1. Art Appreciation 111 “Art is neither alien nor elitist, but part of our everyday life and the culture in which we live.”-Laurie Schneider Adams, Art Across Time ART 111 Instructor: Rebecca McMillen
2. 2 Today’s Agenda Why Study Art? What is the purpose/significance of art? Why is this class relevant? Why is art important? Class Reflection A preview of what’s to come…
3. Class Reflection What is the Purpose/ Significance of Art? Write down as many things you can think of 3
4. 4 Why Study Art? What can art teach us? About the world About our countries About our culture About ourselves Where do our values & beliefs come from?
5. 5 Why is this Class Relevant? Art is an essential part of your everyday life
11. 11 Art encompasses more than the pictures you see hanging on museum walls There are multiple mediums / forms of art: Architecture Dance Film Fashion Literature Music Painting Photography Sculpture Theatre (to name a few) Art is Vast
12. 12 Decorative Uses Functional Uses Sentimental Uses Political / Religious Uses Why is Art Important? Art Has Many Uses -Aesthetic - Functional - Decorative - Sentimental - Entertainment - Political - Religious - Historical ART
13. 13 Art Has Many Values Why is Art Important? Works of art are valued not only by artists, patrons, & art historians, but also by entire cultures Today’s institutions, as well as individuals, fund works of art There is a flourishing art market throughout the world
30. 18 Art Communicates! Why is Art Important? What Do These Images Mean? Thus, one of the reasons why we study art is because it’s trying to communicate something to us We are “code breakers”trying to unlock the meaning of images Aboriginal art symbols & their meanings
38. 22 Brancusi v. United States October 27, 1927 Court case between Brancusi v. United States Example of: Conflict between conservative & progressive views of art in early 20th century America regarding the question: “What constitutes a work of art?”
39. 23 Brancusi v. United States During a visit to France, American photographer Edward Steichen purchased the bronze sculpture Bird in Space from Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi In 1926 Steichen bought the sculpture to New York He assumed that because it was an original work by a professional sculptor, he would not be charged import duty Original works of art are not charged import duty so long as they are declared
40. 24 Brancusi v. United States The customs officer, did not agree that the Bird was a work of art It was admitted into the US under the category of “Kitchen Utensils & Hospital Supplies” Steichen was charged $600 in import duty
41. 25 Brancusi v. United States The following year Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney offered to take the issue to court First it was established that Brancusi had actually made the Bird It was established that he was a professional sculptor with works in European & American Museums Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Brancusi in his studio
42. 26 Brancusi v. United States Next came the question of whether Bird in Spacerepresented a bird It was argued that it: Lacked identifiable bird-like features such as wings & feathers Does not look like a bird Bird in Space, Brancusi(1928)
43. 27 Brancusi v. United States Of course, Bird in Space is not an actual bird It’s a bronze sculpture that intends to express the sense of a soaring bird in space Brancusi wanted to convey the essence of an idea By giving form to the graceful freedom of movement associated with the flight of birds Bird in Space, Brancusi(1928)
44. 28 Brancusi v. United States Art critics testified that it has the “suggestion of flight”, & that it suggests: Grace Aspiration Vigor Speed Strength Power Beauty Bird in Space, Brancusi(1928)
45. 29 Brancusi v. United States The judge’s decision, took into account the development of modernism & recognizing that abstraction was popular amongst many contemporary artists He concluded that: “Bird in Space is beautiful & symmetrical in outline..it is pleasing to look at & highly ornamental..it is the original production of a professional sculptor & is in fact a work of art”
