The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, occurred in the 18th century when man began to use his reason to discover the world to cast off the superstition and fear of the medieval world. The effort to discover the natural laws which governed the universe led to scientific, political and social advances. Enlightenment thinkers examined the rational basis of all beliefs and in the process rejected the authority of church and state.
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment
The development of the concept of the sublime as an aesthetic quality in nature distinct from beauty was first brought into prominence in the 18th century. It was then when an appreciation of the fearful and irregular forms of external nature started to take form. The web definition of the sublime also means ‘lifted up, high in place, exalted aloft, uplifted and lofty.’
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublime_(philosophy)
-http://www.dictionary.net/sublime
During the enlightenment, people were more curious of the ‘natural laws which governed the earth’ as oppose to the laws of the bible. It was due to this new curiosity and change in the 18th century that people began to discover and gain an appreciation of the natural beauties of this world rather what the church declared as beauty. It was then when the concept of the sublime came out of the enlightenment.
The subject matters in both of Misrach’s works seem to be humans who look miniature in comparison to the environment due to the chosen camera view point. Due to this we are left to appreciate the beauty of the natural environment photographed rather than the model itself. The landscape dominates the image and leaves us to admire and fall in love with the scenery. The concept of the sublime seems to be present on most of Misrach’s photographs as he always tries to express that ‘when you look more closely, it (the world) is as beautiful as it is terrible.’ Also, Misrach bases his work around the theme of nature and its unique beauty.
-http://www.google.co.nz/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=richard+misrach&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1366&bih=575
-http://www.artnet.com/awc/richard-misrach.html
Interactive installation (2006) Maurizio Bolognini
Since 2000 Bolognini has concentrated on combining the Programmed Machines with communication devices, as in the Collective Intelligence Machines series. These are interactive installations connecting some of his generative machines to the mobile telephone network, to allow a real-time Delphi-like interaction by members of the public. These installations delegate choices to both electronic devices and processes of communication and e-democracy with the aim of involving the audience in new forms of “generative, interactive and public art”.
Maurizio Bolognini's work is considered relevant to the theory of the "technological sublime" and the aesthetics of flux (as opposed to the aesthetics of form), and has been seen as a further development of conceptual art within new media art. This piece is an interactive installation which aims to involve the audience in the experience of the manipulation and consumption of the technological sublime.
Morning on the Dnieper River (1881) Archip Kuindzhi
In 1872 the artist left the academy he had been studying at and worked as a freelancer. This painting was done during the enlightenment also when the concept of the sublime was introduced. This concept is present in his works as he also created pieces that explored the appreciation of nature. During the middle of 1870s he created a number of paintings in which the landscape motif was designed for concrete social associations in the spirit of Peredvizhniki (a group of Russian realist artists who in protest at academic restrictions formed an artists' cooperative which evolved into the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions in 1870). In his mature period Kuindzhi aspired to transfer the most expressive on illumination of a condition of the nature. He applied composite receptions (high horizon, etc.), creating panoramic views. Using light effects and intense colors shown in main tones, he depicted the illusion of illumination.
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurizio_Bolognini
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archip_Kuindshi
Misrach’s work leaves me feeling relaxed due to its natural appeal. The images are very calming as they focus on the beauty of nature. The colours used are also quite bright as oppose to dark saddening colours. The small figures present in both his works leave our imaginations to wonder as to what they are doing and what their facial expressions portray. We see what they see only we don’t get quite so close to the model to see and understand their perspective on the environment.
The valley ranch (1917) Colin Campbell Cooper
