I went to Rome (Tra la la) and saw what the fuss is all about with Caravaggio.
The narrative around his work is that when he was first painting (at the end of the 1500s -start of 1600s), his pictures were seen as a threat to the old school of religious painting. Previously ecclesiastical artists had represented the great stars of the Bible in highly idealistic etheral paintings. Beauty was high on the agenda. Purity, majesty and a certain cleanliness around being holy. Even crucifixions were sanitised.
Entry stage left was Caravaggio with his paint brush - depicting images of Christ and the Madonna with filthy feet.
(This painting is almost life size)In some paintings he even depicted himself as onlooker. All very postmodern - an awareness of his own perspective within the piece.
Not only was he able to introduce techniques, where cloth seemed real, and use chiarascuro to render a sense of three dimensions using light and shade. IT ALL SEEMED SO REAL. These techniques brought in new ways of understanding the biblical stories - (their reality).
Churches were a central place for the getting of information; sharing of new ideas, passing on narrative etc. People looked at the art and 'read it'. (Obviously most could not read text.)
Are we becoming a culture which is turning again to visual images and placing them in a more central location? Again, there has been a step change in new techniques, allowing us to share our realities with others. And this is of course upsetting some people. We are able, to easily bring excellent representations of our world in close up detail of the basics of our lives. We have seen photo's of japanese packed lunches, of shoes, of people on the phone and even our dirty feet. It is a Look Again mentality. We make the everyday seem exotic. And we love our ability to do so.
This is to be my new fixation for a while ...
Blogging the mundane ... almost over and out.
Just one more thing ... have a cup of coffee on me....
1. Open this
2. Put a coin in the machine
3. Select what you want to drink
4. click on the cup, watch it fill up
5. Click on "apri"
Don't forget to click on "APRI" at the end!! This is the best part!
2 comments:
I enjoy reading your blog Joolz! Thanks for the cup of coffee!!!!! *hysterical laughter*
The absolute adrenalin rush I got when I saw I had THREE COMMENTS on my blog. I am so lucky, thank you for reading it.
The cup of coffee was one my sister sent me as my birthday present. Glad you enjoyed it too!
As for Sylvanian barge and badgers - I LOVED those toys when Rosa had them. I gave so many of them away a few years ago and really wanted to keep them.
Am now going to look up Augustus John. never heard of him. will get baclk to you re this topic.
In the meantinme have to plan teaching for tomorrow ...Rather scarily have to teach all day but have not planned.
Might get them all to do a blog.
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