Franz Roh’s writings serve as both an informative and comparative piece on post expressionist art and the concept of magical realism. This new direction of painting is done in a more abstract way that seems to provide a deeper meaning to the images painted on the canvas than just their face value. The term magic realism itself is used to describe this ornate style of painting as it “hides and palpitates the represented world.” In this text, Roh evaluates the differences between the different expressions of art such as music, architecture, and paintings, and also evaluates the differences in the painting styles used. He indicates the key attributes that distinguish this new form of painting from other forms like cubism, expressionism, and realism. “Post-expressionism sought to reintegrate reality into the heart of visibility.” This new form of art “becomes once again the mirror of palpable exteriority.” Feelings and emotions are more easily influenced by this post-expressionist form of painting in a way that makes viewer feel both scintillated and aware of the objective world. This new form of art makes the viewer of the paintings appreciate the art in its finest fashion rather than “take it for granted.”
Flores takes a look at the progression and history of Latin American artistic expression throughout history and identifies magical realism as Latin America's bread and butter. Flores indicates that the magical realist movement as occurring during the 1930's and being led by writers such as Kafka. He describes this movement as being a culmination of both fantasy and realism in a manner that effectively illustrates the world we live in. The expression is viewed as strange, but real and detailed at the same time by Flores. Flores argues that this movement intensified and reached its pinnacle of achievement between 1940 and 1950. In reference to the magnitude of this movement, Flores states "we may claim, without apologies, that Latin America is no longer in search of its expression, to use Henriquez Urena's phrase- we may claim that Latin America now possesses an authentic expression, one that is uniquely civilized, exciting, and let us hope, perennial." Flores's writing evaluates both the details and effects of the magical realist movement.
Leal's writings seem to support that of Flores in the sense that it supports magical realism as being both a distinguished and effective means of art that is innately Latin American. However, Leal does not agree that the movement was started in 1935 or with Flores's definition of magical realism. He defines magical realism as "an attitude toward reality that can be expressed in popular or cultured forms, in elaborate or rustic styles, in closed or open structures." This list of apparent contradictions illustrates the unique nature of this artistic expression. Magical realists are not seeking to create a new world, but rather explain and untangle the realities we find most perplexing. Leal identifies theme in works of magical realism as a cornerstone to this movement. Leal masterfully describes magical realists as not attempting "to copy the surrounding reality or to wound it, but seize the mystery that breathes behind things." Leal's writing serves as a condemnation to several of Flores's arguments, a well written and supported description of his definition of magical realism, and an insightful look into this, at times, confusing movement.
Franz Roh’s writings serve as both an informative and comparative piece on post expressionist art and the concept of magical realism. This new direction of painting is done in a more abstract way that seems to provide a deeper meaning to the images that he paints on the canvas than just their face value. The term magic realism itself is used to describe this ornate style of painting as it “hides and palpitates the represented world.” In this text, Roh evaluates the differences between the expressions of art such as music, architecture, and paintings, and also evaluates the differences in the painting styles used. He indicates the key attributes that distinguish this new form of painting from other forms like cubism, expressionism, and realism. “Post-expressionism sought to reintegrate reality into the heart of visibility.” This new form of art “becomes once again the mirror of palpable exteriority.” Feelings and emotions are more easily influenced by this post-expressionist form of painting in a way that makes the viewer feel both scintillated and aware of the objective world. This new form of art makes the viewer of the paintings appreciate the art in its finest fashion rather than “take it for granted.” Roh emphasizes that there is no need to paint ordinary objects as they have already been reproduced in the past. Roh’s vision and artwork represent the fundamental aspects of magical realism in a captivating light.
ReplyDeleteFlores takes a look at the progression and history of Latin American artistic expression throughout history and identifies magical realism as Latin America's bread and butter. Flores indicates that the magical realist movement as occurring during the 1930's and being led by writers such as Kafka. He describes this movement as being a culmination of both fantasy and realism in a manner that effectively illustrates the world we live in. The expression is viewed as strange, but real and detailed at the same time by Flores. Flores argues that this movement intensified and reached its pinnacle of achievement between 1940 and 1950. In reference to the magnitude of this movement, Flores states "we may claim, without apologies, that Latin America is no longer in search of its expression, to use Henriquez Urena's phrase- we may claim that Latin America now possesses an authentic expression, one that is uniquely civilized, exciting, and let us hope, perennial." Flores's writing evaluates both the details and effects of the magical realist movement.
Leal's writings seem to support that of Flores in the sense that it supports magical realism as being both a distinguished and effective means of art that is innately Latin American. However, Leal does not agree that the movement was started in 1935 or with Flores's definition of magical realism. He defines magical realism as "an attitude toward reality that can be expressed in popular or cultured forms, in elaborate or rustic styles, in closed or open structures." This list of apparent contradictions illustrates the unique nature of this artistic expression. Magical realists are not seeking to create a new world, but rather explain and untangle the realities we find most perplexing. Leal identifies theme in works of magical realism as a cornerstone to this movement. Leal masterfully describes magical realists as not attempting "to copy the surrounding reality or to wound it, but seize the mystery that breathes behind things." Leal's writing serves as a condemnation to several of Flores's arguments, a well written and supported description of his definition of magical realism, and an insightful look into this, at times, confusing movement.