Modern Art Research Articles

Cubism in Sweden – from experimental to moderate

In this article, examples of various forms of cubism practiced by Swedish artists are described and analyzed regarding form, content and reception in the field. A certain emphasis is placed on female artists, since there is a need for differencing the narrative of modernism regarding women’s contributions, often disregarded in their own contexts as well as in the writing of art history. Attention has also been paid to changing notions of cubism in the field of art. In the early years of cubism, from the 1910s, a considerable number of Swedish artists experimented enthusiastically with prismatic and other cubist effects in their paintings. Many of them went to Paris, Berlin and Copenhagen to see the new art, and brought new ideas to Sweden. For most of the artists who experimented with different kinds of cubism, it was a temporary activity, although many of them felt they had acquired new insights concerning artistic form. Some of them further developed their findings into new directions of modernist art, such as post-cubism, purism and concrete art. Women artists were active in all of these movements. The art market in Stockholm thrived in the 1910s and 1920s. Several of the art critics and large parts of the art audience had difficulties understanding cubism, and rejected the non-figurative art exhibited at the Stockholm exhibition in 1930. However, most Swedish cubism proved to be of a moderate sort, such as the works by Georg Pauli. On the other hand, Agnes Cleve, Siri Derkert, Gösta Adrian-Nilsson (GAN), and Otto G. Carlsund never ceased to generate bold forms and compositions. Regardless, it took a long time for Swedish art audiences to accept this form of visual art.

ART HISTORY PERSONOLOGY: THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST STAGES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DRAWING AND SKETCHING OF THE FACULTY OF ART AND GRAPHICS IN LENINGRAD

The history of higher artistic and pedagogical education begins in Leningrad in the late 1950s. The Faculty of Art and Graphics was founded at the Leningrad Herzen Pedagogical Institute. The faculty combined the previous e orts of teachers in the eld of history, theory, and methods of training of visual arts teachers. The biographies of the people who stood at the origins of the Faculty of Art and Graphics are almost forgotten today. However, they are important for modern art studies. On the basis of archival materials, portraits of the rst heads of the faculty, who determined its development in the early 1960s, have been recreated in this paper.

Transnationality and stylistic ideology in semi-cubist Finnish art between 1914 and 1923

The article focuses on the changes in Finnish modern art and artistic discourse caused by World War I and Finnish Independence in 1917–1918. World War I changed artistic networks radically, because travel to France was no more possible, and Independence of Finland changed the art world with the ideas of national modernism. These changes centred in Finland around the role of cubism – seen as a logical continuation of Paul Cézanne’s art – and were expressed in both formal language and artistic discourse. Questions of “primitive” in art and its connection to cubism and to what is national in art were also essential in defining Finnish modernism and avant-garde in around 1917–1920. There was small exhibition of French cubism in Helsinki in 1915, but otherwise knowledge of cubism came via second-hand sources, such as lectures, art magazines and Der Sturm Gallery’s exhibitions. Norwegian art historian Jens Thiis had a strong impact on notions of cubism in Finland. It is in my interest to show that there were transnational connections between Scandinavia, Russia and Finland, and also more or less between Finland and oth- er “new states”, which were born after Austro-Hungarian, German and Russian empires collapsed. These connections can be seen in formal elements and iconography of kind of cubo-expressionism, which was a kind of fusion of cubist structuralism and expressionist emotion. This “semi-cubism” seemed to serve as stylistic ideology or ideological tool for those who had thoughts of national modernism in countries like Poland (formists), Latvia (artists like Jēkabs Kazaks), Estonia (artists like Jaan Vahtra and Märt Laarman) and Finland (art of the so called November Group). It is obvious that artists in Finland were not conscious of what happened on the southern side of the Baltic Sea, but there are so many parallels which were born by shared general views of the role of new art, that it is possible to see not only France, Norway or Russia, but also Poland, Latvia and Estonia as artistically close to Finland, when one tries to map the topography of Finnish semi-cubism in late 1910s and early 1920s.

Deep mapping Uncertain Historical Sources

This article navigates through the challenge of preserving and presenting uncertainties in digital maps, which are used to reconstruct practical knowledge in early modern artists’ businesses. It introduces a novel methodology—deep mapping—as a multi-layered spatial visualization within the Geographical Information Systems (GIS). This method adeptly facilitates the processing and visualization of complex art historical data, offering a nuanced approach that addresses the dual need of managing large-scale spatial analysis and maintaining the precision requisite in scholarly work. To operationalize the concept of deep mapping in knowledge production, this research has collected and integrated location-related descriptions of early modern addresses from various sources, translating them into geo-referenced areas and visualizing them on historical maps with varying levels of uncertainties. Applying deep mapping to visualize painters’ distribution patterns in seventeenth-century Amsterdam as an example, this article discusses two ways of presenting uncertainties in digital maps to facilitate historical observation. It shows that uncertainty is most effectively presented as fuzzy heat maps in the background to accentuate painters’ choices of locations for their painting businesses. The deep maps demonstrate that painters in early seventeenth-century Amsterdam pragmatically practiced their business knowledge by making clustering decisions following market conditions.

Theoretical Dimension of Modern Designers’ Conceptual Forms of Creativity

The aim of the article is to identify key characteristics of artistic and design practices interaction; to define directions of conceptual design development based on the results of analysing scientific and theoretical foundations of conceptualism as a special form of the artists’ creativity in the 20th century. Results. It is demonstrated that the focus of modern designers on conceptual forms of creativity is explained by the fact that they contribute to forming unique authors’ projects of aesthetic and value content, innovative searches in the context of cultural and civilisational shifts. A conceptual costume of the beginning of the 21st century is a kind of mediator between art practices of conceptual art and design practices in the sphere of project culture, synthesising social and psychological aspects of fashion, social and symbolic functions of clothing. A conceptual design narrativises philosophical, artistic and technological aspects of design, enriching design products with an expressive metaphoricity. It is revealed that in modern art history a clear definition of the term system of the conceptual direction in design has not been formed till now. The research of this complex phenomenon, synthesised by fashion and artistic clothing design, requires a complex interdisciplinary approach. The conceptual costume is studied as an art-design object from the standpoint of global and local tendencies in the society development, which declare certain worldview values in the form of a visual metaphor. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the theoretical understanding of the conceptual costume grounds on the interaction of design with culture and art as a special space of its direct functioning, which makes it possible to form project conceptualism as a special methodology. Conclusions. The authors’ concepts in the costume are extrapolated in different ways: as visual quotations or metaphors; as a transformation of the art object idea into the form of the costume. Actually, they need in-depth and detailed studying.

The Problem of Subjectivity in Algorithmic Creativity Organisation

The aim of the article is to study the issue of determining subjectivity, authorship and uniqueness of the results of producing the creative process, organised by the use of algorithmic calculations. Results. The article clarifies the possibility of organising the artistic and creative process using mathematical calculations, and automating the reproduction of certain manipulations, additionally, it reveals signs of the uniqueness of the corresponding generation results, and grounds the degree of automating the cultural process. The scientific novelty of the article is revealed in the process of highlighting technical assets of modern art, which, although slowly, nevertheless quite demonstratively show the potential of algorithmic computing as a stimulator of creative innovations. Among the methods used in the process of analysing the issues which are raised in the article, first of all, the analytical method has to be singled out, that is based on both historical and philosophical processes, as well as modern cultural activity. Conclusions. It is revealed that algorithmic creativity is actually a kind of mechanised production process, organised in accordance with the features of machine training, and the identified signs of stylistic imitation of traditional practices. Two types of practices for organising the corresponding creative process are established according to the degree of interaction of artists with robotic systems: practices where robotic mechanisms become “subjects of creativity”, that is they are able to produce content for organizing artistic processes; practices involving the equal interaction of robotic mechanisms and artists (for instance, in theatrical performances). The cultural process automation leads to the decrease in the artist’s participation, and weakening of his authorship, but he still has an absolute advantage in the thinking orientation. Interpretation of meaningful content is a critical problem in relevant practices. The usage of algorithms in creating art products challenges traditional methods of artistic cultural creation, as the artist’s meaning and intentions are not always clear. Evaluating further prospects for the artistic culture development requires taking into account these aspects, and recognising potential consequences of forming algorithmic creativity for the further cultural development of humanity.

THE PLACE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF SHASHMAKOM IN MUSIC CULTURE

This article examines the role and importance of Shashmakom in the musical culture of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Shashmakom, with its complex structure, rhythmic rules and diverse performance styles, represents the musical heritage of the peoples of Central Asia. The article analyzes such aspects as the historical development of Shashmakom, the status system, its place in folk culture, and its influence on modern artists. Also, the inclusion of shashmakam in the list of the unofficial cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO is specially recognized. The importance of Shashmakom in musical culture plays an important role not only in art, but also in the formation of national identity and spirit.

Českost a světovost moderního umění v Čechách (1848–1948)

The texts contained in this special issue of Acta Universitatis Carolinae: Philosophica et Historica / Studia Historiae Artium were presented as papers at a conference entitled Czechness and Internationalism of Modern Art in Bohemia (1848–1948), held on 24 May 2022 at the Institute of Art History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague. The theme of the conference was chosen in respect of the research interests of Professor Petr Wittlich, a long-time pedagogue and researcher at the Institute, who celebrated a significant jubilee on 23 May 2022. Colleagues, pupils and friends of the professor, who during their professional careers have also dealt with the issue of national, transnational and international identity of modern art in the Czech lands, were invited to participate in the conference. They focused both on local disciplinary practice and retrospective assessment of the phenomenon of nationality within modernity, modernism and the avant-garde, and also explored historical debates on this topic, projected into specific works, art projects and institutional programmes.

České moderní umění v pojetí Miloše Jiránka a Emila Filly

The paper follows how and in what context the development of Czech modern art was characterized by two leading theorizing artists: painters Miloš Jiránek and Emil Filla. Special attention is paid to their conception of the Czechness of art, which they both dealt with. In his thinking, Filla was basically directly following Jiránek, but the dramatic political circumstances that were projected into his view, whether willingly or unwillingly, shifted his thoughts in a different direction.

Klid před bouří. Špálova Otava jako šťastný průnik umělcovy osobní historie a národních dějin

The interwar work of Václav Špála is considered to be the essence of the “national art” of the First Czechoslovak Republic. Its emblematic manifestation is the extensive series depicting the Otava River from 1929 and 1930. The paper focuses on the painting On the Otava River (1929) from the collection of the Gallery of Fine Arts in Cheb. It has an exceptional position within it, both in terms of its formal qualities and overall concept. Špála himself was aware of this and never sold it, and the painting was acquired by the Cheb gallery in 1966 from his estate. The uniqueness of the painting is also underlined by its exhibition history: in 1937, Václav Nebeský selected it for the accompanying exhibition to EXPO 37 in Paris, L’art moderne tchécoslovaque at the Charpentier Gallery, twenty years later it was one of only five works representing Czechoslovakia at the international exhibition 50 Years of Modern Art at EXPO 58 in Brussels, together with the works of Emil Filla, František Kupka, Josef Šíma and Otto Gutfreund.

Medusa's Evolution: From Mythological Monster to Feminist Icon – A Reflection of Shifting Societal Narratives?

This research paper analyses and compares the myth of Medusa in ancient and modern times, through literature, art, media, pop culture and psychoanalysis to determine whether the modern reinterpretation of Medusa’s story is a genuine transformation or merely a repurpose of Medusa’s image without addressing the deeper issues of gender, power and sexuality. By recasting Medusa into modern feminist narratives, scholars and philosophers like Freud, Lacan, Cixous and Butler help challenge the patriarchal narratives and try to subvert traditional gender roles. Through these feminist theories, we are able to overlook the traditional portrayal of Medusa with a fresh eye. Though there are limitations to interpretations of Medusa’s image, they are less in comparison to literature that has appropriately used the myth of Medusa to raise questions about violence and discrimination against women in modern times. The paper challenges whether modern reinterpretation is seen as Medusa’s “glow up” or “glow down” by examining examples of literature, art and pop culture.

Rhythms of Kinabalu 2022 “Coming Back Stronger”: A Review

This article reviews the Rhythms of Kinabalu 2022 from the dual perspective of management and performance. Ever since its commencement in 2011, Rhythms of Kinabalu has been a yearly large-scale event organised by the National Department for Culture and Arts under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia along with other collaborative bodies. The aim of this festival is to showcase the diversity and uniqueness of the dances, arts, and music in Sabah for the purpose of their continued popularity, relevance, and sustainability. As such, the review examines the current nature of festival, paying attention to the various categories of performances and performers in Rhythms of Kinabalu 2022 as well as the favoured and less favoured performances and/or artists as indicated by viewer turnouts of the live shows. At the same time, the article seeks to understand the local audiences’ reception and/or reaction towards the event and its many shows to signal the current festivalgoers’ taste and preference of the performing arts. A main observation reveals the striking presence of the art of busking and an imbalance in the representation of modern and traditional art forms. Essentially, the representation of traditional arts was limited and those artists struggled to keep up with their more modern counterpart. Technology, namely, social media, has been identified to have played a major role in influencing this outcome and contributing to this scenario. Management wise, the lack of cooperation from business entities (i.e., premise operators and owners) in support of the local artists, performers, small and medium enterprises, and the event itself is a cause for concern as this has caused several setbacks which were detrimental to the festival’s operations. Hence, the art-based and managerial issues identified in this review may benefit the relevant stakeholders in its decision-making of the festival’s future cycles.

The Administration of the Chinwangbu System during the Korean Empire and Imperial Prince Yŏng’s Productions of Calligraphy and Painting

This paper examines how the newly introduced Imperial Prince System (ch'inwangje 親王制) and the management of the Imperial Prince’s Bureau (ch'inwangbu 親王府) in the Korean Empire shaped the early education of calligraphy and painting and artistic activities of imperial prince Yŏng 英親王 (1897~1970). The ch'inwangje system during the Korean Empire was modeled after the Tang dynasty’s royal title system and governmental structures, illustrating Emperor Kojong’s strong interest in the education and cultivation of the prince’s qualities. Imperial prince Yŏng, who developed a notable interest in calligraphy and painting, appears to have received a systemized education from an early age with the guidance of several teachers. While the previous scholarship dealt mostly with Kim Kyu-jin 金圭鎭 (1868~1933) as a primary role in the prince’s education, this study sheds new light on the contributions of An T'aek-chung 安宅重 (1858~1929), who served as a teaching official at the Suhagwŏn Royal Academy and as a tutor to the Crown Prince. Imperial prince Yŏng’s extant work can be categorized into two distinct phases: those produced before the age of ten, which are mostly limited to calligraphy, and works from his later years that demonstrate modern education, as seen in Imperial prince Yŏng’s Childhood Calligraphy and Paintings 英親王幼年時書畵. Considering that Imperial prince Yŏng was trained in both traditional and modern styles of calligraphy and painting, An’s artistic endeavors during his time in the prince’s household offer valuable insights into the nature of court art during the Korean Empire era. Furthermore, they contribute to a broader understanding of the impact of modern art education in Korea across different social strata during this period.

Brushstrokes of Change: Hieronymous Bosch and Rachel Gadsden's Evolving Portrayals of Disability

Historically, there has been a notable lack of representation of disability in western art history. Where disabilities are displayed, the artists’ intentions were often to convey moral corruption, religious infidelity, and the faults of society. Other times, the representations functioned scientifically as medical records. In fact, one of the most anatomically accurate representations of physical disability is credited to the early modern artist Hieronymous Bosch, who was known for his unfiltered commentary on the flaws of human society. Contrary to his typical surreal, vibrant, and sarcastic style, Cripples and Beggars (after 1570) (Fig. 1), a naturalistic and observational piece, offers a rare lens into how disability was portrayed during the early modern period. In contrast, Rachel Gadsden, a contemporary, disabled artist, foregrounds her identity as a disabled artist in her work Ubuntu (2012) (Fig. 2) and utilizes an expressive, abstract style to convey the fluidity of the disabled human form. Cripples and Beggars and Ubuntu, separated by centuries, provide a captivating shared subject for comparative analysis that transcends temporal boundaries. Cripples and Beggars provides an early explicit and moralizing depiction of physical disability as an isolating scourge while Rachel Gadsden focuses on abstract, yet recognizable human bodies in optimistic motion and community. Analysis of the varying style, medium, and intention reveals the evolved reception and, thus, depiction of disability. The evolution of the reception and depiction of disability from Hieronymous Bosch's Cripples and Beggars to Rachel Gadsden's "Ubuntu" signifies a shift from viewing disability as a symbol of moral corruption and societal decay to an expression of identity, resilience, and community.

Digital Artistry: Exploring Techniques and Trends in Indian Art and Culture

From prehistoric cave paintings to contemporary digital creations, art has been integral to human expression throughout history. Digital art in modern art gradually includes various forms, such as Painting, sculpture and animation, using technology as its medium. Digital art includes any artistic work using digital technology, including Painting, 3D modelling, and interactive installations. It combines human creativity with computer technology, expanding the possibilities of creative expression. Studying digital artistry in India provides insights into cultural preservation, technological innovation, and social commentary. It promotes educational development and economic opportunities, contributing to the country's vibrant artistic scene. Technological advancements have democratized digital art creation in India, leading to diverse artistic expressions. Integrating digital art with emerging technologies like AR, VR, and NFTs opens up new possibilities for artistic exploration and dissemination. Digital art techniques include digital Painting, vector art, and 3D modelling, facilitated by hardware such as graphics tablets and software such as Adobe Creative Cloud. Brushes, textures and plugins enhance the creative process, while photo manipulation and 3D sculpting provide new avenues for artistic expression. Digital artistry in India offers insights into cultural dynamism, technological innovation and artistic development. This research paper delves into the evolving landscape of digital artistry in India, exploring various techniques, trends, and the socio-cultural impact of digital art in the country.

Integrating Traditional Craftsmanship in Modern Product Design

In today's rapidly advancing globalisation, the protection and inheritance of regional culture is particularly important. Art design, as an important form of cultural expression, is responsible for transmitting and reviving regional culture. Han embroidery in the Jingchu region is one of the intangible cultural heritages in China, which is a display of skills and a carrier of emotions and philosophies of Jingchu culture. With this in mind, this study explores the specific case of Jingchu Han embroidery and analyses how regional culture expresses and transmits emotions in art design. By analysing the historical background of Han embroidery, its technical characteristics, and its application in modern art design, this paper reveals how regional cultural elements can achieve emotional penetration and stylistic influence in art design. The study also focuses on how the emotional aspects of Jingchu Han embroidery can be borrowed and innovated in modern design practice to enhance artworks' cultural depth and emotional resonance. Jing Chu is one of the important birthplaces of China's history and culture, with a rich cultural heritage and unique regional characteristics. Han embroidery is an important part of Jingchu culture. It is not only a kind of traditional handicraft but also a medium for the people in the Jingchu area to express their emotions and transmit their culture. In modern art design, elements of Han embroidery are widely used, showing its unique artistic charm and cultural value. However, academic and practical circles are still exploring how to express better and convey regional culture's emotions in art design.

Reimagining Engagement: A Case Study of Interactive Educational Programs in Art Museums

This case study examines the educational programs the Musée de l'Orangerie offers in Paris, focusing on its interactive and immersive approaches to art education. The museum, known for its Impressionist and Modern art collection, provides various educational programs tailored to different age groups and backgrounds, including children's, family, school, and adult programs. These programs aim to enhance visitors' understanding and appreciation of art through hands-on activities, guided tours, and digital platforms.

Characteristics of Qinghai Traditional Painting Art-Literature Analysis

Qinghai’s traditional painting art, influenced by its diverse ethnic cultures and religious practices, is a unique fusion of Tibetan, Han, and Mongolian elements. Originating from ancient rock art, Qinghai painting has evolved into a complex system characterized by realism, symbolic representation, and vibrant colors. Tibetan Buddhism plays a significant role in shaping the themes and styles of Qinghai’s art, particularly in Thangka and mural paintings. These art forms, rich in religious symbolism, are not only visual representations of spiritual teachings but also educational tools that pass down cultural and moral values. Among Qinghai’s artistic traditions, Datong farmers' paintings stand out for their simplicity, vibrant colors, and strong connection to rural life, using expressive brushwork to depict local customs and daily activities. Meanwhile, Qinghai Thangka is notable for its symmetrical compositions, vivid colors, and intricate details, often portraying Buddhist deities in a harmonious and layered structure. Despite modernization challenges, Qinghai’s painting art continues to innovate while preserving its cultural heritage, with modern artists blending traditional techniques with contemporary elements to keep the tradition alive. This study explores the characteristics, cultural significance, and future of Qinghai traditional painting art, emphasizing its role in cultural identity and artistic development.

Страх красоты

The article discusses the problem of rejecting the image of beauty in modern dance. It is indicated that the theme of despair, fear, violence and depression begins to dominate in modern dance since its inception in the 20s of the last century. The characteristic features of movements and plasticity in expressionist dance, in the school of M. Graham, are described: broken vertical, inwardly turned chest and feet, sharpness and convulsiveness of movements, blows aimed at oneself, etc. The article consistently examines the possible causes of this trend, such as technical ease and accessibility, lower energy cost of ‘sad dances’, as well as the opportunity to demonstrate originality, nonconformism, express social protest, etc. There is an opinion that the expression of pathological motives, negative feelings, fears in art contributes to the liberation from their destructive effect in real life. This approach is questioned, because there is also a reverse mechanism: as a result of viewing relevant plots (for example, scenes of violence), infection with emotions occurs, role models arise, and the thresholds of what is permissible decrease. Along with criticism of a number of trends in contemporary art, the importance of the concept of ugliness for culture is emphasized. Meeting one’s own infirmity and imperfection, be that physical, psychological or moral, plays an essential role in the spiritual development of a person. However, modern art, including the dance performances considered, follow the path of establishing ugliness as a new norm and cultivate the perverted reality of the ‘sick’ creativity of a disintegrating personality. The expression of beauty, on the contrary, is characteristic of an integral personality striving for perfection and praising life.

What makes a successful artist?

ABSTRACT This study seeks to identify which factors of an artist’s background and demographic characteristics (age, race, gender, education, location as a child, and family SES) correlate with successful career outcomes (quality of gallery representation, representation in museum exhibitions and collections). Using a sample of 930 artists, created by random sampling from a catalog of represented artists merged with public data on demographic, SES, and educational backgrounds, we conducted a multivariate analysis on differences in artist outcome. Findings suggest a substantial female penalty in gallery representation and museum exhibitions. While an education premium exists, measured by attending top-tier BFA/MFA programs, it does not affect all artists similarly – female artists do not receive gains in the same way that male artists do, while artists from lower SES backgrounds are less likely to attend such programs. We also find that previous cohorts of artists are more established in the modern art world.