Salcedo's Shibboleth: An Analysis

There are several historical, economic, and cultural events that caused the people of this time to look at life in a new way, and thus, art to be

Art by its nature is a subject of the philosophical, social, economic, political or religious context surrounding its creator. More often than not, a work of art addresses a specific topic or somewhat revolves around a particular person. Therefore, it is impossible to separate the context of a piece of painting, either historical or cultural, to its intrinsic value or the artwork's meaning. On the other hand, different cultures and time utilized specific conventions that govern the representation of objects of creativity. This essay highlights various pieces of art and their relationship to particular cultural, political, economic, or social settings. Moreover, it pinpoints how different times influence art presentation.

In the 1980’s the art world was gifted with the artist Jean michel basquiat. Basquiat, a man who lived two contrasting lives as street artist and “fine artist” in the art punk movement of the 1980’s. His work as a street artist was full of poetic and provocative messages painted in the streets of Manhattan New York, and his work as a “fine artist” did the same on gigantic canvases with looming figures in bold colours. Regardless of this dichotomy, his work in both of these practices has the ability to bring light to issues he and many others were facing and are still facing now. In particular, Basquiat’s work brought light to his personal experience with racism and struggle with otherness in and outside of the brutal art world. The next paragraphs will discuss how Jean Michel Basquiat delt and fought the oppressive systems of his time through his art.

Many people enjoy art in variety of different ways: through music, movies, television, writing, reading, painting, tattoos, clothing, jewelry and even the make up they put on. Many people utilize art in order to accomplish different things, for some it is a safe haven used to escape from reality, for others it

This piece was created during a time of political and social change. Increased political awareness and a focus on celebrity demanded art that was more

Many artist when writing, drawing, sculpting or whichever art he or she is practicing, has a purpose and meaning behind the artwork. Whether the art is just to simply inspire other artist to take up an art, or to send an unseen message to the people of society. Artist such as NF who wrote the song “Remember This” also had a message behind his artwork. His message was to inform others that not everyone is who they seem to be. He informs listeners that people will betray others and that staying true to oneself is the most important thing.

Art is a skill used by humans which allows them to express ideas through writing, drawing, picture, sculpture, or other form. An artist can use art to prove a point to society, draw people’s attention to a situation or just as a means of entertainment in its design. Contemporary art is art produced at the present period in time or within our lifetime (Contemporary Art). Through contemporary art, artists are able to express social ideas or causes by giving us a glimpse into past events which have occurred because of decisions or actions and create a work which represent those events. Sometimes an artist uses as his or her inspiration a past event from their lives which has brought a strong emotion. Two contemporary artists who

Art has evolved and regenerated itself many times during our human existence. These differences are defined through changes in styles under various theories. During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, a style known as Expressionism became popular. During this movement the artists were trying to use their artwork as a tool of expression toward life. It was mainly dominant in the nonrepresentational arts, such as abstract visual arts and music. It also was probably one of the most difficult movements to understand because the whole point of the piece lay within the artist. Not only was it a movement, it defined the act of art as a whole. From the beginning of time, each work of art, excluding replicas, show a way of expressing

Some seek for peace, some are passionate about their arts and wanted to share with the world, and some hope that their art will change the society.

When looking at the motivation behind most forms of art, one can most definitely find an

Doris Salcedo, a Colombian-born artist, challenges her audience to question their preconceived notions about immigrants in the 21st century through metaphorically structured representations of separation, pain, and unnecessary trauma. Salcedo’s Shibboleth, in particular, encapsulates the very essence of her politically-fueled practice. Exhibited in the prestigious Tate Modern in 2007, Shibboleth starts out as an “extremely thin line, a crack made by the means of a dentist’s drill” (Bal 1) and gradually widens throughout the year long exhibition. The actual crack in the infrastructure of the Tate takes on an organic form; however, the composition of the large-scale piece with its stark concrete and mesh wire indicates otherwise. Salcedo has described Shibboleth as a literal borderline between Westerners and immigrants (Alzate). Salcedo, an outsider herself, strives to physically show the segregation of immigrants in society.

Any art medium can be utilized to tell a story or evoke emotion in a viewer. Artistry is unique in that it is purely visual and can be left to interpretation if the artist chooses to stay ambiguous in the message they are trying to convey. As an artist, I am always trying to analyze the meanings behind famous works of art, whether those meanings happen to be incidental or purposeful. So, when contemporary artist, Enrique Chagoya expressed his adoration for the social commentary expressed in Francisco Goya’s Los Caprichos sketches, I was intrigued.

The history of art dates back to ancient times. Artwork can be, and was, found around the world. What makes art interesting is that it can be created in any way, shape or form with any materials. It seems that the artwork can also tell us a lot about the artist. Art seems to be simply, a direct, visual reflection of the artist’s life. Therefore, one can assume that an artist’s life experiences and beliefs directly influence their art. If we look at examples from different periods of art we will be able to see the connection between the artist and the art.

Today, Art has gone through many changes. Abstract art dominates art today shows ambiguous life a man lives, in contrast to the unambiguous art of the past. Modern does not have spirituality and cultural values and beliefs in the past and is now a reflection of a materialistic life of today. Bill Henson, a portrait artist used his 12 year old Olympia as a nude model for his portrait drawing. This brought much controversy that he was exploiting the body of an under - age girl as his own gains. This shows that art is used for popularity and financial gain. The message behind art is to show ideas and ideas that are relevant to society. Art is meant to enliven life and things, though modern art shows more if life’s negativeness. Galleries, parks and museums view to the public with meaningfulness and with the appreciation for art. Art is still effective as hand written material was seen in the walls of Ancient Egypt. Modern art stimulates the thought and fosters greater

For over two thousand years, various philosophers have questioned the influence of art in our society. They have used abstract reasoning, human emotions, and logic to go beyond this world in the search for answers about arts' existence. For philosophers, art was not viewed for its own beauty, but rather for the question of how art and artists can help make our society more stable for the next generation. Plato, a Greek philosopher who lived during 420-348 B.C. in Athens, and Aristotle, Plato’s student who argued against his beliefs, have no exceptions to the steps they had to take in order to understand the purpose of art and artists. Though these two philosophers made marvelous discoveries about the existence of art, artists, and