SMFA Traveling Scholars Exhibit

Before visiting the SMFA Traveling Scholars Exhibit I initially did not know what to expect. We entered a long hallway of eccentric three dimensional images pouring out from the brightly colored walls. Leading up to a case of silver vases with mirrored depth perception that seemed to be endless. Then the 'real' exhibit begins... My first glance at all the artwork make me wonder, what was so great about this art? I could throw something like this together... It seemed to be the most chaotic art I've ever seen before. Then I came across the artwork of Leslie Hall. She has taken the meaning of artwork to an entirely different level. From her "Great Battle for Des Moines And My Love" -that depicts a fight between King Kong & an enormously large tiger behind a woman sun bathing on top of a red sports car, to her song and stage show; she has visually displayed her fantasy dream worlds that have appealed to and gotten a lot of attention from most of the exhibitors.

Something I never noticed about the MFA

I have lived in Boston for the past 4 years, and I really can't recall how many times I have been to the MFA. I do remember the first time I went, and how I was in awe at the quantity and quality of the art displayed in this amazing museum. Every time I step into this building, I feel inspired and free to explore the history of humanity through art.

When we went to the MFA for the first time this semester, I was excited to see the new constructions going on and the expansion of this great museum. We entered through the side and walked to the main entrance. This entrance I had seen before but never really payed attention to how grand it was. We talked about the this part of the museum and my eyes where open to a whole new concept. When Dr. Landay said, "Think of the museum as a piece of literature," this was a new way of conceptualizing the museum which had never crossed my mind.

I started to notice how complete the museum's collection is, and how the museum has a purpose. It has ancient art, classical art, modern art, musical instruments; you name it and the MFA has it. It's literally a history book, that explores humanity from all cultural perspectives and gives light to many aspects of our history. The building is also historic, and adds to the experience. 

Now, every time I go to any museum, I will try to think of the museum itself as a work of art. Even other museums I have visited before now have a new purpose, and they each have a different approach to displaying art. MOMA in NYC tells a different story to the one the Centre Pompidou in Paris does; and the MFA and Louvre also tell similar but different stories. A museum is not just an amazing building with great art as it was before; it's now a work of art in itself. 

First Time to the MFA

Yes this is a bit late, it should have been in here a few weeks back...

Two things I noticed on this, my first ever time to the Boston MFA, were the total lack of character most of the museum had, and how cheesy the murals in the big stairway looked.  The latter was kind of a let down to me because the architecture was otherwise impressive. Unfortunately the murals were sort of drab and lifeless much like most of the museum. This brings me to the first point, which addresses the boring character of the museum.  Indeed it is the function of the Museum to simply house and showcase the paintings/artwork but it all seems very sterile and hospital-like.  I guess maybe I prefer to see artwork hung in somebody's living room or den.  Personally, I feel the artwork is really only a function of the environment around it, especially seeing as you can buy a copy of almost any great masterpiece and take it home with you.  There's nothing special to seeing a copy (even if it isn't a silly poster) in a large dreary museum.  

Visual Culture - Old Media - MFA

Kobayashi Asahina and Strange People from Foreign Lands

Work by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Japanese Art Piece from 1797 - 1861

Woodblock Print; Ink and Color on Paper

I was originally drawn to this painting because of my love for Japanese culture.
From the food they eat, to their way of life in their highly advanced technological and artistic society,
I am fascinated, and wanted to know some of their history.

The artwork tells the story of Asahina, a warrior of the 12th century. In the work Asahina is surrounded
by representatives of the strange races he encountered on his journeys. Around him are pygmies, giants, winged people, dog-headed men, mythological creatures, people from india, siam and the "Land of Black People". All the people in the artwork share a love for sport, and Asahina is shown presiding over a sumo tournament.

In a way this artwork is glorifying the sport of sumo wrestling in Japan. It is from the MFA collection "Sumo: Japan's Big Sport". It is a tradition that dates back well into Japanese culture. The woodblock artworks show the combination of technical and artistic skills that japanese people and culture have always shown. The beautiful colors and designs are first produced by artists and then printers carved the design into the wood pieces and applied the color.
In the end the artwork is a beautiful representation of technical and artistic skills combined, aswell as
the beauty of the artistic qualities found in the Japanese tradition of sumo.

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?

Paul Gauguin 1897-1898

Oil on canvas

54 3/4" x 147 1/2"

This image is the result of years of pondering. With many new ideas pertaining to the creation of man at the time, it is likely that Gauguin put much thought into this. 

This image is certainly a darker image. Deep blues and greens dominate the background while more Earthen reds and browns are found in the foreground. Everything seems to be lit by moonlight. The only contrast is a school bus yellow, which is found in the two top corners and the human figures in the foreground. The blue sky in the top-middle of the painting also serves as a contrast to dark, but not to blue. Our attention is drawn to the human figure with her hands up just to the right of the center of the piece. 

The narrative of this painting is a big vague. It is very panoramic in its width so you must spend a while looking at every figure and divided landscape. The story is of ancient man possibly making a connection to us in the present. These people are our ancestors. Represented are people, a shrine, a holy man, a beautiful day, and a storm at sea. This could tell the story of evolution of mankind.

Some of the toes of some of the figures leak off the frame. The dog, on the other hand, is cut in half by the frame. The background, as expected, continues off the frame until who knows when.

The images aren't exactly portrayed in a photo-realistic way. Their bodies are slightly contorted and their faces seem a bit lifeless, much like medieval art. The poses are rigid and don't convey much realistic movement. This is not based on direct realism.

The "thrown together" nature of this piece gives me a definite feeling of a man's imagination when pondering the creation of man and the whole uncertainty of it. On the picture plane, I would make this two thirds of the way towards realism, and one third towards abstraction.  The bodies and faces are real enough to be seen as such, but they are distorted enough not to make any mistake for a photograph. The landscapes in the background look real enough, but are still abstract in their details.

The Butcher...♦

Butcher Shop
1642
David Teniers II, the Younger, Flemish, 1610–1690
68.4 x 98 cm (26 15/16 x 38 9/16 in.)
Oil on panel
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
(NOTE: All info taken from MFA Website)

The source of this painting is obviously taken from the "behind-the-scenes" of everyday life. It shows what happens in the background while the wealthy and affluent are enjoying the feast that comes from all the work. Immediately the figure is determined to be the cattle carcass and the woman in white to the right, the background is the butcher shop itself and the other butchers in the doorway. There are two major visual fields, I will call these the left and the right side. On the left we have the carcass itself, bright flesh and the still images of dead meat dominate this section with it's focal point being the bright clean towel hanging in the body cavity. On the right we have the "living" aspect of the work. The people, butchers, working and conversing which contrasts with the "dead" left side. The focal point of the right is the woman in the foreground working on a piece of meat.

The overall color of the painting is dark, although it does have some spotting of bright white and pink that pop out. Circular shapes recur in the bowls, plates, and body shapes in the people. A large rectangle dominates the center (the carcass) and it also contains a smaller one turned on its side (the towel). Much of the background is cast in shadow, except a window set high in the shop.

The narrative is clearly a day-in-the-life type story. A typical day as a butcher in a rather large city (indicated by the tall buildings seen in the high window). The only symbolism I can see is how life and death are so closely intertwined, as made clear by the left and right visual fields. Some distortion can be seen in the background. The man standing at us looks rather short. This may be because he is a short man, or to make him less significant in the painting, since he is the only human figure to be seen from the front.

All of the figures are contained within the frame, only the background and room itself go off the frame. Because this is not an imitation of a photograph all the figures are purposefully put in frame. The viewer is placed on the same level as the image, probably to make us feel as if we had walked in and are looking at this scene in real life. The image is a miniature of real life, only about 2' x 3'. I don't think this has any meaning, just a manageable size to paint and display.

This in an oil painting on a wooden panel background. The artist uses the oil-based paint to create a detailed painting but not in a photo-realistic way. This work caught my eye because it stood out against all the other paintings around it. The bright colored flesh and gruesome nature of the narrative drew my eye to it.

On the "picture plane" I would place this painting close to realism, but slightly toward abstraction due to the graininess of the painting and the minor use of large brushstrokes.

Dance at Bougival 

1883

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French, 1841-1919

181.9 x 98.1 cm (71 5/8 x 38 5/8 in.)

Oil on canvas

Classification: Paintings

Type, sub-type: Genre- Exterior

On view in the: Sidney and Esther Rabb Gallery (European Art 1870-1900)

 

The open-air cafés of suburban Bougival, on the Seine outside Paris, were popular recreation spots for city dwellers, including the Impressionist painters. Renoir, who was primarily a figure painter, uses intense color and lush brushwork to heighten the sense of pleasure conveyed by the whirling couple who dominate the composition. The woman's face, framed by her red bonnet, is the focus of attention, both ours and her companion's.

The dominant contrast of this painting is focusing on a central pattern of blue, red, and yellow upon your first glance. The dancing couple seems to be the primary focal point, and social conversation seems to follow close behind them. A circular shape is happening throughout, beginning from the woman’s red bonnet, onto her face, towards the man’s yellow fedora, down to the floor focusing on the woman’s flowing ruffles at the bottom of her dress, onto the ground to focus on the distinct purple lilac flower. It looks as though the man is completely enticed by the woman, only concentrating on her. Yet, the woman seems to be less than interested in returning such a look, and instead appears to be thinking about something completely unrelated to the present moment.  Meanwhile, the background visual does not have as clear of a focus, but allows onlookers to believe that they are in a lively place with much happiness and conversation occurring. The scenery washes away in the distance, but still is present enough to allow the onlooker to depict the setting. It could be quite possible that Renoir is trying to place us within the image, possibly watching the couple dance while sitting at a table in front of them amongst the crowd.

In relation to Scott McCloud’s “picture plane” has simple complexity to it. Upon your first glance it is self-explanatory as to what is going on. Yet, looking further into the painting you are focused on the woman’s facial expression for she is distracted from what seems to be a pleasant dance. She has drawn your eye in so much that one forgets about what else is happening behind or beside her. She has completely taken over the portrait with her diverted eyes. The painting itself could be very realistic, for it is at a café just outside of Paris during the late 1800’s.  The woman and man are both dressed appropriately for the times, and it seems to be subjective towards the audience. This painting is quite universal because of the dancing and expression between the two individuals.  Overall the caption of the woman’s porcelain face with such an inattentive gaze makes this painting more complex than one would have observed from just a single glance.