SURREALISM

SURREALISM

This blog is for academic purposes in the partial fulfilment of ACHG 200 Assignment 1 at the Design Department, Pearson Institute of Higher Education.

Surrealism is an avant-garde movement that began in the early 1920s that released the creative potential of the unconscious mind which made paintings seen or placed together with a contrasting effect (juxtaposition).

HISTORY

This movement started around 1920's in Europe after World war 1. It combined elements of Dada and cubism to create something new to the world. Poets and writers however were the first people to have it out in the world. However André Brenton is known as the "Pope of Surrealism." (Charles Moffat, 2011).

André Brenton explained surrealism as "psychic automatism in its pure state by which one proposes to express - verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner - the actual functioning of thought." This meant that most artists went over the reasoning and phobia of getting their unconscious mind (The Art Foundation, 2017). Later on, these techniques became automatism  that made artists forgo conscious thought and embrace chance when creating art (The Art Foundation, 2017).

"The Interpretation of Dreams" was one of the most influential books to the surrealists in 1899. This book was written by Sigmund Freud who justified the importance  of dreams and the unconscious as valid revelations of human emotion and desires hence a basis for theoretical Surrealism thus each artist doing their paintings basing on their own recurring dreams or/and unconscious mind (The Art Foundation, 2017). 

Main artists involved in this movement were:
-Andre Breton (1896-1966) -Antonin Artaud (1896-1948)

-Joan Miro (1893-1983)
-Salvador Dali (1904-1989)
-Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
-Max Ernst (1891-1976)
-Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) -Giorgio de Chirico (1888-1978) -Rene Magritte (1898-1967)
-Yves Tanguy (1900-1955)
-Frida Kahlo (1907-54) among others. 

The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali (Mamta Bhatt 2016).

This is the most famous or well known painting in the history of Surrealism. It is the iconic ode to time according to Salvador. His inner workings of subconscious are reflected by the dripping clocks and also show that time as we know it is meaningless.

MODERN PAINTING.

(Jacek Yerka, 2012)

The above painting is by Oleg Shuplyak and was done in 2011. In this painting, you get to see different series of compositions forming one beautiful face on a landscape. The houses on the right with the trees form a face  which is also the left eye of the the main face in the painting. The woman on the left with a child kneeling form the left eye and lastly the a woman in the center with a man playing a harp and a tree forming the mouth and nose.
According to my view, the painter tried to reflect the sadness because of a breakup thus the woman in the center and on the left woman with a child on the left. He shows a sad man that tries to hide his face hence looking at the back playing his harp.
So he displayed his message properly.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, Surrealism has helped me as a graphic designer to be creative through unconsciousness and making it real through illustrating. This has also also made me more creative in the world of design since there is no limit or restrictions of art.

SOURCES

Charles Moffat, 2011. Art History Archive.The Origins of Surrealism. Online. Available at:
http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/surrealism/Origins-of-Surrealism.html
Accessed on: 28/04/2017

The Art Foundation, 2017. The Art Story. Surrealism. Online. Available at:

http://www.theartstory.org/movement-surrealism.htm
Accessed on: 28/04/2017

Mamta Bhatt 2016. All that is interesting. Surrealism Art: Seven Iconic Surrealist Artists and Paintings. Online. Available at:

http://all-that-is-interesting.com/most-iconic-surrealist-paintings
Accessed on: 28/04/2017

Jacek Yerka, 2012. Cuded. 20 Inspirational Surreal Paintings. Online. Available at:
http://www.cuded.com/2012/10/20-inspirational-surreal-paintings/
Accessed on: 28/04/2017

DADAISM

This blog is for academic purposes in the partial fulfilment of ACHG 200 Assignment 1 at the Design Department, Pearson Institute of Higher Education.

History

Dada means 'hobbyhorse' or the exclamation "Yes-Yes" (Artyfactory, 2017).
It all started in February 1916 at a city's Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich where a group of artists that were opposing the cultural values that led to the World War 1 (David K., 2015).
There were a number of artists associated with this movement and there were:-
-Hugo Ball
-Tristan Tzara
-Marcel Janco
-Richard Huelsenbeck
-Jean (Hans) Arp
-Raoul Hausmann
-Hannah Höch
-John Heartfield
-Kurt Schwitters
-Johannes Baargeld
-Johannes Baader
-Max Ernst
-George Grosz
-Hans Richter
-Francis Picabia
-Man Ray
-Marcel Duchamp.

Dada challenged the political, social and cultural values of that time, the elements of music, art, dance among others were embraced. It created a climate in which art values were unrestricted hence anti-art.Dadaists had automatism, chance, photomontage and assemblage as their techniques. It then later influenced the development of Surrealism, Action Painting, Pop Art, Installations, Happenings and Conceptual Art (Artyfactory, 2017).

Historical painting

MAX ERNST (1891-1976)
'The Chinese Nightingale' 1920 (photomontage)

The above image is a photomontage called the 'The Chinese Nightinggale' and was done by Max Ernst in 1920. Ernst created a visual poetry from unconscious associations of juxtaposed images (Artyfactory, 2017). So basically his style was more of a collage whereby he combined human limbs  of a woman, with a fan and a bomb below them, a terrified eye   hence he communicating something. So his main intention with this image was defusing  the natural fear of bombs as seen in above.

Modern painting

Victoria Rick, 2014.

The above image is by Victoria Rick and is a photomontage.You can see that it was cut out of different pieces to come up with a story for example, the people in the bottom left side of the image are sitting on a street bench, then there is a library being left side, the center shows ancient buildings likely to be in London and a man walking. According to me, this image what happens in London as a city.

Conclusion

In seeing what this movement did, it has helped me as a designer to be able to communicate my artwork in a strong and very effective  way for example use of a collage to come up with what I feel and can be seen and understood by the viewers.

Sources

David Koenig, 2015. The Dada Movement. Online. Available

https://www.dadart.com/dadaism/dada/020-history-dada-movement.html

Accessed on 16/04/2017

Artyfactory, 2017. The Dadaism. Online. Available

http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/dadaism.htm
Accessed on 16/04/2017

Victoria Rick, 2014. Playing with dimensions. Online. Available

https://victoriarick.wordpress.com/category/photomontage/
Accessed on 16/04/2017

EXPRESSIONISM

Expression is the action of making known ones's thoughts or feelings.

HISTORY

This movement started around 1905 -1925. So expressionism was a term used to indicate or show the use distortion and exaggeration for emotional effect or look and feel. So in other wards, artists here did not depict objects the way they were but what they thought or felt according to them emotionally (Administration, 2017).
There was judgment of work since artists at this era made paintings from there emotional points of view instead from what they saw physically. This made their paintings become more of the artist's character expressed with feelings rather than analyzing compositions (The Art Story, 2017).

There were two manifestos and these were:

1. Die Brucke

This was a German expressionism formed in Dresden around 1905 (Art Story, 2017). So their paintings were more of figurative distortions, they also worked directly on the image and chose color according to the mood they were in and lastly worked aggressive on the brush strokes whilst using un naturalistic colors to the canvas .

2. Der Blaue Reiter

This started from Munich in German as an abstract counterpart to Die Brucke's distorted figurative style. His paintings were mainly focusing on the idea that color and form had concrete spiritual values. So he also had a paintings that expressed the way felt and saw music hence showing his unique approach to form (The Art Story, 2017).

"THE SCREAM" BY EDVARD MUNCH, 1893 

This is a painting done by Munch called "The Scream." When you look at the painting, it shows his emotions in a way that you see an alien like person terrified and screaming on the bridge. The painting is also exaggerated in way of his style of drawing whereby  it involves swirls especially as seen in the sky and the water.

Modern painting.

Painting by Ford Smith 2010-2016

The painting above is done by Ford smith. In this painting , you can see that he is inspired by the expressionism movement expressing the the tree leaves in a circular form, and also the handling brush strokes in the sky in whilst form. The colors of his painting done depending on his mood hence this being a modern painting of expressionism.

Sources

Administration, 2017. Art movements. Online.Available at:

http://www.artmovements.co.uk/expressionism.htm

Accessed on: 06/04/2017

The Art Story, 2017. The Art Story: Expressionsm. Online.Available at:

http://www.theartstory.org/movement-expressionism.htm

Accessed on: 06/04/2017

The Art Story, 2017. The Art Story: Der Blaue Reiter. Online.Available at:

http://www.theartstory.org/movement-der-blaue-reiter.htm

Accessed on: 06/04/2017

The Art Story, 2017. The Art Story: Der Blaue Reiter. Online.Available at:

http://www.harmonyangels.com/Expressionism.html

Accessed on: 06/04/2017

FUTURISM

History

Futurism deals with events that are anticipated to come in the future.
This movement started in the early 20th century and it emphasized  speed, dynamism, energy, the strength of the machine and the vitality, and modernity. 
In this movement, visual arts and poetry were were the most significant (John James White, 2015).
This all started in Italy 1909 when Filippo Tommaso Marinetti published his first manifesto 'Futurist Manifesto.' Umberto Boccioni, Gino Severini, Giacimo Balla and Carlo Carra were drawn by Marinetti's ideas because of belief of being translated into modern, figurative art which handled and explored features of movement and space(Wolf. J, 2017).


Characteristics
- Futurists had their paintings evoking all kinds of sensations that were not only visible to the   eye.
- Futurism borrowed various aspects of Post-Impressionism, which were Symbolism and         Divisionism adhering working in an eclectic manner hence making it not being identified
  with a distinctive style.
- They used the new visual technology which influenced them in their paintings hence 
  showing movement in painting, and use of abstract art with rhythmic palpitating qualities
  (Wolf. J, 2017).
- Most ideas from this movement where generated through writing  and several manifestos.

Sea Dancer, Gino Severini, 1913

The above painting is called the Sea Dancer, and as seen above it is broken light and colour into series of dots and also geometric forms using a style of divisionism.



Modern painting

Above is a painting of a woman or man sitted in the chair with his or right hand relaxed up the chair.
It is a futurist painting because of the  geometric shapes used the use of colour and the overall painting is more of abstract at first sight but as you look at it closer you get to see understand it.

In conclusion, futurism has helped us to think of the future which today is often seen in movies like Iron man where things shown in a futuristic way hence expressing futurism.



Sources consulted

John James White, 2015, Global Britannica. Online. Available at:

https://global.britannica.com/art/Futurism

Accessed on:30/03/27

Wolf. J, 2017, The Art story: Futurism. Online. Available at:

http://www.theartstory.org/movement-futurism.htm

Accessed on:30/03/27

Colluna, 2017, Design is History. Online. Available at:

http://www.designishistory.com/1850/futurism/
Accessed on:30/03/27

CUBISM

History

In the early 20th century, this movement influenced most visual art styles. The major people who created this movement were Pablo Picasso a Spanish man (1881-1973) and a French man by the names of Georges Braque (1882-1963).

These artists broke the concept that art should copy nature for example they did not adopt or follow the the traditional techniques of perspective (Sabine Rewald, 2004).

Key ideas/ Characteristics.

-In this period, artists broke the traditions of art. These are the rules of perspective that depicted space  since renaissance. 

-The artists explored different types of form for example space would flow through sharp figures and  objects.

-These cubists used non-art materials. These were abstract structures that were produced in paintings.

-Cubism paved way for the non-object of school and sculpture (The Art Story, 2017).

Cubist example 

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon 1907. (Pablo Picasso.org, 2009)

This painting was done by Pablo Picasso and is the most known example of cubism. Here Picasso broke the traditional representation of art with renaissance period. He portrayed the female bodies in form of distortion and geometric forms in a creative way, which challenged the beliefs of females representation of beauty. In this painting, African art influenced Picasso (Pablo Picasso.org, 2009).

Temporary Art

The boxer by Dylan Jones (Chris Spooner, 2007)

The image above is of a boxer as the title says, it breaks the tradition of art in a way there is no perspective and form especially for his adidas short, it is rectangular. In this image the artist used cool and warm colours to differentiate the front from the back for example, for the legs, red was given to the front one whereas dark green is given to the back one.

Conclusions

To me as a designer, cubism paved a way for me to be able to  do what I want today for example, when I can be able to create an abstract painting or picture and has a meaning or representation hence not following the art tradition.

An example is a logo.

Sources.

Sabine Rewald, 2004. Cubism. Online. Available at:

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cube/hd_cube.htm

Accessed on: 13/03/2017

The Art Story, 2017. Cubism. Online. Available at:

http://www.theartstory.org/movement-cubism.htm

Accessed on: 13/03/2017

Pablo Picasso.org, 2009. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Pablo Picasso 1907. Online. Available at:

http://www.pablopicasso.org/avignon.jsp#prettyPhoto

Accessed on: 13/03/2017

Chris Spooner, 2007. 30 Modern Examples of Cubism Style in Digital Art. Online. Available at:

http://blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/articles/30-modern-examples-of-the-cubism-style-in-digital-art

Accessed on: 13/03/2017

Arts and Crafts Movement

So before we get into this movement, we need to know what 'Arts and Crafts" are.So these are art activities done through use of your own hands for example for example wood carving, knitting, clay modelling among others.

So the Arts and crafts movement is a movement that started in Europe (Britain) approximately 1880 and later on spread to America. It was all about bringing back hand craftsmanship because industries had taken over their jobs. So in 1860s and 70s, artists begun to apply and create new different styles in arts hence forming the "Arts and Crafts movement" (Victoria and Albert Museum,2016).

In this movement, John Ruskin and William Morris  were the most influential people in making it well known to the world.

John Ruskin

Designhistory.org, How the Industrial Revolution Spawned the Arts and Crafts Movement 2011

http://www.designhistory.org/Arts_Crafts_pages/IndustrialRevolution.html

He was a poet, an author and an critic. He theorised that the Industrial Revolution Division was the cause of unhappiness to the poor because their industries had taken over their jobs (Designhistory.org,2011)

William Morris

Southgate Green Association, William Morris, 2017 

http://southgategreen.org.uk/christ-church/william-morris/

William Morris was born in 1834, Walthamstow. Him and his friends were influenced by John Ruskin (Southgate green Association, 2017). He later became the leader in the Arts and the Crafts movement. He applied the principles of art to the production of commercial art. He believed that one had to know the media he used hence spending time learning a variety of techniques (Arty factory, 2017).

Examples of his artwork

Arty factory, William Morris-The Arts & Crafts Movement.2017

http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/graphic_designers/william_morris.html

Above is the image of William Morris "Windrush" done from 1881-83. In this painting,he used the gothic style and as seen above he spent more time in detail which made painting awesome (Arty factory, 2017).

Contemporary art

F.A.M.E NYC Magazine, ARTS, CRAFTS AND MORE AT THE CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR NYC.

https://famenycmagazine.com/2011/11/19/arts-crafts-and-more-at-the-contemporary-art-fair-nyc/

The image above is one of the modern contemporary art pieces. As seen, the artist used a medieval style on the illustrated lady and mixed it with the modern style especially the blusih waves that go along the painting.

As a graphic designer, William Morris teaches me that the principles of art and design are essential and that we have to spend more time on our projects hence making them effective and appealing to the viewers. this is what makes us different from mechanical art the reason being that we are creative and can adjust from one medium to another.

Sources consulted

Victoria and Albert Museum,  The Arts & Crafts Movement. Online. Available at

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/the-arts-and-crafts-movement/

Accessed on 12/02/17

Southgate Green Association, William Morris. Online. Available at

http://southgategreen.org.uk/christ-church/william-morris/

Accessed on 12/02/17

Designhistory.org, How the Industrial Revolution Spawned the Arts and Crafts Movement 2011.
Online. Available at
http://www.designhistory.org/Arts_Crafts_pages/IndustrialRevolution.html
Accessed on 12/02/17

Arty factory, William Morris-The Arts & Crafts Movement. Online. Available at
http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/graphic_designers/william_morris.html
Accessed on 12/02/17

F.A.M.E NYC Magazine, ARTS, CRAFTS AND MORE AT THE CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR NYC.

Online. Available at

https://famenycmagazine.com/2011/11/19/arts-crafts-and-more-at-the-contemporary-art-fair-nyc/

Accessed on 12/02/17

GRAPHIC HISTORY

Well, this blog as it says is all about the history in Graphic design. As you will see, I will take you through all the modernist movements and break them one by one so that you understand and capture all events that happened and why they did.

This blog is not only for history but to help modern designers understand why designers at those particular periods decided to do what they did, analyse it and maybe learn from them and incorporate it in the modern world hence having knowledge of what we do in our everyday life.

In short, ancient designers in around 10000AD came up with their movements that portrayed what they did, believed the style and so many others. 

So please put your eyes on the blog and witness the power of "Graphics."