Art Reflection Questions
Part I (100 words):
Read 2 Cor. 5:14-17 (Links to an external site.).
Don’t think you like “Modern Art”?
- Reflect on “God as the Ultimate Modernist”, meaning how dramatically new the life of those in Christ are meant to be. Modern art tends to prefer the new, the innovative, and the images we haven’t seen before. What needs God’s renewing work in your life or world?
Part II (350 words in total):
Original Post (150 words): “Art for art’s sake” can account for only so much of Modern art. Art became political for Picasso, at least for a time, when he painted Guernica as a protest against the Fascist overthrow of Spain’s republic in the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War (Think Hitler and the prelude to World War II). How intentional do you think Picasso was in this painting? What price did he pay for his “message”? Be sure to include specific details from the video to support your analysis and response.
Reference:
Digital Rights Group Limited. (2007). Picasso and his time.Films on Demand. https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=15551&xtid=4096.
Note: if you do not have access, you can just do research
Comments to Response (100 words each):
Comment 1: Studying Picasso was fascinating. His technical skill was a naturally given gift, something that his father recognized and quickly helped Picasso embrace. One of the things that inevitably stand out when watching the video was how invested Picasso was to his art. Another thing that inspired me was how original and creative he was with everything and every style that he dabbled upon. To quote the video, “Whatever technique or style he set his pen or brush to, he became at once its master. He could not even be called the leader of this group or that, for where he led, others could not follow.” This statement speaks volumes regarding the ability and talent that Picasso held. Regarding “Guernica,” I do believe that Picasso was very intentional in the creation of this painting. Throughout his history we can see how emotionally invested he became with his paintings, most of them serving as a reflection of what his life looked like at the moment and his deepest amusements. Not only that but the events that inspired “Guernica” also affected his heitage as a Spaniard, so he felt like he had no other choice.
Comment 2:
Picasso was the one man who witnessed events and changes of the century during which he lived, who is both the exemplar of what those changes provoked in the world of art and their course. At an early age, he had an interest in drawing and design, an interest that would soon begin to possess him, causing him to ignore any other serious course of study. The artist does not intend to represent the world as it appears but instead, his purpose is to help the viewer understand it. Picasso was too much of an individualist to belong to any group or follow any style. He did not join movements, he instigated them. In 1937, the Spanish Republican government asked him to produce a mural for its Pavillion in the World’s Fair of Paris and he accepted but was unable to come up with an appropriate theme. Then an event occurred that triggered the artist’s imagination and sympathy. It was the Nazi airplanes that bombed the non-military target of Guernica. He started to paint “Guernica” which became the most famous painting of the 20th century. His paintings were nonpolitical until the 30’s when he was repelled by Fascism, and Hitler’s victory. His paintings were very intentional because he became really involved since it was his own country and he put everything he thought about Spain into this work. He received criticism on his work because of how real it was and the truth about what was happening in his country.
Reference
Digital Rights Group Limited. (2007). Picasso and his time.Films on Demand. https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=15551&xtid=4096.
Part III (200 words):
Write fully developed, supported, parenthetically documented, and cleanly edited paragraphs totaling 200+ words, expressing your understanding of “Thinking About Art: The Nazi Campaign Against Modern Art” (Getlein 511) and using the terms explained in the text to inform your reflection (cf. “Main Topics”/”Key Terms” listed in “Activities”). NOTE: Do not simply summarize the article. State its thesis and primary support. Focus your discussion on one or two key concepts, persons, or works of art. Briefly apply your new understanding to your own views, beliefs, and/or experience (art, movies, architecture, etc.).
Reading Assignment for Part III


Answer
Art Reflection Questions
By: Essayicons.com
God is the Ultimate Modernist. The reason for this is because Christ died for everyone, and those who live must no longer survive for themselves but for Jesus, who died for them and was risen from the dead, implying that those who believe in Christ have a new life, a life which has no difficulties. As a result, we will no longer consider someone globally. We no longer consider Christ in this manner, despite the fact that we did the earlier. If anybody is in Jesus, the past is gone, and the new has come. Thus we see pictures that we have never seen before.
The painting, one of Picasso’s most notable works, was influenced by the Nazi air force’s bombardment of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. Incensed by the action’s ferocity, Picasso chose the bombardment as the basis of his painting, which he finished in only three weeks. According to the video, Picasso demonstrated the most effective technique to resist war, which is still valid today. He also explained how to have the most significant effect on the greatest number of individuals. Picasso dedicated himself to a creative creation that made a substantial contribution to the overall development of contemporary art in the twentieth century, most famously via the discovery of Modern art. During the 1937 Paris International exposition, Guernica was a giant mural-sized artwork by Pablo Picasso that conveyed his rage against war. With its size and quantity of people, this artwork evokes Europe’s historical artworks, but it challenges instead of celebrates the idea of combat as a heroic one.
I agree with comment one that studying Picasso was fascinating. Picasso dedicated himself to a creative creation that made a substantial contribution to the overall development of contemporary art in the twentieth century, most famously via the discovery of Modern art. His distinct creative style and dedication have significantly influenced art. For the first time in history, he expressed himself via the mediums of painting, drawing, and sculpture in a unique manner. Cubism” is the name of the art form that he created. Picasso was intentional as Symbolic and Surrealists were greatly influenced by his work. Despite his preference for painting, he also experimented with prints and ceramics, and he was a significant figure in the development of the field.
I agree with comment 2 about Picasso as someone who experienced the occurrences and changes throughout his lifetime; Picasso is an excellent illustration of how such changes affected the artwork throughout time. His early interest in drawing and painting made him great. This is his artist’s objective—an enormous mural-sized artwork.During the 1937 Parisian World’s Fair, Guernica was seen to millions of people. Guernica is a work of art that envelops and engulfs the viewer with its colossal forms and kinetic motion. Despite criticism from other people, he disclosed what was going on around the globe.
The Nazi Campaign about Modern Art
I am reflecting on what the Nazi finds objectionable in modern art. Because the Nazis wanted visitors to compare the two displays, they positioned them close together. The Nazis’ preferred artwork was on display in the Great German Art Exhibition. In the Depraved Art exhibit, the Nazis’ censorship of art was highlighted. The displays were part of a massive Nazi effort to dominate the art world. As per Hitler, the artwork indicated the artist’s psychiatric illness, depravity, and hereditary inferiority, and so should be avoided. According to Hitler and the Nazis, the artists’ work was part of a devious Jewish plan over Germany. At the same time, those who backed them were corrupted and attempted to destroy Germany’s principles. The show was staged to persuade visitors of the dangers posed by the art and its creator. The risk and misdirected character of the sculptures were conveyed via text written on the walls. As a result, the aims were divided into rooms devoted to art created by mad people, art created by Jewish artists, offensive artifacts to religions, and work created by communists.