"A series of changes in the structure of European thought itself: systematic doubt, empirical and sensory verification, the abstraction of human knowledge into separate sciences, and the view that the world functions like a machine. These changes greatly changed the human experience of every other aspect of life, from individual life to life of the group. This modification in the world-view can also be charted in painting, sculpture and architecture: you can see that people of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are looking at the world very differently".
If we were to apply this to any works created during this period. We could take for example Joseph Duplessis Portrait of the Court of Angiviller (1779)
As a viewer we can see that this is a official portrait. On first glance we can see how the17th century 'Scientific Revolution has impacted the artist and how it has been portrayed through his work. This portrait depicts more emotion and thought of the sitter, there is a slight slouch to him in the chair, there is more focus on the individual and the environment and his environment.
2. Give examples of how we can we still see evidence of the 'Scientific Revolution' in the world today.
We can still see evidence of the 'Scientific Revolution' in the world today as we are still influenced by ideas of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. We use science to understand the world but it's not predictable. "Truth can be arrived through empirical observation, the use of reason, and systematic doubt" for example observing a plant and how it grows and trying to understand it. Engineering and socialising people so that they can understand and progress and advancement.
Research Pipilotti Rist's video installations to answer the following;
3. From your research, do you think that the contemporary art world values art work
that uses new media/technology over traditional media?
I think that the contemporary art world does value art work that uses new media/technology. There will always be that influence from traditional media, however new media/technology is readily available for all to use/see. Through the advancement of technology new doors have been opened so that artist can explore new possibilities and most importantly push boundaries and further what we already know today.
4. How has Pipilotti Rist used new media/technology to enhance the audience's experience of her work?
Pipilotti Rist has used new media/technology to enhance the audience's experience of her work with the use of installation. We can see this in Pipilotti's work 'Ever is Over All' (1997).
Two projectors superimposed alongside one another projecting both a luscious field of red flowers and a woman in an azure coloured dress with claret ballerina high heels parading down a car lined street with a flower in her hand. Casually smashing the windows of just about every car she passes. The use of sound through an audio system gives this piece a sort of almost bizarre and terrifying twist.
5. Comment on how the installation, sound and scale of 'Ever is Over All' (1997) could impact on the audience's experience of the work.
6. Comment on the notion of 'reason' within the content of the video. Is the woman's behaviour reasonable or unreasonable?
In my personal opinion I don't think that the woman's behaviour is either resonable or unreasonable but rather unexpected. It is reasonable because it is what we would define as normal for a woman to be somewhat casually walking down the street with skip in her step. It is unreasonable because you don't see a woman walking down the street smashing car windows with a flower.
7. Comment on your 'reading' (understanding) of the work by discussion the aesthetic (look), experience and the ideologies (ideas, theories) of the work.
Like most works of art today, they are very much open to interpretation and I think that is the same with this piece. In relation to the ideologies of the work maybe it is just a woman who has decided to walk down the street today and smash car windows. Chris (2011) "Actually I think from a feel based point of view, it's probably aimed more at women than men.” Perhaps there is that connection between men and woman. Here is this woman who has decided that she is going to let her hair down for once and forget about all the worries in the world and let loose, have fun and go a little crazy. I for one wouldn't want to over analyze the work because maybe that is the bottom line. There are something’s in life we just can't explain.
References:
http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Joseph-Siffrein-Duplessis/Study-For-A-Portrait-Of-Charles-Claude-De-Flahaut-De-La-Billarderie-1730-1809-Count-Of-Angiviller.htmlhttp://wmuphoto.wordpress.com/2007/02/
http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=81191
http://chrispilotsblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.db-art.de/archiv/2007/e/5/1/562-2.html
Academic Literacy’s in visual communication 1- Resource Book
