Art History Pieces

Rosetta Stone (196 BCE)

196 BCE, multiple versions of the same text in different languages allowed for archeologists to understand hieroglyphs (essentially cracked the code of hieroglyphs), found in the 1700s, really big

Assyrian Archers Pursuing Enemies (878 BCE)

878 BCE, Assyrian art, made of gypsum, 3 ft. tall, compressing distances and enlarging humans, goal: clear storytelling, showing the king's victory, Ashurbanipal drove enemies into the Euphrates, arrows are being shot at enemies, 3 soldiers in the water, one has an arrow in his back, faces are shown, relief from Ashurbanipal's palace, power and victory THEMES: power and authority, aggrandizing political leader

Coca-Cola Han Dynasty Vase (Ai Weiwei, 1994)

By Ai Weiwei, 1994, global contemporary art, media is painted on ceramic vase (?), playing with tradition, vase is from the Han Dynasty (1st century BCE), Weiwei paints the Coca-Cola symbol on the vase, very provocative, it takes away the importance because the symbol is so common, it's a symbol of modern global consumerism THEMES: dialogue with art history, global consumerism

Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn (Ai Weiwei, 1995)

By Ai Weiwei, 1995, global contemporary art, three photos of him dropping an urn from the Han Dynasty period and breaking it, breaking tradition, irreverence THEMES: (breaking) tradition, dialogue with art history

Colored Vases (Ai Weiwei, 2010)

By Ai Weiwei, 2010, global contemporary art, a collection of painted Han Dynasty vases THEMES: dialogue with art history, (breaking) tradition

Kui Hua Zi/Sunflower Seeds (Ai Weiwei, 2010-2011)

By Ai Weiwei, 2010-2011, global contemporary art, sculpted and painted porcelain, 100 million seeds, Weiwei had the help of a Chinese village to hand-make the seeds to contradict mass production, he also paid the workers, commentary on the themes of consumerism, mass production and globalization in China since these sunflower seeds are handmade, sunflower was nostalgic for artist, they were also associated with Mao as a symbol of Chinese growth THEMES: tradition, commentary on consumerism

Your Gaze Hits the Side of My Face (Barbara Kruger, 1981)

By Barbara Kruger, 1981, global contemporary art, photograph with red painted frame, magazine/billboard marketing techniques (like Koons), feminist perspective, words must be read one at a time which emphasizes meaning, exposing the power of the male gaze and reversing it onto the viewer THEMES: identity (femininity)

Arm and Hammer 2 (Basquiat and Andy Warhol, 1984)

By Basquiat and Andy Warhol, 1984, global contemporary art, each side of the piece shows the artists' distinct styles (Basquiat's is very scribbly, messy, raw and references jazz musicians) THEMES: identity

Horn Players (Basquiat, 1983)

By Basquiat, 1983, global contemporary art, acrylic and oil paintstick on three canvas panels, use of text and words comes from artist's background in graffiti art, his handwriting is his brushstroke, very dynamic (like music), messy, scribbly, raw, triptych: homage to his jazz heroes, for a museum (unlike his graffiti art), inspired by jazz - references to Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, celebration of black heroes, strong colors against the black background THEMES: identity

The Crossing (Bill Viola, 1996)

By Bill Viola, 1996, global contemporary art, video/sound installation, can't watch both at once since the screen is double sided, museum art piece, on one side: man is being consumed by fire from below, on the other side: man is being consumed by water from above, at the end, the man disappears, sound is the same for both, referencing Nam June Paik, playing with what we see vs. what we hear --> sense of perception, playing with the media, engaging all sense --> very experiential, water: good connotation but can be bad, fire: bad connotation but can be good, destruction/rejuvenation, life cycles

Running Fence (Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 1972-1976)

By Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 1972-1976, global contemporary art, installation that interacts with Earth, from Marin to Sonoma, meant for people to follow it's path, it's more of a cloth than a fence, how it interacts with light and win is important, ends in the Pacific Ocean

The Gates (Christ and Jeanne-Claude, 1979-2005)

By Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 1979-2005, global contemporary art, mixed-media installation, orange gates are 16 ft. high, vary in width, color conveys a sense of warmth in Winter, path follows the original map of the park, inspired by the original map's colors, causes New Yorkers to see Central Park with a new, refreshed lens, environmental art - temporary even though preparation took so long, 7503 orange gates throughout Central Park for 23 miles, project costed 21 million dollars, privately funded (artists auctioned off sketches of other pieces and parts of that art), artists believed that the bureaucratic process was part of the art, this piece is very specific to the land it's in - site specific, tied to the land THEMES: innovation, disrupting the norm

Surrounded Islands (Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 1980-1983)

By Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 1980-1983, global contemporary art, pink fabric surrounding man made islands in Florida, environmental art, temporary exhibition, goal: intensify the viewer's perception of space and the artifice

Untitled (#224), from the History Portraits Series (Cindy Sherman, 1990)

By Cindy Sherman, 1990, global contemporary art, photograph, based on Bacchus by Caravaggio, emphasis on the artifice, very saturated THEMES: identity, questioning tradition

Untitled (#228), from the History Portraits Series (Cindy Sherman, 1990)

By Cindy Sherman, 1990, global contemporary art, photograph, based on Botticelli painting of Judith and Holofernes, Sherman is a photographer who plays with the artifice in dialogue with art history and stages most of her work, this piece manipulates the formal elements by staging, de-emphasis on the sword, elongated figures are in the Botticelli style, emphasis on the "Judith" figure, the feet are huge (prosthetic, which emphasizes the artificial), emphasizes the stomach (as was done in the Renaissance b/c of fertility), face is very painting and mime-looking, emphasis on yellow and red (saturation) THEMES: identity, questioning tradition

Film Stills Series (Cindy Sherman, ~1980)

By Cindy Sherman, ~1980, global contemporary art, photographs, not actually from a film but still a film still because there's a narrative, playing with how women are "cast", possibly alludes to domestic abuse, includes a cord to show evidence of her taking the photo (highlighting the artifice) (note: there are 3 photos to know: the one pictured, the one of her standing in a corner, and the one of her picking up groceries) THEMES: identity, femininity/gender

Shibboleth (Doris Salcedo, 2007-2008)

By Doris Salcedo, 2007-2008, global contemporary art, installation, splits the hall with a crack, 548 ft. long, gets up to 1-2 ft. wide, about 2 ft. deep, done in the same hall as Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds, installation that his influenced by architecture, makes the viewer consider space, co-extensive space, "Shibboleth" is Biblical, means a word that's hard to pronounce for a specific ethnic group, test of nationality, people who couldn't say it were killed, signifies insider vs. outsider, idea of borders --> splitting the room, concept of immigration and letting Latin Americans through the border, feeling of instability and danger that grows overtime, caused major construction in the museum, it's now filled in but still left a "scar"

Old Man's Cloth (El Anatsui, 2003)

By El Anatsui, 2003, global contemporary art, made out of maleable aluminum from bottle cap covers and copper wire, meant to look like fabric, in particular kente cloth, maleable like cloth even though it's a sculpture, meant for a museum viewing, made by Anatsui and his assistants, contrasts to past and present (rise in alcoholism), Transatlantic trade brought beer and rum to Africa and took African slaves away, alcoholism is tied to colonialism, doesn't fit with traditional African art because he's a global contemporary artist THEMES: identity, breaking Western perception of African art

Bleeding Takari 2 (El Anatsui, 2008)

By El Anatsui, 2008, global contemporary art, aluminum bottle tops and copper wire, cross between sculpture and textile design, medium allows for movement

Hover 2 (El Anatui, 2004)

By El Anatui, 2004, global contemporary art, in the De Young, made out of bottle cap wrappers, maleable like cloth, commentary on alcoholism that came with the Transatlantic trade, based off of Kente cloth THEMES: identity, breaking Western perception of African art

Earth's Creation (Emily Kame Kngwarreye, 1994)

By Emily Kame Kngwarreye, 1994, global contemporary art, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 20 ft wide, 9 ft. tall, brushstrokes are a gesture shows her body's movement with the painting, referencing colors of seasons (especially the lush period after rain), dots show influence of pointilism, abstract about Earth, the beauty of nature (not about the creation of Earth but about what Earth creates), during her "high coloring phase" where she used more colors than usual, often compared to Sunrise by Monet,

Who's Afraid of Aunt Jemima? (Faith Ringgold, 1983)

By Faith Ringgold, 1983, global contemporary art, quilt (reference to her mother and black tradition), references stereotypical "mammy" figure, interweaving narratives using black dialect and portraits of black people THEMES: identity (black), referencing the past

Dancing at the Louvre, from the series The French Collection, Part 1; #1 (Faith Ringgold, 1991)

By Faith Ringgold, 1991, global contemporary art, acrylic on canvas, tie-dyed, pieced fabric border (quilted), in the background are 3 da Vinci paintings: Mary, her mother and Jesus, the Mona Lisa and Madonna of the Rocks (dialogue with art history), the story is based on Ringgold's mother who goes to France and feels freedom and opportunity, excerpts from a narrative in text form weave in a storytelling element, in the story, the family and friends of the main character feel joy in the Louvre, a quilt is: a domestic object, passes on a story, references her mom, tradition for black women, emphasizes the artists hand (even though she is depicting another artist's work), in a series of painted quilts about black life in the US THEMES: identity, dialogue with art history

Picasso's Studio (Faith Ringgold, ~1990)

By Faith Ringgold, 1991, global contemporary art, quilt, referencing Les Demoiselles d'Avignon which had lots of influences from Africa and black women (important because Ringgold is a black woman) THEMES: identity, dialogue with art history

Guggenheim Bilbao Museo (Frank Gehry, 1997)

By Frank Gehry, 1997, global contemporary art, Deconstruvist architect, very asymmetrical and imbalanced, what it looks like changes on what the viewer's POV is, curve-linear forms, meant to look like a ship (port city history), a functional piece of architecture, in Northern Spain, an industrial city, this museum revives the tourism of the city, Guggenheim museums are called "cultural imperialists," the museum has a "heart" and "arms," artists creates a design, then computer programs how to engineer it, first "starchitect" THEMES: technology in art

Trade (Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, 1992)

By Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, 1992 global contemporary art, collage elements of physical objects (referencing Rauschenberg's combine), red paint symbolizes Native American bloodshed, symbol of canoe, non-homage to the 500th anniversary of Columbus' arrival, Native American artifacts show cultural appropriation and disrespect. collage elements, social commentary on colonialism, items around the collage: article from Native American newspaper, relgious objects, Native American inspired toys, derogatory sports memorabilia, "trinkets" are the artist's "offering" in exchange for stolen indigenous land, references to negative impacts of colonialism: alcoholism, domestic abuse, etc. THEMES: identity (Native American), dialogue with history and art history

Pink Panther (Jeff Koons, 1988)

By Jeff Koons, 1988, global contemporary art, glazed porcelain, 3 ft tall, porcelain, Pink Panther is an innocent figure, sexualized Pink Panther with the woman, roots in Duchamp's work, rooted in pop culture, kitschy, drawing attention to the faults with modern day society THEMES: consumerism

Michael Jackson and Bubbles (Jeff Koons, ~1990s)

By Jeff Koons, ~1990s, global contemporary art, in the SFMOMA, Bubbles was Jackson's pet monkey, artist plays with pop culture, style of porcelain figurines in the Rococo style, for the home, often found in Spain THEMES: dialogue with art history, commentary on global consumerism

Stadia 2 (Julie Mehretu, 2004)

By Julie Mehretu, 2004, global contemporary art, ink and acrylic on canvas, black lines are of an architectural structure, allusion to flags, wisps of grey smoke show the destruction of large gathering places (like this one), very geometric and layered, meant for a museum, intended to represent gathering spaces (arenas, amphitheaters, opera houses, etc.), starts with a map traced as the bottom layer, then other symbols are drawn on top, references to Russian Constructivism, making art universal, questions the role of individuals in big gather spaces and contemplates the inevitable rupture of the group (like in a revolution) THEMES: dialogue with art history

Emancipation Approximation (Kara Walker, 2000)

By Kara Walker, 2000, Global Contemporary Art, silhouettes out of paper on walls, installation of multiple silhouettes, refers to slaver, the man is a slave owner (based on his dress and posture), the woman and child are slaves, the child is holding him up and the woman is performing a sexual act, not innocent or proper (unlike silhouette connotation), artist is questioning her past, black identity and heritage, within a larger installation that connects different silhouettes (but not a narrative), about the South THEMES: identity

Darkytown Rebellion (Kara Walker, 2001)

By Kara Walker, 2001, global contemporary art, cut paper and projection on wall, silhouettes on the wall, projections add atmosphere, projection is co-extensive space (makes viewers a silhouette too), made for a museum, installation, about a made-up rebellion (creates a story, suggests themes but leaves room for interpretation), asking the viewer what their role is, refers to the times of slavery, "Darkytown": subject matter is dark, slums, named for racial connotations (possible meanings), projection makes it more dynamic and current, includes stereotypes, references Brookes slave ship (connection to silhouettes), artist was criticized for playing into not challenging stereotypes but now it's accepted THEMES: tradition, identity (black)

Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps (Kehinde Wiley, 2005)

By Kehinde Wiley, 2005, global contemporary art, oil on canvas, depicting a modern young black man in the field of power (where Napoleon was in "Napoleon Crossing the Alps", conveys power, sperm in the background questions masculinity THEMES: identity (black, male), dialogue with art history

Untitled (Kiki Smith, 1990)

By Kiki Smith, 1990, global contemporary art, beeswax figures on metal stands, unflattering portrayal of the human body, questions who controls the body, long white drips down both bodies (body fluids)

Lying with the Wolf (Kiki Smith, 2001)

By Kiki Smith, 2001, global contemporary art, ink and pencil on paper, reclining nude but done in a very untraditional way, life size, lack of detail, part of a short series of works, pinned to a wall which reminds people of a bed sheet (domestic object), disrupting gender norms, woman looks uncomfortable, body is covered (not sexual, unlike other reclining nudes), violent animal is depicted (wolf) and the woman is taming it, shows the artist's interest in the human body and depicting well known characters from the bible and children's stories and folklore THEMES: dialogue with art history, male gaze, femininity

80 Backs (Magdalena Abakanowicz, 1976-1980)

By Magdalena Abakanowicz, 1976-1980, global contemporary art, burlap and resin, materials with feminine connotation, expression through weaving, resilience of humans, depicts rounded shoulders and backs of undistinguishable but unique people, submission yet individuality THEMES: identity

Androgyne 3 (Magdalena Abakanowicz, 1985)

By Magdalena Abakanowicz, 1985, global contemporary art, burlap, resin, wood, nails and string, proportions are off: shoulders look too broad, backside (which is the from of the human) is hollow, emphasizing fragility, space inside of people, possible alluding to her mother's and other's lost limbs, bottom part looks like a stretcher, sculpture, viewers are meant to consider oppression and torture, lack of identity and gender -- emphasis on sad, defeated emotion, humanity of the figure, sculpture in the round -- interpretations of oppression, context of the Nazi regime, other backs made by the artist are all similar but unique since they're hand made THEMES: identity

Pure Land (Mariko More, 1998)

By Mariko Mori, 1998, global contemporary art, color photography on glass, about Buddhism, a specific sect called "Pureland Buddhism", peaceful, enlightened feeling, both shown just as the photograph but also part of the installation "Nirvana", Mori depicts herself as the Buddha who is floating over the lotus (a symbol of purity and rebirth), the Buddha is the central figure but it isn't that emphasized by the formal elements, very futuristic (floating aliens), in the installation, video is playing, woman is humming and there is lotus scent (very sensory), pastel colors, Buddha's hand movement (the mudra) is a blessing, feels coextensive because she's blessing the viewer and because of the sensory parts of the installation, influenced by the state of nirvana, based on Japanese pop art style, water is supposed to be from the dead sea (symbolizing rebirth after death with the lotus) THEMES: tradition, dialogue with art history, transculturation

Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Maya Lin, 1981-1983)

By Maya Lin, 1981-1983, global contemporary art, Minimalist, chosen by a jury, received a lot of criticism, dug into the ground, names of deceased and missing veterans inscribed on the walls, granite surface, viewers see themselves in the walls, "walls" are thin, stuck into the ground, covered with names of dead and missing vets, names make the smooth surface rough, "edge to the Earth" --> connection between Earth and Heaven, the ground slopes down, monument requires viewers to move - not stagnant, journey - going down, then rising up, the names are the only "real" part of it, abstract, in DC between Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, walls point to the other monuments, walls reflect the viewers on the names --> contemplative, co-extensive space, artist wanted to inflict violence on the earth that would later heal, magnitude of the people who died is overwhelming, very different from other memorials (no allegory, no heroes, etc.) another memorial was built since this one was too controversial, artist's goal was to be apolitical, architecture and art

Pisupo Lua Afe/Corned Beef 2000 (Michel Tuffery, 1994)

By Michel Tuffery, 1994, global contemporary art, sculpture of the bull is made out of corned beef cans, bulls are aggressive, stance is aggressive, tin material is harsh, artist turned his sculptures into performance art (lights, bulls fighting, etc.), reference to pisupo (canned foods), reference to the changing food landscape, food insecurity, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, artist is Pacific Islander, "pisupo" is the Samoan name for tinned food because the first canned food in Samoa was pea soup, colonial/American influence in 1960s, now pisupo is integral to Samoan culture, before tinned food they ate super healthy, commentary on colonial influence THEMES: identity, colonization, changing tradition, repurposing materials

TV Bra for Living Sculpture (Nam June Paik, 1969)

By Nam June Paik, 1969, performance/video art, woman is wearing a bra of TVs, plays the cello which turns on the TVs, about the obsession with TV (the boob tube) THEMES: the media/consumerism

Global Groove (Nam June Paik, 1973)

By Nam June Paik, 1973, global contemporary art, videotape, color sound, combination of painting, music, Eastern philosophy, global politics, technology, cybernetics, video shows quick clips of tap dancers, Allen Ginsberg, Fluxus, Charlotte Moorman, Japanese Pepsi commercials, Korean drummers, theater group, commentary on globalization of TV media THEMES: media, technology

TV Buddha (Nam June Paik, 1982)

By Nam June Paik, 1982, global contemporary art, artist learned English and American culture from TV, camera is showing a projection of the Buddha watching himself on TV, commentary on how TV has consumed us, ironic because it is the opposite of what Buddhism is supposed to be because Buddhists are supposed to live in the moment and not be self-centered, references Televangelism THEME: commentary on global consumerism, dialogue with art history

Electronic Superhighway (Nam June Paik, 1995)

By Nam June Paik, from 1995, global contemporary art, mixed-media installation, map of the US made out of TVs, in each state, the screens show distinct symbols from that state, video installation, neon signs, referencing the road trips with his family (an American pass time), referencing road trip media like billboards, little towns, Jesus signs, perspective as an immigrant THEMES: culture/identity (American)

En la Barberia no se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop) (Pepon Osorio, 1994)

By Pepon Osorio, 1994, global contemporary art, mixed-media installation, chair looks like a throne, very well-manicured barbershop, lots of chucherías of masculine symbols, installation, video shows men crying, portraits of men on the walls, pink walls, in a museum (unlike other pieces meant for someone's home), concept of machismo, based on the story of 5 year old Osorio going to the barbershop, crying and then being told not to cry because it's not masculine, "perdóname" is being apologetic for being emotional as a man, prince in cultural identity but also very critical of it, rose/bullets show beauty/violence, conflict of being a Puerto Rican and a New Yorker, commenting on pop culture, people called his work "Mexican Baroque" THEMES: identity, masculinity (machismo)

Tilted Arc (Richard Serra, 1981)

By Richard Serra, 1981, global contemporary art, commissioned to install a curved wall in a plaza that bisects the space, received a lot of criticism so it was taken down

Rebellious Silence, from the Women of Allah Series (Shirin Neshat, 1994)

By Shirin Neshat, 1994, global contemporary art, ink on photograph, Neshat is woman in photo, making eye contact with the viewer (returning male gaze), stoic, strong vertical, very symmetrical, balanced, stable, contrast of black and white, meant for a museum, the gun stabilizes the piece even though it is a violent object, writing is from feminist Farsi texts (not religious texts), dichotomies/dualities are emphasized, context of the Iranian Revolution which was a time of progress for women, influenced by feminism, challenging how the Western viewer sees her (as oppressed or free), veil is a symbol of both freedom and oppression, gun shows physical fragmentation in the piece and in Iran, beauty vs. violence, gun is taking a passive position (not pointed at viewer) but it's still a reminder of violence, her art was interpreted different after 9/11 (seen as violent, threatening) THEMES: identity, femininity

Allegiance and Wakefulness (Shirin Neshat, 1994)

By Shirin Neshat, 1994, global contemporary art, print with ink calligraphy, wearing a veil, symbol for dual pride and oppression from her ethnicity, on her feet, messages are written in Farsi, rifle points at viewer, making them uncomfortable THEMES: identity

Summer Trees (Song Su-Nam, 1983)

By Song Su-Nam, 1983, global contemporary art, ink on paper, landscapes as a central theme (like this one) for contemporary art, ink painting is a traditional Korean media, this one s based on Korean landscapes, the artist's handwork is visible in the drips, belongs in a museum, fusion of traditional Korean landscapes and Abstract Expressionism, in the context of the popularity of the digitization of art, reaction to "Electronic Superhighway" and other technological arts THEMES: dialogue with art history, fight against new technology

Brush Stroke (Song Su-Nam, 1995)

By Song Su-Nam, 1995, global contemporary art, artist is interested in the act of painting, rethinking subject matter (now the brushstroke itself is subject matter) (note: there was no picture on Quizlet for this piece)

Preying Mantra (Wangechi Mutu, 2006)

By Wangechi Mutu, 2006, global contemporary art, mix media on mylar, reclining nude (is female figure vulnerable or strong?), sunlight is on her body showing how she is one with nature, she is holding a green snake which references creation stories, background is based on Kuba cloth patterns, she is wearing a crown on her head, collage shows layers, biblical and African creation stories are evoked with this piece, concept of hybridity, female praying mantis eat their sexual partners (empowering woman figure), questioning "Eve's" role in the biblical creation story, "mantra" is a religious reference, also showing the repetition of the sexualization of women and the repetition within the background patterns, "preying" because she's seen as prey THEMES: exoticism, globalism, questioning tradition, fusion of traditions/cultures

A Book from the Sky (Xu Bing, 1987-1991)

By Xu Bing, 1987-1991, global contemporary art, mixed-media installation, 400 hand-bound books in Chinese style, 50 ft. scrools above, panels on either side, connection to Mao propaganda (meaninglessness, forced to learn something that doesn't make sense), Chinese-like characters (but not actually Chinese), wanted it to feel accessible when it's actually foreign, characters are carved from wood, then printed, reference to moveable type in Chine pre-Europe, installation (very site specific), thought of it as a landscape: scrolls are the sky, books are water, panels are hills/scenery, in the US it needs context/explanation but in China people understood, pulling from traditional landscapes and calligraphy THEMES: identity, dialogue with tradition and art history

Photograph of Yayoi Kusama with her works (Yayoi Kusama, 2012)

By Yayoi Kusama, 2012, global contemporary art, acrylic on canvas paintings, signature symbol is the polka dot, unites pop culture and advertising, based on her clothing line

The Swing (Yinka Shonibare, 2001)

By Yinka Shonibare, 2001, global contemporary art, mixed-media installation, modeled after Fragonard's "The Swing", "African" "Dutch" wax fabrics are used which show transculturation (the artist feels influenced by and torn between a combination of countries) 3D instead of 2D like Fragonard's, the Chanel logo on the fabric is a reference to appropriation of the fabric over time, emphasis on questioning identity, fabric was originally SE Asian, then made in Holland and England and sold in Nigeria, Shonibare used it to pick up on the "if you know, you know" attitude of Fragonard's piece, and to show his colonial relationship with Europe (grappling with his identity), the woman doesn't have a head in this version as a reference to the beheading of the aristocracy and elite people THEMES: identity, tradition, dialogue with art history

MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts (Zaha Hadid, 2009)

By Zaha Hadid, 2009, global contemporary art, concrete exterior that touches surrounding buildings, seems to appear weightless because of the shadows, "ribbons of space" like a minaret, staircases are emphasized, playful, beams direct the viewer's eye, it's a museum, functional piece of art, metal columns reference columns in Roman Empire architecture, concrete was a material used by ancient Romans, round arches are horizontal (referencing triumphal arches), based on "international" style of past architects, artist was inspired by modernism, constructivism, Islamic art, geometric influence --> curvilinear vs. rectilinear, sinister, cold but also welcoming, influenced by a delta (forked river), both forward looking and referencing the past THEMES: dialogue with art history, intersection of art and architecture

Signature Towers (Zaha Hadid)

By Zaha Hadid, designed in 2006, not yet constructed (this is a proposal), dynamic arrangement of towers, illusion of motion, towers bend in the middle

Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan (artist unknown, 1969)

By an unknown artist, 1969, South, East and SE Asian art, based on an oil painting by Liu Chunhua, color lithograph, propaganda art made by an artist in a re-education camp, Mao is depicted as young, strong vertical, central figure, clothes blend into nature (combined power with earth), Mao is on top of a mountain, the light flatters him, high up perspective, although there's wind he is stable, holding an umbrella --> ready to weather the storm (Mao is depicted as a symbol of absolute power), made to aggrandize Mao and communism, Mao is on his way to start a strike

The advantages of Being a Woman Artist (Guerilla Girls, 1988)

By the Guerrilla Girls, 1988, global contemporary art, feminist artwork made only out of words

Camelid sacrum in the shape of a canine (~10,000)

C. 10,000 BCE, Paleolithic prehistory art, made out of a pelvis bone of the extinct camelid animal, holes were cut into it to create nostrils, bone is engraved, function is unknown, religious ritual? reverence of animals?, bone may have been sacred because "sacrum" means "sacred" in Latin, one of the earliest pieces found in Mesoamerica, discovered accidentally in 1870, an engineer found it 40 ft. underground THEMES: animal depictions, nature in art

Tlatilco female figurine (~1000)

C. 1000 BCE, neolithic prehistory art, ceramic and paint, pinched waist, round thighs --> accentuating the female form and fertility, intimate, lively pose, made by hand not molds, elaborate hair, found in a grave --> burial purpose, buried with the dead, religious significance, 2 headed figure (pretty rare), still a single body though, female figure, disproportionate, indicative of long, sophisticated art tradition, found in the 20th century THEMES: religion, portrayal of females, religion

Terra cotta fragment (1000)

C. 1000 BCE, neolithic prehistory art, stylized use of patterns: circles, dots, lines, similar to tattoos and clothes from the region, motifs were applied with a dentate, looks like it was stamped, not used for cooking, likely for storing/serving food, one of the oldest human faces in Oceanic Art, follows a systematic design that was widely used, descendants of the Lapita people still make art like this, distinct red pottery from the Lapita people --> spanning 1000s of miles, made using paddle and anvil technique, potter was fired in open fires not kilns THEMES: use of symbols and patterns

Temple of Amun-Re and Hypostyle Hall (1250 BCE)

C. 1250 BCE, New Kingdom Egyptian art, the temple was expanded upon over time (like Persepolis), it follows an axial plan, the second room is a hypostyle hall with clerestory windows, it was a temple complex: priests lived there and people came to worship, follows the pylon temple plan, sphinxes guarded the entryway, lots of columns emphasized the stability, structure and ceremony, its style was very popular in the New Kingdom, it was believed taht the Gods lived there too when there were on Earth, processional and progressive worship: 1. All enter into the open air courtyard 2. The more important people continued on until it's just the pharaoh and the priest, then just the priest continued on (which the pharaoh didn't like) Columns: 66 ft. high, 22 ft. wide, capital shows a papyrus bloom, incised, painted reliefs of Gods and hieroglyphs on columns THEMES: religious/worship art, power and authority

Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer (1275 BCE)

C. 1275 BCE, New Kingdom Egyptian art, found in the tomb of Hunefer, a royal scribe, found with other objects that were meant to secure a happy afterlife, Anubis, the embalming God leads Hunefer to the hall of judgement where his heart will be weighed, Ammit, the devourer of the sinful awaits the decision, above, the Gods are all witnesses, goal is to receive immortality in the afterlife which Hunefer is depicted to have achieved, Hunefer is holding the ankh (symbol of life), Hunefer was a scribe - literate and highly regarded, part of the Book of the Dead, these images were used in both the Old and New Kingdoms, mix of writing and images THEMES: the afterlife, importance of scribes

Tutankhamun's Tomb (1300 BCE)

C. 1300 BCE, New Kingdom Egyptian art, very elaborate, gold, 250 lbs of gold (worth a few million dollars) headdress is very beautiful and ornate, beard, sarcophagus (innermost layer of the tomb), preserving the body, emphasis on the afterlife, idealization, return to the Old Kingdom style after Akhenaton, tomb was never raided THEMES: afterlife, power of the Pharaohs

Akhenaton, Nefertiti and three daughters (1350 BCE)

C. 1350 BCE, New Kingdom Egyptian Art, limestone, Akhenaton with his wife and daughters, sunken in relief, in profile, momentary, maybe from a private shrine, goal: to disassociate this pharaoh with everything Old Kingdom related, sun is above, radiating symbols of power, realistic belly is like the scribe (not idealized), domestic setting, very intimate, he is kissing his child, still establishing power with the presence of the sun just not in the tradition Egyptian way THEMES: power and authority, representation of pharaohs

Relief Portrait of Akhenaton (1350 BCE)

C. 1350 BCE, New Kingdom Egyptian art, from Amarna, not grand or imposing, sunken in, not idealized, really exaggerated features, personal to Akhenaton, move to realism, curve-linear (not cubic) forms, limestone is not as durable (not meant to last for eternity), in profile mostly, some composite view with eyes, the lines in the neck are detailed THEMES: power and authority, depiction of pharaohs

Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut (1450 BCE)

C. 1450 BCE, New Kingdom Egyptian art, built into the terrain of the hillside, ceremonial passageways (ramps) lined by sphinxes --> processional, temple is dedicated to Amen and houses Queen Hatshepsut's tomb, grand, but less so than the pyramids, 200+statues: one has her holding jars for offering --> showing her as a man --> asserting her power and authority, the inscriptions on the statue says "His Majesty", she's the first reigning female monarch, often depicted as a man, in the statue she's wearing the pharaonic headress and beard, statues were broken by her successors, lots of incest in her family (she married her half brother), she had a power struggle with her nephew/stepson who crowned himself and threw her out, statue is a votive statue to the sun God Amen, pose of deference only used by Pharaohs THEMES: art using the natural landscape, power and authority

Great Hall of the Bulls (~15,000)

C. 15,000 BCE, Paleolithic prehistory art, in the Lascaux caves, pigment: natural minerals and products, twisted perspective, some animals are linear, some contoured with blended colors, function unknown: to ensure a good hunt? animal worship? didactic? narrative/story?, dents in it: were spears thrown at it?, medium: charcoal and ochre, pigments were brown, red, white and yellow, subject matter: prehistoric wildlife (animals) and symbolic patterns, one of many similar cave sites in France and Spain, Lascaux caves: cave walls served as canvases, white calcite roof also allowed for art, painting in several "rooms", 2000+ animal figures, these caves were not dwelling places, stone tools were used, evidence of scaffolding THEMES: patterns/symbols, animal representation, cave paintings, use of twisted perspective, mystery behind art's purpose

The Ambum Stone (~1500)

C. 1500 BCE, neolithic prehistory art, shape of a pestle, 8 in. tall, curved neck = handle?, smooth surface is aesthetically pleasing, made from greywhacke, hard to carve, highly valued, religious/ritualistic purpose? pestle --> practical use?, stylized features: eyes, ears, nostrils, shows what the artist knew about anatomy, oldest sculpture from Oceanea, similar sculptures exist but depict different animals, Enga people used it ritualistically --> saw it as something supernatural, depicts an echidna, an extinct mega-marsupial, exemplifies exoticism from Wester perspective (deemed "primitive"), taken illegally from Pap New guinea, very controversial, currently in Australia THEMES: animals as subject matter, religion/ritual

The Code of Hammurabi (1780 BCE)

C. 1780 BCE, Babylonian, made of basalt (very durable), during the Babylonian rule of King Hammurabi, God is seated but is just as tall as Hammurabi standing (hierarchy of size), stele, much taller than humans, has the law code of Hammurabi written in cuneiform below the image, law code is very specific with an emphasis on retribution, based on the reality of what occurred in the society, Shamash (God) is passing the rod and ring of power to Hammurabi, Hammurabi is showing a sign of deference and respect, the throne, bear and dress show that God is the most important, Hammurabi unified the Sumerian city-states and ruled them all as a Babylonian country, ruled through God (theocratic -- same as how the Sumerians did) which legitimatizes Hammurabi's power, the crown is very elaborate and grand (8 ringed?), people are compelled to follow Hammurabi because they're really following Shamash through him THEMES: religion and power, power and authority, divine power

Stonehenge (~2000)

C. 2000 BCE, neolithic prehistory art, made of megalith rocks, 24 ft. high, 7 ft. wide, 25 tons each, bluestones, lintel stones are intentionally curved to echo outer henge, representing elite status of leaders in ancient England, solar/lunar calendar, huge rock formations, maybe a way track celestial patterns, 3 phases of building: 3100 BCE, 3000 BCE, 2500 BCE, rocks gathered from a quarry 200+ miles away, not much is known about artist or purpose, a recently discovered nearby village may have been the creators/users of this piece THEMES: site specific art, nature in art, rock art, Earth's connection to celestial bodies

Statues of Gudea (2100)

C. 2100 BCE, Neo-Sumerian, context: Sumer is invaded, there was a period of foreign rule, then the invaders leave, during occupation 1 city-state, Lagash, ruled by Gudea, remained autonomous, Gudea was the intermediary between God and the people, the statue is made out of diorite which is rare, hard to work with and very special, Gudea built many temples and ziggurats and put these statues as his personal votive states, they have a double purpose: as a votive states and also taking credit for building temples, political and religious, figure is short and muscular --> showing off power, idealization, sitting in a throne --> showing deference to God but difference from other people

King Menkaure and Queen (2490 BCE)

C. 2490 BCE, Old Kingdom Egyptian art, emphasis on power and beauty (idealization), almost life size, never finished - still incomplete, painted, possibly used to be covered in precious metals, meant to be seen from the front, ensures the rebirth for the king and queen in the afterlife, sense of immortality and eternity, eternally youthful, individualized features that are still idealized, queen is the ideal female figure, found in Menkaure's pyramid, other statues were found with this one, each was a triad of the pharaoh, a goddess and the personification of a nome (region), this is the only dyad (just the king and queen), emphasis is on the queen, she's equal height to the king, left foot is forward (like kings), entirely frontal facing (unlike king who is tilted), unclear which queen it is though THEMES: power and authority, eternity/immortality, the afterlife

Apollo 11 stones (~25,500-25,300)

C. 25,000 BCE, Paleolithic prehistory art, charcoal on stone, profile view of an unknown animal with head, body, tail and 4 legs, maybe a feline, 2 curved horns, supports the idea that humanity originated in Africa, ritualistic purpose?, purpose is largely unknown, very early form of representation, human hind legs were added later, the cave it was found in had many pieces of art spanning hundreds of years --> advanced/developed society, found in SW caves in Namibia, name came from the archeologists who were listening to the Apollo space mission on the radio while digging and found this, discovered in 1969, the right stone was discovered 3 years after the one on the left, found buried in a cave in Namibia, one of the earliest examples of figurative art THEMES: representation of animals, art and nature

Nude Woman (Venus of Willendorf) (25000)

C. 25,000 BCE, Paleolithic prehistory art, in Austria, sculpture of a nude woman (as was customary during this period), anatomical exaggeration/disproportion that suggests fertility purposes, no facial features, stone artwork, likely not representing a specific woman but the female form (emphasis on her female body parts)

Spotted horses and negative hand imprints (~25000)

C. 25,000 BCE, Paleolithic prehistory art, in France, in the Great Hall of the Bulls, maybe didactic art, maybe an attempt at controlling animals, maybe for hunting or for insuring the survival of these animals, intention is largely unknown, handprints may be like signatures fro artists, use of symbols and patterns,

Seated Scribe (2500 BCE)

C. 2500 BCE, Old Kingdom Egyptian art, painted limestone, painted realistically, eyes are especially life-life --> alert, aware, intelligent, not idealized (not a pharaoh), rolls of fat humanize the figure, intended to be seen from the front but maybe not intended to be seen at all, funerary sculpture, lifelike, form but relaxed, almost symmetrical except for hands which are holding a brush/pen and papyrus --> momentary, unlike other Egyptian art which was focused on eternalizing figures found Southwest of Cairo, scribes were very highly regarded in Egypt, some of the very few people who could read and write unclear if it's modeled after an individual or if it's generic THEMES: burial purposes (?)

Pyramid of Khufu (2500 BCE)

C. 2500 BCE, Old Kingdom Egyptian art, the shape is a solar reference, part of a royal mortuary complex, part of the Great Pyramids, last of the remaining 7 wonders of the ancient world, needed a huge workforce to be made, now threatened by local disruptions such as pollution, waste, etc., queens' pyramids were nearby which placed them favorably in the afterlife, largest of the three, positions of the blocks are incredibly precise, inner rooms: grand gallery, king's chamber, queen's chamber, includes boat pits, THEMES: honoring the kings as Gods, the afterlife

Pyramid of Khafre and the Great Sphinx (2500 BCE)

C. 2500 BCE, Old Kingdom Egyptian art, the shape is a solar reference, part of a royal mortuary complex, part of the Great Pyramids, last of the remaining 7 wonders of the ancient world, needed a huge workforce to be made, now threatened by local disruptions such as pollution, waste, etc., queens' pyramids were nearby which placed them favorably in the afterlife, second pyramid built, only has one burial chamber, but the surrounding temple is much more complex, sphinx is associated with it, connected to solar patterns THEMES: honoring the kings as Gods, the afterlife

Pyramid of Menkaure (2500 BCE)

C. 2500 BCE, Old Kingdom Egyptian art, the shape is a solar reference, part of a royal mortuary complex, part of the Great Pyramids, last of the remaining 7 wonders of the ancient world, needed a huge workforce to be made, now threatened by local disruptions such as pollution, waste, etc., queens' pyramids were nearby which placed them favorably in the afterlife, smallest and most recent pyramid, most complex inner chambers, statues of the king, queen and deities were inside THEMES: honoring the kings as Gods, the afterlife

Votive statues from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (~2500)

C. 2500 BCE, Sumerian, wide eyes: reverence to God, looking up in sense of awe, in the presence of God, gesture is like a praying gesture, some are holding offerings/libations (liquids), made of stone to show their permanence, placed in temples as stand-ins for people who couldn't be there to pray, stateus were individual, not uniform, some have texts inscribed in kuneiform on their bases, many have beards, fairly basic for --> stable, strong vertical, shoulders are horizontal, skirt is a triangle, found in many Sumerian temples --> shared values eve though city states were independent, found in pits, influencing Greek statues and their functions, made by many different artists, currency: cylinder seals, like a stamp, individual for each person, size of the showed off the owner's wealth, subtle differences show that there are different artists, faces are generic worshipers, not too specific, different occupations - people who made these were artisans THEMES: religon and spirituality

Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur (2500)

C. 2500 BCE, Sumerian, wood inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli and red limestone, wooden box with 2 decorated sides ("war" and "peace"), animals are depicted in profile, depicts animals and soldiers, king-like figure is shown with central and sturdy composition, storytelling purposes, found in a "royal: grave, buried with its owner and other possessions, purpose is largely unknown, lapis lazuri came from Afganistan and signified wealth, depicts a narrative (bottom to top), about defeating enemies, it looks like part of the narrative is the celebration of winning the war, found in Ur, war side shows the Sumerian army, chariots enemy soldiers and violence, peace side shows animals and fish for a banquet, a musician playing the lyre (banquet scenes were common in this period), depiction of humans and animals, evidence of sedentary civilizations

Jade Cong (~3000)

C. 3000 BCE, neolithic prehistory art, cong: circular hole within a square, often found with a bi: disk shaped object on top of a cong, abstract faces --> spirits or dietes?, looks like a combination of male human and beast, found in a grave, used in a funeral ritual?, jade is a precious material, both durable and beautiful hard to work with, cong have have represented Earth and bi represented heaven, patterns were created using sand, from Jiangsu, China, jade was used to make tools asa well as for ceremonial purposes, the people who lived in China during this period were called the Liangzu, had highly sophisticated tools, many tombs had multiple bis and congs, woking with jade takes a very long time and is very labor intensive THEMES: burial rituals, death, relationship between Earth and spiritual bodies (heaven), use of patterns and symbols

Palette of King Narmer (3000 BCE)

C. 3000 BCE, predynastic Egypt, made of greywhacke, 2+ feet tall, grey/green stone, double sided low relief sculpture, has registers, hierarchy of size, pose and dress of the King is common for kings, found buried in a temple, ritual purposes, dedicated to a God, practical use: grinding and mixing minerals, this was a very important palette so it was used in a temple, votive donation?, King Narmer is depicted in ambiguous situations --> unclear what he is doing, workmanship is high quality, symbols/images in this were used for 3 millenia later, King is wearing Red and White crowns (possibly signifying the unification of Egypt), so valuable it isn't allowed to leave Europe, palettes were common pieces of art in this period, often found in graves, this one was discovered in 1898, found with other ceremonial objects THEMES: power and authority, kings invoking the image of Gods

White temple and its ziggurat (c. 3500-3000)

C. 3500-3000 BCE, Sumerian art, ziggurat has bent-axis approach, temple was visible to the whole city, religious practices but very multi purposeful, political structure because Sumerians were theocrats: God ruled through the priests, each city had a patron God, there were parts only open to certain high ranking people, made of mud brick, unclear whether it had a roof or not, meant to be a long journey --> sense of grandeur, different from other temples in different continents during this period, idea of a journey to transcendence, differentiating the tempe from other buildings, bent-axis: stairs turn like a spiral, forcing walker to turn, class system - not everyone was wealthy THEMES: religion and spirituality, politics and religion

Bushel with ibex motifs (~4,000)

C. 4,000 BCE, neolithic prehistory art, made from painted terra cotta, many geometric patterns, depiction of animals, very thin, circular and rectilinear forms, function is largely unknown, found in a burial site, may be used to hold things like water or other goods (not likely thought), maybe the symbol of a family/clan, stylized depiction of animals, mountain goat is the most prominent figure, lots of nature and other animals too though, one of the first uses of a potter's wheel, from Iran, right before big civilizations in Mesopotamia start, many artifacts found in this area, found in a very fertile area, Susa, where it was found is in a prophecy THEMES: burial/spiritual/ritualistic art, animal depictions, patterns and symbols, nature in art, death

Anthropomorphic stele (~4000)

C. 4,000 BCE, neolithic prehistory art, sandstone, human-like figure --> disproportionate, has a belt with a double bladed tool, 3 ft. tall stele, possible a funerary statue, like a grave marker, emphasis on the front of the structure though both sides are sculpted, simple, abstract almost, fertile and lush setting in Saudi Arabia at the time, one of three steles in a 60+ collection of low-relief sculptures THEMES: burial and ritual traditions, human depiction, stone art

Beaker with Animal Decoration (4000 BCE)

C. 4000 BCE, Babylonian art, painted pottery, from the Neolithic period, showing the heigh of the dynasty

Persepolis (500 BCE)

C. 500 BCE, Persian art, in present day Iran, conquered by Babylon, the Persian empire was the biggest at the time, had the same global ambitions of the Assyrians, dominant for 2 centuries, political art, started by Darius 1

Audience hall/apadana of Darius and Xerxes (500 BCE)

C. 500 BCE, Persian, limestone, buildings in this complex were very connected, but didn't have a center point unlike the Assyrian citadel because it was built overtime and not planned all at once, based on Persian needs, not symmetrical, very ceremonial, 250 square feet, 36 columns, each are 40 feet tall in the apadana and supported a wooden roof, the Persians were great goldsmiths, the reliefs influenced Parthenon sculptures, columns use is similar to Egyptian art because they had contact with and conquered the Egyptians, the bull capitals were decorations for the columns, showing strength, they are U shaped with two bulls to hold a wooden beam in between, decorated like the Lamassu (very ornate), entryway has elaborate staircases with reliefs on them THEMES: political art, ceremonial architecture

Subjects Bringing Gifts to the King (500 BCE)

C. 500 BCE, Persian, reliefs on the staircases of the apadana depicting representatives from all 23 parts of the Persian empire bringing gifts to the king, repetitive form, strong and stable, each had unique clothes showing the broad cultural reach of the empire and its diversity, respect of the subjects is emphasized and they are also given respect, feels processional, asserting the King's control, there's no chaos, attention to detail and patterns THEMES: political art, power and authority

Running Horned Woman (~5,000)

C. 5000 BCE, Neolithic prehistory art, pigment on rock walls/caves, natural materials, canyon painting: painting was added to in layers from different times, function is largely unknown, maybe for ritual spaces or living spaces (decoration), dots on the body could be ritualistic, shows a strong woman in society, different styles: naturalistic, abstract, depicts motion, first neolithic piece (because it depicts a human), in a very secluded location, made over several thousand years, found among other pieces in this same "gallery," other art shows daily life, rituals, animals, climate patterns, 15,000+ paintings and engravings THEMES: depiction of women, rock painting, ritualistic, patterns and symbols

Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions (700 BCE)

C. 700 BCE, Assyrian, flexing the strength of the empire, showed the power of the king versus the weakness and pain of the lions, a relief in the citadel THEMES: power and authority, stability of the empire through art

Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon 2 (700 BCE)

C. 700 BCE, Assyrian, statues of creatures that had 5 legs, bull bodies, wings and a human head (composite creature), showing the strongest elements of each animal, placed all through the citadel, located in the entrances and thresh-holds, meant to intimidate visitors and foreigners, also for protection, shows conceptual not optical view of animals, 5 legs made it seem intimidating and sturdy from all angles, front view is very stable, side view shows 4 legs instead of 2 which emphasizes muscularity and strength, lamassus were meant to guard (like sphinxes, gargoyles, lions, etc.), sacrificing realism for strength, bejeweled (crown and earrings), shows wealth, elaborate beards, very detailed THEMES: power and authority, composite creature, animals as guardians

Citadel of Sargon 2 (700 BCE)

C. 700 BCE, Assyrians were more ruthless than Babylonians and Sumerians, goal was to conquer the whole world, they ruled a massive empire, more political, obsessed with showing power and authority, city layout: there's a ziggurat but it's no the central focus, instead, the citadel is in the center (a military complex), obsessed with security --> wall around the whole city complex, rooms in the citadel were ceremonial and militaristic THEMES: power and authority, stability