Perception

-A contemporary example is ‘the dress’ which is a popular demonstration proving that we all see the world differently. And art is a reminder of this, and not just with use of colour, but with interpretations of subject matter, based on one’s culture, upbringing, ect. It has a great deal to do with social context in which the observer is living in, like how in the 21st century, we behave how the television, media, advertising, tell us how to behave- this is our reality which we are unaware of. Environmental conditioning plays a big part in ones psyche.
When it comes to art, it is widely acknowledged that it challenges our perceptions, whether it be of the world in which we live in, or even just how we perceive an artwork itself.

Perceptions in art that were discussed within the lecture:
-Piero dell Francesca, ‘View of an Ideal City,’ 1470 with the lines of perspective to trick the eye into believing that such a place is real, by creating a virtual world with images projected onto it. It was a scientific way to show how a dream is made, by the use detail and accuracy.

Francesca's 'View of an Ideal City'

Michael Angelo's 'David' 

-Michael Angelo’s statue of ‘David,’ where the head is large, because it is meant to be observed looking up. It is also noted that the size of the hands are large, as it is a verification of the masculinity and fertility, to make up for the modest size of the statures penis, which was and still is not as tolerated in art works
-Rembrandt, ‘The Night watch’ 1642, the expressions and the catching of a moment, which hadn’t been done before in art. Also the use of chiaroscuro- the light and dark used in the renaissance, which alters what the onlooker sees as the main focus of the painting.
Also known for self-portrait, Rembrandt’s painted himself how he perceived himself, not like a heroic figure, instead he demonstrates empathy and severity for the human condition.

Duchamp's 'Fountain'

-Moving to more recent times, one of the radical artists, Marcel Duchamp destroys the perception of art itself. He aimed to confront and to be controversial (which he succeeded) with the ‘Fountain,’ saying that art is something you can piss on, but also putting the urinal in a different position and that renders it useless. He has taken the urinals original context and putting in an alien place in which it is recontextualised.
-Andreas Serrano ‘Piss Christ’ 1987, to show that the cross and how Jesus died, he was humiliated and tortured, whereas now, by many people, the cross is revered. This work isn’t so much as challenging perceptions, but reaffirming them and to remind people of what a symbol originally represented.