The Majestic Bengal Tiger Is an Endangered Species: Photo Story

The Bengal tiger ranks among the biggest wild cats alive today. The beautiful, awe-inspiring tiger is one of our planet’s most iconic animals. The tiger is estimated to have been present in the Indian subcontinent for about 12,000 to 16,500 years. Today, it is threatened by poaching, loss and fragmentation of habitat. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared Tigers as Endangered species. The wild tiger population in the wild is estimated to be less than 4,000. This is down 96% from 100 years ago (with an estimated 100,000 a century ago). Between 2015 and 2021 there was an average increase in the tiger population.

Bengal Tiger: Photo Story

Driving through the forestlands of northern part of West Bengal is a pleasure. The mountains of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and the plains and tea gardens of Siliguri take your breath away. The deep valleys are filled with huge pine, sal, and teak trees. Teesta River carries the rain waters down to the Bay of Bengal, protecting the valleys from flooding. I kept looking out for the great Bengal Tiger; and finally I found them in the Tiger Safari at Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary. And now I could return back to the South in contentment.

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Visual Analysis: SEMIOTICS

Visual analysis is a systematic and scientific approach to examining visual materials that goes far beyond casual observation. In our visually saturated world, images have become a inescapable universal language that shapes our perceptions, attitudes, and experiences. From the artworks adorning gallery walls to the advertisements lining city streets, visuals communicate narratives, evoke emotions, and reflect sociocultural ideologies. However, the process of seeing and interpreting visuals is not as spontaneous or natural as we often assume. As John Berger notably stated, "seeing is an active decision," suggesting that the process of interpreting visuals is neither spontaneous nor natural, but rather requires conscious effort and critical thinking. The way we perceive and interpret visual content is heavily influenced by habits, conventions, and our individual perspectives. Serious visual analyses requires conscious effort and critical analysis to unravel the layers of mea

Art Movements: Modern Art to Contemporary Art

There is no precise definition of the term Modern Art: it remains an elastic term, which can accommodate a variety of meanings. Art historically, Modern Art means works produced during the approximate period 1870-1970. A s per artistic style, traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation . A tendency away from the narrative (which was characteristic for the traditional arts). Inclination towards abstraction is characteristic of much modern art. Study the PDFs below (only for academic purpose) Art Movements: Modern Art to Contemporary Art Part I PDF Art Movements: Modern Art to Contemporary Art Part II PDF Impressionism Originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence. Eventually became the world's most famous painting movement. Paved the way for the wholly non-naturalist abstract art of the 20th century. Impressionism focused on the almost impossible task of capturing fleeting moments

Visual Analysis: VISUALS

Visuals are images/collection of images that are made to be seen. There is a continuum of images in which people live; and visual is a paused/frozen moment from them. Study the PDF below (for academic use only) Visuals PDF People/artists/designers capture/construct/make images/visuals for others to see. Therefore we only see the image/visual/frame that is given to us to see. For John Berger, a visual is a sight which has been recreated or reproduced ... which has been detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance. Art: Traditional art, the oldest form of visual expression, represents humanity's first attempts to interpret and document the world. From prehistoric cave paintings to Renaissance masterpieces and contemporary installations, art has evolved beyond mere representation to become a vehicle for emotional, philosophical, and social commentary. Artists manipulate colour, form, texture, and space to create works that challenge perceptions and provok

Art Movements: From Renaissance to Realism

Prior to Renaissance there were more of art era than art movements. We arrive at renaissance after Byzantine and Medieval art. Study the PDFs below (only for educational purpose) Art Movements: Renaissance to Realism Part I Art Movements: Renaissance to Realism Part II Renaissance was the golden era of Classical Art. Between 1400 and 1600, Europe witnessed an astonishing revival of drawing, fine art painting, sculpture and architecture centered on Italy, which we now refer to as the Renaissance(French for 'rebirth'). There was gradual move from grand high art to art that is more human and down to earth. The major art movements were 1. Renaissance In very simple terms, the Italian Renaissance re-established Western art according to the principles of classical Greek art, especially Greek sculpture and painting, which remained unchallenged until Pablo Picasso and Cubism, broadly, modern art. 2. Mannerism Mannerists introduced tension and

Art as Representation

In different times and in different places and in different context Art critiques, thinkers have made efforts to understand the underlying essence of a piece of Art. Most were limited to their own times and philosophy of the world and human persons. Fortkochi, Kerala They were at finding ‘necessary conditions’ and ‘sufficient conditions’ for the truth of the statement that an item is an ‘art work’ . We go back to the first of such an attempt. It was the Greeks who first said, Art is Imitation of nature. And they broadened it saying, Art is Representation. Study the PDF below. (to be used for educational purposes only) Art as Representation PDF Most art we do and we encounter on a day today basis are all imitation of nature. Those who are able to do it best are the best artists. What makes them to be candidates for Art is the attribute of Verisimilitude they posses. More similar they are better they are appreciated. Nothing is an artwork, unless it is an imita

Visual Language, Elements, and Grammar

Visual communication plays a powerful role in shaping our understanding of the world. Like written and spoken language, visuals employ a complex grammar and system of meaning. Study the PDF below (for academic use only) Visual language, elements, and grammar PDF At its core, visual grammar is comprised of fundamental elements like line, shape, colour, texture, space, and typography. These are the basic building blocks that visual creators assemble and organise using principles like emphasis, contrast, composition, size, proportion, balance, and lighting. Just as words are assembled following the syntactical rules of language, visuals are constructed by purposefully arranging and relating these elemental units. Lines, for instance, can convey a range of associations through their orientation and qualities. Horizontal lines suggest stability and calm, verticals impart a sense of strength and authority, while diagonals imbue dynamism and movement. The weight and curvature of lines furthe

Art as Expression

For centuries, representation was taken to be the central, defining feature of art. The emphasis of Representation theories of art was on the outward aspects of things. In a loose sense of the word, art was primarily concerned with the objective features of the “ external ” world. By the mid 19 th century, artists began to turn inward ; they explored their own subjective experiences. Even while depicting landscapes (external realities) they attempted to register their reactions - the way they felt - about the landscapes. (they were not just mirroring nature) Artists were becoming more attentive to the subjective or “inner” world of experience . That gives birth to a new art theory, “Art as Expression”. Study the PDF below (to be used for educational purposes only) Art as Expression PDF Impressionism, though its an independent art movement, expressed more of the impressions of the passing moment and qualities of light as seen by subjective artists. We can see the beginning

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