Tuesday 6 March 2018
Thursday 4 May 2017
Le théâtre de l'absurde; un bon choix des mots?
Depuis 3 ans que je fais du théâtre, et bien plus longtemps que j'en vois, j'ai souvent entendu parler du théâtre de l'absurde, sans y avoir réellement affaire. Cependant, j'ai eu cette année un aperçut de ce pan du théâtre, lors d'un stage en milieu d'année, et deux choses m'ont parut intéressantes: la manière de jouer le théâtre de l'absurde, assez développée et complexe en vérité, et le sens qui transparaissait de ce théâtre qui, d'après son nom n'a pas le moindre sens. En effet, c'est le sens premier du mot absurde, tel que l'est la phrase suivante;
Quand on pense au théâtre de l'absurde, les premiers auteurs qui nous viennent en tête sont généralement Beckett et Ionesco, et pourtant cette dernière elle même refusait l'appellation de théâtre de l'absurde, ce qui est bien normal: dans ce théâtre plus que dans la comédie ou la tragédie, chaque détail doit être pensé afin que le message ne se perde pas dans une mise en scène qui donne une impression de confusion au milieux d'une histoire dont l'intérêt n'est pas d'être une histoire, mais un vecteur. Si le tragique à pour but la catharsis, et le comique le rire, doublé souvent de critique, le but du théâtre de l'absurde est la transmission d'un message. Ainsi, dans la pièce "En attendant Godot" de Samuel Beckett, le Godot en question n'arrive jamais, et c'est son absence qui entraîne des réflexions et des doutes chez les deux protagonistes de la pièce, Vladimir et Estragon. C'est donc une situation fixe et sans fin qui donne le contexte de la transmission du message.
De même dans "La Cantatrice Chauve", de Ionesco: ce personnage qui fait le titre de la pièce est mentionné deux fois, et n'apparait jamais!
Eugène Ionesco: "Qu'importe que la cantatrice soit chauve, puisqu'elle n'existe pas"
Au niveau des thèmes, le théâtre de l'absurde est très cohérent, une fois placé dans son contexte:
la solitude de l'Homme, le tragique de l'existence, l'impossibilité à communiquer ou encore l'angoisse des Hommes face à la mort. En réalité, le théâtre de l'absurde est cohérent par rapport à son époque.
Après la première guerre mondiale, qui à représenté pour beaucoup la victoire de la barbarie sur la culture, la tendance principale à été à l'existentialisme, soit la philosophie de:---------------------------->
Le contexte général était au pessimisme, ce qui peut expliquer l'utilisation du terme "théâtre de l'absurde" par Martin Esslin dans l'un de ses essais, ce terme s'adapte au thèmes de ce théâtre auparavant inclassable dans la ligné de la croyance existentialiste. C'est donc le premier à englober sous ce terme les univers de Ionesco et de Beckett, qui partagent en plus des thèmes plusieurs caractéristiques communes: En premier une déstructuration du langage, par l'enchaînement de phrases dénués de logique, mais qui est en fait purger de ses transitions et fait majoritairement de phrases simples. Dans un dialogue, entre Vladimir et Estragon dans la pièce de Beckett "En attendant Godot",on voit la logique de ce dialogue: une idée exprimée, le dialogue ne revient pas dessus et se poursuit directement:
"Estragon -Qu'est ce que tu as?Vladimir -Je n'ai rien.
Estragon - Moi je m'en vais.
Vladimir -Moi aussi."
Les codes de l'absurde à ses débuts ne suivent donc pas de conventions, qui deviennent pour une société une sorte de logique pré-établit, mais se plie tout de même à des codes que l'on peut identifier par l'analyse, tant des thèmes que des textes et des mouvements anarchiques se déroulant sur scène.
On pourrait résumé une partie des codes du théâtre de l'absurde à un unique code "briser les codes pré-établit"; ainsi, les thèmes sont nouveaux, les dialogues déstructurés, et il devient fréquent que le quatrième mur soit brisé.
Par exemple, dans la pièce de Ionesco Scène à quatre, qui est celle que nous avons joué lors de notre stage sur le théâtre de l'absurde, les différents personnages finissent par se disputés la place de partenaire amoureux de la "Jolie Dame", un autre personnage. Cependant, celle-ci fait les frais de cette rivalité, se retrouvant dépossédée de plusieurs membres. Elle se tourne alors vers le public et dit "Mesdames et Messieurs, je suis parfaitement d'accord avec vous. Ceci est tout à fait idiot."
Chez Beckett, cette suppression du mur est plus subtil, elle tient au nom de la pièce: En attendant Godot. Les personnages ne sont pas les seuls à attendre ce Godot; le public attend avec lui l'arrivée de celui que le titre annonce comme le personnage principal, ce qui se voit très bien dans la mise en scène de Yann-Joël Collin, qui éclaire également le public et la scène. Ainsi, non seulement le public se sent être dans la pièce, attendant le dénommé Godot, mais cette mise en scène souligne également une autre question: Godot serait-il dans l'assistance? Cependant, comme Ionesco l'avait dit pour la cantatrice chauve, peut-importe ou se trouve ce Godot, puisqu'il n'existe pas.
Yann-Joël Collin et Cyril Bothorel
Wednesday 3 May 2017
POST 14: Elephant, a Gus Van Sant movie (2003)
1) What struck you more in the film?
What struck me more in this movie is the choices taken concerning showing and hiding violence. The first girl who gets shot is shown being killed, as a symbol of innocence being killed as the movie starts, but Van Sant chose not to show the death of the group of girls who were in the bathroom. In fact, as we see the second angel, the black guy wearing a yellow shirt, being shot, it could mean that we only see the death of hope through important characters, but eventhough it came to my mind during the movie that it looked an irregular construction because of this.
2) What also impressed you?
An impressive thing was the poetical touch that Van Sant introduced in the movie in the middle of the overwhelming violence. For exemple the black guy, the second angel, who is trying to help people but still walks slowly towards an agressor wielding a gun, to show he actually cannot do anything, emphasizing the fatalism of this event.
3) Did you find anything more particularly upsetting?
The fact that the director introduced some cliches and personal ideas he seemed to have about the shooters was quite upsetting, such as the fact that they are shown as video-game addicts, or the fact that they are suggested to be homosexual, experiencing a sensual experience in a shower before the shooting.
4) What did you find very disturbing?
I found quite disturbing to see how easy it is for anyone to get a gun in USA, the two boys who look barely grown up are receiveing it as a normal delivery, as if they were receiveing a bunch of books. While seeing it, I had to tell myself this was really how it was in USA and that it was not only a convenient way of making the scenario take a step forward.
5) What was most shocking?
I think that the most shocking was people's passivity during the attack. About what happened inside the building I can think of it as something true, but John reaction is the first that shocks me: he sees the two shooters entering, but instead of calling the police he only tell people not to get in without insisting that much and goes look for his father. The second unbelivable reaction is the one of the second angel, walking carelessly toward a shooter still wielding his gun. Eventhough I know this is part of the poetical touch that I find great in this movie, I think it is a petty to give this reality based movie such a unreal aspect at this point.
6) What does the film suggest about the two school shooters?
The film suggest multiple things about the school shooters. Some elements are taken from the real shooters this movie is inspired by, such as the fact that they were in a group admirating nazis, and the fact that they were bullied at school, eventhough it does not justify their acts. Though it also suggests a few things that have been made up by the film director; the fact that the two boys were addicts to violent video games, which would have made them insensitive to the fact of killing. It also suggests the two shooters were having homosexual experiences, which is entirely made up and, would it not, out of the point.
7) What's more, what does the film director make clear about the two killers?
The film director makes clear that, eventhough they went through much, the two killers are not to be pitied. They show no mercy, and are only willing to "have fun" as says alexi. In addition, if Eric is to be hated as a cold blood killer, who even plays with his victims, telling a teacher he lets him go just to shoot him in the back, Alex is the one shown as the worst of the two. Indeed, he enjoyed killing so much that he even kills his friend in the end, friend and potential lover in the movie. He is not only a hartless human, he becomes worst than an savage animal.
8) What kind of approach to the school shooting itself did Gus Van Sant opt for?
Van Sant is building his movie like a fictional story, with a setting of the scene showing us a normal day in Columbine High school, and then piling up in front of our eyes the different problems taking place in this world, through the students view points. After making us understand that things cannot be considered normal, and that it will not stay this way, the shooting scene is a climax, but shot as a very cold scene. It is a silent explosion of violence, resulting of the multiple problems and putting them an end in an almost journalistic way, staying quite netral at first sight, but placing a lot of details remiding the horror of the situation. Though, the poetical touchs still seem to emphasize the unrealistic vision of this event, by distording reality to send messages, mostely the fact that everyone is powerless against this sudden storm.
9) Moreover, what's the main consequence of the realistic treatment he uses? What about the 'poetic' touches he instills throughout the film?
The realistic treatment the film director uses has two main consequences: first, it gives a cold look on the events, which is quite shocking considering the horror this school is living, but it also places him as a witness of every problem the school has by giving a realistic look on the different students.
Though, this realistic view is tempered by the poetic touch Van Sant added to his movie. By focusing more on some characters who are stereotyped, he gives the feel that this could potentally happen in any school, for a lot of high schools have nerds, jocks, or girls obsessed by their look and relations. Showing the same scenes from different points of view, he leaves clues for those who have the will to spot them out.
10) As a conclusion, what must we admit about the way in which the killing and the killers are perceived by the film viewers?
We could think people might feel sorry for the two killers, as it looks at first that they are only taking revenge on those who bullyied them, but the film director made it clear this was no revenge, only a will to spread death for distraction, with both Eric and Alex, but especially with Alex, who after taking his revenge ends up killing his friend and potential lover. They are seen as monsters, not students, which is a problem for it places them over the other students; no one can think another normal student, a normal looking boy could be such a monster, it seem an isolated case. Still today, it is considered a tragedy, but a tragedy that no one can think will happen to him, for how could such monsters not be noticed before they act? The killing is perceived cruel and, after they said "have fun", meaningless for it looses all aspect of revenge to become a simple hunt. The reallity shown in the movie is shocking, but it is not an easy task making people think "this could happen again", and even less "this could happen to someone close to me". It is almost impossible making think "this could happen to me".
What struck me more in this movie is the choices taken concerning showing and hiding violence. The first girl who gets shot is shown being killed, as a symbol of innocence being killed as the movie starts, but Van Sant chose not to show the death of the group of girls who were in the bathroom. In fact, as we see the second angel, the black guy wearing a yellow shirt, being shot, it could mean that we only see the death of hope through important characters, but eventhough it came to my mind during the movie that it looked an irregular construction because of this.
2) What also impressed you?
An impressive thing was the poetical touch that Van Sant introduced in the movie in the middle of the overwhelming violence. For exemple the black guy, the second angel, who is trying to help people but still walks slowly towards an agressor wielding a gun, to show he actually cannot do anything, emphasizing the fatalism of this event.
3) Did you find anything more particularly upsetting?
The fact that the director introduced some cliches and personal ideas he seemed to have about the shooters was quite upsetting, such as the fact that they are shown as video-game addicts, or the fact that they are suggested to be homosexual, experiencing a sensual experience in a shower before the shooting.
4) What did you find very disturbing?
I found quite disturbing to see how easy it is for anyone to get a gun in USA, the two boys who look barely grown up are receiveing it as a normal delivery, as if they were receiveing a bunch of books. While seeing it, I had to tell myself this was really how it was in USA and that it was not only a convenient way of making the scenario take a step forward.
5) What was most shocking?
I think that the most shocking was people's passivity during the attack. About what happened inside the building I can think of it as something true, but John reaction is the first that shocks me: he sees the two shooters entering, but instead of calling the police he only tell people not to get in without insisting that much and goes look for his father. The second unbelivable reaction is the one of the second angel, walking carelessly toward a shooter still wielding his gun. Eventhough I know this is part of the poetical touch that I find great in this movie, I think it is a petty to give this reality based movie such a unreal aspect at this point.
6) What does the film suggest about the two school shooters?
The film suggest multiple things about the school shooters. Some elements are taken from the real shooters this movie is inspired by, such as the fact that they were in a group admirating nazis, and the fact that they were bullied at school, eventhough it does not justify their acts. Though it also suggests a few things that have been made up by the film director; the fact that the two boys were addicts to violent video games, which would have made them insensitive to the fact of killing. It also suggests the two shooters were having homosexual experiences, which is entirely made up and, would it not, out of the point.
7) What's more, what does the film director make clear about the two killers?
The film director makes clear that, eventhough they went through much, the two killers are not to be pitied. They show no mercy, and are only willing to "have fun" as says alexi. In addition, if Eric is to be hated as a cold blood killer, who even plays with his victims, telling a teacher he lets him go just to shoot him in the back, Alex is the one shown as the worst of the two. Indeed, he enjoyed killing so much that he even kills his friend in the end, friend and potential lover in the movie. He is not only a hartless human, he becomes worst than an savage animal.
8) What kind of approach to the school shooting itself did Gus Van Sant opt for?
Van Sant is building his movie like a fictional story, with a setting of the scene showing us a normal day in Columbine High school, and then piling up in front of our eyes the different problems taking place in this world, through the students view points. After making us understand that things cannot be considered normal, and that it will not stay this way, the shooting scene is a climax, but shot as a very cold scene. It is a silent explosion of violence, resulting of the multiple problems and putting them an end in an almost journalistic way, staying quite netral at first sight, but placing a lot of details remiding the horror of the situation. Though, the poetical touchs still seem to emphasize the unrealistic vision of this event, by distording reality to send messages, mostely the fact that everyone is powerless against this sudden storm.
9) Moreover, what's the main consequence of the realistic treatment he uses? What about the 'poetic' touches he instills throughout the film?
The realistic treatment the film director uses has two main consequences: first, it gives a cold look on the events, which is quite shocking considering the horror this school is living, but it also places him as a witness of every problem the school has by giving a realistic look on the different students.
Though, this realistic view is tempered by the poetic touch Van Sant added to his movie. By focusing more on some characters who are stereotyped, he gives the feel that this could potentally happen in any school, for a lot of high schools have nerds, jocks, or girls obsessed by their look and relations. Showing the same scenes from different points of view, he leaves clues for those who have the will to spot them out.
10) As a conclusion, what must we admit about the way in which the killing and the killers are perceived by the film viewers?
We could think people might feel sorry for the two killers, as it looks at first that they are only taking revenge on those who bullyied them, but the film director made it clear this was no revenge, only a will to spread death for distraction, with both Eric and Alex, but especially with Alex, who after taking his revenge ends up killing his friend and potential lover. They are seen as monsters, not students, which is a problem for it places them over the other students; no one can think another normal student, a normal looking boy could be such a monster, it seem an isolated case. Still today, it is considered a tragedy, but a tragedy that no one can think will happen to him, for how could such monsters not be noticed before they act? The killing is perceived cruel and, after they said "have fun", meaningless for it looses all aspect of revenge to become a simple hunt. The reallity shown in the movie is shocking, but it is not an easy task making people think "this could happen again", and even less "this could happen to someone close to me". It is almost impossible making think "this could happen to me".
Wednesday 5 April 2017
Post 13: The US Gun Culture
The Founding Fathers :
The Founding Fathers of the United States are the individuals of the Thirteen British Colonies in North America who led the American Revolution against the authority of the British Crown and established the United States of America. The term is also used more narrowly, referring specifically to those who either signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 or who were delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention and took part in drafting the proposed Constitution of the United States. A further subset includes those who signed the Continental Association or the Articles of Confederation. During much of the 19th century, they were referred to as either the "Founders" or the "Fathers".
Some historians apply the term "Founding Fathers" to a larger group
of people, including not only the Signers and the Framers but also all
those who, whether as politicians, jurists, statesmen, soldiers,
diplomats, or ordinary citizens, took part in winning American
independence and creating the United States of America. Historian Richard B. Morris in 1973 identified the following seven figures as the key Founding Fathers: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.
National Rifle Association: The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun rights. Founded in 1871, the group has informed its members about firearm-related bills since 1934, and it has directly lobbied for and against legislation since 1975. It is also the oldest continuously operating civil rights organization in the United States.
Founded to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA continues to teach firearm competency and safety.
It instructs civilians and law enforcement, youths and adults, in
various programs. The organization also publishes several magazines and
sponsors competitive marksmanship events. Membership surpassed 5 million in May 2013.Observers and lawmakers see the NRA as one of the top three most influential lobbying groups in Washington
Steve SACK, on www.startribune.com,
This Steve Sack cartoon published on the website startribune is a criticism of how influenced the congress is regarding lobbies. The fat politician in a nice blue suit, with a wallet identifying him as a member of the congress, receiving a bag full of money from a men in a businessman suit, with a brown wallet identifying him as a member of the gun lobby. we understand that the politician is being bribed, we can think it is to keep the same legislation about gun possession and business, and this criticizes corruption, for no protest against the possession of guns will get a result if the validity of the laws is bought. There is a double criticize, with a blood streak flowing down from the capitol, placed right above the two characters. The member of the lobby saying "Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted", we understand that they are probably responsible of this blood streak, which criticize how the gun lobby and the authorization about the use of guns in USA can drive to violence, bringing people encouraging this state of things in a place such as the Capitol. Also, as the congress member is turning his back on the blood trail, it shows that the government is voluntarily ignoring the n,egative aspects of the gun culture un USA.
Dave GRANDLUND, on www.davegranlund.com,
Second Amendment and NRA (2013)The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms and was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the first ten amendments contained in the Bill of Rights. The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the right belongs to individuals, while also ruling that the right is not unlimited and does not prohibit all regulation of either firearms or similar devices. State and local governments are limited to the same extent as the federal government from infringing this right per the incorporation of the Bill of Rights.
This document is a caricature from Dave Grandlund, made in 2013, and showing the vision of the second amendment about gun possession first from the founding father's point of view, and then from the National rifle association's point of view. The first one, being the founding father's point of view, shows a noble american, very dignified, carrying a rifle as a hunt weapon.
The side of the NRA shows a big American in a military suit, carrying an assault rifle and having two others in his back, and while the other is standing on a column, this american is standing on five boxes of munitions.
This caricature is criticizing the excessive vision about gun possession the NRA is conveying through America, in contradiction with the vision of the founding fathers that the NRA is perverting. It is criticizing the fact that gun are too easily possessible and the NRA, turning it into a business, without caring about the negative aspects that could result of it. If the founding fathers thought this law for people's protection, it is not it's real purpose these days.
Monday 3 April 2017
POST 11: Individual document on Exchanges in Real and Virtual Spaces
As a third document to show how blurred the line between real and virtual spaces can become, this animated serie is perfect. In this story, the first virtual reality headset has been created, and the first game using this technology is released. But as people are starting to play, a problem appears; there is no way to disconnect from the game. As the headset is intercepting the brain's signal and simulating sensations by electric impulse, it was easy for the one who created this system to fry people's brain if someone tries to take it of manually, and to implement the rule that if someone dies in the game, he dies in real life. As the first virtual reality headsets are being created nowadays, people started to work on reproducing this kind of device, and it is not unrealistic to think it will be created in the future, and by recreating the five senses inside an online game, it will basically become like real life. It raises the problem of addiction to this hyper-realistic virtual space, but also the problem of a bad use of this technology.
Just in case, for potential readers, the post on life is strange is started, It'll probably be released soon, and I'll make another post later on sword art online.
The Mad Hatter
Sunday 11 December 2016
POST 4: Your own choice of a a film, series, song or book (novel, play, essay, comic, graphic novel) dealing with the 'MYTHS & HEROES' notion
Hey world! Even though this is a post for work, Don't leave it right now for I think it is a good occasion to make a first presentation of a non-manga work, for today's post will be about a sci-fi book,
The Ones!
As the most clever will have noticed, it is a book wrote by Daniel Sweren Becker that was released on September the 6th of 2016 by the Imprint edition. This book isn't very well known, mostly because it is quite recent, but I think it deserves some attention for it talks about something we could have to deal with sooner than we think: Genetical Manipulation. Well, you will get to realize it after I tell you guys about the plot.
In a slightly futuristic world, the Governement decided to experience the principle of Gene selection on 1% of newborn babies each year, making them perfect individuals known as "The Ones". During their youth, the Ones are noticed as perfect individuals, pretty, good at sport, having good grades, the highest quality of the population, and our main character, Cody, is proud that her and her boyfriend James are part of this 1%, considering it as a luck. Unfortunately, this is not everyone's opinion, an the association "Equality" starts criticizing the Ones, that would be taking away normal people's chances because of their so told perfection. After a few time of campaign, Equality reaches its first purpose by making the Ones officially illegal. This is where the real story starts, for persecution against the ones is being encouraged all over the World, and in order to "equilibrate" the balance, they are given additional disadvantages to drag them down in front of the rest of the population. As some of the Ones are accepting this situation and trying to calm things down by showing a will of peace, a group of rebellious ones is created, and their leader Kye chooses the use of terrorism as a mean to get back their rights, a movement in which Cody will take part, unwillingly taking James with her. As she is going to go deeper in illegality, James is going to be torn apart between the perfect image he has to keep in front of his family, for he is a replacement of a son they lost, and his will to help his loved one.
Obviously, the main characters are both James and Cody, but others could be considered so, mainly Kai, the leader of the rebellion, Norton, who is like the leader of the forces against the neo-Weatherman, which is the group of Ones, and James's father, who is a scientist secretly working on a chemical that would take off the One's advantages, reducing their abilities.
As you can see, this is not only raising the question of gene selection, but also the legitimacy of the governement's decision and the application of justice when individuals are at stake. This could be described as the story of a generation in a world where Human kind would have globally lost its moral, its humanity.
In addition, you could come to ask yourself what is good and justified and what revendications cannot justify, mostly with the character of Cody. If both James and cody have the noble qualities and will for self- sacrifice to be qualified as heroes, and even almost superheroes as they are perfect human-beings, Cody is a bit more difficult to agree with. At first she chooses to fight against "Equality" for justice, but after what she will experience during the story, it is obstination and the will for revenge that will make her keep fighting. All along the story, she will get deeper into illegality and terrorism, and even if you think her fight is a bit justified, you can't help but tell yourself that she is going too far, and she has to be placed in both hero and anti-hero category.
Gene selection is supposed to be a cutting age advance, a concern that would have appeared a few time ago with the many advances of science, but the Idea of a perfect man, that got rid of mere human's limitations and imperfections, is not that recent. Indeed, this corresponds to the Greek myth of Pygmalion, a sculptor who wasn't interested in women or humans in general, but that once sculpted a statue of a woman so perfect and beautiful that he fell in love with it. Eventually, after winning a contest on Aphrodite's festival day, the goddess answered his wish and made his ivory woman come human, so that he could marry her. With this myth, we can see that this will of perfection of humanity is something that keeps running through the ages without a distinction of technical limitations.
Well; this is it, hope it gave you some will to read this book, for it really deserves some more attention than it has for now. As this is partly a work post, the gift won't be for that one, but if you are curious I could give you clues in the comment section, so as always don't hesitate in writing some, I'll read them all and take them into account.
Oh, also as I have no good pic to close this post, it will be an announce of the next free post, and it's not a manga again!
Bye Guys!
The Mad Hatter
In addition, you could come to ask yourself what is good and justified and what revendications cannot justify, mostly with the character of Cody. If both James and cody have the noble qualities and will for self- sacrifice to be qualified as heroes, and even almost superheroes as they are perfect human-beings, Cody is a bit more difficult to agree with. At first she chooses to fight against "Equality" for justice, but after what she will experience during the story, it is obstination and the will for revenge that will make her keep fighting. All along the story, she will get deeper into illegality and terrorism, and even if you think her fight is a bit justified, you can't help but tell yourself that she is going too far, and she has to be placed in both hero and anti-hero category.
Gene selection is supposed to be a cutting age advance, a concern that would have appeared a few time ago with the many advances of science, but the Idea of a perfect man, that got rid of mere human's limitations and imperfections, is not that recent. Indeed, this corresponds to the Greek myth of Pygmalion, a sculptor who wasn't interested in women or humans in general, but that once sculpted a statue of a woman so perfect and beautiful that he fell in love with it. Eventually, after winning a contest on Aphrodite's festival day, the goddess answered his wish and made his ivory woman come human, so that he could marry her. With this myth, we can see that this will of perfection of humanity is something that keeps running through the ages without a distinction of technical limitations.
Well; this is it, hope it gave you some will to read this book, for it really deserves some more attention than it has for now. As this is partly a work post, the gift won't be for that one, but if you are curious I could give you clues in the comment section, so as always don't hesitate in writing some, I'll read them all and take them into account.
Oh, also as I have no good pic to close this post, it will be an announce of the next free post, and it's not a manga again!
Bye Guys!
Thursday 8 December 2016
Post 6: An art Exhibition Review
In 2014, from June the 10th to September the 14th, at the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, level 0, an exhibition called Pop art myths took place. Though it is of course imposible to get to see it at the center of Madrid nowaday, you can see the entire exhibition here, and you should give it a look for they did quite a great job putting it at everyone's disposition.
As said in the title, this was a three month pop art exhibition regrouping a group show of several artists, some well known such as Andy Warhol or Roy lichtenstein, and some that I discovered through it, like Peter Blake or Mimmo Rotella. In one of there digital resources, you get through the many rooms of the exhibition, each gathering art pieces corresponding to a peculiar theme: Landscapes-interiors-still lives; Portraits; Myths; Emblems; Collage-advertising-comics; Urban Eroticism; History painting, and finally art about art.
Even though this exhibition has quite a large pannel of art pieces, that conveys quite a feeling of diversity, as someone who is quite fond of graphic art, made out of pencil and paint, the ones I found the most interesting where in the History section, especially "group hug" (counter publicity), of Juan Genovés, "The living room", of Equipo Cronica, and the famous remake of Boticelli's "Birth of Venus" by Andy Warhol. These three, as impressive as they look, are also revealing the heteroclicity of atmosphere an identical section can contain, for the color pannel they are showing is way too different to create any other link than the historical criterial, except for some similiraties in the creative process. Indeed, in addition to Wharol's remake of Botticelli's paint, the "equipo cronica"s work is based on Velazquez painting's "Las Meninas".
Despite being fond of more classical forms of art, I have to salute the amazing works that were done by pretty much every artists of the exhibition to innovate in their art works, concerning pasting as well as re used comic characters, for it makes every piece surprising in its own way, wether it is humorous, simple or a bit grotesque. Morover, it is worth mentioning that if Andy Wharhol and Lichtenstein are probably the most well known of the pop art movement, this diversity of placement isn't focusing on their art works, and this makes the other less known artists have their place in the show.
Personally, I can't deny that as a total newbie in the pop art culture, I thought that I would not be able to get right into the exhibition, for it can look a bit weird at first time, but I was quite wrong for it is a very accessible form of art, sometime more explicit than more formal ones. Besides, if some of you are not quite fond of exhibitions and are afraid of spending too much time getting through this one, don't worry for it has quite a little number of art pieces for an exhibition, and the truth is you quickly made it through, even a bit too quick as far as I am concerned. Of course, as it is an exhibition made to present the pop art myth, to give samples in order to make it discovered by more people, this is not really abnormal, but some more pieces could have served it well.
Now that we have seen a bit of the general informations about this exhibition, let's focus on one peculiar piece, of which I talked already which is "the living room" of equipo cronica. In this painting, we are placed in a living room, very bright looking, with a squared floor on which stands a little girl dressed in grey, surrounded by what seems to be servants. At her feet are a ball, a dog and a rubber ring looking as a duck. As a third year student in Highschool, I have some insight into this remake of Diego Velazquez's famous painting, mostly because the change of colour stricked me by the major changes it brought to the atmosphere of the all painting.
Indeed, the bright and shiny feel expressed by this remake contrasts with the very sober look
La salita
of Velazquez's paint, made as if their was no light in the scene. the level of details of nthe scene is also way superior in Velazquez's paint, and this is simply the result of the different times the paintings were made. If Velazquez is representing the XVIIth century through his representation of the Royal family, the remake of Equipo cronica seem to represent the myth of the American way
Even though this exhibition has quite a large pannel of art pieces, that conveys quite a feeling of diversity, as someone who is quite fond of graphic art, made out of pencil and paint, the ones I found the most interesting where in the History section, especially "group hug" (counter publicity), of Juan Genovés, "The living room", of Equipo Cronica, and the famous remake of Boticelli's "Birth of Venus" by Andy Warhol. These three, as impressive as they look, are also revealing the heteroclicity of atmosphere an identical section can contain, for the color pannel they are showing is way too different to create any other link than the historical criterial, except for some similiraties in the creative process. Indeed, in addition to Wharol's remake of Botticelli's paint, the "equipo cronica"s work is based on Velazquez painting's "Las Meninas".
Despite being fond of more classical forms of art, I have to salute the amazing works that were done by pretty much every artists of the exhibition to innovate in their art works, concerning pasting as well as re used comic characters, for it makes every piece surprising in its own way, wether it is humorous, simple or a bit grotesque. Morover, it is worth mentioning that if Andy Wharhol and Lichtenstein are probably the most well known of the pop art movement, this diversity of placement isn't focusing on their art works, and this makes the other less known artists have their place in the show.
Personally, I can't deny that as a total newbie in the pop art culture, I thought that I would not be able to get right into the exhibition, for it can look a bit weird at first time, but I was quite wrong for it is a very accessible form of art, sometime more explicit than more formal ones. Besides, if some of you are not quite fond of exhibitions and are afraid of spending too much time getting through this one, don't worry for it has quite a little number of art pieces for an exhibition, and the truth is you quickly made it through, even a bit too quick as far as I am concerned. Of course, as it is an exhibition made to present the pop art myth, to give samples in order to make it discovered by more people, this is not really abnormal, but some more pieces could have served it well.
Now that we have seen a bit of the general informations about this exhibition, let's focus on one peculiar piece, of which I talked already which is "the living room" of equipo cronica. In this painting, we are placed in a living room, very bright looking, with a squared floor on which stands a little girl dressed in grey, surrounded by what seems to be servants. At her feet are a ball, a dog and a rubber ring looking as a duck. As a third year student in Highschool, I have some insight into this remake of Diego Velazquez's famous painting, mostly because the change of colour stricked me by the major changes it brought to the atmosphere of the all painting.Indeed, the bright and shiny feel expressed by this remake contrasts with the very sober look
La salita
- 1970
- Acrylic on linen
200 x 200 cm
of Velazquez's paint, made as if their was no light in the scene. the level of details of nthe scene is also way superior in Velazquez's paint, and this is simply the result of the different times the paintings were made. If Velazquez is representing the XVIIth century through his representation of the Royal family, the remake of Equipo cronica seem to represent the myth of the American way
of life during the 50s, which explains the bright atmosphere and the apparent signs of prosperity, emphasized by the traditional clothes and the fact that it is a royal family represented. The dog and the child toys are adding to this feel of modern familiy, eventhough the character's placement is the same as in Velazquez's paint, with the paintor himself standing next to the familiy. On top of that, if the level of detail is lower while looking at the nuances, it is not less
impressive by the precision of the composition.
Las Meninas
1656
oil on linen
318 x 276 cm
Diego Velazquez
With this painting, we basically see the essence of Pop Art, which is to use the ancient to innovate, and the change of time we see in those is perfectly illustrating this aspect of the pop art myth, which purpose is in my opinion to surprise people. I would add that this is not an art that can really die, for it will innovate and create new forms of Art as long as artists will keep creating in other arts movements. Pop art might be a constant modern art.
Well, this is it, I can only advice you once again to go check this exhibition online, as I don't think it will be another time in Madrid. This said, as always don't hesitate to leave comments, and bye guys!
The Mad Hatter
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