©Unit 4

How Do We Express Ourselves?

Reader's Notebook

Realism and Fantasy

As you consider the art, images, media, and entertainment in this unit, consider into which category the art would best fit (or how a combination of both types of art are represented).


Reality-a true situation that exists; something that is lifelike and resembles the original.
Realistic art uses perspective to make images or film look three dimensional rather than flat. Realistic art uses balance (symmetry). Finally, realistic art uses proportion, showing parts the correct size when compared with other parts of the piece of art.

Fantasy – an impossible or improbable situation that lives in the mind; something that is make believe, a wish, delusion, or daydream. Unrealistic art has many names: surreal, abstract, symbolism, and expressionist are some types of art that emphasize simplicity, randomness, emotion, or a brief moment in time.

Look at the art pieces below. What type of art are the pieces: reality or fantasy art? How do the art pieces show individual identity, or personal voice of the artist? What might you predict about the cultures that produced these pieces of art? Click below for answers.
Roman face urn
Pottery was an important part of daily Roman life. Faces on pots was a temporary fad in Rome because of an African Caesar Septimius Severus.

However, in general, Romans valued useful pieces over fancy painted pottery.

This is a fantasy pot because the face is not very realistic. It is like many other pots at the time.
Peruvian Moche man playing an ocarina 100-800 A.D. courtesy Vanessa Mathison
The Moche people of Peru valued individuality. Every art piece whether it was gold or pottery was stamped with an individual mark.

This is a realistic pot because the piece is 3 dimensional and has proportion and symmetry. It is highly detailed. It has a strong voice.
Woman holding a balance by Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675 A.D.) via Wikicommons
The Golden Age of Dutch art followed the War of Independence. This is realistic art. It represents the Last Judgment and living according to principles.
Narcissus by Italian Renaissance painter Caravaggio (1571-1610 A.D.) via Wikicommons
This is a Renaissance painting. Narcissus is looking at his own reflection in the pond and studying his own ideas. This was important to Renaissance thinkers. This painting has a strong voice and is realistic.
Illustration of Channels of the Human Body, a book written in the Qing dynasty (1662-1722 A.D.) via Wikicommons
This is a realistic sketch showing how important medicine was to Chinese culture from 200 BC onward.


 
Birchbark with porcupine quills Mi'kmaw basket 1850 Canada
Mi’kmaq people drew on nature (plants and animals) for materials to make practical, meaningful, and beautiful baskets. Each basket is marked with an individual artist’s sign. It is realistic art that has a strong voice.
 
Russian balloon basket 1931. People began ballooning in 1783.
Baskets on balloons were not decorative or fancy. They were intended to transport people. This was not intended to be an art piece, but this piece is now displayed in a museum. It looks like many other baskets and does not have a strong voice, although it does tell a story about ballooning.


 
Pablo Picasso 1881-1973 Barcelona, Spain courtesy Vanessa Mathison
Picasso was one of the most influential artists of modern times. He started various art movements such as collage, an art form many students use in schools. He is most famous for Cubism.

Picasso’s works suggest fantasy. He shows how people feel uncertain or full of doubt. His art suggests people are broken and lonely in our modern world.

It is said this sketch was done on a napkin in a restaurant. It was still worth a lot of money to the city of Barcelona because it was drawn by Picasso. Picasso’s art has a strong voice.
 
Miners in Crow's Nest Pass , 1951 © George Hunter 1921-2013 
Photography is usually realistic while modern painting has become more fantastical. This piece has a strong voice.

George Hunter was a Canadian photographer born in Regina whose photos appear on the five, ten, fifty dollar bills and two Canadian stamps.

Once Hunter was on a photography shoot over Edmonton. He leaned out the door of a small plane to get some fresh air, when he fell out. He clung to his camera and the wing of the plane. When the pilot banked the plane, he threw his camera into the cockpit. The pilot tilted the plane again, and George crawled back in the plane and continued taking pictures. One of his photographs of the Toronto Pearson International Airport was included in a time capsule on Voyager II’s space probe. http://blog.nfb.ca/blog/2016/07/05/canada-150-classic-photo-reportage-goes-interactive/ https://www.pressreader.com/canada/vancouver-sun/20170617/281784219084326 http://www.canadiannaturephotographer.com/George_Hunter.html http://www.bankofcanadamuseum.ca/complete-bank-note-series/1969-1979-scenes-canada-series/scenes-canada-series-5-dollar/

Go to the next page.