The early art movement
The early art movement, which flourished between the 1860s and the 1970s, and the subsequent contemporary art movement, which has flourished since the 1970s, have spawned various schools of thought in the field of art. Art was no longer confined to landscapes and portraits of glamorous people. All seemed to have its own artistic merit. Art was made using various daily items such as utensils and grass. Transformation and harmony are two of the most well-known art schools that have influenced modern art. This essay would go over two of my favorite pieces from both of them.
Transformation
Transformation is a unique art form that transforms day to day objects into artworks. This kind of art form was pioneered by some of the greatest artists from the modern art period like Pablo Picasso who has used Newspaper cuttings in his paintings. A number of modern artists have used transformation to create their artworks. One of the most famous contemporary artist who uses the transformation art form in her artworks is Sarah Sze. Her works use everyday objects to create multimedia landscapes.
The first of my favourite artwork that used transformation is Flying Bookfish by Catherine Raine. It was made in the year 2012 and displayed in many art exhibitions around the world. The art work is made of an old book which is sewn in the middle with a needle. Different kinds of fish are tied together with the pages of the book. I like this artwork because of its simplicity and the use of everyday objects like old books in creating a spectacular artwork.
The second artwork that used transformation is Sinatra by Derek Gores. This unique looking artwork uses magazine scraps to create a collage from torn out pieces of old magazines which depicts a lesbian couple with their adopted daughter sitting in a park. This artwork gained a lot of attention on the Internet when it was first published in the year 2013. I like this art work because of the way it highlights social problems through art.
Balance
Balance is another school of art form that developed during the age of modern art. This school of art form that explores how art conveys equilibrium or disequilibrium. Artists from this school of thought believe that the smallest change in artwork would lead to a radical proposition in the final work.
The first work on Balance that I like is the painting called ‘Duarte Square, 2009’ by Rackstraw Downes. The painting depicts an empty Duarte Square without any persons standing. I like the painting because of the way it transforms a plain landscape into an outstanding artwork. The painter takes great care in maintaining the balance. Any minor imbalance could lead to a total loss in meaning for the painting.
The second work that is based on Balance that I like the most is ‘Below the Hospital Complex’ by Rackstraw Downes. It was painted in the year 2012 and depicts the rear side of a hospital complex in London. I like this artwork because of the natural way in which it depicts an ordinary surrounding that is generally neglected by a majority of people. I also like the way in which it depicts the stagnant water and the surroundings in the painting. The painting is a perfect example of the perfection that can be achieved by focusing on creating Balance.
