Venus of Hohle Fels

These "Venus" figures are really some of my favorite pieces of art, especially the Venus of Willendorf. The rudimentary power of these figures is astounding. What is important to the creators of these figures? Survival! Fertility is of utmost importance.

Another aspect of these figures is that they are not portraits, these are no specific women. With the de-emphasized arms and legs and no facial features, these have become an "idea" version of the fertile female. It may be a stretch to call them goddesses, but these two figures are definitely starting down that road. These Venuses demonstrate a need to have some type of say, some type of control in a world that is unforgiving.

Cave art debate

Venus of Hohle Fels

Venus of Willendorf

Art History Humor

AHOW #002

The simplicity and power of this tool is astounding. This tool could be one of the very first objects to have been made by human hands. Think of the tools you use everyday, the rate at which technology changes, and the tools that have become obsolete in your lifetime. This stone chopper is where all of today's technology started. The tool is where humans start to separate themselves from animals. What will you leave behind that will last 1.8 million years?

I have included in this post the podcast of AHOW #002 and a link to a video of Sir David Attenborough talking about this chopper while holding it. This short video gives some insight into its use.
AHOW #002

First Post

So here we go. Here are some interesting articles from this month's Smithsonian magazine. I try to find articles that come at art and art history from different directions and Smithsonian and National Geographic do that. These magazines can make the artwork and the artists a little more assessable than Art News. Here is a link.

Smithsonian

Wolfgang Laib

It is important for my advanced studio students to be exposed to artists and their methodology. One  assignment I found helpful in exposing students to new artists has students research a current artist and report back to the class by way of presentation an artist profile. Artist Wolfgang Laib was the first artist profile assignment I gave out to students. I have lost the original article but below are two different interviews with the Laib.

Wolfgang Laib interview

Newgrange Lesson

I find Newgrange more fascinating than Stonehenge for a couple of reasons. First is Newgrange's clarity of purpose, and second is the solstice. For my lesson I discuss the solstice cycle and its impact on human culture, and through this discussion the reasons for the construction of Newgrange.

Newgrange

Passage tomb "Floor plan"

Side elevation of interior

corbelled dome

Kurbstone #1

Tri-spiral

First Temple

10200 B.C. is a rough estimate for the beginning of the neolithic period. Art from this period has a special interest for me. Architecture like Gobekli-Tepe, Stonehenge, and Newgrange have inspired my personal art work and some of the best lesson plans I have done. I have actually used some of the same handout i received from the late Karl Lunde during my time at William Paterson. It is a shame the Collegeboard has removed this period and Egypt from the AP Art History test.



This is an image and pretty new articles on Gobekli-Tepe.

Smithsonian
Nat Geo

AHOW #001

So lets see if this works. This is from the podcast series A History of the World in 100 Objects. This series was published into a book. The book is really great and an interesting resource for students to use. Nice short essays on pieces chosen from the British museum by the curator Neil MacGregor.

AHOW #001