Sunday, May 29, 2011

Week 9-Modernism and Post-Modernism

Maggie, (1996), Oil on canvas, 30 x 24"
(76.2 x 61 cm), Photograph by Ellen Page Wilson, courtesy of PaceWildenstein, New York, © Chuck Close 
Self Portrait (1994). Chuck Close. Detail.



Water Lillies (1920) Claude Monet
Water Lillies (1920) Claude Monet.

Both Claude Monet and Chuck Close were exploring paint, colour and human perception. Research the work of both artists in order to;

1. Outline the intentions of each artist.

Monet’s work tells the story of his flower garden at his home in Giverny. The artist work depicts his love of nature, fascination with capturing light at different times of the day and season. In his series of works we can see the use of reflection, water and love for his wife Alice Hoschede.

Close work reflects Ancient Roman floor Antioch mosaics. His sitters range from family, friends,
other artist and himself. His portraits show his remarkable skills in painting, print making and photography.

2. Describe the techniques of each artist

Monet’s work comprises of many layers of paint. The time it would take to complete a piece like this would range from months to years. What is significant in his work are the lilies and how they have remained watered over the course of a long process to completion. Time has been captured itself. Little strokes of the paint brush to capture every detail. The blurring is due to cataract the artist suffered at an older age.

Closes approach to the construction of art is through a systematic process of a grid and cells. The cells are filled with shapes that are abstract and all links together to portray the face of sitter. The use of large scale and hands on detail means that one portrait could take months even years to finish. Close is known for using different processes from wood block printing, reduction block printing and scribble and etching.

3. Find 2 quotes about each artists work, and reference them correctly.

"It took me time to understand my water lilies. I planted them for the pleasure of it; I grew them without ever thinking of painting them". Claude Monet

"...Rather than you being larger than the view that you’re looking at on a isle sized canvas, your just right in the face of those water lilies and the surface of the water with the clouds reflected from above you become lost in this expansive water and of light that is unique in modern art." Anne Temkin

"I was trying to rip it loose of the context in which we normally saw portraits and normally saw people, and try to make it a scanning experience, an experience of stumbling through this landscape." Chuck Close

"a creative process that could be interrupted repeatedly without…damaging the final product, in which the segmented structure was never intended to be disguised." Chuck Close
4. Note 3 similarities of the work of both artists.

The process that each artist has used to construct a piece of art can take months even years. Another similarity is detail both artist are very hands on, they like to get every last detail in their work. Scale, both artist use large scale effecting how the viewer sees the work. Layering, the mixing of colours is also very important. The way in which each composition has been laid out everything has been systematically organised. Subject matter each artist has portrayed things or people that are close to them.
5. What are some differences between the artist's works? (At least 3)

Differences between the artist works are the process both artists used to make the work, Monet. Success, when Monet’s works were first displayed they weren't celebrated instead scrutinised. Whereas Close has had allot of success and accomplishment. Both artists had very different influences Monet was influenced by his water Lillie garden where as Close was influenced by Ancient Roman mosaics.
6. Describe your response to the work of both artists.

Both Monet and Close is favourite artist of mine. Like both of them I am a person of detail. When I look at Monet's water lilies, I get so lost in the painting it is as if I am swimming in the water garden. You almost don't know where to look. However when I look at Closes work it is like the sitter is almost trapped inside. The resemblance is almost exact.

7. Add any other comments you would like

References:
www.whitecube.com/exhibitions/close/paintings-i/
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=80220
http://www.worcesterart.org/Exhibitions/Past/close.html
http://www.artquotes.net/masters/monet/water-lilies.htm
http://www.chuckclose.coe.uh.edu/life/index.html
http://blogs.princeton.edu/wri152-3/kgoss/
http://www.worcesterart.org/Exhibitions/Past/close.html
Academic Literacy’s in visual communication 1- Resource Book



6 comments:

  1. Hello Eden :)'
    A agree with your comments on Monet's work. I like your statement "The artist work depicts his love of nature, fascination with capturing light at different times of the day and season". I admire the patients and thought that Monet puts in to his work. He has a scientific approach to painting, as he would document the same scene but in different times of the day to really understand the different elements of light, tone and colour. I find i appreciate his work more after knowing the effort and emotion envolved to capture each piece.

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  3. Like Close Manet planed his paintings, painting on location. Browns and earth colours are not evident in Monets work "The point is to know how to use the colors, the choice of which is, when all's said and done, a matter of habit. Anyway, I use flake white, cadmium yellow, vermilion, deep madder, cobalt blue, emerald green, and that's all.". Painting from light coloured canvas, mixing on canvas and using brush strokes from thick to thin were all apart of the overall effect. There are few differences between artist both artist are great. The way in which they make art is fascinating and unique

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  4. After reading other blogs I discovered things about these two artist I hadn't found when I was researching myself. It is quite amazing what you learn when people voive their own opinion as well.

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  5. From reading your blog it is obvious that you have a clear understanding of Modernism and Post-Modernism. I also like how you discussed the similarities and differences etc between the two art works, it is clear that you really like these artists and enjoyed researching about them. I also agree with you that the art work is amazing.

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  6. I like how you have described the painter, that he works on the scene and that from the moment you look at one of his pieces you can tell he likes nature. From the colours he has used and the different tonal shades. His art work looks sort of abstract example the lillie pad painting is blurry but yet has so much detail and you still get the clear picture of what its meant to be from the shapes you can see, the layout and the colours. Another example is the painting Maggie, the whole image actually isn't anything its just a whole lot of colours placed in a way to create an image using his ligher and darker shades.

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