Lecture Questions A

Define the Enlightenment period

To define the Enlightenment period, I would start by saying it was a philosophical movement which occurred throughout the 18^th century and was noted to be a critical period for western civilisation i.e.; Europe and the Americas.

Also defined as ‘A Time of Illumination’, it was mankind’s coming of age and witnessed new fresh ways of thinking. Thus propelling anew dawn of reason for art and culture. It was defined as such due to a group of writers, scholars, artists and scientists actively seeking the use of rational thought to rid the world of superstition and ignorance.

Enlightenment was born out of the Age of Reason, which originally believed in ideas established and controlled by the Roman Catholic Church.

So, it was released from religious ideas through the use of observing, evidence, mathematics, science, reason and rational findings. An emancipation of the human consciousness from ignorance and error.  The liberation of the human mind, human rights and democracy.

What ideas became principally more important during the Enlightenment and why?

Initially the main ideas of the Enlightenment were to give people more freedom, to have all religions treated equal and to bring progress to humanity with new knowledge.

Rene Descartes, who was said to be one of the fathers of the Enlightenment, influenced rationalism with ideas using mathematics, deduction and modern science. He influenced others into realising that nature has an orderly system and could be understood by mere mortals.

Another said to be one of the fathers of Enlightenment was Francis Bacon who advocated the use of scientific method and instigated the move away from authority of the medieval and the awakening of modernity. The scientific methods and ideas he developed were a new approach to problem solving and explaining what had been previously explained by myth and tradition.

All these ideas became more important as they led to advancements of which would change the western world into an intelligent and self aware civilisation. Thus eventually prompting The Industrial Revolution which would then go on to provide jobs for rural citizens. Citizens who may not have necessarily participated in the Enlightenment (not through ignorance but through lack of education).

What does the history of the Enlightenment to Modernism tell us about progress in culture?

Events that occurred in the Enlightenment period through to the Modern era resulted in acute progress in culture. These themes of progress exercised throughout the Enlightenment were apparent in Modernity.

This shows that without the findings of the practitioners of the Enlightenment, progression as we know it would not have been exemplified to the extent it has. Engineering, culture and technology moved forward at a great pace within a short space of time.

New technologies and ideas initiated The Industrial Revolution which is largely responsible for the opportunities we have today, although some would say that today’s mainstream culture has largely rejected the ideas which motivated the Enlightenment.

An example of art from the Enlightenment

Last year, in February 2012, a restoration of Joseph Wright of Derby’s paintings revealed hidden details .A keeper at the gallery in Derby was astonished as she saw details that were invisible for more than a century re-emerge. The painting in question is ‘A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery’, 1765 (See Fig.1).

It shows a philosopher demonstrating the movement of the planets around the sun and an explanation of eclipses. Visually I like the idea as it confirms what was actually occurring in the Enlightenment. It is rumoured as well that Wright deliberately gave the philosopher the appearance of Sir Isaac Newton.

Fig.1

http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/enlightenment/context.html”>http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/enlightenment/context.html

http://www.helium.com/items/105343-legacy-of-the-18th-century-enlightenment-movement-for-todays-problems

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/feb/23/restoration-joseph-wright-derby-paintings

 

Lecture Notes

RECAP
– BREO : Gemma Marmalade’s e mail, Course outline and Powerpoint info.
– What is Context : Circumstances that form a setting for an idea and in terms of which it can only be assessed or understood.
– Essay Question : ” What is Modernism?”, Choose 3 examples from options from the period of Modernity and discuss why it is ‘modern’ rather than a ‘product of it’s time’.A film, photo, museum / gallery piece or book.

THE ENLIGHTENMENT TO POSTMODERNISM : A CHRONOLOGICAL TOUR
– Art and Culture’s new Dawn Of Reason

ENLIGHTENMENT
– A philosophical movement throughout the 18th C.(16th C. = 1500’s, 17th C. = 1600’s ,etc).
– Critical period for Western Civilisation (Europe and Americas).
– Definition : A time of illumination.
– Mankind’s coming of age.
– New, fresh ways of thinking.Illuminating.
– Writers, Scholars,Artists and Scientists actively sought the use of rational thought to rid the world of superstition and ignorance.
– The liberation of human mind, human rights and democracy.

An Example of Enlightenment
– Joseph Wright’s ‘An experiment of a bird in the air pump’- 1768.
– A metaphor that the bird’s life is in the hands of the scientist, in act of time.

ENLIGHTENMENT 1680 – 1800
AGE OF REASON 1620 – 1680

Example of Age of reason
– Geocentriism : Concept set up by Catholic church.
– Heliocentrism : Galileo lived in Age Of Reason.He championed the notion of observing the sky at night and scientific analysis.

WHERE ENLIGHTENMENT BEGAN
The Fathers of Enlightenment
– Francis Bacon : England 1596.
– Rene Descartes : France 1596. ” I think therefore I am” – Clock Anaeology.
– Isaac Newton : England 1643. Wrote ‘Mathematical Principles For Natural Philosophy’.Established 3 Laws Of Gravity by witnessing the apple drop.” If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” – paying homage to the original founders of the Age Of Reason.

ENLIGHTENMENT OPINIONS
– A political device to justify the French Revolution.
– Born as a Protestant reaction against Catholic counter revolution.

Moderate Enlightenment
– Descartes, Newton
– Support for critical review but reform with religion.

Radical Enlightenment
– Spinoza
– Democracy (Racial and Sexual)

DEFINING ENLIGHTENMENT
– Immanuel Kant 1784 answering the question…
– If Scientists could discover the truth of reason, Philosophers could follow suit.
– Enlightenment was hopeful, optimistic and stood for progress.

THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES : An example of Enlightenment
– King Louis XIV was in control at the time, beginning of 18th C.
– Construction of the palace occured in the Age Of reason and the start of the Enlightenment.

“Roccoco” – A new way of pleasure and riches. Representing only one aspect of 18th C. Art.
“Baroque” – 17th C. style of flamboyance.

PARADOXES
– Romanticism : Granted emotion, imagination and intuition over reason and intellect unexplainable.
– Neoclassicism : rationalise and explain everything.

A PHILOSOPHICAL ENQUIRY INTO THE ORIGIN OF OUR IDEAS INTO THE SUBLIME AND BEAUTIFUL
Edmund Burke 1757
– This book marked the transition from neoclassicism to romanticism.

LADY OF SHALLOT
John Waterhouse 1888
– Romanticism taking over.

WHAT IS MODERNISM IN RESPECT OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT?
– The Great Exhibition at The Crystal Palace.
– Modernism exemplified the themes of progress exercised during Enlightenment.

INTRODUCTION TO MODERNISM
– 1889 World Fair, Paris.
– Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Revolution and new ways of seeing.
– The Eiffel Tower was an emblem of engineering and technology.
– A colossal statement : An arrow to the sky -absolute control.
– Thomas Edison.
– Videos of views up The Eiffel Tower, unseen before.

CONTEXTUAL DEVELOPMENT
– Development of the internal combustion engine.
– Sound recording first laid down.
– Light bulbs and electricity.
– Original movie camera and projector.
– Theory Of Relativity : E=MC2
– First transatlantic message sent.

EARLY MODERNISM
– 1900’s.
– A new millenium.
– Plane flown over the Channel but stored in a church..ironic.

CUBISM
– Expressional art with 3D views.
– Cezanne.
– The touchstone of Modernism.
– Spearheaded by Picasso.

Seminar : Tracing the lineage

For this seminar, we looked at a number of different pieces of art.They were of different times and genres, but could be linked somehow and it was noticed that artists over the centuries were influenced by each other.

The task set was to choose two pieces of Art and describe how they are linked and how either of the artists may have been influenced by the other.

Fig.1

The first piece I looked at (Fig.1) was ‘The Nativity At Night’ by Geertgen Tot Sint Jans (1490). It is a painting of the nativity as a night scene.The light in the foreground comes from the christ child in the crib and it illuminates the virgin who is bending forward with hands in prayer. The artist is depicting the contrasts of extreme light and shade to heighten the sense of the miraculous birth.

Fig.2

The next image I looked at (Fig.2) I found was similar in style and one which may have been influenced by the previous.’Christmas Gifts : Dawn’ by Eric Gill (1929) is taken from a series of prints depicting the story of the Nativity.Again there is light coming from the infant Christ and the position of the Virgin Mary is practically the same.

Someday all the adults will die : Punk Graphics

This exhibition I visited (titled ‘Someday all the adults will die : Punk graphics), at the Hayward Gallery, provided an overview of punk graphic design between 1971 and 1984.It covered imagery produded during the punk era and slightly after, including previously unseen archives and collections.Fanzines, posters, 7″ record covers and clothing were on view at this exhibition.Some artists looked at included John Houlstrom and Jamie Reid.

The image seen (Fig.1) is a design by John Houlstrom for Punk Magazine in 1975. At the time the new music scene hadn’t been given a name yet, so this design was seen as being instrumental in giving the culture an identity.I think the typeface used for this artwork works well and is relevant to the image identified with the punk scene.In your face, brash and bold.

Fig.1

Jamie Reid is a graphic designer who was associated with Malcolm McLaren (the manager of the music group ‘The Sex Pistols’), for whom Reid later designed the well known posters and record cover graphics. Reid’s printing Press Company called ‘The Suburban Press’ circulated anti-consumerist stickers which proclaimed “This store welcomes shoplifters”. Many of the slogans and images of the Suburban Press reappeared in later Sex Pistol’s designs, including album covers. It is known that Reid was heavily influenced in his work by the views of The Situationists International, a French philosophical society founded in 1956.
The work of Jamie Reid was also clearly influenced by the image and type collages of the Dadaists and the Futurists.

Lecture Notes

– Create an online blog / journal.
– Print off Lecture Notes and put in folder.

ESSAY QUESTION – 3000 WORDS
“What is Modernism?”
– Find 3 examples within the Modernism Period ; museum, gallery, book.
– Don’t choose specialism.i.e sculpture,etc.
– Why is it Modern?
– Image and document of each.

WHAT IS CONTEXT?
– To be part of something.
– The relationship it has to something, e.g pen to hand.

WHAT IS THEORY?
– Art and Design theory is philosophical, intellectual and cultural ideas & concepts written in books, journals, online articles and video.
– Also it can be existing writing or specific areas of interest.
– Already you are ‘articulating’ (using language) .

ESSAYS
– Bibliography and illustrations included.
– Titles and Year.
– Harvard Referencing.
– Image; who / year?

LECTURE NOTES
– All lecture notes to go on Blog.
– Choose keywords from lecture.
– Type up and put in journal
– Make notes of films, videos, references and books that capture attention.Follow up with independent research.
– What may be unrelated to Graphics, may be useful!