Carol DeMeo
November 27, 2010
HU300-16 Unit 3 Assignment
Arts & Humanities

Part I:

Take a field trip around your neighborhood, city, or region. Find one example of architecture that catches your attention. Explain what you see in detail. Discuss the elements of form and function. Which concepts from the chapter reading are applied in this work?

I live in Boca Raton, Florida and down here we have so many different buildings of sorts to look at from the high rising condos to businesses, schools, etc. Though the one place that captures my eyes and thoughts is the Mizner Park Administration Building that was built in the early 1900’s and was used as the administration and sales office for Addison Mizner. He built this building to serve as a visual example for his prospective clients of Boca Raton. The function was used well; he had offices for the engineers, an apartment for himself, restaurants to eat in. He used the form of Spain as in El Greco’s house in Toledo Spain giving it the Mediterranean design which is very appealing to many, a different place to look at from other areas in Florida. I believe with this Addison Mizner used Secular Architecture for he was able to combine function and form and the structure was used just for what he had built. Now today the administration building in Boca is occupied by a restaurant, bar and grill, Oppenheimer & Co. Office and also used for special events and gathering which is still the form an function he had created and wanted back when he started.

Part II:

Next, find an element of art. Consider civic art, sculpture, an image you use to decorate your home, graffiti, street performance, or any art experience that you find engaging.

Start by describing the work of art. Try to use terminology from the text. You may consider the following questions: What is the medium? What are the dimensions? When was the work made? Is the work abstract or representational? You may find the flashcards in My Humanities Kit a helpful resource.

Then, add to your discussion: What is the purpose of this work of art? What does it mean to you? Which concepts from the chapter reading are applied in this work?

In my home I have different things that decorate it, from Betty Boop figurines to vases, crucifix on the wall. Though there was one thing not mentioned that would is the Emmett Kelly painting given to me when my father passed away. I have always cherished and looked at this painting but never to where I would have to describe the meaning of it to one. This work of art is of a circus clown sitting on what seems to be a barrel of some sort with a dog in a clown costume and boy behind him with a stick and bag at the end of his clothes I would think. They all seem to look sad and thinking of what there were going to do or where they were going, like they are running away from the circus life; but the actual name of the painting is Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Leighton Jones the official artist for the Emmett Kelly Estate. Studying Emmett Kelly’s life to create the paintings would be still life to me, I say this cause the paintings you look at them and can think if it becoming real life be part of the paintings of the clown in the picture. I think the work of Leighton Jones could be representational for I believe it could be easily recognized by most who are looking it at. The purpose was for Leighton to create a series of images based upon the life and work of the famous American clown – Emmett Kelly. It means the world to me for my father collected and loved this work and I want to keep it alive in his memory, I never knew meaning behind who and what this was about until now and I can definitely respect it more and understand why my dad would like it so much.

References

www.miznerestateproperties.com/addison_mizner.html

www.bocahistoryorg/exhibits/exhibits_mizner.asp

www.leighton-jnes.com/emmett_kelly.htm

http://www.thegallerie.com/bio.php?artistId=1026