Week 6 Video Review

I have always been fascinated by the art and architecture of the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians, and although I always thought there styles were very different, it was very interesting to see the influence of the Egyptian statues on early Greek art. I chose the video of the Cairo Museum because of my personal attachment to the artistic expression of the Egyptians, but also because these artifacts, like I have seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, each seem very powerful in relating a story to the viewer. The video explains not only the importance of these artifacts, and the incredible amount of items still to be viewed, but also gives credit to the extraordinary efforts of archaeologists to piece together their findings in a way that recreates each piece as it was originally intended to be viewed. I think the video highlights the fact that for Egyptians, art was not just a hobby but a way of life. Everything, from the use of everyday items to the elaborate funerary chambers, seems to have been crafted with a sense of artistic pride and a simplistic style which has influenced other cultures. In this sense, the work of the archaeologists and the preservation of the museum has given a true sense of the afterlife as we continue to view and be inspired by each artifact.

The video The Measure of All Things: Greek Art and the Human Figure discussed the passion and search of the ideal representation of the human figure that fascinated the Greeks. However, while the Greeks were attempting to portray an ideal figure on the outside, one true to proportion and modeled in a sense of naturalism or realism, they were just as focused on relaying the inner thoughts, emotions, and feelings of their subjects. They also developed ways to create a sense of balance and movement, as seen in the flowing garments of Nike, or the controposto stances of many other works. This idea of movement was taken to new levels with the work of artists like Michelangelo, who represented figures in such a way to give the viewer the anticipation of movement, as seen with David, which added to the incredible lifeness of the art created. I chose this video because I have always been fascinated by the ability of an ancient people to create such masterful works and depictions of such realistic human figures carved from stone.

The Greek Awakening: Art from the 5th Century B.C., discusses the period of revolution in Greece during the 5th century, one which saw incredible and rapid advancements in art, architecture, philosophy and intellectual thought. I think the important aspect of this video is not just the admiration of the art and architecture themselves that were created during this period, but the actual reason why they were created in the first place. There had to be something that inspired the Greeks to stimulate this "great awakening", and I think it makes sense that they were reflecting a change in their culture, a change which focused the center of the universe on themselves rather than their gods. This video in particular gives some background to the discussion of the Parthenon, and moreso than the text goes into detail about the incredible thought behind the construction of the building.

I think the video More Human than Human was interesting in a number of ways, especially the idea of exaggerated form and features, such as the Venus of Willendorf, having a global impact and connection. It makes sense, as proposed by the work of Ramachandran, that as humans we are stimulated and interested more by what appears to be exaggerated rather than what we see in the sense of realism on a daily basis. I agree with his analysis that the representation of perfection after a while is boring, and I think the video stresses this point with the spread of exaggeration even afflicting the Greeks, who were seen by many to be dedicated to nothing less than the pursuit of perfect proportion, harmony, movement, and balance to give life to their work.