Artistry Without Approval Artists throughout history have faced ruthless criticism, censorship, discouragement, and even violent oppression of their work. In the face of this adversity, some artists are able to rise up and meet it, creating great art in the process. In the effort to question societal authority’s pressure to conform to what it deems successful art, artists are able to create and solidify their own unique perspectives which produces innovative, significant, and lasting art. Without society’s encouragement or approval, disparaged artists are free from the constraints, influence, and expectations that come with societal acceptance which allows them to make work that is true to their own creative vision. Vincent Van Gogh, a renowned …show more content…
Neither was told by the authorities in their lives that they would be successful in the pursuit of art. However, both continued to express themselves in the face of oppressive authorities and created great art as a result. At the beginning of their artistic awakenings, both Neil Perry and Vincent Van Gogh sought to gain approval from the authorities in their lives. However, it was only after they failed to please those authorities and sought to please themselves that they were able to create great art. In early 1882, Van Gogh’s uncle, Cornelis Marinus, owner of a well-known gallery of contemporary art in Amsterdam, asked him to make drawings of The Hague. Van Gogh's work did not live up to his uncle's expectations. His uncle offered a second commission, specifying the subject matter in detail, but was once again displeased with the result. Nonetheless, Van Gogh persevered. He improved the lighting of his studio and experimented with new drawing materials. For over a year he worked on highly elaborated studies in "Black and White", which at the time gained him only criticism. Today, they are recognised as his first masterpieces (Wikipedia). Vincent never satisfied his uncle, but he did please himself and many viewers to come. Neil Perry obeyed his father without question for the majority of his schooling, dropping extracurriculars to focus on his academic studies. However, when the new professor, Mr. Keating, introduces him to the idea of “Carpe Diem” or “Seize the Day,” Neil decides to live the life he chooses. Neil’s newfound conviction to live life for himself rather than living to please his father leads him to explore his passion for acting. Van Gogh and Perry both faced repressive academically structured environments which they rejected to create the art that they wanted. In the words of Vincent Van Gogh on his time studying in
Despite the long history of African American art, many black artists in contemporary society still have a difficult time getting their art viewed or accepted by the masses. Society, in general, tends to look at African art as ethnic, trivial, simple, folk art, perhaps even collectable, but not worthy of true in-depth exploration of fine art accreditation. However, Laurie Cooper and Lorna Simpson disrupt these perceptions in their art.
Vincent Van Gogh is one of the world’s greatest and most well-known artists, but when he was alive he considered himself to be a complete failure. It was not until after he died that Van Gogh’s paintings received the recognition they deserved. Today he is thought to be the second best Dutch artist, after Rembrandt. Born in 1853, he was one of the biggest artistic influences of the 19th century. Vincent Van Gogh created a new era of art, he learned to use art to escape his mental illness, and he still continues to inspire artists over 100 years later.
Imagine creating some of the best art pieces in the world but never being fully credited or awarded for those pieces. Enter Vincent van Gogh. Born on March 30th, 1853 in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands, Van Gogh grew up in a poor household. His father Theodorus Van Gogh expressed an austere attitude as a country minister and his mother, Anna Cornelia Carbentus portrayed her infatuation for nature through her watercolor based art. She would later pass on her watercolor technique to VanGogh. At 15 Van Gogh was obligated to quit school and acquire job to support his poor family. In June of 1873 Van Gogh was transferred to the Groupil Gallery in London where he developed a passion for art. After being fired from a few meaningless jobs, Van Gogh decided to become an artist without any proper training or guidance. His parents doubted his abilities but his brother Theo, a successful art dealer believed in Vincent and offered him financial support. With the assistance of his brother,
Coming from a family greatly involved in art dealing, Vincent van Gogh was destined to have a place in the world of art. Van Gogh’s unique techniques and use of color, which clashed and differed greatly from the masters of the art world of his time, would eventually gain him the recognition as one of the founders of modern art. Van Gogh’s early life was heavily influenced by the role of his father who was a pastor and chose to follow in his footsteps. Although he abandoned the desire to become a pastor, van Gogh remained a spiritual being and was strong in faith. Plagued with a troubled mind and poor health, van Gogh’s life became filled with torment and isolation that would influence his career in later life as an artist. In his late twenties, van Gogh had decided that it was God’s divine plan for him to become a painter. His works would express through thoughtful composition and vibrant color, the emotions that he was unable to manifest in the real world. Van Gogh’s perception of reality and his technique would face harsh criticism and never receive full acceptance from his peers as a serious artist during his brief career. In a collection of correspondence entitled The Letters of a Post-Impressionist, Vincent confirmed these thoughts while writing to his brother Theo, “It irritates me to hear people say that I have no "technique." It is just possible that there is no trace of it, because I hold myself aloof from all painters” (27). His technique would later be marveled and revered by the art world. Vincent van Gogh’s legacy would thrive as it challenged the way the world envisioned modern art through his unique brush strokes and profound use of color as seen in his works The Sower and The Night Café. A brief look into...
In 2002, Perry had a major solo exhibition in Amsterdam. A year later he was awarded the Turner Prize, and was praised for his “uncompromising engagement with personal and social concerns”. (Tate, 2003)
People can have many different opinions depending on a topic, but what is truly difficult is getting a complete level of understanding from every opinion, or understanding the point of view of each opinion. Even accepting the points of view can be difficult for some people, who believe that their opinions are right. Luckily, people can learn about the other person’s frame of reference, and at the very least understand the topic or the person a little better. This particular topic is art, which is known for its multiple possible perceptions or its many different messages that it can send a person or group of people. In this way, people can learn more about the thought processes and feelings of others. Unfortunately, with differing opinions,
Though criticism has taken on a negative connotation in the English language, and artists can fear or reject it, criticism is not inherently bad. In fact, both Wharton and Carrol claim that positive and negative (constructive) criticisms are beneficial to the artist and their audience. According to Wharton, artists use professional criticism to see how others may perceive their work. By obtaining that secondary viewpoint, the artist can use the critic’s educated analysis to improve a specific work or their art in general (Wharton, 42). In addition, a critic’s interpretation of a work of art is perfect for determining how off-centered their intended outcome for the work is, and what to refine in order to convey their message clearer in the next iteration or masterpiece. Regarding the audience, Carrol supports by asserting that, “The common reader expects guidance from the critic concerning what is worthy in an artwork” (Carrol 14). As oftentimes the audien...
In the performance of life, one cultural representation that captivates and entrances people more fluently and describes the human experience more eloquently is that of artistic expression. It imposes itself unto the face of society through the individual who creates it as a reflection of any one or combination of personal, emotional, or physiological effects society or one’s own environment has inflicted onto them to compel them convey their feelings to the public. The essential argument, is whether graffiti has a place in the grand context of society. One end of the spectrum paints it as a nuisance to property owners and city officials allow for a criminal perspective of the practice. While at another end you can view it as the artist in a sense blessing others with the fruits of their inner consciousness. An artistic expression no matter what the viewpoint of society, in an anthropological context graffiti is essential to modern society and its impact is one that cannot be forgotten or lived without.
In existential thought it is often questioned who decides what is right and what is wrong. Our everyday beliefs based on the assumption that not everything we are told may be true. This questioning has given light to the subjective perspective. This means that there is a lack of a singular view that is entirely devoid of predetermined values. These predetermined values are instilled upon society by various sources such as family to the media. On a societal level this has given rise to the philosophy of social hype. The idea of hype lies in society as the valuation of something purely off someone or some group of people valuing it. Hype has become one of the main driving forces behind what society considers to be good art and how successful artists can become while being the main component that leads to a wide spread belief, followed by its integration into subjective views. Its presence in the art world propagates trends, fads, and limits what we find to be good art. Our subjective outlook on art is powered by society’s feedback upon itself. The art world, high and low, is exploited by this social construction. Even when objective critique is the goal subjective remnants can still seep through and influence an opinion. Subjective thought in the art world has been self perpetuated through regulated museums, idolization of the author, and general social construction because of hype.
The life span of 37 years saw Vincent Willem van Gogh (Vincent) in creating beautiful works he dearly loved. Painting was an avenue, which allowed him to express his inner thoughts or vent his struggles. My decision to research on Vincent’s painting, Starry Night (1889) came with the inspiration from Don Mclean’s Song, Starry Starry Night where his lyrics spoke about Vincent’s life that further intrigued me in writing this paper.
The article Artists Mythologies and Media Genius, Madness and Art History (1980) by Griselda Pollock is a forty page essay where Pollock (1980), argues and explains her views on the crucial question, "how art history works" (Pollock, 1980, p.57). She emphasizes that there should be changes to the practice of art history and uses Van Gogh as a major example in her study. Her thesis is to prove that the meaning behind artworks should not be restricted only to the artist who creates it, but also to realize what kind of economical, financial, social situation the artist may have been in to influence the subject that is used. (Pollock, 1980, pg. 57) She explains her views through this thesis and further develops this idea by engaging in scholarly debates with art historians and researcher, and objecting to how they claim there is a general state of how art is read. She structures her paragraphs in ways that allows her to present different kinds of evidences from a variety sources while using a formal yet persuasive tone of voice to get her point across to the reader.
“A Hunger Artist” is a short story narrated by an artist who publicly starves himself as a form of art. He is separated, by his own will, from society by a cage, which is symbolic of the divide between an artist and his audience. While the separation may help the artist be more appreciative of his accomplishments, spectators doubt his commitment and assume that he is sneaking food because of their lack of understanding due to the division. There are always different perspectives, and the reason that any artist creates something is often perceived differently. Art is a freedom though; it allows the artist a release and the spectators an escape into their thoughts and feelings.
In this essay I am going to address the problems of art criticism today and whether it still has value in today’s society.
Van Gogh amassed a huge volume of work in his short career as a Post-Impressionist painter, while battling and suffering from various mental disorders. (Kleiner 372) It is not inconceivable, this being the period before and somewhat overlapping the Fauvist movement, that his work would be capable of having some sway on other works and the artists of that time.
All in all, artists are still regular people just like everyone else in this world. However, they might live glamorously and have all the money in the world but at the end of the day they just want to have a quiet life. However, it is hard for them to have quiet life when the world treats them as modern GODs that are perfect and have no flaws at all. If, they make a mistake they criticize them. Why? They aren’t perfect at all, no one is. The world shouldn’t focus on an artist’s life at all, they lose focus on what matters the most in this world.