Modern Art Essay

After viewing Georg Baselitzs Auftritt am Sandtreich II bei (Remix), and Cindy Shermans Untitled 224, iodin can see two very disparate artists trying to convey a topic that is relatable on many levels. George Baselitz is a German Neo-Expressionist, while Cindy Sherman created cypher in the American, Metro Pictures genre yet both shed chosen to remix the past into young and evenhandedly inherent images of the day. wizard can relate to these images on the basis of recognition, and interpretation of the cultural meanings of the cartridge clip. Both artists have chosen to give the audience snapshots of their past, Sherman with the 1950s womens rights movement, and Baselitz portrayal of a post-World War II Germany. The images selected are form a more modern era, Baselitz-2006 than Sherman-1990, and it is interesting to see the changes from the work of the 1980s.Baselitz became famous for turning his house paintings turned to shift the viewers focus away from the issuance matt er to the expressive surface. In his by and by work, though, the inverted subject matter indeed seems to be the focus, deliberately so in order to efficaciously portray the image after years of contemplation and healing. Shermans later work is similar in stance, but is a colored photographic interpretation of Caravaggios Sick Bacchus portrait. One can tally the comparison that both artists have overcome adversity, and their imagery conveys a message of hope and promise stemming from difficulty.Georg Baselitz, Auftritt am Sandtreich II bei + 30 C (Remix), 2006 Oil on canvas http//www.ecopolis.org/georg-baselitz-remix-paintings/Georg Baselitz grew up in Germany during WWII, a conviction of unrest and ever changing cultural norms. This makes sense, as Baselitz himself moved from East to West Germany as a youth living in Germany through the reunification of the Nineties. In Auftritt am Sandtreich II bei (Remix), Baselitz has revisited the most gainsay aspects of his own history, with hindsight, and made a brand new version of the art. Not only were the paintings enlarged, they were also revisited with blinding colors and bold lines. When one looks at the work, one can see an inverted soldiers legs extending into the bright scenery of chunked color.The transparency of the soldier seems to indicate that this is an image of the past, with the ghostly interpretation of faded color. One can conclude that Baselitz has forgiven the transgressions of the war torn society, and views it now as a faded memory that has cause him into the person he is today. While the image is still vaguely gruesome with the soldiers move outline, implying death, it still somehow looks through that to a brighter day on the horizon. The pallet is very bright, and the canvas is mammoth, more or less swallowing the viewer up in its scale. The subject matter does non possess any formal qualities of reality or training, but does follow in Baselitzs tradition of inversion and loose brus hwork. Baselitz has revisited many of his in front works, and challenged his previous discern of modernism.Cindy Sherman, Untitled 224. 1990Chromogenic color print, 48 x 38 (121.9 x 96.5 cm). http//www.moma.org/ actives/exhibitions/2012/cindysherman/gallery/ audio/8-224.phpIn Cindy Shermans Untitled 224, she has transcended her Metro Photo roleplaying into the work of Caravaggios Sick Bacchus, the painting from the late 16th century. This photograph is drastically different form the rest of the Untitled series receivable to the strong makeup, and use of prosthetics to become male. The emasculated arm is a well done prosthetic to effloresce the male form. The arm is one of the only parts of the staging that is inconsistent with the original painting. The figure in Caravaggios painting is more feminine than that of Sherman, slightly ironic. The costuming is consistent with Shermans other works, with exact concern to detail and accurate props.Caravaggios painting is thought to be a self-portrait of the artist as the papistic god of wine, Bacchus. Sherman was very fire in addressing the roles of women, and challenging societys views on the subject, which at the time were primarily negative. Shermans Untitled 224 depicts a female in the role of a Greek god, which is not only a figure of power and celebration, but also a spiritual entity. As American culture was shifting towards equality in the 1950s, Shermans work helped viewers to take on new roles otherwise unexplored by women. The implications were not only remixed to force a message, they were also liberating to women in a time of need.Both Baselitz and Shermans work sample information from the past. Both works reflect on their own cultural heritage with a moving awareness to historical events that they have experienced. So if one views these works in a Postmodernist standpoint the viewer is acknowledged to be an active participant in an explicit dialogue between the artist, the artwork, oneself, and one s cultural context. Shermans Untitled 224 allows women to interact with the work in a comical and almost satirical way. Even though one should not take womens rights lightly, nor denounce the impact that it has had on American culture, viewers of this work can role-play along with Sherman.It is an interesting choice of role-playing as Caravaggios interpretation of Sick Bocchus portrays a frail and hung-over drunkard as his subject. Shermans choice of subject matter can say that if a woman were in this set she would be strong and handle it with poise. Sherman does not seem to be concerned with feedback from viewers, but rather interested in conveying a message in a new way. Baselitz has allowed the influence of time and objurgation to heighten his awareness of change and fashion a new outlook on an old subject matter. Postmodern viewers can more readily relate to the remix works as they lend themselves to a brighter pallet, a post war recover of sorts. Society and culture always ha s a way of hang on out of trial and adversity, and both of their artworks convey that message of hope and promise.