Archive for February, 2008
Bauhaus essentially is an influential style in modern design that was developed during the early 1900’s. Also known widely as the International Style in modern design, Bauhaus is characterized by a marriage between form and function. Establishing harmony between the function and the design of an object is the primary aim of this popular school of design.
Bauhaus started from a school in Germany where its name was derived from. The school was known as a place where students were taught to combine handcraft with fine arts. The Bauhaus school was founded by Walter Gropius, a German architect who developed the new approach to creating designs that meet technical industrial standards both in their aesthetic and functional aspects. This new approach to design was able to have a profound influence on Modernist architecture and the subsequent developments in art and in its other facets such as interior design, industrial design as well as typography.
The foundation of the Bauhaus style came during the time of political and cultural upheaval in Germany. The fall of Germany during World War I brought also the fall of censorship that led to radical experimentation which included the field of design. The Bauhaus was greatly influenced by the Modernism movement which had its origins come from as way back as the 1880’s. The movement had already made is presence felt even in a conservative Germany.
The Bauhaus style is associated with design innovations during its time characterized by radically simplified forms, the merging of form and functionality and the unity of technology and art. This approach to design seems to grow out of trying to adapt to a modern world with the many technological innovations that come with it. Bauhaus aimed to establish a new method to design that tries to include the aspects of the modern world on how a certain object is to be shaped and formed.
The Bauhaus style not only brought its approach to designing buildings and houses. Because it started as a school that tried to merge craftsmen with artists, the Bauhaus style came to envelop other aspects of design. It found its way to furniture and graphic design. And with its influence came the emergence of what became the basis for modern Western architecture and design.
February 27th, 2008
Art Nouveau is an international style used in art, architecture and design that became popular in the beginning of the 20th Century. The style is characterized by its flowing and curvilinear designs that incorporate floral and other plant-inspired accents. Its name was said to have been derived from the name of a shop in Paris that exhibited art pieces that followed this approach in design and style.Art Nouveau was said to have been introduced by Siegfried Bing, a German art dealer in Paris. He owned the shop called Maison de l’Art Nouveau, which showcased the artworks of artists with similar styles that later on became known as the Art Nouveau movement. It was in fact, from his shop that the name of the movement was derived from. The movement further spread out into other countries aside from France during the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s.
The Art Nouveau style is characterized by its dynamic and flowing curved whiplash lines. The style also features the use of hyperbolas and parabolas. The designs used can be seen as forms that seem to spring to life and transform into having their plant-derived features. In art, the movement was followed by notable artists like Aubrey Beardsley, Alphonse Mucha, Edward Burne-Jones, and Gustav Klimt. The movement can be associated by the styles of the Pre- Raphaelites and the Symbolism movement. But unlike Symbolists, Art Nouveau has that distinct visual look. Its artists are also open to the use of new materials, machined surfaces and abstraction for the sake of pure design.
Art Nouveau is considered to be a total art style. This means that it does not just cover just one section of a design aspect but a hierarchy of them. Art Nouveau has covered other types of artistic design including architecture, interior design, decorative arts, and a range of visual arts.
February 20th, 2008
The Crystal Cathedral is one of the most impressive of the modern churches today. The Crystal Cathedral is a Protestant mega church that is located in Garden Grove, Orange County in California. It is recognizable by its all-glass structure, hence the name of the said church.
The main sanctuary building of the Crystal Cathedral was designed by renowned architect, Philip Johnson. This soaring and impressively designed cathedral features over 10,000 windows from top to bottom covered with tempered, silver colored glass. The glass is held in place by a lattice framework of white steel trusses. Inside, the interiors include statuaries, fountains and greenery. The Crystal Cathedral also covers an area that can accommodate over 3,000 people during worship services. There are also four bronze statues present that represent Bishop Fulton Sheen, Norman Vincent Peale, Billy Graham and Robert H. Schuller, the founder of the Crystal Cathedral.
One of the interesting structural features of the Crystal Cathedral included the breathtaking glass pane making up the whole church. Each of the glass panes are not bolted into the steel truss structure. Instead, they are glued to it using silicon based glue. This provides some cushioning effect on the glass panes and allows the whole building to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8.0. The church has two 90-foot doors behind the pulpit that can be opened electronically to allow the morning sunlight and natural breezes to enhance worship services.
The cathedral also has a 185 foot long chancel area where a thousand singers and instrumentalist perform during worship services. The services can also be viewed via a giant indoor television screen as well as on another one outside located adjacent to the cathedral to accommodate “drive-in” worshippers. The Crystal Cathedral also stands beside an impressive 236 foot tall mirrored steeple that also houses a carillon and a prayer chapel. The mirror reflects sunlight and may provide different view at various times of the day, providing an added interesting feature to the already impressively looking mega church.
February 13th, 2008
Andy Warhol is considered as one of the central figures in the popularity of the movement known as Pop art. An American artist who began his career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol later on became famous as a painter, avant-garde filmmaker and a famous public figure known in various social circles- from distinguished intellectuals to Hollywood celebrities.Andy Warhol was born Andy Warhola in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 6, 1928. His parents, Andrew and Julia Warhola were working class immigrants that came from Hungary. Warhol’s father worked as a coal miner caring for a family that also included Warhol’s two older brothers, John and Paul. When he was at third grade, Warhol was afflicted by St. Vitus Dance, a condition that affects the nervous system causing involuntary movements said to be brought about by complications of scarlet fever. This later on led to Warhol developing blotchiness in the pigmentation of his skin. And because Warhol was frequently bed-ridden as a child he became somewhat of a hypochondriac as well as a social outcast among school mates. This led him to spend his time drawing that helped form and develop his skill in the arts.
Later on, Warhol showed his artistic talent and studied commercial art at the Carnegie Institute of Technology School of Fine Arts. After graduating, he moved to New York City where he began a successful career in magazine doing illustrations for advertisements. He was primarily known in the 50’s for his ink drawings of shoes used for advertisements. His career later on led Warhol to do illustrations for the music industry doing album covers as well as promotional materials.
It was during the 60’s that Warhol started to create paintings of famous American products as well as paintings of Hollywood celebrities. It was also during this tie that he began gathering a wide circle of artists, writers, musicians and underground celebrities. Warhol aimed to mass produce art and sparked a revolution that became controversial as well as popular. Warhol’s subject in art usually revolves around American Pop culture. He painted dollar bills, popular brand name products as well as celebrities. His subjects are usually recognizable and have mass appeal. He became a popular figure in the art world as well as the various social circles up until his death in February 22, 1987.
February 6th, 2008