Our photography and arts essays cover a broad range of topics, spanning arts and visual culture, art histories, the classical world, theatre, creative writing, photographic fine art practice and more.
John Singer Sargent’s name should ring a bell for anyone even slightly interested in the arts. This should not come as a surprise as he is perhaps the one painter America most readily claims as its own, despite the fact that he was born in Florence and spent most of his career outside America’s cradle, … Read more
It has often been stated that 1943 was a watershed in the evolving world of musical theatre. Discuss this statement and compare the repertoire and genre of pre- 1943 with post- 1943 musical theatre. It has been claimed by many that 1943 was a watershed in the evolving world of musical theatre. There is a … Read more
Willem de Kooning, the famous and controversial Abstract Expressionist, was born in Rotterdam in 1904. From a young age de Kooning showed artistic promise, and received positive support from both his father and stepfather. The troubling economic situation of World War II, forced de Kooning out of school and into a four-year apprenticeship with the … Read more
The title of this assignment is ‘the importance of exploring materials and processes in art and design’ In this essay I am going to talk about how it is beneficial to explore and utilize different drawing techniques in art and design to ensure students reach full potential and find their visual language. After studying an … Read more
The Renaissance, spanning the 14th to the 17th century, is often hailed as the rebirth of culture and intellectual pursuits following the Middle Ages. This era witnessed profound transformations in art, literature, science, and thought. The Renaissance provided an unprecedented opportunity for individuals to explore and analyze various aspects of life more deeply, fostering critical … Read more
Ed Ruscha was born in Omaha Nebraska on December 16, 1937. He was born to his Father, Edward Ruscha, and his mother Dorothy Ruscha. His family also included two siblings. One was a brother, named Paul, and the other, a sister, named Shelby. His family was of the Roman Catholic religion, and his father was … Read more
Featured in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Eye to I is a collection of portraits from the 1900’s to today. One of the portaints featured in the collection caught my attention. Molly Soda’s piece stood out to me because of the obvious relevance to today’s social media use, and more specifically online identity. Social media … Read more
Sophie Calle is a French photographer, writer and conceptual artist who was born in Paris in 1953. Calle’s work is recognised globally due to its unusual and often uncomfortable tensions, its vulnerability and its exploration of intimacy and identity. Her methods intertwine her personal life with her artistic work. Calle often throws herself passionately into … Read more
The Renaissance art movement is the period of art immediately following the Middle Ages in Europe. This period is a time where Europe saw a rising interest in classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome. This period of art was accompanied political stability and advancements in technology. The Renaissance Art movement began in … Read more
Alexandre Farto aka Vhils is a Portuguese artist who started out as a graffiti writer in the early 2000’s. Vhils found his artistic voice while growing up during the intensive urban development in Seixal, an industrial suburb of Lisbon, during the 80s and 90s. He is essentially a portrait artist known for his subtractive carving … Read more
There is a frequent miss understanding that an arts degree does not make a strong career prospect. This because unlike many vocational degrees which prepare you for a specific occupation, a Bachelor of Arts degree is focused on increasing a student’s knowledge and critical thinking skills in numerous areas such as history, literature, art and … Read more
“The Trouble With the Term Art” In this article “The Trouble with the Term Art” by author Carolyn Dean, their are numerous thesis’s on the insight of artists meaning of art. Dean begins her argument by stating, “what is currently called today as art was not initially meant to be art.” Basically stating, the art … Read more
Contemporary art by nature, encourages a necessity to challenge and confront cultural, social and political frameworks. Artists: Shlipa Gupta, ORLAN, and Marc Quinn discuss new ways of understanding what being ‘human’ is, in a very scientific and surreal manner. Gupta offers insight into the cruel foundations of humanity by breaking down complex biological systems into … Read more
The painting Cradling Wheat, by Thomas Hart Benton depicts three men and a young boy in a field harvesting and collecting wheat. These characters are positioned in the foreground of the work, with the surrounding landscape behind them. The four figures and the surrounding environment come together in a blend of shapes and colors. The … Read more
The Antigone, a famous tragedy play created by Sophocles, is a captivating masterpiece that has many intriguing moments in it. Antigone, the protagonist in the entire play, is Oedipus’ sister and daughter because Oedipus married his biological mother. Oedipus dies, and resultantly Ismene and Antigone become the last breed of the extended Labdacus family. Antigone … Read more
