Module Eight: Video Reviews

From the list of videos we could choose from, I chose The Measure of all Things: Greek Art and the Human Figure. I guess I have always been intrigued by Greek art and their attraction to the human body, which inspired me to choose that video. From More Human Than Human, the main concept addressed was the idea that the human body is all around us, including in the art world. Throughout time, and according to different cultures, the human body was defined in different ways. Some cultures such as those in Austria and Egypt made images of the human body unrealistic, by exaggerating certain parts or creating unrealistic body movements. For the Greeks they evolved to become incredibly realistic in their interpretation of the human body. Their sculptures were realistic and life-like. The idea of humans having an instinct to exaggerate the human body was described as being wired in our brains. In The Measure of all Things: Greek Art and the Human Figure the Greek interpretation of the human body was elaborated on. Sculptures of the human form done by the Greeks are shown over time, but one thing remains constant: the Greeks were obsessed with the human form. In the beginning, sculptures were not as realistic, but as time went on, Greek sculptures of the human body became realistic. Some of the chapters we have read in the text all have something pertaining to the human body in it whether it is sculpture, painting or photography. This just shows how all art forms and artists evolve around the beauty and the ever changing interpretation of the human body. I actually enjoyed watching From More Human Than Human because it began with describing different Venus sculptures, then to Egyptian sculpture, then to Greek. Finally the author wrapped the whole concept together by relating it to the experiment with the birds and the yellow stick with red stripes. I agree with the experiment seeing as it makes sense to think that we have an instinct to be drawn to an exaggerated view of something we see in every day life.