Background Information: Ming Zhong Wu
- Chinese, March 22, 1963
- Born in Hebei province
- Graduated in 1988 and 1997 respectively from the Fine Art department of Hebei teachers College and the Fine Art department of Capital Normal University.
- He is the visiting scholar of Rapine State Academic Institute of Repine State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture And Architecture in Russia (2003 – 2004).
This painting was made in the 20th century by Wu MingZhong. It is a representation of a man on the cross as a transparent glass portrait containing red wine. The painting depicts Jesus Christ during the crucification but instead of including all other aspects that were present such as blood, nails, as well as crown made of thorns, the painting has a figure of a man made of glass and the figure filled with red wine. This looks like an erupting inspiration but mingZhong’s accomplishment comes from his repeated exploration and deliberation(Duanting, n.d).
Christ on the cross
Size: 400 cm * 210 cm
Medium: cloth with propylene
Elements & Principle
The transparent glass containing red wine is the most important element of the artwork. Also, the artist mainly used two colors Red and gray in his artwork. The motion indicate sadness although the face is not clearly shown. The Red color stimulates the visual aspects of the audience by streghtening the quality of glass in addition to enhancing the visual impact and hue of the panting. Wu uses cloth with propylene to createhis art.
Function and Purpose
It is belived that man is the most vulnerable thing in nature but he can think. Throughout history of human art many artists have created master pieces that exault the strengthand greatness of humans. However, none including Saroyama and Salvador has ever represented the fragility of humans.
Salvador Dali, and Hajime Sorayama have explored the defects of humans but they have not come close to expressing the fragility of humans and their life. Wu Mingzhong was devoted in shaping and expressing the fragility of human life through his paintings. He expressed the fragility of life from real life and the expereriences of contemporary world.
The transparent glass with wine was his invention which helped him in expressing human being’s vulnerability. The image of Christ hunging on a cross expresses the fragility of life. Though humans have become stronger over the years they are becoming weak and vulnerable as time passes(Duanting, n.d).
Cultural Significance
Artists World
Wu MingZhong’s art express the confusion in the society. The real significance of this piece of art lies in the effortsto subvert the contemporary as well as political pop art in China by paying closer attention to the living conditions of humans. Typically, humans are in constant pursuit of greatness and strength and these are the driving forces for the development of human civilization. A history of civilization encompasses a history where Humans desire to become stronger and conquer nature. In china and all over theworld, humans have created and lived a powerful material civilizationduring the industrial civilization era. However, despite living in such a era and becoming more powerful humans have become more vulnerable just like the glass holding wine in the form of Jesus on the cross.
Audience
Unlike the other two arts Wu MingZhong painting is a representation of how the Chinese art has evolved from the need to imitate western art to embrassing the sociological values as well as national consciousness. It means that Wu MingZhong can create good art by thinking consciously and exploring common problems that face human beings and the world just like the two Salvador, and Sorayama but without imitating the western artists(Duanting, n.d).
Background Information: Salvador Dali
- Spanish, May 11, 1904 January 1989
- Born in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain.
- Dali is a skilled draftsman, best known for his remarkable and bizarre images of surrealism.
- Dali attributed his "that is, gilded and over all love, my passion for luxury and my love for Oriental dress" to an "Arab lineage," claiming that his ancestors were descended from Moore (Biography.com, 2020).
This painting was made in 1951 by Salvado Dali. It presents Jesus christ hunged on a cross in a dark sky which is flooting over water. The painting is a depiction of jesus’cricifixion but it does not include the blood, nails or the crown made of thorns. Dali assert that thepainting was inspired by a cosmic dream. He considers the painting of christ as the unity of the universe. (Descharnes, 2003)
Artist: Salvador Dalí
Year: 1951
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions:205 cm × 116 cm (80.7 in × 45.67 in)
Location: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow
Christ on the cross
Size: 205cm × 116 cm (80.7 in × 45.67 in)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Elements & Principle
This is a dream and illusion carefully designed by the artist. Different from other artist, Dali emphasizes the intuition of the picture, making every part have volume, shadow, perspective and texture. Although it is a combination against common sense, it shows the mystery and solemnity of religion. In particular, the Christ on the cross with perspective and the background of a touch of sunshine and darkness produce the sense of martyrdom, the combination with the lower lake, boat and people, which gives people the medium to induce illusion and dream, and expresses a spiritual subconscious beyond reason. Meanly, three color were used; yellow, blue, black motion also feeling sad but different form the other two you can’t see the face. The art was painted using oil on canvas (Descharnes, 2003).
Function and Purpose
Dali’s painting offers a transcendental perspective of christ on the cross. This painting gives a view of the cross from another perspective. Unlike the paintings from Wu and Sorayama, Dali’s painting is unique as it offers a point of view from above.
This means that instead of depicticting the cross from theworshiper’s point of view he chooses to assert the existence of God by giving a point of view from above. Hence,in asserting the existence of God to the people he created a work of beauty by being mindful of the wounds but leaving outthe bloody scene.
By leaving out details such as the nails and crown of thorns Dali desired to paint a positive aspect on religion and the existence of God. From a closer look at the painting christ was painted without any physical damage which can be termed a spritual message about the beauty of christ’s love, suffering, death, and divinity (Cisneros, 2020).
Cultural Significance
Creating the painting without physical damage gives people an opportunity to reflect on the wound in the heart of christ caused by the sins of the world. The painting without a would has a cetain cultural significance to spanish community.
It stands for the profound spritual experience caused by the existence of God. In spain, there was a time when such assertion from Dali’s painting would be metwithalot of skepticism but this particular painting is popular among the people. Ithas penetrated the lives of the people because of its beauty that make people to take no issue with it.
In fact, it is the most loved work of art in spain and is hanged in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum in Glasgow. The choice to show the glorious beauty of Christ brings out christ as perfect, and magnificent which emphasize on the hope and glory of Christ. This is a call for reeligious awakening in spain (Cisneros, 2020).
Background Information: Hajime Sorayama
- Japanese illustrator, 1947
- Born in Ehime, Chuo Bijutsu Gakuen, Tokyo, Japan.
- He has shown extraordinary ability in the field of painting since he was a child.
- After graduating from University, 21-year-old began his career of illustration creation.
- kongshanji is called "the way out" because of the first drawing of a female robot.
The golden ange is a depiction of jesus onthe cross created by Hajime Sorayama in 2018. This work is a detailed illustration of a golden jesus on the cross. Hajime used superrealism technique to createthis peace which he says deals with the technical issues of how people can get to theor object.
Golden Angel
Size: 11"x17"
Medium: Print
Elements & Principle
The artist uses gold, white and blue colors in his work. These colors make the image of Jesus the focus point of the painting. On the focus point of this painting the golden angle: The artist chose to use white for the halo and use light yellow for the shading of the halo. The artists used print media to create the golden angel. Unlike the other artists, Sorayama includes elements such as the nails,crown and chain to his piece of art. The artists used print media to create the golden angel.
Function and Purpose
Religion and belief are significant elements in the life of humans. The power of religion can be good or bad because it impacts our daily lives. In Asia religious freedom is not the norm and most people do not belive in religion.
In Japanese culture sex and porn have been a focus or a pretty long time. Hence, Sorayama uses art to drive home the sexism message to the Japanese people. The art gives a vivid reflection on life. Konyamaki's description of the robot human body and sexual theme is his reflection on human curiosity and the theme of "desire = life". To a certain extent, he also interprets the Japanese elements in a modern way.
"Life is born in this world through the presence of men and women," kongshanki said, so it should not be ashamed of that. With the increase of otaku and the decrease of marriage rate and birth rate in Japan, sex can be regarded as a new issue worthy of attention in the future, which goes beyond such themes as body remodeling and artificial intelligence. "
At the same time, "women are not machines, but they are treated like machines." Kongshanji, a combination of women's curvy beauty and metal texture, has many supporters and researchers in Japan and overseas.
For the audience, when you see a perfect body in front of you, scratch your head at you, and as a robot, you don't need to pay any cost, whether it's financial or emotional, it's hard for people to be unmoved and think of the perfect lover.However, perfection doesn't exist. What sexy robots project is only the illusion of human beings for the pursuit of perfection. No matter how attractive robots are, the most important "human nature" she doesn't have. It can only be used to satisfy human beings' self. We will no longer know how to tolerate and understand, nor can we see our own problems from each other, and learn to improve and grow. This may be one of the Inspirations of kongshanji's works (sohu.com, 2020).
Cultural significance
Kongshanji's own understanding of art is as follows: "art should be born of culture, and culture is relative to civilization. In this watershed, culture is the parasite of civilization. After we become capitalist society, artists used to be funded by rich people. Now, in the case of totally different cultural orientations, many things become benefit oriented. If art can be social, I would be happy to do it. "
However, perfection doesn't exist. What sexy robots project is only the illusion of human beings for the pursuit of perfection. No matter how attractive robots are, the most important "human nature" she doesn't have. It can only be used to satisfy human beings' self. We will no longer know how to tolerate and understand, nor can we see our own problems from each other, and learn to improve and grow. This may be one of the Inspirations of kongshanji's works(sohu.com, 2020).
Comparison Of Works
Similarities
Line: Both the three artists Salvador Dali, Hajime Sorayama, and Ming Zhong Wu have used smoot lines with perfect curves to achieve perfect shapes.
Light: the source if lighting in the three pierces of art have been manipulated to make the paintings the center of attention and enhance their aesthetic value.
Contrast
Color: The three paintings by Salvador Dali, Hajime Sorayama, and Ming Zhong Wu have used different combinations of colors in their artistic styles. For example, Ming Zhong Wu Meanly two color red and gray while Salvador Dali has used three colors namely yellow blue black. Finally, Hajime Sorayama has used Gold White and blue.
Form, time and Motion: Unlike the paintings from Wu and Sorayama, Dali’s painting is unique as it offers a point of view from above. This means that instead of depicticting the cross from theworshiper’s point of view he chooses to assert the existence of God by giving a point of view from above.