Wanderer in the mists' (1818) Caspar David Friedrich
'Untitled #2" (2002) Richard Misrach
'Untitled # 394-03' (2003) Richard Misrach
Richard Misrach's photography reflects the concept of the Sublime, from the Enlightenment.
Research Misrach's work by reading about his intentions, and also by looking at the work. Then answer the following questions;
1. What and when was the Enlightenment?
The Enlightenment was an era in Western philosophy. It took place in the 18th century – some believe it also took place in the late 17th century – when people questioned ideas about traditional institutions, customs, morals, and rationality and science, it was the ‘age of reason’. this period of time was all about change in human ideas (beliefs) about religion, government and science. The enlightenment took place all through Europe.
2. Define the concept of the Sublime.
According to Alexander Gerard, writing in 1759, ‘When a large object is presented, the mind expands itself to the extent of that object, and is filled with one grand sensation, which totally possessing it, composes it into a solemn sedateness and strikes it with deep silent wonder and admiration’
3. How did the concept of the Sublime come out of the Enlightenment thought?
The concept of the Subliime came out of the Enlightenment as the sublime was something literally overwhelming, either because of its huge size (a high mountain, a deep chasm, a blinding light), its infinity (the spiritual or timeless) or its darkness (a cloud-capped mountain, a floating mist, night, intense darkness). These are all the opposite in relation to the ‘light’ of the Enlightenment. These artworks allowed viewers to feel a thrill from the sublime aspect of the artworks without real consequence.
4. Discuss the subject matter, and aesthetic (look) of Misrach's work to identify the Sublime in his work. Add some more images of his work.
The subject matters in the two above images are figures that are of a tiny scale inrealtion to the foreground and area around them. I feel they make the viewer think the subject is small and isolated and it looks like the setting is very lonely and distant from any real civilization. The contrasting use of scale makes the images overwhelming because of its vast size.
In this image which I have found the large dominating dark mountain makes the image dark and gloomy looking especially with the small figures ‘treeking’ al the way out across the water and sand to get to it. It causes me to feel scared and pitiful for the subjects. The infinity in the background of the image looks like it is never ending ant that there is absolutely nothing else for these subject matters other than a dark and gloomy, unwelcoming looking stone cold mountain for them.
Swimmers, Pyramid Lake Indiana Reservation, Nevada, 1987-93
5. Identify some other artists or designers that work with ideas around the Sublime, from the Enlightenment era as well as contemporary artists.
Mark Rothko (1903 – 1970), was a Latvian-born American painter. He is classified as an abstract expressionist. I feel his works relate to the ideas based around the sublime theory as his paintings can easily lead many different people to relate and let their imagination lead them to many different places, memories and thoughts. His different paintings with different tones and colours all lead you to think about different things, happy and sad, exciting or dull.
Mark Rothko
An engraving of a sketch by Turner depicting Brougham Castle. The sketch, made during a visit to the castle in 1809, provided the starting point for a later watercolour.
Joseph Mallord William Turner RA (1775–1851) was an English Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist and printmaker.
I feel some of his works relate to sublime characteristics as they are very dull and have extreme subject matters included in them. This one especially is scary and looks intimidating.
6. How does Misrach's photography make you feel? Does it appeal to your imagination?
When looking at other works of Misrach I feel slighty depressed and not happy when I look at his works, although I still really admire them I would not want them hanging in my home. I don’t think they have happy and positive connotations that com ewhen looking at them.
7. Add a Sublime image of your choice to your blog, which can be Art or just a Sublime photograph.
I think Jerry Uelsmann's works have a sublime relation to them, and i fond them extremely visually appealing.
8. Reference your sources (books and websites).
Richard Misrach is definitely one of the most influential and prolific artists of his generation. His colour photography is respected till this day. The enlightenment led to the people of the 18th century betraying their traditional beliefs and taking on more modern beliefs. They had a new look on things in general and how they perceive everything such as nature, society and man. This related to the sublime as this was when people were open-minded about nature and its beauty rather just believing what the church had to say about the matter and everything else for that matter.
ReplyDeletei like what cyndee said when she mentioned people began to look at nature and discover the beauty it had to offer rather then believing in the church as i think this really captures the essence of what a lot of the paintings and artwork revoloves around when exploring the idea of the sublime. i thikn all the various pieces you picked out are very good examples realting to this idea and the key word which you mentioned " overwhelming" really describes the type of atmosphere that would be present when viewing the piece as it is not everyday you experience the scenery the art work explores. I think the artist model Jerry Uelsmann you have chosen is a great one to use when i see his work they all are interese=ting but at the same time really explores some of natures most beutiful scenery although not real scenes which really is a huge relation to the sublime.
ReplyDeleteI found different people, different opinon.But today Your hompage has a kind of sublime hompage.well done!
ReplyDeletehey hol totally agree with you when you say that they subjects in the island picture of misrach's make you have pitty on them because they are so small compared to the never ending background and the big dark mountain. It makes me too feel pity for them because of the gloomy airy feel to the image it does not look like something appealing to do because they water too looks dark and you have no idea whats in it... also though it makes you realise that we live in such an amazing world because we have these still breathless evenings or mornings and can explore things
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you when you describe Richard Misrach's work as "I feel they make the viewer think the subject is small and isolated and it looks like the setting is very lonely and distant from any real civilization." In these images you almost can't see the person but your attentions draws closer and focusses on this person to see why he has placed it there. I almost feels like they are lost in the beautiful 'sublime' world we live in and they can't get out. They are stuck right in the middle of it.
ReplyDelete