Applied Art

The Significance of Applied Art - Hermann Muthesius

In "The Significance of Applied Art", Hermann Muthesius places great importance on the applied arts in terms of artistic, cultural, and economic. Artistically speaking, applied art of the past was more for decoration, to look at. Artists wanted to imitate the grand works of historical artists of their time. Today, that has changed. There is innovation to make things new and unique to one's own artistic style. Furthermore, we all know that today's culture is much different than from the early 20th century. There is a demand for more practical applied art. Not just something to look at but to use. Economically, the industrial production of the early nineteenth century did not call for sound workmanship. Today, our economy allows artists and designers to apply the principles of quality, truthfulness, and simplicity.

I think that applied arts today are innovative. Our technology also allows us to dream and create more than ever. There are new ideas popping up everyday.

 The quality and innovation of this children's toy exemplifies applied art.

Manifesto of the Staatliche Bauhaus in Weimar - Walter Gropius

This writing is Gropius' call for architects, painters, and sculptors to unite. He wants artists to quit simply being artists and to be craftsmen. He wants them to get out of their "mere drawing and painting world" and "become a world that builds again". He wants to dissolve the barrier between artists and craftsmen and have architects, sculptors, and painters "desire, conceive, and create" together.

I think there is importance in cultivating an environment where all artists can imagine together. That is what Walter Gropius wanted. He wanted to use all different artistic talents to create something great.

This is the Bauhaus School which was founded to be a total work of art where all artists could work together.

Type-Needs: Type-Furniture - Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier's statement "To search for the human scales, for human functions, is to define human needs" means that everything is designed for humans. From a street, to a building, to a door, to a chair, to a bottle, everything is for the comfort and appeasement of us. Le Corbusier defines decorative art as an extension of our hand. It is something we use to aid us in our life, but can also be esthetically appealing with good design. He says, "Certainly, works of decorative arts are tools, beautiful tools." (88).

I believe that what Le Corbusier says is true. Everything we use is made for us. Made for us to look at and made for us to use practically.

This Le Corbusier chair was made to please the eye AND fit the human body.This adjustable side table is a "beautiful tool" that is adaptable to our needs.

Works Cited

Frank, Isabelle (editor) (2000). The theory of decorative art: An anthology of European and American writings 1750 – 1940. New York: Yale University Press.

Kitsch

Kitsch is defined by Merriam-Webster as "something that appeals to popular or lowbrow taste and is often of lower quality." It is often an attempt to imitate fine art without containing the meaning, quality, or design skill of it. The image below is of four portraits of famous people made with candy.

 Additionally, it can serve a purpose, but because it reminds us of something else, it's condered high quality.

[ Pinterest Images ]

Kitsch

Kitsch can be defined and interoperated many different ways, but the main idea is that kitsch is a tasteless object of art that is not high in value. Kitsch art is normally mass produced objects that have witty designs and gestures, which typically cause popular appeal to the crowd. Kitsch object are also known for having sentimental value to an individual, but not to someone who would be considered a professional designer or artist.  

This artwork is considered kitsch art because whoever owns this piece of art must love dogs, and appreciate how the dogs are being portrayed as human beings. This piece of art would never be chosen by a designer to decorate a house though, because the piece wouldn't be appealing in an interior space.

This lunchbox would also be considered kitsch art, because it is Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting of the last supper, but it is on the face of a lunchboox. This makes it kitsch art because you would use a lunchbox for food, and the painting is of the famous last meal Jesus had with his disciples, making this lunchbox extremely witty but can also come off as cheesy.

"Arte: Kitsch Art." Arte: Kitsch Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://meronoico.blogspot.com/2012/07/kitsch-art.html>.

"Codex: Biblical Studies Blogspot » Blog Archive » Jesus Junk and Christian Kitsch, Volume 4 – What Is Kitsch? (Best of Codex)." Codex Biblical Studies Blogspot RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2011/02/25/jesus-junk-and-christian-kitsch-volume-4-what-is-kitsch-best-of-codex/>.

Kitsch Art http://pinterest.com/mads1794/ids-212-kitsch/

kitsch

The difinition of kitsch on wikipedia is "a form of art that is considered an inferior, tastless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value."  Before i realise what it was i thought it was just rubbish, but now i resepct that it a type of art. The Window

knick knacks

Kennedy's Pinterest

Schlock

Schlock is defined as an adjective describing a poorly made object. This can be due to mass production, poor materials, or maybe even miscare. The word actually has German, Hebrew, Sweedish, and Yiddish origins. Originally it was stemmed from a German word meaning hit or blow which turned into being used as a word describing damaged merchandise. Today this word is not used commonly in the United States. It can only be heard in Jewish prominent areas including New York.