Kim post 5

Kim Hambright

After World War II, an art form emerged under the name of abstract expressionism. Its goal was not mimesis in any strict or loose sense of the word, but instead merely symbolic, if that. The subjects of the paintings ranged from emotions and physical objects to scenes and ideas and the artists who created them were not asked to do so by any governmental figure. Abstract and expressionist art was created to break away from the previously idealized realistic artwork and focus on the emotional instead of the actual. Abstract expressionism divided America in two. Supports of this art form saw it as revolutionary and honest: it was the strongest example of artistic freedom yet. Those opposed to the art form however, saw it as meaningless or grotesque. It did not provide a realistic representation of anything and was not meant to further the state of the country in any way, politically, socially, or esthetically. Fortunately the movement was never shut out completely, regardless of its mixed reviews, and to this day, abstract and expressionistic art are prevalent.

In Mark Rothko’s piece, Untitled (Seagram Mural), two dark red squares exist within a lighter red, rectangular background. Nothing else appears in the painting, enabling the viewer to focus on the detail Rothko put into the texture of each stroke and the outlines of each rectangular form. Clearly departing from realist or representational artwork, the painting does not inherently identify any specific object or idea. Instead, the only mood established is one of strong passion and anger, defined by the monochromatic red color scheme. The rough edges of the rectangles and the thick brush strokes Rothko uses are demonstrative of his artistic outbreak and creativity. Until Expressionism, Abstraction, Cubism, Impressionism and similar artworks emerged, artists idealized direct mimesis: perfect representation. Artwork was best when the brushstrokes were undetectable and the picture was represented as closely as possible to the way it is viewed by the human eye. Striving for artistic freedom, Rothko utilizes ideas and concepts foreign to that of dictatorial artwork, such as his lack of “subject” and unrealistic representation of the world. Some however, could argue that due to his bold choice of an all red painting and the roughness of his brushstrokes, that his painting aims to rouse up the masses and break out of the traditional “box” (or in this case rectangle) of societal norms.

In contrast to Rothko’s bold color choice, Helen Frankenthaler chose a more lyrical and whimsical approach to her piece, The Morning’s Weather. The delicate painting style of the dark grey cloud looming over the top half of the painting contrasts greatly with Rothko’s rigidly geometric design. The careful blending of colors and three-dimensional look of the clouds give the shape a delicate and delicate and beautiful aura, despite its ominous reality. The chaotic black shapes, appearing on what appears to be the ground, arguably represent people in their anxious bustling to escape the storm. There is nothing to suggest that Frankenthaler’s piece is representative of anything political, much less the state of the country, but instead merely features what the artist noticed on one particularly gloomy morning, as suggested by the title. With the wrong person interpreting the painting however, the picture can change from a simple depiction of the environment to political propaganda. One could interpret the cloud as the reigning government, and the black markings the peril of the people. In this way, the painting style could be seen as dangerous to the stability and longevity of the government, possibly sparking an uprising in the people. On the other hand, one might simply interpret the painting as a picture of the sky, portrayed in a new way, with fluid brushstrokes and an abstract, almost watery depiction of the surrounding environment.

One extremely prevalent American abstract expressionist at the time was Jackson Pollock. In one of his paintings, The Tea Cup, viewers often identify many informal and familiar shapes, except for a tea cup. The combination of bold colors and lines was an invention of abstract art and had yet to be seen in the artwork of propagandistic or government sanctioned artwork. Completely opposite from the structured government of Communism, or a totalitarian society, Pollock’s artwork spoke to the free spirit of the individual. The high energy of his piece and the brash combination of colors made his work unique, thoroughly expressing his creative freedom. The freedom of the piece however, could be seen in a negative light. Easily interpreted as “out of control,” The Tea Cup was created with little to no visible structure. It could very well instill its viewers with the ideas of political reform, and complete social freedom, possibly even glorifying anarchy as opposed to a structured government. The intentions of the artist at this point seem irrelevant. Without hearing the title of the painting, one could think of a million different ideas and beliefs, both positive and negative, to relate back to Pollock’s work.

The next example of abstract expressionism that I found was Jack Tworkov’s Figure. Similar to Rothko’s painting, Figure was created with a monochromatic color scheme; except instead of red, Tworkov painted in black and grey tones. One major aspect of abstract expressionism is the rejection or blatant disregard for the traditional realistic view, and thus depiction, of an object. In Tworkov’s case, the figure painted is almost indistinguishable. Like Pollock’s work and the work of many abstract expressionists, the subject of the painting would most likely not be identifiable without knowing the title of the artwork. Similarly, the patrons of traditional naturalistic art would not accept or discern, much less understand the figure represented in Tworkov’s piece. It is difficult for me to agree with any way in which this image could be seen as decadent or dangerous to society, though I suppose it is possible for one to view the image and see it in a demonic way (simply based on its dark colors and hostile lines.) In this way, the image could possibly be seen as a threat to the “blissfully ignorant” followers of a dictatorial society. In my opinion however, it is much more likely that a viewer would look at Tworkov’s image and appreciate his alternative view and representation of the human form.

My last example is Robert Motherwell’s Razor’s Edge. Though an etching, as opposed to a painting, this image still greatly reflects the ideals and qualifications of abstract expressionistic art. It does not “glorify” the “beautiful country” of America, as explained by Matthews, nor does it further the state in any way as dictatorial artwork was expected to. Instead, the image is completely abstract. The subject is not easily determined, with or without hearing the title of the piece. Looking at etching aesthetically, the bold contrast of colors between the red-orange background and the solid black image create an almost eerie representation of a razor. The circular image and the rectangular block attached to it seem to almost imitate the framework of a noose. The graphic imagery, both personal and subjective, could be seen as a danger to the state. The people might interpret the image to express a negative connotation of society, such as the oppression of minority groups, and again, there would be potential for an uprising. On the other hand, the vague depiction of the razor could be seen as an ingenious new artistic device, completely freeing the individual from forced or preconceived notions of everyday objects.

Art in itself is controversial. A theatre teacher of mine had a favorite saying pertaining to his choices in questionable plays, “if it’s not controversial, it’s not art.” In this way, it is obvious to us that artwork does not mean the same thing to everyone who views it. Partly determined by previous ideas and notions, one’s understanding and interpretation of a painting could drastically differ from someone else’s. In the specific context of American abstract expressionism, viewpoints on the genre range from an idea of complete political and social liberation to a waste of time. While some see abstract expressionistic art as innovative and beautiful, others see it as dangerous to the stability of the status quo, or altogether meaningless.

Kelly post 5

Dictatorial regimes are based on rightist conservative traditionalism. Whether you’re talking about Nazi Germany or the USSR, the government was always strongly centralized and existed with a strict rule of governance. There were rules, they were abided by, and they built their country’s culture and society within those walls. Traditional art has the same idea about it as dictatorial regimes. Traditional art requires conservative technique, strict boundaries and discipline, and strong self-control. American Abstract Expressionist art breaks all of those rules. There are no boundaries, but instead, Abstract Expressionism suggests that art is created outside the traditional laws of art. It is nowhere near conservative, and it disregards all other techniques in order to express different emotions and enable the audience to view art in a new and different way. Abstract Expressionism’s exact purpose is to provide people with various opportunities to interpret the art in their own manner. This explains why different groups of people provided varied responses to the Abstract Expressionist Movement. One response was that of dictatorial regimes: the art was degenerate and had no meaning or purpose. A second response was more liberal and exactly the opposite of those dictatorial regimes: the art was revolutionary and provided and whole new way of looking at the world.

1. http://www.wfu.edu/art/ac_johns_flags.jpg

Jasper Johns began a series of paintings of the American flag using Abstract Expressionism. This painting might anger someone of a more rigid and tyrannous disposition because he took something that represents the pride of a country and altered its image. The American flag is representative of the American people and here it is painted not as it truly appears but as he chooses to see it. Anyone can look at this picture and agree that it is the American flag, but it is not a direct mimesis of the flag. Many conservatives think that portraying the flag in any light other than how it is actually depicted is unpatriotic. Others believe while looking at Jasper John’s portrayal of the American flag that he is elaborating on the versatility, openness, and freedom that America practices. Some people might see this painting and comment that Jasper really understood that the American people were able to depict their pride in any shape or form that they chose. This is, essentially, the main advantage of being American, freedom of expression.

2. http://www.brooklynrail.org/article_image/image/156/04_Minutiae__1954.jpg

Robert Rauschenberg broke down more barriers than most Abstract Expressionists; he bridged medias and combined sculpting with painting. In Satellite, a fan of Abstract Expressionism would be able to appreciate that Robert takes various pieces of media from different aspects of his life and combines them as a form of self-expression. Literally, Robert used comics, paint, cloth, and other such common items to create his masterpieces. A rigid traditionalist would view his work as a collage of garbage, but if you look at Satellite with an open mind, it almost tells a story of Robert’s life. Each piece of material is chosen with delicate care and with a purpose. What that purpose is isn’t always shared, but we are meant to understand that his work has meaning not only to him, but is meant to convey continuity between past and present events in the audience and the artist’s lives.

3. http://www.thecityreview.com/hartley2.gif

Marsden Hartley’s Musical Symphony shows the layering of all the different instruments, staccatos, beats, and rhythms that are found in an orchestra. The boxes in the painting are almost thrown together into a mess. When you look at the top of the painting, you see that there is one piece crowning out of the mess that must be the source of the delicate noise that the symphony provides. This is a symbolic painting of what an orchestra does: instruments and different notes are thrown together to eventually make the perfect tune for the audiences’ ears. However, the music doesn’t make sense until it is al put together, just as the crown of the painting depicts. If a traditionalist looked at this painting he would view a series of shapes strewn upon a canvas in no particular order. A traditionalist would prefer a proper painting of an orchestra during its performance if an artist wished to depict the complex elements of what makes that beautiful noise.

4. http://images.artnet.com/artwork_images%5C325%5C6066.jpg

Robert Motherwell’s Summertime in Italy looks nothing like a summer that someone might spend in Italy. Traditionalists would probably argue that this is a poorly painted white triangle as opposed to a recollection of a summer spent basking in the sun near the Mediterranean. I, myself, am becoming angered, trying to find any hint that this painting is in fact a depiction of a memory from Italy. If not for the title, I never could’ve guessed that this was supposed to depict anything other than a white blob. Still, in abstract expressionism, it is more about what feelings the author means to convey and how it appears to him. An advocate of Abstract Expressionism might see Robert in a sailboat on the Mediterranean, enjoying his summer with friends. They might even suggest that his use of white indicates the innocence of his journey on the water; it might be related to the idea that water-logged voyages almost always result in the voyager becoming a new person through the baptism of the water. To me, this is stretching it, but I cannot judge what Robert meant to convey. With Abstract Expressionism, I can only manage a guess.

5. http://www.poster.net/rothko-mark/rothko-mark-red-on-maroon-2634052.jpg

Mark Rothko provides a very challenging task. How do you determine the message he is attempting to send through this collection of vibrant colors and vertical shapes? A traditionalist would see this painting and suggest that a kindergartener might be able to accomplish it. Thus, how can it possibly be art? There is no traditional technique, human figures, nor any clear message. Instead the painting stresses color, shape, and juxtaposition. Perhaps the two vertical columns are the gates of hell. Or maybe they’re meant to depict a window to another world. Looking at a painting this abstract really requires some form of art history experience. I look at this painting, see pretty colors, and that’s about it, but I don’t believe that it is an insult to the art world, I just simply think that it takes a lot of knowledge about the artist and his intentions before appreciation for the artwork can be gained.

Professor O’Sullivan recently mentioned a famous quote in my Shakespeare class: “The past doesn’t influence me, I influence it.” The famous Abstract Artist, Willem de Kooning, made this statement not out of arrogance but out of common sense. How can we take an art history course and then look at a crucifix without noting and recognizing the stigmata on his hands? Because of that same reason, after Abstract Impressionism gained popularity, it became impossible for the masses to look at traditional art with the same eye. Da Vinvi may now appear “stuffy” or “lacking in creativity” in comparison to Rothko’s crazy paintings. Would you rather have the Mona Lisa on your bedroom wall or one of Rothko’s bright images? This is an interesting theory to ponder while studying why people interpret art so differently—some very liberally and others very conservatively. Perhaps if we were all more educated about art, we would not only be