Our biggest ‘battle amongst genders’ wasn’t each other, but rather the group of people amongst us who hurt others. They’re amongst their crowd, whether gender, sexuality, race, etc, hiding away from their acts as an ‘entire group’. We cannot allow any more harm done to the people whose voices have been silenced over negative comments trying to silence them, and the upstanders. Instead of ‘men’ or ‘women’, it’s ‘perpetrator(s)’, ‘offender’, ‘culprit’, etc. It was never about the characteristics of the wrongdoer, but about the victim, the victim that fell into this wrongful act and or verbal comments. It was never about which side looked the worse compared to the other, but stopping these illegal and foul acts. This is no way to behave and live, especially for the future. Despite our differences and paths we all want the same thing, world peace and freedom of negativity and harm.
If you’ve ever seen famous artworks such as the ‘Mona Lisa’, or ‘The Last Supper’, you may have noticed that they have similar art styles. This is because these paintings were made in the Renaissance era.
But some might ask, “What exactly was the Renaissance?”
The Renaissance era was a period in European civilization following the Middle Ages, from the 14th century to the 17th century. This era featured a revival in learning and innovations, as the Middle Ages was seen as a time of cultural decline in education and politics. Renaissance is a French word that means “rebirth”, which correlates to the fact that the Renaissance revived ideas and values from the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans.
The Renaissance is mostly associated with the city of Florence in Italy, though many other countries underwent similar cultural changes. Many famous people from this era were born in Italy, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Christopher Columbus, and Galileo. Other famous non-Italian people from this era include Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare.
A large part of the Renaissance was a cultural movement known as humanism. Humanism is a philosophy that every person should strive to become educated in classical art, science, and literature. Humanists held a belief that humankind was rational and beautiful rather than sinful and weak. The humanists celebrated the beauty in life and the achievements of their scholarship.
This iconic era created some of the most popular art, coming in forms of statues, paintings, drawings, and literature. It could also be majorly found in architecture, such as the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, created by Michelangelo.
The impacts of the Renaissance can still be seen today, and was an overall important era for society due to its advancements in knowledge, philosophy, and art.
American rapper Kanye West and socialite Kim Kardashian pose together at the red carpet of the Met Gala in 2019 by: Cosmopolitan UK via Wikimedia Commons
Separating art from the artist has become a controversial and recurrent topic over the past decade; its main belief is focusing on the work itself of that artist rather than the artist’s reputation and controversies at hand. Usually, when this topic gets brought up, it surrounds a celebrity getting “canceled” over various allegations and actions, which sometimes include severe repercussions such as criminal offenses.
These fallouts usually lead to a moral dilemma of people asking, “When should we separate, or is it okay to separate art from the artist?”
I believe that when the topic around a celebrity is about separating them from their art, then you know what they did was bad. Consider R. Kelly, a famous R&B singer whose crimes landed him in jail for 30 years, with the help of the documentary ‘Surviving R. Kelly’. Despite his sentencing, his music was still played on social media, at parties, and even sometimes at weddings. I would say nowadays people are starting to distance themselves from him, but there are a few outliers.
On the other hand, Kanye West is more of a complex case. He is considered one of the top artists of this generation with multiple platinum albums including, ‘The College Dropout’. and ‘Graduation’. In recent years, his crazy erratic behavior in public and online, especially his antisemitic views, have landed him in this topic.
Although people online do blame his mental health issues which potentially contributing to his sometimes outlandish behavior, there are others that don’t see his mental health as being the sole reason for his behavior. As someone once put it, “That’s an explanation, not an excuse“. So, even though I do believe it’s a factor, that doesn’t fully explain his weird behavior.
People have tried to draw a line on what is acceptable and unacceptable, but it’s not that easy. When someone as influential as Kanye uses their platform to spew hate and misinformation, especially to his impressionable younger fan base, that becomes dangerous.
The art that the artist puts out is sometimes a reflection of themselves. Their beliefs and values are sometimes mentioned in the lyrics, making it impossible to separate the two. Continuing to support such artists, even if you don’t agree with their actions, is still indirectly supporting them. They’re still making money from streams and maintaining cultural relevance despite their actions.
This topic is very subjective of when the line is crossed which leaves a gray area. Obviously, humans are not perfect, so when the opinion of canceling every artist who missteps comes about, that’s unreasonable. Some artists have committed serious and harmful acts that impact others while some have made non serious controversies. What one person sees as totally “cancellable” others may not.
I saw a comment which stated, “Art is based on context. I don’t think the artist needs to be a moral example to appreciate their work. But as always, we have to remain conscious and educated. We can pretend art lives separate from reality,” and to add onto that, this topic is not very limited, it’s not a one-size-fits-all discussion, but the truth is that It gets to a point where if you’re asking the question, the answer is most likely no.
Vincent van Gogh Self-portrait, Chokwesculpture, Temple lion, Japanese porcelain, Detail from the Venus (Botticelli) by: User:Husky and h3m3ls, Mischa de Muynck and Niels via Wikimedia Commons
Art has been around since the beginning of humanity, being a way for people to express themselves and their feelings through creating artwork. Throughout many centuries of changing trends, there have been prominent art styles featured throughout the years. In this article, I will cover the different art styles throughout different eras.
Prehistoric Art
The earliest days of art can be traced back to around 100,000 B.C.E, with examples including cave paintings, clay sculptures, and rock carvings. Most of these artworks, especially the cave paintings, depicted some kind of story, using both humans and animals in the artwork. Most of these artworks were symbolic and represented the civilization’s culture.
This zoomorphic cave paintingis located Tanzoumaitak in Tassili n’ajjer park in Djanet in Algeria by: IssamBarhoumi via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient Era
After around 4000 B.C.E, art began to evolve when more advanced civilizations like Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia, and civilizations in Asia developed more cultural, symbolic items that they incorporated into art. Though the style of art can vary among these different cultures, most of them were made to tell a story of some kind. Some examples of this can be murals, sculptures, and art created on everyday objects such as bowls or weapons.
Ancient Egyptian art collection in Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek by: Jakub Hałun via Wikimedia Commons
An ancient bowl from the Bactrian civilisation, Central Asia, 3rd-2nd millennium B.C. From the private collection of Khosrow Mahboubian, London, UK by: Boubi via Wikimedia Commons
Medieval Era
The Medieval era, or “The Dark Ages” was a time that spanned from 400-1400 C.E. Art was dominantly focused on Biblical or other religious stories that varied throughout different cultures. Though the art in this distinct period featured bright colors, most of the content being depicted could sometimes be gruesome or unsettling. Most art in Medieval times included flat imagery, rather than using depth.
Some other forms of art in this era include illuminated manuscripts, stained glass windows, and paintings.
Stained glass painting depicting St. Nicolas, possibly from Träkumla (Sweden). Now in the Swedish history museum, Stockholm. Medieval by: Gabriel Hildebrand via Wikimedia Commons
Mystic wedding of Catherine of Siena by Master of Margaret of York in a manuscript made for Louis of Bruges by: Master of Margaret of York via Wikimedia Commons
Renaissance Era
The Renaissance period (about 1400-1600 C.E.) was an important period in time in European civilizations. Originating in Italy, this was the time that artists began to adapt depth and new imagery into their artworks. The common Biblical or religious themes in art—which was found mostly in the Medieval era—shifted into a focus on the human form or other topics. The Renaissance era was a rebirth following the Medieval era, with revived ideas in economics, education, politics, and art. The art in this period was revived from Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman civilizations. Some important artists from this time were Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Sandro Botticelli.
Art was found in various forms within this time, but was most prominent in paintings, sculptures, and architecture. It was also found in music and literature.
The Early Modern period (about 1600-1800 C.E.) was a time where advancements in technology, transport, and manufacturing were very prominent and art began to adapt alongside these changes. Artists no longer had to only focus on art that told a story, and were able to use art to paint whatever they wished. Artists began to open up more to different art styles, which had a more abstract approach. Take ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch for example, it’s unique art style included loose brushstrokes and vivid colors, which was not usually found in art before its time. Art came in numerous forms throughout this period, but once again typically found in paintings or drawings.
Girl with a Pearl Earring by: Johannes Vermeer via Wikimedia Commons
Today, art comes in many forms that are unique to their artists. Art is still a very prominent part in society today, and continues to be created by millions of artists around the world. Art has adapted into many different styles or even styles that I showed previously.
I hope you found this article interesting as I covered the basics of art styles from different eras and that it might have inspired you to create your own.
Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most well known artists, with countless world renowned pieces of art. His work was very imaginative. It challenged the way that people thought about art at the time, and heavily influenced the way that people expressed themselves through art later on.
There are a lot of things that make Van Gogh’s art so unique. At the time, it was not very typical to see art like his. His style, color schemes, attention to detail, brushwork, and his appreciation for natural landscapes were all factors that set him apart from other artists.
He was born in 1853, in the Netherlands, and he passed away in 1890, in France. As he grew up, he always had an appreciation for art, and he spent a lot of time trying to make a career out of it, although he was not successful with that. Over his lifetime, he created more than 1500 pieces, yet he only sold one. His art went by unappreciated, as he never really gained any attention for his art until after he had passed away.
A major contribution to his unsuccessful career was the fact that people were not able to appreciate his art at the time. It was very common for artists to paint extremely realistic portraits, or landscapes, rather than to experiment with abstract art. While Van Gogh still made realistic paintings, the techniques he used had set him aside from the typical style of art that people were interested in, so he was never able to profit from his passion.
Near the end of Van Gogh’s life, he unfortunately began to suffer from mental illness. He started to lose a grasp of reality, and he was very sad with his life. Although he tried to recover through medical attention, he ultimately shot himself, which led to his death at 37 years old.
It is important to recognize how much of an impact Van Gogh has made. Although his story contains isolation, and struggle, he still managed to create such an intriguing and beautifully creative legacy. Overall, his work has been able to bring together wide and diverse groups of people to appreciate his art, and he has forever changed the way people have gone about making art.
The 10 minute art challenge, popularized by the New York Times, asks you to spend 10 minutes with one painting, uninterrupted. Usually, people only look at paintings for a minute or so, if that. Even if you study a painting repeatedly, spending uninterrupted time with it gives you a whole new perspective. As you look at the painting for ten whole minutes, you will probably find your eyes drawn to details you didn’t see at first. You may also find you see the painting differently; with changing focal points, colors, and even movement within it. Spending this time with a piece of art not only helps you to learn about art and expand your attention span, but to relax and ground yourself.
I tried this challenge at a common starting point: ‘The Starry Night’ by Vincent van Gogh. I love van Gogh’s style, and this painting has always been a favorite of mine.
When I started the challenge, I was a bit worried I’d get bored. My eyes didn’t really focus on a specific spot, instead they wandered around the canvas. But as I stuck with it, things started to jump out at me. I noticed the texture of the paint, and that colors I’d once thought were blues were actually shades of green and brown. I also felt my breathing slow down, and my body relax. Because I was focused on this one task, my mind had a clear directive: only think about this painting. It didn’t have time to wander to other worries or annoying thoughts, or even to get bored.
Overall, I think this is a great challenge for everyone to try. I was surprised by how calming and centering it was, and I noticed lots of new things about a great piece of art. You can try this with any piece, whether it has a lot of things to look at, like ‘The Starry Night’, or not very many. You can also adjust the timing; sit for only 5 minutes, or as long as you want. Find an art piece and give it a try!
Art comes in several different forms, many of which you have likely seen today. You might think of paintings from the Renaissance period like the ‘Mona Lisa’ or ‘The Girl With The Pearl Earring’, or maybe more abstract, modern paintings. But one art style in particular was formed as a result of one of the most popular movements in art history. That art style would be Impressionism.
Impressionism itself is a very recognizable style of painting, as the paintings featured bright, chromatic colors rather than the more dull palettes that were used for previous styles of painting. The colors also emphasized the contrast between light and shadows. These paintings very often depicted a mundane or realistic setting, rather than dramaticized historical scenes.
In 1874, a group of artists formed the ‘Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, Printmakers, etc.’. Its founding members included popular artists such as Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, and several others. They created an art installation in Paris, France, where many unique paintings were displayed.
However, these paintings were a bit different from other paintings at the time. These paintings included loose brush strokes, vivid colors, and featured scenes primarily of nature or the simple, everyday life. These were different from the grand, historical story-based paintings that were made during this time. This new abstract style brought a sense of realism in contrast to the art featured in this time period.
Claude Monet was a significant figure throughout this movement, as he was one of the trailblazers that popularized the style of Impressionism. In one of his exhibits, critic Louis Leroy gave Impressionism its name by stating Monet’s paintings were more of an uncompleted sketch, “an impression”.
The final independent exhibition of Impressionism was held in 1886, but the painters had begun shifting towards a new direction for the movement, which was Neo-Impressionism. This was an art movement characterized by small intricate dots, distinct brushstrokes, and bright colors.
Though the final exhibition was so long ago, the Impressionist movement had a large impact on the art community by adapting to new art styles, and allowed artists to freely express themselves through their artwork.
This artwork was made especially for a Personal Project. The artwork was created with the use of oil pastels, which I really enjoyed using and took me about 10 hours to finish.
I was really inspired by an oil paint artwork, “The Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh.
Even though I really want others to have their own interpretation of it, but for me, it’s about how a person you loved but they’re not in your life anymore, so you replay moments with them which makes you want to crave their presence. As you wait for them to return back into your life again, they’re slowly moving on, like fading away.
This is a picture of a bird/woodpecker I made. I made the woodpecker because I wanted to draw something different and cool. Also, I drew it because there are lots of birds in the world, and I saw one outside a window and wanted to draw one.
In this drawing, I used a pencil to make the bird and tree trunk, then I went over it with an ultra-fine Sharpie. After, I colored in the drawing with markers.
I really like how my first drawing of a bird turned out. My favorite part about the picture is the pecked trunk; I really like how it looks with the bird.
One area I could improve is the color, perhaps by adding more color to the bird. Overall, I think it looks very good.
For my next drawing, I will make a bird or something else that is cool, but it will probably be next school year.
This is a drawing of another zentangle but in a deck of cards style. I really thought that the second zentangle looked really good, so I wanted to make an even better one for the last zentangle drawing.
For this picture, I used a pencil to make the cards and patterns. Then first went over that with an ultra-fine point Sharpie, then with a fine-point Sharpie, to fill in some of the white spots.
I really like how this one turned out. I think this is my favorite one out of all three zentangles I made. I really like how different this one looks from the others. The patterns just look cool inside of the cards. My favorite pattern is the ten of diamond card. The one that I don’t like is the X shape pattern with the dots in it, on the ace card.
For my next drawing, I will make something else, but I don’t know what I will make yet, but I think it will probably be something that will include color.
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