Non Western Cultures Contemporary Influence

Asia has had a great influence  on contemporary art and contemporary design such as kitchen design.The influence is seen in the kitchens cabinets and decoration and overall layout.The Asian influence contemporary design  idea comes with high quality wood materials that evokes a light, comfortable,cozy and relaxed overall mood.Contemporary Asian influence kitchen design always comes with large, rectangular, natural wood cabinets, and organic back splash color palette, usually colors that also give a sense  of serenity.

This is just one  of many ways that Non Western culture has influenced that of western culture. Asian influence is also seen in much of the worlds music, the influence that they have  on so many peoples music careers is simply phenomenal.For instance if a music group  pop, rock, modern, whatever, from the U.S.A goes to Asia and tour they will blow up, seemingly because Asia and china love american culture. I believe its because of the versatility that exist in Asia. Asia Holds two thirds of the worlds population , also having many different religions, cultures within the culture, people and languages. Asia plays a huge role in the world  of manufacture and trade also throughout history.wit that said without the influence of Asia we probably wouldn’t have culture as we know. For Culture is the exchange of different beliefs and ways of living.

Non-Western Influence In Contemporary Art

Recently I have found my self interested in African influences in fashion. I guess that counts as contemporary art right? There are a lot of beautiful things about African cultures that translate into garment nicely. For example, the way that Native African people dress and adorn themselves serves both as to symbolize status in a tribe as well as function within the environmental constraints. Native dress consists of layering and wrapping printed fabrics and accessorizing with beautiful handmade jewelry.  I think taking these elements and playing them into contemporary fashion is interesting.

Junya Wantanabe

Marios Schwab

So to take this away from being so personal (MEMEME) and to actually teach myself something I did a little googling on other artists influenced by African art and came across some cool examples. Actually this whole website is awesome. It talks about different Modern artists and shows how their own work was influenced by African art and culture. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’ve looked at works by Picasso and Klee a million times and never even thought about how they were influenced by African art. But it is made so clear by comparing Picasso’s abstract figures to those of stylized African sculptures, and looking at Klee’s paintings in comparison to symbolic imagery used by Native Africans. Interesting.

Ruthee’s First Paper

As I browsed through all the paintings and sculptures in the Art Institute I was memorized by one piece in particular. It was an oil painting on canvas by Cecco del Caravaggio entitled The Resurrection. I was not drawn to it because of its characters nor of the scene that takes place in the painting. I was attracted to this painting because of its aesthetics. It was the use of color and even the size of the artwork appealed to me.

            Yes, white seems to be quite a mundane color but in this painting the artist uses it rather ingeniously. The over all image is dense and every color portrayed in the painting is shaded except for the color white. The color white is extremely vivid and saturated compared to all of the other colors. It helps make the white stand out and dominates the total picture. I assume this was done intentionally because of where the white is found.

            The use of bright white can be found on two characters that are located dead center of the picture plane, Jesus and an angle. When I came into realization of the identification of the characters then it was clear why white was used so intensely. Throughout history, Jesus and angles are considered to be pure and holy. What better way to depict innocence and godliness than with the color white? However, white is found in other areas as well.

            In the foreground, a man sits on the floor and the color of his pants is also white. Nonetheless, it is a different white. It is not as divine as the white on the angle and Jesus. The white is shaded to almost a light grey. The man’s face is pointed down towards the ground. He is also in a dark area and he seems dirty, maybe even wounded or impaired. The personality that he represents is unlike the angle and Christ. This helps the viewer understand each persona, who is the mighty and who is the insignificant. When the onlooker finally comprehends this aspect then that is when the painting begins to make some sense.

            Some of the characters in the painting have a facial expression fright or anger. Others have a posture that makes them appear unconscious and the rest seem to be fleeing the scene. Christ and the angel, on the other, look tranquil, their posture is graceful, and their complexity is clear. They take up most of the frame and they actually seem quite victorious as if winning a war. Even their hand gesture screams out, “We’re number one.” Which is also the same gesture in Michelangelo’s painting The Creation of Adam making the central subjects even more holy.

            What do I think of the over painting now? His use of an intense shade of white versus a dull white was clever. It draws in the viewer. However, the meaning of the painting is something I have seen multiple times before. It is not new to me or anyone else. I do understand that religion was the central theme back when this painting was created. Even when it’s not about religion it is somehow about religion.

            The painting overall was intriguing and trying to understand the meaning of it was challenging but yet impressive—on my part. I do not think interpretation would be possible years ago before taking art or art history courses.

Ruthee’s Non Western Influence

I have been influenced by many artists throughout my life—from Aqua to Kate Chopin to Sally Mann and everything in between. One artist that I have recently been influenced by is Caravaggio.

I was flipping through the pages of a book that I was required to buy for my foundations of two dimensional design class and I stumbled across a painting. It was the crucifixion of St. Andrew by Caravaggio. I didn’t think much of it at the time. I didn’t see anything special about it and I believe my exact words were, “Whatever! Whatever! Whatever! Okay, I’m done reading.” Little did I know that painting would help me pass the class.

According to my 2D teacher my drawings were flat and, yes, I do agree that they were flat. I thought it was what made my art unique similar to Japanese art. However, it didn’t appeal to him and I found his comments quite insulting. So, I swore for my final project I would work on a piece that is completely far from flat.

I bombarded myself with research for days and looked at many artists and their artworks. And again, I came across Caravaggio’s painting. That’s when it hit me—for my final project I decided to recreate that painting. That painting that is so far from flat.

I saw this painting differently now. The way he uses light and dark in gradation creating depth appealed to me. It was different from atmospheric perspective and mathematical perspective. That was the inspiration I needed to execute my project.

I don’t have very much experience with painting so I used color pencils, pastels, and charcoal on a quarter inch masonite board. 

Long story short, he gave me a B for my project. I don’t think he liked me very much because everyone was amazed by my results except him but I passed the class so I’ll live.

Ruthee’s Relationship to Art Making

Hello, my name is Ruth Garcia but everyone calls me Ruthee. I grew up in the heart of Humboldt Park and many of you might already know that Humboldt Park is quite the dangerous neighborhood. So dangerous, in fact, that my parents would never let me go out and play with the neighbor’s daughters. I spent most of my free time drawing and coloring when I was a little girl. I was always drawn to the idea of creation in art form. I was always creating something.

As I became older I was engulfed by the arts. I took every art class my school had to offer: drawing, photography, computer imaging, writing, general music, steel drum, trumpet, choir, and music theory. Out of all of those I was mostly drawn to music/trumpet, and photography but music triumphed. The day I heard Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven was the day I absolutely fell in love with music; it was the day I decided I was going to pursue a career in music. The following year I applied to Columbia College as a music major and here I am today.

Nonetheless, music is still a passion of mine but photography became the victor after all. I was introduced to Sally Mann’s work and I felt that love all of over again but even greater. I am currently majoring in photography and I am enjoying every minute. I hope to be as great as Sally Mann and as well known as Beethoven. And, maybe, one day, years from now, there will be a group of students—just like us—sitting in those very same seats we sit in every Monday afternoon and learn about my work and also the work of my fellow classmates.

Photo taken by Sally Mann

 

Photo taken by Me, Ruth Garcia

Malachi’s Relationship to Art and Art History

         I’m a fashion designer and i believe I’ve been for a long time.  I’ve been loving fashion forever. I grew up drawing women and men’s clothing and it somewhat lives through me.  I drew almost everyday, if not everyday and i still do to this day, if its just a small square or a name I have to make the simplest things pop! Sometimes it seems like a curse its like I’m a slave to drawing and sketching, and I have to see the fierceness of a women at least once a day, there’s literally nothing I love to do more, judge beauty and create it.

         I always have Loved to draw people since I can remember, but the woman’s body has always fascinated me since I was a small child, women were everything. People used to  say that my skills were way advanced for children my age so was my imagination.I would look at things for what they really are and how they are presented in the real world.I basically learned to draw by drawing women and sometimes I would draw women a bit R rated for my age.

        When I got in  the 8th grade I  pretty much realized that I had a talent for drawing human forms and extensive realistic looking clothing, among these were also facial gestures, and body movement I mastered human form in the 7th grade.  That age I started to take note on how I should present myself for the opposite sex as well, so I started dressing really nice. I won best dressed in my graduating class and realized that i had a thing for fashion.

      I would always give my opinion on my mothers wardrobe and pretty much made her look flawless as much as I could. my family then called me the designer of the house because I would find myself rearranging the furniture or drawing some really weird outfit and making it for my sisters barbie doll’s. This is when I knew that I a supposed to be adesigner. I love color and when I can, I use it the utmost.I really started to get into fashion in high school I wanted to be different and I always was due to my signature looks and styles thanks too knowledge of fashion and contemporary trends, I multiple prom dresses for friends and still to this day I cant stop designing.I also still love drawing women, I’m also good with portraits.

         My relationship to art is a direct relationship through design,drawing, singing and fashion and the love there of in appreciation of beauty whether its clothing, a living room or a harmonic note sang y three choral members. These aspects make me an artist. as far as art history goes, I never really studied it except through a clothing line inspired by a painting or statue or your average middle school history books. I didn’t start studying art until Columbia, my relationship to history of art is important for two reasons. A. because I’m an artist and in order to create art and design for the future I need to understand the art and design of the past, and I need the classes to get my bachelors in Art and Design.Its extremely relevant thats the reard for my education.

Perspectives

Giorgione’s Tempest uses atmospheric perspective that utilizes the upper left side of the painting as its vanishing point. The School of Athens by Raphael uses one point perspective that goes straight into the center, focusing on Aristotle and Plato.

I found the perspectives easy to understand and draw. I had drawing last semester and I found that to be a huge help, along with the handout you gave us.

Drawing with two point perspective was a bit of a challenge. I have worked with one point perspective many years before but never with two. I understood the concept but applying it felt like learning how to walk all over again.

   

Three point perspective is also commonly known as birds eye view, its drawn with a triangular angle, and it must contain a 90 degree angle ascending to the top, or descending to the bottom of the picture to emphasize far distances.