Even art has to explain things sometimes

Why Dadaism? 10 artistic movement’s names decoded

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While some names can be self-explanatory, there are countless art movements with names that only make sense when put in context. What is Abstract Expressionism? Or Dadaism? In the following lines, we attempt to shed light on the origins of some of these names. Scroll down and learn a thing or two about the world of art!

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The Renaissance was a period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries that marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and surpass the ideas and achievements of classical antiquity.

The movement's name comes from the Italian word rinascita, which translates to "rebirth." The corresponding French word renaissance was adopted into English for this period during the 1830s.

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A movement that came after the Renaissance, Baroque was very much influenced by the former. So much so that many scholars argue that Baroque art was simply the end of the Renaissance and never existed as a cultural or historical phenomenon.

The term "Baroque" itself is derived from the Portuguese barocco which means "irregular pearl or stone." Due to its exuberant irregularities, Baroque art has often been defined as being bizarre, or uneven.

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As it happened with the Baroque and the Renaissance, Rococo has often been described as the final expression of the Baroque movement. It was exceptionally ornamental and theatrical, and it was seen as superficial, degenerate, and illogical.

Rococo takes its name from the French word rocaille, which means "rock" or "broken shell", both natural motifs that often formed part of the designs, along with fish and other marine decorations.

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An art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, and emphasis on accurate depiction of light, Impressionism originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the late 1800s.

The style’s name comes from the title of a Claude Monet work, Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise), which caused the critic Louis Leroy to coin the term in a satirical review of the First Impressionist Exhibition.

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Dadaism was created as an artistic response to the undoing of many social, scientific, and artistic notions. In 1916, German writer Hugo Ball reflected on the state of contemporary art: "The image of the human form is gradually disappearing from the painting of these times and all objects appear only in fragments… The next step is for poetry to decide to do away with language."

This new, irrational art movement would be named "Dada." It got its name, according to Richard Huelsenbeck, a German artist living in Zurich when he and Ball came upon the word in a French-German dictionary. "Dada is ‘yes, yes’ in Rumanian, ‘rocking horse’ and ‘hobby horse’ in French," he wrote in his diary.

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One of the most influential styles of the twentieth century, Cubism is generally agreed to have begun with Picasso’s painting Demoiselles D’Avignon which included elements of Cubist style.

The name "Cubism" seems to have originated in a comment made by the critic Louis Vauxcelles who, after seeing some of Georges Braque’s paintings exhibited in Paris in 1908, described them as reducing everything to "geometric outlines, to cubes."

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A country filled with museums, like Italy, gave birth to a movement that rejected the past, in favor of the future. Futurism was launched by the Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti in 1909.

What the Futurists proposed instead was an art that celebrated the modern world of industry and technology: "We declare… a new beauty, the beauty of speed. A racing motor car… is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace."

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Abstract and austere, Constructivism aimed to reflect modern industrial society and urban space. Being associated with Soviet socialism, the Bolsheviks, and the Russian avant-garde, Constructivists were in favor of art for propaganda and social purposes.

The term itself was invented by the sculptors Antoine Pevsner and Naum Gabo, who developed an industrial, angular style of work. "Constructivism" first appears as a term in Gabo's Realistic Manifesto of 1920.

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Abstract Expressionism originated as a distinct art movement after World War II and gained mainstream acceptance in the 1950s. Abstract Expressionism was influenced by the spontaneous and subconscious creation methods of Surrealist artists.

The term "abstract expressionism" is believed to have first been used in Germany in 1919 in the magazine Der Sturm about German Expressionism. It was first applied to American art in 1946 by the art critic Robert Coates.

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As the name implies, "Postmodernism" is a term used to mark a break with Modernism. What both these movements have in common is the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of representing reality.

The term began to acquire its current range of meanings during the 1950s. In opposition to Modernism's alleged self-seriousness, Postmodernism is characterized by its playful use of irony and pastiche, among other features. Critics claim it supplants moral, political, and aesthetic ideals with mere style and spectacle.

WHERE WOULD YOU PREFER TO BE WORKING?

Workers In Pajamas: 10 Jobs That Can Be Done From Home

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The dream of working from home came true for an immense number of people during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, many have returned to the workplace but a great deal of individuals remain spinning the proverbial wheels of capitalism with their slippers on.

Some of these occupations have been around from way before the days of COVID-19, while others came into being during that very year. Whether you belong to the former, the latter, or neither of them, this list surely has a few entries that will surprise you.

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Everybody has interacted with a call center representative. The job entails answering customer calls and resolving any issues or concerns, providing support, listening to complaints, and answering customer questions.

But while most of us picture a call center representative as someone in an office cubicle, the truth is that many of these jobs can be and are carried out at home. The company hiring the representative will provide some basic elements like headphones and the appropriate software. However, as long as he or she has a home computer and a decent internet connection, they are set.

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Aside from inputting new information, data entry clerks also update old information and look for data deficiencies. Before inputting data, they compile information as needed and prepare source data. As you have guessed by now, this is a job well suited for the home office.

While much of the information feed that goes into databases is provided by other computers, a very large fraction of this data is manually entered by humans. The job is called data entry clerk and it also has been around for quite some time now.

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According to recent numbers, the Internet has over 1.13 billion websites. That is more than a few, right? And, when we think about it, someone has to design every single one of those websites out there. Enter the web designer.

Web designers create and code internet web pages. They also decide on the layout of a website and work with a web page's variety of elements such as text, pictures, videos, and graphics. This job too, belongs to the lucky bunch who can opt for working at home.

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Social media comprises a huge part of the Internet experience these days. Some would say, even a major part of it. Almost every single company has figured out by now that online presence in social media is paramount to being successful and interacting with the community requires dedication and time.

Enter the social media manager: an internet-savvy individual who oversees a company's social media channels. They reply to comments, post content, and ensure the channels align with the overall brand. Social media managers also create content and devise social media marketing strategies to increase engagement and expand the company's online reach.

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A job that has been replaced by Artificial Intelligence in many aspects, a human virtual assistant can still be an extremely valuable asset to someone who needs, well… assistance with a diverse range of things.

These helpful individuals perform several administrative tasks for their clients. They answer telephone calls, reply to emails, schedule meetings, and create their client's travel plans. Just like a secretary but from the comfort of their own home.

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Like a modern-day Hemingway, the freelance writer creates content for various companies on a non-contract basis from wherever she or he wants to be, through a computer. This job entails gathering information on a topic, writing article drafts, and editing content for grammar, spelling, and adherence to company style guides.

The freelance part of the gig means that the professional who delves into this line of work can be constantly looking for clients, although some manage to retain regular assignments for a more predictable workflow.

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If you encountered or maybe even participated in one of those online language classes then you are familiar with this one. Online tutors help students learn and understand various subject areas.

As we said, they assist students with the learning of a foreign language, but also with their homework and help them prepare for upcoming examinations. A tutor can explain topics to students and answer any questions they might have.

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Freelance video editors shape and adjust video content to fit a desired narrative. This professional is trained in specific video editing software and uses potent hardware, key to achieving the task at hand.

Many freelance video editors work at home since the equipment needed for the job is a desktop computer with a big screen (or more than one), but portable laptops can sometimes do the job too.

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Forget that old stereotype of the hacker locked up in his room, with the windows closed, surrounded by junk food leftovers, staring blankly at a computer screen filled with random numbers and letters. Well, maybe that last part is a bit accurate.

These days, software developers create software or applications on computers or mobile devices. Their responsibilities typically include improving existing computer systems, creating code and working with project managers or clients on the progress of developing software, and debugging software. And yes, they usually can work at home.

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This one will seem as if it's the other way around: the patient is at home and the doctor is at the hospital. But, many times, both participants get to be where they want/need to be. A telemedicine physician who works full-time in this capacity usually does so from the comfort of his or her home.

These professionals communicate with patients via telephone, online chat, or through video calls. They address their concerns, treat them for non-emergency conditions, and prescribe medication as needed. While most of us still prefer to be in the physical presence of a doctor when being examined, this modern method definitely has its advantages, like the more immediate attention that it can provide.