- I believe that this makes the artwork more successful. Viewers will have different responses to the piece similar to how they will have different opinions on whether the piece is a good work of art. If pieces of art inspired completely different responses from the artist’s intentions made an artwork less successful, many pieces of art would have to be considered less successful as their “message” did not reach or came “distorted” to the viewer.
On the other hand, in the perspective of the artist, this might seem to them as the artwork being less successful. Their time spent on their work was meant to transmit a specific message to the viewers. Receiving a different emotional response than what the artist intended to convey makes it seem as though the artist has failed.
Art through the Years
3.
The subjects of the paintings changed greatly across the years from portraits and landscape paintings to focuses on lifestyle and the growth of human society to the beauty of Canadian nature to the sadness and mourning of the 1920~1940s to the great change in artistic elements.
The style of the paintings changed gradually from realism to impressionism and expressionism to abstract. Colours gradually grew bolder and more vibrant with more contrast in each room that came after. Materials used in the paintings changed in accordance to their availability and their cost; Oil on canvas being the most common, acrylic, a more expensive alternative and oil on masonite, enamel paint, Lucite on canvas and blackboard painting emerging with their increasingly common usage. Brushstrokes were originally thick and very accurate but became more and more disorganized through the years. Towards the end of the rooms, many different forms of brushstrokes were used depending on the type of art and how and what the artist wanted to convey. The size trended from smaller to medium size paintings due to the focus on fine details while the large paintings that came later emphasized on bigger details.
4.
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I think that Jean-Paul Riopelle is trying to convey meaning by using a special technique called automatism, in which the subconscious takes control of the movement of the arm and create a flowing and “movement” effect with the paint. By using this technique, he conveys his meaning through the receding and advancing colours that make the painting have movement and energy.
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My interpretation of Pavane is that it is a representation of culture. The colours that are generally close together represent the communities of new immigrant culture that have formed in Canadian society. The “movement” is the constant interaction and change between the cultures and how it shapes Canada to what it is today. Although research proved the painting had a different meaning, culture was one aspect that was used in the creation of this piece. Pavane was actually meant to represent a Spanish dance from the 16th century in which the colours represented the rhythm and flow of the dance.
5.
a) Nature is not art but can form a basis of it such as when we manipulate it to form gardens in which colours of flowers harmonize. Nature on its own is not bound by specific aspects; it changes through natural selection and is free to vary indefinitely. However, the definition of art is: the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. Natural scenery can be considered art simply because it is beautiful or appealing.
Depending on how one looks at things, anything can therefore be classified as ‘art’ to them. As long as it inspires an emotion of more than ordinary significance, “it” can be classified as art. Art is based on the viewer’s perspective and the emotion, appeal and quality can vary from person to person.
b) Computers are unable to create real art because they have no real emotions. The aspects of the art (created by a computer) which inspire thoughts can be simply programmed so that the computer recognizes that certain patterns appeal to human judgement. However that is still not real art, because the computer is not creating art on its own will, but rather the will of the operator.
6.
- I believe it has a rightful place in the gallery. Architecture is the design of buildings including structure, exterior design and interior decorations. These being all aspects that manipulated to human appeal make architecture a form of art. The structure was most likely intended to be a part of the gallery for its artistic merit from a structural point of view. The inner architecture of the Chapel (e.g.: ceiling) can be judged as a piece of art. It not only embodies an architectural significance but also a historical significance in Canada. Also included within the Chapel are statues and altars which can also be classified as art.
On the other hand, one can argue that architecture is limited to physics; certain designs are unable to become realistic structures simply because of natural forces (e.g.: gravity). Art is not limited to anything but materialistic issues and human imagination. Also, it relates very little to other pieces of arts in the gallery except the few that have religious purposes/meanings. The Chapel would be better off in a gallery for religious art.
- I believe that buildings should be appealing to the public that pass by the building in order to be known as “good architecture”. The concept of “appealing” can be flexible and differ for different types of buildings. Architecture should be based on the type of public it intends to attract but should not defeat its fundamental purpose – existing as a strong and stable structure able to protect humans from the elements.
- Many buildings in Ottawa can be considered good art, in the form of architecture. Lisgar Collegiate Institute is a building I consider to be good architecture. Being Ottawa’s oldest high school, its architecture is a good example of old architecture in the city. It has lasted through Canada’s history from the late 1800’s and its main structure has never had to be completely refurbished which suggests the materials used to build it were meant to last a very long time. It boasts gothic-style architecture which resembles old universities in England such as Oxford.
Frank Clair stadium is a building I would not consider art. Its design is very bland and almost resembles a strangely shaped concrete box. Its exterior does little to attract people passing by with little or no emotion inspired in them.
7.
- The Indigenous Art collection is separated because it is art created by aboriginal artists unlike the rest of the gallery which is composed of art created by colonial and Canadian descendant artists. Aboriginal art existed before the arrival of the Europeans and was only influenced a little (use of certain materials such as a canvas). Overall, it has remained the same and helps convey viewers how Aboriginals viewed life differently from European settlers.
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–Jackaposie Oopakak Caribou Head, Nunali: Echoes the thoughts of the caribou with a old view of the living inhabitants of different regions; displays the interaction between the living species and how they coexist
-piece with no name, Manasie Akpaliapik: Displays a drunk Inuit man with a deformed head with a bottle in his head; shows how alcohol problems existed in Inuit society and how it affected the lives of the people there
-Singing and Drumming Sounds from the Shaman, Mattius Iyaituk: Abstract depiction of Inuit Shamanism in which the aspects of playing the drum and singing songs are focused on in this piece; this illustrates the music and spiritual belief within Inuit society
-Drummer, Davie Atchealak: gives viewers an illustration of an Inuit drummer performing and of how much effort and stamina is needed for such a performance; conveys how culture is important and how younger generations should be proud of their traditions
-Composition (Camp by the River, Drying fish), William Noah: Illustrates an Inuit family living by a river and drying fish; conveys how old life styles still continue to exist even despite all the advances in technology and changes in Inuit society
- It is important to know historic details to appreciate all art. Specifics of the art piece can give the viewer a more comprehensive understanding of the work. It also helps the viewer relate more to the art if they knew for example, what time period was the work of art produced and understood what the artist may have been going through during that time period which makes the viewing of the art a more in-depth experience.
8.
The piece of art work that leaves me puzzled is called Lever by Carl Andre and was created in 1966. This piece of art is made up of only 137 firebricks.
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I liked the piece due to its strange yet simple style. It felt very appropriate for the contemporary section because of its modern technique. What puzzled me was the use of materials and their arrangement. The fact that the 137 firebricks were placed along the edge of the wall on the ground was very strange but piqued my interest. Research on the artist proved that most of his work is composed of such styles. He was one of the founders of the art movement of Minimal, systematic or ABC art. This form of art aims to show art in its purest, most simplistic form, without paying attention to extra details and decorative components – hence it being called minimalistic art. The artist’s main intention is to illustrate how art does not need to be very complicated.
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The two pieces of contemporary art that I considered ‘good’ are Saturn by Milton Resmick and The Vessel by David Altmejd. For the two ‘bad’ pieces of contemporary art, I decided that 254 pieces of felt by Robert Morris and Condensation Cube by Hans Haacke were the two pieces that I preferred least out in the whole contemporary section.
There is a basic criterion that I believe good contemporary art must fulfill. The name of the work of art must be reasonably clear that the viewer is able understand why the piece is given that particular name and in the process, gain a deeper understanding of the piece. Contemporary art should also include irregular features and originality so that viewers will be interested when they see the piece. Saturn does this very well as its name gives the viewer an immediate understanding of what the piece is about. The use of uncommon and strange materials to emphasize the texture of the planet interests the viewer and helps them understand more about Saturn.
- I do not think that I would look at them in the same way. The fact that they are part of a national collection and within a purpose-built gallery encourages viewers to understand why certain pieces of art were part of the collection. Humans tend to follow authority; in this case, the recognized and respected art curators have chosen certain pieces to be displayed and not other ones, from which we can infer that there must be something special or remarkable that they see. I think that the decisions of what appears in the National Art Gallery exhibits are made by a panel of respected and well-known art curators who have many years of experience and knowledge. Their expertise and background matter very much as they are in positions of authority and I prefer to trust the judgment of those in higher authority in areas which I am not an expert myself.
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Viewing the same piece of work online did not garner the same feeling as viewing it in person. My reaction to Brillo Soap Pads Boxes by Andy Warhol online seemed much less significant than seeing it in the gallery. In the gallery, even though I was unable to touch the piece, I was able to still observe the depth and placement of the piece to truly understand their importance in the success of the piece. Viewing in person will also allow you to focus on specific details such as brushstroke and medium which may give a deeper understanding of the piece. Viewing it online only provided a simple visual of what the piece looked like but did not help in its understanding. One cannot achieve a feeling of understanding of a piece of art unless they are fully engaged; something that viewing online is unable to do.
9.
- Yes I believe I saw it.
- If I did not see it, I would believe that I would make out the piece to be less great than it is. From a normal perspective the piece is only 2 columns of navy blue with a column of red painted on a large canvas. Its simplicity might blind viewers from its true meaning.
- Yes, it does affect how I view it. 1.8 million dollars seems like a very heft price to pay for such a simple piece of art. It is so simple that anyone would be able to recreate it. I feel that I would have the same feelings if it had only bought for 1000 dollars. The concept and meaning are very simple and do not inspire complex feelings like some of the other pieces in the gallery.
10.
- Claude Monet
- After viewing Monet’s art and the works of lesser known artists, I found that there was little “superiority” in comparison. I would not conclude that there was just one better artist in the room as most of the art I found were at a high level. I used to think that the more famous the artist, the better the art, but I did not see that to be the case. If I had looked at the works of art without checking the artist, I would have not been able to tell the difference and decide which was at a higher level.
- Some artists become more famous than others if they have created many or one extremely well received and recognized piece of art. This causes the public to recognize the artist from even just a very few famous works. If the artist creates even more successful pieces, the earlier fame that they garnered will help “propel” them to new heights in fame. Fame also comes from word spread about the artist which can come from almost anything such as held exhibitions.
- An artist’s fame and reputation is typically important in how most people judge art. Museums tend to want works from more famous artists and those who have a strong reputation in art rather than from artists of lower reputation. People generally get satisfaction in viewing ‘good’ art can usually only be fulfilled by viewing those pieces of art created by ‘experts’ in art.
However, one can argue that an artist’s fame and reputation is not important as long as their work inspires an emotion within the viewer. Their fame and reputation does not directly affect the artist’s work; what really matters is the uniqueness of the work.
- Whether or not an artist becomes famous or recognized in their lifetime matters very little. Many famous artists went unrecognized in their careers until many years later. Many pieces of art in the Gallery are by artists who are usually not well known by the public but still get admired and commented on. I feel that recognition is a product that comes with successful art. It will not directly affect the work of the artist but will certainly boost his or her mentality on creating new works. The change in art would be more attributed to the artist’s imagination and thoughts which are affected by personal experiences. However, recognition arguably can cause the artist to create only works that appeal to viewers and not ones that the artist wants to create. Commercialisation of the pieces, in particular, can cause this effect in the artist in their effort to remain recognized.
10.
I would prefer it to be displayed during peak hours of the Gallery where the highest number of people would see it. In the portrait, I would be laid-back, smiling while sitting comfortably on a sofa. It would be very large and have its own section to emphasize “my importance” and gain the awe and admiration of all the viewers. However on the other hand, I would also like it if it was put further into the Gallery where only dedicated art enthusiasts would be able to marvel and admire my portrait. There would be nothing fancy, just a medium sized portrait in the corner of the section so as to increase the interest and curiosity in the viewer when they found my portrait.