posted
So, here is my big paper. My assignment was to analyze a trend in contemporary art and formulate a unique argument.
So, if you have the time to read it and such things interest you, let me know what you think. And how do you think this pertains to LDS doctrine, if at all?
(links to figures bring up jpg images which I, regrettably, didn't re-size. They're not too huge, but at a printable rather than a web resolution. Just so you're warned)
posted
Geocities seems to have instantly been overpowered by people demanding to see this paper. I happened to leave a copy of it open and have the text mirrored here, the images however, are not accesible. Sorry.
I'm nowhere NEAR as educated as you about the history of all the movements you mentioned, so I don't think any criticisms I could give are really relevant. I likes your style, too.
...also liked the Southey quote. Posts: 1595 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I just want my ridiculously large amount back from Yahoo.
Well, I paid the ridiculously large amount for a personalized domain name for when I actually get the time to get my freelance design stuff together. But still, I am very not so pleased with yahoo "professional." I only get 15 megs, too. bah.
I haven't read the whole paper yet, but what I've read so far is really good. I wish I could write papers that well. Posts: 1658 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Most of what I know about art comes from AP Art History five/six years ago. However, I dig on Mormon culture. I find the combination of twenties style German expressionism and Renaissance/classical geometrical perfectionism odd and intriguing. I think you're dead on when you link the first to Mormon belief in personal revelation and the second to Mormon confidence in the possibility of personal perfection. This reminds me of something I read in Leonard Arrington's Brigham Young biography, that Young was drawn to Mormonism because it offered answers where other churches offered mystery; that he liked Mormon theology because it offered an explanation for everything - or at least a way to find a personal answer. Could you see somebody like Haltern's "attempts to portray this abstract form that embodies the celestial style in form and proportion" as also, perhaps, an attempt to convey this idea? Could his attempt to place the boundaries of classical art upon his recollections of his vision be an attempt to harness the divine and make it, in Mormon fashion, reachable and understandable? Is it possible that the imposing of classical proportion and geometry upon the explosion of emotion in expressionism reflects the ability of Mormon theology to render the vast ebb and tide of the divinity in the cosmos comprehensible?
Yikes. I get poetic when I'm tired.
Posts: 794 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
Ack. So, I'm registered for this great new webhosting jive.
Only problem: I have no idea what I'm doing. It's talking about shells and things and I'm just the graphics kid.
I just need to upload and put my little html in the little box. Where's the little box? Where's the little upload button? Little button?
Um, maybe my article will be accessible tomorrow... if I can translate this funny thing. Yeah.
(I think what you're witnessing here is a macintosh brain trying to plug into a pc drive. Just give me something I can rasterize and I'm fine.)
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
I thought the paper was pretty interesting. Most of the religion inspired art I've known has come from the Catholic tradition so it was definitely informative. Not knowing enough about art to talk about the thematics of the paper, I have a few "grammar Nazi" things to point out. I'm guessing the paper isn't ready to be handed in yet, or you would have found most of these already.
quote:that would be come to be called Utah, Idaho, Arizona
An extra "be" in this sentence.
quote:Unlike art in Protestant communities, LDS art does not eschew blatantly representative religious iconography, but unlike Catholic art, is generally not created with official church commissions as objects of veneration.
This sentence is a bit awkward, and unlike should not be used twice. Try another word.
quote:Kandinsky writes in his landmark work Concerning the Spiritual in Art:
I'm assuming the landmark work was some book or journal and should therefore be underlined or put in bold to emphasize that fact. You might want to do the same thing to the artwork titles, though I'm not sure if that's done. You probably know more about that than me!
quote:Like Kandinsky's early work inspired by churches (figure 1), the art of Hagen Haltern is definitely decided of its role as an independent entity that comes to life through the artist as medium, creating an atmosphere and strength of its own.
This sentence sounds wrong to me. I'm guessing it's the "decided of" part.
quote:...Zimbabwe and immigrated the the United States after studying in England and South Africa;...
"the the".
quote:..of an artist being literally called of God,..
Did you mean "of God" or "by God"? I'm not sure exactly what being "called of God" means...
quote:Though a large percentage of Utah artists are Utah natives, the number of influential artists, like Haltern, Barsch, and Southey, of foreign origin, is startling.
Try "the number of influential artists of foreign origin, like Haltern, Barsch and Southey, is startling." It flows a little better.
quote:As LDS art evolves and changes throughout the years to come, popular commercially successful art will no doubt remain one of the largest markets in the Church, (figure 20) but movements such as the MABM of the 1960s and this new generation of artists utilizing the influences of European expressionist and modernist tradition, specific LDS doctrines about personal revelation and spiritual vision, and a peculiar penchant for geometric perfection has paved the way for a modernist, abstract aesthetic in a context of traditionally figurative scriptural art and decorative portraiture and landscape that is growing in influence throughout regional markets and the art culture of the Southwest.
Run-on sentence. Break it up some.
Yes, I'm a big nerd and anal retentive. My local college newspaper spelled accelerant "excellerent" the other day, and it made my grammar nerves especially sensitive.
The typos are frustrating - I've read this way too many times for those to still be there.
And I just realized that none of my titles are in italics. (I cut and pasted everything from a Word document) i shall fix those. Thanks!
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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Really interesting paper! I just wish I could have gotten a peek at some more of your linked images. Stupid Yahoo.
Posts: 4548 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
I'm working as we speak on transferring to 1&1 hosting. Hopefully by tonight, all will be functional
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
Have you already handed this in? It has some very painful style problems but I won't mention them if it's too late to fix it.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
It's handed in. But I'm looking less for feedback on the paper than ideas about the subject matter. I just think that art is something that Mormons need to talk about more.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
As much as I like this article, I think you have missed the boat. You are dealing with a part of LDS art that is far removed from the usual mainstream Mormon art and only constitutes a "fringe" element of what is available. I respectfully refute your statement that these artists' styles are growing in popularity and numbers. In fact, ask any Mormon who such-and-such is that you have mentioned and you will get a blank stare. I know that as both an art enthusiast and a Mormon pretty familiar with its culture, I was bemused by your choices of discussion.
The only part of your article that I agree with is, minus the mention of the names as influences, is:
quote:Another important influence in contemporary LDS art is international folk art. Traditionally, most Mormon men and a good fraction of young women serve as missionaries around the world from the ages of 19 - 21. This provides for a university environment at church schools where multiculturalism is a way of life. Though a large percentage of Utah artists are Utah natives, the number of influential artists, like Haltern, Barsch, and Southey, of foreign origin, is startling. The influence of Folk Art as an acceptable high art has definitely served as an factor in the developing styles of LDS art
The LDS Church has pretty much pushed for a more international art movement. They often hold internationsl art competitions, associated with the LDS History and Art Museum, on a yearly basis. What they recieve is usually characterized as "folk art" as non- or near-professionals are most likely to enter the contests.
I would characterize the more influencial Mormon art forms, especially in the United States, as perfectionist kitch. They are near completely realistic with few subtle or abstract symbolism. Probably the biggest differentiations of LDS art and other forms is the use of light. Everything is bright and easily recognizable. There are few "soft" objects with difused edges characteristic of expressionism. Dark and light is used as contrasts, but little outlining is lost in the shadows; you still easily recognize what is in the darker spots.
However, I would say that expressionism is the Mormon equivalant of abstract art. It is used when an artist seeks to break from the pure realism, and try for a sense of personal style. It is not as prevailant as pure realism, but equally as acceptable without going into unfamiliar artistic territory. This, I believe, goes back to one of the greatest LDS artists of all time; Minerva Techart. She trained as an expressionist and was commissioned by the Church to do some the interior Temple paintins.
Interestingly it could have gone another way, if LDS artists had followed the lead of C.C.H. Christianson, an early Mormon convert. His art was antiquated and ameturish, but had a strong emotionalism and tension in the style. The scenes were often "action in motion" and even melodramatic. Amazingly, despite the strong cultural influence they created (he is often used as illustrations in LDS history books), the artwork did not carry on into the actual LDS art world. Instead, there remains the quiet, contemplative, sterile realism of contemparary LDS art.
The reasons why contemporary art is what it is I have my ideas, but this is already a long post. Perhaps I can explain that at some other time.
Posts: 2207 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
Abstracts may not form the bulk of LDS art competition entries, but they always do well. As I mentioned, I am not a big art theorist, but I did recognize the style, if not the actual image, of several of these works.
I had an institute teacher who ripped on the reliance on illustration grade reproductions in church "art" applications. I guess the depictions of Christ that were very popular in the 70's and 80's and weren't actually by a church member. Typical would be the triumph of Christ where he has a red sash (rather than a red robe) and there's all these angels blowing trumps.
When it comes to the Celestial Stylistic, I think the vision described is likely to be highly subjective rather than a universal manifestation. That is, Infinite Intelligence is likely to manifest to an individual in the form most meaningful for them. This is my view as a believer.
My best subjective view is that it reminded me of Benjamin Whorf's search for a biblical code to unlock the true meaning of the Bible.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Annie, I really liked your paper. I can't offer any real criticism or discussion since it is on a topic that I know little about. I will say, though, that I liked the art samples that were included. I only recognized the last one, Figure 20, out of all of them. I think I saw it as the subject of a puzzle before. hmmm. I wish I knew the titles of those last pieces (Figures 12-20) too.
Posts: 46 | Registered: Nov 2003
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