1 What and when was the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was an era that occurred during the 18th and 19th centuries. It began in England and slowly spread to a few other Western countries such as the United States, Germany and some parts of Scandinavia. As defined by Hacket (1992), “The Industrial Revolution is the name given to the movement in which machines changed people’s way of life as well as their methods of manufacture”. Some important changes that occurred during this era are the invention of machines, the use of steam and other kinds of power and also the adoption of factory systems. All of these innovations dramatically changed society and an increase in population and urbanization occurred.
2. Research both Modernist paintings in order to comment on the subject matter, form and style used to celebrate the machine and motion in each painting. Answer the question in 2 parts for each painting.
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| Dynamism of a dog on a leash (1912) Giacomo Balla |
This painting by Balla is a cropped scene of a widows feet and her dachshund dog. As described by Lubbock (2009), it’s of ground level perspective, the human world is reduced and it’s a close up of the dog’s view of the world. The limbs of both the dog and the woman have been used in this painting to indicate bodies in motion. This has been done by the ladies blurred multiple feet, the many swinging leads, the obscure outlines and also the dogs various tails and feet. I think this painting imitates and celebrates the machine in motion with the almost mechanised movement shown with the indistinct image of both the widow and her dog.
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| The City Rises (1910) Umberto Boccioni |
Boccioni’s painting The City Rises shows men labouring on a construction site with the help of their powerful horses. The theme of this work is the construction of a modern building and it depicts power, strength and energy with the use of bold and dramatic colours that evoke action. I think the vibrant energetic brush strokes used to create the blur of movements within the painting helps to capture the essence of futurism. “This painting is said to epitomize futurist painting, according to Boccioni, in its ‘synthesis of work, light and movement,’” (Wildy, 2010).
3. Research Cao Fei's RMB City (2007-9) in order to comment on this work in more depth.
i.e what images has she used in her digital collage that refer to China's present and history, and why has she used these.
i.e what images has she used in her digital collage that refer to China's present and history, and why has she used these.
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| RMB City (2007-9) Cao Fei |
Fei has used such images as the iconic Chinese panda and the Beijing national stadium to combine ancient and modern Chinese architecture and to reflect on Chinas recent urban and cultural explosion. Her work explores ideas about urbanism, economy, imagination and freedom by mixing popular aesthetics with surrealism. As Serpentine Gallery (2008) states her work “comments on the rapid and chaotic changes that are occurring in all facets of Chinese society”.
4. RMB City is described as a utopia/dystopia. Comment on what these terms mean, and how they can be applied to the work.
One of the definitions of utopia is that it’s an imaginary island that is ideal and is a place of social perfection. Dystopia meaning pretty much opposite, it’s defined as an imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad. I believe Fei has juxtaposed these two ideas in her work RMB city to reflect on her ideas on Chinas recent urbanization.
“RMB City is a spectacular utopian/dystopian island-metropolis, where candy-striped smoke stacks suggest continuous industrial production, missiles make unremitting pre-emptive strikes, and ships move goods swiftly in and out of port. A giant shopping cart, filled with skyscrapers and religious monuments, floats nearby” (Art Space, 2009).
5. Although the Modernist paintings and the contemporary digital work have emerged from
different contexts, there are also many similarities. Comment on the similarities that you can see in the work. Look at the moving digital image atvimeo.com/4272260, if you have not
already researched it
different contexts, there are also many similarities. Comment on the similarities that you can see in the work. Look at the moving digital image atvimeo.com/4272260, if you have not
already researched it
The similarities which I noticed first in the above modernistic paintings and Fei’s work, is that the ideas of technology and movement is evident in both. The modernist paintings that have been used as examples above are of a futurist style and deal with these ideas. These concepts have also been addressed in Fei’s work. Even though these modernistic paintings are very different in style compared to Fei’s virtual city, I can see that some of the fundamental ideas behind the works are the same; for example Boccioni’s painting depicts power, strength and energy which is also depicted in Fei’s city.
Reference List
Hackett, L. (1992). Industrialization: the first phase.
Lubbock, T. (2009, September 4). Great works: dynamism of a dog on a leash (1912) Giacomo Balla.
Serpentine Gallery, (2008). Cao Fei: RMB city
Wildy, J. (2010, September 1). Futurism and Umberto Boccioni’s the city rises.
I find it interesting how with "Dynamism of a dog on a leash" the perspective is at a ground level of feet and of the eyes of the dog yet it portrays such power and energy. To be on ground level, to sit on the ground is such a derogatory position to be in. To be at the level of someone's feet, basically suggests that you are much lower than them, they are superior. Yet that painting defies such a precedent and basically celebrates motion and movement of machinery .
ReplyDeleteI feel you have defined the Industrial Revolution accurately. I believe it is also good that you have recognised some of the changes that occurred in the era. I like how you described the innovations as having "dramatically" changed society. I also would have described the increase in population and urbanization as being a dramatic change in society. There is clear evidence to prove you have successfully researched modernist paintings. When you were describing Cao Fei's RMB City, I enjoyed how you referenced the iconic Chinese panda and Beijing national stadium as being a reflection of China's recent urban and cultural explosion.
ReplyDeleteI think you have answered the industral revoluation clearly. I can know the notion of yours were applied in defining. "Boccioni’s painting The City Rises" is intersesting. What is interesting is about the painintg is that it depicts power, strength and energy and dramatic colours that absorbs the audience. I totally agree with "the vibrant energetic brush strokes used to create the blur of movements within the painting helps to capture the essence of futurism."
ReplyDeleteThe first question is answered very well, you can tell you took your time to research all your information too. I like how you discuss the art clearly and give some interesting information on them like how you talk about Utopia being an imaginary island that is ideal and is a place of social perfection etc. By you doing this you gave me a better understanding of the artworks.
ReplyDeletethe first question is answered very well , it helps meh understand that you took interest in to your research for your information , you discuss the art clearly and which you define industrial revolution clearly to me , which i now i understand ..
ReplyDelete