African Art

Joseph Amedokpo, The Godess of Iron

Joseph Amedokpo is one of Africa’s finest painters in modern art.  He was born in a small village called Badougbe, in Western Africa.  He now lives in Vogan, Togo, with his wife and five children.  The surrounding area is full of history and culture including once was a slave shipping port, Ouidah, that has turned into a place where a Cult worships pythons.  He draws most of his inspiration in his paintings from this unique history and culture.  Red is his favorite color because it represents blood, life, soil, and is the color of many African gods. I chose to profile Joseph Amedokpo because he seems to me to be very humble.  He paints on old burlap sacks and mixes and blends his own colors from local oils.  He stays on top of current events and catastrophes.  He recently has been selected to design the Dell RED which is gonna help benefit the elimination of AIDS in Africa.

I chose the painting, The Godess of Iron, because the colors are really catchy and I like the theme.  Iron has been a huge player on the evolution of modern weapons.  I think this painting focuses heavily on the machete and the rifle.  The machete is a major tool used in Africa daily for farming (which could be represented by the bowl of grain at the bottom of the painting.  It is also used heavily as a weapon in Africa along with the rifle. The shapes and colors really pop in this painting.  I think that it represents the inventions created from iron can be good and bad.

cited

1. http://globalbatik.net/joseph_amedokpo.html
2. http://www.african-encounters.com/Artist-Joseph-Amedokpo_10.aspx

 

Revolution in Mexico

Diego Rivera’s En El Arsenal, 1928.

Diego Rivera was probably the most influential painter in Mexican history.  His large wall murals were a key factor in establishing the Mexican Mural Renaissance.  His active Communist positions directly influenced his themes in his murals.  Many dealt with his radical ideals.  He became a controversial painter with his attacks on the church and had disputes with left-wing assassins.  He was also married to another famous Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo.  I chose this painting because of the characters and controversy behind it.  Tina Modotti is holding an ammunition belt on the right.  She was a famous actress/model in the early 1900’s but was also a revolutionary political activist.  It also features Julio Antonio Mella, on the left, who was the founder of the Cuban Communist Party.  Mella was allegedly assassinated by Vittorio Vidale who is in the painting as well.  It was later speculated that Diego Rivera had prior knowledge in the death of Mella.  This and his involvement with anti-Soviet politics resulted in his expulsion from the Mexican Communist Party.  Aside from the story behind the painting, I really enjoy his use of colors and the intensity of the mood portrayed. His personal life, political ideals, and dramatic artwork featuring historical murals and folk tradition have influenced many of the people of the Americas. Diego Rivera died November 24, 1957 in Mexico City of heart failure.

cited

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Rivera
2. http://diegorivera.com/index.php
3. http://www.fbuch.com/diego.htm

Virtual Exhibit of Punk Rock

A new movement in rock and roll in and around 1975 was Punk Rock.  Because it stemmed from rock and roll it can be rooted to even earlier forms of african american music such as jazz.  This new style of music developed a subculture of people that span around the globe emphasizing political statements and anti-establishment ideals.  There are many styles of punk rock but the majority stressed getting away from the mainstream by extremely fast, edgy, and stripped down instrumentaion of songs. Along with punk ideals there was a do-it-yourself attitude and many bands recorded themselves and/or started their own labels.  Because of this strong ethic of doing it all yourself, bands with less talent musically (not all punk was talent deprived) were able to express their strong opinions.  Promoting sex, violence, and various forms of deviant behavior it was a true outlet to teen angst.Blitzkrieg Bop was the first single released by The Ramones on the album Ramones, April 1976.  Fueled by a strong back beat, a simple three-chord pattern, and Joey Ramone belting out “Hey Ho…Let’s Go!!”, it is a song that most people have heard (punk rocker or not).  The Ramones formed in Queens, NY in 1974.  They played over 2200 concerts and toured nonstop for 22 years.  That is true dedication.  In 2002, they were rated the second greatest band of all-time by Spin magazine…only to be beaten by the Beatles.The KKK Took My Baby Away, from the Ramones album Pleasant Dreams, 1981.  This is a live version performed in Sweden in 1981.  This song has been covered by many large rock bands such as Pearl Jam and Marilyn Manson.  The Ramones have been a heavy influence on post-modern rock.  It is rumored that the lyrics are about the guitar player, Johnny Ramone, stealing the girlfriend away from lead singer, Joey Ramone.NOFX is probably one of my all-time favorite punk bands.  Hailing from San Francisco, they formed in Los Angeles in 1983.  They are a prime example of how punk is anti-establishment and sometimes government.  Songs like Franco UnAmerican from The War On Errorism, 2003 (above) exemplify that aspect of punk.  Punk also can be goofy and just plain fun. Another reason why it is one of my favorite types of music. Green Corn live in Germany,1993 (below) displays the band definately having a good time on stage.  I believe performing should be fun.  NOFX constantly puts out great music and lyrical content that will keep you asking questions on foreign and national policy.  Punk rock’s legacy is in self-employment and being active socially and economically.  It does not rely on large amounts of money or mass media.  It is a true underground art form that does not conform, and relies on being an individual.  Through this it refreshed music at a time where music itself was stagnant and boring.  The Dead Kennedy’s Holiday in Cambodia, May 1980 has been released on three albums including Give Me Convienence or Give Me Death, 1987.  Most of the band’s lyrical content promotes economical and social reform.  Lastly, another favorite band of mine is Lagwagon.  They are from Goleta, CA.  Led by singer/song-writer Joey Cape, their songs range from relationships to promoting self-worth.  Joey Cape is also a solo artist with many acoustic singles.  Definately a band to check out (or just Joey Cape’s solo stuff) if you haven’t already.  This song is called Heartbreaking Music, from the album Resolve, which is largely written about the life and death of their original drummer,Derrick Plourde.

works cited

1. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theramones/biography
2. http://www.essortment.com/all/punkrockhistor_rapl.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punk_rock
4. http://www.deadkennedys.com/
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOFX
6.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagwagon

Early Modern/Jazz

Jazz.  The word alone sounds cutting edge and different.  It was a form of music that was born in the Southern United States in African American communities during the early 20th century.  This style of music was a comination of African and European style compositions.  It featured new and innovative techniques such as swing, blue notes, improvisation, and syncopation.  The word “jazz” was a slang term used to describe music in Chicago in 1915. New Orleans Dixie style jazz started around 1910 and has since transformed and influenced music to modern day.  One influential example would be acid jazz (developed in the 1980’s with contributing influences of funk and hip hop).  Jazz is hard to define as one style due to all of it’s influences on music but some sub-genres of jazz include: ragtime, big band, and bebop.

Louis Armstrong’s Dinah, Copenhagen 1933

One of the greatest jazz musicians of all time was Louis Armstrong.  He was nicknamed “Sachmo” a shortened version of “Satchelmouth”, due to his wide grin.  He was born in a poor New Orleans neighborhood.  His mother was a prostitute and his father left soon after his birth.  He was taught by Peter Davis to sing, play percussion, and the trumpet.  When he was 13, he was arrested for discharging a gun on New Years Eve and incarcerated.  This dealing helped will him away from the poor life and make a name for himself.  People say scat singing arouse from artists like Louis Armstrong.  There is no doubt he sang like a trumpet and made his trumpet sound like a voice.  This video of “Dinah” showcases both his unique singing style and his outstanding trumpet playing.

cited

1. 1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz
2. 2.http://www.redhotjazz.com/louie.html
3. 3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Armstrong
4. 4.http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=1403&pg=1

Impressionism/Post-Impressionism

Impressionism/Post-Impressionism is my favorite form of visual art.  It all started with a Claude Monet painting where a critic said it looks more like an “Impression” than a painting.    Monet did not use black and gray in his paintings. Instead, colors were broken down and used individually creating many bright colors as well as dark. 

Le Parc Monceau, Claude Monet, 1876

 Impressionists focused on conveying atmosphere, time of day, and how light effects colors.  Many landscape paintings were reproduced at different times of the day to show the effects of light on objects.Previous art forms had boundaries on the art style. Laws if you will. Although I enjoy those different styles, Impressionism to me is the best.  Previous artforms required straight lines, certain specific colors, curves, etc. Impressionism was new, fresh, and different.  It was not accepted by the general public initially. The artists were considered radicals.  They did most of their paintings outdoors which was unconventional at the time.

The Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh, 1889.

My favorite painter (and probably one of the most famous painters of the time) is Vincent Van Gogh. He was a Post-Impressionist.  The colors used and how they are broken down to individual shades in The Starry Night are amazing. Van Gogh was a night owl.  It is said that he didn’t find sleep until three or four in the morning and got most of his inspiration during the night time. Van Gogh suffered from mental illness, alcoholism, and had bad luck in the love department.  It is said that these bouts with these illnesses may have effected his artwork.  He ended his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  His art is one of the biggest influences on modern art. 

cited

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressionism
2. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/glo/impressionism/
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh

Classical

Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.14 in C-sharp minor “Quasi Una Fantasia” was completed in 1801 and it is said to have been written for a girl which whom he was in love with.  It was later called “Moonlight Sonata”, as which it is more popularily known.  This Sonata has three movements but, it does not follow the traditional format.  The first movement is relatively quiet and reminds me of attending a funeral (not a favorite past time of mine, but sounds very reflective, as most do at a funeral).  The second movement is a little more up tempo but it transitions well into the third and final movement that is the loudest of all three, like a grand finale (this was unconventional for Sonatas at the time).  The precision in the third movement is extremely amazing.  The next video is of the 3rd movement. I’m sure it will blow your mind.

Beethoven had a large impact on the rise of the middle class.  He lived during the time of “The Enlightment”, and became a hero in the struggle for equality between lower and middle classes to the upper class and royalty.  One of my favorite things about Beethoven was his questioning of authority and his ideals of only showing respect for people he felt deserved it.  It is said that he dedicated his third symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte, who was a great leader during the French Revolution.  Beethoven admired Napoleon until he claimed himself emperor.  Beethoven was so disgusted by this action that he ripped up the dedication and trampled it!  These type of actions made Beethoven infamous for his disrespect towards government leaders.

I personally think Beethoven is a hero to the people of the French Revolution and is considered one of the greatest composers/musicians of all time.  To this day his music is popular.  The “Moonlight Sonata” is a prime example of how talented Beethoven was and how skilled of a musician you must be to play his work.

cited

1. http://www.musicdish.com/mag/index.php3?id=7429
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No._14_(Beethoven)
3. https://classes.uaf.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_60839_1%26url%3d

Baroque Blog

Rembrandt, Harmenszoon van Rijn painted The Return of the Prodigal Son c. 1669.

I chose Rembrandt because he represents the little man in Baroque era society.  Although he became wealthy from his paintings, he helped encourage the rise of the mechant class in the Netherlands.  People in Dutch communities, despite their income or job, proudly displayed the paintings of the Baroque era artists’, including Rembrandt, who is famous for landscapes and self-portraits with the style of chiaroscuro (painting style that concentrated on the contrast between light and dark).  

In The Return of the Prodigal Son there are three main characters.  The youngest son kneeling before his father is obviously beaten down by the world. His shaved head, the sandals falling off his feet, and his head turned from his father’s eyes represent the selfish actions he committed spending his inheritance and the shame he felt towards his father.  I think it is clear that in the painting, the father shows complete forgiveness for whatever his son’s wrongdoings were, by the embrace of his hands and the look of compassion in his eyes.  Also, his cloak is red, which in that time represented love.  The older brother on the right is clearly upset and probably a little jealous of his father’s love, because in the story according to Luke 15:11-32, he is very unforgiving (note the older brother is wearing a red cloak as well, maybe he had some compassion as well).  I think that not only could this painting depict Christ as the younger son and God as the father, but it is also somewhat of a self-portrait of Rembrandt himself.  Rembrandt represents the two sons in the sense that he liked to party and spend money.  He was also very unforgiving at times with the people he associated himself with.  I especially like the colors in this painting and the chiaroscuro style.

ref.

1. http://www.bookstorepeople.com/2009/08/art-history-challenge-the-return-of-the-prodigal-son-by-henri-j-m-nouwen/
2. http://christianity.about.com/od/biblestorysummaries/p/prodigalson.htm
3. http://www.geocities.com/psychohistory2001/rembrandtenglish.html

Blog on Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, 1503 to 1504, Hertogenbosch,Netherlands

Hieronymous Bosch was a Flemish painter of the Northern Rennaisance.  His art has impacted many artists of the time as well as a movement in art more modern known as surrealism. Netherlands artists stressed ideals in humanism, which is an artform that displayed human values and self worth. The humanism created in Bosch’s works not only shows the celebration of being human but also focuses on the negative side of over indulgence in mankinds behavior.

The Garden of Earthly Delights is one of my favorite paintings of the time.  It is one of Bosch’s famous triptych’s (painting with three parts that is usually hinged together) that when you fold in the panels a painting of the earth during creation is formed. There are many ways to interpret this painting (which to makes it so interesting).  The left panel shows Adam and Eve in the garden with Christ.  It represents the creation of man, I think before sin.  The center of the painting is showing man engaging in sexual and other pleasurable behavior (can be considered sinning to most).  The left panel depicts hell on earth.  Obvious symbolism in punishment probably due to the acts shown in the center of the painting.  What I really like about this painting is it seems to be set in the same place in all three paintings, sort of representing a past, present, and future.

Citation

1. Wilder, Jesse Bryant. Art History for Dummies, Issue 5300. “Northern Eposure: The Renaissance in the Netherlands and Germany”. pg.184. 2007.

2. Dempsy, Charles. “Sicut in utrem aquas maris: Jerome Bosch’s Prolegomenon to the Garden of Earthly Delights”. The John Hopkins University Press, 119:1, January 2004, S247-S270.

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