
Type: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 349 cm × 776 cm (137.4 in × 305.5 in)
Location: Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid  Spain

**********************************************
*an explanation of how the work fits into a broader style or movement (eg Realism) and the specific historical context (eg the mid 19th century in France).
This painting shows cubism style, which mix the real things into the symbolism.
This painting was requested by the Spain Government on 1936 to display in the Paris Expo. There were around 44 pieces of composition study before the final sketch was put on the canvas.
1. For the Cubism, it was a 20th century avant garde art movement develop by Picasso. In Cubism painting, they are usually compose of the flat and block. Cubism painting can be shading or less shading. It shows the three-dimensional subject matter in such a different way. In this painting, it consist of combination of several flat blocks with simple gray colour. Also, the lines are very clear and simple.
2. For the symbolism, the subject matter in this painting was not depicted in a “real” way, but actually representing the real event. Actually,  this painting's completion was catalyzed by a historical event-- Bombing of Guernica on April 26, 1937. during the Spanish Civic War. There were 9 main characters included in this painting, which symbolize different ideas. I would explain it
in the later part.

 *A description of the work
Composition:It consist of clear disort line and shape. For the space, there was a central triangle with rectangle (& triangle) in other 2 sides. The tone of this painting is gray. The painting is flat without creating the depth of the perspective. There are not a lot shading in the figure.
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Subject matters: There are 9 main characters shown in the painting: bull, mother, child, warrior, bird, horse, light bearer, fugitive and falling woman. The subject matter was depicted in the distort and exaggerate style. They also have different attitudes and sentiments in the painting, which represent the ideas and views of Picasso.

People would always look at this painting from the left to the right.
Bull:   It was facing upright, leftward and forward. Bull is always represent as courage, pride and stability. The bull in this painting was treated as the cruel and the darkness of the war or tyrant.
Mother:  It was facing uprights and upward, and shows the sentiments of lament(sadness) and imploration. (request something from the bottom of the heart)
Child:   It was facing downward and means death.
The mother and child were defined as victims of the war. The mother was cried out for the death of child towards sky, while the child was closing his eyes because of the death. There were a big contrast for this two figures, one is active and one is silent. The bull was standing behind them, however, it was not facing them.
Bird:  It was facing upward and standing behind the bull. However, it is quite difficult to see the bird. Some people claim that it shows the lament and ascent feeling, but still it's not confirmed.
Light bearer: It was placed near to the top center on the left. It looks like the sun and showing the hope of winning the war and the peace. It shows it concern and quest sentiments.
Warrior: It was horizontal and facing upward,and lying on the ground, showing a collapse figure. He was opening his eyes, holding a sword in his hand and looking at the mother and child. However, it looks nearly die. This can represent the collapse of the power of the war. The military situation at that time was: the Fascism was invaded and attacked Spain.
Horse:  It was facing upwards and leftwards, and shown the agony. (mentally painful) The horse was looking at the victims with scary face, which represent the citizens were afraid of the war and death. There was a worry face towards the horse,whose taking a lamp. This shown that she knew about the truth of war after went out from home. (country)
Fugitive: (people who are escaping) It was diagonal and facing left-upward. It shows the anxiety and quest. She is trying to escape and finding some place to hind.
Falling woman: It was facing upward, downward and diagonal. It shows the sentiments of panic and imploration as she was depicted as falling quickly. There was a burning building on the top of the woman. It gave a big contrast between the active figure and the plan floor.

The animal subject matter were actually showing the human's views and ideas.

 * one key quote about the work in question
“Duplications of characters, attitudes, and sentiments were eliminated, either by removal of the duplicate— as with the dead woman in the first state of the mural, who prefigured the warrior and was superseded by him— or by assigning different functions to the duplicates and thus enriching the whole. As a result of the artist's functions to the duplicates and thus enriching the whole. As a result of the artist's efforts the final work presents a maximum of substance in the simplest possible form. ” said by Rudolf Arnheim.

* why this work interests you/ your own opinion of the work
 This work is interest me at first because Picasso was tried to paint the “low-relief” on a plane canvas. It was an innovation at that time. Actually, Picasso painted lots of painting, while with a great changes of painting style during his life.
 Secondly, the gray tone of this painting really attract my attention. It gives me a sad atmosphere about the painting, which is a clear idea of the painting.
 Thirdly, there were several subject matter on this painting. Many art critic were trying to find out the meaning of these subject matter. It was because Picasso were not explained them clearly. Especially for the bull, there were lots of meaning within the art critics. Picasso was born in Spain. I agree that bullfighting is a famous traditional culture in Spain. Picasso must had been affected by the idea of bullfighting, and including the bull in Guernica. Bull is a symbol of aggressive and strength.

* names of authors, titles of articles, books or websites (and publication information) that are especially relevant to this work
1. 畢家索等 (1973). 畢家索藝術的秘密. Taiwan: 志文出版者社.
2. Russell Martin (2002). Picasso's War: The Destruction of Guernica and the Masterpiece that Changed the World. NY: Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society.
3. Rudolf Arnheim (1973). The Genesis of a painting: Picasso's Guernica. London: University of California Press, LTD.
4. Marie-laure Bernadac, Paule Du Bouche (1998). 畢卡索 : 新畫派的宗師, Taibei: 時報文化出版企業有限公司.

* a thought-provoking question about the work for the class
There are lots of painting depicting about the war, like Francisco Goya ,The Third of May ,1814.
These realism painting depicted the actual war scene.
However, Picasso's Guernica represented the war scene in an abstract way.
Which way of depiction of real life scene do you think that's better? Why?

Ma Man Yee talks on Pablo Picasso: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907)

Les Demoiselles d’Avignon 

Artist :Pablo Picasso

Year :1907

Type : Oil on Canvas

Dimensions:243.9 cm × 233.7 cm (96 in × 92 in)

In fact, it is the first one work of cubism. Therefore, it is important for us to know that how the work fits into Cubism.

*How the work fits into Cubism
-space is fragmented into geometric facets, all figures are angular. especially the two women at the right-hand side of the painting , their faces are distorted and features just like a mask.
-Picasso abandoned the single viewpoint and depict the subject from a multitude of viewpoints, which means creating abstract shapes of 3 dimensional objects on a two dimensional surface. Because he depicted rhe object and the person from different views, we can see the face and the back of the women who sitting at the same time.
*The description of the work

The pictures deals with 2 genres-both the nude and the still life. 
The name of the work is about a red-light district in Picasso's home town. The three nudes to the left with their severe facial features while the two right-hand women had the frightening and Alfrican mask-like features. For viewers, just like sitting in place of the sailor at the table in front of the fruit which was an age-old symbol of lust. 
But refer to Picasso's sketches of this work, the early composition was different.  Brothel scenes  was the original subject of the work. In the early  work, the women groiped round a table offer themselves to the visitor entering on the left.
It is clear that 2 male figures were depicted, the first who entered into the scene from the left, just stand at the edage of the curtain. According to Picasso himeself, the man was a student of medicine. He held a skull and a book in his right hand, which is the symbol of scientific knowledge. And he never look at the nude women and participate in the scene. On the contrary, the second figure was placed in the center of the bothel, which means he was a sailor. From his early work, it revealed Picasso's personal ambivalance towards women and his intense fear of veneral disease.   
However, the later sketch showed that the student has been transformed into a female figure, and the sailor has been elimiminated, but the theme remains. It was about the male lust and castracting women. 

*The key quote about the work

“No pleasant composition but uncompromising, organically articulated structure…He applied the colours in thread-like fashion to serve as lines of direction, and to build
up, in conjunction with the drawing, the plastic effect" (Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler)

*Question about the work for the class 

What is the main change between Picasso's ealier decision and the final painting? and why he did such changes?

Reference:

                       Elke Linda Buchholz/Beate Zimmermann(1999), Picasso,Konemann.

                       Christopher Green(2001), Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,  Cambridge University Press.

                      Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Les Demoiselles d‘Avignon,Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Demoiselles_d'Avignon

 

... talks on Emile Nolde: Still-Life with Masks (1911)

... talks on Henri Matisse: Jeannette V (1916)

Li Jia Rui Stella talks on Henri Matisse: Decorative figure in an Oriental Setting (1925)

• full details of the work – artist, title, year, medium, dimensions

        

Artist: Henri Matisse

Title: Decorative figure in an oriental setting/decorative figure in an ornamental background

Year: 1925-26

Medium: oil on canvas

Dimensions: 51 1/8 x 38 5/8 in. (130 x 98 cm)

Location: Musée National d'Art Moderne, George Pompidou Center, Paris

• an explanation of how the work fits into a broader style or movement (eg Realism) and the specific historical context (eg the mid 19^th century in France).

‘fauve’ in French means ‘wild beast’. Fauves were a group of people led by Henri Matisse and two other artists who sought a animated way to depict the nature. Fauvism exploded onto the Paris art scene in 1905. But fauvism is only a short term movement. The bright, pure colour and simplified detail used by the fauves represent a brand new era.

In Decorative figure in an oriental setting, you can both see these two characteristics of Fauvism. The first is the use of bright colour. Looking at this painting, your eyes will be filled with blue, yellow, green, brown, red and many other saturated colours. Just as a critic once comment the works of fauves ‘A pot of paint has been flung in the face of the public’.

The second is the simplified forms. In this painting, not only the figures, but also the background were simplified. The figure and the background were drawn with the most necessary component for us to recognize clearly. Though the detail were left out, the paiting seemed more original and vigorous.

• A description of the work

The bright colour

Matisse regarded colour as a way of express emotion rather than simply copying what the nature looks like. That’s why his always use ‘unatural’ colour. In Decorative figure in an oriental setting, both warm and cool colours were widely used. For warm colours, there are yellow, orange and different kinds of red; for cool colours, there are large areas of blue on the background. The most interesting thing is, Matisse put complementary colours together, which made them highlight each other, like the blue and yellow on the wallpaper. Also, Matisse used a lot of brown, a kind of dull colour, on the background wallpaper, in terms to make the blue and yellow decoration, the green leaves and the yellow-skin figure stand out.

The use of colour is a life-long exploration and experiment for Matisse. Though it seems that his painting were always simply full of bright, pure and even exaggerated colours, the scientific application of colour theory was actually qutie mature in his paintings. In such ways, Matisse successfully provoked the emotion of the views.

The simplified forms

In Decorative figure in an oriental setting, many details were left out. For instance, the left hand of the nude woman was actually really blurry. You can find the same condition in the decorative floral wallpaper-------all the flowers were merely a bunch of colour with very little contours which make them a sense of form and shape. Matisse’s images appear to have been only roughly drawn and painted - just the essential parts were extracted from the image.

Absence of spacial depth

In Decorative figure in an oriental setting, many techniques were used to contribute to flaten the image. Firstly, the black contour. We can see clear black contour at the edge of the figure and other things in this painting. The black contour help to create a flatness. With the black contour, there was no blending of colours, an important means to show layers, thus made the painting lose the spacial depth.

There was no linear perspective to signify spatial depth in the painting; on the contrast, Matisse used his curvilinear forms and bold decorative patterns to highlight the flatness. In this case, the flatten object in the space was emphasized and left out---the nude woman.

The composition

The nude woman was drawn in a pyramid composition. She looks very steady and still, which leads people naturally follow the gaze of the nude woman. Though we know that her gaze was definitely out of the frame, but we still notice the left hand side of the paiting under the ‘leading’ of this woman’s eyes. We see the plant, and then our eyesight go up or down to scan the wallpaper or carpet. The misted gaze of the woman not only made her head the focal point, but also evoke our interest in her mental setting.

• one key quote about the work in question

The curved drapery creates a transition from the still, restful pose of the odalisque to the tilting floor and profusely animated designs of the carpet, wall and flowerpot.

• why this work interests you/ your own opinion of the work

It’s always a delight to look at Matisse’s paintings. His unique way of utilizing the colours in his paintings always give me a feeling of free from constraint. As we know that Matisse once spent the winters of 1912 and 1913 in Morocco for perfecting his color scheme under Mediterranean sun. In late 1910s, Matisse went to Nice, a city in the south of France, and stayed there to continue his artwork. The southern part of France is always an attraction to me. The sunshine from Mediterranean sea, the vineyards, all kinds of fruits, vegetables and flowers. If you had a taste of south of France, you will understand how this place inspired Matisse. Or to say, if you yearned for such a place, you can find satisfaction from Matisse’s paintings of this period---the vivid colours and the exotic atmosphere make you wander in your own imagination of a vigorous and unsophisticated land. Decorative figure in an oriental setting was depicting such a wonderland. Though it was a indoor scene, but it broads your imagination out to the gorgeous view of southern France. Or it does not necessarily need to be southern France. It can be any places that you dream for. Because there was not any implication where the scene was. It can be anywhere, west or east, which depends on where you are longing for when you look at it.

Of course the use of colour is a must-mentioned. Just like other Matisse’s paintings, Decorative figure in an oriental setting also contains a lot of vivacious colours. Matisse once said that he hoped that his artworks could give working people a sense of rest after the labour. I would like to say that he has accomplished his goal. His has undoubtly creatd another world that allows us to release and relax ourselves in it.

• names of authors, titles of articles, books or websites (and publication information) that are especially relevant to this work

Gabriele Crepaldi, Matisse---master of Fauvism, translated by 王娟娟

Art, Dk Publishing, New York

Olga’s Gallery, http://www.abcgallery.com/M/matisse/matisse74.html

Henri Matisse, http://www.henri-matisse.net/index.html

Nancy Doyle Fine Art, http://www.ndoylefineart.com/matisse.html

• a thought-provoking question about the work for the class

What Matisse wanted to convey through the painting of a odalisque in an exptioc scene do you think? Is there any thoughts deep inside or a mere depiction of his days in Southern France with the playing of colours?