He differs from the works of Frank Stella in that his works do suggest to some extent a world that lies outside the artwork per se, but his focus is not on an idealistic spiritual area of apprehension but rather on the way that we see the world around us. Like Stella, his work does not conform to the earlier abstract views and to Kandinsky's'inner necessity'.
Paradox 1. (2005)
Source: (http://www.robertpepperell.com/Artpages/Paradox%201.jpg)
Robert Pepperell's work has been described as an exploration and even a postmodern deconstruction of the habitual mode of seeing the world. In other words, the paintings refer to elements and images that are on the fringes of recognition but are never able to be completely placed or categorized. The works tend to put our normal sense of viewing the world into doubt and this is referred to as the indeterminacy effect. As some commentator explains; "In contrast with our habitual mode of seeing, in which visual sensation is accompanied by immediate recognition, the indeterminacy effect presents viewers with a perceptual conundrum, namely an apparently meaningful yet persistently meaningless scene, which they struggle to resolve." (Ishai a., Fairhall S. And Pepperell R., 2007) the drawing and paintings by Pepperell are therefore, " designed to induce a disrupted perceptual condition in which what we see cannot be matched with what we know. Instead of a recognizable depiction, the viewer is presented with "potential image"... that is, a complex multiplicity of possible images, none of which ever finally resolves." (Ishai a., Fairhall S. And Pepperell R., 2007)
In essence these works conform to the postmodern emphasis on paradox and the indeterminacy of meaning in art and in reality. Visual indeterminacy is also described as occurring "... when the sensory data gathered from the visual system cannot be integrated with semantic knowledge." (Pepperell R.) This method is intended to "... defamiliarize our perceptions of the world..." (Pepperell R.) Pepperell's approach to abstract art therefore follows the idea that the value of art lies mainly in technique ands reside within the work which is non-referential.
The technique of art is to make objects 'unfamiliar,' to make forms difficult, to increase the difficulty and length of perception because the process of perception is an aesthetic end in itself and must be prolonged. In art it is our experience of the process of construction that counts, not the finished product. (Shklovsk, 1965, p. 12)
Furthermore, Pepperell's paintings and drawings differ from traditional forms of abstract composition in that while earlier abstraction did not depict natural objects but emphasized line color and shape to create a certain emotional and intellectual response, Pepperell's indeterminate paintings "...strongly imply natural forms, while at the at same time resisting easy or immediate identification." (Ishai a., Fairhall S. And Pepperell R., 2007) Aspects that may make the images recognizable are purposely excluded from the paintings.
Therefore, one could conclude that in contrast to the central meaning and motivation for abstract art, as Kandinsky and others saw it, modern abstract artists like Stella and Pepperell view art as self-contained and confined to the immediate perception. While both use the formal element of abstraction their direction and intention are very different to traditional views of the transcendental and spiritual aims of this art form.
4. Conclusion
The issue of abstraction and its...
Intereview to Famous Artists, Sculptors, Musicians Blues Rock was an impressive form of rock that experienced its apogee during the mid to late 1960s. Janis Joplin and Lynyrd Skynyrd are certainly artists who made themselves known during the era and who influenced numerous individuals to turn their attention toward the genre. Their daring and passionate singing made them different from other notable singers of the era, taking into account that the
Artist Interview with Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin To Vincent van Gogh: Why did you cut off your ear; what was going through your head? Do you blame the absinthe? Vincent van Gogh: As some of my biographers have indicated, I had emotional and psychological problems since I was a child. I was, for example, "highly emotional and lacked self-confidence," ("Vincent van Gogh: Biography"). Therefore, it should really come as no surprise
Art After 1980 What is art? That question has been dissected and examined from every perspective for millennia. When the concept of modern art is brought up, the immediate impression is a large canvas with solid-colored geometrical shapes that is supposed to have some deeper meaning about humanity. This perspective is obviously very limited. Those who have understanding of the reality of modern and contemporary art know that this is far
Artists Biography of Pablo Picasso Picasso is not just a man and his work. Picasso is always a legend, indeed almost a myth. In the public view he has long since been the personification of genius in modern art. Picasso is an idol, one of those rare creatures who act as crucibles in which the diverse and often chaotic phenomena of culture are focused, who seem to body forth the artistic life
Rubens's personal contribution to the over 2,000 works produced by this studio varied considerably from work to work" (Pioch 2002). The studio acted as a kind of de facto academy for many young artists who served as Reuben's assistants, including Anthony van Dyck. Rubens has been called, in contrast to the inward-looking Dutch depicters of scenes of private, interior life, a 'public' painter, a status underlined by his equally impressive
There he exhibited 125 of his large Pacific coast views and had more than a thousand images accessible for view through stereoscopes. During these years, he traveled further afield in search of new subjects: he sailed to the barren Farallon Islands, twenty-six miles off the California coast; he photographed the geysers of Sonoma County; he traveled to Mount Shasta in the northern part of the state; and he documented
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now