Post 5: Industrialisation

1. What and when was the Industrial Revolution?

The Industrial Revolution was a period in Europe's history where the discovery of rock, minerals and other materials conjured massive change in manufactural industries. The invention of machinery and enginery meant that the industries could produce development more efficiently and more importantly, faster. This changed the way people lived and has continually brought change to the world ever since. It started in the late 18th century in Britain and near European countries before spreading to the western region of Europe. 

Both paintings featured on this blog, that are from the early 1900s were painted by Modernist painters from the group called 'Futurists'. The Futurists celebrated the machine, and objects in motion. Their primary objective was to depict movement, which they saw as symbolic of their commitment to the dynamic forward thrust of the 20th century.

2. Research both Modernist paintings in order to comment on the subject matter, form and style used to celebrate the machine and motion in each painting. 

'The City Rises' by Umberto Boccioni, 1910.


The main subject matter seen in this work are the horses, the contruction workers, and the construction site in the background. The horses look distressed and in motion as if they are afraid or being startled, and its like the men are trying to do their best to get the horses under control. The style of the painting and palette reflects motion and movement. The quick, somewhat messy and abstract brushwork with the blurring methods help to portray the movement and the fast paced action and development happening around them.


'Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash' by Giacomo Balla, 1912.


In this work by Balla, the subject matter is alot simpler, consisting of only a woman walking her dog through some sort of undetailed terrain. I would have suggested that they are walking relatively fast as of the blurring of the feet. Both the dog and the owner have their feet blurred with repetitions of them in a motion line to show movement. Also the brushwork on the terrain which could very well be a street or just some dirt, creates a blur which also portrays motion, helping show that the subjects are moving at a fast pace. One idea I could see happening would be the low angle of vision, this view makes you feel smaller. This could link to the industrial revolution and how everything is developing at such a fast pace, a small single being such as myself could never have any impact on changing it from taking over everything.

3. Research Cao Fei's RMB City (2007-9)  in order to comment on this work in more depth.

RMB City is a virtual city that Cao Fei created using distinctive imagery from a wide range of Chinas characteristics. It reflects the fluidity of a world in which cultures have mixed and diverged in rapid evolution. The 3D city, named after chinese money, shows a preserve view of Beijing, a blend of communism, socialism and capitalism. She has used images such as a giant shopping cart, filled with skyscrapers and religious moments which is floating in the sea. Candy striped smoke stacks, suggesting the continuous industrial production which is Beijing. There are ships moving in and out of the port which relates directly back to Tianjin Xingang Ports in Beijing. She has also used the famous Tiananmen Square except turning it into a big swimming pool. The reason for her design decisions is because she wanted to create something that responds directly to China's rapid urbanization and the pace of social and economic development.


4. RMB City is described as a utopia/dystopia. Comment on what these terms mean, and how they can be applied to the work.
Utopia refers to paradise alike, or an idealized place or society. Dystopia refers to the complete opposite, meaning an unwanted society or an imaginary place in which the condition of life is extremely bad. I suppose they could both relate to the work in the way that China used to be this 'Utopia' a place of paradise, where everything was nice and perfect. And now it has resulting or heading for the opposide end which is 'Dystopia'. The two are sort of represented in the work as the bright and lively colour representing the Utopia that used to be and the context or everything else showing the Dystopia that the place is now. 


5. Comment on the similarites that you can see in the Modernist paintings and the contemporary digital work that has emerged. 
The main similarity that is present in the three works below is the use of the world they are living in as an idea. They are all in a way, celebrating industrialism or criticizing the effect that it has had on the world we are living in. Another similarity that is evident is the idea of motion or movement. This is clear in Fei's work with the smoke coming out of the pipes, the boats coming in and out of the ports, and also the cars moving to and from. There is evidence of motion and speed in the other works from the use of painting techniques such as the blurriness surrounding the dog. 

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/287086/Industrial-Revolution

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/industrial-revolution.asp#axzz1w8hZQKnE

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0906/S00212.htm

http://www.vimeo.com/4272260