MOMA

One of the works I chose for this piece is States Of Mind 1-The Farewells by Umberto Boccioni. It is from the time period 1911 getting close to World War I. The style of this piece is futurism. Futurism is inspired by cubism in that it has no definite forms shapes or structures. It is set in a train station and, is a series of three paintings that examines the irrational dimension of modern life's temporary nature. The narrative of this piece is that in The Farewells Boccioni captures destructive movement and the combining of people who are swept away in waves. As the train's steam spirals into the sky, indirect lines clue us into the exit of those who go, in which Boccioni claimed he intended to show certain feelings. Among them being loneliness, anguish and hazy confusion. With those who stay the lines that go up and down express the weight of despair by those who had to be left behind. The size of this piece is a large oil on canvas medium painting that is twenty seven and three quarter inches by thirty seven and three eighth inches. (70.5x96.2 CM) The colors are very ominious. Swirls of pure white, shadow black, almost an orangey yellow, a deep dark red, a lower brightness lettucey green, and a really nice blue. It's like an acyclic paint ocean blue almost. There's little bits of a lighetr purple as well to break it up. The placement of the smoke coming out of the train that look almost like clouds is beautiful. The placement of the station to the train has a very real depth to it and the little orange signs on the track as well. The whole thing is a big symbolic image because you don't actually see the farewell but you can imagine how it went down. The numbers 6943 I am not entirely aware of their importance to be honest but if I had to take a stab I would say it was the number on the side of the train car.

The other work I chose for this piece is James Ensor's Masks Confronting Death. This is a surrealist piece. This work of art was done in 1888. The noses, ears, eyes and mouths are rather large. It is something that can not be but is made to be believable. This piece is another large oil on canvas medium artwork. The dimension size being thirty two by thirty nine and a half inches. (81.2x100.3 CM) The narrative of this piece is that a group of masked people confronts the figure of death. The figure of death is centrally placed and clothed in a white color that engulfs the picture. Made up of masks decorated with drapery, hats and even blue glasses. The way the figures are arranged recalls Ensor's earlier still life compositions. The universal masks in Ensor's work were likely based on those in his family's shop that was a few floors underneath his studio. He explained, "The mask means to me a burst of frsh color, splendid decoration, wild unforeseen gestures, really high pitched expressions, and remarkable turbulence. In this painting, the wondrous covered inventions seem to come to life and come up against death. which is perhaps a reflection of the artist's obsession with mortality death and the like plus his hope that he might conquer the inevitability. The colors are subdued and vivid at one, The sunshine yellow, paper white, the lightish blue of the hat, the brocolli green, the red so in contrast to who is wearing it. The juxtaposition of the white and tan really pops out. The dresses of strawberry and a muted lime green.  

Here is another piece of artwork that I saw at the MOMA as well that it spoke to me. Thought I would throw it in as a bonus.