The Art Space

Symbolism was an artistic movement that originated with a group of French poets in the late 19 th Century. The movement came into existence with an expression of an idea over the realistic description of the natural world. The term ‘symbolism’ was coined in 1886 by French critic Jean Moreas to describe the poetry of Stephane Mallarmi and Paul Verlaine. The concept of symbolism was incorporated in visual arts, to depict the natural world using symbols as metaphors. Symbolist artists aim to depict various forms of expressions and emotions using varied symbols. The work of symbolist artists and writers was also fueled by new psychological content particularly erotic and mystical. Common themes included: love, fear, anguish, death, sexual awakening and unrequited desire. Though the movement began in France, symbolism was an international avant garde movement that spread across Europe and America during the last two decades of the 19 th Century.       The use of symbolism ...

Realism was an artistic movement that began in 1950s in France. The movement was started with an aim to depict things as they originally were. The term ‘Realism’ was coined by French novelist Frent Champfleury in the 1840s and in art it was used in the work of his friend painter Gustav Courbet. He is considered to be the most prominent leading figure of the movement. He constructed the basis on which the movement was built. Another important realist painted who pioneered the movement was Jean -Francois Millet, he created paintings comprising of everyday subjects like farmers, working class people etc. Realist painters rejected the ideal of ideal portrayal of the subject rather chose to paint the ordinary scenes and lifestyle of people of 19 th century. The subjects in their artworks included scenes of peasants, city, streets, cafes etc. The movement of realism can be considered as the beginning of Modern art with France being its epicenter, however, the movement quickly spread throu...

Cubism is regarded as one of the most important and famous art movements. The revolutionary approach was pioneered in around 1907-08 by artist Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. The cubist style of painting emphasized on producing two-dimensional view on canvas. The cubist artist challenged the existing concept of that art should be limited to nature, landscape etc. The primary objective was to abandon the figurative portrayals and other genres of art. This aspect along with its unique evolution and lasting influence has made cubism one of the most celebrated art forms of 20 th Century.   Cubist painters incorporated geometric designs and forms as their subjects. Cubism was partly inspired by the late work of artist Paul Cezanne where he can be seen painting things from different angles and point of view. While Picasso and Braque are credited with creating this new visual language, it was adopted and further developed by many painters, including Fernand Léger, Robert and Soni...

Surrealism emerged as one of the most popular movement in visual art and literature. The movement was founded by the port Andre Breton in Paris in 1924. The term ‘ Surrealist’ suggesting ‘beyond reality’ was coined by the French avant-garde poet ‘Guilaume Apollinaire’ in the preface to a play performed in 1917. The intent of surrealism was to liberate thought, language and human experience from the oppressive boundaries of rationalism. During 1920s, Visual artists continued exploring surrealist concepts in art, obtaining complete creative freedom. The artists of that time experimented with a new mode of expression called- automatic writing or automatism, which sought to release the unbridled imagination of the subconscious. Since its inception, the ideas and art associated with Surrealism have been disseminated, embraced and re-imagined through international networks of exchange and collaboration. Surrealism's core ideas and themes have been adapted and deemed relevant to diffe...

Land Art or Earth Art is an Art Movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. The origins of the movement are majorly associated with Great Britain and the United States of America. The term ‘Land Art’ means a piece of art created directly in the landscape using the natural materials such as rocks, stones, twigs, leaves etc. Some artists use mechanical earth moving equipment to make their art pieces while some use site specific temporary intervention in the landscapes. The works usually exist in the open, located well away from civilization left to change and erode under natural conditions. Artists creating the installations usually document their works, step by step process using photographs, videos, films, documentaries and maps to exhibit in the galleries or the museums. The concept behind the birth of land art was to build an alternative mode of artistic expression and ways to remove art from the commercial system. The pioneer artists behind the emergence of the Earth Art / L...

‘Impressionism’ is an art movement that emerged in France in the 19th Century. The founding impressionist artists were Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Alfred Sisley and others. The entire concept of the movement was to capture the accurate depiction of the natural light and shadow. Impressionist artists preferred to paint outdoors instead of their studios. The key characterization included visible and small brushstrokes, impersonating the subject in its true light. Their subjects significantly comprised of the landscapes and scenes of everyday life. Impressionist painters could not afford to wait for France to accept their work, so they established their own exhibition—apart from the annual salon organized by the Académie. During the latter part of 1873, Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, and Sisley organized the Société Anonyme Coopérative des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs (“Cooperative and Anonymous Association of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers”) to exhibit their artworks independentl...

Ceramic Art has existed for around 25,000 years. The word Ceramic comes from a Greek word ‘Keramos’- Potter’s earth, a clay-based product usually divided into pottery such as earthenware, stoneware and faience and porcelain.  The art that was once considered to be significant only for decorative purposes is now taking a centre stage in the world of contemporary art.  The production or creation of art objects such as figures, tiles and other decorative items using clay comes under the category of ‘Ceramic art’.  Clay has been used to create a wide variety of objects – cookware, worship idols, etc and its origin in India can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization between 2500-1500 B.C. The process of creating ceramics has been constantly changing and different styles have emerged over the period of time. Pottery is the most common form of ceramic art and is often associated with indigenous cultures representing local traditions and their patterns.   Ceram...

Impasto is a painting technique in which a thick layer of paint is applied on to the surface with the help of a brush or a knife.  The technique came into existence in the 17th century. Traditionally the artists strives to create clean and defined brushstrokes that were almost mirror-like. However, that is not the case with ‘Impasto’. The technique provides an elevated texture to the paintings. By creating a thick layer of paint on the surface, the artist aims to achieve a three-dimensional visual through a two-dimensional artwork. The technique allows an artist to create an interesting interplay of light and shadow. Due to its thick brushstrokes and colours the artist is able to achieve a sense of depth through an artwork’s texture, the value of colours or form. Impasto is most often associated with ‘Baroque’ painters like Rembrandt, Diego Velazquez, Frans Hals who used the technique to depict the aged skin, reflection of jewels, fabric creases, or amours with utmost accurac...

P ointillism is an art technique which refers to the practice of applying small strokes or dots of pure colour to the surface. The technique is based on the science of optics where the mind and eye blend colour spots placed together into a full image. This is how pixels in computer screens form an image.  The technique of pointillism was invented by the artists ‘Georges Seurat ‘and ‘Paul Signac’. The process was initially called the style of painting Divisionism but the name was changed over time. Pointillism is primarily based on the colour theories and has more of a scientific approach. The style is considered to be one of the most difficult technique to master and a very few artists today who practice it. The technique requires a steady hand along with an immense amount of patience. Different artists have different ways to create the painting using this technique. Some may create a very realistic picture while some choose to create an illusion through it. Artists might paint sha...