Movement through music

This first piece is something of a misfire. While music is only obliquely included in this piece, I feel as thought it captures a pivotal moment for music. Here Douglas is portraying a day in the life of an African American in the deep south. We movie along this visual epic from left to right, seeing the hardships of a life forced into agriculture servitude and end up with the hope of the North Star leading us to freedom. I included this piece because it shows how music can be a tool for revolution. Old spirituals gave hope to those in bondage and even carried messages for those seeking escape throughout the Underground Railroad. Also, if nothing else, music is the means of escape for many people who wish to leave a situation but not go anywhere at all.

I couldn't mention art and music without mentioning Muses. Here we have a piece depicting four muses. From their flowing draped clothing and their contrasting poses, it seems that these muses are still moving. It's almost as if Andrea froze them in the moment. We not only see them frozen in action, but can almost hear the music they would be dancing to, so effective is the artist.

The movement in this piece is wholly visual. There is no way your eyes can't move along the lines that Fetti created in this work. While the subject is spotlighted with direct light, that seems to becoming from behind the viewer, with a backdrop that frames his face, the eyes are taken down and to the left. But why? What is in that jar near his feet? While this may be a social commentary, the use of line and emphasis is effectively deployed to create movement.

This piece moves my emotions on so many levels. I am huge jazz fan, and here Park captures one aspect of the romance that so captivates me about the genre. While the subject is obviously the band, it seems cluttered and very busy. However, I think that plays to the fact that it is jazz. Jazz was never an uncluttered thing. It had emotion, it had feeling, it was improvised. I think that the fact that there isn't one clear subject emphasized lends to the emotion and helps capture the feeling of jazz.

This piece I chose because it keeps the eye moving. At first, the viewer is bombard visually by the bright yellow instrument against the dark back drop. Your eyes don't stay there, however. The lines created y the angels arm and wings let you focus in on the angel's face. Even still, the gaze of the angel takes your eyes to the neck where we see some lazily played chords. Then, the lines in the strings take you back to the bowl of the instrument and the cycle is repeated.

In this piece, Crabeth I showcase the two on the left using various techniques. The direct lighting spotlight the couple. All the lines created from the two musicians on the right make your eyes flow to the left and to the same two having the conversation. it seems that Crabeth wanted us to try and eavesdrop on them in this piece.

I like this piece for a number of reasons. First, the visual movement. All the lines and emphasis point us right to the woman sitting at the piano. Mercier uses the lines of the bow, the violin, flute, and even the gaze of the other players to move our eyes to the pianist. If that weren't enough, she is actually staring straight at the viewer. That's the other reason I like this piece. "The Sense of Hearing" is such a fitting title. Although we can't hear the music, we can all imagine or remember how it was during lessons and band rehearsal. The pianist's look belies both the enjoyment she has and, perhaps, the annoyance at having to be there.

I chose this piece because of I have always admired the way it seems that Shiva is still dancing. Although captured in a pose, the movement of this god is undeniable. This is another example of how the artist has taken a frame out of time using whatever medium. The only thing that would make this more effective would be motion blur.

Here, we see another emotionally moving piece. In all his dancer works, Degas captures the romance of the subjects. Here, with their poses and facial expressions, we see a sort of solemn joy expressed by these dancers. It's as if we the viewer are getting a glimpse into something that, although always present, isn't always obvious.

Here the movement is both emotional and visual. Degas has once again captured the romance of the dancers and their grace through their art, but he also creates a line with their body positions to make the viewer look forward. What's the importance of the small landscape we see? Will the dancers be moving there? Is another part of the show coming from stage left? Either way, our eyes are drawn from the dancers to the right.