Unit 5: Manifesto of Futurism.

When reading the “Manifesto of Futurism” is easy to understand the concept of what the writer(s) want art to be.  Sometimes it is easy to get tired of beautiful and perfect things, such as museums and libraries as the manuscript recall. But, from my point of view there is no justification to get rid of beautiful and perfect things, given that those are the most appreciated things to have a happy human life. From the beginning of the time for art, all kind of artists have been trying to organize, perfect and beautify all forms of art. So, I do not find a reasonable reason for tearing down all what artists of all generations have been struggling for. The word “futurism” is a really eccentric word for whatever tendency the manuscript talks about. I think that the word “futurism” should represent progress and evolution of humanity and art. What the manuscript dictates is something absolutely not a list of principles that would take humanity and art to achieve progress and evolution, but all the contrary instead. Terms such as “scorn for women,” “violence,” “cruelty” and “injustice” are things society fights and struggles everyday with. Because those things are bad situations. There is not even a little chance that people would accept something like this manifesto in their lives. Humanity is progress and evolution, a synonym for good, happier and easier, and art is a reflection of it.

Unit 4: The Content.

We have talked about the importance of many of the components of a painting or of a work or art but almost never of its content in specific. From my point of view, the content of a work of art is more important than its technique and style. The content is what makes people react to a work of art. In a movie, is the drama or the comic content what makes people enjoy or dislike it.  In other words, the content is what makes the audience react to a piece of art. When painting, playing or acting, your work as an artist is to firmly communicate your emotions, so anyone around your work can feel them to. That is emotional content. Clear examples of emotional content are the paintings made by the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. She transmitted her suffering to anyone that looked even for a second at one of her paintings. I believe that independently of admiring a painter’s technique, what really matters is his or her capability of making the audience feel something transmitted from his or her work. What makes possible a connection between the artist, the audience and the work, is the content. If a piece of art does not have any kind of content then the person that created it is not an artist at all.

Unit 4: Art and Gender.

As I have said many times before, because art is the purest expression of a human being, an artist’s work is a portrait of what he or she is. From my point of view, I do not see any difference between the does and don’ts of a specific genre. I believe that independently of being a man or a woman, whatever feeling passing through a person have the same effect. So, for me, both genres can do and feel the same things. Unfortunately, because of society’s taboos and social rules, most people think that men are different than women. A very long time ago it was established that men are stronger, more capable and have the right to do anything they wanted in comparison to women. Therefore, when interpreting the work made by a woman artist, critics would see and perceive different complements than a painting made by a man painter. A clear example of the importance of gender in art can be seen when comparing the two versions of “Susannah and the Elders” by Jacapo Tintoretto and Artemisa Gentileschi. It can be said that because Tintoretto is a man painter that lived during the fourteenth century, his version of the female character of the painting is somehow seductive but innocent, just as many men from that and this time usually see women. On the other hand, Gentileschi’s version portraits the female character in an anguish and discontent position. As a she is being molested by the old men and wanted them to stop. This last is I think, the most realistic version of Susannah’s situation, given that she is a woman and the painter can relate to the situation she is in. Also, I do not believe that any man or women would be acting seductive and innocent when they know that two old men and observing them with those kind of eyes. So, for me yes, gender takes a very important role in art. Men and women perceptions only differ because of society’s expectations, not because of a personal choice.

Unit 4: Formalist Criticism.

Although formalist criticism is somehow a very superficial way to interpret art, there is another possibility of understanding its point of view. Because formalist criticism do not look at the emotions, meaning and history of the paintings or arts of work, its interpretation of things are purely oriented by the technique, forms shapes and colors used in the works. It is hard to understand how formalist criticism intends to work with only the non-emotional elements of art when art is actually the expression of emotions. Art is the representation of whatever painters feel, live or see. That is the reason for a painter to paint. Emotions. So, when criticizing a piece of art from this perspective I cannot see the purpose why a person would bother to examine it. From my perspective, there is not a possible way for interpreting or criticizing art without feeling something each time an art work is displayed. People even associate forms, colors and textures with feelings that may give reference to a place, a situation or even a dream. Therefore, I personally think that when people try to criticize a painting from this point of view, they overlook what really art is and also, they try to stop being human, and that is something impossible.

Unit 4: The Meaning of the Abstract

When admiring an abstract painting, people is able to find a personal meaning or interpretation for the work. I believe that independently of all types of paintings, abstract works are very personal for the painter and for the audience. Although abstract paintings are sometimes symmetric and with different shapes and forms, the overall picture does not have a defined result. That is why painters like Clyfford Still and Carlo Carra got multiple critiques of their work. There is not a possible way that the public had a general concept of their paintings. Abstract painting is impossible to understand with general concepts, emotions and too much thinking. Abstract paintings are what they are that is all you can get from them. Abstract paintings are the union of colors, shapes and the direction of brushstrokes. These kind of art work does not even require people to think and search for Thea meaning. Instead, the meaning and sense of abstract paintings are found when the first glance is given to the painting. The effect that the colors, shapes and forms of the painting give to people is the real meaning of it. If a person associates bright blue with the sky or the ocean, the abstract painting would have a oceanic or heavenly effect in that person. For me abstract art is one of the most beautiful, personal and enjoyable types of painting. It is basically you.

Unit 4: Triumph of the Will

After watching an excerpt from the movie Triumph of the Will by Leni Riefenstahl, about the Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler’s “success,” it is possible to say that the audience can become very motivated by the promises and illusions made by the Nazi party.  Sadly, the movie has this effect in people only because of the special effects and the production of the movie. I believe this movie is an example of how naïve, unconscious and primal human beings are. This movie shows that human beings are very competitive and that is why they abuse and harm themselves in a psychological way. That is why perhaps, they proclaim to be the most mentally superior living beings in the whole universe, human beings have found their own weakness and that is their own minds. This movie made me realize that art has more influence in people than they would ever know. From speeches, poems, novels, and music to paintings and films, art can change people’s world in one second. This movie has awaken a part of me that made me become aware of how manipulative human beings are. With the movement of the camera, the background music and the special effects Triumph of the Will might have changed the perspective of a great amount of people toward the world and how to live with prosperity. This is how perhaps how we are still manipulated in mere 21st century.

Unit 4: Chris Burden's Shoot

When watching Chris Burden’s Shoot, there are three possible explanations for his work. The first one is that he wanted to express or show to the world the power and control of the human mind given that he volunteered to be shoot by his friend without showing any restraint, pain or panic when the shooting happened. The second reason is that he wanted to cause controversy and attention in order to get a wider public by showing and doing what almost no one in the world would never accept to do (harm themselves). The third possible reason to explain his work is that he felt the need to get shoot and experience the adrenaline and pain that being shoot inflicts in order to satisfy his artistic or personal demands. I understand that Burden experienced the Hippie, Disco and Rock & Roll movements all at the same time, and that those tendencies influenced him in an artistic way. What I do not understand is the reason why somebody would try to portrait a situation of personal danger. Pain has always been the “lover” of artists, but the concept that he uses to portrait whatever he feels (that for his presentation can be said that it is not pain), is not what art is like. From my perspective, whatever feeling or action portrayed in a work of art has to come from a natural medium, not something that you as an “artist” think and do. It is something that already occurred to you and you need to take out of your body and mind so you can live with a little bit more of peace. And, I do not think that being shoot purposely would give whatever kind of person you are a little bit of piece so you can live. At the end everybody is different in perspective and for matters of feelings and everything is respectable.