 |
| Sonia Delaunay, Rythme Colore(Coloured Rhythm) |
Modernism is an art form that has an avant-garde look and was used commonly by female artists as a form of expression of female depression during the 1860’s-1970’s. This era left a huge legacy on the art world and created conversations that were considered taboo. Art evolved with the world, with World War 1, The Great Depression, and even World War 2. Many women artists in Europe developed different art techniques such as Dadaism, German Expressionism, and surrealism, that influenced the overall style that we know as Modernism. One very influential artist that heavily influenced Modernism was a French artist named Sonia Delaunay who was known to have founded Orphism. Many of her art pieces had geometric designs and was very skillfully painted, with her painting “Rythme Colore” 1946 shown below.
Orphism is described as a bridge between Cubism and Modern art, with vivid colors and interesting shapes. Delaunay often played with different textures, using different fabrics, clothing, and furniture and incorporating it into her art. Chadwick states “The poet Blaise Cendrars’s remark of 1914 that ‘On her dress, she wears her body’ suggests that the female body itself was being perceived as an important signifier for modernity.”(Chadwick, 262). This was an idea Delaunay took to heart as her art was more than just paintings. She would make modern patterns on fabrics and app
 |
| Sonia Delaunay Fashion |
This was an important gamechanger in modernism, as it included the female body into the art during an era where women had little to no power. This art gave women power and creating the beginning stepping stones for Feminism, where the woman had a say in how they wanted to be portrayed in art, and not only gawked at for the Male Gaze. This technique of bringing art into the fashion world for women was also a way to bring art to women's everyday lives. With this, she also began to dive into Dada art, as Chadwick states “ [Dada art] found a sympathetic spirit in Delaunay”(Chadwick, 272). Sonia Delaunay was an important part of the modernism era as she not only created a form of art but also took modernism and incorporated it into the real world through physical items and art pieces. She even took it into her personal life, as the Guerrilla state “She transformed their home into a living testament to simultanism-with walls, floors, and ceiling covered with boldly painted surfaces. She opened a boutique, then went on to design rugs, tapestries, costumes, and sets for operas, ballets, and films.”(Guerrilla, 60). Her love for Modernism really showed no limit, and it is artists like her that created the Modern Era for art.
After the Modern Era, came the Postmodern Era. This art style completely diverted from everything in Modern Era, even going as far to criticize modernism. This art style was full of ideologies, skepticism, sarcasm, and irony. It was an art style that never wanted to be art, and constantly showed the problems with traditional art. Art from the Postmodern era is very loud and defined, with bright colors, harsh lines, and uses political or relevant culture. A very popular artist(or artists) were the Guerilla Girls, with art that wasn't so subtle about the inequality of women. Their art consisted of bold statements, nude female bodies, and gorilla masks (as seen below). They would call out problems that female artists in the past subtly hinted at, whereas Postmodernism broke the doors wide open. As states in the Guerrilla girls novel Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art, they state “Museums and galleries in Europe and New York are the worst. All our research shows that the farther you get from New York and Western Europe, the better it gets for women and artists of color.”(Guerilla, 90). They enforced their art by insulting stereotypical art with statistics and facts that many people didn't want to see, and showcased it in a way that forced viewers to see the reality of feminism, and why it was so important.
 |
| Guerilla Girls, Do Women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum |
Another very important artist in the Postmodern Era was Barbara Kruger, with primarily black and white pieces that showcased important phrases in a bold red color. She took postmodernism at face value, making the important aspects of the piece stand out with the Bold color enveloping not the entire picture, but the important aspect and phrases she wants you to see. Her art is a true representation of Feminism at its finest, supporting women's rights at their core with pictures such as “Your body is a battleground”, showcased below. This piece is in the discussion of whether women truly have rights over their own body, with art pieces and culture dating back centuries as women only being sexual creatures that were created to be gawked at by men. Chadwick states “She emphasizes the ways in which language manipulated and undermines the assumption of masculine control over language and viewing, by refusing to complete the cycle of meaning, and by shifting pronouns in order to expose the positioning of women as ‘other’”(Chadwick,382). I believe Chadwick stated it in the best way possible, as Kruger's art showcase the depression of women from the past, and especially the current.
Overall, the Postmodern era broke every rule of art and focused on separating the issue and making it stand out for everyone to realize. Many of these issues have been brought up in the past, but this was an era where the conversation truly started for Women’s rights. As for Modernism, it was an art style that showed feminism in a more integrated and subtle light through patterns and colors on women's bodies and physical objects. Although the two are complete opposites, both forms of art are equally as important in the Feminist movement and the empowerment of women today.
 |
| Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Just another pretty face) |
 |
| Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Your body is a battleground) |
 |
| Barbara Kruger, Untitled(Your gaze hits the side of my face) |
“Postmodern Feminism.” Kristina's Blog, 22 Feb. 2010, fskmm20.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/postmodern-feminism/.
“Postmodern Art.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodern_art.
“Modern Art.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_art.
“Greatest Female Artists of the 20th Century | IDI Design Blog.” Interactive Design Institute, 28 Sept. 2017, idesigni.co.uk/blog/greatest-female-artists-of-the-20th-century.
No comments:
Post a Comment