Oct 06, 2023 08:00:00

What is the importance of 'blur' in art?

In paintings and other works of art, we sometimes use ``blur'' instead of drawing clearly. The online art media Artsy explains the meaning of such ``blur'' in art, using specific examples.

Contemporary Painters Are Using a Hazy Aesthetic to Tap into Nostalgia | Artsy

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-contemporary-painters-hazy-aesthetic-window

It is said that when Leonardo da Vinci was painting the Mona Lisa, he was researching how the human eye perceives the characteristics of the world. The `` sfumato '' style developed by da Vinci creates a blurred impression around the objects in the work, conversely making the objects stand out and creating the iconic expression of the ``Mona Lisa.'' It is considered.

This sfumato technique has been passed down from Da Vinci's time to the present day, and according to Artsy, in the case of modern art, ``blur'' represents ``time'' or ``the past.'' By softening the contours and creating a blurred impression around the object, it gives the viewer a nostalgic sense of distance.

In the United States from 1880 to 1915, a style called

tonalism became popular, emphasizing atmosphere and shadows by using neutral colors such as dark colors, grays, browns, and blues as the main components of compositions. Tonalism also follows the lineage of sfumato, for example, by painting trees in a vague manner that blends them into their surroundings, conversely highlighting the sublimity of nature.

Modern painters also apply the inspiration of sfumato and tonalism to create atmospheric nuances. Artsy cites as an example Jessica Taylor Bellamy's 2023 work 'Local Prophet,' in which the photorealistic background of a woman is blurred with shades and boundaries using orange and gray. By depicting the sky as a blur, it creates an atmosphere that makes the main subject stand out while also dissolving into the ambiguity of the background.

In addition, the image below was released in 2023 by Aryo To Jojo, who is based in Los Angeles, and uses a blurred approach to the entire landscape of cars running on the road.

In an interview with Artsy, Jojo said, ``When I started making the work, I didn't intentionally try to make it hazy, but I got this touch as a result of using an airbrush.'' According to Jojo, airbrush is a tool that brings to mind ``styles of the past.'' I wanted to see if I could do it.When I meditate, I have experienced thoughts passing by like clouds, so the airbrush technique evokes that feeling as well. 'I will.'

In addition, Artsy cites Gerhard Richter, a German abstract painter, as the leader in the technique of ``inserting a layer of blur to depict the subject matter more clearly and realistically.'' In a 2011 interview with The Guardian, Richter said, ``I use 'blurring' to make everything equal, to make sure that everything is equally important and not equally important.'' According to Richter, 'blur' serves as an important metaphor for things that have lost their true grandeur, such as photographs taken by amateurs or memories that have deteriorated over time. Masu.

Craig Cameron Mackintosh, a South African painter who has said he was inspired by Mr. Richter, said that the ``blur'' style has an influence reminiscent of late 20th century films, adding, ``This approach is reminiscent of the past.'' Rather than depicting the subject like a photographic snapshot, it allows the viewer to experience the moment.'

Some things, like dreams and distant memories, only become clear after distance. Modern paintings that incorporate the technique of ``blur'' stimulate a faint sense of nostalgia through vague hints rather than clear depictions, giving viewers the illusion of being connected to their own past.