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Definition
*George Bellows, Cliff Dwellers, 1913, o/c, 39 x 41”, LACMA
-urban realism
-individuals come out very dark sediments
-just coming out of dwellings for some fresh air
-hard to imagine time w/ no heating/air conditioning
-a feeling of being trapped in condition or lifestyle
-very little light and air even when you walked onto stoop –buildings shadowing |
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Definition
*Jacob Riis (1849-1914), “Five Cents a Spot” Lodging House, Bayard Street, c. 1889, gelatinsilver print
-make ppl aware of very sorrowful conditions of immigrants when they arrived in the land of plenty
-artist got lucky, got job when ppl were very unemployed
-job –to document
-ppl crammed into space
-equally bad as steerage on boat
-obviously an exploitation of individuals |
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Term
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Definition
*Hine, Child in a Carolina Cotton Mill, 1908, gelatin-silver print on masonite, 10.5 x 13.5”,
MOMA
-capturing girl to show how overwhelming the loom is
-spontaneous photo
-safety record bad
-wages bad
-but we ‘need the workers’ in this economy |
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Term
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Definition
*Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946), The Steerage, 1907, gelatin-silver print, 4 x 3”, Art Institute of
Chicago
Big comparison
-not trying to evoke and understanding of lives of immigrants
-claustrophobic life in 3rd class steerage
-catches this view of massive humanity on bottom and top
-ladder on right
-bridge on left
-remembers suspenders
-composition/formal elements
-not thinking of ppl going back to Europe
-his whole emphasis was not to create an emotionally inspired work
-solely based on composition and formal elements |
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Definition
*Max Weber (1881-1961), Chinese Restaurant, 1915, o/c, 40 × 48”, Whitney Museum of
American Art
-diff. effects of collage effect
-nothing other than oil on this composition
-seeks out dynamism, the energy of most ethnic cuisine
-textures and patterns
-group of individuals broken down in center
-fragmented imaged of people walking into energy/ realm of everyone bustling about |
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Term
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Definition
*O’Keeffe, Radiator Building – Night, New York, 1927, o/c, 48 x 30”, Fisk Univ.
-she seems to be reducing building
-white and grey against skyscraper, building dissolving into sky
-smoke
-search lights another diagonal –direct attention to radiator building
-in orange glow light – is husbands name
-defying imposition to her work
-taking night sky scrappers –imposing will on |
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Term
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Definition
*Demuth, The Figure 5 in Gold, oil on composition board, 1928, 36 x 29”, Metropolitan
-someone seeing a fire image –racing down the street, in blur and chaos
-number 5 stands out in the mist of everything
-less distinct it becomes in recession
-trapezoid =fire engine
-see street lamps
-w/ all this energy –reference to Cubism |
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Term
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Definition
*Grant Wood (1892-1967), American Gothic, 1930, oil on board, 30 x 25”, Art Institute of
Chicago
-Gothic comes from pointed window on upper story
-girl =daughter
-man = local dentist
-very serious, solemn
-time of hardship
-ppl living through dust bowl, drought, economic hardship
-seem to be stoic –in control of emotions
-may have been more comforting
-not making fun of these ppl at all
-being very respectful of them
-painting caught on |
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Term
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Definition
*Edward Hopper (1882-1967), Early Sunday Morning, 1930, o/c, 35 3/16 × 60 1/1/4”, Whitney
Museum of American Art
-America might not find enthusiasm in this
-luminous, classic
-human figure eliminated
-lonely –no life on street, although sunny
-contemplation, despair
-“could be downtown Lawrence”
-doesn’t look like largest city
-intense light =intense shadows |
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