Our Neo-Baroque Era

There are a multitude of examples to suggest that we are living an a Neo-Baroque Era. Two areas that this concept is exceptionally present is in our Architecture, and our Movies.

There are several prime examples in our architecture that reflects the extravagant, money fueled architecture. The example I will present is actually at our University of Tampa. The Sykes Chapel for Faith and Values is a flash back strait into the Baroque era. Essentially a 'King' of the city and a top UT sponsor (who breeds champion race horses on the side) sponsored the construction of the Sykes Chapel with a ~20 million dollar donation. The person funding the project, and the beautiful building itself, are both evidence of a Neo-Baroque Era.














Recently, within the past five years, there have been a surge in the number of superhero movies released. Our obsession with heroes who can "fight the battles we never could" (Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury in The Avengers) is very similar to the hero/god fantasy that was being dug up from the past and played out using their new modern technology in the theater.

Likewise, our movies, such as The Avengers, depict gods/demi-gods and heroes from both legend and comic books written long ago being dug up from those archives and presented in movies, using cutting edge technology not available in the past. Other movies with this theme/innovation include THOR, SpiderMan, Batman, Captian America etc... These movies present super-human figures, swooping in and saving the day, when the general population is placed in an impossible, or near-impossible situation.

Sources

Chapel Image:
http://tvs-design.com/markets/cultural-arts/2011-design-award-of-merit-sykes-chapel-center-for-faith-values.aspx

Sykes Background Info:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tampa-entrepreneur-sykes-still-hands-on-even-in-retirement/1098472

Chapel Facts:
http://www.ut.edu/sykeschapel/facts/

Avengers Image:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larissafaw/2012/04/30/marvels-five-year-plan-for-the-avengers-to-rescue-the-movies/
Property of Marvel

Movie Quote:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/quotes

Introduction

My name is Michael Easter,
I am taking this class because I would like to advance my knowledge and digital art skills. Its direct foundations and roots, along with the other forms of art that bleed into it and contribute. Gaining more knowledge of traditional and historic arts will contribute to my ability to improve on my own modern artwork to reflect these values.

My personal asperation is to become a 3D environment artist for games/animation. Having a knowledge of all things past, present and future all contribute to the field, despite the seeming lack of relevance to 3D art. Knowing new things, historic and methodical will contribute to expanding my imagination and developing new methods and techniques.

- Michael Easter