Post Modern Era: Diversity
Postmodernism refers to the art produced starting around 1980 to the present day. Postmodern art was a reaction to ideas and values found in modernist artworks, including idealism and a belief in progress. The art produced in the post-modern era contained complex layers of meaning and took more non-traditional approaches. In particular, diversity was a common theme in this artistic era. The theme of diversity is prominently seen through gender, race, materials, and artistic styles. Historically, the White male dominated the Western art world, but the post-modern age ushered in artists from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. After 1960, women and those from various ethnic backgrounds began to have a more prominent voice in the Western art world and produced awe-inspiring works of art. The piece I have chosen below shows the diversity in the art world today because the styles below all have a sense of uniqueness that brings beauty.
Expansion by Paige Bradley
Julian Beever is one of my favorite artists of all time. He does illusion street art all over the world. The detail in The Fairies Grotto is incredible. The line work adds depth to the painting, enhancing the art's illusion aspect. The shading in this piece is also stunning. It makes you feel like the painting isn't just one surface level but an actual waterfall that goes down. The Frog is another stunning piece. The way he uses the concrete as a natural contrast for the lily pads is exceptional. The shading makes the frog look like he's in the shade. Then, as the pond goes on, the painting gets brighter, and we see water lilies on the water. The line work again is incredible. There's a spot in the image where the frog's toe is off the lily pad and in the water, and he has a white ring around the toe in the water to give a natural water movement feel.
Reef’s End II- Shayna Leib.
Sources:
Ascent: Bronze: 25 x 9 x 9 in 63 x 23 x 23 cm. Ascent | Paige Bradley | Bronze Sculpture. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://paigebradley.com/sculpture/sphere/ascent/
Khandwala, W. by A. (2021, September 10). The colourful return of postmodernism celebrates difference and diversity. ELEPHANT. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://elephant.art/the-colourful-return-of-postmodernism-celebrates-difference-and-diversity-18092020/
Pavement art - 3D illusions. Julian Beever - Official website. (2023, January 10). Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.julianbeever.net/pavement-art-3d-illusions/
Shayna Leib. Converge | Shayna Leib. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://shaynaleib.com/converge/
Hello Allyse, focusing on diversity for an assignment on Post Modern art is a good choice because modern art is unique in that aspect. Accent reminds me of classic Greek or Roman statues. While the pose is unique, and I appreciate the skill that went into creating a figure with such a precariously weighted pose, it simply doesn’t speak to me. Expansion, on the other hand, is one that I find incredibly inspiring. The craftsmanship that when into sculpting the life-like woman and the lights make it look like inspiration is literally bursting forth from the serene woman. The Fairies’ Grotto and The Frog are both pieces that I find enjoyable for their warped perspectives and fantastical themes. I also appreciate that neither work is meant to last long as I feel it adds to their value that they will quickly be gone. Reefs End II and Coverage are two pieces I enjoy because they are built to last but are delicate, like the coral they represent. The work reminds me of Liquid Sunshine / I am a Pluviophile by Rui Sasaki, an artwork that also tries to emulate nature. I greatly appreciate the fact that in no other time but the Modern Age, you can find all different manners of more traditional mediums like statues and glasswork mixed with street art made by an even more diverse group of people who are all acknowledged for their contributions to their crafts.
ReplyDeleteHI Allyse, I also agree with Abby that focusing on diversity for this assignment was a good thing since most of the art during this era is very diverse. The Expansion by Paige Bradley was an astonishing art piece. The essence of expansion can be shown by the statues stretching their bodies in many different ways as well as showing how the light expanses through her body. This is truly a master piece.
ReplyDeleteGreat context and overall knowledge of the choices you selected for the post-modern art elements. You were very organized and clear about your understanding and the background information about your selected choices of art based on post-modern art. One of my favorites is The Fairies' Grotto. It shows its theme and it definitely shows lots of value to the art. I would agree with you about the feelings of these art pieces and how it relates to the art elements that were in the art piece. Great descriptions and value in these artworks. Well done!
ReplyDeleteHello Allyse,
ReplyDeleteI had never seen any of these artists work before looking at your post. I think they are all so beautiful in their own ways and I totally understand how Julian Beever's work is some of your favorite. I think Julian did a great job with shading creating the illusions in both pieces. I can't stop looking at The Frog one in particular because the appearance of light towards the farthest waters creates such a realistic looking glimmer on the water and enhances the illusion that was intended. I also love that you point out that there was also diversity in the artists themselves, not just the materials that they used. You put this into words so greatly and I didn't even think to point this out in my own post!
Hi Allyse, I have to say you made an amazing post. I really like The Frog by Julian Beever. The colors used for the art really stand out and make it look realistic. Beever's artwork is an example of anamorphic art, a type of art that appears distorted when viewed from a certain angle but appears normal when viewed from another angle. The use of anamorphosis challenges the viewer's perception of space and perspective, which can help to promote a more diverse understanding of the world. The work is not only fascinating but is also a testament to the power of art to promote diversity and challenge our perceptions of the world. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHello Allyese, great work on your blog this week. You picked a great topic and some great works. Diversity is a topic that was not always well represented in art until more recent times. The pieces by Paige Bradley were stunning. The first sculpture was very cool to see in the setting it was set. the cracks lighting up was a very cool feature as well. To see women make such great art and finally get the recognition they deserve is very refreshing. One thing that is cool is that Americas first 13 star flag was designed by a woman which was not very common back in that era. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteHi Allyse, I really enjoyed your post this week. Each piece you selected is quite unique and different from each other, yet tie into your theme of diversity very well. The statues and street art is pretty great; however, I do have to say, of the three styles you discussed, I particularly love the glass art by Shayna Leib the most. To find out more about her technique, I did a bit of research and I am absolutely amazed. Nearly every possible technique in many mediums is used; glassblowing, hot-sculpting, lampwork, fusing, casting, as well as ceramic techniques of hand-building and throwing. Super neat, thanks for introducing a new style of artwork to me!
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