Painters Painting

 1. This introduction explains American painting's issue with subject matter….. What does this mean to you? Use examples from the intro.

    When the intro talks about how the "problem with American painting had been a problem of subject matter", I was instantly intrigued. This, to me, means that for the longest time, painting had been restricted to subject matter that was able to be digested by anyone. "American themes were not going to lead to a great national art" because this was "obsolete", but once the artists began to take "a hold of abstract art", they began to reveal a power within art that has never been seen before. This was a time of innovation in art, when people decided to go against everything that once was, and create something unforgettable. 

2. Explain why Rauschenberg insisted that he erase a piece by Willem de Kooning for his masterpiece Erased de Kooning.

    Rauschenberg insisted that he erase a piece by Willem de Kooning for his masterpiece Erased de Kooning because he wanted to try an "all eraser drawing". Willem de Kooning encouraged him to try this with his art that "he would miss" and would be "really hard to erase" because it made it "real". It was extremely hard to fully erase the drawing. 

3. This film is full of "art speak", and that makes it difficult for non-artists, (and sometimes artists), to understand. You get to hear the original artist speak about their own art in their own words and in their own time. Why is this better/worse than previous films?  

    I think the use of "art speak" and being able to hear the artist speak for their work themselves is much more interesting than previous films we have watched because it gives the viewer a sense of what is going on in that artist's mind. In previous films we hear art jargon as well, but it is explained pretty well so that non-artists can understand it, but I think it is kind of cool to be able to hear artists talk about their work in a way that maybe some people don't quite get. It highlights how artists think differently than those around them. 

Which painter explained their approach, or the approach of the modern / post modern artist, the best? What did they say that helped you understand? 

    I think that the painter that explained her approach to post modern art, or abstract expressionism, was Helen Frankenthaler. What helped me understand this approach was when she said "I literally wanted to break free and put it on the floor", when talking about her canvas. This really showed me that her art was about expressing herself with her entire body and movement. She wasn't going to be able to achieve what she wanted to with a constricted space on an easel with a small brush. She also talked about the "push and pull" effect that she uses with colors and shapes, which made a lot of sense to me. She talked through her entire process and how she wanted these shapes and colors to seem as though they just appeared magically onto the canvas. Overall, I think she is a very intelligent woman who is very great at articulating meanings or elements in abstract art. 

Mountains and Sea
Helen Frankenthaler

Outside Sources:

Exhibit-E.com. “Biography - Helen Frankenthaler.” Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, www.frankenthalerfoundation.org/helen/biography. Accessed 7 Apr. 2024.