eLecture

Jazz through Cut Paper


Henri Matisse was a French born artist, also known as the “Master of Color.” During his early years, he painted areas of pure color, flat shapes and raised perspective imagery. His father was in the textile business; this gave Matisse access to different fabrics and patterns. He even staged his compositions with a specific fabric of choice to enhance the mood of his paintings. This finely tuned Matisse’s eye to color, line and pattern, which is apparent in all of his later works.

World War II was very difficult for Matisse. He separated from his wife and children. Soon after he moved to southern France. Some of his most famous work was painted in Nice. The warm light that flowed through the town inspired him.

Towards the end of Matisse’s life, he was bed ridden. During these times, he constructed cut paper colleges of abstracted subject matter. It took him almost a decade to complete his book later named Jazz. Matisse believed that jazz music is a "chromatic and rhythmic improvisation." In Matisse’s book, titled “Jazz” it does not contain any direct relations to actual jazz musicians of the time. The book has a distinct visual rhythm.



The Imagery of Jazz


In this book, Matisse uses classical and non-classical figures to represent the times. Most of the figures are set upon dark backgrounds. During this time, Matisse had difficulty sleeping and therefore would work though most nights.


One image is a depiction of Icarus falling though the night. Darkness and stars surround him. This can be associated with the metaphor of the courageous fighters in World War II holding back the Nazi regime. This is especially apparent when looking at the figure’s red heart. The wolf was given a red eye and mouth symbolizing the Gestapo.
Other figures are more anonymous such as the Toboggan. This image was one of the first to be completed. This figure represents danger, uncertainty and lack of control one has over their own fate. Other images are more self-explanatory. Matisse uses instruments, figures or a combination of the both for other types of collage.


Icarus




Toboggan





Musicians




Process of creating designs to the publishing of Jazz


Matisse began by creating his own colors using gouche. He then painted his papers. After his papers were dry, he used scissors to cut out his shapes. He considered using his scissors and paper, as a sculptor would directly carve into stone. Matisse was very excited about his later in life, favorite medium. He even goes on to say, "The paper cutouts allow me to draw with color. For me, it is a simplification. Instead of drawing an outline and then filling in with color-with one modifying the other-I draw directly in color...It is not a starting point, it is a completion."

Matisse created a series of twenty images. He used his own handwriting for the text in the book. Matisse then began to experiment with different printmaking processes to edition the book, but all were unsatisfactory. He eventually used gouache and stencils to reproduce his book by hand. The book “Jazz” was published in 1947, five years before his death.

Video clip of Matisse creating a cut paper design
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlnBcaZEGb0&feature=related


Activity suggestion

Give a brief history of Matisse. Show imagery from Matisse’s book, Jazz. Have students listen to jazz. Compare and contrast jazz music to Matisse’s Jazz book. Have students then take a blank piece on paper and draw shapes representing feelings that are associated with Jazz. Students should cut out the shapes. Place magazines articles, newspapers, wrapping paper, construction paper and other papers that are relevant on the table. Students should then choose colors or words that go along with the feeling they get from jazz. The shapes should then be laid on top of the different papers and traced. The old shapes should be discarded. New shapes from the different papers should be cut out. Once all the shapes are cut out, students should make a college from their shapes on black paper. The shapes should then be glued down to the black paper.


Image sources

http://culturalcocktailhour.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/jazz_henri_matisse-1.jpg

http://www.craftyrachel.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/matissejazzhead.gif