3rd Year Log 2

Friday 19/10/12

A few reference books that I ordered just arrived and although I have only browsed through some of them; 

I found quite a few interesting facts and artist to discuss in this log. The followings are some of them that I’m covering today;

Surrealism by Cathrin Klingsohr-Leroy

The book starts of with “SURREALISM, noun, pure psychic automatism by which it is intended to express, either verbally or in writing, or otherwise, the true function of thought. Thought dictated in the absence of all control exerted by reason, and outside all aesthetic or moral preoccupations.”pg 6

As I have only skimmed through the book at this point, I looked up 2 familiar artists that I know and realized they had an interesting similar principal in their work.

Rene Magritte shared that, “My painting is visible images which conceal nothing; they evoke mystery. … Mystery means nothing either, it is unknownable.” Pg 64. Similarly, Giorgio De Chirico quoted, “… the work of art must have neither reason nor logic. In this way it approaches the dream and the mind of the child.” Pg 32. I can see what this great painters are saying; that to bring out the purity of the art, it is best not be tainted with unnecessary message or ‘noble’ meanings behind it, like how a deaf/ blind could create better (because he could not hear nor see the world around him, therefore what he create is purely of his perception eg. Ludwig Van Beethoven and his disability in hearing). However I don’t necessarily agree totally with them because I have grown up not by experiencing art or music as a technical and perceptive medium, but as an immersion whereby a concept and atmosphere are the keys. Therefore, to certain extent I agree with their views, but I guess its more like a Video-Killed-The-Radio-Star problem; whereby in fact by utilizing the aid of music videos one can further enhance a song; either to be doubly worse or brilliantly better. Similarly one can use a concept in art as both a tool of disaster or masterpiece. I found a quote from Dali that expresses this, “I think I am, in what I create, a rather mediocre painter. What I regard as brilliant is my vision, not what I actually create. “ pg 42.

Rene Magritte

Son Of Man

The Door To Freedom

Intermission

More random Artists quotes from the book,

“It used to be that the painters were mad and the picture-buyers clever. Now the painters are clever and the picture-buyers mad.”

Giorgio De Chirico, pg 34

“A painter is lost when he finds himself”

Max Ernst, pg 48

“Painting always has one foot in architecture, on foot in dreams.”

Matta, pg 72

“Art is a lie that allows us to see the truth.”

Pablo Picasso, pg 88

“Give me two hours a day of activity, and I’ll take the other twenty-two in dreams.”

Luis Bunuel, pg 18

“The secret of art lies in the fact that one seeks not, but finds it.”

Pablo Picasso, pg 20

Expressionism by Norbert Wolf

This book is about the earliest precursors of the Modern Art Movement. Vincent Van Gogh was the one and only painter I am familiar with in this book, however I am glad because this book opened up so MANY doors, so many that I am literally ecstatic when I stumble upon painters like Max Beckman, who’s paintings are very full of agony and movement and a subtle sense of cubism. Lyonel Feininger, George Grosz, Ernst Ludgwig Kirchner, who were all cubist artist. However I’ve hit the jackpot when I learned about Ludwig Meidner, who’s paintings I first saw on page 24 of the book, with a painting called, The Corner House (Villa Kochmann, Dresden) and that was it. I had since been looking at his various works and just am simply astound by the sense of exaggeration and movements in his paintings, they are also very dark, often expressing the times of war that he was in at the time. I will be doing some exercise of this style and feature it as level s concept in my game.

 Ludwig Meidner

The Corner House

The Burning Factory

Apocalyptic Landscape

  

Apocalyptic Landscape (Nr. Halensee Railway Station)

Berlin

Essentially I have by now discovered 2 painters from the opposite ends of the Modern Art Spectrum, which I can study more and apply to my game idea. Giorgio De Chirico style is very atmospheric, full of long shots, very photographic, very calming and often depicts a place where time has stopped flowing; it is also very often monochromatic and uses a lot more harmonious combinations of color. This could be applied to a more exploration-based levels or represents the creepier more atmospheric area in the game, possibly some that involves passive puzzles.

On the other hand, Ludwig Meidner’s style is very kinetic, full of movements, a controlled chaos, visual insanity at its finest; often using a more complentary and ‘loud’ choice of color, also often depicting a very disturbing apocalyptic realities.

This could be applied to a more action based level, so in contrast to the Chirico style; this would in turn be like the 2 realms in Silent Hill series, where you have one calm atmospheric reality and another which is completely bizarre and intense.