Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire, 1904.

In response to Greenberg’s views regarding Modernist Art, I do agree on the point that Greenberg made that Modernist Art became like a continuation of what was already established in the past while trying to be a new ground for the curation of a foundation of trying to implement a movement that is homegrown in its own time in history—meaning that it must take into consideration the events of its surroundings in order to criticize itself and become whole. 

The painting that I wish to discuss as a response is Paul Cezanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire. It is a well-loved piece by an unappreciated artist of his time. His past experiences took hold of what he put out through his artworks—it became his own solace from the chaos that he has participated in and thus he created a picture of what the world seemed for him. The work offers liberation and an invitation to non-conformity as it leads the way for Cubism to flourish. 

If we were to look at Cezanne’s artwork, we can see that it is flat, undefinable, free from borders and the colors do not seem to match what we expected the plains to look like, but that is simply the beauty of modernism—it provides a space for artists to even express themselves and their personalities in their artworks without any reference from the restraints of traditional art. It is not just the same sculptural methods that we have seen from renaissance paintings, as it has more heart and offers a newer perspective for a new world.

Modernism has not just become an art movement but also a philosophical one as it implores the nature of the works themselves. It defines itself to be logical and to be a great supplement to what was emerging that time: the industrial revolution is fast approaching and there is the need to be inventive. There is a need for a reformation of the traditional ways of doing things and that includes art. 

The question of “what is art (at this time)?” took hold of many during this time and this then opened up several discussions as there are aspiring beliefs that are needed to be catered. The integration of logic inspired by Kant has put everything under a microscope and things are now being deliberated if this specific thing is hindering development: if it is, it must be reformed or rebuilt. Spectators of modern art pieces experience a rush as the works “speak” to themselves by hinting if they are actually “living in their own accord,” which explains the alienating features of this movement in order to inspire a new way of thinking and of showing things.

Word Count: 445

As a response to Walter Benjamin’s essay, I would like to focus on his take on films by referencing Erik Matti’s Buy Bust (2016). 

Buy Bust has provided a new set of perspectives that might have actually happened during President Duterte’s war on drugs, mainly about police corruption and how people in the slum areas suffer greatly as an outcome of these operations compared to those who are the big fishes of the problem on drugs.

To expound on this, the film had exposed its audience to the harsh reality of the world through controversial topics that are seemingly undetected at first glance as the director manipulated the story’s narrative to espouse a reaction from its mass audiences. Films like this aim to challenge the people who watch them to analyze similar instances that can be seen in reality while trying to open up a discussion to correct the issues stated in the film, therefore opening an emancipatory outlet for progression and development that would be beneficial for humanity. Watching films like this one is now readily available for people to consume because of the rise of mechanical reproduction and will now increase our sensibilities regarding societal problems and will then increase the chances of overthrowing such issues and rising above them as a community.

Through Walter Benjamin’s essay, we are reminded of art’s power, making us realize that as the world around us begin to change, we are molded by the media and art-objects that we consume, and the way that we perceive art should also begin to change. I reiterated these notions because I would like to magnify the importance of involving people to the things that are happening around them in society:  meaning that we must be able to criticize the problematic ideals set by those who are on top, to stop a “leader” and their fascist ideals from reigning over us. 

In my case, I see films that are like this to be a continuous communication among those who view it, since it is something that one would ponder upon even days or weeks after watching it. Films allow us to have a seemingly instant confrontation without having to know its background or who made it, and it also allows us to create our own interpretation outside of what is blatantly shown on screen. It goes deeper into our reality by immersing us into it, even subconsciously at first, but will eventually be apparent once it has settled.

Photos from: https://www.afar.com/places/memorial-to-the-murdered-jews-of-europe-berlin

In response to this week’s discussion, I will use the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe made by Peter Eisenman to reflect my thoughts on the topic, but before that, I’d like to elaborate on the opinions of both Plato and Aristotle.

As a response to our recent discussions regarding the French Revolution, I have chosen to spotlight the death of the GomBurZa as it reminded me of the function of the death of Marat. The monument in the picture was made by Solomon Saprid and the film clip is from the movie Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo (2014).

Padre Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were known to be in the forefront of the fight against the discrimination that Filipino priests were experiencing during their time, as Spanish friars are more favored by the government meaning that these Spanish friars basically have a hold on every aspect of the state due to their connections. In comparison to Marat, the deaths of these priests were shown to the public in order to evoke fear among those who try to walk the same paths as them that wish to undermine the current system in the Philippines. They were killed by the use of a garrote, which is one of the worst ways to kill someone during that time. 

Just like the death of Marat through the words of T.J. Clark, many people hold the death of the priests close to their heart, as it sparked the new propaganda movement to take its course, which aimed to overthrow the Spanish colonizers and their ways out of the country for good by exposing the heinous crimes that they have committed. Most of the country’s national heroes see them as the fuel for their convictions, and the most notable one meaning Jose Rizal. But in my observations, since Filipinos are well-versed in the event, we still have this sense of nationalism whenever we encounter depictions of the three priests. This just means that even in art, death emanates the same weight of influence just as how it probably was for the people who witnessed it first hand. In relation to this, it means that this piece of art is also extremely powerful because it is capable of becoming a political tool within itself as a subject.

It shows that as frail human beings, we value life the most, as it is universally experienced. I think that it is the feeling of fear that drives us to express our sentiments towards these things, since the fragility of life is more explicit than ever in situations like this. It makes us want to do something for it to not reach a point wherein we are already in the same position as the dead, and at the same time, there might even be instances wherein one wants to be part of the good side of history to get the same admiration as those of the martyrs. This is how art works as propaganda. It is very powerful as it can touch the very core of what makes us humans in the first place and it also invites us to contemplate our actions. 

Hannah Höch, Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, 1919

I have chosen this Dada photomontage or collage entitled: “Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany” made by Hannah Höch which features the fragmentation of life in Germany during 1919, wherein the ill effects of World War I were prominent: there are a lot of political disagreements, there was war happening within the country, and people are feeling anxious in general. That is the reason why the art piece seems disheveled as it expresses what the artist was experiencing through the use of magazines and newspaper clippings published during that time.

In Walter Benjamin’s work, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” he has expounded on the idea of aura through the use of mechanical reproduction and also put forth the politicization of aesthetics in response to the aestheticization of politics. The dada art movement is an example of the politicization of politics as it tries to criticize and break the barriers formed by those who hold power, asserting dominance over censorship and other cultural ideals.

The chosen art piece takes away the presence of deep contemplation that is present in the art forms of the past, and it’s aura has dissipated as well as an image of the photomontage that it was originally, and by being a collage, the piece is also a reproduction of the events of the time, capable of having its own experience. The title itself is reminiscent of the act that Benjamin was trying to bring about, which is the act of cutting through the political chaos of the time. The piece can actually be cut into 4 quadrants, and in clockwise, the first show political figures, including William II (the last german emperor) that is mostly tampered over by other figures which pronounced the artist’s despise over their rule, the second contains the dadaists and the blacked out map of where women were allowed to vote (since Höch is known to be considered as a “New Woman”--a precursor to the movement of feminism in the country), the third exhibits what “dada” is to express that it is something more than just an art movement, and the last shows masses of people to invoke a sense of reaction--for people to be outraged, be more involved in the happenings within society by challenging the existing system within it.

Höch’s work has encapsulated what Walter Benjamin wanted to create as well, because it is also a form of emancipation from the problems of society, and it readily uses itself as a device for new functions, especially in politics, as it criticizes, and fragments life in order to revolutionize.

The artwork that I have chosen features an image of a puppet which signifies the idea of control and limitation. I have chosen this for this week’s journal because it is relevant with Plato’s belief in terms of ruling a state. Even though Plato views art as an imitation of the ideas in the world of forms, he still subscribed to dancing with respect to the roots of music, mathematics and the cosmos because of the fact that it promotes the idea of unity or harmony.

Harmony is the key concept in Plato’s propositions because it promotes how the society can become the very best form of itself if it only follows the strict laws that govern them, and for its people to fulfill the roles that they are supposed to do. Plato thinks that this is the only way for a society to develop, as it takes away the power of thinking for oneself, or to explore other ideas that are deviant of what the state provides. That is the very reason why he wanted to censor art, because it gives ideas that could potentially change the minds and emotions felt by its people and would hinder the society from functioning properly, since one is not doing his/her job well. 

In relation to that, dance is important for Plato as it promotes harmony. By dancing, people learn how to become disciplined and in good health, and this is used to an advantage by the state to keep the cogs of the city going, as if an individual rebels against it, the state would not flourish. 

To discuss the artwork that I chose, it is clear that the people that are enjoined in this certain society are like puppets, because the strings that make them work are the roles in which they are subjected to. Each of these people are molded to be a certain type of person due to the educational system that was implemented to them which started when they were younger. It restrains the things that they want to do, and it even takes away the characteristics that make them unique, which I found to be very problematic. 

It was only partially raised that the idea of dance can be turned into something more sinister in terms of its use in politics, and the thought never crossed my mind until then. This shows that even if things look good on paper, it does not mean that this system would work in real life. Trying to hold back people from the certain emotions that make us feel things is very cruel, and the fact that it was taken away means that certain areas of the society would not function as well, as it is the very core of what makes humans ‘humans’ in the first place. Living like puppets and pushing humans to conform would not only be an act of oppression, but it would also take away the heart of the society itself.