ESL Podcast 894 - Understanding Modern Art
artwork - creative pieces created by someone to express an idea or bring joy to others, such as paintings, sculptures, and drawings
This apartment would feel more like a home if you put some artwork on the walls.
experimental - trying something for the first time to see whether it will work or be successful; testing of a new idea
Derek designed an experimental car that runs on cooking oil instead of gasoline.
abstract - with images that do not look like real objects, but instead are not clearly seen or are based on imagination
Pablo Picasso created many famous abstract portraits.
performance art - a type of drama or acting combined with visual pieces of art
They're using performance art to express their feelings of grief.
perception - viewpoint; how one views, sees, interprets, or understands something
Our sense of smell plays a significant role in our perception of taste.
reality - real life; how the world really is and what actually happens
Sheila thought getting a job and living on her own would be glamorous, but the reality was much more challenging than she had ever imagined.
contemporary art - modern art; art that has been produced recently, maybe since the end of World War II
The Tate Museum in London features contemporary art.
to represent - to symbolize; to have a meaning beyond the normal appearance of something; to serve as a symbol or sign of something else
Lynn wears a pink ribbon that represents her support of the fight against breast cancer.
interpretation - how one perceives and understands something and then expresses it to others
The orchestra is rehearsing a new interpretation of C.P.E. Bach's Symphony No.1 in D.
to oppress - to treat someone unfairly and cruelly and not offer that person opportunities to succeed or improve his or her lifestyle
Throughout history, many cultures have oppressed women and minorities.
postmodern - relating to things that were developed in the style following modernism, especially with a skeptical (questioning) interpretation of the world
Many postmodernists believe there is no such thing as absolute truth, only one's perception and interpretation of the world.
cut out for - prepared for something; ready to have, do, or understand something; made for something
Juniper has studied piano for years, but she just isn't cut out for a job as a professional pianist.
representational - showing the physical appearance of things the way they actually are, not as someone imagines or interprets them
Representational portraits are really difficult. No matter how hard I try to paint well, the portrait never truly looks like the person I'm trying to paint.
to wrap (one's) head around (something) - to be able to understand something, especially something that is very complex and far-reaching
I just can't wrap my head around the great distances in outer space.
underrated - underappreciated; placing less value on something than what it actually deserves; not recognizing the true value or importance of something
Everyone underrated the new CEO's ability to turn the company around and become successful again.
paint-by-numbers - a type of painting, normally for children, where a drawing is divided into many sections, with instructions to paint each section a particular color based on the number printed inside it
The teacher created a paint-by-numbers handout where the students have to solve math problems to figure out which color to paint each section.