The Theme of "Eternal"
The idea of life and death all seem terrifying and we tend to avoid such topics, yet, what we fail to acknowledge is the connection of eternity. We see life in three stages: the beginning, the middle, the end. We define life in such a way that we overlook what it all connects to. The beginning is never really the start, as it is a cycle we continue no matter what the circumstances may be. Well depicted in many artworks, we can visually see how much of these three stages connect and allow for a sense of serendipity. We see it in our everyday lives from childbirth to death. Being eternal is not the goal to achieve, as we experience it already, it is the perspective one has that allows them to live it.
Statement
“Eternal” is very well captured in artwork and many tend to overlook it. We are so busy with our thoughts of life and death and our accomplishments, fear takes over and clouds what is right in front of us. Just like artwork, our life is eternal. The impact I want to have isn’t one that creates new ideas or something that will change the world, it is one that already is in our world, but I want to bring my awareness to it. I want to expand more on it in my museum as a means to bring a new perspective on art and lean towards a more technical aspect of art while keeping it meaningful. While including artworks showcasing the three stages of life, I would like to bring awareness of how “eternal” is within every single one and how it is seen.
Room I. The Beginning
The beginning is often said to start with our birth. This first stage explores the idea behind the thought of the start, and brings upon a new thought considering death as the start, and not the end. The welcomes and the true beginnings we experience and learn shape the way we live life, everyone experiencing the same things. This never ending cycle is forever, you might also say it's enteral.
Childbirth - Jean Dubuffet (1944)
CONTEXT, FORM → An artwork that starts with the beginning, Dubuffet allowed for a story of the start to be told in an unconventional way, expressing it in a way that is seen as disturbing yet performing a miracle. It is known that life begins at childbirth, and that is when we first open our eyes. We are brought into this world to live and experience, to continue the never ending cycle our mother and her mother started, all the way from the start. The colors are bright, warm, almost unpleasing to the eye as this is not what one thinks when it comes to childbirth, which is seen as a miracle. The center focuses on the mother, which implies the beginning of our lives. The lines are rough and the shapes are rigid, giving an uneasy feeling. We begin to look beyond ourselves and start to focus on who it started with.
Annunciation - Fra Angelico (1440-1445)
CONTENT, CONTEXT → Fra Angelico captures a defining moment in religion, allowing his viewers a moment of eternity alongside the historical meaning behind this artwork. The Virgin Mary is seen as the mother of God, who is the creator of all things. It is an old story with valuable meanings that created religion and many more traditions that are forever followed. The wings indicate an angel, more specifically, Archangel Gabriel, which is a symbol of eternity. Angels live forever, overseeing much of what is done in the world, no matter how much time passes.
Sunflower - Vincent Van Gogh (1888)
FORM, CONTENT → The sunflowers Van Gogh created as a symbol of gratitude towards his friend, allow for a meaning of new beginnings to allure. The bright yellow with the different tones allow for a sense of welcome. Using the same palette allowed for a coherent artwork that is pleasing to the eye as well as brings emotions of happiness. The sunflowers symbolize positivity and steering towards a path. Just like the sun, it comes and goes, but connects the days together to feel everlasting.
Death and Life - Gustav Klimt (1910)
CONTENT, FORM → Klimt portrayed an image that tells a story on repeat, questioning the beginning of life, and even death. The artwork depicts death on one side, and birth on the other, eerily creating a balance between both. The color palette, more on the cool side, creates yet another sense of calmness when looking at the birth side, yet a horrified sense when looking at death. In life, there is a balance we never see but eventually experience it. The only fact that matters is when does it start, with death or our birth. As death is so close by, are we to see it as our enemy or friend, one that gives us new beginnings or ends it?
Room II. The Middle
The second stage is what we have experienced now, until our deaths. What we see, hear, do, and more are forever engraved in our minds, the memories we create. No one is free from suffrage nor happiness, but often we tend to overlook what is right in front of us, what has and always will be.
The Swing - Jean Honore Fragonard (1767)
FORM → Life is filled with carefree experiences, where one can be happy and enjoy what is given to them. The artwork is filled with an abundance of bright colors, having organic shapes and lines that allow for one to sense freeness from it. Carefully balanced, it is very naturalistic in the way we view and experience life. What we get from the artwork is an alleviating feeling that life provides us. What we do in our everyday lives depends on us, and understanding to live it to the fullest to become happy.
A Bar at the Folies-Bergere - Edouard Manet (1882)
FORM → Life does not need to be filled with experiences that change you, it is about the balance and meaning you give it. This artwork depicts life at a still, focusing on creating a balance and rhythm rather than being on the move. The symmetrical look allows for a well-depicted life at hand, focusing on the lady in the center. The background, yet blurry, creates a sense of unity alongside the colors, all within the same color palette. Much of the shapes are done to imply a calmness and perfectly depicts life at a still.
Flag Day - Benny Andrews (1966)
CONTEXT → Benny Andrews goes against the cleanliness of what is said to be art and defines a way of life that is at hand a most tragic one, yet present in our everyday lives. A battle that we continue to face, no matter how long the time passes, it is engraved in our lives forever. The civil war, although occurred long ago, the consequences and the restrictions we fought for are still in place, yet are hidden behind our nation. The individual in the artwork is a prisoner in his own nation, one that claimed to protect him and his loved ones, yet we see no progress and the promise made is no longer. Our life is filled with despair and battles, ones that we start in order to protect ourselves and the future generations. This is an ongoing factor in our life that we have seen in the past, do in the present, and continue to fight for in the future. Yet another look at the never ending cycle of life.
Starry Night Over the Rhone - Vincent Van Gogh (1888)
FORM→ The night brings upon the stars and moon, but also another world. Van Gogh was able to capture the world at night, connecting it to our everyday lives that we have seen to overlook. The balance of this artwork is filled with serenity and calmness, almost as if we never want it to leave. The organic shapes allow us to appreciate the nature and landscape we encounter everyday. The reflection of the sky allows us to question what our reflection looks like of what we have accomplished in life from the beginning, till the end.
Room III. The End
The third, many say the last stage, in our life is death. Is death really the end however, or just the start of something new. This section explores the ideas of all stages combined and how each connect to make one live on, and happen. Death is eternal, as it continues on and even after, there is more than what it brings. The memories, the legacy, does one really die if they are remembered and loved?
Girl Before The Mirror - Pablo Picasso (1932)
CONTENT, FORM → A mirror typically reflects one's image, but diving deeper into what it can reflect, we look at our life. The various colors and shapes, all looking disorganized and different from one another. This symbolizes life at hand, one that is filled with different experiences, which all come to an end. The portions of the artwork allow for the life of one that is filled with accomplishments, failures, and such to seem little or big, all dependent on the figure. Not one life is the same, and that is reflected in the mirror.
Girl with Death Mask (She Plays Alone) - Frida Kahlo (1938)
CONTEXT → The theme of death is evident in the painting, allowing for Kahlo to depict a story of no escape. Death is bound to happen, and is never nice to one, does not matter if you have money or valuables, one can never escape. However, here we see a girl who has passed, yet she is still alive in the sense her image and soul is within the artwork, forever lasting. Kahlo morning the miscarriage she experienced, she allowed for her unborn child to be alive within our minds. Death does not always mean the end, it rather signifies the importance of remembering and the legacy of continuing. One does not disappear overnight, even if they have passed, their image will continue on as their legacy or even persona is remembered.
The Last Supper - Leonardo da Vinci (1495)
CONTEXT → An artwork depicting gratitude for keeping beliefs and traditions alive, this painting is a symbolic representation of God himself with the union of his believers. Although it ended with death, his legacy and beliefs continue to be followed and alive till this day. Death does not always mean the end, rather it is how we are remembered and continued to be remembered. We stay alive within our loved ones, and it is a cycle that continues no matter the time or generation. The image of those gone live on and continue to be passed on, making them alive and well.
Wheel of Life (Bhavacakra) - Tashi Gurung (1900)
CONTENT, CONTEXT, FORM → This artwork depicts the concept of death, but further entails what occurs after. Each of the six spots represent the realm in which one goes soon after their death, and continues life. The outer rim represents one's causes and effects for entering the realms. We have a cause and effect when we do something, as our actions have consequences. This goes behind the buddhism idea of what happens in the afterlife, which may or may not be true. The colors and shape are all unified to create a balance. The outer of the artwork allows for the illusion of the human world. This is a new way of representing the cycle of our lives, never ending as there is always the next stage.
Is it really the end? That's up to you to decide. Life may or may not be made up of three stages, but in the end, it connects to one another. Life and death should not be intimidating and rather embraced as one, as you can’t start one without the other after all. We continue to be eternal in ways that may seem unconventional, but once you start looking at it in a different light, it can change your way of thinking and understanding the small stuff that make a huge impact. Eternity is forever, and we see it everyday.