Art In The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction

Two sculptures, among others, lie in the outskirts of the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden at UCLA. One of them, The Walking Man, is a bronze sculpture created by French sculptor Auguste Rodin in 1905. The other, made more than 100 years later, is T.E.U.C.L.A., a large scale steel sculpture made by minimalist sculptor Richard Serra. Although it may seem like these works have more differences than similarities, both emphasize the processes of their creation and are major movements away from the classical tradition of sculpture. However, The Walking Man and T.E.U.C.L.A. also differ in several aspects that reflect their respective artists’ personal portrayals of modern sculpture. These aspects include: mode of production, composition and the arrangement of volumes, the play of light and shadow, and visual experience. Together these elements of formal organization work together to convey meaning in both of these works. Rodin’s deliberate rejection of refinement and disregard for the direct translation of the unformed to formed in The Walking Man represent the process and spontaneity of reality, while Serra’s use of curvature and aperture in T.E.U.C.L.A. models the spaces people move through and the perceptive skills they use in life and nature.

In her third chapter of the 2010 textbook Look! The Fundamentals of Art History, Anne D’Alleva argues that when art is examined, it should be seen as a part of society and not just a product of society. By explaining the idea that contextual analysis examines the social, political, spiritual and economic significance she explores the challenge of performing a historical analysis on a piece of art stripped of its original societal and cultural context. D’Alleva’s purpose is to highlight this discourse through examples to provide a better process for interpretation of art. Her audience remains as those exploring art and its impact on culture, namely academically, positioning herself distant from the material exempt when providing examples. The

Spurred on by exhibitions, industry sponsorship and education programmes, the artists of the 1960s began to grapple with the space age. The launch of Sputnik in 1957 prompted a new interest in the world of the machine, yet the artistic approach to technology differed from the Futurist and Constructivist precedent. Technology did not hold utopian potential; rather the artists of the 1960s adopted varied approaches, ranging from sheer admiration to fearful pessimism. However, by the end of the 1960s technology became closely associated with the American war effort. The negativity that developed in response resulted in the technological work of artists such as Jean Tinguely and Robert Rauschenberg being pushed aside in favour of Conceptualism. Jean Tinguely’s Homage to New York (1960) and Robert Rauschenberg’s Soundings (1968) will be used to explore how these particular artists responded to the rising technology, and the extent to which artist and scientist collaborated.

Go online and search the word “light”. What’s seen there? 4,270,000,000 results of a boat-load of definitions and websites and most likely the sun, right? Slightly exciting, but the real magic happens when you click on images. There are dazzling pictures of space, glowing fires, destructing lightning bolts, and vibrant smiles on faces. Instead of asking what is seen, ask what is felt. One may feel many emotions: happiness, amazement, curiosity and much more. Despite the feeling though, it’s impressing. Not impressing as in admiration or respect, although that can be felt, but as in making an everlasting mark.

To understand most period and movements in modern art, one must first understand the context in which they occurred. When one looks at the various artistic styles, one will realize how artists react to historical and cultural changes and how artists perceive their relation to society.

and see people. To look at a person and see a dim fire, a somber aura of real existence. It was

Man Ray like many other artists did not care to have his personal life shown in his art. He wanted to be viewed and recognized for his work which included sculptures, paintings, and photography. Man Ray was mostly influenced by Stieglitz's photographs. Man Ray used a similar style to Stieglitz. He captured images that created an unvarnished look at the photos' subject. Man Ray discovered a new way to create his photos; by accident in his work room he discovered how to manipulate objects in his photos on pieces of photosensitive paper.

The stories “The Veldt” and “Marionettes Inc.” in Bradbury’s The Illustrated Man show the many sides of technology. Bradbury makes it seem as if technology is an amazing thing towards the beginning of the story. In “The Veldt” Bradbury fascinates us with incredible technology. The children have a nursery that takes them to whatever place that they imagine. The children can play however they want without bothering the parents The entire house that they live does everything for them They don't have to do anything for themselves. In “Marionettes Inc.”, a new company has created automatons that look exactly like their client. Right down the exact way they smell. The idea of being in two different places at the same time through technology, is

Neoclassical Art was an art form that followed the Baroque and Rococo art periods. Neoclassicism was a way for artists to display their wish to return to meaningful art, to escape the frivolity of landscapes and still life paintings, and paint something that had a moral, educational or inspirational value to the viewer. Neoclassical art was an attempt to return knowledge and purity back to art. Neoclassicism was mainly focused on Greek and Roman arts and stories of the classical era with some new advancement. It was a revival of antiquity.

During the 1930’s the federal government was the largest source of funds to artist through public art programs. This funding allowed the government to suppress certain subjects that were occurring on society at the time. An area the government suppressed art subject matter involved labor disputes that were occurring through the country. In the 1930’s an important issue that was taking public stage was workers attempting to unionize to better working conditions. In the 1930’s the labor force attempting to unionize faced a “unified opposition from a combination of industry and government forces” (pg.413) The federal government was able to suppress many painting showing this subject, but some artist were able to incorporate the topic into

This paper will discuss and compare A Faun Teased by Children sculpture, of the Italian Baroque style, and the Little Fourteen Year Old Dancer of the French impressionist style. These two sculptures give us a clear insight and allows us to peer in on the moment that is taking place. The active movement, strong diagonals and dramatic facial expressions of the figures in A Faun Teased by Children tells the on looker a vivid detailed story of the actions that are taking place and what role each figure is taking on, in a mythical scene, while the stagnant and serene pose of the Fourteen Year Old Girl resonates calmness and a moment that has not taken place just yet.

The renaissance or “rebirth” was a cultural awakening which spanned from the fourteenth to sixteenth century. A growing interest in humanist traits and classical ideas heavily influenced the art during the renaissance. A growing community of artists provided much needed competition for their profession. The renaissance introduced many different and modern ideas but also remained obedient to classical belief. The unique art of the renaissance spread throughout Europe. Northern European art differed tremendously from Italian art.

In today’s society, technology and art go hand in hand. Art has been around for a long time but technology such as computers are still very new. These two mediums have comingled and now evolve and effect the other. Art has changed to reflect the vast improvements technology has contributed to communication and the ability to create using digital space. Technology has also changed with artist pushing the boundaries of what is technical possible in the digital realm. Much of today’s art is created and presented in digital formats. The question of whether digital art is truly art has risen among many critics in the art community.

Much of what Benjamin discusses in his essay has to do with what he describes as the “aura” or spirit of an artwork. He discusses this spirit and how it is obtained, lost, given and received. He suggests that the aura of an artwork we know and understand today is much different from how it was understood in the time and place of its production. The aura Benjamin speaks of is obtained because of the artwork’s uniqueness and authenticity, which in turn is lost due the act of mass production. In describing this

Benjamin discusses the aura of uniqueness as a “unique thing from distance, a unique appearance in space and time” (Benjamin. 1955; 796). He argues that an object only has aura as an original. He goes on to say that an objects aura is acquired through “the unique existence of the work of art determined the history to which it was subject to throughout its time” (Benjamin. 1955; 793). Benjamin believes that reproductions of the work have no aura due to the fact that they are “lacking in one element; its presence in time and space” (1955; 793). This is true with the example