The Fairies' and 'American Gothic' Comparative Analysis

In this 'The Fairies' and 'American Gothic' analysis essay, we will discuss two artists between 1880- 1960 focusing on their different aesthetic approach in Modernism and the influence which resulted in their approach. As a citizen of an era of technology and media, we are presented more visual representation in our lives than ever. It is undoubtedly that our social, political, cultural and economic surrounding influences us greatly on our aesthetical judgements. However, as an artist of the modernistic culture universal beauty is no longer what they strive for; rather it is their ultimate goal to create representation, emotion and meaning within their works; while bringing pleasure to the audience's eyes. Two of such artist are Grant DeVolson Wood and Nguyen Gia Tri; whilst having completely different ideologies of beauty, they both generate further discussion and debate amongst their artworks.

Grant DeVolson Wood born to Hattie Weaver and Francis Maryville Wood, on a farm near a small town of Anamosa Iowa; was an American painter best known for his paintings depicting the lives of Midwest America especially in his oil on beaverboard painting 'American Gothic'. Wood's history in and large extent shaped his aesthetic process and his distinctive style which bridged a gap between abstract and academic realism. His four trips to Europe where he studied impressionism, and post-impressionism, also influenced him deeply by observing the detailed realistic paintings of various German and Flemish masters of the 16th century; he was encouraged to loosely abandon his impressionist approach and began in the same realistic manners; such include one of Wood's greatest influence, Jan Van Eyck. Eyck's works reinforced Woods' idea to experiment with new aesthetic approaches, techniques and supported Wood's use of new techniques; throughout his life, he continued to admire and learn from fellow artists to create Wood's idealistic American art.

Whilst Wood's works are a pleasure to the site, as a modern regionalist artist, he often embraces deeper meanings and symbolism in his works. 'American Gothic' is one of the most well-known paintings of the 20th-century American art; depicts both his physical and contextual athletic approaches. In 'American Gothic' illustrates his influence by the German and Flemish academic realist masters; through his skilfully coloured subject, yet immobile forms; prearranged patterned surfaces; Use of a simplified and academic theme; subtractive technique and intense colour interactions in his painting. Influences from the 'Carpenter Gothic' style of the 1900s is also evident from the use of the decorative gothic window positioned between the pair's heads in 'American Gothic.' Due to the physical aesthetic approach on the 'pair' raises many questions amongst the art critics, although modelled by were Wood's dentist and his younger sister Nan; the youngish woman and the elder man, who both are earing old conservative clothing, as her eyes are averted, he gazes flatly at the viewer. The identity in the painting, the two-stoned face subject, assumed to be a married couple raises an impressive amount of interest within the audiences.

Wood's explanation of their relationship as a daughter and father that were 'simply invented some 'American Gothic' people to stand in front of a house of this type,' in an extent criticises our preconceived ideas that are based on our current social, economic and cultural surroundings. However, Wood's explanation trigger further debate, is 'American Gothic' a work that reflected America's curiosity towards ambiguity; while titled America, what is represented in it that portrays the American society? As a painting created during the great depression 'American Gothic' may not just be what Wood explained as just a series of aesthetical coincidence in attempt to create an image of the Midwest, but rather a planned irony, a satirical commentary on American identity perceptions; arguing the narrow mindedness of his society in judgment of individuals through 'exterior appearance.'

Having completely social, political, cultural, economic backgrounds which influenced their ideal of beauty and their aesthetic approach in their artwork. Although Grant DeVolson Wood and Nguyen Gia Triexpress their different ideology in the physical beauty, they have many similarities in expressing the meanings and representation of those chosen athletic; in satirical response to their social and political context. His earlier schooling in 'Ecole des Beaux-Arts d'Indochine'] France heavily influenced his artistic style, it funded his knowledge of western art aesthetics and techniques with Oriental aestheticism from his own country. However, Tri's experience in France did not limit his aesthetical approaches in his late paintings; this seed of freedom of expression in his works was planted during his graduation piece. Where the small abandonment of oil on canvas to oil on silk, lead him to further broaden his knowledge of technologies such as foreign engraving and inflating methods; and experimentations on lacquer techniques; development of new colours in lacquer lead him to become a master of his field during his time, and one of the most internationally known artist in Vietnam.

Tri is best known to create an aura of real and surreal between the layers of lacquer in his painting depicting scenes of women and landscape. As well as creating even, reflective and smooth surfaces on his painting like the slang 'a heart like calm water' in Buddhism during meditations. His combination of different elements such as organic and nonorganic environments, water source, figures and sometimes animals forms the painting into a paradise of ideological beauty. This aspect is significantly represented in Tri's lacquer painting 'The Fairies'; as a Vietnamese modernist painter he was heavily influenced by the cultural and custom of his culture; evident through the use of glisten golden colour that creates a sense of balance, homogeneousness and harmony, it highlights the outlines of human bodies and objects in his painting, which directly link back to the Buddhism; where the all mighty gods and goddesses are often depicted in an organic environment with a shimmering golden halo around their figure. Similarly, to Wood's 'American Gothic' Tri creates and visual feast for the audience, using the same European layering technique, but with the addition of Asian aesthetic approach; seen in his traditional ideologies toward the female figure as fair, tender, godly, full of powerful rhythm and submissive at the same time. However, unlike many of Tri's other work 'The Fairies' also features more and more distorted figures merging into the less saturated background, and many ghostly figures that contrasts with the potential fairies in the painting.

This incompatible aesthetical approach in 'The Fairies' may have been a response towards the political climate of his context; such as the criticism of French colonial rule that is also depicted in many of his other paintings. A hint of implicit violence aesthetic can be seen in this painting, through the dynamic flow created by layers of lacquer. This aesthetic also correlates to Tri's satirical symbolism of the French as overly pale figures in the foreground and natives as the distorted and dulled down figures in the background. Through observing the brighter areas of the work depicts a holy, glorified atmosphere from the perspective of the 'fairies', whilst the dimmer area reflected the realistic social climate of the desperation that lays within the national mass. The aesthetic decision of a muddy river as background further portrays Tri's disapproval towards French Indochina; in relation to the reason behind why Vietnam was geographically chosen to be colonialized, due to their locational values; sitting conveniently on an international trade route that connects India, Southeast Asia, China and Japan. The success in representation of eurocentrism expressed in '' The Fairies' due to his choice on aesthetic methods of presentation, further generates discussion within the viewers mind and the world of art critics.

In 'American Gothic' and 'The Fairies', Wood and Tri demonstrated how cultural, social. Economic and political environment may impact on an artist 'aesthetic approaches in Modernism and creation of artworks with multiple layers of meaning. Wood's academic realism and Tri's practise of a combination of European technique, Asian culture and impressionism; although with different methods, both artists created works that both reflected the universal beauty of their own context and debate of meaning and deeper connotations in relation to the world for their audience to consider.