- Explain the term 'context', and give a simple example.
- Select a minimum of one piece of art or design made in the last 150 years. You can choose from any discipline: a painting, sculpture, film, example of fashion, graphic or textile design, etc. Analyse this piece of artwork, using the following formula:
- Describe the piece
- Describe the formal aspects of the piece
- Interpret and evaluate
3. State when the artwork was made and the time and place.
4. If you can, explain the way in which the artwork fits into its context, and include some documentation: quotations by the artist/designer/film-maker or comments by a critic or writer.
Deadline: Wednesday 9th January.
Jean Michel Basquiat created ‘Fallen Angel’ in 1981. A ‘fallen angel’ (in Christian, Jewish and Muslim tradition) is an angel who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven. I feel this painting describes the emotion a ‘fallen angel’ would have felt when being ‘cast’ out of heaven.
I have recently come across an artist that I feel I should have discovered a long time ago. His name is Jean Michel Basquiat.
I wish to use him as an example to explain the term 'context'.
Basquiat was an American artist and began as an obscure graffiti artist in New York City in the late 1970's and evolved into an acclaimed Neo-expressionist and Primitivist painter by the 1980's.
In this sentence, the words 'American' and 'New York City' explains his geographical context. The phrase 'late 1970's' and '1980's' explains the time context in which he was producing work. And lastly, the words 'Neo-expressionist' and 'Primitivist' explain the stylistic movement he was a part of.
Basquiat's work particularly appeals and relates to me because he had to rely on his own emotion and feeling to create work, whether it be agression or love or identity, etc.
It was hard to choose a piece of artwork from the massive collection he has created, but I have narrowed it down to one.
I wish to use him as an example to explain the term 'context'.
Basquiat was an American artist and began as an obscure graffiti artist in New York City in the late 1970's and evolved into an acclaimed Neo-expressionist and Primitivist painter by the 1980's.
In this sentence, the words 'American' and 'New York City' explains his geographical context. The phrase 'late 1970's' and '1980's' explains the time context in which he was producing work. And lastly, the words 'Neo-expressionist' and 'Primitivist' explain the stylistic movement he was a part of.
Basquiat's work particularly appeals and relates to me because he had to rely on his own emotion and feeling to create work, whether it be agression or love or identity, etc.
It was hard to choose a piece of artwork from the massive collection he has created, but I have narrowed it down to one.
Jean Michel Basquiat created ‘Fallen Angel’ in 1981. A ‘fallen angel’ (in Christian, Jewish and Muslim tradition) is an angel who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven. I feel this painting describes the emotion a ‘fallen angel’ would have felt when being ‘cast’ out of heaven.
The angels’ face and wings appear to be set on fire. I think this because of the red and yellow paint, (being the flame) the white paint (being wing that has not yet been burnt) and the black paint (being the charred wing). The jagged and wild brush marks around the edge of the wings describe the movement of the flames. Also, the smudged paint eliminates the perfect of the wing that would have been.
Another element that describes burning is the fact that you can clearly see the angel’s internal organs; these are highlighted in red, as is its halo, which also has sharp lines/brush marks which describes harshness.
After studying the painting, I now know the angel is a male due to genetalia.
On the angels’ right arm, replacing his hand is a trident. A trident is traditionally associated with the devil, hence the ‘fallen angel’ falling into hell from heaven.
The vibrant, thick coat of blue depicting the blue sky allows the angel to ‘stand out’ against the softer, lesser bold brush marks of the angel, and moreover, his wings.
In some ways, I believe Basquiat was trying to convey that he was a fallen angel, and painted this because the affects of his struggles with coping with success and fame.
‘Basquiat's paintings also attacked power structures and systems of racism, while his poetics were acutely political and direct in their criticism of colonialism and support for class struggle.’ -Wikipedia
‘I am not a black artist, I am an artist.’
‘I thought I was going to be a bum the rest of my life’
‘I had some money, I made the best paintings ever. I was completely reclusive, worked a lot, took a lot of drugs. I was awful to people.’ -Brainyquote
‘Some say he resented being a black man whose fate twisted with the whims of an all-white jury of artistic powers. Others say he pined for fame but was crushed by its burdens. Some friends believe greedy art dealers and collectors exploited him. Some say wealth fed his longtime appetite for drugs.’
‘Mr. Basquiat's struggle hints at the hazards posed by quick fame and wealth in the 1980's artistic world.’ -Quote from: www.nytimes.com
Living in New York City in the 60's and 70's, Jean Michel Basquiat was influenced greatly by an important figure from the Pop-Art movement in this period; both as a close friend and also as an artist. His name was Andy Warhol.
Basquiat and Warhol went as far as producing work together and made collaborations such as: 'Ten Punching Bags (Last Supper)' 1985-6, 'Origin of Cotton', 1984 and 'Brown Spots (Portrait of Andy Warhol as a Banana)' 1984.
There is a contrast between the 'hard edge' of Warhol's screen-prints and Basquiat's free-hand paintings which I find is a perfect mix between the two.
"It was like some crazy-art world marriage and they were the odd couple. The relationship was symbiotic. Jean-Michel thought he needed Andy's fame, and Andy thought he needed Jean-Michel's new blood. Jean Michel gave Andy a rebellious image again." -Ronny Cutrone
Due to quick fame and a busy lifestyle, I feel Basquiat 'sold out' by entering the gallery system and also by collaborating with Warhol. The conflict between being a sucessful artist and -possibly- a 'tame primitive' could have, quite forcefully, contributed to his death of a herion over-dose in 1988.
Living in New York City in the 60's and 70's, Jean Michel Basquiat was influenced greatly by an important figure from the Pop-Art movement in this period; both as a close friend and also as an artist. His name was Andy Warhol.
Basquiat and Warhol went as far as producing work together and made collaborations such as: 'Ten Punching Bags (Last Supper)' 1985-6, 'Origin of Cotton', 1984 and 'Brown Spots (Portrait of Andy Warhol as a Banana)' 1984.
There is a contrast between the 'hard edge' of Warhol's screen-prints and Basquiat's free-hand paintings which I find is a perfect mix between the two.
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| 'Origin of Cotton' 1984 |
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| 'Ten Punching Bags (Last Supper)' 1985-6 |
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| 'Brown Spots (Portrait of Andy Warhol as a Banana)' 1984 |
"It was like some crazy-art world marriage and they were the odd couple. The relationship was symbiotic. Jean-Michel thought he needed Andy's fame, and Andy thought he needed Jean-Michel's new blood. Jean Michel gave Andy a rebellious image again." -Ronny Cutrone
Due to quick fame and a busy lifestyle, I feel Basquiat 'sold out' by entering the gallery system and also by collaborating with Warhol. The conflict between being a sucessful artist and -possibly- a 'tame primitive' could have, quite forcefully, contributed to his death of a herion over-dose in 1988.
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