Unity in diversity is used as an expression of harmony between dissimilar individuals or groups. It is a concept of "unity without uniformity and diversity without fragmentation" that shifts focus from unity based on a mere tolerance of physical, cultural, linguistic, social, religious, political, ideological and/or psychological differences towards a more complex unity based on an understanding that difference enriches human interactions. Appreciating and celebrating our differences makes us stronger.
Diversity is a permanent human condition. The idea and related phrase is very old and dates back to ancient times in both Western and Eastern Old World cultures. The concept of unity in diversity was used by both the indigenous peoples of North America and Taoist societies in 400–500 B.C. In premodern Western culture, it has existed in an implicit form in certain organic conceptions of the universe that developed in the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. When used in a political context, it is often used to advocate federalism and multiculturalism. The phrase is a deliberate oxymoron, the rhetorical combination of two antonyms, unitas "unity, oneness" and varietas "variety, variousness". It has applications in many fields, including ecology, cosmology, philosophy, religion, politics. How does it apply to the arts? Sufi philosopher Ibn al-'Arabi first advanced the metaphysical concept of the "oneness of being" a thousand years ago. The German Gestault theory says it like this: "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." The phrase E pluribus unum is included in the Great Seal of the United States, being one of the nation's mottos: "out of many, one." Indonesia sas embraced this as their official motto as well, promoting tolerance between Hindus and Buddhists, "the truth of Jina (Buddha) and the truth of Shiva is one." Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, said, ""In reality all are members of one human family—children of one Heavenly Father. Humanity may be likened unto the vari-colored flowers of one garden. There is unity in diversity. Each sets off and enhances the other's beauty."" Unity in diversity is an idea celebrated at human rights victories in Africa. The European Union works for peace and prosperity, while at the same time being enriched by the continent's many different cultures, traditions and languages. Across Asia people with different faiths, cultures and ethnicity have been living harmoniously since ancient times. In the Americas, the melting pot ideas of assimilation have given away to a celebration of multiculturalism: such as a mosaic, salad bowl, or kaleidoscope, in which different cultures mix, but remain distinct. As we become educated about the world, feelings of "otherness" fade to recognition that we hold much in common. We can relate and connect universally. Carl Jung wrote, “As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.” Art helps us tell stories, build bridges, and share a common humanity. The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity adopted by UNESCO in 2001 is a legal instrument that recognizes cultural diversity as the "common heritage of humanity" and considers its safeguarding to be a concrete and ethical imperative inseparable from respect for human dignity. UNESCO World Heritage sites are judged to be important for the collective and preservative interests of humanity. This work of preserving culture preserves identity. In the past 100 years determining what art is and it's preservation is part of safekeeping our global human history. Art may be created for a local identity, but enriches a universal humanity. 1) Why do so many people honor and preserve their heritage? Define legacy. 2) How might geography affect the cultural activities of the people who live there? 3) Who, what, when, where, why, and how is art preserved across continents? 4) Who should own the artworks plundered and sold across the globe? 5) How might other cultures define art differently than the Western philosophy? 6) What kind of art is especially hard to display in a museum? How can it be preserved? 7) What kinds of artworks last the longest, and what kinds endure for only a short period of time? 8) How might art traditions of the past impact the contemporary art scene? 9) How does viewing a vast collection diverse artworks still bring a sense of human unity? What are the similarities and differences of artwork across cultures? 10) In what ways does art have the power to define an individual, but unite all individuals? Consider some of these questions. Please develop your thoughts on these topics using 7-10+ sentences in the comments below.
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The life of art is always an experiential record of ways of living. Art in the last hundred years is largely conceptual: a product of incredibly creative ideas. What is considered art is often a shockingly new and original idea, material, media, or method. "Real" art is market driven, commoditized, advertised, controlled by the powerful, protected and distributed by the institution, and sold. Did you know much of the world’s great art is housed in the vast archives of museums with limited display space? The largest museums typically display about 5% of their collection at any time while most priceless masterpieces sit in storage.
And yet the process of making art is a completely open and creative expression for any human to pursue from kindergarten classrooms, to social emotional therapy, to graffiti artists on the streets. It does not necessarily require expensive materials or training. Diversity is the word that best describes the art of the modern era. Today’s artists make even greater use of new techniques and materials to express their ideas, beliefs, and feelings. Art movements of the past have given way to an astonishing array of individual art styles. Expressionism is a style in which the artist seeks to express emotional experience rather than impressions of the external world. Abstraction moves art into the language of visual ideas. Surrealism seeks to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind. Dada explores the existential absurdity of our existence. Pop art challenges the traditions of fine art. Minimalism's abstract aesthetic invites viewers to respond to what they see—not what they think a given work of art represents. Conceptualism puts forward the idea of the work, rejecting art as a commodity. Performance art communicates ideas to an audience, while installations bring viewers into an experience. Superrealism brings art back to the technique of reproduction in spite of technology. Earth art, street art, digital art, video art all explore new mediums of expression. Many up-and-coming contemporary artists are stunning the world with their original approach to art. On top of putting their own twists on conventional forms like painting, sculpture, and installation, they’ve also popularized unexpected forms of art, like embroidery, origami, and tattoos, proving the endless possibilities of the all-encompassing genre. New technologies challenge the possible mediums of expression. Diverse and eclectic, contemporary art as a whole is distinguished by the very lack of a uniform, organizing principle, ideology, or "-ism". Contemporary art does not have one, single objective or point of view. It is unclear, reflective of the world today. It can be contradictory, confusing, and open-ended. It is part of a cultural dialogue that concerns larger contextual frameworks such as personal and cultural identity, family, community, and nationality. While these are not exhaustive, notable themes include: identity politics, the body, globalization and migration, technology, contemporary society and culture, time and memory, and institutional and political critique. Post-modern, post-structuralist, feminist, and Marxist theory have played important roles in the development of contemporary theories of art. Art Critic Robert Hughes wrote, ""The basic project of art is always to make the world whole and comprehensible, to restore it to us in all its glory and its occasional nastiness, not through argument but through feeling, and then to close the gap between you and everything that is not you, and in this way pass from feeling to meaning. It's not something that committees can do. It's not a task achieved by groups or by movements. It's done by individuals, each person mediating in some way between a sense of history and an experience of the world.” Art history is all about the search; for the meaning, the narrative, or the date for that one painting you can't remember in your midterm. We've all come across a work of art that initially puzzles us. You look at it and think something along the lines of "this is weird." And don't think you're alone, art historians think this more than they'd like to admit. You look at the label; it gives the date and title but doesn't do anything to help you decipher what you're looking at. It requires time, research, and study to understand and appreciate the artist's intent. Creating and understanding contemporary art requires thought and imagination. It pushes boundaries. 1) What is the power of contemporary art? 2) What do you think about keeping 95% of our art in museum storage? What solutions do you see for public access? 3) How do you feel about art that requires an explanation to understand? 4) Who gets to decide what art is and how is that definition evolving? 5) Which contemporary "isms" are the most important to you? 6) Which contemporary themes are the most important to you? 7) What type of contemporary art would you be most excited to participate in as an artist? What new mediums of art might you imagine experiencing thanks to new technology in your lifetime? 8) What is the power of the individual artist? 9) What is the purpose of contemporary art? 10) Explain the Robert Hughes quote. Please develop your thoughts using 7-10+ sentences in the comments below. Joseph Stella, The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme, 1939, oil on canvas, 70 × 42 inches / 177.8 × 106.7 cm (Whitney Museum of American Art) People use the term “modern” in a variety of ways, often very loosely, with a lot of implied associations of new, contemporary, up-to-date, and technological. We know the difference between a modern society and one that remains tied to the past and it usually has less to do with art and more to do with technology and industrial progress, things like indoor plumbing, easy access to consumer goods, freedom of expression, and voting rights. In the 19th century, however, modernity and its connection with art had certain specific associations that people began recognizing and using as barometers to distinguish themselves and their culture from earlier nineteenth century ways and attitudes. Chronologically, Modernism refers to the period from 1850 to 1960. It begins with the Realist movement and ends with Abstract Expressionism. That’s just a little over one hundred years. During that period the western world experienced some significant changes that transformed Europe and the United States from traditional societies that were agriculturally based into modern ones with cities and factories and mass transportation. Here are some important features that all modern societies share. Capitalism - People exchanged labor for a fixed wage and used their wages to buy ever more consumer items rather than produce such items themselves. It offered opportunities for great wealth through individual initiative, industrialization and technology. Who needed the classics when a commercial/technically oriented education was the key to financial success? The industrial revolution also fostered a sense of competition and progress that continues to influence us today. Urban culture replaced agrarian culture as industrialization and cities grew. Cities were the sites of new wealth and opportunity with their factories and manufacturing potential. People moving from small farms, towns to large cities helped to breakdown traditional culture and values. There were also new complications such as growing urban crime, prostitution, alienation, and depersonalization. The gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” increased and were more visible in the city. Technological advances such as industrialization, railroads, gas lighting, streetcars, factory systems, indoor plumbing, appliances, and scientific advances were rapidly made and these changes dramatically affected the way people lived and thought about themselves. One consequence was that people in industrialized areas thought of themselves as progressive and modern and considered undeveloped cultures in undeveloped countries as primitive and backward. Secularism - Modernity is characterized by increasing secularism and diminished religious authority. People did not abandon religion but they paid less attention to it. Organized religions were increasingly less able to dictate standards, values, and subject matter. Fine art moved from representing human experience and its relationship to God's creation, to a focus on personal emotions and individual spiritual experiences that were not based in any organized and institutionalized religion. Optimism - The modern world was extremely optimistic—people saw these changes as positive. They welcomed innovation and championed progress. Change became a signifier of modernity. Anything that was traditional and static signaled outmoded, old-fashioned, conservative and was to be avoided by the new modern public. Many artists closely identified with modernity and embraced the new techniques and innovations, the spirit of progress, invention, discovery, creativity and change. They wanted to participate in creating the modern world and they were anxious to try out new ideas rather than following the more conservative guidelines of Academic art. Finally, everyone agreed to disagree. A middle-class audience - By the mid-1850’s polite academic disagreements were being taken out of the Academy and onto the street. Artists were looking increasingly to the private sector for patronage, tapping into that growing group of bourgeois or middle class collectors with money to spend and houses to fill with paintings. This new middle class audience that made its money through industrialization and manufacturing had lots of “disposable income”, and they wanted pictures that they could understand, that were easy to look at, fit into their homes, addressed subjects they liked. Not for them the historical cycles of gods, saints and heroes with their complex intellectual associations and references; instead, they wanted landscapes, genre scenes, and still life. They were not less educated than earlier buyers, but educated with a different focus and set of priorities. Reality was here and now, progress was inevitable, and the new hero of modern life was the modern man. Modernity is then a composite of contexts: a time, a space, and an attitude. What makes a place or an object “modern” depends on these conditions. The Avant-Garde Throughout the 19th century there were artists who produced pictures that we do not label “modern art” generally because the techniques or subjects were associated with the conservative academic styles, techniques and approaches. On the other hand, modern artists were often called the “avant garde.” This was originally a military term that described the point man (the first soldier out)—the one to take the most risk. The French socialist Henri de Saint-Simon first used the term in the early 1820’s to describe an artist whose work would serve the needs of the people, of a socialist society rather than the ruling classes. The avant garde is also used to identify artists whose painting subjects and techniques were radical, marking them off from the more traditional or academic styles, but not with any particular political ideology in mind. Avant garde became a kind of generic term for a number of art movements centered on the idea of artistic autonomy and independence. In some cases the avant garde was closely associated with political activism, especially socialist or communist movements; in other cases, the avant garde was pointedly removed from politics and focused primarily on aesthetics. The avant garde was never a cohesive group of artists and what was avant garde in one nation was not necessarily the same in others. Kazimir Malevich, Suprematist Composition: White on White, 1918, oil on canvas, 31 1/4 x 31 1/4 inches / 79.4 x 79.4 cm (The Museum of Modern Art). Malevich "viewed the Russian Revolution as having paved the way for a new society in which materialism would eventually lead to spiritual freedom." MoMA Finally, although modern artists were working throughout many countries in Europe and the United States, most 19th art and much 20th century modern art is centered in France and produced by French artists. Unlike England which was politically stable in the 19th century, France went through a variety of governments and insurrections all of which provided a unique political and cultural environment that fostered what we know as modern art. Essay by Dr. Parme Giuntini, abridged Art from 1850-1960 is called Modernism (as opposed to Contemporary, which is the art of today): it expressed the experiences of a marked shift in human progress. Capitalism, urban culture, technology, secularism, optimism, and the rise of the middle-class inspired "avant garde" artists to try radical new ideas and serve the people. 1) Based on your knowledge of history, discuss the changes to human existence that transformed the world from 1850-1960. 2) Which aspects of human progress do you feel were the most significant? 3) How did life get better and how did it get worse during this time? 4) What new ideas could artists experiment with in their expression? 5) If you were an artist during this time, what idea would you commit your work to, chronologizing the human experience in the modern era? 6) Stella's work above is titled The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme. How do his techniques display the ideas of a modern artist? Please share your thoughts in a 7-10+ sentence answer, giving concrete examples of your ideas. During the Middle Ages, people in western Europe thought of the Catholic Church as the center of their existence, guiding them along the rough road of life to salvation. Around 1400 a dramatic change began to take place in Italy and in western Europe. As people became more involved in business, government, military, and social events, they no longer focused all their attention on religious matters. People began to rediscover the world around them and realize that they were an important part of it. They had believed that life in this world was primarily a preparation for heaven, and this gave way to an interest in the here and now. After centuries of symbolic religious images, artists looked to nature for inspiration, creating works that mirrored the people, places, and events of the real world. This change of view was brought about through a revival or “re-awakening” of interest by artists, writers and philosophers in the art and literature of ancient Greece and Rome.
This period from about 1300-1600 is referred to as the Renaissance, a period of great awakening. Renaissance means “rebirth” in French. This interest in the classics was called humanism. Humanists—the scholars who promoted humanism—embraced the Greco-Roman belief that each individual has dignity and worth. Literature, the Arts and Science where in full bloom. Such cultural splendor changed the way man was perceived and brought about a new conception of life alongside with the reinstatement of ethical values and a greater freedom of thought and expression. The Renaissance still holds a powerful appeal over us as it reminds us of what we are capable of when we cultivate change or turn it into action and creativity. How many times are we reborn in the course of our life? How many times we change the way we perceive the world or see with new eyes the reality that surrounds us, maybe with the “amazement of first times”? In the middle of the fifteenth century, a German printer named Johannes Gutenberg perfected the printing press, an invention that ranks as one of the most important contributions of the Renaissance. Within years, thousands of presses were in operation in Europe, and hundreds of books were printed from these presses. This mass-production capability made available to great numbers of readers the works of ancient Greek and Roman writers, religious books, and volumes of poetry and prose. 1. What are the benefits of living for the future? What are the benefits of living for an afterlife? v. What are the benefits of living in the moment? 2. We are living in a humanist time like the Renaissance; in what ways do you see our culture celebrating the dignity and worth of each individual? What is most amazing about living in the current age? 3. The printing press transferred thought and information around the world just like the internet is exponentially growing knowledge, communication, and collaboration today. In what ways can we use our artistic expression with technology to be our best? What helps you see the world with new eyes? 4. We are a tribal species and thrive when we are united and sharing ideas. What modern ideas are most powerful for our success? How can we create connectedness, feelings of belonging, meaning and purpose, and believe that we have a future that makes sense? 5. A "Renaissance Man" was good at many things like Leonardo Da Vinci. Loen Battista Alberti said “a man can do all things if he will.” The ideal embodied the basic tenets of Renaissance humanism, which considered man the center of the universe, limitless in his capacities for development, and led to the notion that men should try to embrace all knowledge and develop their own capacities as fully as possible. You can do anything. What do you like to study? What ideas excite you? What hobbies and talents do you practice? How do you pursue what interests you? Who are your most interesting friends? What topics do you like conversing about? Where do you like to travel? What makes you a well-rounded person? How are you growing into a superhero? Please share your thoughts in a 7-10+ sentence answer, giving concrete examples of your ideas. In religion, salvation is the saving of the soul from sin and its consequences. It may also be called "deliverance" or "redemption" from sin and its effects. Historically, salvation is considered to be caused either by the grace of a deity (i.e. unmerited, unearned, undeserved); by the independent choices of a free will and personal effort (i.e. earned and/or merited); or by some combination of the two. Religions often emphasize the necessity of both personal effort—for example, repentance and asceticism—and divine action (e.g. grace). You can read more about soteriology here.
What are some ideas concerning the thoughts below, and what are yours?:
We are as likely to communicate using easily interpretable pictures as we are text. Portable handheld devices enable us to tell others via social media what we are doing and thinking. Approximately 15,000 years ago, we also communicated in pictures—but with no written language.
Part 1: “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.” —Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986) What do you think the artist means when she writes that using elements of art enabled her “to say things she had no words for”? Write your interpretation of the ideas she is expressing. Part 2: Art is more than just objects and images. It is a visual story of a people and their culture. It reveals their feelings, views, and beliefs. In a sense, art history mirrors the history of the world. It is a window on the past and the many cultures that enrich our lives. The artworks produced many thousands of years ago tell us a great deal about the earliest cultures and civilizations of our world. These ancient people left no written records. What we know of them has been learned from the objects and the art that they left behind. Choose one picture from the link here on the Khan Academy's Brief History of Western Culture or an image search for prehistoric art. Describe your choice. What does this artwork tell us about the people and culture in which it was made? Part 3: "We are immersed in our own time and it can be difficult to see the world around us objectively. One of the modern definitions of an artist, in fact, is someone who is particularly insightful about their own cultural moment. Thanks to global capitalism, social media and the internet, we are more interconnected and interdependent than at any other time in history. Some see this as a utopian moment. With internet access, we can all contribute to and benefit from what is being called the Information Revolution. For others, the prevalence of technology in our lives threatens our individuality and privacy, and reduces us to a data point that can be monetized by corporations like Facebook, Google, and Apple. One thing is certain, throughout the time periods sketched above, art has meant different things, and it is likely to be differently defined in the future. The history of humanity is recorded in our visual culture. Like the fate of previous civilizations, time will eventually destroy much of the visual culture that we are familiar with today. Future art historians will seek to reconstruct the world we now live in, to better understand the nuanced meanings that are so familiar to us. Perhaps someday an art historian will puzzle over an internet meme, a Torqued Ellipse by Richard Serra, or school-yard graffiti." --Essay by Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker How do you imagine future peoples interpreting our cultural moment in 1,000 years? What will they say about our "Information Revolution"? What records of ours might remain? Part 4: The Google Arts & Culture Project is an online platform through which the public can access high-resolution images of artworks housed in the initiative's partner museums. Choose one search term to plug in, and then describe several of the types of art that come up. What did you learn about how this category? What does the artwork say about humanity from this piece of our global art history record? E.C. Check out the TED Talk here and explain what this cultural Big Bang Looks like. What are the capabilities of Google Arts & Culture? How do they display this visually for the audience? Share your most insightful thoughts in 7-10+ sentence summary. What are the greatest human motivators? Many seek power, fame, or wealth, happiness and purpose. We desire greatness, to create a legacy, to be remembered, to change the world, to make our mark. Since the first lines of human expression were recorded on caves in paint thousands of years ago, mankind has desired to tell his story for the next generation, and we have done that in a powerful, lasting way, through drawing and painting...and more.
In the World War era, many philosophers were overwhelmed with the meaninglessness of life: so many lives lost, the restless chaos, the struggle, the anxiety of existence. From that existential void, the bold, heroic artist stepped forward to make his mark. He says, "I am here. I exist." His expression is a loaded gesture: painting becomes the ritual act for transforming consciousness. Art is now ideas. Who needs a painting that looks like a photograph? Painting can change the world! The gesture is a process, the artwork is a process, more than a product. The German Gestault theory transcends in the modern word, saying "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." The painting means so much more than lines and shapes. The process of painting is a discovery. Jackson Pollock said, "I am nature." His brush is fluid like the ebb and tide forces of nature, a raw, spontaneous gesture. "The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through." "Painting is self-discovery. Every good artist paints what he is." The expressionist uses distortions to express the emotion and energy of the inner world. There are no accidents. Enter the energy field of the void and make your mark! Pollock was an action painter, a dancer, painting in the air over the floor, listing to jazz, becoming the processes. His multi-million-dollar signature drip paintings caught the moment, and his new use of line moves us through his fluid, meditative world where there are no accidents. You can learn more about Pollock's revolutionary abstract expressionism and watch how he painted here. Pollock said, "When I say artist I mean the man who is building things, creating molding the earth, whether it be the plains of the west, or the iron ore of Penn. It's all a big game of construction, some with a brush, some with a shovel, some choose a pen." Some people are artists, and some themselves, are art. 1) How can the artist's purpose and process of art be more important than the artwork itself? What does making art mean to you? 2) What are the greatest stories told by art? Which pieces have created the most lasting human legacy? Which ones cut to the heart of who we are? Which ones will we look at 1,000 years from now? 3) How does art create meaning and purpose for the artist and the viewer? How can art change the world? 4) If you were to create an artwork that would leave a lasting legacy for future generations, what would you want it to express? How are the processes of your life, the creative things that you make and build, a form of art? 5) Some of my favorite philosophies about art come from modern artists like Pollock. Share a favorite quote from an artist that shares your philosophy about art, and explain why it resonates with you. Please share a 7-10+ sentence answer. Art tells the visual story of humankind. Each creative endeavor is a gesture pressed in time that says: I am human. I exist. The expression of the moment is shaped by thought and emotion, unique to our species. Art is a strategy of being. It shows the essence of each individual creator.
What message would you want your visual legacy to say and what would it look like? Describe the Principles of Design you would use for your perfect masterpiece: your personal statement for all time, the artwork that would make you rich and/or famous. Write the card that would sit next to your artwork, explaining to the public what it's all about. 7-10+ sentences Choose from the tools of balance, movement, rhythm, contrast, emphasis, pattern, and unity. How would these tools communicate the main message you want to express? Style
Artworks owe much of their uniqueness to the ways artists have used the elements and principles. An artist's "style" is the special way an artist uses the elements and principles to organize a work. Just as there are different styles in writing, there are different ways to achieve unity in painting, sculpture, or architecture. Some artists deliberately select and organize the elements using the principles. These artists are not satisfied until a certain combination of elements and principles looks right to them. Other artists choose to use the elements of art in a more spontaneous or intuitive manner. They do not make deliberate decisions regarding the principles of art. Rather, these artists instinctively select and organize the art elements in their works. Which type of artist are you? A planner or a serendipitous creator? How would you define your personal / favorite artistic style?
Choose from elements: line, shape, form, value, color, space, texture, and principles: balance, movement, rhythm, contrast, emphasis, pattern, and/or unity. Bonus if you link us to some examples to look at. +7-10 sentences Welcome to the conversation about art! Please develop your thoughts using 7-10+ sentences in the comments below. Then, respond to at least two other students.
Have you ever painted a picture or shaped a piece of clay? What are some of the types of art forms you have seen? Why do you think artists create art? The visual arts are a universal language. Through the arts, people have portrayed their world and expressed their dreams, ideas, and feelings. Every work of art reflects the time and place in which it was created. For this reason, art offers us a unique opportunity to journey into the past. Need more ideas? Check out the presentation here: https://www.slideshare.net/rosabrito/what-is-art-13676005 - What is art? - What questions and struggles do you have about the definition of art? - Why do artists create art? - What are you favorite forms of art? - What artworks have you experienced in person? - What are the benefits of studying art online today? - What kind of art do you make or would like to? |
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