ART 110: Test 1
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IDENTIFICATION
Please type your answers directly into each text box.
Identify each image with:
Artist
Title
Material
Date
Location
Pablo Picasso
Seated Bather
( La Baigneuse)
Oil on Canvas, 64 ½ x 51 in.
Early 1930
Paris
Pablo Picasso
Seated Bather
( La Baigneuse)
Oil on Canvas, 64 ½ x 51 in.
Early 1930
Paris
1
1
Cai Guo-Qiang
Footprints of History
Fireworks
August 8th, 2008
Beijing Olympic Games, Birds Nest
Cai Guo-Qiang
Footprints of History
Fireworks
August 8th, 2008
Beijing Olympic Games, Birds Nest
2
2
.
Edouard Manet
Luncheon on the Grass
Oil on canvas
7 ft. x 8 ft. 10 in.
1863
Musee d’ Orsay, Paris
Edouard Manet
Luncheon on the Grass
Oil on canvas
7 ft. x 8 ft. 10 in.
1863
Musee d’ Orsay, Paris
3
3
Jean- Michel Basquiat
Charles the First
Acrylic and oil oilstick on canvas, three panels. Triptych. 6’6 x 5’ 2 1/4
1982
New York
Jean- Michel Basquiat
Charles the First
Acrylic and oil oilstick on canvas, three panels. Triptych. 6’6 x 5’ 2 1/4
1982
New York
4
4
Shirin Neshat
Rebellious Silence, from the series Women of Allah
Gelatin silver print and ink, 11x14 in.
1994
New York and Brussels
Shirin Neshat
Rebellious Silence, from the series Women of Allah
Gelatin silver print and ink, 11x14 in.
1994
New York and Brussels
5
5
Artist: Jean - Michel Basquiat
Title: Charles the First
Date: 1982
Material: Acrylic and oil oilstick on canvas, three panels, triptych. 6’6” x 5’ 2 ¼”
Location: New York
Charles the First
Here I sit, starring at this strange piece of art, trying to piece it together in my mind. What possibly does all of this mean? The subject matter seems to jump from subject to subject. What is the artist trying to portray? As I read the context of the art it all starts to come together. This piece is very complicated; full the of the artist frustration but at the same time it celebrates his success as an artist. The more I try to analyze this art the more I get a deeper understanding. I believe he is speaking for the African American heroes, including himself that were chewed up in spit out by corporate America. He compared them to X- men, creatures with supernatural powers that protected themselves from people that wanted to hurt. He particularly singled out Thor, which drew my attention his similarity to the artist himself. Thor holds a tool that gives him super powers as does a can paint for the artist. Bisquiat, is not only paying patronage to these famous artists but he is also making reference to life in the streets, and his technically, “African American”, heritage.
The elements I see in this art are line, color, and shape. There are lines in the shapes of the squares, in the shape of the triptych, and there are ransom lines everywhere. They all have certain meaning. The lines of the crown and the lines in the S are to mean Basquiat’s signature. The lines of the multiple hands are depictions of hands being cut. There are also lines that drip down from the pain itself that could be a sign of disparages.
There are many random colors. Yellow gives the art a life form of some sort; it kind of glows from beneath while the expressions on top of speak to one another. The blue and orange conflict with one another, orange is an explosive color while the blue calms it down. Black brings in the frustration and sadness.
This art has no shortage of shapes. I see circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, and even leaf like shapes. I believe these shapes were used to point out importance of what was within them. For instance, how he circled Cherokee. That was his way of honoring the Indians for their tragedy. Secondly, how Thor is in a square with a crown. The artist is basically relating himself to Thor; someone with great power and hero qualities. Last of all, there is the triangle that embraces the S; again honoring himself as an artist.
Two principles that I see are unity/ harmony and emphasis. After reading the context of this piece and the artist’s background, I can definitely identify the artist in this piece. I feel his passion and his pride of his culture and also his disappointment in a world he cannot control. In that sense it gives wholeness to the art. The colors, shapes, symbols are harmonious throughout the three pieces.
This whole piece of art is all about emphasis to me. Basquiat, makes reference to king’s getting their heads chopped off, Indians getting their land taken from them, his frustration with corporate America, mutant’s with superhero powers, American musicians with amazing talent and athletes.
In conclusion, this iconic piece of art work has certainly made impression on me. This is art in its true form. There is such deep meaning behind each line and every corner that it is hard to even decipher what the artist is really trying to communicate. However, in all of that chaos there is an emotional connection that starts to happen before your eyes. You can feel his passion for the American heroes he is representing as well as his admiration for himself for rising to the top. Through this piece, he not only speaks for the unsung heroes but he also uses his unfortunate experience on the streets as his underground signature.
