Joey Ku

This assignment will look at Romanticism and how this is conveyed and depicted in James Camerons Avatar (2009). The essay will also be looking at Realism and how this is linked to Avatar.
Sources includes Arnold Hausers Social History of Art: volume 3 and Onno Oerlemans Materiality of Nature which gives a general definition and history of Romanticism. Pam Morriss Realism and Realism and Reality in Film and Media by Anne Jerslev which is a guide to the history of Realism as well as giving its definition. Robert Hensons Late Modernism: art and culture is also used to as it gives an insight to The Cold Wars history.

How Romanticism is used in Avatar

Use of fantasy worlds, i.e. Pandora being a play word for fun.

Romanticism reflects a new outlook on life and the world and above all, it creates a new interpretation of the idea of artistic freedom. (Hauser, 1999) The war between man made vs. nature (reference to the Cold War and Pocahontas) The physical world has a reality- including a core characterised by predation and carnivores- which lies quite apart from the worlds of beauty and pleasure . (University of Toronto Press, 2004) How this links to The Cold War and history of Pocahontas, We live in an age of transition, an age of overlap, in which the old modern of yesterday no longer acts effectively but still provides means of expression, standards of expectations and tools of ordering. (Genter, 2010)

How realism is used in Avatar

Inhabits both the realm of everyday usage and the more specialist aesthetic realm of literacy and artistic usage. (Morris,2003)

Romanticism: An art and literature movement originating in Europe around the 18th century Characterized by the interests of nature, emotional expressions and imagination. Movement was seen as a reaction against the Age of Enlightenment. Mostly used in arts, music and literature. Realism: Began in France in 1850s Can be used as a way of showing the truth behind false imagery. Becoming the opposite of Romanticism. Mostly used in Photography and Art.

Zoe SaldanaNeytiri (Navi)

James Cameron, Director Avatar (2009) for the making of the film and its influences

Sam Worthington- Jake Sully (Human Navi hybrid)

Stephen LangColonel Miles Quaritch

Portrayals between mechanical vs. nature and status of valuing things

Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich (unknown)

The Voyage of Life by Thomas Cole (1842)

Realism vs. Abstraction by Deborah Barreau (unknown)

Unknown by Joshua Muravchik and Stephen M. Walt

World of Pandora fighting for peace (below and left)

Avatar (2009) Film poster

The use of romanticism in the film is a mere reflection of the modern worlds society where nature is at risk of being dominated by machinery. The idea of having a different world can be suggested as another way of escaping from reality and into the fantasy, hence possibly the name Pandora is derived. The events within the Pandora world can be seen as a reconstruction to the earths events. See the world we come from, there is no green there. They killed their mother. Jake Sully, Avatar

Cultural Context: Cole, T (1842) The Voyage of Life (online): http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/thomas-cole/the-voyage-of-life-youth-1842-1 Rosalie Bonhuer,M (unknown) unknown (online): http://www.frontpainting.com/famous-painters-realism.html Key Individuals: Lopez, M (2011) James Cameron confirms Avatar 2 and 3 (online): http://blogamole.tr3s.com/2011/01/27/jamescameron-confirms-avatar-2-and-3/ Noholidaynolife (2010) In the world of Avatar filming (online): http://www.noholidaynolife.com/2010/04/15/in-the-world-ofavatar-filming/ Enormousrat (2009) Avatar Pandora Xbox (online): http://gaming.wikia.com/wiki/File:Avatar_Pandora_Xbox_360.jpg Historical Examples- Romanticism Cole, T (1842) The Voyage of Life (online): http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/thomas-cole/the-voyage-of-life-youth-1842-1 Burgess, D (2006) Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog (online): http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Romanticism Historical Examples- Realism: Barreau, D (1991) Realism vs. Abstraction (online): http://www.hitl.washington.edu/scivw/EVE/III.C.2.RealismAbstraction.html Muravchik and Walt, J and M (unknown) The Neocon vs. The Realists (online):http://westphalianpost.wordpress.com/machtpolitik/ Contemporary Examples: Uknown (2009) Avatar (2009) (online): http://www.impawards.com/2009/avatar.html Uknown (unknown) Wallpaperstock (online): http://wallpaperstock.net/avatar-pandora4_wallpapers_16296_1024x768_1.html Enormousrat (2009) Avatar Pandora Xbox (online): http://gaming.wikia.com/wiki/File:Avatar_Pandora_Xbox_360.jpg

Morris, P (2003) Realism. London, Routledge Hauser, A (1999) Rococo, Classicism and Romanticism. London, Routledge Jerslev, A (2002) Realism and Reality in Film and Media. Denmark, Museum Tusculanum Press Hauser, A (2005) Social History of Art: Rococo, Classicism and Romanticism. London, Taylor and Francis e-library Oerlemans, O (2004) Romanticism and the Materiality of Nature. Canada, University of Toronto Press Genter, R (2010) Late Modernism: Art, Culture and Politics in Cold War America. USA, University of Pennsylvania Press Cunningham and Ardine, A and N (1990) Romanticism and the sciences. USA, Cambridge University Pres. Stremmel, K (2004) Realism . Uknown Whittier,M (2011) Avatar: For Dummies(online): http://xyzunt.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/avatar-romanticism-for-dummies.html History King (2012) Romanticism and Age of Reason (online): http://www.historyking.com/art-history/romanticism-art/index.html Uknown (uknown) Pocahontas (online): http://www.virginiaplaces.org/nativeamerican/poca.html