• Title/Summary/Keyword: Abstract painting

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Birth and Transformation of the Concept of "Oriental-ness" in Korean Art (한국미술에서의 동양성 개념의 출현과 변형)

  • Chung, Hyung-Min
    • The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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    • no.1
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    • pp.109-144
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    • 2003
  • Orientalness is a concept that expresses the collective identity of the Orient in relation to the West. The concept itself is mutable and defined by the relationship between the two regions at different points in time. Changes in the concept depend on a number of factors, such as cultural influence, the political balance of power between the two regions, and on the interpretative scheme that defines the relationship. In addition, the geographical notion of the concept evolves culturally, socially and politically. During this process, Oriental-ness becomes Oriental-ism at times. I will attempt to survey and measure the progression of Orientalness from its emergence in early 17th century to its subsequent transformation in modern Korea as reflected in art theory and art works. The recognition of the comparative characteristics of Oriental art began when the Orient was exposed to the art of the West in the late Ming dynasty during the early 17th century. The changes in the artistic climate in China affected the late Chosun. I will start with a brief introduction of this time and the birth of Orientalness. The concept gradually changed during the period of Enlightenment(開化期) towards the end of the 19th century, and during the colonial period( 1910-1945) it took on a new form. Establishment of the concept of "Orient"as a single, unifying concept spanning across cultures and national boundaries has been attributed to late Meiji period Japan, whose intention at that time is believed to have been to build a pan-Asia(亞細亞) empire with Japan at its commanding center. It has been stressed that the real motive behind the formation of one single cultural unit, where the shared common written language was Chinese and Confucianism and Taoism were the common metaphysical traditions, was to build one political unit. When the notion of a geographical unit of Asia was replaced by the concept of Asia as a cultural and political unit, a massive growth of interest and discourse were provoked around the concept of Orientalism. When Orientalism was being formulated, Korea automatically became member of "one Asia" when the country became colonized. For Koreans, the identity of the Orient had to be defined in cultural terms, as the political notion of a nation was non-existent at that time. The definition of identity was pursued at two levels, pan-Asian and local. If Orientalism was an elite discourse centered in pan-Asian philosophical and religious tradition, localized Orientalism was a popular discourse emphasizing locality as the byproduct of natural geographic condition. After the liberation in 1945 from colonial rule, a thrust of movement arose towards political nationalism. Two types of discourses on Orientalism, elite and popular, continued as central themes in art. Despite the effort to redefine the national identity by eradicating the cultural language of the colonial past, the past was enduring well into the present time. As discussed above, even when the painting themes were selected from Korean history, the tradition of using history painting as a manifestation of political policy to glorify the local identity had its founding during the Meiji period. The elevation of folk art to the level of high art also goes back to the colonial promotion of local color and local sentiment. Again, the succession of the past (colonial) ideal was defended as the tradition assumed a distinct modern shape that was abstract in style. The concept of the "Orient" is of relative and changing nature. It was formulated in relation to Western culture or civilization. Whatever the real motive of the adoption of them had been, the superiority of the Orient was emphasized at all times. The essence of the Orient was always perceived as the metaphysical tradition as a way to downgrade Western culture as materialistic. This view still prevails and the principle of Orient was always sought in Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Even when Orientalism was employed by imperialist Japan in an effort to establish her position as the center of the Orient, the spiritual source was still in Chinese philosophy and religion. In art also, the Chinese literati tradition became the major platform for elite discourse. Orientalism was also defined locally, and the so-called local color was pursued in terms of theme and style. Thus trend continued despite the effort to eradicate the remnants of colonial culture long after liberation. These efforts are now being supported politically and also institutionalized to become the aesthetic ideal of the modern Korean art.

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Yoo Young-kuk's Early Constructivism: Utopianism in (1937) (유영국(劉永國)의 초기 구성주의: <랩소디>(1937)에 나타난 유토피아니즘)

  • 유영아
    • The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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    • no.9
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    • pp.93-121
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    • 2010
  • This study is about Yoo Young-kuk's early works which show constructivism, especially focus on his debut painting, for the 7th Dokuritsu Bijutsu Kyokai(獨立美術協會, the Independent Fine Arts Association) in Tokyo in 1937. The work was painted 2 years after he had started his study in Japan in 1935. It was the first painting that applied Constructivism. played an important role for Constructivism to be a leading art in his abstraction. After this picture, Yoo was soon devoted to the principles of Constructivism-- Faktura(material), Tektonika (tectonics), Tekhnika(technique), space, construction-- in his painterly reliefs. This article examined why Yoo concentrated on Constructivism for , what the characteristics were, and what influences were on other works from 1935 to 1949. In addition, I investigated in which period was painted and how Constructivism was spread in 1930s and early 1940s in chapter 2. I scrutinized Rhapsody in chapter 3. When Yoo created Japan was under the Fifteen Years War(1931-1945), and a major discourse was the Japanese Spirit at that time. It was connected with construction of an ideal nation which the Japanese ultra-national fascism pursued. This ideological pursuit was intended to unite the Japanese people for total war system and to restore a national dignity which had been fallen down due to Manchurian Incident(1931). Thus, on the hand, Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai(國際文化振興, The Society for International Cultural Relations) and the Nippon Kosaku Bunka Renmei(日本工作文化連盟, Japanese Werkbund) were supported financially by the Japanese government. On the other hand, the government enacted regulations to opposing parties which would distract Japanese people's unification. As for the Japanese art world, the merge of art groups was carried out through remodeling of Teikoku Bijutsuin(帝國美術院, The Imperial Fine Arts Academy) in 1935. This brought out continuous dispute and disorder. Young artists who felt difficulty of entering an entry of Imperial Fine Arts Exhibition repeatedly grouped and disbanded for small art groups to build their standing, which they pursued Surrealism and Abstract art. Among them Constructivism was considered as the latest trend and was popular in craft, design, architecture as well as fine arts. In the year before he painted , Avant-garde theatres including Constructivism theatre were introduced in a feature article of September, 1936 in Atelier, which was dealing with mainly avant-garde arts. Books related with Constructivism were translated into Japanese, and Gestaltung Education had become active since the publication of A Compendium of Gestaltung Education("構成敎育大系"(1934)), Salvador Dali(1904-1989) was also introduced, so Surrealism was drawn more attention by young artists. reflected popular trends. Yoo analyzed the Japanese avant-gardists' archaic taste in the Independent Art Association that he submitted his painting to. And then he entitled 'Rhapsody' which derives from Ancient Greek's epic poetry and deliberately set up images in a scene. In chapter 3, I examined a theme which was planned carefully by sorting favorite images from the Japanese Surrealism. was a result that Yoo Young-kuk observed objectively the phenomenon that young artists dreamt of Utopia or longed for Nostalgia passively and lethargically under wars. And then he otherized himself from that circumstance. First of all, for he used the typical icons of Japanese Surrealism such as the horizon, flowing clouds, and vast plain that were considered stereotypes of Arcadia. He, however distinguished himself form those Japanese Surrealists. He made his own vision about Utopia by referring Lyubov Popova(1889-1924)'s stage design. His objective point of view was expressed by positive and dynamic images of structure and human's actions. Constructivism which was attempted in had an effect on other early constructive works, and the principles of Constructivism were sought hard in reliefs, paintings, and photos.

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A Study on Plant Symbolism Expressed in Korean Sokwha (Folk Painting) (한국 속화(俗畵)(민화(民畵))에 표현된 식물의 상징성에 관한 연구)

  • Gil, Geum-Sun;Kim, Jae-Sik
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.81-89
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    • 2011
  • The results of tracking the symbolism of plants in the introduction factors of Sokhwa(folk painting) are as the following. 1. The term Sokhwa(俗畵) is not only a type of painting with a strong local customs, but also carries a symbolic meaning and was discovered in "Donggukisanggukjip" of Lee, Gyu-Bo(1268~1241) in the Goryo era as well as the various usage in the "Sok Dongmunseon" in the early Chosun era, "Sasukjaejip" of Gang, Hee-mang(1424~1483), "Ilseongrok(1786)" in the late Chosun era, "Jajeo(自著)" of Yoo, Han-joon(1732~1811), and "Ojuyeonmunjangjeonsango(五洲衍文長箋散稿)" of Lee, Gyu-gyung(1788~?). Especially, according to the Jebyungjoksokhwa allegation〈題屛簇俗畵辯證說〉in the Seohwa of the Insa Edition of Ojuyeonmunjangjeonsango, there is a record that the "people called them Sokhwa." 2. Contemporarily, the Korean Sokhwa underwent the prehistoric age that primitively reflected the natural perspective on agricultural culture, the period of Three States that expressed the philosophy of the eternal spirits and reflected the view on the universe in colored pictures, the Goryo Era that religiously expressed the abstract shapes and supernatural patterns in spacein symbolism, and the Chosun Era that established the traditional Korean identity of natural perspective, aesthetic values and symbolism in a complex integration in the popular culture over time. 3. The materials that were analyzed in 1,009 pieces of Korean Sokhwa showed 35 species of plants, 37 species of animals, 6 types of natural objects and other 5 types with a total of 83 types. 4. The shape aesthetics according to the aesthetic analysis of the plants in Sokhwa reflect the primitive world view of Yin/yang and the Five Elements in the peony paintings and dynamic refinement and biological harmonies in the maehwado; the composition aesthetics show complex multi-perspective composition with a strong noteworthiness in the bookshelf paintings, a strong contrast of colors with reverse perspective drawing in the battlefield paintings, and the symmetric beauty of simple orderly patterns in nature and artificial objects with straight and oblique lines are shown in the leisurely reading paintings. In terms of color aesthetics, the five colors of directions - east, west, south, north and the center - or the five basic colors - red, blue, yellow, white and black - are often utilized in ritual or religious manners or symbolically substitute the relative relationships with natural laws. 5. The introduction methods in the Korean Sokhwa exceed the simple imitation of the natural shapes and have been sublimated to the symbolism that is related to nature based on the colloquial artistic characteristics with the suspicion of the essence in the universe. Therefore, the symbolism of the plants and animals in the Korean Sokhwas is a symbolic recognition system, not a scientific recognition system with a free and unique expression with a complex interaction among religious, philosophical, ecological and ideological aspects, as a identity of the group culture of Koreans where the past and the future coexist in the present. This is why the Koran Sokhwa or the folk paintings can be called a cultural identity and can also be interpreted as a natural and folk meaningful scenic factor that has naturally integrated into our cultural lifestyle. However, the Sokhwa(folk paintings) that had been closely related to our lifestyle drastically lost its meaning and emotions through the transitions over time. As the living lifestyle predominantly became the apartment culture and in the historical situations where the confusion of the identity has deepened, the aesthetic and the symbolic values of the Sokhwa folk paintings have the appropriateness to be transmitted as the symbolic assets that protect our spiritual affluence and establish our identity.

The Comparative Study of Costume and Ornaments between Shilla and Uighur (신라복식과 위구르복식의 관계 연구)

  • 한윤숙
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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    • v.24
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    • pp.15-28
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    • 1995
  • This thesis focuses on the study of costume and ornaments of Shilla which had been severely affected by Uighur, and those of Uighur in Uighur self-governing district located in Shin Kang. East Turkestan, in Centrals Asia. This study aims to identifty the way of intergration of Uighur's costume and ornaments into Shilla, and orgins of Shill's costume and ornaments which had amix of internationl elelemnts thoursh cross exchanges, by comparing the differences between the two, and at the same time to clarify the pedigree of Korean costume and ornaments which are said to be udner a severe Chinese influence, by highlingting its uniqueness and originality . The result of the study demonstrates and originality of SHilla by melting foreign cultures into its own style in the process of accepting them. This means that the Shilla has recreated them in t도 form of simplification, and added naturalistic abstratness which is an element of Norther culture. The costume and ornaments are divided into coronets men's costuem, women's costume, and accessories 1. Coroncts A horse-riding man, and the costume type of 유고제 착유지체형 tell the Northern culture's influence on 백화수피기마인물채화담립 and patterns of a lotus flowr and arabesque show the 백화수피기마인물채색답립 has an influence of Buddhism with cluture of bordering countries of Western China , The origin of 뱍회수피제안형건(원정형, 방정형) lies in Northern cultures which can be found in ancient tombs of the Huns in noin-Ila , and stone caves of Jizil in Kochang. The wall paintings in Alexandropol, Murutuk and 돈황 No. 409 cave show that 초화형입식계금관 is under the influence of Northern culture, and Bezerkrick No, 25 cave and 회 번 in Kocho also show 수목녹각형입식관 is under the influence of Northern culture, with its origin in Novecherkaask. In this regard, the transformed coroncts of Shilla has shows a blended culture of Shilla with Nothern, Chinese, and Western cultures. 2. Men's Costume 반령포 derives from cultures of bordering countries of Western China centering around Uighur and Turkey. 연주문 in Uighur prince's costume and in Uighur paintings of Central Asia were reflected into the arts of Shilla in a direct way, and the motive of Uighur was deviatelly expressed at Shilla's arts in the form of simplicity , and naturalistic abstract paintings as in shown at 입수쌍조문 in tiles and brick. Along with this , 고착지체형 costume originates from Eurasia's Northern horseriding costumes as was shown in a golden man in B.C.4-5C which is now possessed by Kazakstan Republic Academy Archelogy Center Museum, and a golden figure from Skitai ancient caves, an the origin is carried away into wall paintings of Kizil No.14. cave in 8c and Astana's early period ancient tomb. No.6. 3. Women's Costume The hair styles of Shilla people are either 변발 or up -style with a lot of hair around it whose origin can be seen in Astana No.216 and No.187 caves of Kochang and Uighur's wall paintings of royal princess's hair style. Astana's middle period No. 206 and No.230 tombs reveal the its origin of 고착장군 while Astana early period No. 6 tomb shows that of 광유풍만형. 4. Accessories The earrings with small golden beads is seen at earring of figure holding a sword in wall painting of figure holding a sword in wall painting of Kizil in about 5 C. and those of a offering people in Sorchuk wall paintings. The earrings with small golden beads originates from a golden pendant of Shivargan, Afganistan, and golden pendants and other golden and metal accessories from Chrioba ancient tombs in Skiti Critia peninsula. Shilla's costume derives from the costume style of horse-ridding man, which proves the fact that Shilla people are horse-ridding peoplewith excellent horse-ridding techniques, and traditions. The people of Shilla are from horse-ridding people of local mounted momads in Northern part of Siberia steppe and this origin of Northern culture had been carried into Uighur in East Turkestan. At the same time , Shilla has a wealth and power since it was rich in gold and iron , thus producing lots of materials made of them. The results of this study emphasizes Shilla's identity and self-control by creating an independent an innovative heterogeneous culture since Shill's active exchanges with East Asia allowed it to accept the most civilized Uighur culture in East Turkestan among Altai languate which had frequent cross contacts with India and Europe.

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Installation Art In Indonesian Contemporary Art; A Quest For Medium and Social Spaces (인도네시아 현대미술에 있어서의 설치미술 - 미디엄과 사회적 공간을 위한 탐색)

  • Kusmara, A. Rikrik
    • The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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    • no.5
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    • pp.217-229
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    • 2007
  • Many historical research and facet about modern art in Indonesia which formulating background of contemporary Indonesian Art. Indonesian art critic Sanento Yuliman states that Modern art has been rapidly developing in Indonesia since the Indonesian Independence in 1945. Modern Art is a part of the super culture of the Indonesian metropolitan and is closely related to the contact between the Indonesian and Western Cultures. Its birth was part of the nationalism project, when the Indonesian people consists of various ethnics were determined to become a new nation, the Indonesian nation, and they wished for a new culture, and therefore, a new art. The period 1960s, which was the beginning of the creation and development of the painters and the painters associations, was the first stage of the development of modern art in Indonesia. The second stage showed the important role of the higher education institutes for art. These institutes have developed since the 1950s and in the 1970s they were the main education institutes for painters and other artists. The artists awareness of the medium, forms or the organization of shapes were encouraged more intensely and these encouraged the exploring and experimental attitudes. Meanwhile, the information about the world's modern art, particularly Western Art; was widely and rapidly spread. The 1960s and 1970s were marked by the development of various abstractions and abstract art and the great number of explorations in various new media, like the experiment with collage, assemblage, mixed media. The works of the Neo Art Movement-group in the second half of the 1970s and in the 1980s shows environmental art and installations, influenced by the elements of popular art, from the commercial world and mass media, as well as the involvement of art in the social and environmental affairs. The issues about the environment, frequently launched by the intellectuals in the period of economic development starting in the 1970s, echoed among the artists, and they were widened in the social, art and cultural circles. The Indonesian economic development following the important change in the 1970s has caused a change in the life of the middle and upper class society, as has the change in various aspects of a big city, particularly Jakarta. The new genre emerged in 1975 which indicates contemporary art in Indonesia, when a group of young artists organized a movement, which was widely known as the Indonesian New Art Movement. This movement criticized international style, universalism and the long standing debate on an east-west-dichotomy. As far as the actual practice of the arts was concerned the movement criticized the domination of the art of painting and saw this as a sign of stagnation in Indonesian art development. Based on this criticism 'the movement' introduced ready-mades and installations (Jim Supangkat). Takes almost two decades that the New Art Movement activists were establishing Indonesian Installation art genre as contemporary paradigm and influenced the 1980's gene ration like, FX Harsono, Dadang Christanto, Arahmaiani, Tisna Sanjaya, Diyanto, Andarmanik, entering the 1990's decade as "rebellion period" ; reject towards established aesthetic mainstream i.e. painting, sculpture, graphic art which are insufficient to express "new language" and artistic needs especially to mediate social politic and cultural situation. Installation Art which contains open possibilities of creation become a vehicle for aesthetic establishment rejection and social politics stagnant expression in 1990s. Installation art accommodates two major field; first, the rejection of aesthetic establishment has a consequences an artists quest for medium; deconstruction models and cross disciplines into multi and intermedia i.e. performance, music, video etc. Second aspect is artists' social politic intention for changes, both conclude as characteristics of Indonesian Installation Art and establishing the freedom of expression in contemporary Indonesian Art until today.

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High School Girls' Observational and Personal Characteristics (고등학교 여학생의 성격유형에 따른 관찰 특성 연구)

  • Park, HyunJu;Jung, Youngeun
    • Journal of Science Education
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    • v.35 no.2
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    • pp.193-203
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze high school girls' observational characteristics. A total of 77 female high students were asked to observe 'Las Meninas', a well known 17th century painting by Diego Velazquez and volumetric flask. MBTI(Myer Briggs Type Indicator) was implemented for student's personal characteristics. We analyzed testimony into its differences between objective and practical, and subjective and abstract, wholeness by character type. As a result, 41 participants have preference for sensuous recognition and the rest of the 36 participants have preference for intuitional recognition. From the observation statement, it showed differences of the results according to their character type. As the result that it showed above, learners used two ways of recognition but they showed tendency with strong reliance on their preferred recognition. In case of preferring the sensuous recognition, it tended towards the basis of phenomenological analysis, objective fact and physical judge. However, in case of preferring the intuitional recognition, it tended to observe by momentary thinking, flash of idea and meaning behind.

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The Expression of Divinity and Humanity of Christ through His Body and Clothes in the Medieval Paintings, Transfiguration (중세 '변형' 도상에 나타난 그리스도의 신성과 인성)

  • Choi, Sun Young
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.359-369
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    • 2018
  • When expressing Christ visually in the medieval Christian painting, the most important issue was how to express the divinity as Son of God and the humanity as attribute of human in a balanced manner. The purpose of the study is to examine both formative and symbolic characters of divinity and humanity on the Christ's body and clothes in the Medieval paintings, Transfiguration of Christ. In the paintings, Christ's body is definite evidence to show both his divinity and humanity. In connection with the body, the clothes reveal Christ's humanity and divinity as well. Through this research, the study found that the divinity and humanity on the Christ's clothes in the Transfiguration of Christ were as follows: Blue, gold, purple, white and bleaching effect are the emblem of divinity, and red and color contrast effect with a high chroma stand for humanity of Christ. In addition, unstructured wrinkles of clothes reveal Christ's divinity, on the other hand, structured drapery shows his humanity through emphasizing volume of the body. Finally, divinity of Christ is shown on the gold clavus and red clavus intensify his humanity. Medieval Christian paintings are products planned out to express Christ's dual nature. There is a significance that the paintings represent the profession of painter's faith and the dogma of the era. Furthermore, they suggest the importance of the image to deliver the abstract concepts by visualizing.