'Wanderer
in the mists' (1818) Caspar David Friedrich
'Untitled
#2" (2002) Richard Misrach
'Untitled
# 394-03' (2003) Richard Misrach
Richard Misrach's photography
reflects the concept of the Sublime, from the Enlightenment.
Research Misrach's work by reading about his intentions, and also by looking at the work. Then answer the following questions;
1. Define the Enlightenment, including its context (time and place).
The enlightenment was a philosophical movement that mainly
took place during the 18 century that focused on the framework of new ideas
involving the view of man, society and nature and the structural development of
science and reasoning. it challenged that traditional belief and ideas
dominated by Christianity and had spanned from the 16th to the 19 century. The
enlightenment itself is structured a basic principles that focuses on the
concepts of equality, reasoning, the power of thought and individualism, human
perfection, and the optimistic view of the world. These new ideas help in
influencing the many cultural innovations in writing, printing, painting,
music, sculpture, architecture and gardening, as well as the other arts.
2. Define the concept of the Sublime.
The definition of sublime, being first prominence in the
18th century is the quality of greatness whether they be physical, moral,
intellectual etc. or to convert something inferior into something higher worth.
This term was especially referred to the concept as an aesthetic quality in nature
distinct from beauty.
3. Explain how the concept of the Sublime came out of
Enlightenment thought.
Before that time, sublime paintings were not accept and
were even ignored by critics of that time, as they were considered to be
unimportant, while that subject of religion top the list on painting subjects.
But when the enlightenment age moved away from traditional ideas of the church,
people began to think more differently in more of the way the world worked rather that from the rule of religion, so the
sublime painting were slowly accepted by society with that fact that the time
of enlightenment focusing on new ideas and challenging old dictated by the
church, the concept of sublime reflects this, as paintings deal with the idea
that life ad spirit depends on the harmony from the larger order of the
universe.
4. Discuss the subject matter and aesthetic (look) of Misrach's
work to identify the Sublime in his work. Include some quotes from art critics
and other writers who have written about his work.
On both of his work shown, with a lone or few people being
surrounded by the beach and sea area, shows a very unsettling view of isolation
from the world, as well as their vulnerability, while the picture's viewpoint
itself shows that of clearly someone watching. Overall Misrach's work definitely
reflects the ideal of sublime in terms of landscape as the subjects themselves
are being engulfed by their natural surroundings, but they are also shown at
ease, being tranquil with their surroundings
.
By Blake Gopnik
Washington Post Staff Writer
Washington Post Staff Writer
“In Misrach's
work, even images of figures lost in an infinity of water don't make us worry
for their safety or sanity. They make us envy their leisure.
Step up
close to peer at Misrach's minuscule people, and it's clear that they're at
ease: Men and women float calmly on their backs; a woman dives from her
boyfriend's shoulders; another woman does a handstand in the water, leaving
only her legs visible above the swell.
These images
assert a comfort with wild nature that we haven't always had. We now feel sure
that we can tame it, use it, enjoy it, even endanger it at will.”
Liz Magor and Richard Misrach
Henry Gallery :
“The series is titled after the post-nuclear bomb scenario of
Nevil Shute's 1950s novel "On the Beach," later a movie with Gregory
Peck and Ava Gardner. The photographs look down at vast expanses of beach and
ocean, composed as allover patterns or simple geometries. In some, a lone human
figure or two sprawl on the beach, entwine or float in the surf far below. They
exist to provide a trope, the notion of the tininess of human life in the grand
scheme of things.”
5. Add 2 new images of his work to your blog.
6. Describe how does Misrach's photography makes you feel. How
does it appeal to your imagination?
I quite like Misrach's work in terms of being both photography
and a art form. I found them to be very relaxing, and calm, as well as
inspiring me in terms of making me fell like being in place that i have never
gone before, which appeals to my imagination. it also gives me an idea of the
sublime, as it emphasizes more in the connection of nature and how they relates
to the grand scheme of the universe as a whole. Making it quite powerful to
behold, which is why it’s sublime because allot of people sometimes overlook
this.
7. Identify some other artists or designers that work with ideas
around the Sublime, from the Enlightenment era as well as contemporary artists.
JMW Turner was a famous painter and watercolorist of that time who also worked with the ideas of sublime where he painted a few scenes depicting the notion of a subjective world. This can be seen in one of his work “Snow Storm: Steamboat off a harbor’s Mouth (1842)” which depicts a boat sailing under a heavy sea storm. This work makes us experience the area as it draws us into the scene, and as they say “making us look not at the storm but through it.” The ideal of sublime can be seem due to the fact that despite its power and magnificence of the painting, it is not just the qualities of the scene or object we are looking at, but the experience that it emits.
James Turrell is an internationally acclaimed light and
space American artist whose work spam to more than four decades. During those
times he has created striking works that focuses on the perceptions, and light
effect on a created space. His work in terms of sublime is a straightforward relation
to mankind’s relation and place in the universe, where his work on the
phenomena of light shows a discipline in peace, patience and meditation.
8. Add a Sublime image of your choice to your blog, which can be
Art or just a Sublime photograph.
9. Reference your sources (books and websites).
Hi Conway,
ReplyDeleteI like your answer in number 6 where you describe how Misrach's work make you feel, like you are in a place that you have never gone before. To me his works illustrate the very essence of the sublime where nature is shown to be far more powerful than mere humans.
I also picked Turner as one of my artists he focused on the progress of the time and the new inventions that started to appear for example the steam trains. I like the painting that you chose the "Snow Storm" I agree that it really draws you into the scene.
Thanks for the post I enjoyed reading your viewpoint on the sublime.