Frames of Mind Comparing & Contrasting Political Posters

Preparing to Write, page 373

1. 

  

1. The Nixon Poster:

Frame—uses elements of the American flag such as stars and stripes, uses typical American colors of red, white and blue. The frame is shaped in a rectangle and encloses the more centralized images of Nixon and the accompanying text.

Images—On the poster, there are images that symbolize our country. These typical, and rather cliché images include an eagle at the top, the national bird, and the white house placed directly opposite the eagle at the bottom on the page. These images surround Nixon, almost making him seem as if he is a national icon. Furthermore, there is a multitude of faces. In the crowd there are past presidents, other well-known figures of American history.

Text—The words on the poster read “Nixon’s the one! Nixon” These words seem to be telling viewers either that “of all the possible people to run the country, Nixon is the one,” or that “just as these people have done great things for the nation, Nixon will too.”

2.    2.   Answer stated in previous answer. In addition, I believe that the poster is trying to comment on Nixon as a prime example of everything that embodies the United States.

3.      3.  Visual elements: the poster has very few visual aspects. It simply consists of a close-up, black and white photograph. It forces the viewer to engage the subject and maintain direct eye contact. It is as if he is speaking the text straight to the viewer.

Written elements: In black and white print, the poster reads “Some talk change. Others cause it. Humphrey.” The seemingly confusing and technically grammatically incorrect sentence is actually a rather clever message. The words work to convey the idea that Humphrey might be one of the “others” who cause change, although it is not for certain.  

Readers should infer that whoever Humphrey is, he is probably someone who is interested in not just talking about change, but bringing it about in some way. His facial expression is fairly blank. He is not smiling, as Nixon is, but is not angry or upset. He seems to just be inquisitive and ready to listen.

4.     4.  The overall message of the Humphrey poster is that, in the political realm, there are those who say they will make changes, and then there are those who will make changes. The size and shape of the words are important because they are unavoidable and give the viewer nothing else to believe but what they say.

The two posters are vastly different. One is colorful while the other is monochrome. Those differences reflect the difference in interpretation. The colorful Nixon one leaves the audience with multiple ideas and reminders. The Humphrey gives no range of colors and therefore no range of further interpretation other than what it says, literally in black and white. While  both use the faces of the men they are representing, they do so in different ways. Nixon’s is sketched and is smiling, welcoming. Humphrey’s is a close-up photograph and is rather emotionless. Nixon’s poster is warmer in general. Humphrey’s is somewhat bland and unexciting. 

Who Done It? Mystery in Nashville

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is giving you the chance to help finish 

"painting the picture"--mystery style!

In a new and exciting interactive activity, inspired by Tracey Snelling's current exhibition, entitled Woman on the Run, Nashvillians are asked to help solve the mystery of Veronica and Victor Hayden--the stars of the exhibit--by unravelling clues and adding to the twists and turns. 

What are you waiting for? Contribute to this ever-changing novella that will continuously unfold in the coming weeks. (You might even win some prizes.)

For all the details about how you can join the sleuth team, click this link: http://fristcenter.org/calendar-exhibitions/detail/woman-on-the-run

New clues are posted on the Frist's facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/fristcenter (Don't forget to "like" them to stay in-the-know!)

Keep your eyes peeled and good luck! 

A Study of Classification and Memory--Frames of Mind

Frames of Mind

Classification

304-305

1.

n  Monuments with human figures

n  Monuments commemorating war

n  Large-scale monuments

n  Monuments relating to another country

n  Monuments as a sign of hope/positive

n  Monuments as a memorial/sad

n  Monuments commemorating past presidents

2.            Things memorialized here in 3 groups:

 War—The Vietnam Memorial, Korean War Memorial

Presidents—Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial

Death/achievement – all

3.            New principle of classification: emotion/senses evoked from monuments:

Sadness/Loss

Achievement/recognition

Gratefulness

Eerie

1.       Martin Luther King, Jr., War in Afghanistan, People who gave their lives on 9/11 (not just the Twin Towers) – not represented in the nation’s capitol.

To commemorate MLK, a statue or symbol of black oppression would be appropriate.

To commemorate the War in Afghanistan, a structure that lists numbers of troops, supplies, and families that the war used/changed.

To commemorate 9/11—a recreation of the firemen or police offers, something that suggests turmoil and chaos, but rebirth as well.

2.       Characteristics—recognition to those people and events that changed our nation’s course of action and future. There are many more figures, other than presidents, and many more events that helped shape our nation that ought to be memorialized.

3.       N/A

1.       The United States likes to memorialize huge events that most of the population remembers or wants to remember. Sometimes that includes horrific events—not just positive presidents that bettered our nation. We wish to remember the struggle that got us to where we are now. They are deemed worthy of memorializing because of the perseverance in the face of opposition and their ground-breaking results as either people or events.

2.       The size of the monuments will show future generations that the US is proud of its achievements while also regretful and respectful to those who gave their lives to the greater cause of the nation. They will come to understand that honor is mostly done on a large-scale, so that everyone understands its force and mark it has left on our country.

3.       I believe that the United States should erect a monument in honor of our forefathers who wrote the Declaration of Independence. Without them and their efforts, we would not be here today. There ought to be something dedicated to the risky and brave efforts that they made when drafting such a then controversial constitution. The monument would fit into the group commemorating the achievements of our nation and past presidents. It should be some sort of recreation of those who were present at the convention where they wrote the document. It would be great to recreate the setting so that students could understand and visualize how it happened.

4.       Classification has helped to think about the bigger picture—about why certain monuments are created and what they represent. I also used patterns of inquiry such as cause and effect and ethos.

1.       I think that Centennial Park is a great place to build another memorial. I consider the Parthenon and the statues inside of it a memorial, but I believe that the park is big enough to house something that represents a different set of ideals. I’m not sure what would go there, but it would make sense for it to have something to do with democracy and the 100^th anniversary of our nation. Perhaps some aspect of government that we adopted from the ancient Greeks.

2.       Another form of collective consciousness that is shared among large groups is pride. People are often proud of different things, different aspects of their lives. But there is also a sense of national pride—pride of our government, pride of our troops, pride of our religions. Perhaps this idea of personal and national pride could be further explored.

JOAN DIDION essay

Georgia O’Keefe Essay

By Joan Didion

Page 165

1. In these first two paragraphs, Didion tried to do two things—to describe Georgia O’Keefe as an artist but to also, separately describe her artwork. The author touches on the difficulties of viewing art and remaining objective. Also, she notes that, even though her daughter has fallen in love with the airy, expansive depiction of a perfect sky, the artist should not be identified with the emotions found in the art. Didion explains that O’Keefe was a “hard” woman—not necessarily a happy-go-lucky, nature loving type that one might assume when viewing her art. Furthermore, the author says that there is a conflict between the images of O’Keefe and the work she produces.

2. In her essay, I feel that Didion uses O’Keefe’s art to forge a bridge between O’Keefe and the men. The “men” are seen as the ones who harass her and tell her she cannot be an artist. They are the ones who set the standards and barriers that O’Keefe consistently tears down by means of her art. Her art acts as the bridge between the two and acts as proof that she can paint just as they say is impossible.

3. Didion gives substance to her claims by juxtaposing the men and O’Keefe. The men serve as the goal that O’Keefe strives for. She strives to complete the tasks that they deem impractical. The quote about the flowers that she paints shows that O’Keefe does not want people to interpret her flowers as their own idea of flowers. She wants to be independent in style as well as thought.

4. Annotated in text

1.  Didion uses very concise and direct sentences to talk about the early life of Georgia O’Keefe. She also uses repetition, which helps the reader to read quickly through the passage, evoking a sense of rhetorical movement and implying a fast pace. She beings most sentences with “at fill-in-the-blank location or age”.

2. The last paragraph about O’Keefe in Texas tells us that she was certain of what she wanted. She wanted to live in Texas because there, “no one could tell her how not to paint” (164). Also, the idea of her “walking away from the town” symbolizes her aversion to the men of New York. The vast, open landscape of Texas is directly contrasted with the hustle and bustle of New York City.

3.            Dear Georgia,

I respect your statement that claims that when people view your images of flowers, they include their own associations of flowers. And I agree with you that it is unfair, from an artists’ standpoint, to assume certain notions about a piece of art because the viewer already has certain personal opinions. But, I must admit that I find it very difficult to view art with a totally unbiased, free of our own associations approach. I think that we interact with so many different subjects and experiences that our mind can never truly lack our own associations. I think people should strive to do what you encourage—people should strive to see a piece of art as it really is, but I do not think it is possible for someone without training.

Tell Alfred hello.

Sincerely,

Anna

Frames of Mind--Ways of Seeing (And Not): An Occasion for Description

Essay by E.M. Forster
pages 146-149

1.       I think there are a lot of people who have trouble looking—and I mean really looking at a piece of art. It is hard not to let the mind wander. It is hard to prohibit your imagination from transporting you to a new scene. I believe it is important to be able to look at a piece and understand it for its visual components and effects. But I also believe that a successful work causes the viewer to feel other emotions, to grapple with ideas that are inspired by the image. After so many art history courses, I have trouble looking at a painting or sculpture and not conducting a mental visual analysis. Sometimes I wish that I had no idea what to  look for and could view art in a naïve, alien way.

2.       Both Mauron and Fry are distinguished critics of some sort. Therefore, they are the type of people whose minds do NOT wander when viewing art. I think the author, Forster, uses them to contrast his own experiences. They also serve to show that there is some fun to be had in viewing art. When they are both in the gallery, laughing and talking about what they see, it demonstrates a less-serious, less-strict side of looking at art.

3.       I was very interested in Forster’s description of Las Meninas. I was intruiged to read about his “waves” and “half-waves” that he sees when viewing the image. In his description of the masterpiece, he uses positive diction—words such as “adorable,” “party,” “casual,” and “Kodak.” For the somewhat mysterious piece with somber colors, Forster really lightens it up. He makes the reader want to see the piece for themselves to either agree or disagree with his observations.

1.       When Forster approaches a painting, if he can keep his mind from taking charge and going off on some alternate path, he first looks at the composition. He searches for some sort of diagonal that helps him get his bearing for viewing. But he is also easily distracted by the content (i.e. the dinosaur). Most often, this is what he is drawn to even before the diagonals. He also takes note of the colors, but has a hard time focusing on them unless they stand out in a dramatic sense, like the cherries that he mentions. When Fry views a painting, he makes certain to observe the composition and take note of the structural significance it has. He notes balance and scale, as well.

2.       Esthetic—“concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste, a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful.” I don’t believe his claim that he has no “esthetic aptitude.” I think everyone is capable of discerning what they believe to be beautiful. It is simply a matter of exercise and use. If you work on it and view art often and talk about what you see and how it makes you feel, you become more comfortable with it and further develop it. Fry, for example, is in a field which requires him to constantly judge art, undoubtedly employing his own perceptions of beauty/esthetics.

3. In response to Forster’s last claim, I agree with him. I believe that when someone chooses not to view art, the only “goal” that remains is to “not look at art.” But when someone does want to view art, when someone chooses to look, the looking opens up enumerable doors in the mind for interpretation and understanding. A good example is the artwork of Jackson Pollock (shown below). 

Jackson Pollock, No. 5, 1948.

   This is a fairly intimidating piece of art to study. Those who choose not to look at it, lose all chances of better comprehending something about it—the style in which it was made, information about the artist, the emotions evoked by the colors, etc. But for those who do not fear it, they are led to a wide range of goals. They have a multitude of ways to interpret it. They might find that they want to try painting for themselves. Or they might learn what they like and don’t like in the realm of art. But at least they are choosing to look. 

Frames of Mind--Modern Art Analysis

Rene Magritte, The Importance of Marvels, 1927

Rene Magritte, The Treachery of Images, 1929

René Magritte

PREPARING TO WRITE

1.             I can see at least 7 separate parts in the image. 1) background/beach setting 2) face of figure 3) left arm of figure 4) right arm of figure 5) nude torso with breasts 6) lower torso with belly-button and 7) legs, largest part of body

2.           While many of the shapes are similar—they all make use of circular regions and imply that something has been omitted from the form—they are of contradicting sizes, and thus complicate each other. I perceive the background as a scene which lacks specific detail, although one can see that it depicts a beach. It is a mixture of dark tones, no depth and no real sense of space. I feel that the background conveys the idea that the figure is lost or afloat at sea, in the middle of a vast space with no sense of direction.

3.                The colors are very muted. There is not pure black nor any pure white. Yet they seem to all be shades of black and white, with different tonal variations. There is also a faint hint of yellow. These colors suggest despair and unease. The murkiness creates an shadowy, confusing emotion in one’s mind.

4.       I believe that the human body can be considered one of the “marvels.” Or perhaps the power of nature—the ocean.

5.                   I see 3 parts in the image. 1) the pipe 2) the solid background 3) the French text. Yes, I did.

 I think the “images” in the title refers to the form of the pipe as well as the text. Also, maybe another “image” is what the viewer gets in his/her mind when the text is read.

MOVING TOWARD ESSAY

1.                By combining “sculptural” and “real” parts in this painting, it evokes the sense of deformity and disunity. It confuses the mind and presents a conflict of visual connection as well as a conflict of interpretation.  It illustrates a combination of animate and inanimate aspects of life.

2.              I like to see the evolution going in the direction toward human, away from being mechanically reproduced. I think this is more appropriate because, at the heart of nature, every living organism is formed in basically the same way. Something is pollinated or fertilized, which yields an organism, which then grows and evolves into whatever it is destined to be. It appeals to me to think of humans as all originating in the same, mechanical way, and then evolving into individual people.

3.             The woman seems to be controlling the sea, while at the same time she doesn’t appear to have any strong relationship with it. She is on the sand, not being tompled by strong waves which reside in the background. And she does not look at the water, but at the viewer instead. Her arms are out in a gesturing manner as if to say “look at what I’ve done/what I’ve come from. Look at me!” It is a mere backdrop for her life. It (nature) is what she has come from. I think she serves as an example as a marvel—both in the sense of the female intrigue and the human being as a whole.

4.             The woman’s hair, while not very noticeable, seems to be blowing in some invisible breeze. It suggests movement. The fact that it is down and not tied up evokes a sense of freedom and lack of inhibitions.

5.       I think that Magritte is trying to comment on the powerfulness of the female. I also think he gives a warning to stay true to one’s natural, real self, and to avoid the urge to become formed like everyone else.

6.              I think the effect of the French phrase is supposed to challenge the viewer. It is meant to make the viewer really consider what it is that he/she is looking at. I also think Magritte wants people to take this approach in their everyday lives—to pay close attention to what you see and not assume everything people tell you. Perhaps if it not a pipe, it can be anything you deem it. The term “pipe” need not apply to it if you do not want it to. Perhaps it is simply a black and brown object shaped like a pipe.

7.                         I think the artist is trying to focus on more than just the physical qualities. He is far more concerned with the “lesson” or “message” of the piece. Without those words, the image would not be able to elicit the idea of human reasoning and challenging perceptions.

WRITING THOUGHTFULLY

1.                              I think there are definitely some similaraites between Botticelli’s piece and Magritte’s image. They both confront the viewer with the female nude set in a powerful stance. They both also employ the use of the sea, and depict the figures’ hair blowing in the same direction. I believe in some way they are also both commenting on the idea of birth in relation to these circular shapes. Perhaps they are commenting on the continuous life cycle and relating it to the persistent pushing and pulling of the tides. The myth of Venus might help viewers summon an idea of divine birth as opposed to mechanical, routine birth.

2.                              I do not feel that same way about Picasso’s cubist painting as I do about Magritte’s image. While Magritte’s is obviously not naturalistic or cohesive, it is easy to follow in a uniform manner. The eye can easily gaze up and down the painting without becoming lost in shapes and colors, which happens with Picasso’s piece. Yet Magritte’s surreal perspective does suggest a sense of complexity and disunity, similar to the cubist piece. I think his piece also comments on the state of women in society—he is making a statement on how, as women grow into their own person and personality, they become less like the woman next to them. He comments on the ability of the female to overcome a homogenous birth and to achieve individuality.

3.       Based on Magritte’s The Treachery of Images, as well as her comments provided, I would infer that the image is meant to challenge the audience. Magritte wants viewers to think of the “pipe” in unconventional terms. He wants the term “pipe” to be disregarded and instead think of what the word “pipe” conveys. In my opinion, he is presenting a challenging philosophical idea—a problem of association of words and images.

4.                                      My analysis of these paintings, as well as that of Picasso’s, has uncovered the very close relationship between two areas of study—art critic and philosophy. I think the two or often more intertwined than assumed. Artists often include deeper meanings or messages in their pieces, while philosophers often turn to art as an example or expression of what they are trying to understand. This link makes analysis more difficult, but it can also yield to a greater sense of understanding and knowledge. The two play off of each other, both propelling the other and creating much deeper layers to discover.

    Rhetorical patterns used—reasoning, visual analysis, subjective experience and personal inference. 

CREATING OCCASIONS

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917.

Fountain, by Duchamp, has always stuck out to me. It is rather straightforward image in terms of composition. The black and white photograph shows a urinal with the name “R. Mutt” written on the side. The background is colorless and solid, for the object seems to just be placed in order to be photographed. It has been taken out of its “natural”, normal location. The symbolism and meaning that Duchamp embedded in this piece is much tougher to discern. The oddity and vulgar-nature is what makes me gravitate toward the image. It creates questions in my mind and makes me want to stare at the image to find the answers. If I’ve learned anything, it would be the idea that anything can be art. But art that is similar to this requires more conceptual aspects in order for the work to be effective. It is successful because it challenges the viewer—it makes him/her uncomfortable and evokes emotions that urinals don’t usually evoke. 

Frames of Mind--Essay Analysis

Pablo Piccaso, Weeping Woman, 1937

Perspectives on Fear, Saskia Verlaan

1.

Grand Canyon	Sense of loss, panic, felt infinitely small, abandonment…heightened fear set in as young child.
Cubsim (Weeping Woman)	Grotesque fashion, fractured view, multifaceted, air of absurdity, an amalgamation of perspectives
The Village Voice	Effects of fear on mind, hormones, waves of panic, unbearable becomes unforgettable, fractured memory becomes two perspectives on single plane.
Rats	Invaded, lurking, terror & pity, natural innocence, caused strong sense of hatred and urge to kill & erase source of fear
Cubism	Answers are evading, confusion, composite views—portrait that is faithful to characteristics of human being

2. annotated in text

3. “tend to think of my memories as shoeboxes…” … Verlaan came to understand that her “ideal shoebox logic” does not exist. She cannot qualify any clear, coherent form to store in her mind. Instead, she decides that her mind can only be understood through its confusion and distortion. A shoebox metaphor works because it is a solid, constant shape on the outside, but always contains something unique and different on the inside.

4. By examining Picasso’s painting, she discovers that, while his paintings seem to be multifaceted with seemingly opposite and unnatural aspects, they are in actuality giving a sense of truth inherent to her identity. She equates this idea to her complex mixture of fears and emotions that she is unable to sort out—and seems to better understand the complexity that exists within the self.

5. I think the most important use of analysis is when she begins her conclusion and ties together her struggle with multiple fears/emotions and compares them to the way in which Picasso chose to portray multiple aspects of one figure—they appear mangled but are in fact truth forged together in an unconventional way, similar to the way the mind forges/process thoughts and experiences.

1. Verlaan uses the “rats” example to show two things: 1) there was a logical, sequential occurrence of events that she can recall quite accurately. She can cite details and the chronological order that her experience happened. But then, 2) the end result of the horrifying experience leaves her with very strong emotions that she can make no sense of. So she goes from understanding and remembering, to being lost for answers and order. She interprets this as a troublesome, hard-to-classify experience that intrigued her.

2. I think Verlaan tells us that each experience we have creates these jagged perspectives. The fear we experience leaves us with non-linear, loose emotions, which live in our mind as these jagged perspectives that pop up from time-to time when we experience some form of fear. But in the end, it is crucial to self-development to understand that it is not only impossible but unnecessary to try and form a solid reasoning for these occurrences in the mind. The complexity of human minds call for much more than solidity…it calls for synthesis of the various experiences. 

(questions from page 76-77)