Pollock on the background,
blobs of red,
shred the paint,
let the blood soak, only in the insides,
colored rainbow the human expression.
an era of passive aggression.
Walter Bedell Smith, whispering through the back door,
a stage they still believe.
So cold, so cold,
as the body moved,
gestures of hope and upheld frustration,
the joints they moved as the sun dared to expose itself,
it was still cold like a tomb stone.
-Nicole Matta Santos
Throughout the entirety of the Bayeux Tapestry, animals frequent the whole body of the work much more than people do. It is estimated that while there are 623 various people in tapestry itself, there are around:
When embroidering the animals onto the Bayeux Tapestry, many of Aesop’s Fables are depicted throughout the borders of the Tapestry itself. The stories include; The Fox and the Crow, The Wolf and the Lamb, The Wolf and the Crane, and the Wolf and the Kid. Many of Aesop’s Fables have moral implications to them and have an undertone how ethics and values. The scenes have been greatly debated for some time but many believe the English women who embroidered the Tapestry could have put that in to express their descent and horror of the Norman Invasion of Britain.While Aesop’s Fables are one of the many uses of Symbolism throughout the Tapestry, I began investigating the animals themselves to see what their intended purpose could be to be used so heavily throughout the Bayeux Tapestry.
Falcons and Hawks
Here the quote http://www.medievalists.net/2011/10/26/symbolism-and-iconography-of-the-hawk-in-the-main-panel-of-the-bayeux-tapestry/
Horses
Dragon
Wyvern
The Griffin
Lion
Lauren E.
These series of images below, are from a presentation about Paul Klee, whom among other artist of his generation where appointed by the Nazis as degenerate. Despite of their works being taken away from them, dismissed from art positions, artist such as Paul Klee proceeded in exile to create.
-Nicole Matta Santos
A few questions arised as I read Salvador Dali’s The Conquest of the Irrational and André Breton’s Manifesto of Surrealism.
In Dali’s Conquest, the section ‘the waters we swim in‘ concludes that Dali detest all forms of simplicity in art. In the section ‘my fortifications‘ he expands that statement by calling all non-surreal art a regressive process. Surrealism pertains to concrete irrationality and stands as a far more authentic and true process. Under ‘the abjection and misery of abstraction-creation‘ Dali calls abstract art mentally deficient in comparison to the depth of surrealistic work, arguing the one sideness of Gestalt theory is simply a regurgitation of preconceived ideals.
If Mark Rothko can begin his career as a surrealist and evolve into an abstract style, is this considered a lapse by Dali’s standards? Was surrealism the end of artistic evolution to Dali? Could surrealism ever surpass itself?
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In Manifesto of Surrealism André Breton defines surrealism as the following: a psychicautomatism 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. Dictated by the thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern.
Art movements are a reaction and reflection of the times they transpire. I do have to wonder if the movement of Surrealism would have existed with out Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic research and published works such as “The Interpretation of Dreams.”
The presentation below discusses matters listed:
To see this presentation follow this link: KUNST
NMS
He said. Dali, as his eyes were closed.
He said, it was coming,
accidentally tipped, a can of boiled beans.
Spaniards roared, the division, too long ignored.
Manifest. Foreshadows in the summer sky,
fumes like moss, impregnated onto
a hybrid night, a horseman named Franco.
He said, as his hands onto canvas moved, it was coming.
This beast, evil and civil,
he could see, sadistic solitary games.
The type children should not play.
War came,
and then like Pandora’s box.
His mind unlocked.
Heat of guns.
Melt the clock.
Not soon, not late.
One bean he ate.
-NMS
The depiction of history is as many things in our contemporary culture, glamorized. It seems relevant to bring attention to what appears as a constant desire to make the dirty work seem as an Easy-Bake cake. If we look at Trajan’s column, which we discussed the first week, a similar approach to idealizing a nothing but subtle situation is apparent in Washington Crossing the River. The Trajan’s column though depicting a scene of war, a ferocious battle, and a victory, narrates to the viewer a series of events, which figures are idealized gestural and aesthetically, and thou exaggerating perhaps on the battle’s difficulties. The standing relief carved marble sculpture stands as a commemoration of a projected cultural identity. Where as Washington crossing the river, a two-dimensional work, oil painting meant for interior display shares with the viewer a historical event of its own and depicting a national hero, who is an icon but could be anybody. The painting, Washington Crossing the Delaware, focuses on a moment of a historic chapter, rather than depicting chronological series as events as the column does. Yet they both propagate and are intended to inform the viewer (the citizens) on their national history, or what those who commission and fund such works want the story to tell. The theme I would like to address overall is the glamorization of imagery for political power purposes, and how the painting, Washington Crossing the River does so.
As described in the article What’s wrong with this painting? the situations American soldiers when crossing the Delaware faced, were in real life nothing as what the painting depicts. By showcasing an image of heroic and virile figures to promote nationalism and the military forces, it seems the intentions of the artist, and of those who commissioned it is for the public to see the grandness not of the particular individuals, but what they stand for. That of democracy that of fighting and persevering through hard times keeping face. Taking notice of Emmanuel Leutze, the German painter who created the work, would have had no idea what such event looked like. Yet his life experiences and longing for a political transformation in his native country, seem to contribute to the beautified depiction of Washington Crossing the Delaware. The fact that a germane painter was commissioned to create this work does in a way bring doubts about the nationalistic pride. It reminds me of Mexico’s most recent monument celebrating the bicentennial independence, which should be a celebration of what the nation has been and what is overcome, instead they build a minimal light tower with imported stones from Italy. Regardless this is a topic of its own, yet the matter that foreigner identities are integrated to a celebration of a nation, brings question on what a national identity is, and how it is developed. To be proud of historical achievements and depicting idealized versions is a tactic used throughout history. I just find it very peculiar how humans in different geographical and historical context seek to portray the “ideal”.
So the purpose of the painting is to represent the strength of a country, the perseverance of its men through the hard weather, but never loosing the cool. To the day this painting is a symbol of the United States proud military. I agree with feeling proud of one’s own sediments, but not when based on fallacy. It makes me wonder why is the hard work and falls hidden behind a glossy image. It brings me to the conclusion that since the Romans, to early American history, and to present day, the idealization and glamorized imagery of political matters is present when communicating to the people of a country a given history. Some would argue that photojournalism removes this tool from some contemporary politicians, yet still with the flow of real, banal, and brutal imagery reaching the public many images at times become desensitized and in extreme case scenarios, glamorized.
-NMS
Defeating the Ideal 