People often wonder where creativity comes from.

Creativity Definition – What is Creativity?

How can an ordinary person become a creative one?

Creativity isn’t about a new age, hipster, or beatnik look or lifestyle; you don’t have to don a new personality or even learn a fine art to be creative.

Creativity is inherent in all of us, from the dentist that designs a perfect new smile to the house movers that know just where to put furniture to make a room beautiful.

Creativity is simply the expression of self through creation. All you have to do to be creative is to create. It could be fine art, but it could also be something that entertains people or something that simplifies life or makes it better or more interesting. It could be the creation of something that defines new ways of doing or thinking about things.

Making just a few simple changes to your outlook and adding a few simple practices can radically bring out your creative side.

1. Stop thinking and start feeling

When you get caught up in your head overthinking an idea you can kill it by worrying about the ifs and buts too much.

While thinking is necessary for exploring the idea and seeing it in the right context and arriving at the best conclusion for how to express it, it is equally, or sometimes even more important to listen to your heart and gut.

Humans respond more deeply to emotion than to logic. This is what makes us human

That is true for you as the creator and for your audience as the viewers and appreciators of your work.

If you listen to your heart and let your emotions guide you, you may end up with an end product that is better than you first imagined.

There is a school of thought that says that when you have done all of the preparations for an endeavor, if you put it aside for a while, your subconscious will continue to work on it for you so that when you come back to it, you will have better ideas and be able to finish it with ease.

This brings to mind what the famous writer, James Stephens, said: “What the heart knows today, the head will understand tomorrow.”

2. Tell a Story

One thing that is unique to human ability is storytelling. A good story can bring out our emotions: anger, fear, laughter, love, and pride.

Telling stories entertain us with benefits.

Through well-told stories, we learn how to empathize and think, how to act, to learn, to socialize, and many other things that improve us.

Every vocation in this world, whether it is professional or personal, is often enhanced through storytelling.

A good storyteller advances fast in their chosen endeavors. A politician doesn’t rise quickly to the top through the policies and actions he actually makes, he rises fast through the stories in his speeches; by manipulating the heartstrings of his constituents.

Maybe that is a negative example, but it’s an easily recognizable one.

For a positive example, let’s look at the architects of Dubai, the people that created the world’s tallest building as not just a feat of engineering, but as a work of art – Burj Khalifa. The creators of this magnificent and beautiful structure built not just a building but told a story – creating history with bricks, metal, and cement.

Mr. Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties which owns the building, said: “Burj Khalifa goes beyond its imposing physical specifications. In Burj Khalifa, we see the triumph of Dubai’s vision of attaining the seemingly impossible and setting new benchmarks. It is a source of inspiration for every one of us in Emaar. The project is a declaration of the emirate’s capabilities and of the resolve of its leaders and people to work hand in hand on truly awe-inspiring projects.”

3. Leave Cynicism Behind

Cynicism may protect you from being naïve or from putting up with what you shouldn’t, but it is of no use in the creative process.

Imagine your idea as a simple dot. When new ideas come into your head about your project, whether they’re going to be used or not, that dot begins to grow; you begin to innovate.

Don’t be a cynic during this process and don’t think about constraints. You don’t want to put jagged edges and holes onto your growing circle of ingenuity.

H.L. Menken defined a cynic as “a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.”

Yes, during the creative process you will find that some of your ideas will work well and some won’t, but think of it as an organization – don’t judge the ideas that you leave behind harshly. Even though they didn’t work, they helped you fully form your final idea.

4. Explore things outside your usual sphere of influence

We often get caught up in our own worlds and don’t notice and think about other aspects of life outside of our own interests. Observe the world around you and the world at large

The next time you’re roaming around a gallery or are viewing some other event or element of creativity, look closely at the other worlds you are being mentally and emotionally exposed to.

You could take it one step further and do this purposefully. Say you’re a scientist – explore a cathedral or other center of religion and consider the reverence people have for the unknown. An economist might listen to a symphony and listen to the musical side of mathematics.

Explore things outside your usual sphere of influence. Keep delving into things you are unfamiliar with so that you round out your experiences and move in the direction of a holistic world view.

Staying abreast of what is happening in the world around us gives us connections to many ideas and the people that create them or create from them. This will only enhance your own creativity.

5. Reflect

Do you take a moment each day, consciously or unconsciously, to daydream or reflect?

Each of us has guiding principles and philosophies that shape our outlook on life.

These principles and philosophies help us answer questions about our happiness and what excites us.

If your principles or philosophies are unformed or are lacking, take steps to fill them out and help them take shape. It may happen that in the process of creation, you will have epiphanies and a new viewpoint will be born out of it.

Assessing the value of what we have done or what we are now doing gives us insight into how we or our creations help ourselves, help others, and help the world. Taking a moment out of our fast and busy lives to assess the value of our viewpoints and our creations is important.

6. Brush up on your skills

Maybe you’ve become bogged down by day to day life and you haven’t picked up the tools of creation for a few months, years, or decades.

Sometimes when this happens we are hesitant to create again, thinking that we just don’t have what we used to so it’s useless to begin again.

Don’t let such an attitude hinder you from creation. Pick it back up and practice.

They say practice makes perfect, and it’s true. Perfection doesn’t have to be a nearly photorealistic representation of something real – many people think that Van Gogh’s A Starry Night is perfection, yet he left bits of canvas showing through.

Present day high school art teachers would have a fit if one of their students did that, but it’s one of the most beloved images of all time.

Perfection is the beautiful representation of what made the artist’s heartbeat with emotion.

While you’re brushing up on skills you have or once had, go ahead and learn something new.

Tiptoe out of your comfort zone and experiment. If you’ve always sculpted ballerinas with clay, try something radical like entering a beachside sand sculpting contest. If you learned classical piano as a child, experiment with the chords and beats used in rock music.

Try something different.

7. Use your hands whenever you can

Our hands don’t get much use in this modern world.

We have dishwashers that take away the slippery soapy experience of cleaning dishes, keyboards that have replaced the familiar scratch of pencil on paper, and some people don’t even have to move their wrist to brush their teeth now that electric toothbrushes are available at home.

Have you ever heard of body memory? It’s the phenomenon by which you turn toward home while driving without even thinking or how you can get lost in thought while doing mundane tasks but still perform them perfectly without thinking.

Using your hands to do things also does something else to your brain.

It’s been shown that the act of putting words on paper with a pen or pencil makes your brain think that you’ve actually spoken the words aloud to a person.

Street Art Has A Remarkable Attitude, Satire, And Creativity

Therapists use this trick of the mind to help people cope with their personal issues with others by writing letters they won’t send. The mind gets the same release it would if the words were actually spoken to the other person.

Both of these strange oddities of the mind can be used to make you more creative if you use your hands to do familiar or new things. When you’re doodling or writing in a diary, do something a little different each time. You’re practicing the body memory you already have and you also creating new ones.

Use doodling, writing, or any hand use-dependent art to express your inner thoughts and feelings.

This doesn’t have to be for show, it can be just for yourself, but you’ll be surprised at how much satisfaction you’ll get out of seeing your ideas form in the tangible world.

Even playing in the dirt, finger painting, or the way you wash your car can be outlets of playing with creativity through the use of your hands.

8. Collaborate

Getting together with another person to create something will expand your creative horizons.

Sharing ideas, methods, and materials will give you the opportunity to work in ways you haven’t before and each of your thoughts will spark great ideas in each other’s minds.

You can mix and match your life experiences, knowledge, and talents to create a great story.

9. Stay positive

Don’t let your ego sway you.

There are two ways your own perception of self can hinder you. Either your ego says to you that you’re not good enough, which could keep you from expanding your talents, or your ego to say to you that you’re the best, which could cause you do not want to expand your abilities.

Either way – don’t let it control you. Stay positive about the creative process, but don’t get too carried away.

10. Keep it simple

Complexity can destroy the very essence of your ideas.

Imagine that a florist is going to put together a bouquet of roses together. Now imagine that she uses 12 different colors of rose and then puts them in a vase covered in a complicated geometric pattern of various colors.

It’s overkill.

Trust the idea to form itself with your help and don’t overthink it.

Expanding your experiences will encourage you to embrace life and live it fully. These ten acts will not only enhance what you create, but they will also help you to create a life that resonates with vitality and inspiration.

What do you think? Would love to hear your thoughts

The post Creativity Definition – How To Be More Creative? appeared first on The Artist.

The purposes, motivations, intentions, and inspirations behind the art are endless.

Being one of the most creative ways of expressing human experience, we have used art as a means of telling stories.

May it be the story of a single person, of a community, or of a nation, art has in many ways contributed to the beautiful way these stories are told.

We’ve put together a list of 25 functions of art based on the viewpoints from renowned artists and philosophers for you to reflect upon

1. Art as an Expression

Art is a human activity, consisting in this, that one person consciously, by certain external signs, conveys to others feelings he has experienced, and other people are affected by these feelings and live them over in themselves.” – Tolstoy

Tolstoy’s famous “Expression Theory” centered on the idea that art elicits and provokes emotion in the viewer.

Out of many styles of expression, Abstract Expressionism is one great example where artists are empowered with the liberty to convey attitudes and emotions through nontraditional and usually nonrepresentational means.

The prominent function of art always drawn toward the expression theory.

Artists like Jackson Pollock believed that it was the viewer (and not the artist) who defines and interprets the meaning of the abstract expressionist artwork thus, there is no relevance on what the artist thinks or conveys while producing the work.

Convergence by Jackson Pollock is one of the initial art pieces of abstract expressionism and considered as the bravest action paintings ever made

The modern artist is working with space and time, and expressing his feelings rather than illustrating” – Jackson Pollock

2. Art empowers our faith in the nobility of man (Humanism)

“Art is a lie that makes us realize truth, at least the truth that is given us to understand” – Pablo Picasso 

One of the most powerful shifts resulted from the Renaissance period is that the Church was never a responsible source for their behavior and beliefs towards God and fellow men and that they themselves are responsible for the actions. One of the key aspects of what makes us human is revolving around our faith in religion, art, and culture

The School of Athens by Raphael remains one of the powerful representation of this shift in human history and also embodies the classical spirit of Renaissance

3. The creation of beauty is art

What is beauty in art? – Beauty is what we see as characteristic and harmonious.

Whatever different reactions art will about inside you, it is clear that the explanation is complicated and definitive.

Every piece of art, whether a painting, a vase or a statue, will have different colors, lines, and textures that will appeal to your soul and heart.

4. Know Thyself

“Creative without strategy is called ‘art.’ Creative with strategy is called advertising” – Jef Richards, educator

Art is a form of expressing oneself

Consciously or unconsciously artists are following Socrates’ command – Know thyself.

During this process, artists are exploring their subject, medium, and material, rebalancing the spiritual value of those elements, thereby experiencing the subtle preciousness of their awareness.

This interaction is beautiful which in fact leads to the inevitable desire for outward expression.

Art is born here.

5. Art is freedom in every sense

“Art is meant to disturb. Science reassures” – Georges Braque, painter

One decides to express the imagination is brave. The value of freedom in our creative expression cannot be overstated.

What about aestheticizing violence? What about creating art in gigantic forms?

What about choosing topics that are controversial? Different expressive media have a tendency to attract different personalities.

Phillipe Perrin, known for his huge artworks revolving around the subjects of evil and crime, chooses subjects that have the power to instill immediate shock and presents them in a bold way that ensures they do.

One of Perrin’s famous works, Bloodymary, blends the line between theatre, sculpture, and performance art through the lens of murder.

The artist uses unconventional medium and subject to place the viewer face to face with images inexorably tied to modern violence, subtly aestheticizing the violence in art.

The true meaning of art can be multifarious, but the purpose of art is met when such artists like Perrin uses art in innovative and unconventional ways.

6. Art sends strong messages from the sidewalk to the world at large

 “Speak softly, but carry a big can of paint” – Bansky 

Street art has proven itself to be a truly expressive art form.

It is not an inferior form of political outcry nor is it the indifferent rebellion of disaffected youth.

Street art thinks, feels, and evokes thoughts and emotions in the people that view it with an open mind.

Using iconic imagery that is often recognizable regardless of language, the street artist is able to speak his opinions and solutions to a global audience, making this a rapidly advancing form of art the world over.

7.  Art is the most intense mode of individualism

“Art is either plagiarism or revolution” – Paul Gauguin, painter

Famous artist Paul Gauguin once written – “One must always feel the plane, the wall; tapestries need no perspective”

Paul Gauguin’s art, style, and legacy reflected strongly in his artworks and often dismantled the traditional perspectives of art.

Gauguin was once of a few ordinary men that were able to leave mundane life to realize and fulfill a dream – to become an artist.

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? by Paul Gauguin is a great example of individualism where Gauguin said to read from right to left instead of from left to right – which in fact provides an entirely different perspective to the reader, which itself shows the true power and meaning of art

8. Art shifts realism into reality

“Pop Art looks out into the world. It doesn’t look like a painting of something; it looks like the thing itself.” – Roy Lichtenstein

We’re living in a time where our beliefs and messages must be braver and rendered more boldly than ever before.

Popular culture was shrouding everything in the 1950’s and 60’s in America, and maintaining the status quo became more important than ever.

The power of pop art has been emerging since then and continuously breaking all conformist perspectives and definitions of art

Whereas abstract artists sought to let the medium control the image, such as in Pollock’s drops of paint.

Pop Artists went beyond realism into reality.

9. Great art tells meaningful stories

“Art does not reproduce what is visible; it makes things visible.” Paul Klee, artist

The Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau – One of the most perceptible modern pieces of art, currently resides in MoMA Newyork,  has been considered as one of the many inspiring works by poets and musicians and also frequently parodied.

In this masterpiece, both, lion and woman display a calm demeanor on this artwork, but actually, both are on the alert warning that the trust between two worlds may get violated anytime.

10. Art validates our sorrows

“Art grows from joy and sorrow, but mostly from sorrow. It grows from human lives” – Edvard Munch

Art helps us see that sorrow can be beautiful and noble and still be one aspect of a good life.

Art also helps us to suffer alone without the input of society so that we can show a dignified face to the world in our public sorrow.

The true meaning of art lies in the emotion, considering sorrow is one prominent expression that we embody, art always validates our sorrows. “They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn’t.

I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.” said Frida Kahlo, a great artist who infused her canvas with her native Mexican birthright and the historical epochs of her life.

11. Art is a personal act of courage

“Art is a personal act of courage” – Seth Godin

Courage is more important than creativity. Great art comes from the heart, doesn’t come from doing what you’re told. The mesmerizing charm of a great work of art doesn’t come from what is painted on the canvas. Rather, it comes from what was in the artist’s heart while he was painting. Franz Krueger’s The Parade auf Opernplatzis a great example of that. Krueger shows us that true art can be created only through courage, the strength of character, and determination. The meaning of art implies a personal and open proliferation of your thoughts.

12. Art is the signature of civilizations

“Art is the Queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world.” – Leonardo da Vinci

Humanity advances on the great foundations built by ancestors. We transform the heritage of the past, learn the social aspects, identify new opportunities and invent new ways of life. In this journey, the past lives remain as a reference point as a subtle guide to build great things in this modern world.

At Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, you will be amazed by the galleries of  “The art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and later South Asia” section, where you will experience some of the finest masterpieces from the Islamic world, moreover enables you to understand the artistic and scientific heritage of an entire civilization. Rightly said by Roger Seruton, the culture of civilization is the art and literature through which it rises to the consciousness of itself and defines the vision of the world – after all the definition of culture derives from greater civilizations

13. Art embodies power and of color

“Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment” – Claude Monet

Colors are powerful. Doesn’t matter what you might be creating now – a painting, or a powerpoint presentation, or an illustration –  your eyes must be straying over a palette, splashed with many colors, choosing the right one to add to your work.  To a sensitive soul, the impact of a perfect color combination is deeper and intensely moving.

Visual art always played an important role for artists to convey the life, lustre, and power of life through colors

14. Art is Attitude

“Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics”- Victor Pinchuk

Art has taken a different dimension to think, feel and evoke thoughts in the people that view it with an open mind. Art represents the attitude either of an artist or of a belief system. Street art is often considered as vandalism, but it is executed with purpose, design, technique and intention. Street art heightens our experience of the visual landscape outside museum walls.

15. Art is the highest form of hope

“Art is not a thing; it is a way.” Elbert Hubbard, artist

Art can move us to tears. Beautiful art can bring tears of joy when we see a painting, sculpture or photograph of people or creatures experiencing things we want to experience. Experiencing such heart-warming feelings about it encourages us to hope for the same thing for ourselves.

Mutiny of Colours, A Project of Love, Peace, and Unity by Iranian Street Artists is one great example. The powerful messages of peace, love, and hope in a country torn apart by internal conflicts are represented by Iranian street artists through their art, and mostly these works grow in all endless direction, both metaphorically, conceptually and physically.

16. Art is about two things – Life and Death

“The goal of all life is death” – Sigmund Freud

Many artists have used death as a theme for art.

By giving death as a central theme, artists force us to confront the reality of birth and death within the same frame. Hope II by Gustav Klimt is one great art – represents a pregnant woman and the weight of hope the protagonist carried in her womb. The function of art lies around the diverse perspectives of life and death

Birth and death exist side-by-side, suspended in equilibrium, collaborators in the appetite of living.

17. Art rebalances our life

“Art is like soup. There will be some vegetables you don’t like but as long as you get some soup down you it doesn’t matter.” George Wyllie, Sculptor

Viewing art that depicts situations and feelings outside of what we normally experience on a daily basis helps us attain balance in our emotions by filling those voids.

We gain balance through art by taking a moment to observe, judge, and appreciate things we don’t normally see and our responses to them.

18. Art can be surreal

“Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos” – Stephen Sondheim

Surrealism – a philosophical and artistic movement that explored the unconscious mind – reveals human emotions and desires in an irrational, powerful, poetic and revolutionary way. The concept has a greater relevance considering it brought out the repressed inner worlds of sexuality, violence, dream, and desire.

The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali shows us a few seemingly soft or melted pocket watches lying about in open land.  Dali’s message was to show that time and space are relative and that we, in fact, live in a universe of complete disorder.

“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” – Salvador Dali

19. Art is You

“Art is anything you can get away with”- Andy Warhol

Art helps us to complete our own unformed thoughts and ideas. We have an ‘aha’ moment when we see a piece of art that perfectly captures a feeling or thought we have had that we couldn’t express. When this happens, we have gained a piece of new knowledge through the art that we can now communicate to ourselves and to others.

This why the best possible function of art operates via YOU.

20. Art is discovery and exploration

“Art is a discovery and development of elementary principles of nature into beautiful forms suitable for human use”- Frank Lloyd Wright

Is it not more remarkable when a natural talent emerges from nothingness to produce a work of art with an organic honesty that might have been wiped out by years of training in established structures, conventions, and accepted wisdom?

One such unlikely place was a tax collector’s office in Paris, and its unlikely talent came in the form of a Laval­born son of a plumber named Henri Rousseau. The majority of Rousseau’s life is somewhat cloudy, and with good reason—it is wholly unexceptional.

The Snake Charmer by Henri Rousseau is a dream­like depiction of mysterious human and animal forms in a jungle scene. This work is a testament to the attention Rousseau received from prominent artists during his time.

21. Art empowers the heart of people

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” – Edgar Degas

When activists are showing images of children suffering from poverty or oppression in their campaigns, this is the art pulling the heartstrings of society’s elite and powerful to make changes. Such moments – using art to raise awareness – truly validate the existence and definition of art

When photographers publish the photos of war-torn areas, it catches the attention of masses whose hearts reach out for those who need help. When the artist creates great music and movies, it entertains people around the world. This is art, making a difference in society.

22. Culture is a great friend of art

“Art speaks the soul of its culture” – Abby Willowroot

Art is also a remarkable mode of depicting culture from all over the world, art and culture complement each other very well.

When you see a Zen garden in Sydney or San Francisco, you know that it’s a practice that originated from China. When you see paper swans swarming a beautiful wedding ceremony, you know that this is origami, an art that came from Japan. When you see films featuring Bollywood music and dancing, you know that it’s a movie from India.

Destinations like Newyork, Berlin, Prague, Sao Paulo, UAE, etc. are on a helm of cultural revolution to uplift their cities with art, design, and imagination – after all culture is the collective term for human behaviors

23. Art is activism

“Art resides in the quality of doing, the process is not magic.” – Charles Eames

Art has been used many times to represent the isolation, claustrophobia, and anxiety of our society due to the tough political times that we’re living at present. Tetsuya Ishida, a Japanese artist, portrayed the Japanese life about the social, economic and academic educational structures. Many of his works exposed the Japanese people’s trials in trying to acclimate to the changes involving social and technological contemporary life. Read – Tetsuya Ishida – Saving the World With A Brushstroke

Similarly, a lot of street art has an obvious, or sometimes very subtle, anti-establishment hint in it. The very mediums it uses, owned by states or corporations, are protected by law from the artist but are used without regard or in spite of it. That illegality is often a part of the message

24. Art is harmony

“Art is harmony” – George Seaurat

The power of art lies neither in the image nor the emotions it arouses in the viewer, rather its greatness is derived from understanding the creative forces which inspired the masterpiece.  Harmony is a subjective concept, rather it emerges within a context that many factors come together. Goya’s black paintings series is a great example that proves this theory. Today, although we are exposed to images of gore, misery, and grief, much of it is sanitized and censored. Goya, on the other hand, unabashedly captures human trauma and sorrow in the paint.

25. Art as Therapy

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time”- Thomas Merton

In the famous book Art as Therapy, the authors have outlined seven functions of art and explain how art helps us grow and evolve in our understanding of ourselves, each other, and the world we live in. Taking your time to mindfully observe artwork can be of true value to your emotional well-being.

Conclusion: The functions of art remain incomprehensible

‘What is art?’— one question continuously steers educators, performers, practitioners, and philosophers to engage in deep analysis. But no matter what the function of art may be, the experience it delivers finally matters, and probably one reason it has been around us for as long as humans have existed. Whether or not we are aware of it, we allow art to affect our lives one way or another.

You may not know it, but your daily existence can be much more colorful with the presence and influence of art, and it only gets better once you allow your own creativity and imagination to take a turn for good.

So go ahead and open yourself up to art. It will be worth the change.

The post 25 Functions of Art That Make Us Better Human Beings appeared first on The Artist.

In his early life, his family moved often. He spent most of his time in villages in modern-day Ukraine among sugar beet plantations. He knew nothing about professional artists until the age of 12, although he was surrounded by art in the form of peasant embroidery and in decorative walls and stoves.  

After his father died in 1904, Malevich moved to Moscow, where he studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. His early work was influenced by Impressionism, Symbolism, and Fauvism. He participated in his first exhibition in 1911 as part of the artist group Soyuz Molodyozhi.

After a trip to Paris in 1912, where he visited an exhibition of Pablo Picasso, he became heavily influenced by Cubism. This led to him joining the Jack of Diamonds group of artists, and he led the Russian Cubist movement. 

Malevich began creating canvases filled with abstract patterns in his own style that he called Suprematism. The idea behind Suprematism is that color, line, and shape are more important than narrative or subject matter in art. Over the next 6 years, Malevich painted some of his most important pieces. 

From 1919 to 1921 Malevich taught art in Moscow and modern-day Leningrad, where he would spend the rest of his life.

In 1927 Malevich went to Warsaw where he was given an elaborate welcome thanks to his Polish heritage. Here he held his first foreign exhibition before traveling to Germany where he finally received international recognition. 

Unfortunately, the Soviet Union banned modern art, leading to much of Malevich’s work being confiscated. He was also banned from exhibiting or creating art in an abstract style. This led to Malevich spiraling into poverty and stupor on the way to his death in 1935. 

1. Three Women On The Road

‘Three women on the road’ was created in 1900 by Kazimir Malevich in Impressionism style.

2. Underwear on the Fence

‘Underwear on the fence’ was created in 1903 by Kazimir Malevich in Impressionism style.

3. Spring Garden in Blossom

‘Spring Garden in Blossom’ was created in 1904 by Kazimir Malevich in Impressionism style.

4. Birkenhain

Hand-painted oil painting reproduction on canvas of Birkenhain 1905 by artist Kazimir Malevich

5. Winter Landscape

Despite the natural character and improvisational nature of the painting, Winter Landscape by Kazimir Malevich made in the year 1906 contains complex formal features.

6. Church

‘Church’ was created in 1905 by Kazimir Malevich in the Pointillism style.

7. Landscape with Yellow House

‘Landscape with Yellow House’ was created in 1907 by Kazimir Malevich in the Pointillism style.

8. Prayer

‘Prayer’ was created in 1907 by Kazimir Malevich in Symbolism style.

9. Sketch For Fresco

‘Sketch for fresco’ was created in 1907 by Kazimir Malevich in Symbolism style.

10. Triumph of the Skies

‘Triumph of the Skies’ was created in 1907 by Kazimir Malevich in Symbolism style.

11. The Wedding

‘The wedding’ was created in 1907 by Kazimir Malevich in the Post-Impressionism style.

12. Song Of The Blue Clouds

‘Song of the Blue Clouds’ was created in 1908 by Kazimir Malevich in Symbolism style.

13. Oak And Dryads

Kazimir Malevich’s Oak and Dryads is a painting on a fabulous theme in folklore performance made in the year 1908.

14. River in Forest

‘River in Forest’ was created in 1908 by Kazimir Malevich in Impressionism style.

15. Woman Picking Flowers

‘Woman picking flowers’ was created in 1908 by Kazimir Malevich in Symbolism style.

The post 15 Top Artworks by Kazimir Malevich appeared first on The Artist.

Hofmann started studying art in 1898 in Munich. By 1904 the artist had moved to Paris where he was affected by the works of Henrie Matisse and Robert Delaunay. Hofmann exhibited his works in Paris until the outbreak of World War I, at which time he was forced to move back to Munich. It was here that he opened his first school of painting in 1915. 

Hofmann developed a reputation as a progressive teacher, which ultimately led to him being invited to teach on the west coast of the USA in 1930 where he eventually settled and lived out his life. 

He opened the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Art in New York City which became a highly prestigious establishment. He continued to teach at this establishment until 1958 when he disbanded his academy to focus on his own art for the remainder of his life. The result was an impressive last exhibition in Berkeley, California, just before his death in 1966. 

Hofmann’s early work was characterized by landscapes and still lifes in the Expressionist style. It was after his move to the USA that Hofmann’s work began to gravitate towards the Abstract Expressionist style he is known for today. This work is characterized by both geometric and irregular forms, bright colors, and extensive creativity. 

Besides being a pioneer in experimenting with improvisatory techniques, he was a very influential art teacher of the 20th century. He helped a generation of American painters develop a style of Abstract Expressionism after World War II. 

1. Self-Portrait

‘Self Portrait‘ was created in 1902 by Hans Hofmann in Pointillism style.

2. St. Tropez

‘St Tropez‘ was created in 1928 by Hans Hofmann in Expressionism style.

3. Japanese Girl

‘Japanese Girl‘ was created in 1935 by Hans Hofmann in Fauvism style.

4. Landscape

The landscape is one of Hans Hofmann’s vivid paintings of geometric and irregular forms made in the year 1935 and bridging the concerns of early modernist movements with the tenets of Abstract Expressionism

5. Interior Composition

Interior Composition was made by Hans Hofmann in the year 1935 in fauvism style.

6. Yellow Table On Green

This painting ‘Yellow Table On Green’ was made in the year 1936 in Fauvism style after Hans Hofmann moved from Germany to New York.

7. Still Life Interior

‘Still Life Interior‘ was created in 1941 by Hans Hofmann in Fauvism style.

8. Provincetown

Provincetown was made in the year 1942, Hans Hofmann was considered by many to be the Father of Abstract Expressionism.

9. Shapes in Black

‘Shapes in Black‘ was created in 1944 by Hans Hofmann in Abstract Expressionism style.

10. Cataclysm

Cataclysm was made in the year 1945 by Hans Hofmann in Abstract Expressionism style.

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The Scream exhibits the horrors of everyday life, ransacked with fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. It is considered the ‘Mona Lisa’ of its era, and since its origin has made waves in the artistic world, so what are some of the unknown facts about “The Scream”

Edvard Munch was a Norwegian artist born in 1863. He lived to reach 80 years and painted several pieces of art drawing on despairing themes of death, love, sadness, and fear. Munch remained relevant to date and even we see a lot of his artworks in modern wall art space

Munch faced many tragic deaths of his family members growing up and was constantly afflicted with depression.

Perhaps that’s why his dejected state was quickly reflected in his works. 

1. What’s in a name? 

The initial title of the painting was not termed “The Scream”. Its original German name was called “Der Schrei der Natur” which translates to “The Scream of Nature”. Munch disclosed the rationale of the name in a poem behind the pastel frame.

In his prose, he spoke about a melancholic evening with friends and an onset of anxiety under the setting sun. In truth, the figure was covering his or her ears from the shrieking surroundings. 

2.Fourth Time’s a Charm

Munch painted four different versions of The Scream. The first painted version was showcased in Oslo in the year 1893. Later the same year, he painted a pastel version. In 1895, he worked on another detailed pastel version and finally, the last painted piece that dates back to 1910.

He created a lithographic print which enabled him to mass-produce and sell many monochromatic versions. In 1984, Andy Warhol was commissioned to create an ignited pop art version of The Scream which sustained its popularity even in the 20th century.

3.Robberies and recoveries

The Scream has been stolen twice over the years. February 1994 was quite an eventful month for Norway. Preps were underway for the opening of the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. It was also the same day Oslo’s National Gallery was broken into. Thieves absconded with the painting and left a note that read “Thanks for the poor security”.

The investigation continued for 3 months before the painting was discovered and 4 men were convicted of robbery. In 2004, armed robbers escaped with the 1910 version of The Scream from the Munch Museum in Oslo in broad daylight.

Two years later, the painting was recovered and 6 men went on trial for the theft but while only 3 of them were sentenced by the court. 

4.Mars to the rescue!

Mars, Inc. stepped forward to play a part in the recovery efforts during 2006. Picking up on the timing, they exercised a marketing ploy to promote M&Ms the new dark chocolate flavor. The TV commercial showed the red M&M playing hopscotch with the painting. Furthermore, a reward of 2 million M&Ms was offered for the retrieval of the picture.

Funnily enough, the temptation seemed to have overridden one of the perpetrators’ desire to keep the painting. He disclosed the whereabouts of the artwork in exchange for conjugal visits and 2.2 tonnes of M&Ms. Mars thought it best to grant the prize to the Norwegian authorities who requested that the cash amount be donated to Munch M-useum.

5.The Scream in pop culture

The painting has made its way into 21st-century pop culture, particularly in films and television. The writers of the British sci-fi legacy show “Doctor Who” were greatly influenced by the protagonist of The Scream, as confirmed by Executive producer Steven Moffat. They invented eerie creatures called The Silence with very similar physical characteristics that first made an appearance in the 11th Doctor’s era in 2011. Wes Craven, the director of hit slasher movie “Scream”, confirms the famous killer mask to be a byproduct of his love for Munch’s artwork. That mask has now become a top-of-the-mind symbol for just about all living individuals.

6.Hinting Suicide?

According to Sue Prideaux, author of Edvard Munch: Behind the Scream, Munch painted The Scream during a very distressing time in his life. It was believed that he was destitute, fresh out of a futile relationship, and worried about harboring a mental illness that was prevalent in his family.

It may also not come as a surprise that the bridge depicted behind the screamer was an actual spot for jumpers. Coincidentally, it was a stone’s throw from a slaughterhouse and an asylum for the insane where his schizophrenic sister was admitted. 

7.The screamer a Peruvian mummy?

Right about the time The Scream was created, a mysterious mummified figure was discovered near the Utcubamba River in Peru’s Amazonas region.

The mummy was identified as one of the Chachapoya warriors, also known as “warriors of the clouds”, that lived in the 16th century and belonged to the region of modern-day Peru. The mummy’s hands were also found on either side of a shrieking mouth, freakishly like the screamer’s depiction. 

8.Record high sale at auction

At an auction held at Sotheby, London in 2012, the pastel version of The Scream was sold for a whopping $120 million, making it the most costly piece of artwork ever to be sold at an auction at that time.

The gentleman who bought the artwork was an American investor and art collector by the name Leon David Black.

9.An emotional connection

Harvard neurobiology professor Margaret Livingstone, through her studies performed on macaque monkeys, states a finding that the brain is more likely to respond to exaggerated faces like the screamer’s tortured look of shock.

She provides a rationale for why we connect to emotional expressions highlighting “it’s what our nerve cells are attuned to”.

10.The Scream lies in the public domain

All of Munch’s works, including The Scream, are in the public domains of nations that observe the ‘life plus 70 years’ copyright term. Munch was deceased in 1944 so 2015 marks the year his works were released into the public domain of Brazil, Israel, Nigeria, Russia, Turkey, and those within the European Union. It was already considered public domain in the US.

Conclusion:

Well, these are some of the unknown facts about The Scream. So many truths and possibilities behind a single expression! The Scream holds an intriguing mystery that draws viewers is based on a seemingly strange but relatable association. The picture is an unfiltered display of our very own state of mind.

The shaded curves in various directions resemble a vortex-like appearance that pulls in the observer in Munch’s personal reality.    

The Scream will always remain a classic masterpiece and an apt representation of the symbolist and expressionist movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Also, check out Der Schrei der Natur (The Scream of Nature)  [html_block id=”12849″] 

The post 10 Things You Don’t Know About The Scream appeared first on The Artist.

Easy, you may say. Someone who makes art.

Well. Okay, so an artist is someone who makes art.

But is everyone who makes art an artist?

Is someone who does sketches on their dinner napkin given the same title as someone who has worked for years on their craft?

And while we’re at it, what are we counting as art anyway?

It is just painting and sculpture, or should we take it in its broader context of The Arts, with dance and music and performance?

Or even broader – think about someone who may be referred to as an artist in a non-artistic field, maybe because of their incredible skills or creative problem-solving.

What exactly is an artist?

Every person has the ability and potential to be creative.

Creativity could be simply defined as using imagination to make something. That might serve as a pretty good way to describe art, too.

Creativity isn’t about a new age, hipster, or beatnik look or lifestyle; you don’t have to don a new personality or even learn a fine art to be creative.

You have an idea, and you turn it into a painting, recipe, building, or knitting pattern. So creativity is the process. And artistry is the skillset.

Art is something that is created, an artist must be someone who creates.

This is a good starting point.

It is also the one thing that all artists share.

Artists being people, and people being the amazingly flawed being that we are, no two artists will be alike.

But there is a spark that all artists share.

The fact that they create, and glorify their creator by doing so, runs through them like a seam of gold through a mine.

So we know what an artist does. Let’s look at how on earth they do it.

And How Do You Feel About That?

“Art does not reproduce what is visible; it makes things visible.” Paul Klee, artist

One of the reasons the nature of art and those who create it is so hard to pin down is that it is usually emotionally driven. Not just: “I am angry; therefore, I will throw red paint at this canvas”. It’s a nuanced awareness of emotion.

The better an artist’s awareness of their emotional state, the better they will be able to chase down what they want to create and why.

“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” Carl Jung

1. Cultivating Curiosity

Once an artist has a spark,  that idea needs to be built on. To do this, you need, well, more ideas.

More thoughts, feelings, facts, plans. It would help if you chased down every lead.

Artists are, as a rule, curious. The need to probe and look deeper, beyond the surface. All people are curious to a degree, of course. But for artists, cultivating curiosity means an ability to ask even more questions than before – to keep the mind going.

You may see a tree in a garden and appreciate its beauty.

Or you may start to wonder whether the tree knows that it is beautiful, or if the birds landing on it thinks so, or if it was the bird’s sense of smell that told it to land there, and if you could see smells, what would they look like? And so on.

The more questions we ask, the more we have, and it is this way we cultivate curiosity, something vital for any artist.

2. Keep Cynicism at Arm’s Length

H.L. Menken defined a cynic as “a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.”

Here, we come to a crossroads. Or, maybe, a barrier, something that separates artists from those who want to be artists more often than not. Having an idea is fairly easy. Making it into something is the challenge.

To do this, you need to be wary of cynicism: the instinct to mistrust and doubt, to always look for the dark side and reasons why something won’t work.

Art involves faith.

The artist must believe that they can make the thing they have in their head. Even if it is difficult, they must believe that it is possible. Otherwise, they’d never try.

3. Willing to Work

So, we have an idea. We’ve built on the idea, and we’ve decided to go for it.

Now comes the tricky part. Turning that idea into something that exists. Believing in yourself is the start, and it’s an important start, but then you have to get to work.

“If you’re an artist, you’ve got to prove it.” –Laurence Olivier

It would be best if you were willing to put in time and effort.

It’s one thing to have the most fantastic dance number ever conceived of by man in your head.

It’s another to have the physical ability to perform it or to have the teaching ability to instruct someone else.

An artist works on their craft.

They determine the skillset they need, and they practice. And when they fail, failure is inevitable at some point (see the earlier note r.e. humanity’s amazing flaws) they practice repeatedly until they can bring the idea in their head into the real world.

4. The Balance Beam

When it comes to the actual creation, art – and the artist – needs to find a balance. This goes for both the process of the work and the ideas themselves.

You can balance a disciplined training regime with time to play around with new ideas.

You can balance conservative tendencies with rebellious principles, your emotions, and those of the people around you; real life and fantasy.

The balance will allow the artist to determine what is important to their work and what is not.

Vincent Van Gogh, for example, famously left patches of unfinished canvas on Starry Night.

This is certainly not perfection – but those spots were left empty because Van Gogh decided to leave them, not because he lacked the skill to fill them.

He was balancing skill with artistic intent.

5. Being Brave

An artist must be brave.

Because it can get pretty scary, showing the world an idea that germinated in your emotions and came to be through your ideas and skills. You can get hurt.

Not only that but as an artist grows, they have to admit their current failings. How can you improve if you think of yourself as perfect? Being open to criticism means learning new things and constantly expanding what you can do.

“It reflects no great honor on a painter to be able to execute only one thing well… confining himself to some particular object of study. This is so because there is scarcely a person so devoid of genius as to fail of success if he applies himself earnestly to one branch of study and practices it continually.” – Leonardo da Vinci

Conclusion: Being An Artist

Being an artist is not limited to one medium, or activity, or skill.

An artist stays engaged and curious.

They look at themselves and the world and keep an awareness of both.

They follow new ideas. They build their skills, then use them to turn their ideas into something real.

They fight for their work.

An artist makes art.

The post Who is an Artist? – Artist Definition and Meaning appeared first on The Artist.

Villon’s grandfather started training him artistically from a young age, focusing mostly on engraving and printmaking. Villon’s grandfather was the subject of one of his earliest known prints. 

In 1894, Villon and his brother moved to Paris, where he gained permission from his father to study art as long as he continued to study law at the same time. Naturally, his interest in a law career waned quickly and for the next 10 years, he worked in graphic media by submitting cartoons and illustrations to newspapers in Paris. 

Some of these submissions were political in nature, and the story goes that in order to protect his family’s name from this political content he changed his name to Jacques Villon. 

By 1895 Villon was enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He also took classes at the Académie Julian between 1904 and 1905 where he exhibited works mostly in the Neo-impressionist style. 

In 1906 Villon moved away from his bustling Parisian neighborhood into the quieter neighborhood of Puteaux on the outskirts of Paris. During this time he devoted more of his time to working on drypoint, his favored method of engraving.

It was this move, along with Villon’s reclusive personality, which led to his work remaining unknown and obscure for many years. 

Villon’s colorful, geometric art took inspiration from the real world and combined this with lively compositions. Even some of his most abstract work offers subtle suggestions of landscapes and recognizable figures. 

Villon is most well-known for his purely graphic form of cubism, Something that no other printmaker, including famous cubist Pablo Picasso, could claim. 

Villon died in his studio in Puteaux in 1963. 

1. The Game Of Solitaire

The Game of Solitaire’ was created in 1904 by Jacques Villon in Art Nouveau (Modern) style showing women playing cards with a dog sitting beside her.

2. The Dining Table

The Dining Table was made in the year 1912 by Jacques Villon in Cubism style.

3. Girl At The Piano (Fillette au piano)

‘Girl at the Piano (Fillette au piano)’ was created in 1912 by Jacques Villon in Cubism style.

4. Birds in Flight

Birds in Flight was made in the year 1958 by Jacques Villon showing a cubism-type image of 3 birds flying.

5. Portrait De  J.L.B

‘Portrait de J.L.B.’ was created by Jacques Villon in Cubism style.

6. La Lutte

La Lutte was created in the year 1957 by Jacques Villon in cubism Style with a touch of abstract artwork.

7. Man Sitting

‘Man sitting’ was created in 1958 by Jacques Villon in Cubism style.

8. Rider In The Ring

‘Rider in the Ring’ was created in 1952 by Jacques Villon in Cubism style.

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It’s true to the core that art never dies, it constantly improves itself. So, below are the most famous paintings about Death in Art.

The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio

The Entombment of Christ, a painting produced by Caravaggio between 1603 and 1604. The theme of death in art isn’t a rare occurrence, but this painting that is considered one of the most admired works of Caravaggio is a great example of how such deep aspects of life are important in depicting the key moments of history. In this painting, the dead Christ’s body is being carried by two men. It’s not a burial as Christ’s body is being laid on a stone slab but a moment of mourning as many believed God came to earth to reconcile humans with heavens.

Oath of the Horatii by Jacques Louis David

Oath of the Horatti is a painting produced by Jacques Louis David in 1784. This painting is best known for its Neoclassicim style around the world. There was a dispute between Roman and Alba longa warring cities who have agreed to send best three warriors from their cities. This painting depicts three brothers from Roman family saluting their father who is holding their sword.

The Death of Leonardo da Vinci by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

The Death of Leonardo da Vinci, a painting produced by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres in 1818. This painting represents one of the greatest minds, resting in peace. The king of France, Francis I is shown holding Leonardo Da Vinci head and receiving his last words.

The Death of Socrates by Jacques Louis David

The Death of Socrates, a painting produced by Jacques Louis David in 1787. One of the main features of this painting is that it focuses on classical subjects. It depicts Socrates who was sentenced to death for introducing strange gods and corrupting the youth of Athens.

Andromache Mourning Hector by Jacques Louis David

Andromache Mourning Hector, a painting produced by Jacques Louis David in 1783. This painting is famous for one of the scenes used from antiquity. It depicts hector who has been killed by Achilles. Andromache is the wife who is mourning over his death and comforted by his child.

The Menaced Assassin by René Magritte

The Menaced Assassin, a painting produced by Rene Magritte in 1927. It is considered as one of the famous and theatrical works by Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte. The painting is about a nude woman whose body is lying on a couch smeared with blood while the assassins were about to leave the room.

Murdering Airplane by Max Ernst

Murdering Airplane is a painting produced by Max Ernst in 1920. For this painting, Max Ernst got inspiration from World War I events in which he also served as a fighter. This painting depicts a monstrous unrealistic airplane with human hands flying over a field.

Christ of Saint John of the Cross by Salvador Dali

Christ of Saint John of the Cross, a painting produced by Salvador Dali in 1951. The Spanish government got an offer of 127 million dollars for this painting but they rejected it. For this painting, the Spanish painter got inspiration from a dream in 1950, he saw the exact image of Christ in colors as drawn in this painting by him.

The Dying Swan by Vladimir Tretchikoff

The Dying Swan is a painting produced by Vladimir Tretchikoff in 1949. This painting is also well known around the world by the name “Alicia Markova The Dying Swan’. Alicia Markova was a lovable ballet girl who did perform the famous role of the Dying Swan. The South African painter loved her performance and hen decided to paint her.

The Surreal World of Salvador Dali

The Entombment by Michelangelo

The Entombment is a painting produced by Michelangelo between 1500 to 1501. This is an unfinished painting by the Italian artist who was going to depict the placing of the Christ body in the garden tomb through The Entombment.

The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living by Damien Steven Hirst

The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living is an artwork – probably one of the best contemporary installations around the theme of death in art – produced by Damien Steven Hirst in 1991. It is known for its true example of Contemporary and Conceptual art. A killer dead shark is kept in a tank filled with formaldehyde.

The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons by Jacques Louis David

The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons is a painting produced by Jacques Louis David in 1789. Many historians believed that the original title of this painting was Brutus returning home after having sentenced his sons for plotting a tarquinian restoration and conspiring against roman freedom, the Lictors burnt their bodies to be buried. The Lictors remains one of the greatest examples of death in art

Leonidas at Thermopylae by Jacques Louis David

Leonidas at Thermopylae is a painting produced by Jacques Louis David in 1814. The French painter was occupied for about fifteen years for Leonidas at Thermopylae painting. The Spartan king Leonidas preparing for combat is shown in this painting prior to the battle Thermopylae.

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? by Paul Gauguin

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? is a painting produced by Paul Gauguin between 1897 and 1898. There is an original title inscribed on the upper left corner of this painting in French as D’où Venons Nous / Que Sommes Nous / Où Allons Nous. This painting should be read from right to left according to French painter instead of left to right.

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A historic building in Houston, Texas, known as the Rothko Chapel, has fourteen of his paintings on display.  Perhaps one of the more remarkable milestones of his career, Rothko was commissioned to paint a mural at the Four Seasons restaurant on Park Avenue.

However, he is famously known for discontinuing the project on account of his refusal to have his art in the presence of the affluent classes of people.

Today, all of us have the chance to see and appreciate a number of famous Rothko paintings, so here are twelve such works for your information.

1.Black on Maroon

Part of his canvas series, Black on Maroon is one of the abstractions based on the Washington Color School movement, completed by Rothko during 1958-1959.

The painting was displayed as a mural at the Four Seasons restaurant as an unframed rectangular canvas. The deep maroon base is overlayed by the black, creating a unique sense of depth, blending deep wine with mauve colors together.

The maroon colors themselves are surrounded by the black in a window-like formation, adding to this effect.  

2.Untitled (Black on Grey)

This abstract art piece, Untitled (Black on Grey), is another of Rothko’s artistic masterpieces.

According to the artist himself, the painting is representative of the theme of death.

Completed in 1970 and painted using acrylic on his canvas, this abstract work sees Rothko painting rectangles on top of one another, empty and void of any substance, which suggests an element of uncertainty in the presentation of the work.

3.No. 61 (Rust and Blue)

As with Black on Maroon, No. 61 (Rust and Blue) stems from the Washington Color School movement, where the variety of colorful layers are seen as a tool for the enrichment of the artwork.

Painted in 1953 using oil on canvas, Rothko’s technique here may seem simplistic but when examined more closely, the varying effects caused the work to be luminous.

The technique employed by Rothko appears to show the colors running upwards across the surface of the painting, this being due to the artist’s tendency to invert his work following its completion.

4.No. 1 (Royal Red and Blue)

Completed in 1954, No. 1 (Royal Red and Blue) makes use of vibrantly bright colors such as oranges and reds, perfectly counterbalanced by the deep blues at the base of the painting.

The design of the work gives those viewing it the feeling that it is being illuminated, although this is not the case. 

This abstract work also follows the Washington Color School movement, and Rothko’s ability to deal with and present abstract expressionism with so much ambiguity is on display here also. £47.2 million pounds is the value this piece was sold for during an auction in 2012.

5.Blue and Grey

Blue and Grey, oil on canvas painting developed in 1962, makes use of the Color Field movement in its design choices.

Rothko, in many of his artworks, is considered to have a practice where he will often fill an entire canvas with squares of rich colors, usually colors which the artist himself considered to be beautiful.

Once denying being an artist in the field of abstract expressionism, much of his work portrays a vast array of human emotion. Especially in this painting, Rothko displays the deep human emotions of isolation, doom, and desolation perfectly, a common trait in much of his work. 

6.Orange, Red, and Yellow

One of Rothko’s abstract expressions, this acrylic on canvas painting aptly titled Orange, Red, and Yellow is an eye-catching sight.

Equally mind-blowing, the painting was sold for $70 million dollars during an auction in 2012. According to some viewers, this painting happens to be one of the most striking, the yellow and orange rectangles on the red background which although simplistic, easily captures your attention.

Some have likened the color palette to that of the glowing sunset or brightly colored ice cream. Rothko achieved this by applying many thin layers of paint and then spread it unequally using his brush. 

7.White Center (Yellow, Pink, and Lavender on Rose)

White Center was painted in 1950 and Rothko made use of the Washing Color School and Color Field movements in his stylistic choices.

This oil on canvas painting is one of the most expensive pieces of work sold at $72.84 million dollars at an auction to the Qatar Royal family.

Rothko blends the yellow, pink, and lavender colors into a brilliant combination on a rose-red background, which emanates a sense of brightness, joy, and warmth for all who view it.

8.Blue, Green, and Brown

Blue, Green, and Brown are some of Rothko’s abstract expressionist paintings. Completed in 1952, this artwork employs rectangular dark greens and browns on a blue background.

This oil on canvas painting boasts a complex use of its color palette, creating a vivid, unique and realistic image for the viewer to enjoy.

9.Green and Tangerine on Red

Green and Tangerine on Red draw on a variety of artistic styles for its design, namely that of abstraction, Color Field, and the Washington Color School movements.

Completed in 1956, this oil on canvas piece of work makes use of bright tangerine colors contrasted with dark green on a background of red.

Some art critics suggest that the brightness of the tangerine color represents the happiness of human life, while the green part of the artwork represents the worry and the anguish that threatens us all.

10.Untitled (Green Divided by Blue)

This painting is one of Rothko’s abstract expressions and was made by the artist in 1968.

Developed using oil on canvas, deep green and blue were used on a background of white to paint a simplistic but powerful piece.

The two green squares divided through the middle by a blue rectangle make this yet another of Rothko’s enduring masterpieces.

11.No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red)

This abstract work by Rothko, completed in 1951 makes use of an uneven distribution of violet and green across the red background of the canvas.

The artist made use of oil on canvas, and his use of these oil colors is also hazy, contributing to a sense of ambiguity when the painting is viewed. In 2014, this painting was purchased for €140 million euros.

12.Entrance to Subway

Possibly the least ambiguous entry on the list, Entrance to Subway is a part of expressionism and historical painting stylistic movements.

Painted in 1938, this scene is the result of the Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism, Cubism, and Abstract Art exhibitions Rothko attended. Rothko is most interested here in the commuters waiting on the platforms, and his artwork reflects their form as being tall and stick-like.

Of particular interest is the uniqueness of the subway, because instead of the busyness of a crowd that would normally dominate it, the figures are alone, and the subway is empty.

Conclusion:

Rothko certainly produced many valuable artworks in his time on earth, and he produced many other noteworthy abstractions.

As with his works listed above, some of his other works such as Earth and Green, Four Darks in Red, and Multiform to name a few also contained a deep sense of ambiguity and a lot of depth in their design.

The impressiveness and the scale of his work and these many famous Rothko paintings will no doubt be continued to be appreciated by countless viewers for many years to come. 

Also, check out What Is Abstract Expressionism? – Expression and Vitality Over Perfection  [html_block id=”12849″]

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In the Past art was mainly entitled to empower politics and celebrate the dominance of certain reign through symbolic art.

In the current time, art acts as a form of protest and satire, and from this context, here are the 15 most revolutionary paintings which depict the common connection between art and politics.

The Battle of San Romano 

The battle of san romano is a Painting by Paolo Uccello in 1438 ca.

The painting depicts the battle between Florence and Siena.  In This battle, Florentines were about to get defeated but managed to win because of the heroic intervention of Micheletto da Cotignola. This painting was made to celebrate the victory of the winning house which in this case was the Di Bartolomeo Bartolini Salimbeni House. The is an example of how commissioned art worked at that time.

The Surrender of Breda

The famous Siege of Breda, a glorifying victory accomplished by Philip II

The Surrender of Breda is a painting done by Diego Velazquez The aim of the painting was to glorify the French Family. In Particularly one person the commissioner Philip IV of Spain also depicted his ancestors’  military achievement. At this time the freedom of artists was diminished to compositional matters. The Magnificent piece is a perfect example of the service an artist was required to do during the monocracy times and that is to depict the relation between politics and art.

Liberty Leading The People

A Painting Depicting People of Civil War

Liberty Leading the People is a painting done by Eugene Delacroix in the year 1830. It was during the french revolution that art became a way to enhance the spirit of people who set up against monarchic dominance and oppression.  Artists like Eugene Delacroix with great symbolic power to give voice to the people in civil war. In This particular painting, a person is holding a french flag leading the french republic against the monarchic dictatorship. It also describes the necessary violence that came with civil war.

 The Third of May 1808

The Third of May 1808 is a painting done By Francisco Goya in 1814. This Picture depicts the brutality and crudeness of war it depicts the execution by the Napolean army of Madrilenian patriots. This Picture depicts the highest form of what is known as revolutionary. Courageous and honest like the eyes of the people being executed. This is the most famous painting of the 1900s and served as a model for another political masterpiece.

The Execution of Emperor Maximilian

The Executive Of Emperor Maximilian

The Execution Of Emperor Maximilian is a painting made by Edouard Manet in the year 1868-69. Edouard Manet was a very active artist in terms of political art masterpieces.  Moreover, about magnet art, John Elderfield stated: “political art… does not reduce human affairs to slogans; it complicates rather than simplifies”. About The Particular painting. If we are looking at the painting it looks similar to the previous model of painting adopted by Goya. In This painting, as you can see of the general has his arms raised and another soldier is waiting to executed with his hands crossed. The Emperor, Maximilian looks astonished at his unavoidable destiny he is looking very surprised and unprepared for his terrible faith.

Massacre in KoreaMassacre in Korea is a painting done by Pablo in 1950.

The painting titled “Massacre in Korea” Picaso absorbed and translated made his own version. IT looks like communist political work. The focus of the painting is to put a comparison between Napoleonic troops and  Imperialistic forces that reined over North Korea

Guernica By Pablo Picasso

Guernica is a painting done by Pablo Picaso in 1973

One of the most influential political paintings in the world with a strong message against war although critiques interpret it as ambiguous.

Artistic response to the bombing of Basque village Guernica, the painting describes the agony of people, animals, and their environment. Military action was enforced by Italian and German forces but it was requested by Franco, essentially it was the act of supporting his regime. The horror of civil war in Spain is seen by the world, mural-sized paintings with gray, black, and white palettes revive tragedy in the eyes of the spectator. [html_block id=”12849″]

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