Monday, November 3, 2014

Max Ernst (1891-1976) Frottages ("to rub")





WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF DRAWING?
(WRITE A 100 WORD ESSAY-CONTAINING WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAT YOU LEARNED AFTER THIS PRESENTATION.)

This drawing technique was developed by Max Ernst in 1925.  He was inspired by the ancient wooden floors in his studio that had been worn from years of scrubbing.  The patterns on the floors made strange images. He created this images by placing sheets of paper on the floor and rubbing it with a soft pencil. 

Ernst was considered a Surrealist.  The Surrealist group of artists began in the early l920's in Europe. The goal was to "resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality." Interpretation of dreams on to canvas or paper dealt with images and scenes that seemed illogical but because of the realistic rendering the appeared to be part of reality.  Dreaming is part of a human's "reality".  

They dealt with tapping into the unconscious mind which is part of the dream life.

"Frottage" and "automatic drawing" were techniques used by the Surrealists to tap into the unconscious and retrieve images and feelings that can be re-interpreted in visual art and writings such as poems and literature. The "real" functioning of thought is the main thesis of Surealism. 

Thinking, taking time to think, visiting the two hemispheres of the brain and interpreting the visit is important to Surrealists.  As in dreams time is spacial not linear (meaning the whole span of your existence and being is not rated/calculated/documented by numbers/dates.
Also symbolism as in dreams is defined and interpreted.

Frottages can be viewed as 2-D experiences with 3-D thought.  As in sculpture you are subtracting and adding to a form to create a visual 3-D experience. (pushing and pulling forms)




Max Ernst 1891-1976 (Germany)



Joan Miro (Automatic drawing)

Joan Miro (1893-1983)

Joan Miro


Salvador Dali


Salvador Dali 1904-1989
Salvador Dali






Meret Oppenheim 1913-1985





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