Modern Art- Modern Art- North AmericaNorth America

ABSTRACTIONABSTRACTION

Georgia O’KeefeGeorgia O’KeefeCountry- AmericanCountry- American

Movements-. Abstraction but first painted Movements-. Abstraction but first painted representationally , minimalistrepresentationally , minimalist

Media- Oil, watercolourMedia- Oil, watercolour Major Style and Contribution to ArtMajor Style and Contribution to Art Early subjects were gigantic close-up Early subjects were gigantic close-up

paintings of flowers or flower parts, paintings of flowers or flower parts, she felt people would be startled and she felt people would be startled and have to look at themhave to look at them

Painted nature’s abstract formsPainted nature’s abstract forms a modernist who used minimalism and a modernist who used minimalism and

anticipated the reductivism of the anticipated the reductivism of the 1970s. In her long career, O'Keeffe 1970s. In her long career, O'Keeffe focused on nature as well as man-made focused on nature as well as man-made works, but rarely painted living works, but rarely painted living creatures or people. She used bright creatures or people. She used bright colors, and created more than a colors, and created more than a hundred often giant-sized flower hundred often giant-sized flower paintings, such as “Black Iris” (1926) paintings, such as “Black Iris” (1926) and “Red Poppy” (1927). She also and “Red Poppy” (1927). She also painted fragments to represent a painted fragments to represent a whole, like the hole in a pelvis, or a whole, like the hole in a pelvis, or a single wall. She created large single wall. She created large paintings of desert scenery, and paintings of desert scenery, and focused on close-up views of a single focused on close-up views of a single blossom or object, such as a cow's blossom or object, such as a cow's skull. She sometimes juxtaposed skull. She sometimes juxtaposed otherwise unrelated objects, such as otherwise unrelated objects, such as flowers and bones, e.g., “Horse’s Skull flowers and bones, e.g., “Horse’s Skull with White Rose” (1931).with White Rose” (1931).

Interesting FactInteresting Fact- Stieglitz ((the important - Stieglitz ((the important photographer and influential promoter of modern photographer and influential promoter of modern art, and O’Keefe’s married lover), inspired by the art, and O’Keefe’s married lover), inspired by the strength and beauty of O'Keeffe's face and body, strength and beauty of O'Keeffe's face and body, photographed her nude. In 1921, many of these photographed her nude. In 1921, many of these photos were first exhibited in New York at his photos were first exhibited in New York at his gallery, and caused quite a sensation. In 1924, he gallery, and caused quite a sensation. In 1924, he and O’Keeffe married after Stieglitz was granted and O’Keeffe married after Stieglitz was granted a divorce by his first wife. a divorce by his first wife.

Near the end of her career, she commented: Near the end of her career, she commented: "Filling a space in a beautiful way. That is what "Filling a space in a beautiful way. That is what art means to me."art means to me."

Red, White, and Blue (1931) is Red, White, and Blue (1931) is among her earliest studies of a among her earliest studies of a single animal bone isolated from its single animal bone isolated from its natural environment. The interesting natural environment. The interesting shapes and textures of the bones shapes and textures of the bones and their natural play of positive and their natural play of positive form and negative space repeatedly form and negative space repeatedly inspired her to depict them. She saw inspired her to depict them. She saw in their jagged edges, worn surfaces, in their jagged edges, worn surfaces, and pale colour the essence of the and pale colour the essence of the desert — a beauty that was enduring desert — a beauty that was enduring and untouchable. and untouchable.

O'Keeffe was able to create O'Keeffe was able to create compositions of extraordinary compositions of extraordinary simplicity that can be appreciated on simplicity that can be appreciated on many levels. "Red, White, and Blue" many levels. "Red, White, and Blue" is masterful, both as an eloquent is masterful, both as an eloquent abstraction of form and line and as a abstraction of form and line and as a richly symbolic image that raises richly symbolic image that raises issues of nationalism and religion. issues of nationalism and religion. The compositional arrangement is The compositional arrangement is starkly simple. The skull, precisely starkly simple. The skull, precisely modeled and strictly frontal in its modeled and strictly frontal in its placement, becomes an image of placement, becomes an image of great mystical power, like a sacred great mystical power, like a sacred relic. The religious connotation is relic. The religious connotation is reinforced by the cross configuration reinforced by the cross configuration of the extended horns and vertical of the extended horns and vertical support (probably the tree or easel support (probably the tree or easel upon which the skull was hung.upon which the skull was hung.

Charles DemuthCharles DemuthCountry- AmericanCountry- American

Movements-. Abstraction, Precisionists, earlier works Movements-. Abstraction, Precisionists, earlier works cubist watercolourscubist watercolours

Media- Oil, watercolourMedia- Oil, watercolour Major Style and Contribution to Major Style and Contribution to ArtArt

series called posters portraits , series called posters portraits , made up of images and words and made up of images and words and lettering associated with friendslettering associated with friends

influenced by advertising signs on influenced by advertising signs on buildings and along highwaysbuildings and along highways

The Figure Five in Gold (1928) -The Figure Five in Gold (1928) -oil on composition board (91 x oil on composition board (91 x 75 cm) Metropolitan Museum of 75 cm) Metropolitan Museum of ArtArt

Based on a poem by his friend Based on a poem by his friend William Carlos Williams (William Carlos Williams (The Great The Great Figure):Figure):Among the rain/and lights/I Among the rain/and lights/I saw the figure 5/in gold/on a saw the figure 5/in gold/on a red/fire red/fire truck/moving/tense/unheeded/to truck/moving/tense/unheeded/to gong clangs/siren howls/and gong clangs/siren howls/and wheels rumbling/through the dark wheels rumbling/through the dark city. “Bill” and “Carlo” appear in city. “Bill” and “Carlo” appear in the cubist design along with the the cubist design along with the roaring no.5, buildings tilt in space, roaring no.5, buildings tilt in space, rays of colour-light sweep across rays of colour-light sweep across the middle distance and the middle distance and foreground, tying together the foreground, tying together the painting.painting.

CalderCalder

REALISM (1900- 1950)REALISM (1900- 1950) After the Armoy show many After the Armoy show many

American artist swung from American artist swung from Realism to Abstraction but many Realism to Abstraction but many continued to work with realism. continued to work with realism.

They were called American They were called American Scene Painters, and included Scene Painters, and included Edward Hopper and Walt Kuhn. Edward Hopper and Walt Kuhn. They painted America as a vast They painted America as a vast beautiful, abundant, lonely, beautiful, abundant, lonely, crowded and full of honest, hard-crowded and full of honest, hard-working people. working people.

Another group, from the Another group, from the Midwest, were called Midwest, were called Regionalist because they painted Regionalist because they painted subjects near to the place they subjects near to the place they lived (Grant Wood, Thomas Hart lived (Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton). Benton).

Grant Wood painted the icon of Grant Wood painted the icon of American culture American culture American American Gothic, Gothic, about a simple rural farm about a simple rural farm couple which leaves a lasting couple which leaves a lasting impression.impression.

Inspired by American Inspired by American GothicGothic

Social RealismSocial Realism During and after the Great Depression in the During and after the Great Depression in the

early 1930’searly 1930’s Periods of mass unemployment, hard times; Periods of mass unemployment, hard times;

fear of totalitarianism, socialism and fear of totalitarianism, socialism and communismcommunism

Many artists rejected abstraction and realism, Many artists rejected abstraction and realism, and attacked the dehumanization of industrial and attacked the dehumanization of industrial and urban lifeand urban life

They used their art to influence government They used their art to influence government and focused on ordinary people and injusticeand focused on ordinary people and injustice

Led by Ben Shahn and Reginald Marsh and Led by Ben Shahn and Reginald Marsh and latter by Jacob Lawrence and George Tookerlatter by Jacob Lawrence and George Tooker

Jacob LawrenceJacob LawrenceCountry- American Country- American

Movements-. Social Realism Movements-. Social Realism Media- Tempra on PaperMedia- Tempra on Paper

Influences- Influences- Studies art at the government sponsored Studies art at the government sponsored Harlem Art workshop from 1932 to 1934 Harlem Art workshop from 1932 to 1934

Interesting FactInteresting Fact- Quote-“ It is more important that - Quote-“ It is more important that an artist study life than study the technique of painting an artist study life than study the technique of painting exclusively. Technique will come with the desire to exclusively. Technique will come with the desire to make oneself understood. It is more important for the make oneself understood. It is more important for the artist to develop a philosophy and clarity of thought.”artist to develop a philosophy and clarity of thought.”

““Maybe ... humanity to you has been reduced to the Maybe ... humanity to you has been reduced to the sterility of the line, the cube, the circle, and the sterility of the line, the cube, the circle, and the square; devoid of all feeling, cold and highly esoteric. square; devoid of all feeling, cold and highly esoteric. If this is so, I can well understand why you cannot If this is so, I can well understand why you cannot portray the true America. It is because you have lost portray the true America. It is because you have lost all feeling for man.... And your work shall remain all feeling for man.... And your work shall remain without depth for as long as you can only see and without depth for as long as you can only see and respect the beauty of the cube, and not see and respect the beauty of the cube, and not see and respect the beauty of man-every man.”respect the beauty of man-every man.”

Migration of the Negro # 3 Migration of the Negro # 3 (1941) Tempra on gesso on (1941) Tempra on gesso on

composition boardcomposition board

Tempra on gesso on Tempra on gesso on composition boardcomposition boardThe Migration Series, The Migration Series, one of the most well one of the most well known paintings by known paintings by Jacob Lawrence, was Jacob Lawrence, was created when created when Lawrence was just 23 Lawrence was just 23 years old. Here, years old. Here, African Americans are African Americans are shown leaving the shown leaving the South to go to the South to go to the urban cities in the urban cities in the North.North.

One of the Largest Race Riots Occurred in East St Louis One of the Largest Race Riots Occurred in East St Louis (1940-1941) Tempra on gesso on composition board- (1940-1941) Tempra on gesso on composition board-

MoMaMoMa

Not realistic but stylized with perfect Not realistic but stylized with perfect balance dance of almost abstract shapesbalance dance of almost abstract shapes

Dominated by clenches fist holding a knifeDominated by clenches fist holding a knife

"The memory of them is "The memory of them is plain in Number 57plain in Number 57, , "The female worker "The female worker was also one of the last was also one of the last groups to leave the groups to leave the South"South", with its single , with its single figure of a laundress in a figure of a laundress in a white smock, stirring a white smock, stirring a vat of fabrics - blue, vat of fabrics - blue, black, yellow, pink - with black, yellow, pink - with her pole: a dense and her pole: a dense and well-locked composition, well-locked composition, suggesting the suggesting the permanence and permanence and resistance which is one resistance which is one of the underlying themes of the underlying themes of Lawrence's of Lawrence's

ART FROM THE FIFTIES ART FROM THE FIFTIES TO THE PRESENTTO THE PRESENT

in new York following WWII.in new York following WWII. It was abstract (emphasizing shape, colour It was abstract (emphasizing shape, colour

and/or/line with no recognizable subject matter) and/or/line with no recognizable subject matter) and expressive (expressed emotions and and expressive (expressed emotions and individual feelings more than design and form)individual feelings more than design and form)

Influenced by Kadinsky and Gorky, as well as, Influenced by Kadinsky and Gorky, as well as, other artists fleeing Hitler’s Germanyother artists fleeing Hitler’s Germany

Called Called action paintingaction painting Abstract Expressionists wanted to release and Abstract Expressionists wanted to release and

express thoughts and ideas trapped in their sub-express thoughts and ideas trapped in their sub-conscious. They also believed that the act of conscious. They also believed that the act of creating was as important as the content of the creating was as important as the content of the workwork

Jackson Pollock (1912-56)Jackson Pollock (1912-56)Country- American Country- American

Movements-. Abstract Expressionism after going Movements-. Abstract Expressionism after going through realistic and abstract periodsthrough realistic and abstract periods

Media- oil enamel and found materials on canvasMedia- oil enamel and found materials on canvas Major Style and Contribution to Art- Major Style and Contribution to Art-

Drip painting-technique in which the Drip painting-technique in which the artist walks over a canvas with a can of artist walks over a canvas with a can of paint, dripping and spilling paint about paint, dripping and spilling paint about the canvasthe canvas

They were not haphazard, there was an They were not haphazard, there was an interchange between the “will” of the interchange between the “will” of the paint and the inner forces of the artistpaint and the inner forces of the artist

his aim was "to get into my painting and his aim was "to get into my painting and become a part of it ... a painting has a become a part of it ... a painting has a live of its own. It is only when I lose live of its own. It is only when I lose contact with it that the result is a mess. contact with it that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take and the painting easy give and take and the painting comes out well".comes out well".

Pollock's name is also associated with Pollock's name is also associated with the introduction of the All-over style of the introduction of the All-over style of painting which avoids any points of painting which avoids any points of emphasis or identifiable parts within the emphasis or identifiable parts within the whole canvas and therefore abandons whole canvas and therefore abandons the traditional idea of composition in the traditional idea of composition in terms of relations among parts. The terms of relations among parts. The design of his painting had no relation to design of his painting had no relation to the shape or size of the canvas -- indeed the shape or size of the canvas -- indeed in the finished work the canvas was in the finished work the canvas was sometimes docked or trimmed to suit the sometimes docked or trimmed to suit the image. image.