FC073 T0103445

Module FC073Tutor Name Dave SmithAssessment Type Long EssayStudent Number T0103445Word Count 1408

FC073 T0103445

Compare and contrast two different images that relate to your chosen pathway. They can be

selected from two different Art and Design Movements.

The movements in art and design are a vital part of art history. These movements allow

artists, critics and learners alike to categorise and analyse artworks produced during the different

periods in art. Previously, these movements have been classified in terms of technique or media

used by the artists, meaning in the artworks, particular elements employed, etc. For instance, The

Arts and Crafts movement was characterised by the handicraft of products and the utility of the de-

signs whereas the Art Nouveau movement was defined by the more decorative aspect of design.

The aim of this essay, however, will be to examine the similarities and differences of the Modernist

and Post-modernist art movements specifically. These will be studied using two artworks in particu-

lar as examples, Sonia Delaunay’s Nu Jaune that translates to “Yellow Nude” and Michael Craig-

Martin’s Self-Portrait. The main reason for choosing Sonia Delaunay’s Yellow Nude as a modernist

example and Michael Craig- Martin’s Self-Portrait as a post-modernist example is because these

artworks conspicuously exhibit the key styles and characteristics of these movements.

Sonia Delaunay (1908) Yellow Nude.

FC073 T0103445To begin, the most discernible fact to distinguish the two artworks and movements is the

year they were created. Sonia Delaunay’s Yellow Nude was painted in 1908, establishing it in the

modernist period. Modernism, in the 1930s, became a style that used abstract, geometric and indus-

trial forms & materials to identify new and innovative designs (Wilk, C., 2006, p.14). Another ex-

ample that distinctly embodies these characteristics would be Pablo Picasso’s Guernica created in

1937. The Guernica belongs to the cubism movement that is under the umbrella of the Modernism

period. Other art movements that were fundamental to Modernism were De Stijl, futurism and con-

structivism (Livingston, A & Livingston I., 1992, p.171). On the other hand, Michael Craig-Mar-

tin’s Self-Portrait (Aqua) was painted in 2007, placing it as a post-modernist movement artwork.

Post-modernism intentionally incorporates the styles of previous movements, combining popular el-

ements and mediums (MoMA, 2019). The Post-modernist movement includes artworks created af-

ter the 1960s. Another renowned example of an artwork categorised in this movement, that shares

the same qualities as Self-Portrait, would be the Marilyn Diptych by Andy Warhol in 1962. The

Marilyn Diptych is classified as a Pop Art movement artwork, which is a sub-group of the Post-

modernism period.

Michael Craig-Martin, Self-Portrait (Aqua), 2007

Additionally, the two paintings possess striking elements in their use of colour. The Yellow

Nude painting showcases a mellow yellow, for the most part, on the subject, paired by using neon

FC073 T0103445shades of blue to create tone. Tate (n.d) describes this use of colour and tone as a juxtaposition

where the subjects warm yellow skin is against strokes of cool emerald. Tate (n.d) also regards this

particular artwork as one of Sonia’s most remarkable use of tone. In the same regard, the most

prominent feature in Michael Craig-Martin’s Self-Portrait is the use of bold colours. This is a style

highlight of the post-modernist movement (Hazelton, K., NTIC, 2016). However, Self-Portrait has

a smooth visual texture with no tones. This artwork exhibits primary neon colours such as pink,

green and blue and complementary colours such as orange, showcasing knowledge on the colour

theory. The Royal Academy. (n.d) describes Craig-Martin’s artwork as accentuating freedom in his

choice of colours. These bright colours are placed against each other thereby creating an interesting

contrast. He also uses blue monochromatically on the form that is majority of the painting. Accord-

ing to Manchester City Galleries (2002, p.22) in an interview by Virginia Button, Craig-Martin re-

sponds that his intention for this use of colour is that it has a “palpable and emotional impact”.

Moreover, a principle of art and design to consider in this analysis is balance/symmetry.

Aside from the use of bold geometric forms and the eradication of decoration, the modernist move-

ment also encouraged the use of asymmetric layouts (Livingston, A & Livingston I., 1992, p.171).

The two paintings relate in this aspect whereby Self-Portrait has most of the lines and contours on

the right hand side that define the face of the form while the Yellow Nude painting has the form lay-

ing horizontally therefore distributing the weight in composition unevenly. The pose of the subject

in the painting relates to other examples in art history, for example, Edouard Manet’s “Olympia”.

Edouard Manet was a French modernist painter as well, therefore would be typical that the artworks

share features. Self-Portrait also correlates in terms of composition with other artwork in history

such as Diego Velázquez’ portraits whereby the figure fills the frame of the painting. The post-mod-

ernist element of borrowing from other movements is evident here as Velázquez was a 15th century

artist whose influence can be identified in 21st century artworks.

Sonia Delaunay’s Yellow Nude painting also exhibits simple forms that are devoid of deco-

rative elements, this is a characteristic of the modernist movement (Hazelton, K., NTIC, 2016). The

painting employs the use of simple mass and natural colours in its composition. In the same way, as

characteristic of the post-modernist movement in taking inspiration from earlier movements, the

Self-Portrait painting is also devoid of decorative elements. This feature creates the minimalist ele-

ment in the painting. Milton Keynes Gallery (2004, p.8) states that the imagery in Craig-Martin’s

artwork requires minimalism in order to create art with the ability of influencing its audience,

whether emotionally, intellectually or aesthetically, without the imposition of a narrative.

FC073 T0103445Sonia Delaunay’s Yellow Nude painting also uses regular, repetitive forms that according to

(Hazelton, K., NTIC, 2016) is a a style highlight of the modernist movement. In this case, there is a

repetition of colour and lines evident in the background thereby creating patterns. These patterns

could be inspired by Delaunay’s previous abstract paintings such as “Electric Prisms” where the

shapes are geometric. Contrarily, Craig-Martin’s Self-Portrait represents a singular form in a mini-

malistic style. The painting also relates to earlier examples, for instance, Warhol’s portraiture and

self-portraits that might have had influence. This is evident in Warhol’s “Marilyn” in terms of the

composition and use of bright colours that when layered create contrast. According to Milton

Keynes Gallery (2004, p.8), the layering of the simple objects, or in this case the form, in Craig-

Martin’s artwork against the bold and intense colours of the background indicates a connection to

Pop Art.

By observing these artworks, there are various noteworthy reflections I established. In Sonia

Delaunay’s Yellow Nude it is apparent that the subject is a human figure that is laying down, the

face of the form appears phlegmatic thus presumably signifying the mood. My take on the fact that

the figure lays in the nude is that this could be representative of vulnerability. This pose, as earlier

discussed, shows influence by artists such as Édouard Manet, a French modernist painter as well.

My interpretation Michael Craig-Martin’s Self-Portrait painting is that, though different from his

other artworks in terms of the subject matter where they are mostly of inanimate objects, Craig-

Martin relates and depicts himself in the same minimalistic way and in the same style.

In conclusion, following the analysis of the modern and post-modern movements through

the Yellow Nude and Self-Portrait examples, there are similarities that connect the movements and

differences that bring their distinction. The similarities in the artworks are that they are both 2-Di-

mensional paintings, they both make use of bold primary and complimentary colours, the forms are

the subjects of the artworks and the paintings do not portray decorative elements. However, the

strict differences that differentiate the two are that firstly, the modernist movement occurred in the

first half of the 20th Century i.e Yellow Nude in 1908 while the post-modernist movement includes

artwork produced after the 1960s i.e Self-Portrait (Aqua) in 2007. Another clear contradiction is

that Yellow Nude uses colour and tones to create and define the form while Self-portrait uses multi-

ple layers and lines and shapes. The similarities between the movements can be attributed to the fact

that post-modernism, as a feature, takes on previous styles and conventions. This is applied in the

case of the decorative elements, or lack thereof, in the modernist movement. By comparing the two

artworks, some of the prime elements that distinguish their movements have been realized.

FC073 T0103445

References

Hazelton, K. (2016). Key Art & Design Movements: Functionalism, Modernism and Art Deco.

NTIC: FC073 module materials. Karen Hazelton Group. Nottingham: NTIC.

Hazelton, K. (2016). Key Art & Design Movements: Less is more and beyond. NTIC: FC073 mod-

ule materials. Karen Hazelton Group. Nottingham: NTIC.

Livingston, A. & Livingston I. (1992). The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and

Designers. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd.

Manchester City Galleries, Morgan, C., Craig-Martin, M., Cork,R., Button, V. (2002). Inhale/Ex-

hale. London: Richard Edward Printers.

Milton Keynes Gallery. (2004). Surfacing. Manchester: Cornerhouse Publications.

MoMA. (2019). Postmodernism. https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/84 (Accessed 18th March

2019)

Royal Academy. (n.d). Sir Michael Craig-Martin RA. https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-

artists/work-of-art/self-portrait-aqua (Accessed 20th March 2019)

Tate. (n.d). Who is Sonia Delaunay? https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/ey-

exhibition-sonia-delaunay/delaunay-introduction (Accessed 20th March 2019)

Wilk, C. (2006). Modernism: designing a new world. London: V&A Publications.