Alcarte 2014 - Collective Exhibition

The opening of the collective art exhibition Alcarte, took place yesterday at buliding of the City Hall of Alcochete. For the 2014 edition, the organization chose the theme "Liberty or Liberties" in celebration of the 40 years of the national revolution "25 de Abril", which released Portugal from 41 of years of dictatorship, officially designated as Estado Novo. Until the 29th of August, visitors can enjoy the work of 26 artists, including painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media.

Swiss artist H. R. Giger dies at the age of 74

The renowned Swiss artist H. R. Giger, passed away yesterday in a hospital located in Zurich due to injuries sustained in a fall. He was 74 years old.

Hans Rudolf Giger was a surrealist painter, sculptor and set designer. He was widely known for his creatures and sets created for Ridley Scott's Alien films. As a result, he was awarded with an Oscar for special effects in 1980.
Giger also contributed with his work for Poltergeist II - The Other Side,  Tokyo - The Last Megalopolis, among several other films, as well for the computer game Dark Seed (1995).
He also did some work for recording artists and colaborated with Ibanez Guitars  for the H. R. Giger Signature Models.

Born in 1940, Giger moved to Zurich in1962 where he studied interior and industrial design at the School of Commercial Art in Zurich (from 1962 to 1965).
He had a relationship with Swiss actress Li Tobler untill 1975, when she commited suicide. In 1979 he married Mia Bonzanigo, but the divorced a year and a half later.



The work of the American horror fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft had great influence on H. R. Giger's art. Such is this that his compendium of images Necronomicon (there's a version with an introduction by Clive Barker) is a clear refererence to Lovecraft's made up book with the same name.
The original signed book is housed in the H R Giger museum at the Château St. Germain in Gruyères Switzerland.
Ernst Fuchs and Salvador Dali, to whom he was introduced by painter Robert Venosa were inspirations sources for Gigger who was also a personal friend of Timothy Lear.

Giger started with small ink drawings, then progessed to oil painting. During his career, he worked predominantly in airbush, but also created works with pastels, markers and ink.
Much of his work depicts surreal and monochromatic dreamscapes, often with biomechanical human bodies interconnected with a mechanical world as well as alien species and nightmarish elements. Several erotic references can also be found in his works.

The H. R. Giger Museum, housed in the Château St. Germain in Gruyère, Switzerland, holds a permanent repository of his work.  The artist lived and worked in Zürich with his wife, Carmen Maria Scheifele Giger, who is the Director of the museum.

2nd Annual Plein Air Convention and Expo (Monterey-Carmel 2013)

 Being a painter is not only about being at home or in the studio in front of the easel. It's also connecting with fellow artists and sharing ideas, techniques and experiences.
The internet as in someway submited us to our homes and kept us from going out as often as we should. To meet new people and to revisit old friends. Just being online is not enough!

 For those who practice it and maybe more even for those who don't but wish to, plein air painting, or outdoor painting if you prefer, is one of the best ways for artists to get in touch with other coleagues and with the public. What better way to market your art than showing yourself in full activity?
Plein air painting also enhances one's abillities as a painter and as a draughtsman, namely by making you rethink your painting strategies. You are not in the studio or in the comfort of your home You may even be attack by a bear! But don't let this deter you.

 Presented by Plein Air Magazine, the 2nd Annual Plein Air Convention and Expo will be held in Monterey-Carmel on the California coast, from April 10-14, 2013 and will feature over 50 of the top plein air artists as well as several top figurative artists.



 The Plein Air Convention will feature a main stage with live demos and presentations, as well as a second stage where participants willl be able to assist other demos. Participating artists and all those who have registered, will have the chance to assist all the events without having to sign-up and pay separately.
Artists are encouraged to bring their paint gear and enjoy the company of other coleagues while painting together. The organizers have invited dozens of artists to do outdoor demos on the three days going outdoors to paint around the Monterey-Carmel area.

 The 2nd Annual Plein Air Convention and Expo will also include lectures and talks about painting techniques; lectures about historical artists and paintings; an expo hall with art suppliers offering new products and special offers. The full agenda can be consulted on this page.

 The convention will be held at the Monterey Conference Center, with the Monterey Marriott as the host hotel. This hotel is sold out, however there are many rooms available in downtown Monterey.

The face of "The Origin of the World" may have been found

In exhibition at the Musée D'Orsay, Gustave Courbet's oil painting "L'Origine du Monde" (The Origin of the World) has become famous from the start. Not only because of its subject, but also because of being a witness of the artist's skills in terms of realism  and for the curiosity that has triggered about who the model might have been.

Now, based on the opinion of experts, the French magazine Paris Match, claims the world exclusive of having tracked down the top part of the painting.
Known to the magazine as "John," the owner of the painting informed that he bought it in 2010 for €1400, from a Parisian antiques dealer.

Until now, the Musée D'Orsay has assumed a contrary position to suggestions that there were any missing parts to Courbet's painting. A position that differs from the opinion of Jean-Jacques Fernier, who believes that the recently discovered painting of a woman's head, was cut off the L'Origine du Monde.



Should experts arrive to a consensus that the painting does belong to the Courbet's work hanging at the museum, we will have to wait and see if le D'Orsay shows interest in displaying it and how it will do it.
The owner of the painting has already stated that he would  be most pleased to lend it.

Photo by Philippe Petit, Paris Match

Exhibition: Shortlisted Artists For the Future Generation Art Prize 2012

The works of the 20 shortlisted artists for the Future Generation Art Prize 2012, the first global art prize for artists up to 35, founded by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in December 2009, can be viewed  in the PinchukArtCentre (Kyiv, Ukraine) untill January 6, 2013. These artists represent 16 different countries, selected from more than 4,000 applications received from 134 countries spread across all continents.
Also on view, is the work by 21st nominee for the Future Generation Art Prize, Mykyta Kadan, winner of the PinchukArtCentre Prize 2011, the first national contemporary art prize awarded to young Ukrainian artists under 35.

The shortlist of theFuture Generation Art Prize 2012 includes: Jonathas de Andrade, 30 (Brazil), Meris Angioletti, 34 (Italy), Marwa Arsanios, 33 (Lebanon), Micol Assael, 33 (Italy), Abigail DeVille, 30 (United States), Aurelien Froment, 35 (France), Mykyta Kadan,29 (Ukraine), Meiro Koizumi, 35 (Japan), Andre Komatsu, 33 (Brazil), Eva Kotatkova, 29 (Czech Republic), Tala Madani, 30 (Iran), Basim Magdy, 34 (Egypt), Ahmet Ogut, 30 (Turkey), Amalia Pica, 33 (Argentina), Agnieszka Polska, 27 (Poland), Emily Roysdon, 34 (United States), Rayyane Tabet, 28 (Lebanon), Yan Xing, 26 (China), Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, 34 (United Kingdom), and two groups: Joao Maria Gusmao + Pedro Paiva, 33, 34 (Portugal), and R.E.P. (Ukraine).
British artist Lynette Yiadom-Boakye was the Main Prize Winner of the 2012 edition of the Future Generation Art Prize. Lynette will receive a $100,000 award ($60,000 in cash and $40,000 to be invested in the production of new work).

Jonathas de Andrade (Brazil), Micol Assael (Italy), Ahmet Ögüt (Turkey), Rayyane Tabet (Lebanon), and Marwa Arsanios (Lebanon) shared the Special Prize.

"A Tea for Alice" - Temporary Exhibition at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

Base on Lewis Carroll's "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland," the temporary exhibition "A Tea for Alice" (Um Chá para Alice) celebrates its main character through the notable artistic craftmanship and concept of 21 artists from 15 countries.

 Having the emblematic tea party with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare as the core them of the exhibition, "A Tea for Alice" features purpose-designed tables with different and distinct shapes and heights to form a type of mad lizard along whose back all the works are exhibited.

 Through ages, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" has inspired artists from all areas and has been translated into over a hundred different languages, making it one of the most universal and classical stories of all time. This temporary exhibition enables its visitors to perceive how thorugh their styles, schools and techniques all the whilst recognising the influence of cultures and discovering new interpretations, artists have conveyed their contemporary artistic view of the famous tea party.

 Close cooperation with Munich Library has also enabled the inclusion of a large number of old and modern editions of this work being made available for public consultation.
 Commissioned by Ju Godinho and Eduardo Filipe, and with the support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, "A Tea for Alice" can be visited at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation's Temporary Exhibitions venue (floor 01) until February 10, 2013 (closed on Mondays).

 The artists featured are Alain Gauthier, Lucie Laroche, Nicole Claveloux and Rebecca Dautrement (France), Anthony Browne, Helen Oxenbury and John Vernon Lord (United Kingdom), Chiara Carrer and Lisa Nanni (Italy), Anne Herbauts (Belgium), Dusan Kallay (Slovakia), Iban Barrenetxea (Spain), Joanna Concejo (Poland), Klaus Ensikat (Germany), Lisbeth Zwerger (Austria), Maggie Taylor (USA), Narges Mohammadi (Iran), Nelson Cruz (Brazil), Suzy Lee (South Korea), Teresa Lima (Portugal) and Vladimir Clavijo (Russia).

 The exhibition entitled "A Tea with Alice," was recently held at The Story Museum, receiving some positive accolades from experts and public.

Last days to see "Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective" at The Art Institute of Chicago

                                    Roy Lichtenstein. Ohhh...Alright..., 1964

 Until September September 3, 2012, you still have the rare opportunity to see the ever assembled largest group of drawings, paintings, and sculptures by Roy Lichetenstein, organized by The Art Institute of Chicago. Comprising more than 160 works, "Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective" offers a full scope of the artist's process, interests, and ambitions.

 A catalogue with nine essays by leading critics and scholars; an extensive timeline of Lichtenstein’s life and career, filled with archival images; and 172 color plates, accompains the exhibition.

 Painter, sculptor, and printmaker, throughout his career, Lichtenstein dedicated himself to explore different styles, including Impressionism, Abstract Expressionism and Art Deco design, always transforming them into something completely his own. Better than any other, he defined the basic premise of pop through parody, often in a tongue-in-cheek humorous manner.

 Due to its success, the exhibition can be visited until 8:00 p.m. from Friday, August 31, through Monday, September 3. Please use the Michigan Avenue entrance after 5:00 p.m.

 "Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective" is curated by James Rondeau, Dittmer Chair and Curator of the Department of Contemporary Art.

 On November 8, 2011, Lichtenstein's "I Can See the Whole Room…and There's Nobody in It!" (1961), was sold for $43,202,500 (₤26,785,550/€31,105,800), setting an auction record for the artist.

2012 Contemporary Art Fair, American Craft Show NYC & Art Off The Main

 New York's Fall art scene will stage under the same roof at the Javits Center from 19 to 21 October, three events that will bring to the public the artwork of nearly 250 artists and artisans occupying 70,000 square feet of space at the 2012 Contemporary Art Fair NYC, American Craft Show NYC and Art Off The Main.

 The Contemporary Art Fair NYC will show the artwork of established and emerging painters, photographers, sculptors and artists working in mixed media, presenting itself as an opportunity to follow the work of your favourite artists, discover new ones and keep up with the contemporary art market.

 At the American Craft Show NYC, visitors will be able to get in touch with the latest developments and creations in fashion, jewelry and accessories as well as furniture, ceramics, glass, wood, metal and textiles.
It will also be a moment to meet some of the artisans and discuss present and future trends.

 Both the Contemporary Art Fair NYC and the American Craft Show NYC celebrate their third year and were launched by Richard and Joanna Rothbard of American Art Marketing, who have directed art fairs and craft shows for over 30 years.

 This year marks the first time that the Art Off the Main joins the art fair and craft show.
Founded by Loris Crawford, owner of Savacou Fine Arts Gallery, and launched in 2004, and most recently in an online format, Art Off the Main is a showcase for paintings, drawings, graphics, sculpture and installations by artists of Caribbean, African and Latin American ancestry, featuring artists from 20 countries including the United States.

 In a globalized world, art collectors are discovering new talents from emerging art markets, namely from Latin countries. Art Off the Main presents itself as a venue where to discover new names.

 The 2012 Contemporary Art Fair NYC, American Craft Show NYC and Art Off the Main can be visited during the following schedule:

Friday October 19, 2pm - 7pm

Saturday October 20, 10am - 7pm

Sunday October 21, 10am - 4pm
Where: Javits Center, Hall 1A—11th Avenue and 39th Street.
Visit this page for directions.

Tickets: Adults: $14 Seniors: $13: Students: $8 Children under 10: Free
One ticket opens three doors to the juried events.

Weekend With the Masters Workshop & Conference 2012

This will be the fourth year that American Artist magazine arranges a major art event that brings together famous artists who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise, and dedicated artists seeking to improve their skills and learn more about the art world.

The Weekend With the Masters Workshop & Conference 2012 offers a program where participants will experience hands-on and interactive workshops, demonstrations, lectures, panel discussions and special presentations throughout the four-day weekend.

Weekend With the Masters 2012 will allow emerging and seasoned artists to develop skills, enhance their creativity and approach their work and art as a whole from different points of view, thus earning an experience that will prove relevant throughout their artistic development.

As similar to previous edition, many are the names of renowned artists that will participate in this year's event. Most of their workshops are included in the flat rate.
Class descriptions for each one of the instructors and a list of materials for each class are available.
Each participant will have to carry their own art materials.
Refer to the schedule of classes by day and time for a more complete information.

The Weekend With the Masters Workshop & Conference 2012 will take place September 5- 8, 2012 (add-on day Sunday, September 9) at the luxurious Rancho Bernardo Inn, near San Diego, California.
A flat rate of $1395 (optional additional fee of $75 for September 9 critique session), allows you to sign up for as many half- or full-day demos and workshops as you would like over the four days, as well as access to all evening events (please refer to Class Structure and Fees page).
 If you register before May 9, 2012, the Flat Rate is $1,295.
Single tickets may be sold, space allowing and on a first-come, first-served basis as available.

Win a visit to Danny Heller's studio in L.A.

Born in Northridge, CA in 1982, Danny Heller holds a B.A. in art with an emphasis in painting by the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
After capturing Santa Barbara’s surf landscapes during his formative years, Danny started focusing his attention into the retro iconography characteristic of mid-century Los Angeles.
Now working in his studio located in Silver Lake, Danny concentrates on chronicling Modern American imagery, depicting the architecture, design, and car culture found in Southern California.



His paintings have been shown through individual and colective exhbitions and published in art magazines.
Danny Heller's work has been acquired by the Foundation Colas, Boulogne-Billancourt, France and by the Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA.

In 2008, Danny gave an interview to the Art Inquirer, sharing his approach to art and part of his techniques.

Now, after three years, The Art Inquirer and Danny Heller are collaborating again to provide a magnificent experience for two readers of this blog: a visit to his studio in Silver Lake, LA.

Whether you are an emerging or seasoned artist, or an art lover, this will be a great opportunity to get directly in touch with an artist at his studio.
During the visit you'll be able to ask Danny about his development as an artist, how he approaches his favourite themes and subjects, and even get some tips on how to improve your painting techniques.

As mentioned before, the visit is for two readers of The Art Inquirer.
Here's how it's going to work:

If you're interested in participating in this visit, just leave your comment here and a link to a simple post on your blog about this event, so that I may easily contact you in case you win. That's all you have to do.

The two winners of this event cannot be relatives.

After randomly selecting the winners, The Art Inquirer will contact them directly and will ask them to provide a contact.

The visit will take place in November, during the morning or afternoon, and at the same time for both winners. The specific day and timing will be arranged between Danny and the winners, with whom he'll get in touch.

Danny Heller and The Art Inquirer will do their best to provide you the best possible experience during your visit to his studio.

As long as all the parties agree, they are free to arrange the visiting parameters as they wish, including changing the month of the visit. The Art Inquirer does not pose any final conditions.

Eventual traveling and personal expenses are responsability of the winners.



The artist's latest individual exhibition, entitled "The LAX Series," was inaugurated yesterday at the George Billis Gallery in LA and will run until November 12.

Disclaimer: This studio visit is not a sales visit. Danny Heller's paintings can be acquired through galleries that represent him.

2011 Edition of ArtReview’s Power 100 is headed by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei

This month, Art Review has issued its tenth annual ranking of whom their editors consider to be the contemporary art world’s most powerful players. In their own words: "...a guide to the general trends, networks and forces that shape the artworld."

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who was detained and imprisoned by the Chinese authorities during 81 days earlier this year, comes first on Art Review’s Power 100. This choice results from the artist's art practice and activism, manifesting his artistic independence from the system.

Besides Weiwei, the 2011 Edition of ArtReview’s Power 100 includes a few artists, being Cindy Sherman, Takashi Murakami, Marina Abramovic and Anish Kapoor
, four of them.

Names such as Hans Ulrich Obrist & Julia Peyton-Jones, Glenn Lowry, Larry Gagosian, Nicholas Serota, David Zwirner, Klaus Biesenbach, Eli Broad, François Pinault, Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, Victor Pinchuk, Artangel, Creative Time, artists Anton Vidokle, Julieta Aranda & Brian Kuan Wood (all three from e-flux), Boris Groys and Kaja Silverman, are among the list of curators, museum directors,gallerists, art patrons, collectors, distribution agencies and thinkers who influence and dynamize the art world.

The November issue of ArtReview's magazine includes full profiles, analysis, features, photography portfolios and commissioned artwork by Matt Mullican.

How to Start Your Own Art Collection (without breaking the bank)

Owning art has always been considered a symbol of status, good taste and often seen as something reserved for those with a better than average financial situation.
But it doesn't have to be like that, and through this article we'll point some strategies on how to start your own art collection without breaking the bank.
We are not going to focus on art collecting as an investment, although this aspect should also be taken into account since one doesn't guess the future and may need to sell a work of art or two.

The first thing to take into consideration is to buy something that you like, but don't go on buying the first piece that you see, unless of course it touches you deep in your heart and you really must have, as long as you can afford it.
If you are not a person who goes to galleries, museums, contact with artists and explores art related websites on the internet, then you may need to develop a better perception of art quality.
Someone who is not used to see art may find a certain work of art really good, but when compared to another one, that opinion may change, afterall we tend to compare.

Going to museums, art galleries and searching for art on the internet will broaden your horizons and will give you a better vision of what's going on on the art world.

After spending a couple of months to make sure that we make a good choice, it's time to start searching for that piece that will bring you joy to look at, and not something that you just bought to fill a space on your wall.
First we need to set a budget for our first acquisition. After that it's time to start looking.

You can start by any galleries that you see in your areas and take notes of the pieces that you like most and fit your budget, namely the title of the work, medium, size, year and its author.
The gallery owner or representative should be able to enlight you about the work in question and its author.

Searching the internet, you have several options such as search a style, subject, medium, etc.
You will get hundreds of results and you'll see wonderful works of art and a wide range of prices that you'll need to compare.
When visiting an artist's website, it's important to try to understand for own long he/she has been painting in order to perceive if that artist takes art seriously.
An artist who is represented by one or more galleries is usual a guarantee of dedication to his/her profession and a sign of recognition by the market.

Other places that you should seek are the art forums, where artists show and talk about their art, their careers and their artistic activities.
Usually you'll be able to see for how long they are members of that forum, but to access more information you'll have to register.
Registering will give you the chance to know the artists better and eventually ask questions to an artist whose work appeals you.
Examples of art forums are Wetcanvas, Artpapa, Beinart and Elfwood.

You can also search for art on online art shops where you can find good art at very good prices, but don't forget to try to perceive how seriously that artist takes art, afterall buying art is also an investment. You should also be aware of scams, that's why I mentioned the importance of checking for how long has an artist been working.

Now that you've done all your research, including searching for links referring the artists' names, and have selected two or three works, it's time to contact the artist or gallery.
Since our objective is to start buy acquiring just one piece, we'll obviously start by the one that we like the most.

As you may have heard and read, there are many scams going on nowadays, so it's important that the artist perceives you as genuinely interested.
You should introduce yourself, how you found out about his/her work and why do you like it.
Then it's time to ask which art materials have been used (ask for brands), since you'll want to buy an artwork to last for generations.
Don't forget to ask if there's a money back guarantee. If there's one you'll be responsible for shipping expenses and making sure that the artwork is returned intact.

After discussing how the work can be acquired and shipping conditions, it's time for payment. If buying in a gallery or in person, things get easier, but buying online is always a bit stressful for both parties.
Paypal or something similar will usually be a preferred method, followed by a bank transfer. If you pay with a check or money order, you'll only get your item after clearance.

Now lets discuss an issue that is somewhat controversial among artists: discount.
Usually an artist will not make a discount, especially gallery represented ones for the obvious reason.
And I'm sure that you would not like to buy an artwork only to find out a couple of months later that the author is making big discounts, thus making your art worth less.

However there are exceptions and many artists are willing to assist you with your purchase if you like their art but can't afford to pay in full.
Manifest your genuine interest and how you like that piece, and ask if you could pay in instalments. This method is often accepted, but note that you'll only get your work after paid in full.
It's a common practice between artists to offer a small discount to previous customers, but not to new ones, although of course this will depend on your conversation.

After waiting a couple of days or weeks (or months if you went for the instalments plan), it's time to place your work of art in a safe place, out of sunlight and not under direct light if it's a painting or drawing, or in a safe place if it's a sculpture or instalation.
It goes without saying that fumes as well as low and high temperatures should be avoided.
The artist should be able to provide you with instructions on how to better preserve your art in good conditions and should any accident happen, contact the artist or an professional restorer or conservator.

Having a private art collection is not only owning a material asset, it's living with culture in your own place and is often a good investment, especially in times of crisis.
Even during the recent years when the stock markets weren't at their best, auction houses have seen several records.

If you have any other suggestions feel free to leave them in your comments.

Artist Lucian Freud dies at 88 years of age

Born in Berlin on 8 December 1922, the British painter Lucian Freud passed away at the age of 88 this Wednesday night, July 20, due to unspecified illness at his home in London.

The artist, known chiefly for his painstakingly created and stylized impasted portrait and figure paintings, was the son of Austrian Jewish father, Ernst Ludwig Freud, an architect, and a German Jewish mother, Lucie née Brasch.
He was a grandson of Sigmund Freud.

To escape the rize of Nazism, Lucian fled with his family to London in 1933 and became a British citizen in 1939.
During his early artistic studies, he briefly fequented the Central School of Art in London. Then, with greater success, he studied at the Cedric Morris' East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing in Dedham, relocated in 1940 at Benton End near Hadleigh.
In the years of 1942-43, Lucian attended Goldsmiths, University of London.
Commissioned by the Ceylonese editor Tambimuttu, he illustrated a book of poems by Nicholas Moore entitled "The Glass Tower" in 1943.

Lucian Freud had his first solo exhibition in 1944 at the Alex Reid & Lefevre Gallery, entitled "The Painter's Room", where two of his drawings, a stuffed zebra (-cum-unicorn) and a palm tree, used to illustrate Moore's book, reappear.

In his 20's he would apply thin layers of paint to depict people, plants and animals in unusual juxtapositions.
But in the mid-1950's he began to work in portraiture, where nudes would become an almost exclusive subject. It's in this phase that he starts using coarse hog hair and applying looser strokes within an impasto technique that would make his paintings doubtless recognizable.
His first nude was painted in 1966.

Freud's subjects were often the people in his life; friends, family, fellow painters (these included Francis Bacon and David Hockney), lovers, children.
In the 1970s Freud spent 4,000 hours on a series of paintings of his mother.
The artist would often take hundreds of hours to complete his paintings and since he preferred to paint from life, sittings would generally last quite long.

One of the foremost figurative artists of his generation and widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time, his art gained a well deserved recognition.
Some of his most well-known paintings include: Interior in Paddington (1951), Girl With a White Dog (1951–52), Naked Girl Asleep II (1968), Naked Man With Rat (1977–78), Reflection (self-portrait) (1985).

In May 2008, his 1995 portrait "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping", depicting a naked portrait of Sue Tilley lying on a sofa, was sold at auction by Christie's in New York City for $33.6 million, setting a world record for sale value of a painting by a living artist.

A retrospective of his work was recently exhibited at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris under the title "L'Atelier."

His work is represented by Acquavella Galleries.

"I want paint to work as flesh," he told his biographer, Lawrence Gowing, in 1982. "As far as I am concerned the paint is the person. I want it to work for me as flesh does."

Lucian Michael Freud, OM, CH (8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011)

Monet's Water Lilies triptych at the Nelson-Atkins

Brought to New York in the 1950's Claude Monet's Water Lilies triptych was separated, and the individual panels were sold to the St. Louis Art Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum. The last time that these panels were exhibited together as they were meant to seen was in 1979, and now in collaboration with the other two museums, the Nelson-Atkins reunites the right-hand panel from its collection with the other ones, making this a rare opportunity to observe one of the most famous works of who is considered the most important Impressionist painter.

Each panel measures 6-feet tall by 14-feet wide and is believed that Monet started working on these in 1915, then continuosly reworking them in his studio at Giverny until the year of his death in 1926, according to Nicole Myers, Associate Curator at the Nelson-Atkins. This is most evident due to the fact that through x-ray imaging, light boxes, and computerized cross-sections, conservators have discovered the artist obsessively changed the composition over the years. For example, beneath a cluster of water lilies on the Nelson-Atkins canvas, conservators found the image of an agapanthus plant that Monet suppressed halfway through painting it. An x-ray of the agapanthus will be part of the exhibition. "We don’t even know for sure whether he considered them finished," said Simon Kelly, who, as curator of modern and contemporary art at the Saint Louis Art Museum and former associate curator of European painting and sculpture at the Nelson-Atkins, has been working on this exhibition for more than three years.

Through a range of archival photographs and a rarely seen film from 1915, showing Monet painting in his garden, wearing a white suit and a straw hat, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, the exhibition will bring to life the beauty of the garden and his passion for it.

Visitors will be able to use touch screens to "make your own Monet", which can be displayed on the museum's website, while another permits a close-up observation of the artist's loose and short brush strokes. Another panel can be used by visitors to describe their experience, description that will then be projected in light on the walls of that room.

In a separate, dedicated space, the paintings themselves will be displayed with side panels at slight angles to recreate something of the panoramic experience of the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris where several of Monet’s water lily triptychs are mounted.

The Water Lilies triptych will be on view, from April 9 to Aug. 7, 2011 at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City (MO, USA), after which it will travel to the Saint Louis Art Museum in the fall of 2011, before showing at the Cleveland Museum of Art at a date to be confirmed.

With the exception of a triptych in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, this is the only Monet triptych in the United States.

This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. In Kansas City the exhibition is supported by the Hartley Family Foundation, Carol and Fred Logan and the Campbell-Calvin Fund and Elizabeth C. Bonner Charitable Trust for exhibitions. Frontier Airlines is the official airline sponsor.

This article contains excerpts from the museum's press release

Put Your Art on the map with The Arts Map

Google permits publishers to add their business to their Google Maps and define search parameters such as keywords.

On a similar basis was created a service that intends to make easier to find arts sources and resources on a geographical basis, providing an interface which will benefit artists, galleries, collectors, museums, art schools and services, in short everyone related to art who wishes to connect. When joining the service, users can specify the search terms for their presence within the map, add an image, make the necessary changes in the future, etc.

Because many artists are not gallery represented and only show their work via a website or blog, this service is a tool that can bring more confidence to potential buyers buy stating that the artist has a physical adress; of course that misleading information can be provide by its users, but is up to artists, galleries and collectors to take the usual precautions when doing business.

Created a couple of years ago, The Arts Map is a free (exceptions may apply), straightforward and useful service.

"Olha Por Mim" a multisensory exhibition

The City Hall of Lisbon in partnership with its Social Services Department will present the exhibition "Olha Por Mim", featuring the artworkd of Tânia Bailão Lopes, a multisensory project born in the Instituto Politécnico de Leiria in 2009 with the collaboration of Josélia Neves, Clara Mineiro, expert of the Accrediting Department and Museums Qualification and twenty one experts from several museums.

After being exhibited from North to South of Portugal, the exhibition will include soundpainting for the first time, where music, poetry and sound effects will transmit subjective messages to the visitors. Walter Marcos, responsible for the sound area, has come up with specific sounds, while using an original theme by a former Sting's group keyboard player for one of the works.

In poetry, Josélia Neves used metafors such as "chocolate face" for describing a black character or "cherry face" to describe the countours of another character.

The soundpainting initiative was developed in collaboration with visual and hearing impaired people who guided the authors through its process by indicating what would work and what would not. It was noticed that even conditioning the perception through sounds, the interpretations of the artwork would differ.

"Olha Por Mim" is also a tactile experience with the objective of reaching all audiences, but especially catered for those with visual and hearing problems.

With the works of Mirtilo Gomes (Tânia's homonym), the "Olha Por Mim" exhibition will be inaugurated this March 15 (15h00) at the Social Services building of the City Hall of Lisbon (Edifício dos Serviços Sociais da CML), located in the Av. Afonso Costa, 41 - Olaias, and will include the lecture “Comunicar a arte trocando os sentidos: acessibilidade e inclusão”, presented by Josélia Neves and Walter Marcos. The artist will also be present, as well as Deodato Guerreiro PhD, a blindness and low vision specialist.

Watch the videos about the exhibition and visitors statements on this page .

The exhibition can be visited until April 15, 2011.

Interview With Bronze Sculptor Scott Nelles

Scott Nelles grew up in SE lower Michigan, where his father, a manufacturers representative in the steel business, would take him on tours to visit steel mills and foundries.
His mother was a bit of an artist and his great grandfather was a professional wood carver from Bern, Switzerland.
At an early age, he would build things out of clay and wood and whatever he could get his hands on.

In 1974 Scott began his career in the foundry at the Fraser bronze of Seattle, there he started making patterns for buckles influenced by his experience in the leather business where bought and sold a lot of belt buckles. The buckles were then cast by John Fraser who also helped him to improve his methods.

With some years of practice and observation Scott moved to Michigan and opened his own foundry where between the years of 1978 and 2000 he built and grew the business to the point of employing four full time people and selling his sculptures nationwide. In 2000 he placed a small classified add in a foundry trade magazine to sell the patterns and the rights to make his line of products. A large foundry owner purchased the line and began producing it under the name Nelles Bronze Sculpture, up to our days.




The Art Inquirer contacted Scott Nelles who promptly agreed to dedicate part of his valuable time to answer some questions about his art and provide this blog's readers with an insightful interview.


TAI What part of your historical background led you to pursue an artistic career ?

SN As a boy growing up in SE lower Michigan I was exposed to industry through my father, a manufacturers rep in the steel business. He would sometimes take me on tours of steel mills and foundries and I believe the heat and flame got into my blood. As a kid I was always making things out of clay and wood and whatever I could get my hands on. My mother was a bit of an artist and my great grandfather was a professional wood carver from Bern Switzerland. I ,in fact still use many of his hand tools when I am working with wood to make patterns for castings.

TAI When did you decided that bronze would be your medium of election for you to pass your message and demonstrate your creativity ?

SN Early on I realized that clay was just not rugged enough to do the things I wanted to do. So I knew that cast metal was the way to go. However it's no small thing to set up a bronze foundry and I had no training anyway. It has taken many years to develop my skills through observation, trial and error and working with other foundries.

TAI What are your favourite themes and subjects, and why ?

SN Currently I have been concentrating on a line of cast toys. I love the art deco period and I believe my toy cars and such reflect that love. Like most artists my interests change and evolve.

TAI Please resume to us the development of a sculpture, from its conception to its finish.

SN I generally develop my works with some rough paper sketches or create them directly in three dimensions. Though I have utilized different techniques of casting such as the ,“lost was method”, I generally work in the ,“sand casting method”, which I believe has advantages in some areas. It is the sand casting method which I will describe here. To be a sculptor and founder of bronze entails many skills and the use of many materials. Some people work only in wood, others, clay or glass. I work in a variety of materials to develop a pattern or model of my sculpture to be. I might make this model with water based or oil based clays, some very soft and some very hard. I work in a variety of waxes to sculpt and cast. Other materials important in, "the pattern making stage", are wood, plastics and resins of all kinds, sheet metal and fabrication, welding and forging all come into play. When a concept is created in one of my materials or combination of materials I then need to make a series of molds of the original model. These molds can be made in plaster, various poured resin materials, or sand. Eventually I will have a final pattern made in a rigid material like polyurethane plastic or cast aluminum. Using this pattern which represents my original form ,I can make rammed sand molds in the foundry. It is these sand molds into which I cast the bronze or other metal. When the metal cools I shake the sand away and a rough casting of my original sculpture emerges. Many types of finishing operations follow including, cutting, belt sanding, die grinding, sand blasting, tumbling, oxidizing, polishing and lacquering.





TAI Which are the most commmon technical pitfalls that a beginner working in the same art is more likely to commit ?

SN Where could I start to answer other than to say, do not enter into this craft lightly. The foundry process is without question the most technically demanding craft there is. This is not like throwing a pot and sticking it into a kiln while you drink cappuccino. It involve a multiplicity of disciplines and it could be a very long time before you succeed. Having said all this though I would never discourage a truly ambitious person from actually doing it. I have devoted my life to this thing and I have met and been mentored by many very interesting and talented people. Our community of foundry folk is very small and I would be glad to help anyone I could in there quest. I would say start small, visit some foundries read some books get some equipment together and give it a go.

TAI You accept custom orders. Which themes are most the requested ?

SN I will accept custom orders but usually when they hear the price for a one of a kind bronze the phone goes dead. Where my process shines is in making multiple pieces ,where the development costs can be amortized over the whole job. So if we can make you a hundred sculptures I might be your man.

TAI Can you be contacted to provide workshops or personal instruction ?

SN I would be happy to provide instruction but, I am a full time working artist trying to make a living at my craft. I have no interest in wasting my valuable time with dilettantes or prima donnas.

TAI What kind of major work would you like to embrace and what are your projects for the near future ?

SN I would love to do large wall installation of my cityscape work, either cast aluminum or resin. I will also continue to create my cast metal toys for the near future.

TAI Are you artworks available for personal viewing ?

SN My art works are available for personal viewing in my studio gallery, art shows, or by viewing my web-site.

TAI What advices can you give to owners of bronze objects to maintain them in good conditions ?
SN Dust them, wax them, enjoy them.


Scott Nelles keeps developing an entirely new line of pieces showcased by the toy cars, boats, candlesticks and small animals that he now makes in his studio. This line of works as well as those created over the years are available for purchase from him and in galleries nationwide, and can be viewed at the Nelles Studios website.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts: smARTpower

Administered by The Bronx Museum of the Arts, with the purpose of increasing the mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and other countries through social and cultural values, smARTpower will send fifteen American artists abroad to work with local artists and young people around the world to create community-based art projects and develop programs in cooperation with local arts organizations in host countries including China, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, India, Kosovo, Lebanon, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Venezuela.

The selected artists are required to address a full range of relevant subjects such as women’s empowerment, the environment, health, education, and civic engagement, which may be represented through several visual arts media, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, drawing, video, installation, photo-based work, public art, and interdisciplinary projects.
Artists are encouraged to work in group.

Among other requirements, the participating artists will be asked to establish professional working relationships with partner organizations, provide workshops and other outreach activities, facilitate the sustainability of the program's core concepts beyond the project, and communicate the development of their activities through blogging and other social media resources.

Each recipient will be provided with an honorarium of up to $11,000.00, travel funding, a budget for materials of up to $10,000.00, resources for documentation (including photography, video, and web posting), and on-site logistical support.

The smARTpower project is only open to professional artists who are not part of the Bronx Museum of the Arts staff, nor students currently enrolled in a BFA or MFA studio art program.
Entrants must also be United States citizens with at least 18 years of age, having resided in the U.S. within the last year. Residents and Green Card holders without citizenship are not eligible.

Owning experience in working with youth, engaging with other artists, art educators, and other community members, as well as being able to demonstrate high standards of quality and records of accomplishment, are of significant relevancy for being selected.

All applications and application materials must be received via the smARTpower website by midnight Eastern Standard Time, February 28, 2011.
Before sending their applications, the artists are advised to carefuly read all the participating requirements, including the submission process.

smARTpower is an initative of the Department of the State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with the participation of The Bronx Museum of the Arts.

The Orient Expressed: Japan's Influence on Western Art, 1854- 1918

From February 19 throughout July 17, 2011, the Mississipi Museum of Art will present the exhibition "The Orient Expressed: Japan’s Influence on Western Art, 1854-1918", the eleventh in The Annie Laurie Swaim Hearin Memorial Exhibition Series.

Comprising more than 200, The Orient Expressed will show works of art from the 19th and early 20th centuries, lent by some of the most prestigious collections, including: Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, Belgium; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California; Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York; New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana; Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Laurel, Mississippi; and the Mississippi Museum of Art’s own collection.

The exhibition will instruct visitors upon the cultural phenomenon known as Japonisme, first identified by French art critic Philippe Burty in 1872, and its influence up to our days in visual and decorative arts, architecture, fashion, graphic design, literature, music and theater.

Through decorative arts, graphic design, paintings, printmaking, and other media, the public will have the opportunity to aknowledge the impact of Japan on the West prior to World War I. In addition to the exemplary Western objects that will be showcased in The Orient Expressed, a select group of works from the Japanese art tradition will be incorporated to clarify specific influences. Dan Piersol, the Mississippi Museum of Art’s Deputy Director for Programs, states, “All of these aspects will elucidate the impact of Japonisme, and how it hastened the development of art nouveau and symbolism during the 1890s, and the advent of modernism.”

Visitors will be able to appreciate the works from noted artists and manufacturers such as Robert Frederick Blum, Pierre Bonnard, Félix Buhot, Felix Bracquemond, Mary Cassatt, William Merritt Chase, Charles Caryl Coleman, James Sidney Ensor, Paul Gauguin, Gorham Manufacturing Company, Childe Hassam, Utagawa Hiroshige, Helen Hyde, Georges Lacombe, John La Farge, Bertha Boynton Lum, Minton and Company, Charles Sprague Pearce, Rookwood Pottery, Henry Somm, James McNeill Whistler, Alfred Stevens, Theodore Wores, Tiffany & Co., and many more.

Found within the exhibition itself, two Family Corners and a Closer Look Gallery will offer educational components related to The Orient Expressed, and will include interactive areas, art activities, and reading materials to engage visitors with the works of art on display.

A host of special events, educational programs, and other activities with a Japanese influence will also help to enhance the visitor's experience.

With the participation of guest curator and scholar Gabriel P. Weisberg, "The Orient Expressed: Japan’s Influence on Western Art, 1854-1918" is expected to expect to host more visitors than any other exhibition the Museum has had previously, according to Mississippi Museum of Art Director Betsy Bradley.

Following its presentation in Jackson, The Orient Expressed will be on view at the McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas, from October 5, 2011 through January 15, 2012.

VIP Art Fair - Exclusively Online

In recent years the art market witnessed the emerge of online venues with the purpose of permiting new artists to show and sell their works without passing through the traditional galleries.
Now a project catered for the major traditional galleries has been created, which will allow them to show their artworks online and fully interact with the public and especially with art collectors.

Conceived by James Cohan, active in the contemporary art world for more than 25 years as a dealer and founder of the James Cohan Gallery in New York in 1999, between other activities, the VIP Art Fair will, in similarity to its traditional counterparts, be open during one week, with the main difference of happening exclusively online and permiting less expenses to exhibitors and visitors.

Gathering some of the best world renowned art galleries, including Almine Rech, Anna Schwartz, David Zwirner, Emmanuel Perrotin, Fraenkel, Hauser & Wirth, Hyundai, James Cohan, Larry Gagosian, Luisa Strina, Koyanagi, Marlborough, Max Hetzler, Sadie Cole HQ, ShangART, Sommer Contemporary Art, White Cube, Yvon Lambert, and Xavier Hufkens, among others, in a total of 139 galleries from 30 countries, this online event is bound to become a case study in the art market and which paths it may take from now on, especially when such influent names are involved.

Featuring a revolutionary design, VIP Art Fair will offer art collectors the opportunity to view artwork through an innovative technology that presents artworks in relation to other works of art and to the human figure. Inquisitive visitors will be able to zoom in to examine details of a painting’s surface, get multiple views of a three-dimensional work, and watch videos of a multimedia piece. Galleries will provide comprehensive details on artworks and artists, including biographies, catalogue essays, artist films and interviews, and in-depth information that will empower collectors.

An important aspect of this online international contemporary art fair is going to be the interactivity between dealer and collector. Each dealer will have the ability to hold conversations with collectors via instant messaging, Skype, and telephone to discuss works on offer in the virtual booth (10 to 20 works).
Specially-created Private Rooms will permit dealers to share works from their gallery's backroom inventory (between 40 and 70 works) in real time with their clients.
Online payments will not be offered through this platform during this art fair.

The VIP Art Fair can be explored through different perspectives, including the obvious online tours, which can be based on featured works, tours created by collectors, critics, or even by curators from participating museums. Visitors will be able to build their own personalized tours of the Fair that showcase their favourite works and share with friends or post them in the VIP Lounge. Other ways to navigate the site wil include the Fair Map and advanced searches based on criteria of interest, such as artist’s name, medium, or price range.

The Fair will open on Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. EST and conclude on Sunday, January 30, 2011, at 7:59 a.m. EST. Browsing the Fair is free of charge. To access interactive capabilities, visitors must have a VIP Ticket, which on January 22 and 23 will cost $100 and thereafter will cost $20. You can request an invitation here.

VIP Art Fair was founded by James Cohan, founder of the James Cohan Gallery in New York in 1999 and board of directors of the Art Dealers Association of America, Art 21 and Independent Curators International; Jane Cohan, industrial designer by training and partner at James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai, where she manages press relations and acts as artist liaison; Jonas Almgren, involved in the launch of Vantive (IPO 1995), InterWeave (sold 1997), E.piphany (IPO 1999), PremierGuide (sold 2007), and One Art World (2005); and Alessandra Almgren, starter of the Home Theater Research Group in 1998 and co-founder of One Art World.
Its directors are Noah Horowitz, Adjunct Professor of Art Business at the Sotheby's Institute of Art, New York, and author of "Art of the Deal: Contemporary Art in a Global Financial Market", and Stephanie Schumann, who brings her experience from The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Drawing Center, and The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, where she is a founding patron and chair of the museum’s young benefactors group.
Other names include Sidney Blank, Marco Raab and Olaf Kreitz, all from Supermetric.

The promotional video for VIP Art Fair was created by When in Doubt Productions in collaboration with Force of Feather