Author: Wendy Chen

MET Museum Visit

Throughout this semester I have visited the Metropolitan Museum. I honestly really liked going to the Metropolitan Museum compare to the Brooklyn Museum. As I walked in the entrance, I saw lots of people walking around the area. People were talking among themselves very loudly. The museum was huge and wide that I feel like people would easily get lost. I can imagine how many people going in and out of the museum every day. During that day, the weather was extreme cold, and I saw lots of people waiting outside patiently for the door to open. I saw students from school coming to visit the museum.

I also have wondered what exactly are the Buddha made out of. Do people actually believe this religious Buddha? Why is Buddha very famous in the spread throughout other countries? What are there unique design compare to others?

However, as I observe around I saw many greats things. Such as, different culture paintings, nice sculptures, pottery, photograph, drawings, costumes, and so much more. What I liked about the museum was the Asian art which was consist of the Chinese, Japanese, and the Korean sculpture. I just like how the design was look and very outstanding. I find that these three countries has its unique and similarities difference between them.

Each of the sculpture has its own way to model and how it is presented to the audience. For example, as a Chinese culture, my family believe these Buddhisms. We would go to the Chinese temple and pray, we show our belief and respect to them The belief that there is an afterlife and not everything ends with death, that Buddha teaches people how to follow a successful path, how to be a good human being and do good things.

Buddha Dipankara (Diguang), ,Sculpture

CHINA

This sculpture name the Buddha Dipankara (Diguang) it was during the period of the Northern Wei Dynasty around 386 to 534 years. Made with Sandstone with traces of pigment.  This imagery represent the promise or possibly of enlightenment in a future life.

Arhat (Luohan)

CHINA

This image is called the Arhat (Luohan) during the period of Liao dynasty from 907 to 1125. It was made out of the stoneware with three-color glaze. It describe the achieved spiritual development and how the Buddhism is being protected.

Dainichi Nyorai, ,Sculpture

JAPAN

This model is name the Dainichi Nyorai during thr Heian period around 794 to 1185 years. This was made out of wood with gold leaf and lacquer decoration.

Kashyapa, ,Sculpture

KOREA

This image is called the Kashyapa during the Joseon dynasty during the 1392-1910. Made out of wood with polychrome paint.   His smiling face and relaxed posture convey benevolence and wisdom.

Daoist immortal Laozi, ArtistChen Yanqing,Sculpture

CHINA

This sculpture is named the Dadaist immortal Laozi  during the Ming Dynasty around the 1363-1644 years. Made out of the gilt brass and lost wax.  Spread throughout Daoism which was a major religion in China. It was define of beliefs and practices that helps guide for everyday life.

Lastly,  I can say that China and Korea has a similarities kinds of sculpture  between  them.  For example,  the colors that makes it stands out, structure, forms, and lines. This relate to the lecture from the beginning of the semester. Talking about what is ART and what actually does ART show us. How do they interact with our society.

Annotate Bibliography

  1. http://en.chnmuseum.cn/Default.aspx?TabId=520&ExhibitionLanguageID=74&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

This article talks about Buddhism which originated in the 6th century BC in ancient India. Throughout, the earliest Buddhist sculpture was in northwest ancient India. However, Buddhism spread to china as it was talking about the Chinese elements and unique Chinese style. What more important is about the evolution of Chinese Buddhist sculpture and inspire of artistic expression.

2. http://www.facts-about-japan.com/sculpture

This article talks about the Japanese sculpture is a very interesting form of Japanese art.  It also discuss how certain piece of sculpture is made out of plastic, stainless steel or aluminum.  Now days, material like wood became important in creating sculpture. The artist takes an experiments of how the lights is being used. However, Japanese sculpture mostly focused on Buddhist and continues to experience creative Japanese art sculpture.

3. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kobs/hd_kobs.htm

Talking how Buddhism was originated in India around the 5th century B.C. Eventually it was spread quickly and widely. The Buddhism was introduced to through their artistic achievements and were strongly important in history and religions.

4. https://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/east-asia.htm

The spread of Buddhism among the Chinese,  Japan, and Korea had been widely spread everywhere. Different countries has its own unique ideas of how a certain kinds of sculpture should be design. Not just the design and sculpture has changed but as well the languages. From Indian languages to Chinese. The Tang Dynasty had influenced more Buddhism to more and more people. It soon became an important part of Chinese culture and had great influence on Chinese Art, Literature, Sculpture, Architecture and Philosophy of that time. During the sixth and seventh centuries, many Korean monks went to China to study and brought back with them the teachings of the various Chinese schools of Buddhism. During the sixth and seventh centuries, many Korean monks went to China to study and brought back with them the teachings of the various Chinese schools of Buddhism. Now days Buddhism has playing an important role in the life of people. Buddhism has also spread throughout Japan, it is a way to bring benefits to the country.

outline / topic / background

For my final project I want to talk about the different kinds of sculpture in China, Japan and Korea. Which kinds of sculpture stood out to me and why was is it important and what special material is it made out off.

Thesis statement: By looking at these sculptures you can already tell the similarities and difference between them. However, different country sculpture has its own unique and style that makes us what to focus on. I can say China and Korea has a similar design sculpture but may not be made from the same material. Also, consider why these sculptures is important and its meaningful. 

Seated bodhisattva, Ceramics

CHINA

artist: Augusta Bromberger

title: seated Bodhisattva

date:  late 13th–early 14th century

museum: MET

This is an elegant Bodhisattva wears a particular array of fine beaded chains and pendant on his chest and skirt. This object is a large Buddhist porcelain sculptures using the pearl beading and was popular during the 14th century.

Bodhisattva, probably Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin), Sculpture

CHINA

artist: The Sackler Fund

title: Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvala (Guangyin)

date: 550–560

museum: MET

The jewels refers to a Lotus Lotus Sutra in which the historical Buddha Shakyamuni and another bodhisattva extol Avalokiteshvara’s great compassion and presents him with a pearl necklace as a symbol of his benevolence.

Bodhisattva Kannon, Wood with lacquer, gold leaf, and cut gold (kirikane) and metal , Japan

JAPAN

artist: Charles Stewart Smith

title: Bodhisattva Kannon

date:  17th or 18th century

museum: MET

This sculpture wear a long flowing skirts that reach their dainty feet in rippling folds and scarves that partially cover their shoulders and fall to their legs.

Standing Buddha, Sculpture

KOREA

artist: Rogers Fund

title: Standing Buddha

date: 8th century

museum: MET

The sculpture was part if the Unified Silla Kingdom which discuss  a high point of Buddhist in Korea. The Buddha’s hand symbolizes of wishes.

Pensive bodhisattva, Gilt bronze, Korea

KOREA

artist: The Annenberg Foundation

title: Pensive bodhisattva

date: mid 7th century

museum: MET

This sculpture is important because it was influence by the central Asia.  His crown topped looking a like crescent showing as a strong belief throughout the 6-7th centuries.

 

UNIT 2 SUMMARY

 

Throughout the class, we have discussed various forms of culture in the course of art history. It ranges from artworks in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to artwork in Ancient Greece and Rome. Each era provided their society with a certain influence . For example, Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia had a society filled with a god worshiping civilization, meanwhile, Ancient Greece and Rome had more of an interest towards the incorporation of humanism in their artwork.

The first difference between these art periods of the Ancient World, Egyptian art, as aforementioned, was primly concerned with the worship to an almost cult-like extent of gods or kings. This is because the ancient Egyptian society, and was thus related within the artwork of the ancient Egyptians. For example, the god of the afterlife within ancient Egyptian society.  Furthermore, Ancient Egyptians preferred an  straight look to their artworks, unlike the ancient Greeks and Romans. Therefore,it is easy to see as to why Ancient Egyptian artistic had its differences from other ancient world artworks.

On the ancient Greek and Roman it mostly focus on humanism within the artworks of these two sides of the Art of the Ancient World. Humanism was the idea of the physical and spiritual world. All of their art work in the Ancient Roman are all being part of the real-life beings. It does mot matter of how they look, gender, or any other characteristic that describe about them.  The only difference is how they dress up in style and using other material.  As of today we still use art in many different ways in historically or modernly.

 

Humanism In Greek Art

 

Humanism refers to Greek art and literature, it was important in the Renaissance period. In the most part, art had brought color, perspective, and realism.  Greeks were not interested in the surrounding reality, in social and political life, they rather represent their world through the vision and imagination of the artist and the aesthetic standards of the time, responding to represent their surrounding environment and the image of the man in a particular way.

One of the ancient Greek art was named kore or korai refers to statues depicting female figures, always of a young age, which was created during the Archaic period (600 – 480 BCE)   Kore statues were almost always standing, in a forward pose with the leg extended slightly forward (rarely with feet together), and with one hand pulling their dress as if not to step on it. The free hand was holding an offering to the god or goddess they served

Brooklyn Museum- part1

Fred Wilson (American, born 1954). Grey Area (Brown version), 1993. Paint, plaster and wood, Overall: 20 x 84 in. (50.8 x 213.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of William K. Jacobs, Jr. and bequest of Richard J. Kempe, by exchange, 2008.6a-j. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2008.6a-j_PS4.jpg)

This piece of artwork is designed by Fred Wilson who is an American artist. He describes himself as the “African Native American and European.” Fred Wilson was born in the Bronx, New York, in 1954, and lives and works in New York. He is now currently 64 years old. Fred called his artwork “Grey Area (Brown Version)“. He uses art objects to explore issues of race, gender, class, politics, and aesthetics. Made up of five portrait heads of the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. Wilson encourages viewers to recognize how changes in context create changes in meaning. He refers this to the ancient civilization. 

In the beginning, I was thinking that why the artist is painting all the different dark colors and why it can not be all the pretty colors. Later, I realize that he was referring to this artwork to the ancient time and not the modern time. Also, the figure was referring to a queen and not a king or a weird looking person. 

 

Brooklyn Museum part2

   <p>William T. Williams (American, born 1942). <em>Trane</em>, 1969. Acrylic on canvas, 108 x 84 in. (274.3 x 213.4 cm). The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. © William T. Williams. Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York</p>

Image result for pablo picasso art mirror reflection

This artwork seems to look interesting to me somehow because of its colors, lines, and shapes. However, this artwork was by William T Williams was an American abstract geometric painting. Williams included the colors red, blue, yellow, pink, purple, green, black, brown, and orange. Not only his colors were outstanding but also the shape of the line, such as thick and thin line, big and small shapes. The line of the shape or sharp edges were all connected together. Mostly, the shapes were squares and rectangles.

I can compare the artwork to another famous painter named Pablo Picasso. He was  spanish painter and I used to learned about him in my art class.  This artwork was called”Girl Before A Mirror” Although he uses different techniques to design his artwork. However, he drew a mirror reflection with some black line pattern, circles as the body parts, black and white triangles as the chest and all different colors on the faces, hair and body. It actually shows a figure of a girl with an emotional feeling while the other artwork does not but only with a geometric shape.

P.S — The picasso painting was not in the museum, I just wanted to talk about the connection between them that I found it interesting.

Unit 1: Art History Summary

      Throughout this unit we learned about what is the meaning of art, formal analysis, banking model, power and pedagogy. Why art is important? What is our ideas and opinion when we are talking about art? How did art influence in society? In my perspective, I think art is a way for people to express their emotional feelings. You may feel a connection with, being creative and having great imagination. Now, a formal analysis is when you look and describe a piece of an artwork. Trying to look into every detail that would help us analyze of a work of art. Therefore, we use the elements to describe the artwork. The color, line, space, mass, and scale are all made up the elements called the composition. The color is the first step where people take to look and identify the most because this is where it stands out. For example: if a painting that has all the ugly color it would definitely not going to look nice. We can also determine as a primary and secondary colors. Now, if it was all the bright pretty color, it obviously would look nice.

   The banking model is when we connected the ideas to pedagogy and power. The banking models help us establish about how the students limits the rights of being collaboratively and working together. Paulo Freire, who was a famous Brazilian educator who supports the idea of Pedagogy. He explained the wrong method of how the students are leaning. The banking model is describing as a negative way student being educated every day and has received many criticisms. Future more, he also talks about when the teachers directly fill the minds of the students with information and the students accept it without any questioning.

     Therefore, the students have no freedom in learning and do not gain any knowledge. Students usually memorize the information before taking an exam, but have not fully understood the concept of learning it. This is what we called a critical pedagogy which is idea that students and teachers are able to balance between the works among themselves. I do agree with this idea because it’s not fair to the students not able to socialize and without asking questions. This is not a way for the students to fully learn and understand the concept.

Formal Analysis

 

 

 

Formal Analysis is when you look and think about a painting or artwork carefully and consist of different ideas and perspective. Trying to understand what the artist is drawing or painting. Why did the artist draw or paint this way? There are certain basic elements of work of art that can be the focus in formal analysis. Therefore, it can be color, line, space and mass, and scale. Which is called the composition of how an artist put together all these elements.

The color is the first step where people take to look at and identify the different hues such as pink, purple, red soon. However, we can determine it by the primary colors and secondary colors. Next, a line can be determined by a three dimensional or a two dimensional. To show how thick or thin, horizontal, vertical, digital, or curved.

Space can indicate whether an image conveys a certain dimensional space. While mass describes its height, weight, and volume. We can say how tall or how heavy something is. How much space will it take up? Last, you want to look at the scale or size for a certain painting or drawing. Not just art has composition but also sculpture or architecture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pedagogy And Power

Pablo Freire was a Brazilian educator and philosopher who support the idea of Pedagogy. Pedagogy is the academic discipline with the theory and practice of teaching and how these influence student learning. He related to the term called “banking model”  which he explained the wrong method of how the students are learning. The banking model is describing as a negative way of students being educated every day.

The banking concept of education has received many criticisms. Freire describes this as when the teachers directly fill the minds of the students with information and the student themselves accept it without any questioning. The teacher informs, and the student listens in to return. The students are not allowed to challenge and ask any questions. Therefore, the students have no freedom in learning and do not gain any knowledge. Most students basically memorize all the information before taking an exam, but have not fully understood the concept of learning it.

For example, when the professor tells you read the textbooks and you will be able to find all the information you needed. This is the part when the students have no clue in learning something because the book does not always give a perfect explanation and may not also provide the right information.