Aesthetics For Life W4: Aesthetics and Art Theory II The expression of beauty is by emotion. The person who can communicate his emotions to the soul of the other is the artist. Ratto di Prosperina -Gian Lorenzo Bernini - Alphonse Mucha
Outline 1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art: 1 1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art:
Recap from Last Week Last Week: 1 The REPRESENTATIONAL or MIMETIC Aspect of Art 2 Mimesis and Colour Theory 3 Mimesis and the Form Principle
Road Map 1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art: This Week: 1 The EXPRESSIVE Aspect of Art 2 Representational vs Expressive Colour 3 Colour Gamuts
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS REVIEW: Aesthetics and MIMESIS The Aesthetic Conception of Art: Something is ART if it induces aesthetic pleasure in a perceiver. The value of something as art is correlated with the value of the aesthetic response it engenders
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS. Q: But WHAT determines what sort of aesthetic. response an object yields?
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS The Mimetic Conception of Art:
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS The Mimetic Conception of Art: Idea: Aesthetic response how well it represents reality
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS The Mimetic Conception of Art: Idea: Aesthetic response how well it represents reality The value of something as art is correlated how faithful a representation of reality it is
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS The value of something as art is correlated with how. FAITHFUL a representation of reality it is
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS The value of something as art is correlated with how. FAITHFUL a representation of reality it is
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS The Mimetic Conception of Art: Idea: Aesthetic response how well it represents reality The value of something as art is correlated with how faithful a representation of reality it is
REVIEW: Art, Aesthetics and MIMESIS The Mimetic Conception of Art: Idea: Aesthetic response how well it represents reality The value of something as art is correlated with how faithful a representation of reality it is But what do we mean by REALITY?
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) REPRESENTATION vs EXPRESSION Representation: Outward-looking, aims to capture outer reality Nature Society Human form and action
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) REPRESENTATION vs EXPRESSION Representation: Outward-looking, aims to capture outer reality Nature Society Human form and action
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber - Fra Juan Sánchez Cotán Oil on Canvas, ca 1600 The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) Among the Sierra Nevada, California - Albert Bierstadt Oil on Canvas, 1868 Hudson River School (Accessed via Google Art Project)
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) REPRESENTATION vs EXPRESSION Representation: Outward-looking, aims to capture outer reality Nature Society Human form and action
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) REPRESENTATION vs EXPRESSION Representation: Outward-looking, aims to capture outer reality Nature Society Human form and action
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp - Rembrandt van Rijn Oil on Canvas, 1632 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:the_anatomy_lesson.jpg
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) Bar delle Folies-Bergere - Edouard Manet Oil on Canvas, 1881 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:edouard_manet,_al_bar_delle_folies-bergere,_1881-1882,_02.jpg
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) REPRESENTATION vs EXPRESSION Representation: Outward-looking, aims to capture outer reality Nature Society Human form and action
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) REPRESENTATION vs EXPRESSION Representation: Outward-looking, aims to capture outer reality Nature Society Human form and action
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) Ratto di Prosperpina Gian Lorenzo Bernini Statue in Marble 1621-22
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) REPRESENTATION vs EXPRESSION Expression: Inward-looking, aims to convey inner reality Moods Emotions Attitudes
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) Among the Sierra Nevada, California - Albert Bierstadt Oil on Canvas, 1868 Hudson River School (Accessed via Google Art Project)
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm The Oxbow - Thomas Cole Oil on Canvas, 1836:
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) The Hudson River School: 19th-Century American landscape painters Realistic/naturalistic approach to natural scenes......but also expressive of their nationalistic interpretation of the American landscape as monumental, dramatic, breath-taking and wild
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) Bar delle Folies-Bergere - Edouard Manet Oil on Canvas, 1881 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:edouard_manet,_al_bar_delle_folies-bergere,_1881-1882,_02.jpg
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) Manet s Bar at the Folies-Bergere Depicts a real part of Parisian society......but the expression on the barmaid s face (especially in contrast with her animated pose in mirror s reflection), can be interpreted as expressing Manet s critical attitude towards Parisian society
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) The Oath of the Horatii - Jacques Louis David Oil on Canvas, 1784
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) David s Oath of the Horatii, commissioned by Louis XVI Depicts scene from Classical Roman history: The three Horatii brothers agree to risk their lives in order to fight against three members of the Curiatii family, to settle a dispute between Rome and Alba
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) David s Oath of the Horatii, commissioned by Louis XVI Tonal contrasts give appearance of solid form to the figures......tonal contrast between background and foreground also expressively glorifies the virtues of loyalty sacrifice and solidarity to the State (and to Louis XVI, before the French Revolution) Q: Which conception of art can best explain the re-interpretation of this piece?
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) Fountain Marcel Duchamp Ready-Made Urinal, 1917 Q: What are some representational aspects of this piece? Q: What are some expressive aspects of this piece?
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) REPRESENTATION vs EXPRESSION Expression: Inward-looking, aims to convey inner reality Moods Emotions Attitudes
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) The EXPRESSIVE Concept of ART Q: Whose moods, emotions and attitudes?
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) The EXPRESSIVE Concept of ART Q: Whose moods, emotions and attitudes? According to the Expressive Conception of Art:. The artist s moods, emotions and attitudes
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) The EXPRESSIVE Concept of ART Q: Whose moods, emotions and attitudes? According to the Expressive Conception of Art:. The artist s moods, emotions and attitudes Review Question: Is this consistent with the. aesthetic,. contextual or. constructivist conception of art? Why?
Representation VS Expression ([Stecker(2010)]) The EXPRESSIVE Concept of ART Q: Whose moods, emotions and attitudes? According to the Expressive Conception of Art:. The artist s moods, emotions and attitudes What do you think?. Discuss! Can you think of counter-examples?
Class Exercise Aesthetic Analysis 1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art: Everything is Awesome -Ai Weiwei. Lego and Toilet, 2015
Class Exercise Aesthetic Analysis 1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art: Everything is Awesome -Ai Weiwei. Lego and Toilet, 2015 1 Do you like this piece? Can you identify why? 2 What aspects are representational of outward reality? 3 What aspects are expressive? 4 How would you analyze this in terms of (i) The aesthetic conception of art? (ii) The contextualist conception of art? (iii) The constructivist conception of art?
REVIEW: Conceptions of Art [Stecker(2010)] What is ART? H1: The AESTHETIC Conception of Art The value of art is correlated with how aesthetically pleasing it is H2: The CONTEXTUALIST Paradigm of Art The value of art is correlated with (i) how aesthetically pleasing it is, and (ii) its relationship to its historical context of creation H3: The CONSTRUCTIVIST Paradigm of Art The value of art is correlated with. (all the above 1 ) plus the context in which it is perceived 1 A non-radical perspective
Outline 1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art: 2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA 2 2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Expressive Use of Colour ([Gurney(2010)]) Last Week: How to understand and use colour. to better represent outward realities Colour Theory: Hue, Value, Chroma 1. Local Colour and interactions with Light Sources. (colour constancy, in terms of hue, value and chroma) 2. Form Principle: Predictable value regions on solid 3D forms
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Expressive Use of Colour ([Gurney(2010)]) This Week: How to understand and use colour. to better express inward realities Expressive Colour
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] Recall: The terms warm and cool are often used to describe HUE: Warm and cool seem to correspond to a psychological effect in the viewer...
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] The cool colors seem to evoke feelings of winter, night, sky, shadow, sleep and ice. The color blue suggests quietness, restfulness, and calm. Warm colours make us think of fire, hot spices, and blood. They connote energy and passion. Orange and yellow are ephemeral colors. We see them fleetingly in nature: in sunsets, flowers, or autumn leaves. [Gurney(2010)]
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] The cool colors seem to evoke feelings of winter, night, sky, shadow, sleep and ice. The color blue suggests quietness, restfulness, and calm. Warm colours make us think of fire, hot spices, and blood. They connote energy and passion. Orange and yellow are ephemeral colors. We see them fleetingly in nature: in sunsets, flowers, or autumn leaves. [Gurney(2010)]
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] Eg., images from Picasso s Blue Period
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] The cool colors seem to evoke feelings of winter, night, sky, shadow, sleep and ice. The color blue suggests quietness, restfulness, and calm. Warm colours make us think of fire, hot spices, and blood. They connote energy and passion. Orange and yellow are ephemeral colors. We see them fleetingly in nature: in sunsets, flowers, or autumn leaves. [Gurney(2010)]
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] The cool colors seem to evoke feelings of winter, night, sky, shadow, sleep and ice. The color blue suggests quietness, restfulness, and calm. Warm colours make us think of fire, hot spices, and blood. They connote energy and passion. Orange and yellow are ephemeral colors. We see them fleetingly in nature: in sunsets, flowers, or autumn leaves. [Gurney(2010)]
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] Monet s Haystacks on a Foggy Morning, 1891. Oil on canvas.
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] Monet s Haystacks at the End of Summer, Morning Effect, 1891 Oil on canvas.
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] Monet s Grainstacks Snow Effect, 1891. Oil on canvas.
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)] Observation: The psychological associations of colour is often used to reinforce particular characterizations as well Eg., warm colours for characters with warm, energetic personalities Eg., cool colours for characters with cool, calm personalities
2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)]
1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art: 2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA The Basics of Colour Theory [Gurney(2010)]
The Expressive Use of Colour 2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA Value and chroma can also be used expressively eg., Fauvism: Non-naturalistic, expressive colour, defied conventions regarding value and form (eg., the Form principle) Matisse s L Atelier Rouge ( The Red Studio ) a, 1911, Oil on Canvas Modern art spreads joy around it by its color, which calms us. - Matisse a The studio was actually white.
Group Discussion The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA 2.1 The Psychological Effect of WARM and COOL Hues 2.2 The Psychological Effect of VALUE and CHROMA 1 Do you think there are psychological effects associated with different TONAL VALUES? 2 Do you think there are psychological effects associated with different CHROMATIC VALUES? The expression of beauty is by emotion. The person who can communicate his emotions to the soul of the other is the artist. -Alphonse Mucha
Outline 1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art: 3.1 Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art 3.2 Instagram Assignment: Expressive Colour 3 3.1 Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art 3.2 Instagram Assignment: Expressive Colour
3.1 Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art 3.2 Instagram Assignment: Expressive Colour Group Exercise Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art 1 Groups of 10: Choose a piece of media/art to analyze 2 Do you like the media/art? Can you identify why? 3 What aspects are representational of outward reality? 4 What aspects are expressive? (hue, value, chroma?) 5 Are there examples of representational and expressive uses of colour? 6 Presentations next class The expression of beauty is by emotion. The person who can communicate his emotions to the soul of the other is the artist. -Alphonse Mucha
3.1 Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art 3.2 Instagram Assignment: Expressive Colour Group Exercise Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art WEEKLY INSTAGRAM ASSIGNMENT: Option I 1 Find/create something that uses colour (hue, value or chroma) expressively instead of representationally 2 Explain (i) how the colour use is not representational, and (ii) what you think the divergence from the representational approach expresses 3 Remember to identify with your student code in the comment!
3.1 Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art 3.2 Instagram Assignment: Expressive Colour Group Exercise Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art WEEKLY INSTAGRAM ASSIGNMENT: Option II 1 Find/create an image with three sections, each section showing a progression in terms of (i) Representation (ii) Expressiveness 2 Explain how the visual aspects 3 Remember to identify with your student code in the comment!
3.1 Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art 3.2 Instagram Assignment: Expressive Colour Group Exercise Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art WEEKLY INSTAGRAM ASSIGNMENT: Option II 1 Find/create an image with three sections, each section showing a progression in terms of (i) Representation (ii) Expressiveness 2 Explain how the visual aspects 3 Remember to identify with your student code in the comment!
References I 1 Philosophy: The Expressive Conception of Art: 3.1 Identifying the REPRESENTATIVE and EXPRESSIVE Components of Art 3.2 Instagram Assignment: Expressive Colour Gurney, James. 2010. Color and light: A guide for the realist painter. Andrews McMeel Publishing. Stecker, Robert. 2010. Aesthetics and the philosophy of art: An introduction. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.