Art essay Essay Example for Free

Art essay Essay Does art imitate life – or is it the other way around? Traditionally, we have believed that art imitates life. The painter represents what he or she sees by producing a scene on a canvas. The sculptor does the same with bronze or stone. A photographer or film maker does it even more directly. A writer describes life in his or her books. This simple concept is known as mimesis. But some have questioned the one-way nature of mimesis by arguing that art also changes the way we view the world, and in fact, life sometimes imitates art rather than the other way around. The person who first articulated this belief effectively was Oscar Wilde. Speaking about the foggy conditions in London in the late 19th century, he wrote that the way we perceive them changed because of art. Referring to the wonderful brown fogs that come creeping down our streets, blurring the gas lamps and turning houses into shadows he argued that poets and painters have taught [people] the loveliness of such effects. According to Wilde, They did not exist till Art had invented them. [pic] And you don’t have to look too far to see anti-mimesis in our lives. To what extent is our outlook on life altered by ideas we read in books? The portrayal of people in films? The styles we see in fashion photography? One great example of this is the TV series The Sopranos, and how it affected both the Mafia in the USA and the FBI. Art’s influence on society: propaganda and censorship Throughout history, it has always been the case that art has the power to change society, especially when new media are used to express an idea. During the First World War, for example, movie cameras were used for the first time to record trench warfare – when the film was shown in cinemas in Britain, audiences ran out screaming. This led to the government censoring further such use of such a powerful medium. And in government censorship, and use of art as propaganda, we see how seriously governments take the effect of art. All of the major dictators of the C20th understood the power of art to influence the population. In Nazi Germany, Hitler set up the Ministry of Propaganda and National Enlightenment. It was headed by Goebbels, who made sure that nothing was published, performed, or exhibited without his approval. [pic]When this happens, you know there isn’t going to be a happy ending And what Goebbels approved, of course, only fit in with Nazi ideology and ideas. In terms of art, this meant no modern and abstract art, certainly nothing hostile to the regime, and nothing that featured images other than the stereotypical blonde-haired, blue eyed set in idyllic pastoral scenes of blissful happiness. [pic] [pic] In Stalinist Russia, there was also a keen understanding of the power of art. Art portrayed contented peasants, industrious workers, and Stalin himself. In fact, Stalin was shown god-like in many paintings, a phenomenon known as the Cult of Stalin. Just as in Germany, gigantic architectural projects expressed the power of the state. [pic] [pic] However, there is no doubt that in Russia there were greater artistic achievements than in Nazi Germany. Composers worked with fewer hindrances – as seen in the works by Prokoviev and Shostakovich, and film-makers such as Eisenstein emerged. Art’s influence on society: the trial of Lady Chatterley’s Lover But even under less oppressive governments, the artistic expression of certain ideas can be subject to control. One great example is the book ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ by DH Lawrence, which was deemed offensive on many levels. In this book, Constance Reid, a woman from a progressive liberal middle class family marries a minor member of the aristocracy, Lord Clifford Chatterley, and takes the title ‘Lady Chatterley’. But her husband is injured in the First World War, confined to a wheelchair, and left impotent. Despite this, he becomes a successful writer and businessman. It is more his obsession with financial success and fame rather than any physical difficulties which come between him and his wife, and she begins an affair with their gamekeeper, Oliver Mellors. The largely aristocratic ‘establishment’ of Britain at the time – the book was published in Italy in 1928 were shocked by many aspects of the book. First, there was the fact that the book was ‘obscene’, in the way it went into explicit detail the affair that took place (see below). Second, there was the fact that a women was breaking her marriage vows, something considered far worse than a man behaving in the same way. Finally, it represented an intimate relationship between a member of the ‘lower’ classes (although it emerges during the story that Mellors is actually well-educated, and became an officer in the army during the First World War) and the ‘upper’ classes, a concept that was totally taboo in Britain at that time. The book was duly banned. [pic] But the book was republished by Penguin books in 1960. The attorney general, Reginald Manningham-Buller (dubbed ‘Bullying-Manners’ by the journalist and author Bernard Levin) had to read only four chapters to decide to prosecute Penguin books for publishing it. What annoyed him was not just the content, but the fact that the price of the book meant it was affordable to women and members of the lower classes (remember that only few women worked at this time, and husbands were generally in charge of family finances). The trial was a disaster for Manningham-Buller and the prosecution. They had failed to find any experts to support their case, in stark contrast to Penguin’s defence team, which had brought in authors, journalists, academics, and even members of the clergy to defend the book. Manningham-Buller and his team had very little idea of what Lawrence had been trying to express in his book, regularly being caught out by the superior insight of the witnesses they were trying to catch out. And although they tried to shock the jury – in his opening speech, Manningham-Buller announced: The word fuck or fucking appears no less than 30 times . . . Cunt 14 times; balls 13 times; shit and arse six times apiece; cock four times; piss three times, and so on. they were unable to prove that the book would have a negative influence on the readers it was aimed at. According to the Guardian: No other jury verdict in British history has had such a deep social impact. Over the next three months Penguin sold 3m copies of the book – an example of what many years later was described as the Spycatcher effect, by which the attempt to suppress a book through unsuccessful litigation serves only to promote huge sales. The jury – that iconic representative of democratic society – had given its imprimatur to ending the taboo on sexual discussion in art and entertainment. Within a few years the stifling censorship of the theatre by the lord chamberlain had been abolished, and a gritty realism emerged in British cinema and drama. (Saturday Night and Sunday Morning came out at the same time as the unexpurgated Lady Chatterley, and very soon Peter Finch was commenting on Glenda Jacksons tired old tits in Sunday Bloody Sunday and Ken Tynan said the first fuck on the BBC. ) Homosexuality was decriminalised, abortions were available on reasonable demand, and in order to obtain a divorce it was unnecessary to prove that a spouse had committed the matrimonial crime of adultery. Judges no longer put on black caps to sentence prisoners to hang by the neck until dead. Can we say, though, that it was art in this case that changed society, or was it an interaction between human sciences (ie, the law) and the arts (the book) that led to change? This is from the same Guardian article: †¦the message of Lady Chatterleys Lover, half a century after the trial, is that literature in itself does no harm at all. The damage that gets attributed to books – and to plays and movies and cartoons – is caused by the actions of people who try to suppress them. See: The trial of Lady Chatterleys Lover The effect of art: presentation [pic] What other piece of art has profoundly changed the way we view the world? And was it the art that did it, or the way it was used that made the impact? Use the link below to help you introduce to us an influential piece of art. Think about the type of change it wrought, for example, ethical, social, metaphysical, etc.

Moving as a Child Essay -- Personal Narrative Moving Essays

Moving as a Child Some things in life are just meant to happen. Fate brought me to the seat I am sitting at, in this university, miles and miles from where I was born. I never thought I would move. The idea was inconceivable for an eight-year-old girl. Life was an endless cycle of days spent chasing butterflies, catching ladybugs, and blowing apart dandelions while nights were full of stars, crickets, and peace. I have learned since that moment that fate has a different idea in mind, one of its very own, and sometimes, no matter how much we struggle, no matter how much we cry out in resistance, we must all give way to the pull of the chains, and let fate have its way. One day, or what better describes it, one moment, all those butterflies and all the stars disappeared. My Mother’s job was moving us to Texas. Fate decided it was time for me to grow up and these objects I loved so much were toys that would interfere with learning. So fate took them away, and in their place I was handed Texas. Now, to hand an eight-year-old something like Texas, especially when she had possessed Oklahoma, is like taking the crown jewels from the royals and giving them cubic-zirconium. It just didn’t work. At the first hint of moving I'll admit that I was excited. The imagination of a little girl can run wild with possibilities when she is catapulted into the sky of the unknown. I do believe I was launched further and higher than any of my family ever expected. At that realization, reality decided to intervene and spin me around the dance floor. I was quickly pulled out of my school in the middle of fourth grade; torn from friends I'd had m y entire, though short, life. Gone in a snap was everything I'd ever known to be... ...hich make up a strong individual. All those butterflies I spent my childhood chasing became trapped inside my stomach but, rather than set them free, I made them apart of me. I made myself meet new people, become outgoing and involved. I have more friends than I could ever ask for, two of which will still be there when I am old and grey. What more could a person ever ask for? I feel privileged to have moved as a child. I am honored fate chose me to drag along on its wild and unseen journeys. Life is not about being in the moment; it is about taking those moments and making them apart of who you are. A part of me will always be that little girl chasing butterflies but, I'll also be the strong woman who will stand up for what she believes in and for those that she loves. I owe that part of me to the spontaneity of fate when it came pulling my chains.

Religion in Colonial America Essay

Throughout the colonial period with British North American settlement, the subjects of religion and economics often come hand-in-hand when associated with significance. Although economic concerns of development and exploration had its part in British settlement into the New World, religious entanglement, such as Puritan progression and The Great Awakening , played a bigger role in the rise of the American colonies. The flee for religious freedom and organization based on religion in a colony outweigh the concerns for economics. The American colonies valued their religion, as well as making it the most valuable part of their lives. In the early 1500’s certain Christians from different European nations went against the Roman authority of the pope. Religious wars/conflicts, competition, and the Protestant Reformation all contributed to a religious motive for exploration and colonization into North America. Many British immigrants came to the new world not only looking for wealth, but for a religious freedom and structured society. This pull factor created a foundation for religion in the new colonies many people fled the home country to avoid religious persecution and inferiority. Furthermore, Puritans, who colonized the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629, sought to create an empire of religious tolerance. Under John Winthrop, the religious group taught the new colony that the people should provide a whole world a model of Christian society ought to be, as in â€Å"A City upon a Hill†. The groups of people who wanted to separate from the church of England or go against the Roman catholic Pope went to the New World solely for religious freedoms, creating a religious superiority put into their new location. Immigration into America was by far dominated by groups of people avoiding the oppression and persecution faced by royal and religious leaders in their homeland; religious refuge provided means for these colonists to build upon a belief of religious tolerance and organization. As colonies were developing and new groups of people/ideas were diffusing, religious conflict and authority became prominent. A major religious event  in the life of the American people, The Great Religious Awakening, highlighted the valuable role of religion in the people’s lives. The Awakening permanently reflected the need for religious tolerance and organization in a group of people. Also, religious groups such as the Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians (all minority religious groups) took root and grew. Along with awareness to significance, the movement highlighted the presence of religious feeling among masses of people. A major division between orthodox and â€Å"New Lights† increased religious diversity and created a greater competition between the groups to attract followers. This historical event exposed a new way of thinking for the peoples – democracy. In fact, the Great Awakening brought a shared common experience for Americans regardless of race or religion. The Great Awakening brought political and religious impact to the Americans, which still influences the nation today. Even though religion posed to be the biggest concern associated with British settlement in the New World, economic development proved to contribute in the time period. Columbus’s exploration of the New World was based on the hope to find land, resources, and wealth; all pertaining to the progress and bringing up of Europe’s economy. Moreover, the thirteen colonies developed ways, (such as Jamestown’s tobacco crop) to exploit resources as means for survival. The North American Colonies Association with trade (Columbian Exchange) put them in competition with other empires to compete for wealth and progression as a community. Economic concerns engaged in the colonies’ organization; however, religion was the basis for British settlement and the foundation for population growth, social movement, and political structure. Although economic concerns of development and exploration had its part in British settlement into the New World, religious entanglement proved to be more important in the race for American development. Religion posed as the main factor for the peoples, and led them to make decisions and act upon their beliefs. In this colonial time period, religion proved to be a greater power in the daily lives of Americans.

The House Bill 2 Essay - 1377 Words

The House Bill 2 has become a huge topic these past few months with its main hot button issue being the accessibility of public bathrooms to the transgender community. For those whom are unfamiliar with the bill it was created and issued by North Carolinas governor, Pat McCrory. The bill focuses on sticking to the gender norms of public and business owned bathroom. Thus making it illegal for someone whom identifies as a different gender than they sex they are born with to enter the bathroom that they see fit. One of the points that McCrory tosses around in order to keep HB2 in a positive light is that it will help protect the women and children in the community from â€Å"predators.† Well how does this bill work when it is applied to public schools in North Carolina were children are the main concern? The answer is that it does not work at all. For now, the previous policy for public school bathrooms are going to stay the same thanks to the federal government, but when applied to schools it becomes a toxic environment for everyone who is not cis gendered. When the applied the focus no longer on learning, it flips on to when and where a person should use the bathroom. If a student does not have the ability to use the bathroom they are comfortable with then what should they do? Schools do not normally have gender neutral bathrooms unless it is in the faculty lounge or an area only accessible to non-students. Those bathrooms can be all the way across campus depending on where thatShow MoreRelatedHouse Bill 2. Introduction. In The United States, The Only1530 Words   |  7 PagesHouse Bill 2 Introduction In the United States, the only LGBT right guaranteed on the national level is same-sex marriage. North Carolina pales in comparison to other states on this front, especially when you consider the effects of House Bill 2. 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