mercredi 24 septembre 2014

About Figurative And Genre Art

By Elsa Noel


Once upon a time, the Academy had special systematization of genres, especially in painting. History painting was the most appreciated theme, followed by portraits, landscape and still life. One of these genres was genre art. The easiest way of describing this genre is that it usually presents people doing something they usually do every day. Figurative and genre art can both picture people and animals in different life situations.

Figurative art is best described as artworks that obviously represent something that exists in the real world. This art usually has volume, shape, perspective and structure, and this is achieved using colors and lines, different materials and techniques, depending on the particular artist. All techniques and medias are accepted, but the subject is something that comes from the real world.

Although figuratism may contain different simplifications of the form, especially when it comes to paintings, this type of art is basically representational rather than abstract. Generally it may be said that figurative may be applied to all art before abstract. Today, this term is mostly used to define any art form that isn't abstract. In short, if you can tell what it is, it is definitely figuratism.

It doesn't matter what media is used. All are accepted, including oil, watercolor and pastel. People are the main subject, whether they have their clothes or not. Of course, some artists are more interested in describing particular emotions or moods, while others might be more focused on reality. Generally, all portraits that are recognizable are certainly figurative artworks.

There are no real limits to interpretation. Although this is a real figure based representation, using different styles, methods and materials results in countless variations. The main thing is that the main subject has to be recognizable at some point. Although expressionism is the best example for this category, other styles, for example cubism, belong to figurative paintings as well, as long as it is recognizable.

Figuratism covers extremely wide area. One extreme is the photo realism, and all the way on the other side is nearly abstract, barely recognizable form of expression. Again, cubism. Cubism is abstract or not, depending on the author. Unrecognizable as something based on the real world, it is abstract. If you can tell what it is, however distorted it is, it can be considered as figuratism.

Contemporary artists became more interested in this form in last few decades. Some of them can really offer something extraordinary. For example, John Currin, Jas Knight, Gillian Carnegie and Jenny Saville. If you aren't familiar with their work, you should definitely correct this mistake. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Twentieth century was not very good period for figuratism. Abstract art forms and different avant-garde movements were just about everywhere. Luckily, in the eighties, figuratism was re-discovered. John Currin is one of the most popular representatives of this new age. Interested in real arts, not in changing or improving something perfect. It would be hard to improve Titian or Michelangelo. The point is to offer valuable art that reflects the world that exists today.




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