Visual Culture - The Symbolic Arts of Imperial China 30.9.2014

Chinese culture and meanings in the decoration on its artistic products.  The Emperor was all powerful and successive Emperors employed artists to produce art works for them.  The Qianlong dynasty was a particularly good period as the Emperor had very high standards and therefore the works were very fine.  The symbolic images were known to all the populace.  Guo Pei's fashion show reminded me of how Vivienne Westwood's fashions because she takes 17th and 18th century fashions and reinterprets them in high fashion for todays market and Guo Pei has done the same with past Chinese history in my opinion.

   

                                          Guo Pei shoes

fig 1 http:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje53OkaCpWsp8VCvn7ihiIpuCCgAkZA4JnCOKA915At4ixxTqjO7cmfQ8dPGy4yc9hkLd5oEzJrYhh2vBkms_Po_K2EYCa_lMvH40srBoLqIS4kDWUwozGjWk129HMzrockmaK823uNTo7/s700/Guo+Pei+3.jpg 

                                              

                                          Guo Pei fashions 

 fig: 2 http:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje53OkaCpWsp8VCvn7ihiIpuCCgAkZA4JnCOKA915At4ixxTqjO7cmfQ8dPGy4yc9hkLd5oEzJrYhh2vBkms_Po_K2EYCa_lMvH40srBoLqIS4kDWUwozGjWk129HMzrockmaK823uNTo7/s700/Guo+Pei+3.jpg                                           

                            Vivienne Westwood Sack Shoes

                      fig 3 http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=36360123

                               Vivienne Westwood  fashion

              Silk evening dress by Vivienne Westwood, from her 'Anglophilia'  collection, A/W 2003

             fig 4: http://www.vam.ac.uk/__data/assets/image/0006/182454/2006AE7069_westwood_pompadour_dress.jpg

In the Victorian era, for example, we did have symbolic language which has largely been lost.  Jewellery had meanings - forget me knots in a piece, meant - remember me forever, for example.  Suffragette jewellery was made up of three colours - white, green and purple, and this was a way of showing support for the movement without being overtly political and this symbolism was also known to the populace of the time in Britain.

In the afternoon we looked at how art from the Ancient World still has influence on todays art works and I liked the examples he showed us.



                                   Suffragette Jewellery             

                          fig 5: http://www.theportobellomarket.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/725843.jpg

                                                 

Our task: to find more examples of the ancient world before 1000ad and compare contemporary art to ancient art.

Ancient African Cultural History as a black culture has been denied for many years as politically is was not believed that black people could create amazing works of art and architecture.   Great Zimbabwe was ruled over by Kings possibly the Ancient Bantu tribe and trade was in Ivory, Gold and Cattle.  A vast stone wall protecting housing for the King was built and Zimbabwe means Great House of Stone.  The remain of this place still exist in South Africa. 

Source: You tube video - Lost Kingdom of Africa Great Zimbabwe http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/384x216/p01gmw3h.jpg

 

 A carving from an ancient                 "Happy Memories" by

 site of Great Zimbabwe                      sculptor Gedion Nyanhongo

 fig 6: veniceclayartists.com                                                             fig 7:  http://www.stone-ideas.com/wordpress/wp- 

                                                                                               content/uploads/2013/08/kGedion-      

                                                                                                          Nyanhongo7.jpg                                                             
                                                                                      

                     

                                                                                            

The Stone Temple of Mnajdra Malta (Figure 3)is believed to be the oldest known temple of the western world approximately 3000bc. 

 

The Stone Temple of Mnajdra Malta

 fig: 8  http://www.missgien.net/pix/mnajdra4.jpg and Unfolding History author: Henri Stierlin

I  discovered a work by Zaha Hadid Artichitect which I think shows some comparison. 

   Al Wakrah Stadium

    fig 9: http://blogs.artinfo.com/objectlessons/files/2013/11/zaha-vaga.jpg