Alexarae Vega
May 12, 2009
Michael Rodriguez
HUA289.Art&Design Seminar
Cubism, Futurism, and the Readymade
In the following paper, I will discuss cubism, futurism, and the readymade. I will
also discuss artwork that I viewed at the Museum of Modern Art.
Cubism was developed around 1906 in France by Pablo Picasso and Georges
Braque. Cubism to me means an image drawn, painted, photographed, a sculpture etc.
demonstrating cube like images. When I first heard the word “cubism,” I visualized a
piece of artwork solely done in multiple forms of squares and nothing more. According to
the dictionary, cubism is “a style of painting and sculpture developed in the early 20th
century, characterized chiefly by an emphasis on formal structure, the reduction of
natural forms to their geometrical equivalents, and the organization of the planes of a
represented object independently of representational requirements.”1 My initial reaction
to this definition of cubism seemed to be very complicated; once I saw art pieces of
cubism it confirmed my assumption, cubism is complicated.
Marcel Duchamp developed Readymade; he wanted to establish visual
indifference. When the style of “readymade” art was introduced to me, I had no clue or
knowledge of its meaning. I thought readymade art would be complicated like cubism.
Ready-made means an “everyday object selected and designated as art…,2” When I
realized what readymade art was it seemed self-explanatory just with more meaning.
1
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cubism
2
http://www.britannica.com/Ebchecked/topic/492875/ready-made
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Now knowing more about readymade art, it isn’t easy at all; it takes a lot of thought and
insight.
Futurism was created in 1910 by a group of artist: such as Marinetti, “Carlo Carrà,
Gino Severini, and Giacomo Balla were the leading painters and Umberto Boccioni the
chief sculptor of the group.3” When I first read about futurism I did not know much about
it, futurism seemed like any other art style. Futurism to me was unique interesting
images, vibrant colors and space influenced. Futurism art is defined as “…forms derived
chiefly from cubism were used to represent rapid movement and dynamic motion.”4
When I discovered the true meaning of futurism, I was interested in the cubism
similarities and how futurism was associated with movement.
Looking at Paul Cezanne’s “The Bather,” I had no initial reaction. The painting
appears very real and clear. I like how Cezanne combined the landscape colors and the
figure colors; it allows the figure to be present. I find it interesting how the figure
displays stiffness and tension.
When I first looked at the painting “Les Demoiselles d’ Avignon,” by Pablo
Picasso it appeared shocking, puzzling and unusually done, I am not fond of this painting
but I do like the style it was painted in, and Picasso’s outlook. What makes the painting
interesting is how Picasso came about the painting, and how Picasso thought. One of the
women in the painting was originally a sailor. I also like the African tribal influence he
portrays. Looking at other works such as: “Ma Jolie,” by Picasso, “The Passage from
Virgin to Bride,” by Marcel DuChamp, and Diego Rivera’s painting and Jacques
3
http://www.reference.com/browse/futurism
4
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/futurism
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Lipchitz, “Portrait of a young Man,” all add to my interest and knowledge. I like how all
these paintings display the different ways you can exhibit cubism.
Walking around Umberto Boccioni’s “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space,” it
was interesting to view how the sculptor had movement and flow. I liked the many
different forms each side the sculptor displayed. The futurism aspect explodes through
this sculptor; the color of the piece expresses rage. It compelling to see such an amazing
sculptor produced during this time.
When first seeing Marcel DuChamp’s “Bicycle Wheel,” my first thoughts were
this guy can’t be serious, this isn’t art. After listening to his viewpoints and ideas and
what DuChamp was trying to exhibit, it was amazing how he displayed this piece, and
how he choose to put the wheel upside down, and in the middle of the chair rather then
another way. I’ve come to really enjoy this piece because it is more then what it appears.
Another piece done by Marcel DuChamp, “3 Standard Stoppages,” is presented very
differently; it’s distinctive how laid each piece out in the order it would be placed.
Looking at Kazmir Malevich’s “Suprematist Composition: White on White,” the
first thing I noticed there is a significant color difference. The square wasn’t exactly
white as the ground, and the paint looked thick with multiple layers of paint. Viewing the
painting made me realize that it could be in rotation, the placing of the square signifies
possible movement. I liked how Malevich exhibited this piece; it demonstrated a different
outlook on how white could be displayed.
Seeing Mondraian’s “Broadway Boogie Woogie,” painting was compelling
because it was simple with a lot of thought. I liked how the artist restricted himself to
only three primary colors, the lines where striking when he applied black squares. I also
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liked how the title and the painting made you think, “he saw the syncopated beat,
irreverent approach to melody, and improvisational aesthetic of boogie–woogie as akin to
his own…5” I liked how Mondraian’s love for jazz was incorporated. It was intriguing to
see how he portrayed his music through the canvas.
The last painting I looked at was Willem De Kooning’s “Woman 1,” this painting
is full of action. “…Woman 1 reflects the age-old cultural ambivalence between
reverence for and fear of the power of the feminine.6” It’s almost threatening to me, the
eyes are bulging, the teeth are sharp, and the figure is very large and monstrous. I like the
patterns and the forms that are shown. I like how Kooning uses color for his background;
it allows the figure to stand out.
Overall, I think it’s very important to know and understand all these types of
painting’s and more. It’s essential to learn the many different styles the artist used and
how the artist came about their artwork, and then experiment with their ideas and make it
your own. All the paintings I saw will definitely have an influence on my own views.
After getting further information it was interesting to realize the true meaning of the
painting. The art exhibited displayed cubism, futurism, and or the readymade. In the end,
seeing all the artwork fully confirmed that art is what you make it.
After visiting the Museum of Modern Art, I was assigned to develop an art piece
showing cubism, futurism and the readymade. I wanted to demonstrate these different
styles through fashion design. I displayed cubism with the figure specifically the garment
and the hair, every area that I would originally curve or show some type of movement or
5
http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=78682
6
http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=79810
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flow I squared and tried to used geometric shapes. Showing the readymade element I
purchased metal-leaf, which is very light like tissue paper that I applied on certain areas
that I felt needed more definition. I tried to illustrate futurism through the dress and in the
background. I also applied angular lines to exhibit a form of movement. I initially did not
believe I displayed the movements properly. However, after discussing my piece with
fellow artist I realized I correctly displayed the movements. I also tried to demonstrate
futurism in the background. I instead of a solid color for a background, I wanted to show
mystical movement. I should the mystical movement by using a sponge rather then a
paintbrush.
When creating this piece, I was influenced by everything that I viewed. I took
everything I saw and tried to create an image that was unique, and one that I could call
my own. I was very influenced by Willem Kooning’s piece entitled “Woman 1,” I was
inspired mainly through the background, the colors, and the brush stokes. I was also
influenced with Diego Rivera’s painting and Jacques Lipchitz, “Portrait of a young man.”
The distortion of the face assisted me in the way cubism was demonstrated, it added to
my understanding what I needed to display. Overall, I wanted to display the development
of a design, I showed the beginning stages by drawing a croqui on one corner then the
final stage of a fashion figure with an actual design.
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