The Age of the Enlightenment was a shift in thinking which took place in the 18th century in Western Europe. The philosophical movement focused on looking at the world in a more natural aspect without as much influence from views such as religion and politics. It also had more focus on human reasoning encouraging people to think 'scientifically'.
2. Define the Sublime.
The sublime is an aesthetic concept which originated from ancient Greece, it played an important part in 18th century writings about art. It held a category in aesthetic concepts, in association with the ideas of awe and vastness, which was distinct from the 'beautiful' and the picturesque. Ian Chilvers wrote: "Longinus described the immensity of objects in the natural world, stars, mountains, the ocean, in terms of the Sublime, and from the literary sphere the term was extended to a wider range of aesthetic reactions, in particular the new sensibility for the wild, awe-inspiring, and stupendous aspects of natural scenery." The Oxford Dictionary of Art, 2004.
3. Explain how the 'Sublime' came out of the Enlightenment.
The main push that resulted in the Sublime emerging from the Age of the Enlightenment was the study of the natural world. People, in the time (18th century), were focusing more on how the world was, naturally, in their own eyes, pushing aside the influences coming from their religious beliefs.
4. Discuss the subject matter, and aesthetics of Misrach's work, identifying the Sublime.
When looking at Misrach's work, the idea of openess and space is often present. His subject matter is most commonly focused on showing landscapes, using simplistic views to communicate different ideas and concepts. His main choice of matter is stretched land, whether it be sand, dirt, road, water etc always including fair amounts of sky to balance his images. He also commonly includes a small amount of extra features such as mountains in the background, trees, tyre tracks, a building etc. His post processing with his colours and levels is used in a unique way to give his images a surrealist feel making them look more mysterious and magical.
"Misrach uses the lush desert palette to paint an elegant picture of the strangeness and upset balance of human activity in an alien landscape." CAtherine Edelman Gallery
Misrach uses his skills and production in a way to create beauty which relates to the sublime. He captures the sublime of nature, with whichever scene he is working with. Whether it be the beauty of the natural world he is working with, the mountainous landscapes or seascapes, showing the wonderful outcomes of nature. Or if he is working with the terrible scenes that nature has conjured up such as hurricanes.
5. Add 2 of Misrach's images.
Monolake 2, California. 1999
Wood Scrap, 1990
6. Describe how Misrach's work makes you feel. How does it appeal to your imagination?
When viewing Misrach's work it makes me feel calm, it gives me a relaxed feeling because of all the balanced, calm colours that aren't screaming in your face. Whenever he is using cooler depressing colours they are always dulled to help give the image more positive energy. Alot of his works have a bit of a paradise feeling about them, as if they are showing the untouched wilderness of the world which to me is where I would like to stumble across. In my imagination there always seems to be a surreal feeling when I look at his landscape works. Its as if this is the place where an alien ship is supposed to come and land, or as if it is a landscape of a foreign world. This is manly due to the big open spaces he shows but this definately helps it his work look more magical.
7. Identify some other artists or designers that work with ideas around the Sublime, from the Enlightenment era as well as contemporary artists.
Giorgione, Ai Weiwei, Andreas Gursky, Claude Monet, Henri Rousseau.
8. Add a Sublime image of your choice to your blog.
Niagara Falls, Andreas Gursky, 1989.
9. Reference your sources.
http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/1700-1800-Age-of-Enlightenment.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Sublimity.aspx#3
http://www.edelmangallery.com/
Details responses you have here, gave me good understanding of Landscape and the Sublime, and thanks for sharing two wonderful work of Misrach. I loved the way that you described your feelings to the work " Its as if this is the place where an alien ship is supposed to come and land, or as if it is a landscape of a foreign world." I do have the same feeling as you, the wide open space does makes me feel calm and relax, but to me i feel a bit more loneliness on this. The dried ground of the "Wood Scrap 1990" makes me feels a bit dull.
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