Sam Francis

Untitled, 1984

106.7 X 73 inch

What is a body print?

What is a body print?

A body print is an art technique where the artist uses their body as a printing plate. This can be done by smearing grease, margarine, or oil on the skin, hair, and clothes, then pressing the body against a surface like paper. The oiled imprint is then dusted with pigment. Unlike a self-portrait, a body print explores two competing concepts of identity rather than capturing a likeness of the artist. The method emphasizes the physicality of the body while questioning the boundaries between self-representation and abstraction.

Dau Al Set

Dau Al Set was an artistic movement that sought to express both the conscious and unconscious mind through art. Initially an offshoot of Surrealism, it evolved into a distinct movement over time. Founded in Catalonia post-World War II, Dau Al Set was the first artistic movement in the region after the war. The name Dau Al Set translates to the seventh face of the dice in Catalan, symbolizing the movement's unique and unconventional character.

Réalités Nouvelles

Réalités Nouvelles means new realities and refers to an exhibiting society founded in 1939 in Paris by Sonia Delaunay. The Salon des Réalités Nouvelles was dedicated to promoting abstract art, which it considered to be a new reality because it does not imitate the existing physical world. The movement emphasized that abstract art creates its own reality, independent of the external world, and played a significant role in the development and recognition of abstract art in the mid-20th century.

Constructivism

Constructivism is an architectural and artistic philosophy of Russian origin that emerged as a rejection of the idea of autonomous art. The movement advocated for art to serve practical social purposes. Since its inception in 1919, Constructivism has evolved and significantly impacted 20th-century art movements, influencing major trends such as De Stijl and Bauhaus.

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