The Emotional Voice of Art in the PostModern Era

Art has been used throughout the many different periods and centuries to incite protest, elicit emotions, and to spur new movements of change around the world.  Expression and artistic endeavors have fueled the transformation of old and traditional ways to more free and individualistic styles. Once again the art forms that arose out of the World Wars gave rise to new artistic styles and concepts. Abstract Expressionism faded, being replaced by Conceptualism, Super-Realism, and Neo-Expressionism styles that would spur the beginning of a new Post Modern period. This period would introduce two different ways of seeing the Post Modern Era, Deconstructive and Constructive. Deconstrucive Post Modernists stated that "nothing in the world was knowable or understandable," whereas Constructive Post Modernists supported the pre-Modern ideals that "aesthetics, spirituality, science and ethics were understood to be united-artists did not consciously differentiate between what was aesthetically pleasing and spiritually profound" (Modern Art Theory: PostModernism).
Leo Steinberg, a teacher of art history at Hunter College in the 1950s, saw the end of Abstract Expressionism. He said,"AbEx and similar modern styles had proven themselves valueless art forms, and the art world was hungry for art with social meaning and historical context, produced by artists who made their motivations clear," and asked questions, such as, "Why does one become an artist in the first place?" and "What is the artist communicating to the public with this painting"(Modern Art Theory: PostModernism)?
This blog will focus on these two specific questions, and describe the aesthetic, emotional, and spiritual meaning behind the motivations of the following artists, and their artworks.

Dinh Q. Lê 

Mr. Lê is a Vietnamese-American Conceptual artist and photographer who specializes in woven photographs. When he was a child he fled with his mother and family from Vietnam, eventually settling in Southern California. As an adult, he began to question the images of Vietnam made popular by Hollywood, which portrayed the Vietnamese during the war as "either the shadow in the jungle, the farmer who doesn't say anything or the prostitute who is always horny" (Banks). His professor at the University of California-Santa Barbara, Walter H. Capps, held a lecture course on the impact of the Vietnam War, and often invited Vietnam Veterans to discuss their experiences to the class, which were "very emotional" and by the end, "more than half the class was crying" (Banks). However, he felt the perspective of the war as viewed in the United States was only one-sided, and that a crucial element was forgotten, the aftermath of war experienced by the people living there. His photo-weaving series, Vietnam to Hollywood, portrays the images used in both Hollywood and those taken by the media during the War. 

Untitled, (Columbia Pictures), 2003

Untitled, (Floating Figure), 2004

These two pictures on the left are only a select few out of his series. He used a technique his grandmother taught him for making grass mats to weave the different images together. The methods he used convey his heritage, and the subject matter of Hollywood and media depictions of the War highlight his and other Vietnamese people's feelings about the inaccurate images the War portrayed to the world. The surreal photographs "refers to real physical bodies and real sites of violence as much as it does to spirits of the dead and haunting architectures" (Truong).  He utilized an innovative way to bring about his visions using a Vietnamese technique, which further impacted the voice of emotional protest and depiction upon a devastating conflict which was only told through the eyes of the American.

Lee Teter

Lee Teter's Reflections is another art work that conveys a powerful voice about the Vietnam War. Historically, towards the end of the war and afterward, as American soldiers began coming home, they were not welcomed back with cheer and gladness. They were ignored, seen as murderers for the atrocities done there, and for what many believed to be for pure political gain. The loss of brothers-in-arms went unnoticed by all except those who lost them. Lee Teter painted Reflections to voice the hurt and emotional pain many soldiers suffered, the pain of survivor's guilt. At a black powder event in

Reflections, 1988

Virginia, which was a re-enactment event, he brought the painting to show some friends. He left his tent to get something to eat and as he returned he saw a long line of people standing in front of his tent, and others coming out of it crying, "he could see the tears running down their faces. 'I knew what happened-Someone had put out Reflections. These people coming out of the tent would immediately go and get one or two other people to stand in line, and then they'd wait again so they could see the picture with them'" (Belsaw). Teter's skill at the time he painted this piece was still developing for it was only his third oil painting. Looking back on it, he sees things he would have done differently, or details he would have painted better. However, the impact was the most important thing for him, "But some things shouldn't be done for money. I thought of the concept and the emotions that American veterans and families had invested in the Vietnam War. I didn't want to pollute the purity of it by making a lot of money off of people's misery, people's sorrow, people's pain and that is what this picture's about" (Belsaw).

Maya Lin

Aerial photograph of 'The Wall', 26 Apr. 2002

Maya Lin is an architectural artist and innovative designer. If you have time, I strongly recommend clinking on her name above and following the link to her website. The design of it is extraordinary and astounding. It compares strongly with her work, especially her memorials. The first memorial she ever designed was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Every detail in its design has a precise reasoning and symbolism. The aerial photo taken from above shows the open wound in the earth, as she meant it to look, "to symbolize the gravity of the loss of the soldiers" ("Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Wikipedia). One side of the V-shape faces the Washington Monument, the other the Lincoln Memorial. This was an extremely controversial design, for she was an inexperienced architect. Many saw her as unfit to design a memorial because she was Asian and a woman. However, she let her work speak for itself, and it did. The emotional voice of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is powerful. Each name engraved upon it is chronologically listed, and "at the apex where the two walls meet, the dates 1959 and 1973 (marking the beginning and ending of the war) 'meet' thus closing the circle of the time span of the war' (Maya Lin Studio). Every Veteran experiences a different feeling when they find their tour time frame, making it a special and individual feeling and time of reflection.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington D. C., 2015

Lin's work further progressed after the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, which led her to design and create other memorials and sculptures. The Civil Rights Memorial is another one of her creations, and it can be found in Montgomery Alabama. It is a stone water table that combines the historical events of the Civil Rights Movement with those who died for it. "It describes what was in effect a people's movement, not just the work of a few well-known individuals, and shows how individual people helped change history" (Maya Lin Studio).

The Civil Rights Memorial

 The quote engraved on the black marble is from Martin Luther King Jr. and is from the Book of Amos.
Lin accomplishes a certain level of emotion for each piece she creates, ensuring the voice of the art is not lost amid the design but enhanced by it.

Civil Rights Memorial

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Bibbs

Legacy of Hope, 2012

Charles Bibbs is an internationally known artist, whose works focus on the authentic and genuine interpretations of subject matter with deep ethnic roots. He says, "my most important goal is to make profound aesthetic statements that are ethnically rooted, and at the same time, arouse spiritual emotions within us" (Charles Bibbs). His art piece, Legacy of Hope, portrays a woman clothed in a robe depicting the various events and elements of the Civil Rights Movement. He is showing how each piece is interwoven and forms the base of what has defined his culture from the beginning. The bird in flight symbolizes the freedom to fly and be free. Legacy of Hope gives voice to the struggles of Blacks and shows how far they have come. He believes that we are the" Keepers of our Culture," and he has strongly focused on supporting museums, galleries, and the aspirations of young artists (Charles Bibbs).

The Voice and Personal Aesthetics

Dinh Q. Lê, Lee Teters, Maya Lin, and Charles Bibbs all have one thing in common. They used their artistic skills to interpret and elicit the emotional response needed to make their creation a memorable piece for their audience. These art works have a voice. They speak out in protest, in pain, in sorrow, and in hope.
I find each and every piece to be wonderful, in their own rights. My favorite part of Mr. Lê's pieces are how he created them. I like how he wove the two different photographs together, showing both sides of the story. Teter's Reflections I have seen many times before this. In fact, one of my husband's friends has it on their wall. It has brought out very raw and passionate feelings when I first saw it, and it still does. All of Lin's designs are innovative and thoughtful. The elements of emotion for each theme are concise, perfect, and symbolic. She puts thought into every line and every curve, ensuring the emotional quality is preserved. Lastly, I picked Legacy of Hope because it shows all of the trials and tribulations endured for freedom, much like Lin's Memorial of the stone table. Each picture, just like each year engraved, has meaning and a voice.
To answer the questions, "Why does one become an artist in the first place?" and "What is the artist communicating to the public with this painting?" The answer to both of these is simple. A person becomes an artist to break out the emotional voice hidden within, and the desire to share that voice with those who will understand it.

Works Cited

Banks, Gabriel. "Artist's work grapples with the Vietnam War's effect on Soldiers and Civilians." post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 21 Aug. 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/art-architecture/2013/08/21/Artist-s-work-grapples-with-the-Vietnam-War-s-effect-on-soldiers-and-civilians/stories/201308210128.

Belsaw, Jim. "An Image Crystallized: Lee Teter's Gift to Veterans." LeeTeterFineArt.com. Lee Teter, 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://www.leeteter.com/website_017.htm

"Charles Bibbs." cbibbs.com. CBibbs Online Gallery, 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://cbibbs.com/bio/

"Civil Rights Memorial." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Mar. 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Memorial#/media/File:Montgomery_Civil_Rights_Memorial.jpg

"Legacy of Hope." heritagesart.com. Heritages Art, 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://heritagesart.com/images/legacy_of_hope.jpg

"Modern Art Theory- Post Modernism." theartstory.org. The Art Story Foundation, 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://www.theartstory.org/section_theory_postmodernism.htm#.

"Reflections." terryjamesart.com. Terry James Art and Frame, 1987. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.  http://www.terryjamesart.com/images/items/enlarge/326.jpg

Truong, Hong-an. "Dihn Q. Lê at P.P.O.W." Idiom. Art Cat and Tristan Media, LLC, 21 Feb. 2010, Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://idiommag.com/2010/02/dinh-q-le-at-p-p-o-w/.

"The Civil Rights Memorial." MayaLinStudio. Knowawall, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://www.mayalin.com/ 

"The Civil Rights Memorial." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Memorial#/media/File:The_Civil_Rights_Memorial,_Montgomery,_AL.jpg

United States Geological Survey. "Aerial Photograph of 'The Wall'." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Apr. 2002. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial#/media/File:Vietnam_veterans_wall_satellite_image.jpg

"Untitled-Columbia Pictures." Idiom. Art Cat and Tristan Media, LLC, 2004. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://idiommag.com/2010/02/dinh-q-le-at-p-p-o-w/

"Untitled-Floating Figure." P.P.O.W.gallery.com. P.P.O.W. Gallery, 2004. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://www.ppowgallery.com/exhibition/1461/work#&panel1-1

"Vietnam Veterans Memorial." MayaLinStudio. Knowawall, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://www.mayalin.com/

"Vietnam Veterans Memorial." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial

"Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington D.C." vietnamfulldisclosure.org. Vietnam Full Disclosure, 4 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. http://vietnamfulldisclosure.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/vietnam-veterans-memorial-washington-dc-ilker-goksen.jpg