ART Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

ART - Essay Example It also resembles more of a Southwest United States portrait because of its subject – a woman who is stringing beads. The braid on the woman also resembles a woman who would be living in this area of the United States during this period of time. What is also striking about this woman is that she is sexualized. This painting was painted in 1924, and perhaps the mores during this time in Europe was looser than in other places, especially the United States, but the nipple on this woman is almost dominating in the picture. But this is the only part of the picture that shows her to be a sexualized being, so it is striking that this part of the painting was so prominent. It is almost as if one is not supposed to take their eyes off of the woman's nipple. Beyond this, the colors and the lighting are extraordinary. The shadows and the light on the face show her features, and the same kind of light and shadows are on her hair that play up the dominant part in her hair. Her braids are a lso tinged with the same sort of light and shadows, all the way down. Her skin on her arms show the same. The shadows and the light are used to great effect to delineate and highlight what the painter wants us to see. The painting also does not necessarily reflect the realist movement. It is painted in broad brushstrokes that are not visible, and the features of the woman are almost in caricature. Her nose is pointed, more pointed than probably the actual woman had. This is not a picture of a woman as she really looks, but, rather, it is a picture of the woman as the painter wanted to portray her. It is a bit cubist, as noted above, but mostly reflects the southwest art movement that was prominent during this period of time. The geometric forms of this painting are not just in the way that the woman is portrayed, although these geometric forms are subtle, more subtle than a typical cubist painter, but also in other parts of the picture. This includes the stairs, which show sharp geo metric patterns, and the wall behind her, that shows the same sorts of geometric patterns. There also is a certain sense of solidity in the form. This is not necessarily a fluid form, but one that is almost sculptural in the way that the form is portrayed. She is engaged in work, in that she is working with her beads, yet, this is not necessarily portrayed in this painting. It is as if she was captured perfectly still. This was a hallmark of this particular painter, especially during this period of time, as he was working with poses that were more stylized and solid, as opposed to fluid. Adrian Piper – Vote/Emote This next piece of art is an interesting mix between a Marcel Duchamp sort of Readymade and photography. Duchamp, with his Readymade art used everyday objects and displayed them as art. For instance, he might bring in a bicycle wheel and call it art, or a toilet. In this case, the Readymades would be the window boxes. These are everyday objects that would be found in a home, and they are presented as works of art. The light boxes are silk-screened, which gives the photographs behind them more of the feel of a painting. Yet, beyond the windows themselves, are clearly other works of art that resemble paintings and photographs. Behind one of the windows is clearly the black protest marches of the 1960s civil rights movement. It shows the African Americans marching on Washington, with a sign that says â€Å"

America the Addicted Nation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

America the Addicted Nation - Research Paper Example Despite the government’s continued struggle to encourage the American people to change their bad habits, deaths and accidents because of these addictions still make the news almost every day. As if drugs and alcohol do not do enough damage to the individuals in America, the people have discovered a new craze thanks to the progress of technology and never-ending competition of electronic giants like Samsung and Apple to come up with the most convenient or the smallest electronic gadgets. Americans seem to have made social networking sites a part of their daily routine. Despite all the complaints about violation of privacy and negative effects on behavior, Americans still find themselves susceptible to the appeal of Facebook, Twitter and the like. Marijuana & Prescription Drugs America’s dependence on drugs does not have a definite start. Drugs are part of the field of medicine, the aspect of society which is responsible for promoting the well-being of its members. As suc h, drugs have always been available to the American society. Dependence on these, as with any addiction, began when Americans started taking prescription drugs more often than they were supposed to or for reasons the drugs were not prescribed for. Almost one out of ten Americans above twelve years old is categorized with substance abuse or dependence. (National) This is alarming because the age reference shows that drug addiction already starts when an individual becomes an adolescent. This means that when teenagers are supposed to be enjoying their life by engaging in after-school activities like playing sports and spending time with their families, they are actually getting high on illegal and prescription drugs. The most commonly abused drugs are marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants and psychotherapeutic drugs for non-medical purposes. (Cooper) This was based on 2010 survey conducted by the government regarding drug, alcohol and tobacco use. Marijuana, specificall y, has had a longer relationship with Americans, making center stage during the 60’s and the 70’s â€Å"when getting high was the norm† (Krueger) in America. However, it soon became listed under narcotic drugs and was considered habit-forming and as such harmful for society. Penalties exist for those cultivating, distributing and using marijuana. In Florida, possessing one ounce of marijuana is equivalent to five years and a $6,000 fine while selling close to 25 pounds is a felony which comes with a-five year jail time and a $5,000 fine. (Rao) Recent times, however, has seen a twist to the tale of marijuana and Americans. Medical benefits derived from use of marijuana have pushed medical experts, legislators and patients to clamor for the legalization of marijuana. In 1976, Robert Randall became the first patient to be legally allowed to use marijuana for the treatment of his glaucoma. (Recipients) Subsequently, the government formed a study in 1992 and starting giving free marijuana to nearly 20 patients every month (Stolberg). The program has long been shut down but the comfort marijuana has provided to people with cancer, rare bone disorder and the like are too obvious. Unafraid of the legalities involved, some retirees use marijuana for Crohn’s disease and arthritis because traditional medicines leave them feel sicker. (Krueger) Although the federal government still rules against the use of marijuana, Washington and Colorado have