Body image in different periods of art (FIN)

Presentations made by the Finnish students in first and second grade. By clicking the pictures, they will appear larger.

SYMBOLISM

It was born in Belgia and France in the end of 18^th century. It was opposite of naturalism and realism which tell the things just like they are. Symbolists were interested in humans dreams, imagination and soul life. They believed that finding of the great truth demands non-straight ways like symbols and metaphors. In symbolism they were using reduce of surface that decorating expression and simple idealistic greatness can rise bigger.

FAMOUS SYMBOLISTS

A piece of Symbolism are Charles Baudelair’s poem collection Bad flowers. Also Stephane Mallarme, Paul Velraine and Arthur Rimbaud. Original opposite of photographic symbolism for the symbolism of fiction was by Paul Gauguini. He told that not invited idea or experience should perform with artistic ways. Lines and colors weren’t based on true walls. They were clued by own imagination and feelings. Gauguni’s followers developed new ways and theories of expression.

SYMBOLISM IN FINLAND

In Finland symbolism was mixed with the Karelianism. Finland’s national book Kalevala gave inspiration for the artists, painters and writers. Famous symbolists in Finland were Hugo Simberg, Aino Kallas, Juhani Aho and Eino Leino.

Photo’s name is Gravedigger and death. It has fair and dark shades and it’s a little bit foggy. In the picture performs death above the grave. Death has taken a young woman’s form. Down the grave is a grave digger who is old man. Death is above the grave digger so I think it symbolizes that the death controls people’s life. Man under grave is powerless beside death and those tree branches seem to form some kind of bird cage like the man would be death’s prison.

Human bodies of pictures are skin and fragile. Beautiful ideal is fair skin, long dark hair and a naked body.

Body image in art (FIN)

Body image in Art: Finland

Introduction

As part of the project YEW, our students familiarized themselves with different art periods and studied the body image in the works of these periods in December and January. The art periods were chosen based on the students’ interests and they were also based on the art periods that are dealt with as part of the Finnish arts curriculum in upper secondary school.

The students chose a period that they were interested in and then studied the period in pairs. They chose two works of art and studied the body image that was conveyed through these paintings or sculptures. They also studied differences between male and female representations when it was possible.

The students created PowerPoint-presentations as part of their English lessons and they presented these works to each other. The presentations concentrated more on the students own interpretations of the body images that the paintings and sculptures conveyed, but they also used internet and book sources to support their interpretations. However, it should be kept in mind that the main emphasis of this exercise was to let the students know that the ideals for a beautiful body have changed through the centuries and that there are many kinds of beautiful bodies.  

In addition, our first year students focused on the Finnish art and body image in it as part of their art course. You can also find a summary of the main ideas they studied and some collages and self-portraits that they created in their art course.