Romanticism, Frida Kahlo & Realities

BLOG#3

---Romanticism---

Spanish Romanticism, is by far my favorite period of art we have covered in class so far. I love that color is of true importance in the work of romantic artist. In the world of spanish romanticism artist, Francisco Goya, his paintings were a reflection of reality. Critizised by his peers, Goya was told that he did not paint "Reality" He painted monsters eating their children! How could that be reality? Goya, repeatedly faught against this critizism by strongly confirming that infact even a monster eating his child could be a reality! He believed like the philosopher Vitzchenzi, that "Reality exist inside of YOU not outside."

While one can dispute over the concept of "Reality" one can not ignore that in the mind of Goya, his reality was what he painted. HIS REALITY. Who are we to dispute the validity of another's reality if we don't live it? In Goya's piece,(Below) "Saturn Devouring One of His Children" (1820)I can see his reality is as chaotic as the eyes of Saturn as he rips of the head of his child. I can only assum that Goya's vision was a translation of the issues surrounding him at a time where he saw everything changeing around him. His reality however non-realistic it seemed, was his and sadly not his alone, because even today we witness such madness.




Reality is a concept I connect between Goya, and one of my favorite artist in Mexico, Frida Kahlo. Both of them painted a reality that others saw as being fictional.

Frida,Kahlo "The Little Dear" (1946)



Shown as a deer, injured and vulnerable one can see how complex she was emotionally. Yet she displays herself as a Stag, with the male antlers which shows the masculine side of her personality she has always embraced. She is wounded by arrows, but her face is serene. Frida had an unrequited desire to be a mother which turned into an intense relationship with animals. She had several dogs, parrots, monkeys and even a little deer. The animals were her foster children, and by showing her body as an animal further connects her to this idea. The surreal difference between her head and body show that although she was a part of her animals and the the physical pain that she has endured in life, her mind and imagination were apart from these corporeal needs and grievances. I cannot look at this painting and not identify with it. We are our bodies and life is the arrows that scar us. Some wounds heal and others leave intricate memories relieved on our skins.

I leave you with a quote from Frida Kahlo. I chose this one because instead of the word "paint," anyone can insert their passion (singing, dancing, photography,). Anyone who feels creative urges flowing through their veins can identify with it:

"I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration."

Frida Kahlo
Mexican painter (1907 - 1954)

Neo-Classicical Art, & My love for Neo-Soul Music

BLOG#2

-Neo Classical Art-


This week in class, we observed closely the movement of Neo-Classical Art. In this movement, many artist with passionate views on life in both the private and public realms expressed their vision on canvas, as close to perfection as possible. This search for perfection, came greatly out of the doctrine of Winckelmann. He believed that a "diciplined lifestyle, meant a diciplined mind.." and as such, they had to go back to the classical finesse that came with Greek classical art. Artist of the time, all searched for perfection, they all wanted to be as close as possible to the ideal.

This obsession with the "ideal" comes from Neoplatanism. The idea that everything is a copy of the "ideal" and that because it is a copy it is inferior, BUT it is as close as one can get to the "ideal" hence, one should try to be the ideal copy of perfection!

One of the Neo-Classical Artist of the time that caught my attention was David. In his pieces "perfection" was clear in my eyes. All his work, was breathtakingly beautiful. It followed all the poussinist rules of line and contour. Yet one piece of his truly moved me, and that was "Death of Marat" (1793)It was this piece,(below)



that made David seem like a real person for me. Not obssesed with perfection, rather with the human contidion of a friend he cared for. For me, this piece alone transformed David, from a robotic perfectionist in to a human being with a soul.

Soul. This word is one dear to my vocabulary, and to the essence of my personality and identity. Everything I do, I do it with soul. Every poem I write, has in each line a little bit of the soul of wich I write. Every poem I write is to make the reader feel like the "Death of Marat" Painting made me feel of David. YSoul. It takes "Soul" to make something come to life. Wether it be a poem, a neo-classical painting or a song.

The purpouse of this blog is to connect the Art I learn about in class to my everyday life, and when I it came down to ask my self "how Neo-Classical art could be a reflection of my everyday life" I could not think of a connection. But in the background played a song on the radio by one of my favorite artist--Erykah Badu. She sang a song called "Ye-Yo" in that sweet voice of hers and suddenly a lightbulb went off in my head!

Erykah Badu (image below)is what is now called a "NEO-SOUL" artist.



What does that mean? Well, like neo-classical painters, she is part of a music genre that aims to go back to the "classics" as well. Classic Soul Music. The fact that the genre alone is called "Neo-Soul" makes me think of the attempt made my neo-classical painters like David, they attempted to reach perfection by immitating the "ideal." Except that in the case of Neo-Soul music, it is not expected, or encouraged that one copies the "ideals" of the past, instead neo-soul, encourages thinking outside the box and welcomes the reflection of present day by accepting new sounds, new styles, and lyrical flow into the historical classic genre that is Soul music. Neo-Soul is different than Neo-Classical art in that sence,and to be honest-- I'm Glad it is!