Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters of Technology in Fine Art Degree, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / The aim of this research is to investigate the exploration of transience in the work of selected artists. This study used qualitative, practice-led research methodology. This research is practice-led as my art making plays an integral part in guiding my research. Process philosophy provides the theoretical underpinning and contextual framework for this dissertation. I focus on both contemporary artists and philosophers who explore the notion of transience. As my selected artists and I use paper as a predominant medium, I look at how paper is an ideal choice of material through which to explore themes of transience. The selected artists that I investigate include Peter Callesen (1967-), Mia Pearlman (1974-), Jodi Carey (1981-) and myself. Through this research I have found that artists expressed similar sentiments to that of process philosophers centuries before these theories existed, and continue to do so today. This validates transience as a relevant form of visual enquiry. Through the exploration of transience by contemporary thinkers and the selected artists, I briefly examine the scope of interpretations and possible meanings of transience. The investigation into paper as an art medium supports its appropriateness as a means to explore themes of transience. The exploration of the selected artists’ work highlights the various aspects of transience as a concept based on both subject matter and medium. This research resulted in a body of work, exhibited in partial fulfilment of the Master of Technology Degree in Fine Art. / M

It would seem almost inconceivable that art could, of its own accord, move society towards the kind of ultimate resolution of conflict necessary for an emergence of the egalitarian paradise on earth that was proposed by most Messianic philosophies in the nineteenth century. Art continually appears to be in the process of undermining any attempt by theoretical philosophy to contain or describe it as an absolute. This seems to be the source of much of the irony of art objects and their tacit philosophical implications. We can assume then that there is a somewhat paradoxical basis for the phenomenon of art as we have come to understand it historically. Any object, in order to be meaningful, has to carry a charge. Whether this is of a magical quality or pertains, as we conventionally recognize it, to some social understanding, what we call an ideology, the art-object does not exist without meaning. It is important to realize that I am not drawing a distinction here between ordering or disordering phenomena. Destruction is equally meaningful as construction, these are not value judgments, evil is as present a phenomena as good, and probably as intrinsically human. The concept of creativity that permeates our knowledge and respect for the powers art traditionally held, are historical understandings. As a civilization, we may have done away with mythological stories of our origins, cosmogonies, etc., but we have tended to unconsciously replace them with conceptual, as opposed to imagistic, alternatives, still largely mythic in construction, although we do not popularly recognize them as such. I am using myth here in Levi-Strauss' sense of the word, i.e.: "the unconscious social truths, those principles which provide the broadest base for a society's conception of itself.”¹ One task of this thesis will be to sort out the confusion which has resulted because of the ideological entanglement with mythic (religious) and scientific conceptions that has characterized the central arguments surrounding the arts in the early years of the twentieth century. Revoluntionary Russia now appears as a particularly dense arena for the combat of extreme or polarized beliefs as to the nature of art, and the artist's responsibility relative to an emerging mass consciousness. In this context there was a comparatively conscious merger of ideological propositions into what was previously considered a uniquely aesthetic or pure art production. Such a situation was contingent to the life and work of Kasimir Malevich (1878-1935). My intention is to demonstrate the art historical antecedents to such a period relevant to Malevich’s conceptions and the relationships which interconnect the development of his aesthetic with the philosophical and political concerns of his time. The ethos in which the artist emerges is especially indivisible in this instance from… [abstract continues] / Arts, Faculty of / Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Department of / Graduate

The problem being considered in this paper is the alienation of the general viewer from contemporary art. Modern art has become less understandable than ever before to the non-art audience because it has, in many cases, ceased to deal with human-oriented subject matter, and has become detached from life. This paper examines ways in which modern art might be made more accessible to the world through the artists' use of emotion, intuition, intelligence, and other Humanistic elements as content for paintings. It contains a four-part proposal of what Humanist art is. The basic form is the use of rhetorical questions about modern art, leading one to more questions and to a broader, more open-minded attitude toward modern art.

Bibliography: pages 232-240. / This dissertation argues that abstract art is not ideologically neutral. In spite of many artists' anti-fascist stance early in their careers, the mantle of neutrality was assumed as a reaction to the protracted struggle between the two major ideologies confronting artists living in Europe and the United States of America in the period 1933-1953, namely capitalism and communism. These ideologies were not peripheral to artists lives, but were actively debated by both artists and intellectuals and resulted in the establishment of powerful cultural organisations. The ensuing growth in prestige and influence of left-wing artist's organisations was countered by a campaign which included direct suppression of left-wing artists as well as a form of ideological control. This control was vested in what has been called the specifics of patronage and is reflected in the establishment of the Arts Council in Britain and the private art museums in the United States. Changes in the art market have meant that, together with dealers and critics, these institutions wielded almost complete economic control over artists. The prevailing ideology of liberal humanism, which glorified individualism and defined democracy as a middle ground between the left and the right, favoured the development of a seemingly apolitical abstract art style. Analysis of the demise of the Artists International Association and the American Artist's Congress supports the conclusion that the figurative tradition lost prestige as a result of the stigma attached to Socialist Realism and the idealised realism demanded by National Socialism in Germany. Account is also taken of the attempt by well-positioned and influential commentators to identify all forms of realism with totalitarianism. It is not surprising therefore, that it was commonly believed that to paint in an abstract modern style was to strike a blow against fascism. In the same way that realism was identified with the regimentation of Soviet society, the avant-gardes' abstract experiments came to symbolize democracy. Drawing on the texts of writers, critics, artists and theorists, this dissertation shows that the force of the identification of progressive realism with totalitarianism, prepared the way for acceptance of the idea that freedom of expression epitomised freedom in general. In this way, anti-Stalinism and the post-war liberal philosophy of individual freedom, coupled with a search for 'essences' and the 'universal', directed artists inward to the medium of art as relevant subject-matter. This dissertation argues that this identification was ideologically motivated in respect to the balance of social and political power in America.

The problem concerning this investigation is determining some of the possibilities of combining painting, architectonic constructions, and shadows produced by the controlled lighting of the structure. Chapter I is a brief history of experimentations in these areas during the twentieth century. This history assists in defining what has been done in the past, and reveals some directions for the future. Chapter II concerns three areas of study 1) the selection of the constructed forms mounted on canvas panels, 2) the lighting experimentations and their results, 3) the use of painted shadows to create an ambiguous pattern. This research concludes that a synthesis of these various art elements is not only possible, but aesthetically pleasing.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Heritage Studies), 2017 / This research report is a critical analysis of the Free State1 art scene from 1950-1989, conducted primarily through an account of the Bloemfontein Group. It argues that this period is a significant indicator of a shift in the city’s art scene, from an earlier, formalist focus to a more conceptual orientation in the art scene in Bloemfontein. An important aspect of this research is the significance of the formation of the Bloemfontein Group, and the extent of their role and influence during this period, which together can be seen as a key catalyst in the shift to conceptual art. Through extensive archival research, I have constructed a visual timeline of the art scene in Bloemfontein, including significant events in the wider Free State region. The construction of the timeline is a crucial part of the unravelling and interrogation of undiscovered conceptual developments relating to museum practices in the Free State. This is in turn informed by conversations and debates about the history of exhibitions, the origins of an art collection, and more specifically, how an art phenomenon such as the Bloemfontein Group not only contributed to a contemporary artistic identity in the Free State, but was also the driver behind the establishment of the Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein. The methodology in this research report is based primarily on archival research and interviews:  The Free State archives (newspaper clippings from the Friend newspaper were the most useful);  Oliewenhuis Art Museum research library (where invaluable information was found on the Group itself, including more newspaper clippings, information on the individual artists, with specific emphasis on Professor Fred and Mrs Dora Scott);  William Humphrey’s Art Gallery’s research library where I found additional archival documents on the Group’s exhibition at the gallery in 1966.  The Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery archives at the University of the Free State 2 and  Louis, Willem and Fred Scott’s personal archives Interviews were conducted with the following individuals with the aim of gathering further insight into the timeline. The interviewees were selected on the basis of either their involvement during the timeframe under question, their being descendants of the Scott family, or a surviving member of the Bloemfontein Group:  Rina Lubbs (surviving member of the Free State Art Society, Social Committee and Volksblad art critic from 1969-1984);  Anna-Rosa Witthuhn (surviving member of the Free State Art Society and Social Committee);  Doctor Fred Scott and Professor Louis Scott (sons of the belated Doctor Frik and Dora Scott);  Eben van der Merwe (surviving member of the Bloemfontein Group);  Stefan Hundt (former curator of Oliewenhuis Art Museum from 1993-1997) and  Professor Suzanne Human (Head of Department of History of Art and Image Studies, University of the Free State). Throughout the Research Report I refer to different terminology that enabled me not only to construct a consistent discussion but also to demonstrate the systematic methodology I formulated to conduct the research. By using archival documentation such as newspaper clippings as primary resource to enable research on a time frame, which had never been researched before, I was prompted to apply the terminology to categorize and sort the archival material and also to explain to the reader the methodology to some extent. Visual map: I commenced the Research Report with a visual map of artworks made by the Bloemfontein Group. I used the word ‘map’ deliberately to outline/map/illustrate visual examples of the Bloemfontein Group’s artworks. The function of the visual map is to introduce the reader to artworks produced by the Bloemfontein Group on a whole without limiting the artworks to 24 pieces that were donated to Oliewenhuis Art Museum. The works are not placed in a particular order as the map merely serves to visually introduce the reader to the nature of the artworks of the Bloemfontein Group. Timeframe: Primary resources used to conduct the research were archival material. This mostly included newspaper clippings, photographs, letters, official museum records, exhibition invitations and press releases. Therefore my methodology included a large amount of ordering, numbering and systematising archival material sourced. This enabled me to order the research in different timeframes e.g. 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1980. The timeframe assisted me in examining the archival material intently and to uncover a narration of the Bloemfontein art scene within the specific timeframe. I realised that this specific timeframe indicated the majority of the art-related progression in Bloemfontein and was a crucial process as the ordering of the records lead me to design a chronological timeline within the timeframe. Chronological timeline: The methodology and my process further progressed as I ordered the timeframe into a chronological timeline that included exhibitions held in the timeframe, important progressions of art related events and important individuals that steered the mind-set of artists, art patrons and art supporters. By ordering and systematising the events and exhibitions within a specific timeframe, I was aided in my understanding of the narrative that emerged within the timeline I designed. The unravelling of the exhibitions and happenings held within a timeframe also assisted me to illustrate the timeline. Illustrated timeline and exhibition timeline: By illustrating the timeline I attempted to add imagery viz: artworks produced for specific exhibitions or illustrations of artworks produced that align with the timeframe, exhibitions or exhibition openings, exhibition invitations and photographs of leading societies or individuals. This was vital as the newspaper clippings very rarely offered imagery of artworks or exhibitions that took place. This extremely time consuming task was an essential part of the research as it enabled me to understand the timeline better and to initiate visual debates about the local art environment versus national art-related debates. Due to the lack of imagery available, some illustrations were repeatedly used also to emphasise a statement or to make the image emblematic of developments specific to the Bloemfontein region. / XL2018

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Orientador: Nelson Alfredo Aguilar / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciencias Humanas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-05T04:29:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bortulucce_VanessaBeatriz_D.pdf: 47004914 bytes, checksum: 4a958d3a9a2ade153124b4a6e962c118 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: A proposta desta tese é realizar uma compreensão das obras do período futurista de Umberto Boccioni (1882-1916) a partir de um estudo da trajetória estética de seus desenhos, identificando as diversas influências sofridas pelo artista. Procuraremos estudar os diversos momentos do desenho e da obra gráfica do artista, reconhecendo as influências que nortearam seus estudos sobre a concepção da forma plástica, permitindo uma compreensão mais apurada da poética de Boccioni. A presença da Antigüidade clássica, do Renascimento italiano, do Art Nouveau, do Expressionismo e do Simbolismo nos desenhos de Boccioni nos permitirá identificar a amplitude de sua estética, bem como reconhecer, na fase futurista do artista, o amadurecimento de muitos conceitos e idéias que surgiram em seus desenhos, como a preocupação com a linha, o espaço, a luz, o ambiente, e principalmente, o estudo e a apreensão do movimento humano / Abstract: The main objective of this thesis is to built a comprehension upon the futurist works of Umberto Boccioni (1882-1916) starting from a study of his aesthetical trajectory impressed on his drawings. We want to identify the several influences captured by the artist, studying specific moments of these works, recongnizing then the influences that conducted his studies about the conception of the plastic form. This study intends to establish the basis for a more acurate perception of Boccioni¿s aesthetic. The presence of classic Antiquity, Italian Renascence, Art Nouveau, Expressionism and Simbolism in Boccioni¿s drawings will permit the identification of their complexity and amplitude, as well to recognize, in his futurist phase, the maturing of many concepts and ideas that were born in these drawings, for example, the theories about line, space, light, environment, and mainly, the study and representation of the human movement / Doutorado / Politica, Memoria e Cidade / Doutor em História Social

Orientador: Claudia Valladão de Mattos / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciencias Humanas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T14:24:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Villares_MonicaFerrer_M.pdf: 4737397 bytes, checksum: eb971cf5e2273525e932fb659df9af9e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: ¿Arte fotográfica e liberdade de expressão: um diálogo entre o Brasil e Cuba ¿ aborda o desenvolvimento da fotografia latino-americana na segunda metade do século XX, a partir de um estudo comparativo e da análise de obras de fotógrafos cubanos e brasileiros, atuantes durante o período 1960-1990. O texto se divide em três grandes partes, correspondentes, cada uma delas, a um decênio, tomando como ponto de partida os gêneros de destaque em cada etapa e as relações destas produções com o contexto histórico e sócio-político em que se desenvolvem. No primeiro capítulo, a partir do conceito de 'fotojornalismo' são analisadas as obras dos artistas cubanos Alberto Díaz Gutiérrez (Korda) e Raúl Corrales, conjuntamente com as dos criadores brasileiros Antônio Luiz Benck Vargas e Evandro Teixeira. No segundo capítulo, tomando como base o conceito de 'fotografia antropológica¿ são submetidas à análise as obras dos artistas brasileiros Walter Firmo, Assis Hoffmann e Claudia Andujar, assim como a produção da fotógrafa cubana María Eugenia Haya (Marucha). Por fim, o terceiro e último capítulo da dissertação parte do desenvolvimento de poéticas de autor por parte dos artistas da câmera na década de 80, e a partir de diversos critérios se aproxima de forma crítica à obra dos fotógrafos cubanos Rogélio López Marín (Gory), Ramón Martínez Grandal e Mario García Joya (Mayito), assim como do artista brasileiro Clóvis Loureiro Junior. / Abstract: ¿Photographic art and freedom of expression: a dialogue between Brazil and Cuba ¿ discusses the development of Latin American photography in the second half of the twentieth century, from a comparative study and the analysis of works of Brazilian and Cuban photographers, working in the period of 1960-1990. The text is divided into three major parts, corresponding, each of them, to a decade, taking as a starting point the notable genres featured at every stage, and the relationship of these productions with the historical and socio-political context in which they develop. In the first chapter, from the concept of 'photojournalism' the works of the Cuban artists Alberto Díaz Gutiérrez (Korda) and Raul Corrales, together with the Brazilian creators Luiz Antônio Vargas Benck and Evandro Teixeira are analyzed. In the second chapter, building on the concept of 'anthropological photography' the works of the Brazilian artists Walter Firmo, Assis Hoffmann and Claudia Andujar, as well as the production of the Cuban photographer Maria Eugenia Haya (Marucha) are put under analysis. Finally, the third and final chapter of the dissertation is based on the development of author poetics by the artists of the camera in the 80's, and using several criteria, we approaches critically to the work of the Cuban photographers Rógelio López Marín (Gory), Ramón Martínez Grandal and Mario García Joya (Mayito), as well as the Brazilian artist Clóvis Loureiro Junior. / Mestrado / Historia da Arte / Mestre em História

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements of Master of Arts, Durban 2018 / This dissertation examines the social, cultural and economic significance of locally forged field-hoes, known as amageja in Zulu. A key question I have engaged in this study is whether gender-based divisions of labour in nineteenth-century African communities of this region, which largely consigned agricultural work to women, also affect attitudes towards the tools they used. I argue that examples of field-hoes held in eight museum collections form an important but neglected archive of “hoeculture”, the form of subsistence crop cultivation based on the use of manual implements, within the Phongolo-Mzimkhulu geographic region that roughly approximates to the modern territory of KwaZulu-Natal. In response to observations made by Maggs (1991), namely that a disparity exists in the numbers of fieldhoes collected by museums in comparison with weapons, I conducted research to establish the present numbers of amageja in these museums, relative to spears in the respective collections. The dissertation assesses the historical context that these metallurgical artefacts were produced in prior to the twentieth-century and documents views on iron production, spears and hoes or agriculture recorded in oral testimony from African sources, as well as Zulu-language idioms that make reference to hoes. I furthermore examine the collecting habits and policies of private individuals and museums in this region from the nineteenthcentury onwards, and the manner in which hoes are used in displays, in order to provide recommendations on how this under-utilised category of material culture should be incorporated into future exhibitions. / XL2019