Sophs #2 Journal--Your Favorite Work of Art
Tell us what you consider to be your favorite work of art. Please don't limit your definition of art to the "fine" arts, like painting. Please feel free to include the "pop" arts, like music, film, cartoons, or television.
You might want to use this post as a "warm up" or prewriting to the final essay that is due Friday, September 16. However, you may choose to write about something else for the final essay, too.
Complete this blog/journal response before Friday, September 9, so I can post all of your classmates responses for you to read.
Remember, I recommend that you write your response in a Word document, save it, and then copy and paste it as a response. Eventually, I will collect all of your "blog/journal" responses at the end of each marking period as a graded assignment.
Be more succinct here than you will be in your essay--write a minimum of 200 words (your essay should be 3-4 typed pages).
At Schoolsville, you probably want to respond to these prompts:
1. What IS your favorite work of art?
2. Tell me about it. Give a brief description or overview.
3. Why is it your favorite work? Does it make you "think" (appeal to your intellect) or "feel" (appeal to your emotions)? A little of both, perhaps? Briefly explain.
To get an idea of how to respond properly to this blog, you may check out the archives for September 2010 and read some of the 70-some responses made by last year's sophomores to this blog entry.
The image that you're viewing is of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night, one of my personal favorite "works of art."
posted by JTF @ 10:31 PM
49 comments
49 Comments:
I started playing the piano when I was in 3rd grade. After 2 frustrating years, I quit and I refused to touch a piano. But after 4 years, I decided to try it out again. I re-taught myself how to play and excelled without a teacher. After mastering Scott Joplin and Beethoven I knew I needed something different. After watching the 2010 movie “The Last Song,” I knew exactly what that something was. The one song that stood out to me the most was “When I Look at You.” I was determined to learn to play this even though I knew it was a difficult song. But after lots of hard work and hours of practice, I finally completed the piece that has become my favorite work of art.
This is my favorite work of art because I think it is really inspirational and motivating. I believe it’s about how in life you have your struggles but life goes on with the help of those you love. This is suggested by the lyrics: “There is no guarantee that this life is easy.” When played on the piano it just flows freely but still captures different emotions. I find this my favorite work of art because it’s a piece I can play anytime that never gets old. I simply just enjoy playing it and I don’t even need to use sheet music anymore. My favorite lyrics in the piece would have to be the chorus of: “When my world is falling apart, when there’s no light to break up the dark, that’s when I look at you.” I find this song very uplifting but also more emotional as it progresses. This is truly my favorite work of art because it deals with real life situations and I think is a relatable song that can enlighten others.
My all time favorite movie and work of art is “Stick It”. “Stick It” is a movie about a rebellious teen who was once one of the top gymnasts in the world but suddenly walked out at the most important meet of the year and quit. Then after getting into some legal trouble she is forced to turn back to the competitive gymnastics world. Through her journey of competing in gymnastics, she learns that there are people who are proud of her and that care about her, that she controls her life, and that she doesn’t have to let her parent’s divorce ruin her attitude. I remember when it came out when I was probably still in elementary school. At that time I was taking gymnastics classes and everyone in my class was excited because there was finally a movie about gymnastics. I wanted to see it as soon as possible but ended up forgetting about it and running across it years later. Now I own the DVD and can watch it 3 days in a row when it occasionally plays on TV. This is my favorite work of art because I can relate to it. I was a competitive gymnast for three years and I can understand some of the struggles, decisions, and challenges in this movie. I also think this movie has a great story, is funny, and is entertaining. I think this movie can help people learn how to deal with their struggles in life in a positive way and give others and insight to the gymnastics world.
For several years I have admired the work of Edgar Degas, a famous impressionistic artist from the late nineteenth century. While there are several pieces of his that inspire me, there is one specific one that always stands out in my mind when I think of Degas and his artistic ability. This one specific piece, titled Little Dancer, may in fact be one of Degas’ more famous works of art. Little Dancer is a statue, or wax sculpture, of the fourteen year old girl Marie van Goethem. Not meaning much to Degas, Marie was just a random girl Degas selected to sculpt; little did either of them know that this sculpture would one day be world renowned. Marie is portrayed as an awkward, but at the same time graceful, girl just coming up on her teenage years. She is posed in fourth position with her back arched and belly forward, hands behind her back. Little Dancer is one of, if not my favorite, works of art because she reminds me of myself as a young dancer. I remember when I was younger getting yelled at by my teacher for not being graceful, but only awkward as Marie somewhat appears in this sculpture. This sculpture almost makes me feel as though I relieved Marie’s “Little Dancer stage” through my gawky years as a younger dancer. I feel as though Little Dancer is a rather inspiring and personal work of art and that I can relate to it fairly easily.
I find architecture to be one of the most beautiful and interesting forms of art. Like any other artist, an architect can speak his mind through his work. An architect decides on the size, shape, color, style, and many other factors that will go into his masterpiece. There are so many different kinds of architecture that it is very difficult to get tired of it. There are the massive works such as The Eiffel Tower in France, The Empire State Building in The United States, The Taj Mahal in India, The Giza Pyramid in Egypt, and The Great Wall of China in China. Yet architecture is also related to designing residential buildings. Beautiful and very original homes have been created, such as The Waterfall House in Pennsylvania, The White House in Washington DC, and Monticello in Virginia. I find architecture to be such a magnificent work of art because the types of architecture are always changing. A painting or a song will get old, but the different styles of architecture change to go along with time, just as clothing does. There are so many different styles of architecture, that there is always something to look at. I, myself want to be a residential architect, which is another reason this is so appealing to me. Whether it’s designing massive monuments or beautiful houses, architecture is wonderful artwork.
When I think of the things I enjoy to watch, read, and listen too I usually don’t consider them “works of art.” However, there is definitely one television show that stands above all others and is my personally my favorite: The Office. I remember and still even to date can quote the most memorable and epic quotes found in this show. It’s the simplicity and organic feel of the show that makes it so addicting. The Office is a comedy series filmed “mockumentary” style to show the behind the scenes activities of the paper company Dunder Mifflin. Michael Scott was the acting manager of Dunder Mifflin and led a team of workers full of variety and unique personalities up until this prior season. And yet the show still rolls on, held together by its backbone, or the employees that make The Office what it truly is, a masterpiece. Some of these characters include the newly weds Jim and Pam Halpert, salespeople whose witty and vibrant chemistry provides the show with a great couple. Co-workers like the elderly and creepy Creed Bratton and the motherly, loving Phyllis Vance add different levels of entertainment, alongside many others. I can always watch this show, even knowing the people aren’t real but their relationships and rigors of life shown are skillfully inspiring. I would say that The Office qualifies to be my favorite work of art because it’s a true pearl in the comedy world. It not only provides a great outlet from the stress of reality with its jocular light-heartedness but it withholds an incredible following. No matter what, The Office never fails at appealing to my sense of humor, keeping my imagination and spirit wanting more. It proves that art doesn’t have to make you ponder, sometimes its there to just make you laugh.
My favorite work of art is dance. I’ve been dancing since I was five years old and my passion for dance hasn’t changed since then. Dance is truly a work of art because it expresses one’s self, not by words, but by his/ her own body. Dance has helped me become a graceful, creative, and well-rounded person. It is not known when dance first originated, but we know it must have a very long time ago by the discoveries of Indian and Egyptian tomb paintings that displayed dancing figures from 3300 BC. There are many different kinds of dance that have all sorts of meanings. For example, ballet, a well known form of dance, is very consistent and complex because of its precise moves and French terms. Meanwhile, “hip hop”, a more recent and popular form of dance, expresses freedom and the moves and their names change all the time. Dance is my favorite work of art because I love to dance and dancing is so beautiful to watch. Dance gives me so many emotions and helps me relieve some negative emotions I may be feeling. I feel happy and totally stress-free when I dance. When I watch others dance, it makes me happy because I know that they love what they are doing and enjoy entertaining others.
Music is the one thing that can really calm me down keep me grounded. I have always been a fan of simple, acoustic songs with no auto tuned or repetitive lyrics. That’s why when I first heard Death Cab for Cutie’s song ”I Will Follow You into the Dark” I immediately fell in love with its slow melody and soothing lyrics. At first, the lyrics make you believe that the song is about someone who is dying, and he is singing for them. But after watching the music video, I discovered that it is about so much more than just comforting someone. The video shows a hole in the floor of an apartment. Day by day, the hole gets larger and larger until he finally has to go through extra measures just to avoid it. One day, he steps out of bed straight into the hole. But when he does, he finds that the hole was only about six feet deep and not that scary after all. This “hole” represents death. It started out small—a very distant and inconsequential thing and the lead man was able to ignore it completely. Yet as the hole grew bigger, death became more and more real to him. He had to go out of his way to avoid it and could no longer avoid it. He still tried to ignore it, however. Then that one day that he falls into the hole, he sees that death is not all that scary and he is able to go peacefully into the dark. I love this song because it has so much meaning and moral behind it and it always seems to comfort me.
It’s natural for us as humans to be afraid of taking risks. I know that when I was younger I was absolutely terrified of roller coasters, but now I can go on any ride because I know that it can’t be as bad as I think it will be. For others, risks could be climbing to the top of a ladder even when they’re afraid of heights, or simply trying a food they’ve sworn off because of one bad experience. All in all, we’re all afraid of one thing in life. My favorite work of art that reinforces to take risks is the song “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. I first heard the song when I went to my first Blue-Gold Fashion Show here at St. Mark’s four years ago. I had never been to the show before so I wasn’t too sure what to expect, but my sister was in the “Prom Scene” so my family and I went to support her. I knew the show was going to be great right off that bat with the enthusiasm from all the students in the show and in the audience, but it wasn’t until the prom scene that I truly understood what all of the kids were there for. After introducing all the buddies and dancing to their songs, “I Hope You Dance” came on and while listening to the lyrics and watching all the smiles on the buddies’ faces, I really understood why the Fashion Show was created. All the students involved took the chance on joining Blue/Gold, not really sure what to expect, but I know from both my older brother and sister’s experience that they got a lot more out of it than they ever expected. For that reason it’s why I joined Blue/Gold last year and participated in the Fashion Show this past spring. It was without a doubt so much better than I had hoped for and I got so much more out of it than expected. In the song, it tells you that “Living might mean taking chances, but they're worth taking,” and “When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.” Both of these lines are basically saying the same thing. That when life becomes tough or you’re asked to go out of your comfort zone for something, to take that chance. The outcome can’t be as bad as you think it will be, and if you don’t take that chance you might end up regretting it later in life.
I would say one of my favorite genres of art is music. Life without music would be incomplete, empty, lacking. I thoroughly believe that when words fail, music speaks, and that there is more emotion in a good piece of music than there ever will be in plain words. I constantly have songs stuck in my head and you will almost always find me singing random songs because I love to sing and I just love music. The fact that I love to sing brings me to how I was introduced to one of my favorite works of art, an a cappella (meaning “voice-only” or “without instruments”) Renaissance-era choral piece sometimes called “Miserere,” or more formally known as “Miserere, mei, Deus” (this is Latin for “Have mercy on me, O God”) by the immensely popular Italian composer Gregorio Allegri. While browsing the near barren shelves of Borders for bargains on books or CDs, I stumbled upon a CD brimming with famous choral pieces, many of which I myself had performed before, but I did not recognize the piece titled “Miserere.” I knew I would love this CD, so I went ahead and bought it. That night, I stuck the CD into the CD player and just sat and listened. The first song to play was this song, “Miserere.” I immediately got goose bumps from the high, clear soprano voices mixed with the alto and tenor harmonies and the darker, deeper tones of the basses. I later found out the text of the song is from Psalm 51, one of my favorite psalms. The words go perfectly with the music; the dynamics, harmonies, and ornamentation are simply divine. I must have listened to this song a million times; it is literally the most beautiful music I have ever encountered. It only makes sense that this song was written for God.
My favorite work of art is the Bolshoi Ballets adaption of the ballet Carmen with Svetlana Zakharova. The story of a robber, murderer, and spanish gypsy, Carmen was first written in a novella by Prosper Merimee in 1845. Later, Carmen was adapted into different operas, plays and theatre performances. In 1949, Roland Petit choreographed the ballet Carmen from George Bizet’s opera adaption. In the ballet world this is considered to be a very modern ballet. Having danced several variations from the ballet, I know what goes into making the performance so beautiful and most of the complicated plot line. Carmen performed by Svetlana Zakharova is my favorite work of art because of how she portrays the character of Carmen. Svetlana is not only one of the best ballerinas in the world, but she is one of the best performers. She brings so much passion to the otherwise boring ballets. (Let’s face it, even being a dancer I can barely sit through an entire ballet.) I also love the ballet because of how different it is than any of the other ballets out there. While a lot of the technique and stylistic movements of classics like Swan Lake and The Nutcracker are the same, Carmen uses more contemporary and neo-classical elements that are actually entertaining to watch. I think Carmen is able to entice audiences that wouldn’t normally enjoy a classical ballet.
My favorite area of art would have to be music. The main type of music I listen to is Hip-Hop or Rap. My absolute favorite rapper in the world is Marshall Mathers, better known as Slim Shady or Eminem. One of the reasons I love Eminem so much is because I can relate his music. A lot of his songs have a deeper meaning to me than just being a song to listen to. His lyrics speak to me in a way that no other artist ever has or ever will. His lyrics really “hit home” for me and this probably one of the many reasons I fell in love with Eminem’s music.
His song “Not Afraid” has probably been his most influential songs for me. This song helped me get through a tough time in my life and gave me hope to keep pushing through. Early in the song he says “when I say I’ma do something, I do it.” For me, this means that when you say you’re going to do something, you never let anything stand in your way. If there is something you truly want, then go after it. Take your desire and do what you have to do to get what it is you want most. Don’t ever give up and don’t let anyone stand in your way. Then his chorus “I’m not afraid, to take stand, everybody, come take my hand, we’ll walk this road together, through the storm, whatever weather, cold or warm, just letting you know that you’re not alone, holla if you feel like you’ve been down the same road,” has a whole other message that speaks to me. The message I take from this is that you have to stand up for what you believe in. You have to stand up for what’s right and not be afraid of who might be standing against you or telling you differently. You also have to have the courage to pick yourself up when you’re down. Everyone goes through hard times, but no matter what you are going through, there will always be somewhere there to help you. You will never be abandoned. You will never be left alone. Your friends and family will be right beside you the whole time giving you the strength and courage you need to keep going. Then he says “I’m standing up, I’ma face my demons, I’m manning up, I’ma hold my ground, I’ve had enough, now I’m so fed up, time to put my life back together right now.” This is all about standing up and facing your fears or standing up for what you believe in. You stand up for what you believe in and you don’t back down. And if you’re going through a hard time, it's about being tired of being sad or angry and making the effort to make a change. Making that change to get you back on track and get yourself together. This song is all about changing yourself for the better and not being afraid of what others with think or say. This is one of my favorite songs by Eminem.
Despite all of the cussing and offensive language in most of Eminem’s songs, they have so much more meaning than that. His words have a deeper meaning and have helped me through many obstacles that I’ve faced. His music is the type of music you can listen to you when you are sad, crying, angry, or even when you’re in an amazing mood. His music is whatever you make it to be; for me, it’s all of the above. I love Eminem and his music.
My earliest memory of Andy Warhol’s artwork was seeing some of his pieces on Google Images a few years ago. His work immediately struck me through its unusual sense of distorted beauty. In my favorite image, a famous portrait of Marilyn Monroe had been replicated and colored in an absurdly unrealistic way. Andy Warhol had taken a beauty shot of one of America’s most famous symbols of glamour and transformed it. In each and every one of these “Marilyn Prints,” Warhol’s true genius shines through. Almost anyone who gazes at his piece of art is immediately drawn in by the sight of Marilyn Monroe, but then perplexed by the look of her new features. The way that Andy Warhol could take something that was so sensationalized and turn it into something entirely original and unique was a talent that can only be done by few. It also showed that you don’t have to be an art historian to be able to relate to this picture. Warhol took use of a popularized image so that viewers of his work could immediately feel a sense of connection. The sense of familiarity created by his piece also forces us to see how instantaneously we recognize the symbols of our culture. To me this piece truly represents the explosion of “Pop Art.”
My favorite work of art has to be The White Stripes' "Icky Thump" album. I remember very clearly when I first heard a song off the album. I was on an annoying 12 hour car ride going on a 'vacation', and the whole time "The Grammy Nominees 2008" CD was playing in the car. Most of the songs on that album where junk, until finally the last song on the album "Icky Thump" started playing. I was blown away. Halfway through the song, of course, my brother changed the song, and they wouldn't go back to it. I was instantly hooked to the band. I had been playing guitar at that time for about a year, but I had been getting bored having no music that really inspired me. I instantly began playing guitar avidly, and still do. I started to listen to them nearly exclusively for maybe half a year. To me back then, and now, they were the perfect band. The White Stripes is comprised of only two people, a male guitarist/singer and a female drummer. The White Stripes don't have touring musicians to accompany them like other small rock bands do. No other rock band does this. When you listen to The White Stripes, you seem to forget that only two people are doing all that. I started to look at their roots and who inspired them. I discovered old blues legends like Robert Johnson and Son House that inspired them. I began to realize, as ridiculous as this sound, that The White Stripes are nothing more then a modern blues-rock band. After all, Black Sabbath is actually a blues-rock band, just very dark. The album “Icky Thump” is one of those albums I can listen to and never get bored. My favorite song off this album would have to be “Catch Hell Blues”, which is done entirely with beautiful slide guitar. Although The White Stripes have split and are no longer together, I still really like their music and absolutely love the album “Icky Thump”.
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For me, true beauty in art is not with the finished project but the message the artist originally thought of when he or she decided to create this work. This message is often simple, yet very profound and eloquent. Personally, I believe that if you look at art in this way, the piece that clearly immortalizes this and truly sets the bar for other pieces is William Ernest Henley’s Invictus. Henley, at the age of 12, contracted tuberculosis. By the age of 17, it had spread to his foot, resulting in the amputation of his leg beneath his knee. And yet, despite all this, Henley went on to live a strong vibrant life as one of England’s most popular critics of literature of the time. Invictus is told from the perspective of someone who is facing great hardship and is faced with seemingly impossible odds. However the person realizes that no matter what kind of harm may come upon them, at least in a physical sense, their soul is and forever shall be unconquerable (ironically enough, Latin for unconquerable and undefeated). The person is immortal because of the fact their soul shall go on and they accept this fate, whatever it may be; “And yet the menace of the years, Finds me, and shall find, me unafraid.” When I first read this poem around the age of 10, I was not clear upon the meaning of the poem. However as time went on, and I got older, I found the meaning more and more relevant to my life. No matter what the challenge, we can all overcome and persevere through even life’s most difficult situations and come through unharmed or even stronger. And that is the true meaning of Invictus.
I have been intrigued and mystified for a long time by optical illusions and how your mind perceives them. Optical art or “Opt Art” has always been my favorite type of optical illusion because it usually has a lot of time and detail put into it. Out of all opt art, my favorite is Waterfall by M.C. Escher. In this painting, a water wheel is being powered by a water spout from above. But then after the water falls down over the wheel, it flows back uphill, under its own power. It can get very confusing if you look at it as a whole picture. But if look closer you can see that pillars holding up the canal overlap the canal itself, which is impossible. This is my favorite piece of art because it makes your mind race to rational what you are seeing, but it is impossible to make logical sense of it. Every time I look at this picture I always get that one brief second where I think this picture is possible, but then I remember it is impossible. I also like this painting because if the water wheel that is depicted could somehow be made, it would be the ultimate machine because it could power itself and produce an output of energy. This is why Waterfall is my favorite work of art.
You may have the brains, you may have the talent, and you may have the wealth, but in today’s society the very first thing you need to succeed in anything is heart. I believe heart comes from deep inside me and in volleyball and basketball it’s the key thing that gives me the drive to win. I see heart displayed everyday, but I also see it in one particular movie. Heart is displayed in the up-beat, emotional movie of Step Up 3. This movie is by far my favorite. Step Up 3 is that one movie that makes you want to get up and dance, even if you can’t. I first saw this movie with some friends, not really interested but just along for the ride. Then as the movie got going I began to fall in love with it. From the action packed dance scenes, to the emotional “family” breakup, my eyes were glued on the movie screen. Step Up 3 is more than just a movie, it’s inspiration. All the dancers came from the streets with nothing but their god-given talent to dance. They were born from a boom box. They eat, sleep, and breathe dance. Now when I say dance, I don’t mean the swaying of the hips or the clapping over your head type of dance. I mean the flips, the walking on your hands, and the jumping kind of dance. These dancers aren’t just apart of some dance team that travels around competing. They are apart of something bigger, a family. Regardless of age, color, or weight they accept each other. They live together, hangout together, and are there for each other no matter what. Music inspires them to be whoever they want to be. It’s their one time during the day to have no worries and feel free. But when their house goes up for auction and they are forced to go back to the streets, they have to breakup and can no longer compete in the “World Jam.” They soon realize that they are a family and they can’t just give up on one another. As a whole group they come back stronger and better than ever before. They perform to the best of their ability and in the end come out victorious. Basically this is my favorite piece of art because it’s something I can relate to. Every single one of those dancers did whatever was possible to be the best they could be. They inspire me, because it just proves to me that you don’t have to have anything but a dream and a desire to fulfill it. If you have a passion for anything, not just dancing, just do it. All you have to do is try. Nothing is impossible.
Ever since I was a little girl, people have asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Lately, my mom has begun to answer, “She really wants to be a princess.” This is true but not because I want to be famous or wealthy, but because of my favorite work of art: Beauty and the Beast. This story is about a beautiful, kind girl who is able to look past the monster’s appearance, and by doing so finds the man of her dreams and true happiness. It is filled with incredible music, which is even more apparent in the Broadway show. The music, the animation, and the message make it a work of art. This story is more than a love story. It teaches me not to judge others by what I see, and to look past the imperfections. Beauty and the Beast has taught me that love can conquer anything, good will always triumph over evil, and dreams do come true. For a little girl, these simple phrases were be extremely inspiring. Beauty and the Beast inspires me to always have a positive outlook and never give up, because the hardest things in life can lead to something great. Even as a teenage girl, the theme of the story rings true; I now believe that Disney princesses are symbols for joy and happiness, and teach us to always be kind and never stop dreaming. Beauty and the Beast teaches me that life is full of magic if one only chooses to experience it, and that the power of dreams can take me anywhere. If we all follow Belle’s example, we will truly live happily ever after.
“Viva! Viva! Viva!” The English translation of that Italian chant literally means “he or she is alive.” In the book Bloomability by Sharon Creech, though, the chant is also a celebration of being alive, cherishing every day, and seizing every opportunity that is given to us. The book takes place in Switzerland after Domenica, the main character, is “kidnapped” by her aunt and uncle who are offering her the chance to spend a year in an international school with students from all corners of the world. Although at first Domenica is wary of her new environment, she quickly learns to appreciate all the aspects of her new life and by the end of the year, she has fully realized all the “bloomabilities” that life has to offer.
I always love reading Bloomability because of the lighthearted sense of hope that is woven throughout the entire story. In Bloomability, a graduation is not an ending, but a new beginning full of new opportunities, too. Different people from all around the world are able to come together in one school; people from all different types of backgrounds, cultures, and families learn to live together and cooperate. The title Bloomability is such because at one point in the novel, a Japanese student substitutes the word “possible” for “bloomable.” Although a blunder at the time, the word “bloomability” seems more appropriate to describe the endless possibilities that are not only available to the characters in the story but to us as well.
My favorite genre of art is reading books, but my favorite type of book isn’t one of those regular hardback or paperback books. My favorite type of book is made in a Japanese style called manga (which is kind of like a comic book except you read it from right to left). I’ve been interested in it for as long as I can remember, and I never grow tired of it. Maybe a year or two after I found out about manga, I got my favorite book at my school during a fundraising event. After I read the first chapter, I was sucked into it, and when I was finished the whole thing, I knew I wanted all of the other books of its series.
The title of my favorite book is +Anima, and it is my favorite because it’s exciting, heart touching, and great to read for anybody. It is a tale of four unique children who wield the abilities of four different animals (a crow, a fish, a bear, and a bat) and are on an adventure to find others just like them. Each individual kid has his or her own side story that explains his or her life, and I feel that some people might find that they can relate to a certain character personality-wise or because of a certain part of that kid’s life. The story, to me, has a great blend of humor, action, tragedy, and surprise twists. If I would do it, I could read the entire series for hours and not be bored of it. I think that anyone who reads this book can enjoy it, and that is my best reason to say why it is my favorite work of art.
My favorite work of art is probably Salvador Dali's "The Persistence of Memory."
In this painting, there are numerous clocks doing what appears to be melting over various objects, and generally losing all of their rigidity. The background is a simple desert-like cliff and plane with a lake that seems to stretch on forever.
It holds a particular appeal for me because time has always been a majorly deciding factor in my life - were I not in the right place at the right time, I wouldn't have met several good friends that I have, and lots of things, both good and bad, have occurred as a result of my punctuality or lack thereof.
It particularly appeals to my emotions of calmness - the sight of the all-powerful clock smoothly melting away into a calm, peaceful, natural background is something that soothes the soul.
I have always admired the subtlety and grace of Salvador Dali's works, and "The Persistence of Memory" is no exception. The many possible interpretations of this painting make it a true, timeless classic work of art, and the fact that I'm neither the first nor the last person to admire this piece only enhances my fondness.
It is usually not a movie that comes to mind when we think of a work of art. However, one movie that I consider to be a great work, and is worthy of being called art, is The Pianist. The movie is based on a true story, and takes place in Warsaw, Poland, beginning in 1939. I first saw this movie last year, while scrolling aimlessly through the Netflix options with my friend Olivia. We decided that it looked interesting enough, even though we knew nothing about it. The movie’s opening scene is the main character, Wladyslaw Szpilman, playing a Chopin piece in a radio- broadcasting studio. As he is playing, the surrounding area starts to be bombed, and while everyone else flees the studio, he continues playing, right until he is ordered to leave by one of the men there. This is the beginning of the Nazi occupation in his town, and we follow his emotional journey throughout the movie.
His family is sent to a work camp, but he hides and is spared. We see him become thinner, and sickly, and when there is nothing left of the town he is in, he must live in an abandoned house. He befriends a Nazi officer who secretly helps in to live through the occupation, and after it is over, he is alive but very alone. I consider this to be my favorite work of art, because throughout the movie is the beautiful music of the Classical era composers, which I have come to greatly appreciate after ten years of classical piano lessons. This film moved me like no other had before, and the profound sadness and loneliness portrayed by the actor makes you want to weep for him, and rejoice when the occupation is over and Szpilman has survived.
I have never truly had an understanding of the fine arts such as drawings and paintings and theater. But I have always had a love for the art of music. I enjoy listening to the songs and trying to see what the lyrics really mean. The one song that I always tend to listen to whenever I’m feeling down or just need something to motivate me. This song is “Lose Yourself” by the artist Eminem. The lines of the refrain of this song are “You better lose yourself in the music, the moment; you own it, you better never let it go; you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow; this opportunity comes once in a lifetime.” When he wrote this song he was just starting out as a songwriter. Many people didn’t believe he would be successful in that industry. And he told himself to go for it because he loved to write and sing and this was his chance. He wasn’t going to back down. This song inspires me to keep going when something is tough. I also listen to it before sports games or meets to get myself motivated to try my hardest and show what I can really do (even if it starts to feel like I can’t do anymore). This song reminds me to aim high and to do my best to get there and to never give up until I do. This is my favorite work of art because I feel like I can relate to it whenever I need to, or just whenever I listen to this song. It's also my favorite because it keeps me motivated and reminds me that things do get better once you work our way through the rough spots.
Every four years, the world gathers together to compete in the biggest competition known, the Olympics. Every time we sit down and watch the various sports played, we see athletes who have trained their entire life experience the highs and the lows that their sport delivers to them. Of the many sports watched, Gymnastics is one of the most common. When people watch gymnastics they see grace, poise, and a good attitude given off by the various athletes competing. What the viewers do not see is the stressful years of their life leading up to their performances. My favorite work of art, “All Chalked Up”, by Jennifer Sey, depicts those hard moments that these “fearless” gymnasts have to go through.
Jennifer Sey was an Elite gymnast who won multiple titles such as National Gymnastics Champion of 1986. Though she did not win the Olympics, she still had the struggles of any other gymnast there. In her book, she exposed the strive for perfection and the measures that either her or her teammates would take to reach it.
"My entire life was plagued by thoughts of subparness. I never felt good enough. Just one notch shy of perfection, one slot shy of number one." This excerpt from her book is just one of the heartbreaking things that Sey wrote in her journal as a young thirteen year old. Later in the book, Sey delivers detailed instances of bulimia, sabotaging, and politics.
I personally like this book because I was a competitive gymnast my entire life. I started out when I was 3 and I quit when I was 14. I reached Level 9, the second highest level. (There were 10 levels total.) Even though my teammates nor I ever experienced an eating disorder, I can relate completely to the piece. No one sees what happens behind the curtains; behind the grace of the sport. I had to deal with the politics and the sabotaging of coaches and teammates, which is something that a girl my age never should have had to go through. Although there is much controversy of whether or not the book is true, I believe firmly that not one aspect of it is a lie, for I have experienced it. To me, this is one the best, most true books ever written, and although a reader who has not been in it will ever experience it, they can catch a glimpse of the true struggles of an Elite gymnast.
Along with many other people in the world, I’m always listening to music. A song really strikes my attention when it has a good beat, vocals, mood, and most importantly message. My wide variety of music makes it hard for me to have the same favorite song for more than a week but one of my favorites has to be “Good Life” by One Republic. I heard this song on the radio one morning last summer on the way to work and at first it really didn’t catch my attention but the more I heard it on the radio it began to grow on me. To me the overall message in this song is to cherish all the good moments in life. One verse of the song says, “Sometimes there’s airplanes I can’t jump out. Sometimes there’s … that don’t work now. We are god of stories, but please tell me what there is to complain about?” This verse of the song says to me that sometimes we let fear stop us from doing what we want to do and sometimes we have those days where nothing we do turns out as we planned. We all have countless stories of all the messed up situations we’ve gotten into but we also have to remember the good times and be thankful for them.
After hearing about the surprisingly large amount of “fine arts” that were posted on Schoolsville in class, I decided to be an individualist and pick a “popular art” to add some variety. It wasn’t easy to choose, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was certainly a tempting subject, but in the end I chose a work of art which I first heard at an early age. I was about four or five when I first heard Pearl Jam’s inaugural album Ten and I couldn’t help but listen to it again and again. As good as it was, I eventually moved on to other CDs and cassette tapes which my dad hoarded in our basement. It wasn’t until I got my iPod in the fourth grade and burned the CD to my computer that I began to listen to it again. Apart from the 30 seconds and 4 and a half minutes of strange or no sounds at the beginning and end of the CD respectively, it’s a solid album with a balance between the hard and fast style of “Even Flow” and the slower softer sounds of “Black”. Throughout every song, guitar is featured prominently with heavy riffs which somehow blend with the lyrics to create a feeling of them being intertwined. Complimenting the heavy guitar riffs the drums and bass keep the beat up and give each song a unique feel. Eddie Vedder’s lyrics stay on the darker side, with many of his lyrics talking about things like murder and homelessness. Not being one for lyrics myself, I usually treat them as if they were just another instrument and allow them to blend with other instruments in the background. That’s probably easy because, to say the least, the lyrics don’t make any sense. Overall, it’s a solid album and it has been my favorite by Pearl Jam since I was just a little kid. Ten remains one of my favorite albums and “works of art” even after all these years, I’m even listening to bits of it as I write.
When I think of art, the first thing that comes to my mind is a painting or drawing. But, art can also be in music, movies, TV, and sports, and my favorite work of art is a song. Actually, lots of songs by one artist: Marshal Mathers; but you may know him as Slim Shady or Eminem. Now you may say something like rap isn’t even music, but if you listen to what Eminem is saying, you’ll find it is. Eminem, unlike other rappers who rap about drugs and sex, raps about things like life, struggles, and comebacks. I listen to Eminem’s song Till I Collapse before every big sporting event because it is the kind of song that can really fire you up, and Eminem’s song Not Afraid is a great example of a song with a message. In it, Eminem says: “I just can’t keep livin this way, so starting today, I’m breaking out of this cage. I'm standing up imma face my demons I’m manning up imma hold my ground. I’ve had enough, now I’m so fed up; time to put my life back together right now.” This, to me, means that if you ever get down and you feel like things are all going wrong, you need to pick yourself up, and put your life back together. This really speaks to me, because at the beginning of last school year, my parents got a divorce. What a way to start freshman year. But, like the song says, you have to pick yourself up and put your life back together. That song was my favorite song for pretty much that whole school year. Lots of Eminem’s other songs have great messages too, like in Mocking Bird, where he sings for his daughter and shows how much he loves her. Another great message is in Eminem’s song Stan, a song about an obsessed fan. This is one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard, and it really makes you think. So, to sum it all up, I really don’t have one favorite work of art, but I do have a favorite artist: Marshal Mathers.
Music means the world to me, and is by far my favorite branch of art. Every morning I wake up to the sound of Mumford & Sons, Plug in Stereo, or OneRepublic. Walking into school, Kid Cudi or Eminem resounds in my ears. At night, I let the melodies of Jay Brennan and The Script take me to another place, another time. All music is unique and rich with the artist’s experiences and personalities, but no album has ever come close to affecting me like Jack Johnson’s In Between Dreams. Each song is beautiful and original by itself, but the entire collection flows; the songs play off of one another to create one incredible piece of art. I was first introduced to this album in the summer of 2005. I was nine years old and my idea of music at the time was *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. I was bored out of my mind because all my friends had abandoned me for far-away resorts and beaches, so, like any nine-year-old, I decided to get on the computer. I was on the Google home page when I came across a raving review for the album, saying that first-time artist Jack Johnson was a genius. I fell in love with the soulful, beachy music that made me feel so peaceful and happy immediately, and that day I played the songs over and over again until my computer had enough, and promptly crashed. In Between Dreams shaped my personality, and made me more open to other types of music, and the day that I discovered my favorite piece of art will always be a cherished memory.
My favorite work of art has to be the movie "Rush Hour." When I first saw this movie I was immediately in love with it. It is a hilarious comedy with Jackie Chan, a cop from Beijing and Chris Tucker, a LAPD cop who are looking for a Chinese ambassador's daughter who was kidnapped and held for ransom. This is my favorite work because of how funny it is with its witty banter and its incredible action sequences. Another reason this is my favorite piece of art is the development of the plot and the characters. In the beginning, Chris Tucker has no real respect for Jackie Chan because he wants to handle the kidnapping case all by himself. However, near the end, they become best friends and go on vacation together and the second movies starts at that point. It also makes me think how people can learn about other peoples' culture like how Chris Tucker learned about Jackie Chan and his Chinese backgrounds. And after this awesome movie was made, they made a sequel which was also equally as funny, but the first one is my favorite because it was one of the first pg-13 movies I have ever seen.
I respect and am fascinated by all different forms of fine art. I wouldn’t exactly say music is my passion, or even my favorite art form, but there is one song that I heard when I was young that vastly intrigued me. The song “All the Small Things” was released in the album “Enema of the State” by the band Blink 182 in 1999. However, I never actually heard the song until I was about 5 or 6 years old. I wasn’t really into music at the time, but my ten-year old sister listened to music nonstop. She mostly listened to pop and boy bands like NSYNC, which I didn’t like at all. However, for some reason, she also liked a lot of songs by the punk/rock band Blink 182. This confused me because Blink 182 was known to be crazy, humorous, and basically the exact opposite of a boy band, yet my sister still enjoyed their music. I think Blink 182’s music was so popular because it brought a sense of comical relief to the music industry while still getting across a great message. “All the Small Things” really stuck out because of its catchiness and its beat. Usually I’d be more attracted to Blink 182’s other songs like “What’s My Age Again” because of their rebellious nature. I guess I loved this song in particular just because I felt so awesome listening to it when I was a child.
At the end of my eighth grade year, my class took a four-day trip to Boston, Massachusetts, of which was concluded with a visit to see the Boston Pops. This was an orchestral performance accompanied with solos of every sort from young musicians. The last, however, was of a very shy, young girl, that slowly approached the center of the stage. She sang the song “Glitter in the Air” by Pink, and unlike any other performance of the night, it completely captivated me. Not only did she have a great voice, but she also moved every person watching. As she went deeper into the song, she found courage, and confidence, but most importantly herself, onstage, while her voice grew to be very powerful. For myself and many people watching, it was very inspirational, and I now associate this song, which has become of my favorites, with the experience.
Listening to the song, I couldn’t help but take in the lyrics, which are very inspirational as well. The song is about taking chances, and trusting that good things will happen in return. It speaks of perfect, defining moments that will stay with you forever. The title itself is about opening up and letting go, completely at risk, but worth every second of it. The song was very true to how she felt onstage that night, and just being in the room, I was able to feel too. I love this song because it makes me feel and serene and cheerful, and it takes me back to that night whenever I hear it. Not only did the performance inspire me, but also how the song related to the performance. The song continues to move me because of what she felt, and I felt from watching. “Glitter in the Air” will always be one of my favorite works of art.
I was never a sitcom person until I first started watching my favorite work of art. A special sitcom caught my eye actually on accident and that show was Community. The first time I watched this show was about two months ago when I was with my mother and brother simply channel surfing until we stopped on NBC where the show Community was on. Immediately, the show captivated me. The show was a gut-busting comedy full of clever jokes and a plot that I find genius. Community revolves around Jeff Winger, a former lawyer, whose license is now “less than legitimate” and he must renew it at Greendale Community College, a college that according to Jeff, “Is a school that correspondent schools make fun of.” He first meets Abed Nadir, a friendly man in his early 20s, who is completely obsessed with pop culture. What makes Abed special is that he can “read” people and find out a person’s tiniest details. Jeff asks Abed about Britta, a girl in Spanish class who he likes. Jeff finds out from Abed that Britta is struggling in Spanish and needs help so Jeff poses as a Spanish tutor and creates a fake study group. At first, Jeff enters the Study Group Room with just himself and Britta. Later, Abed shows up and Jeff leaves for a text message but comes back with four more people. Jeff tries to squeeze his way out of the situation by ditching the group but instead messes with the group’s emotions so that he can go on a date with Britta. After corrupting his study group, Britta realizes what Jeff did and she refuses to have anything to do with him. Feeling bad, Jeff goes back to the group, and being a lawyer, gives the most convincing speech about staying together. In the end, Jeff’s study group stays together ready to brave whatever Greendale has to throw at them. As the show progresses, the study group becomes a family and has viewers, including myself, feeling connected to Jeff and his friends. Every episode is unique, creative, and always leaves me wanting more which is why I love this show so much.
It takes a lot for movies to make me feel as emotional as other works of art, but one movie in particular really stood out as spectacular in all aspects that a movie should. The dramatic and intense story of Titanic is truly my favorite work of art. One of the things I like best about Titanic is that it shows the story of the ship’s sinking through the eyes of the highest class and the lowest class of people. It’s strong dialogue and fresh storyline keeps the movie interesting as mostly a drama, but manages to keep the movie from becoming boring. I also like the movie because of the excellent acting performance given by all of the actors. Their dialogue and facial expressions were perfect for their characters and gave the feeling of reality that most other movies only come close to. Another aspect of the movie that I really enjoy is the fact that it starts out as a simple search to find a precious diamond and flows smoothly into flashbacks of Rose’s life on the ship. The final part of the movie that makes it my favorite is the music, which beautifully conveys emotions that the characters or audience is feeling. Because of the sensational quality of the movie, Titanic remains as my favorite work of art.
I have always found Ancient Greek Mythology very interesting. I like how the Greeks used Mythology to explain everyday occurrences. For example, the Ancient Greeks explained lightning as the mighty god Zeus throwing lightning bolts from Mount Olympus. AnotherProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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hing I find interesting about Greek Mythology is all the Mythical creatures within the Myths, like Hydras, Chimeras, Cyclops, and many more. Back when I was in sixth grade we did a unit on Greek Mythology in our English class, during which we read the epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, both by the Ancient Greek author Homer. Due to the fact that I was only in sixth grade, we read simpler versions of the epics, but I still enjoyed reading them greatly. Though both epic poems were very good I definitely liked The Odyssey better. This is because it was about Odysseus’s epic adventure to return home, while The Iliad was about the Trojan War. Even though the war was interesting, I found Odysseus’s journey home to be more enjoyable to read. In The Odyssey, Odysseus has to brave many setbacks on his journey back home after the end of the Trojan War, including blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus, causing Poseidon, the god of the seas, to be his enemy, loosing all of his men, being held on Calypso’s and Circe’s islands for many years, and facing other deadly enemies and monsters. Then when he finally does return home he finds it overrun with suitors for his wife, which he has to get rid of. I would definitely consider The Odyssey one of my favorite pieces of fine art.
I have enjoyed reading ever since I was young. My favorite book, and favorite work of art, is the novel Pillage by Obert Skye. I first read the novel several years ago in grade school. It was actually my brother who first discovered the novel. He bought it at a Scholastic book fair. He soon forgot about it, and I decided to pick it up. I am glad that I did. Pillage is an excellent novel for many reasons, mostly because of its creativity.
The plot revolves around a boy named Beck, who goes to live with his uncle after his mother dies. He soon discovers that his uncle lives in a giant mansion, filled with mystery. He soon becomes suspicious because although the mansion is huge, his uncle has few helpers and remains a recluse in his attic. He and his friends try to solve the mysteries of the mansion and find out what is happening.
Pillage is my favorite novel because of how cleverly the story is written. Much of the novel revolves around Beck trying to find the answers to his questions about his uncle and the rest of his family, which leads to a climax that goes beyond anything he could have imagined. There are several surprise twists near the end, which are cleverly woven into the plot. Pillage is an excellent novel that is truly a great work of art.
One of my favorite works of art is Rent, the movie production of the Broadway musical. It tells the story of a group of friends struggling to pay their rent in the East Village of New York City during the 1990s.
The movie opens with the cast standing on stage singing, sans dancing or theatricals, the inspiring song “Seasons of Love.” A sort of preview, the incredible vocals leave the audience waiting for more. The songs range from heartbreaking declarations of love to loud, euphoric celebrations. The actors, most members of the original Broadway cast, are quintessential Bohemians. All evoke emotion from the moment we meet them. The plot flows effortlessly; it is obviously well-written. The movie is also controversial, addressing such topics as sexuality, cross-dressing, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, none of these issues seem forced or exaggerated. Rather, scenes like the AIDS support group make you relate to seemingly normal people struggling to live their lives with the disease. The song lyrics are astute, witty, cautionary, and heart-wrenching, sometimes all at once.
Rent appeals to me both intellectually and emotionally. It makes me wonder what it would be like to be in a position where I can’t pay last year’s rent, as two tenants boldly declare in one song. The movie also makes me cry nearly every time I watch it. The singers’ undeniable talent gives me chills and, coupled with the moving lyrics, makes for an amazing soundtrack. With its affecting script and songs performed by faultless actors, the musical Rent inspires joy, sadness, and reflection.
When asked to write a response comment about our favorite art I thought it would be rather easy to do so, but instead I found it to be the exact opposite. After much contemplation, I have decided that my favorite work of art is the song, Strobe, by an artist who goes be the name of deadmau5. Even though, Strobe is, in my opinion, the most beautifully orchestrated songs in all history, you will not find it on any local radio station. This is because deadmau5 is a progressive-trance and house producer. At this point, I think it is important to tell you that I like the type of music that most will coin ‘techno.’ I love every song and genre that is included in the energetic and peculiar world of electronic music, and Strobe is no excuse. Though there are absolutely no words whatsoever throughout the whole ten minutes and thirty-seven seconds of the song, it somehow seems to speak to me. The calming vibe helps me to think and just get caught up and lost in my own world. Strobe also helps me to become completely serene as well as providing rejuvenating energy. How is this you may ask? This feeling is provided solely by the anatomy of the song. Strobe is put together with a serene and melodic intro and outro. Yet, the climax of the song remains unexplainably lifting and provides the listener with an unfound euphoria. After actually dissecting down the ways Strobe makes me feel and think, I think I can say that it appeals to me both emotionally and intellectually. Most may never understand how ‘techno’ can make me feel this way, but then again, most people haven’t given electronic music a chance. So, if you get a chance, give it a try. Who knows, you may have the same passion for the same fantastic ‘pop’ art that I do.
Growing up, I listened to a variety of music, from classical to rock, country to pop. I never really favored one genre over the other, and I never really attached myself to specific artists like a true passionate and dedicated fan. Playing piano for 12 years broadened my fondness for different kinds of music, realizing how much talent it really took to create and sing a good song. Surprisingly enough, one of the songs my Mom replayed repetitively in the car during my toddler years was a famed Filipino song "Pagdating Ng Panahon" which literally translates to English as "When Time Comes." Even though I'm Filipino myself, I honestly don't like most Filipino songs, but I have a select few, this one included. Not only does the lyrics and acoustic instrumentals absorb my attention but the soothing rhythm of the song captivates me as well. The perfect combination of her rhythmic blend of her pure harmonic voice with the guitar really enchants me. Like most Filipino songs, this piece has that karaoke type of background, something I don't usually favor, but the lyrics and her soft voice never cease to amaze me. This is also a strange favorite of mine, because it's a mushy song, a very hopeless romantic type of piece.The voice of the artist is real and natural and the easy-going guitar that follows her voice in the background really has a calming effect and literally mesmerizes you if you have a true infatuation for love songs, or just appreciate different kinds of songs like me. This song's intention can relate to anyone in some sort of experience in your life, whether it's happening to you or your friend or maybe you really miss someone or something that's been gone out of your life for too long. The true meaning of this beautiful love song was to express dedicated and true love to another person, saying that they will be willing to wait for them no matter how long as long as they were together in the end.
At first this question puzzled me which is ironic because since my mom is an art teacher, you would figure I would have at least ten favorite pieces of art already picked out in my head just waiting to jump out. I thought about music but I really don't have just one favorite song. Instead I started to make a list of celebrities I admire hoping to figure out something, and I found that they all had something in common. Seth Meyers, Andy Samberg, Will Ferrel, Tina Fey, and let's not forget my personal favorite, Kenan Thompson. The one thing they had in common is one of the best and most hilarious forms of expression of all time- Saturday Night Live.
What makes Saturday Night Live one of my favorite television shows is that there are many special, unique qualities to the show that no other show possesses. Instead of just following a fantasy plot line, the skits incorporate current events that are taking place near the time of the airing date. The show is live which makes the extraordinary acting that much better. There are always live performances by famous singers and bands, as well as a celebrity host that changes every week who also performs in the skits. Having a new host each week makes each show different than the last. Finally the best part to Saturday Night Live is that it is enjoyable to a wide variety of people. Whether you're older and remember the “Cheeburger Cheeburger” skit, or you're younger, like me, and have seen the “What's up with that” skit. Either way, something entertaining draws viewers from all ages to watch SNL and makes it almost impossible not to love this show.
I believe that art does not have to be limited to paintings or sculptures. Art is the expression of your creativity in whatever you do. The creativity of the television show “Doctor Who” is what makes it my favorite work of art. “Doctor Who” is a British science fiction television show that started in 1963 and was relaunched in 2005. It is about a man, the Doctor, and the TARDIS, a box that lets him travel through time. This is a great work of art because of the imagination put into the show. The writers of the show are not limited by anything because in this show the Doctor can go anywhere and anytime, making it feel new and original every episode. One of my favorite episodes of this show was called “Blink” it was about a girl who gets interested in photographing an old house and the monsters in the house with her. The monsters in the house were called the Weeping Angels they are very old creatures that turn to stone when they are being watched, but if you looked away or even blinked they would be right on top of you. The episode was all about the Doctor helping her escape the house and trap the angels. This episode is one of the first that I can clearly remember because of how much it freaked me out when I first watched it. This television show can utilize both humor and horror in the same episode making it very fun to watch. This is my favorite art because of how much it changes from episode to episode keeping me very entertained every time I watch it.
As young children everyone aspires to save the world. The film The Dark Knight expresses this desire by telling the story of the super hero Bat Man and his arch nemesis The Joker. The epic Bat Man lives the dream by heroically protecting the inhabitants of Gotham City from the forces of evil. However, when you really think about it, are his gifts truly a blessing; or a curse in disguise? Along with the cape comes a world of super-sized problems. The responsibility to the citizens of Gotham, many of whom both revere and mistrust the vigilantly hero, calling upon him in their time of need but readily shunning him when they deem themselves safe, is overwhelming. Also within the movie there is a love triangle between Bat Man, Harvey Dent, the town mayor, and Rachel, the female protagonist. The circumstances and manipulation used by the Joker to exploit the emotions of these three characters, as well as other characters in similar emotionally precarious situations, is portrayed in such a heartbreakingly realistic and honest way it makes you wonder if you would have the selflessness and strength to make decisions that don't have right answers. Most of all, the movie asks you the question, "Which side of yourself will you act on?" The good side? The bad side? It shows in full detail the difficulties and sacrifices you must makes to live on the light side, but it shows the decay and corruption of the dark at the same time. The amazing storyline and messages put in throughout the plot, as well as the brilliant acting by Christian Bale and Heath Ledger are only a few of the reasons The Dark Knight is one of my favorite works of art.
I first saw the show Les Miserables with my father at the DuPont Theatre. I was eleven years old, and I loved it. Les Miserables takes place during the French Revolution. The play follows the life of the main character, Jean Valjean. He is a thief who has been put in jail for nineteen years. He serves his time and is put on parole by Javert, the policeman. Valjean goes on parole and is helped by a Bishop. He ends up stealing from the Bishop, but the Bishop lies to save him and says that Valjean stole nothing from him. After this experience, Valjean decides to become a good man. Eight years pass, and Valjean now has a new identity and is a mayor and a rich factory owner. He becomes partly responsible for the death of one of his workers, and promises to care for her child. Jalvert has been searching for Valjean and finally finds him, but Valjean escapes. Later, Valjean finds the child, Cosette, and takes her away and raises her. Nine more years pass, and Cosette is now a young woman. Paris is in an uproar and the French Revolution is beginning. Cosette falls in love with Marius, one of the students that want freedom for the poor people of France. Tension continues to rise, and eventually there is a battle between the poor and the government. Many die, but Marius and Valjean survive. Jalvert commits suicide because even after the years of him trying to get Valjean back in jail, he still lets Jalvert live. Marius and Cosette marry, and soon after Valjean dies a peaceful death. I would say that this is my favorite work of art because of what I learned and what I felt. This play taught me about the French Revolution and the people during that time. This play made me feel emotional. I felt for the French peasants and the abuse they were feeling. I was moved to tears when the peasants died for their freedom. The love that the people felt for each other, and Valjean’s transformation into a good man, made me happy. And there were even funny parts that I had to laugh at! Les Miserables is an amazing play that teaches people to fight for what they believe in, and it is definitely my favorite work of art.
There are billions of films out there today in the world. Some make you weep, laugh, cry, think, etc etc. But one movie stands so far above the rest, it cannot even be included in the genre of "movies". Try "epics". Maybe "Legends". My favorite work of art of all time is without a doubt "Remember The Titans", the Disney classic that is based on an actual football team in Virginia during the push for civil rights for African Americans. Although I do not play football anymore, this movie is still one of those movies i could watch like every day! I can recite any quote...i can go for hours laying down lines from the movie. "You never listen to nobody man! not even doc or boone! Shiver push on the line every time and you blow right past em! Push em! Pull em! Do something!"... "You want me to stick my neck out for the team?! What team!"..."You talkin to my girl?" "Well, i don't see any livestock around here so i don't know what ya'll talkin bout!" Man i can go for hours. I almost got kicked out of Health last year when we watched it because i said every line! It's one of those movies that grabs you, no matter how many times you watch it, and doesn't let you go until you see the Titans celebrating their state championship. It is about these boys, who hate each in the beginning, coming together and changing the town they live in forever, proving that blacks and whites can be friends, and can work together. The movie has this "Never Quit" attitude, and tells you to stand up for what you believe in. It makes your heart pump faster with every Titans touchdown, and makes you want to get on that gridiron with Julius and Gary and Blue and Petey. The hilarious parts ("Man don't you know me and Bertier's momma went out on the TOWN last night!"), the dramatic parts ("Maybe now you seen a little of what my girls go through everyday. Welcome to my life, Yoast."), and the sad parts ("I shoulda been with you man"..."What are you talking about? you would have been in the bed right next to me.") has the viewer, whether it be his 404th time watching it (like me) or his first, on the edge of their seat, rooting on the T.C. Williams High School Titans. This movie is definitely going to be the first I show to my kids. It shows that if you pursue to your goal through all the trials and tribulations, no matter how hard it may seem or how easy it is to quit, the outcome is phenomenal. "Make them remember...forever! The night they played the Titans!"
To me, I have always found music to be a very profound form of art. Throughout my life, I have gone through listening to varying genres of music. I have always been in a home where music is a big part of all of our lives, especially rock. One song in particular has always struck me and its message for me has changed throughout time. The song is called “Hear You Me” by Jimmy Eat World. The first time I heard this song was during the movie “A Cinderella Story”. While this movie did not have much of a deep meaning and some would call it “just another chick flick”, the song really tells a different story. I recently identified strongly with “Hear You Me” when my Grandma was going through several intensive heart surgeries. While she made it through the surgeries, the feeling that at any moment she could be gone was definitely scary. The lyrics “So what would you think of me now? So lucky, so strong, so proud; I never said thank you for that,” made me realize that I need to appreciate the people in my life and tell them that I do realize all that they have done for me. Personally, music hits me on a much deeper level than the fine arts do. This song will probably be one of my favorite works of art for years to come.
When most people think about art, they probably think of paintings or sculptures. Maybe to even a few people, dance would come to mind. But when you think of dance as an art, you probably think of ballet or tap. Dance is not limited to these types, however, it also includes Irish dance. When I was seven years old, my mom enrolled me in my very first Irish step dancing class. At first it started out as any dance class would. But soon I entered the competition circuit, competing both individually and as a team. The more awards I won, the more motivated I was and my love for the sport grew. One night, my mom dressed my sister and I in fancy clothes and pinned our hair up in our Irish dancing wigs. We had no idea what to expect as we took our front row seats in the Hotel DuPont. As the curtains opened, Lord of the Dance came to life before us. Lord of the Dance is the story of an Irish folktale depicting the struggle between good and evil. The dancers appeared to soar through the air as they leaped across the stage. The air echoed with the thunder of hundreds of hardshoes in perfect rhythm. The incredible feeling as the lead dancer acknowledged me and my sister in the crowd is a feeling I will never forget. It is because of this experience that the Lord of the Dance will always be my favorite work of art and my motivation to pursue my love of the art of Irish dance.
As a lover of fun and wacky art, I enjoy looking at Holton Rower’s 3D abstract works of art. He does “Pour” Painting, where he takes cups of acrylic paint and pours them over plywood. The result is, oddly enough, a whole lot more interesting than it sounds. These paintings do not have titles and are all quite interesting, but the one that most appeals to me is the first one on the page on his website. (To see these paintings, go to holtonrower.com. And on Youtube, there is a video of the making of one of his works of art; simply type in “tall painting” and it is the first video.) I love the colors and way the lines travel across the painting, but what I really like is the fact that something as simple as pouring paint onto plywood could look that cool. Another thing that draws me to this painting is quirkiness of it—it isn’t symmetrical, and the color scheme isn’t limited to any one family of color. Some areas are red and yellow, giving the painting energy; and other sections make use of cool colors to balance out the reds.For me, this painting gives me something to look at when I want to smile. It’s different, eccentric, and a little out-there. It’s simple, making it easy to look at. The collection of paintings as a whole just goes to show that some of the simplest of ideas, such as pouring paint over wood, can really make for an interesting piece of artwork.
My favorite work of art can only be seen at night but is always there. To me it is the biggest and most beautiful work of art. It is around ninety three billion light years across I am talking about the universe. One of my favorite things to go outside and just look out upon the sparkling stars. No matter how angry I am I can always be relaxed by looking out into the mesmerizing night sky. The universe also is one of the most fascinating things to watch. Occasionally I see shooting stars or meteor showers. And if I am really lucky I can take out a telescope and find a planet in view. You can see galaxies spinning millions of light years away. And it makes you think in the grand scheme of things how insignificant we are. And it also makes us feel thankful to be in our little corner of our own galaxy with the closest non Sun star being thousands of light years away. The main point of art is to make you feel or think a certain thing and the universe does this and more. It leaves you awestruck in its magnificence and beauty.
I have never really had an understanding of the “fine” arts such as paintings and theatre. But I have always loved to watch movies. One of my all-time favorite movies is the movie Saving Private Ryan (1998) by Steven Spielberg.
This movie opens with the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. During this invasion, two brothers are killed. Then the Army Chief of Staff, George Marshall, finds that earlier, in New Guinea, a third brother was killed in action (KIA). Unfortunately, their mother receives all three telegrams on the same day. Hoping to alleviate her pain, Mr. Marshall sends out a group of 8 men to bring him a fourth brother back safely. He does this knowing that it is highly unlikely that Private Ryan would still be alive because of where he is stationed.
This movie is one of my favorites for a couple of reasons. The first reason is because this movie brings the reality of history's bloodiest war into the homes of ordinary people, but it also brings into light the reality of broken and lost families in a time of devastating war. It makes you think about all war in general. As in the movie, most wars can tear families apart from each other. The second reason is that it plays with our emotions. One minute you’re on the edge of your seat because of all the action, and the next you’re a little disturbed and upset at all the death and destruction.
My favorite piece of art has to be John Hughes’ classic 1985 film, The Breakfast Club. Before The Breakfast Club, I had watched Hughes’ 1986 picture, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which became a favorite of mine. I was then interested in searching for more movies by this director, and I stumbled upon The Breakfast Club. As I watched it, I was amazed at how relatable I was to the situations of the characters, and the characters themselves. The Breakfast Club is all about five high school students who are stuck in Saturday detention. These five characters are nothing alike, and at first it seems as if getting through the day with each other would be unbearable. After warming up to each other, each character slowly reveals more and more about themselves, and you get to see how personable they really are. This is my favorite movie because one minute you’re laughing out loud and the crazy antics one of them performs, and the next you’re feeling the characters pain as they describe their own personal struggles. The cast in this movie is outstanding, including well known actors such as Emilio Estevez and Molly Ringwold. I find that I can relate in many different ways o the scenarios in this movie, and that is why I consider it one of my favorite works of art.
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