The Relationship of Art and Society

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He left for Paris and later returned where he still felt the hard slap of racism which prompted Tanner to turn his attention to African Americans as a subject matter. Another artist George Bellows did a riveting painting Both Members of This Club in which two powerful male bodies clash amidst a sea of demonic male viewers who appear to be calling for blood. At this time boxing was not permitted in public but in private clubs.

In painting a fight between a white man and a black man, Bellows addressed a strong development in the world of professional boxing, the rise of the black boxer, embodied in Jack Johnson, whose defeat of James J. Jeffries, the ex-champion, in 1910 sparked race riots across the United States. Bellows painting represented many white fans worst fears- the defeat of a white boxer by a black boxer, symbolizing the defeat of white manhood by black. Which boggles the mind, well mine at least.

Diversity

The diversity of art in the last century are too vast to count. From Rauschenberg to Katz, Harry Sternberg, Jackson Pollack, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Judy Chicago to name a few are so diverse in their work, that you really can’t put a finger on the pulse of what they are trying to portray. What I may perceive what the artist is trying to say, might not be what you are seeing at all. To see how art developed throughout this course from the Gilded Age, The Feminist Movement and so on, the internal battles of the artists, who still found a way to express themselves in such powerful and sometimes confusing ways is admirable.

There are some artists who make my eyes cross trying to figure out what the chaotic scene is trying to speak to me, there are some that I got right away and could stare at the painting and see something different every time. There are some artists that I straight up do not like or maybe agree with, but still have an understanding of their art and what it represents. That’s what diversity is all about, if art was the same it would be stale and boring.

Conclusion

I can’t believe that it’s over! I’ve had a 5 week crash course in art! I was not excited at all at the beginning, but I decided to keep an open mind and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was thinking about how to describe what I have learned in this class and I likened it to soap opera of the arts. I mean there was stealing, fighting, social issues, mean people, addicted people, hurting people, confused people, the hits and art just kept coming! I know I have only had a glimpse into this world of art but I am officially hooked. I mean who knew? The role of art today is still important.

People look at art for various reasons, to escape their lives for a time, to try and find some beauty in a chaotic world, to appreciate wonderful art and add something cultural to their lives. It can become more relevant to me by visiting art museums, discovering new and upcoming artists, maybe even but some art! To have art in my home that is relevant to me as how I would express myself if I could draw, paint, or sketch would have been such a far-fetched idea 5 weeks ago, I would have given you the side-eye, but it is something I look forward to! In conclusion, you are never too old to learn something new, to experience something fresh and to step out of your comfort zone and experience life.

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References

Eakins, Thomas: The Agnew Clinic, 1889

Oil on Canvas, 74 ½ x 130 ½ in (189.2 x 351.5 cm)

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia page 270

Eakins, Thomas: Portrait of Dr. Gross, 1875

Oil on Canvas, 96 x78 in. (244 x 198 cm)

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Pennsylvania page 267

Bellows, George; Both Members of This Club, 1909

Oil on Canvas 45 ¼ in x 63 1/8 in (115 x 160.5 cm)

National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. page 333

Reference Page Entry

Pohl, F.K. (2012). Framing America (3rd ed.). Forest Park, IL: Thames & Hudson.

In-Text Citation

- According to Pohl (2012),

- Pohl (2012) (pp. 254, 266-270, 272, 315-318, 333-334).

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