The influence of African and Asian Art on Modern Art - Essay Example

The influence of African and Asian Art on Modern Art The West did not just benefit from the flow of labor and raw materials from other lands. The interaction with new lands and people led to an enrichment of the Western way of life as they used what they learned to enrich their culture. This is evident in Modern art which was greatly influenced by Asian and African Art as demonstrated by Ori Soltes in a series of video presentations Europeans interacted with Asian and African art during their exploration of new lands and the subsequent conquests that followed (Soltes). This interaction gave them an opportunity to come up with their way of life. In addition, they were able to study their earth. Modern art is characterized by an attempt to move away from contemporary art. As a result, the incorporation of other forms of art enabled modern artists to achieve this objective. For example, the work by Francois Boucher in which he painted a Chinese fishing scene as a study of tapestry cartoon in France was influenced by Asian art (Soltes). It enabled the French artist to reveal more about the individuals. In addition, he was able to reveal more about their society. The artwork was a break from Western art that tended to focus on the individual. Furthermore, the immigration of Africans and Asians into the West gave them an opportunity to influence the culture of their new homes. For example, the Paris art scene was influenced by the large West African presence in the city. As a result, modern art incorporated aspects of Central and West African art. The design and construction of modern houses were inspired by Asian influence. The Majolica house in Vienna borrows from Islamic art (Soltes). In addition, its iron balcony is as a result of Asian influence. Modern art has adopted the design as well as the construction of iron balconies because the city is regarded as an art center that should be emulated. The development of the Royal Pavilion borrowed heavily from Asian art (Soltes). The exterior of the building had a large Indian influence which makes it look like the Taj Mahal. This influence is tempered with Gothic influence which makes the windows to appear like those of a castle. The design of the main entrance is inspired by Persian architecture. Its interior has a Chinese Gallery. For example, the hanging lamp is a feature of Chinese art. Moreover, the walls and the statues in the room reveal a deep Chinese influence in the building (Soltes). In 1853, Admiral Perry travelled to Japan with a newly invented camera (Soltes). During his expedition, he took many photographs which American and European impressionists used to paint images of the Japanese people and culture. This led to the rise of new imperialism in which it was not only raw materials coming from the Far East to the West but also works of art that were used by artists. For example, the Portrait of Emile Zolla by the Paris based artist, Eduard Manet revealed the influence of Asian artistic philosophy in which the painting is expected to not only dwell on the subject but to also communicate more about the individual (Soltes). In this particular painting the author is seen holding a book, while a portrait of a Samurai adorns the wall. In addition, the presence of a Japanese screen behind him shows that he is a cultured person. Moreover, Edourd Manet was fond of including fans in his paintings. For example, he asked a female associate to pose holding Japanese fans. French theatre was influenced by Asian art (Soltes). Portraits of actors would include Japanese art on the walls. Additionally, there was an attempt to make modern art different from contemporary western art. For example, James McNeill Whistler not only incorporated aspects of Japanese art into his painting, but made it the subject of his Rose and Silver: The Princess of the Land of Porcelain painting (Soltes). The piece of art features a lady who is making Gothic movements to an acoustic instrument. Behind her there is a delicate Japanese screen with a bamboo edge. There is a Japanese Porcelain and a Chinese carpet. Furthermore, the title ‘Rose and Silver’ shows that the piece of art is a study in color and form which is a feature of Asian art. Consequently, the use of form and color in modern art is as a result of the influence of Asian Art. Modern artists were inspired by Asian and African art, but they sought to incorporate elements from it to create their own style rather than to duplicate it. For example, the Uwakoi no so (Fancy-Free type) painting by Kitagawa Umaro inspired the celebration of female sexuality which caused a lot of scandal in France. In addition, the use of screen decoration with vertical composed representations and linear representations is inspired by the Chinese style which focuses on the outward meaning of the painting as opposed to its interior. The use of abstraction is inspired by the Muslim art. The Kota reliquary guardian figure created by the Bakota of the Makoko region in Gabon influenced the design of sculptures and other forms of art in the west (Soltes). The Mbulu-Ngulu, as the artifact referred to serves as a representation of a deity that intermediates between the living, the dead and the gods.The art has a lot of geometric forms which are evident in modern art. In addition, the fang mask from the same country emphasized the effect of light and shadows in art. The fang mask inspired the Young women of Avignon by Pablo Picasso. The faces of the women in the portrait are drawn in geometric shapes. Moreover, the eyes of the two central characters are inspired by both the Iberian and African traditions. The use of pyramids in the Large Bather by Paul Cezzanewas inspired by the Egyptian pyramids (Soltes). Moreover, the use of space in portraits is influenced by African art. For example, the Kote reliquary guardian figure has space between the thighs, which was embraced by artists such as Paul Cezzane. The embrace of Asian and African Art by established artists such as Cezzane and Picasso led to a significant reliance on aspects of Asian and African Art by modern artists. For example, the use of red, blue, yellow by Cezzane and Picasso influenced modern art. The use of those three colors is a feature of Chinese art. The western artists embraced African and Asian art because it provided them with a new imagery to use (Soltes ). This enriched their work and excited their artistic nature. Furthermore, it enabled them to create better works of art by using avariety of layouts, designs and color. In conclusion, Soltes is able to demonstrate that modern art has been profoundly influenced by African and Asian art. This began with the impression era where western artists used photographs of Asian and African culture to create portraits of them. Moreover, they influenced the design and construction of buildings. The influence was possible due to the interaction between the West and the East. Moreover, western artists appreciated the beauty of the African and Asian art as well as the philosophy and values behind them. Works Cited Soltes, Ori. Asia and Africa in the Western Mind.. Thomas Edinson State College, 2011.web. June 30th 2014 Read More