June 9th: Photojournalism in Giverny

These photographs document the beautiful scenes from my day in Monet's Gardens in Giverny.

 

Goonewardena, Apeksha. After the Rain. 2014.  

Goonewardena, Apeksha. My Favorite Flowers. 2014.

   

Goonewardena, Apeksha. Rainfall and Lillies. 2014.

Goonewardena, Apeksha. A Scene in the Life of Monet. 2014.

June 10th: Giulio D’Anna’s “Parkin’son”

Upon entering the Theatre des Abbesses, my attention quickly went to the set of the production of “Parkin’son”. Lined upon the stage were concentric circles that slightly overlapped each other. Every circle was white except one red circle placed off center of the stage. The image struck me. It bothered me because it violated the clean reverie of the white circles. It was simply an eyesore, which I found myself wondering about throughout the performance until I finally got my answer: it was a diseased cell floating amongst healthy ones. It was this small detail that transcended my experience of the production. Suddenly, all the time that I had spent looking and watching that red circle changed into a different image about human health. It revealed the careful craft that is involved within every dance piece to me. Most importantly, after the performance ended and time had past, that red circle stays with me as a reminder of the power of art.

            Giulio D’Anna’s “Parkin’ son” is the story of a son’s love for his father. It employs a revolutionized form of pantomime to illustrate the freedom and destruction of movement. Throughout the piece, D’Anna and his father mirror each other’s movement. They hit, hold, and suspend each other. As a viewer, the movement between the men is odd and indistinctive. Yet, as the piece carries on, the duo subjects themselves to movement that relies on the trust and weight of one another and the reasoning becomes clearer. D’Anna is narrating the relationship between him and his father, who suffers from Parkinson. Interwoven within their movement is deeper personal and medical significance, which is shown through video narrative. Simply, D’Anna is trying to save his father through storytelling and dance therapy.

            The most poignant scene from the performance is D’Anna’s solo for his father. In this scene, D’Anna’s father watches him while sitting on the white round carpets. D’Anna’s solo is comprised of repeated leaps and falls. Each move is calculated, yet employed to appear helpless. D’Anna captivatingly moves until he can no longer move--his feet bend as in the act of jumping and then go back down due to the powerlessness of his body. In the end, Giulio curls up, trembling, next to his father as if trying to cure him of his disease by taking it on himself.  D’Anna’s movement and emotionality evokes memories from each viewer’s reverie, allowing a complete catharsis among the dancers    

and its audience.

            D’Anna’s production was unlike any piece of dance that I’ve encountered. It managed to touch insecurities within my conscious, which is a profound accomplishment for any piece of artwork. Yet, the aspect that stays with me the most is the single red circle. This circle was a simple symbol for a much greater concept. However, it accurately illustrates the pain of the piece. This one red circle is the reason for every movement and gesture. It is the disease on a single brain. Ultimately, there is only one red circle and numerous white circles surrounding it. These white circles represent hope and reason to move, dance, and live. They give D’Anna and his father a chance to dance together and share each other, which is the most beautiful part of the piece. Through dance, D’Anna and his father have triumphed over Parkinson’s disease by never allowing it to strip them of their movement, however limited or broken it may come to be.

June 11th: The Revolutionary Artwork of Courbet

           

 During our visit to the Musée d’Orsay, we viewed artworks from various Neo-Classical and Romantic artists. These works showcased both the technical skill of the artists and their sense of 

emotionality. As a previous art major, it was indescribable experience seeing the works by artists like Delacroix and Ingres before me. Specifically, Delacroix’s work introduced new ideas from the other works and clearly questioned the rules of the academy. Rather than paint similar subject matter or scenery, he deferred from tradition and sought emotion and reality in his artwork.

Delacroix’s work very well could of influenced Gustave Courbet’s work, which was known for showcasing bodies of real women without idealization. His work was especially prominent during our visit and illustrated revolutionary ideas for the time because Courbet openly dismissed the academy’s rules in his paintings. In fact, in 1849, Courbet exhibited his piece entitled Burial at Ornans at the salon. In this large piece, Courbet failed to follow the salon by painting subject matter that was not considered acceptable for larger canvases. According to the salon, all large pieces had to focus on scenes of historical or biblical nature. Yet, in Burial at Ornans, Courbet paints a scene from domestic burial featuring “ordinary” people. As expected, the salon reacted poorly to the scene and thought the ordinariness of the subject matter was horrendous on such a large canvas.

Despite the reaction of the salon, Courbet continued to defy their rules in favor of his viewpoint. This is exemplified clearly in The Artist’s Studio, which he completed in 1854. In this work, Courbet depicts two sides of society: the everyday side and the elevated side. Each figure in the piece plays a precise role in representing an individual mode of life. In the center, Courbet depicts himself as a mediator. Showing that as an artist, he has a responsibility to depict the world as it is, rather than how the salon would like it to be depicted. By only depicting the edited or chosen scenes that are approved by the salon, artists limited how the world viewed itself. These scenes only show one kind of life, which is why Courbet chooses to illustrate the complexity and diversity of it in this piece. 

Ultimately, Courbet is a revolutionary artist because he recognized the faults of the salon and chose to expose them through his artwork. The message and point of view of his artwork is clear and prevailing even today, which is a testament to its overall relevance in art history.

June 12th: The Art of the Pompidou

            The Centre Georges Pompidou holds one of the largest collections of modern art in the world. Within this collection, there is surely a piece that I didn’t like. However, the most disappointing piece of art that I found was not in the collection itself. In fact, it was the actual building, which is undoubtedly a piece of artwork.

Ever since studying the Centre Georges Pompidou in my interior design seminar during my freshman year, I have been waiting to view it in person. It was one of the buildings that drew my attention and interest instantly. It is a clear example of futuristic architecture and planning. However, upon actually seeing it, the architecture failed to resonate with me. Yet, my experience does not discount the fact that the Centre Georges Pompidou is a fundamental structure within modern architecture. Additionally, it doesn’t disqualify the factors and artistry that compose it.

Architect Renzo Piano designed the Centre Georges Pompidou in 1971. Paris, like me, did not initially respond well to the structure. It was described as the city’s “loch ness monster”. Yet like most innovations in Paris, it grew upon the city and its residents. Piano’s initial concept for the Centre was to instill movement into the structure through visible infrastructure. The skeleton of the building encompasses the building from its exterior, showing all of the different mechanical and structure systems in order to maximize the interior space without interruptions. The different systems on the exterior of the building are painted different colors to distinguish their various roles. The structure and largest ventilation components were painted white, stairs and elevator structures were painted silver, ventilation was painted blue, plumbing and fire control piping painted green, and the elements that allow for movement throughout the building, are painted red. This combination of color and form create a dynamic clash of circuitry. It is a heavy visual experience for any viewer, which may be the reason that I did not respond well to it.

It is important to acknowledge the innovation of Piano’s design concept. It transformed the way art was viewed. Before his design of the Centre Pompidou, the design of museums was systematic. It followed a set course of design. Yet, Piano considered the function of the building over its aesthetic and created a space where art could be translated to more efficiently. Additionally, he turned the exterior of the Centre Pompidou into a piece of artwork in itself. It may not be visually appealing to individuals, but it does have movement and fluidity. It meets the ideas of his initial concept. Therefore, it does not matter if the Centre Pompidou didn’t meet my standards. Like stated previously, a piece of art does not fail to be art if it isn’t liked. It continues to operate upon its principles and retain its value until it is seen for what it is in its entirety. So, maybe one day, like the Parisians, I’ll come to like the Centre Pompidou too.

June 13th: Automatic Photography

My single rule for this series of images was to simply look above and discover a new perspective.

Goonewardena, Apeksha. The Grand Palais. 2014. Instagram.

Goonewardena, Apeksha. The Arc de Triomphe. 2014. 

Goonewardena, Apeksha. The Opéra Garnier. 2014. 

 Goonewardena, Apeksha. Galeries Lafayette. 2014.

June 14th: The Direction of Research

Before arriving in Paris, I was set on writing my research paper on Corbusier and his architectural legacy. Yet, my experiences through lectures, site visits, and class discussions shaped a new subject for my research.

The very first class we had in Paris focused on the foundations of Modernism. Within the lecture, we looked at Modernism from different perspectives. We studied how different fields and individuals contributed to the Modernist movement through innovation and revolution. Specifically, we focused on Sigmund Freud’s rising work on psychoanalysis, Stravinsky’s Sacre du Printemps, and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles D’Avignon. Each of these examples depicted Modernism in a new perspective and emphasized the breadth of the movement. Thus, from this first lecture, I began thinking of how my research would incorporate similar themes and reflect such depth.

I searched for this depth in the streets and sites of Paris. I found energy and ideas while strolling through Luxembourg gardens, and discovering the city from the top of the Eifel tower. However, it was not until our visit to the Centre Pompidou that I finally determined my focus. During Anne Catherine’s lecture that day, we entered a room with juxtaposing pieces form Cubist and African artists. Anne Catherine shared that African and primitive works often influenced Cubists because their emotionality, but Cubists did not always understand their cultural significance. As I looked between the African works and the Cubist works in the room, I found my connection to Modernism and the new subject of my research. 

Ironically, my search for a new topic ended where our first class discussion began at Picasso’s Les Demoiselles D’Avignon. This painting stands as a centerpiece for the Cubist movement and represents the new modes of thinking at the time. Yet, the most compelling aspects of this piece are the African elements that compose it. These elements are signs of cross-cultural exploration and cultural competency. These elements were very significant and ultimately the grounds for my research on the connection between African art and Cubism. Due to the design of this course, I decided to explore my research topic through historical, anthropological, and cultural lenses in order to fully understand its depth. At times, my research was overwhelming due to this, but it led to a comprehensive analysis of my subject. 

 When writing a paper, you never end where you begin. My concept for this paper changed immensely from my original idea because this course allotted me the freedom to be inspired by subject material within my surroundings. I was not pressured by a looming due date or a structured direction. Instead, for once, I chose where my paper would go and got to explore its limitless directions.

June 15th: The Perspectives of an Environment

When I was seven years old, my bedroom walls held an assortment of different posters and pieces of artwork. One specific item was a calendar that contained different works of art by Claude Monet. At the time, I knew little about Monet or his gardens. Yet, I knew that I liked the calendar and the paintings inside of it. So, when I finally walked through his gardens this June, I had a moment of disbelief of finally seeing the landscapes that had surrounded my childhood. These landscapes were my first introductions to painting and undoubtedly influenced my later passion for the fine arts.

Walking through the gardens was a visceral experience. It felt like walking through a piece of artwork. In fact, the gardens were a carefully crafted expression of natural and artistic beauty. Each flower and color seemed purposeful. However, Monet’s paintings, which were my first experiences of the garden, informed my perspective throughout the environment. I viewed each flower and color as a brush stroke and a gradient of paint. Other senses were activated by the smells and sounds of the garden. These elements brought the garden alive in ways that Monet’s paintings failed to do. Thus, Monet’s gardens were experienced through two lenses. I viewed the gardens as Monet had painted them and then again, through the lens of how they naturally appeared. This dual experience allowed me to understand how Monet experienced his artwork and how an environment can alter the painting process.

Comparatively, our later visit to the Musee de l’Orangerie resulted in a different visceral experience. There, I experienced Monet’s water lilies again. However, this visit was impacted by my experience in Giverny. Walking through the galleries, I experienced the water lilies throughout a natural day. Through, dawn, day, and dusk, I experienced the lilies. This time, there were no sounds or smells, but still the experience was enlivening because Monet’s gardens had in return informed me of his paintings.

It is important to recognize how one’s experiences and environment alters their later experiences. In my case, a simple calendar was the acting force on my experience of some of the most famous pieces of art. Yet, without that calendar, I may have never dreamed of Monet’s gardens or envisioned myself in his landscapes. Those first images and experiences activated my first visual memories and made my experience throughout Monet’s gardens even more significant that day.