Banksy's mural "Slave Labour" at auction in Miami

Banksy's mural "Slave Labour" (Bunting Boy) was auctioned today at Fine Art Auctions Miami , starting at $400,0000 and was expected to fetch something between $500,000 and $700,000. Completed in 2012, the work is a stencil and spray paint on render with additional jubilee bunting (Height 48 in.; Width 59.8 in. / Height 122 cm.; Width 152 cm)

The previous days before this auction have surrounded by controversy and have inclusively drawn the attention from the Scotland Yard and from the FBI.
All because the mural was removed this month from the wall of Poudland, located in Haringey Council, UK. Poundland is a store that sells items for one pound and is owned by property firm Wood Green Investments.
Haringey Council even started a campaign to bring the mural back, including contacting the Arts Council and Culture Secretary Maria Miller and the Mayor of Miami, Tomas Regalado. A solicitor for Wood Green Investments has advised the company to avoid commenting on the subject,

According to Frederic Thut from Fine Art Auctions Miami, the mural was painted on a private wall and the owner of a private wall can do whatever he wants with his own wall. The auction house has been approached by the authorities and asked them to provide proofs that the work was illegal to sell.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said someone had removed it for sale and there is no suggestion of any crime being commited. They have advised the US authorities that there was no theft.

"Slave Labour" (Bunting Boy) was auctioned in FAAM's Modern, Contemporary and Street Art auction (lot 00006). However the lot was passed.

 Another Banksy's work Wet Dog, a stencil and spray paint on stone (Height 78.7 in.; Width 63 in. / Height 200 cm.; Width 160 cm), created in Bethlehem in 2007 and expected to fetch between $600,000 and $800,000, was predicted to be included in the same catalogue (lot 00007), but it's not showing at this moment.

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

ARCOmadrid 2013

Organized by IFEMA, the 32nd edition of ARCOmadrid International Contemporary Art Fair will be the stage of 202 galleries from 30 countries, of which 146 are participating in the General Programme and 56 emerging ones providing content for the different Curated Programmes.

ARCOmadrid 2013 will include several activities, including presentations, discussion forums and meetings, for which several art professionals have been invited to share their knowledge. With this, the organizers aim to provide the general public and art collectors, either emerging or more seasoned, with the necessary tools to enhance their contemporary art experience, namely through its International Collectors and The First Collectors programmes.

The inclusion of QR codes referring to Highlighted Artists selected by each gallery, will offer a more complete information about their artwork and artistic careers, helping discover emerging talents and revisiting established ones with a wider perspective.

From 7 to 24 February, a selection of works from the galleries participating in the Fair, will be offered for sale at prices limited up to €5000.00 at Collect online, an online platform with the collaboration of Paddle 8.
This confirms the commitment of ARCOmadrid of evolving side by side with the new technologies.

Another novelty for 2013 is ARCO Bloggers , an online participatory publishing experiment conceived and coordinated by Roberta Bosco and Stefano Caldana, which offers a non-static way of looking at the contemporary art scene and its protagonists through the phenomenon and format of contemporary art blogs. The intention is to discover and analyse the new characteristics and dynamics of art information and criticism at a time of transition from analogue to digital media.

In line with this, as part of the discussion spaces, the ARCO Bloggers' Forum will be held, with the title “Contemporary art: online tools and strategies”, and the participation of Spain's leading contemporary art bloggers and international opinion creators with an outstanding online presence and activity.

 ARCOmadrid didn't forget about the children and for the second year in a row and after a resounding success last year, ARCOkids returns with a space for the youngest visitors with workshops in partnership with the Fundación Pequeño Deseo to encourage the creativity of children aged 4 to 14.

Another major feature happening each year, is the presentation of several awards recognising artistic creation, collecting and the work of young artists. Namely a €15,000.00 prize sponsored by the watchmakers Audemars Piguet, for the production of a work of art. This year the prize has been attributed to the project ‘Arules’ by Juan Luis Moraza.

One of the most important sections is FOCUS TURKEY, resulting from the collaboration of the Turkish Embassy in Spain, and with the participation of the curator Vasif Kortun, director of research and programmes at the institution SALT Istanbul, and the assistant curator Lara Fresko, writer and art professional, who have selected the 10 Turkish galleries who will participate in the programme.

The presence of Turkey will also be reflected in the city of Madrid, with themed exhibitions in many of its most representative galleries and museums.
To extend the cultural offerings, Turkey will also take part in the AfterARCO project, which after the Fair closes each day, organises activities in different spaces in the city: Nave 16, Cineteca and Nave de la Música at MATADERO MADRID.

ARCOmadrid 2013 offers many opportunities to the general public and to art collectors to learn about the latest trends on Contemporary Art. The only drawback is the ticket prices which, as having the opinion that everyone should be entitled to appreciate art, are too high, especially in a country where unemployment is at this time of around 25%.

The Fair will take place at Feria de Madrid, Halls 8 and 10 (13th - 17th February 2013)
Professionals: Wednesday 13, from noon to 9 pm & Thursday 14, from noon to 8 pm.

General public: Friday 15, Saturday 16 & Sunday 17, from noon to 8 pm.

Visit the LA Art Show 2013 during this weekend

During this weekend take the family with you and go visit the LA Art Show 2013.
The event provides a comprehensive art experience offered by The Modern & Contemporary; The Historic & Traditional; The Vintage Poster and by The IFPDA Los Angeles Print Fair.

Now in its 18th year, the LA Art Show features some known galleries from around the world and a complete programme that includes lectures, tours, special exhibits, and must-attend after parties.

The event takes place at the LA Convention Center/South Hall J and K and can be visited this Saturday January 26 (11am - 7pm) and Sunday January 27 (11am - 5pm)
Ticket price for one day (general admissons) is $20 with $5 discount when purchased online.

Last year, the event, which is the longest running venue for contemporary, modern, historic and traditional art in the country, hosted more than 100 prominent art galleries and drew more than 50,000 visitors with its two-show concept that distinctly separated modern and contemporary works from historical and traditional works.
The city of Los Angeles is a world reference in the arts in its various forms, represented in its over 300 museums, music festivals and by dozens of distinct ethnic communities. All combined with a perfect weather and one of the world's largest economies.

Salon International 2013 - A Juried Exhibition of Oil and Acrylic Paintings

 Submissions are open for the Salon International 2013 juried exhibition, a project of the International Museum of Contemporary Masters, hosted by Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art in San Antonio, Texas.

 Entrants can send digital files of their work(s) according to instructions in the prospectus until January 18, 2013. Slide entries must arrive at the gallery until the mentioned deadline. Entry fees apply. The submited work must be original (oil or acrylic) and completed after pril 13, 2011. Each artist can submit up to three entries.

 The submited entries will be juried by Jim Janes and Mark Smith, owners of Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art.
Renowned artist Daniel E. Greene, N.A. will be the 2013 edition's awarding judge.

 The selected paintings for the exhibition must be framed, ready to hang and priced according to the prospectus. Please note that entrants are responsible for the shipping of the works (including return), insurance through shipping and during the exhibition (April 13 - May 3).

 Shipped paintings must arrive at the gallery between March 12-30, 2013. Shipments from outside the United States must be shipped "Free Domicile" (DDP or Delivered Duty Paid) or will not be accepted.
Do not use foam peanuts  as packing materials. Paintings sent packed in peanuts will not be unpacked.Ship to: Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, 6496 N. New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio, Texas 78209.

 Artists whose works are selected for the exhibition and are able to deliver their paintings uncrated and personally at the Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art (on March 30, 2013, between the hours of 10am and 6pm), will have to include a check of $10 for each painting, payable to Greenhouse Gallery for handling fees.


 Those who cannot take their works in person, will have to include a $20 check for each painting payable to Greenhouse Gallery to cover the labor expense for uncrating, storage of crates, re-crating your painting and contacting a shipper for return. In a separate check, include a check made out to Greenhouse Gallery to cover the cost of return shipping unless you provide your billing account number with a shipping company. Both checks should be in an envelope inside the crate with your painting.

 Approximatey 300 paintings will be juried into the Salon International 2013 exhibition, wich includes over $35,000 awards in cash, merchandise certificates and advertising in renowned art magazines.
The Best of Show will get a $8,000 cash award and an article in American Art Collector.

 The Art Inquirer advises its readers to carefully read the rules outlined in the prospectus and revise all steps more than once, eventually taking notes of the most important aspects, namely fees, shipping, gallery commissions and how the payment will be made to the artists concerning the sold works.

 Again remember that the entry deadline for digital entries is January 18, 2013 and that slide entries must arrive to the gallery until this date.

"The Ages of the Sea" at Calouste Gulbenkian

 Organized by the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum with the support of the Musée d’Orsay, the exhibition "Ages of the Sea" (As Idades do Mar) can be visited until January 27th, 2013.

 This major exhibition presents one hundred and nine works created between the sixteenth and the twentieth century, lent by fifty institutions from ten different countries, including public and private collections.

 Based on an historical survey of the visual representation of the Sea, the exhibition seeks to identify the major themes which led to its extensive and recurrent depiction in Western Painting. "Ages of the Sea" developes the concept that provides the title to the project in six sections: ‘The Age of Myths’, ‘The Age of Power’, ‘Sea and Labour’, 'Storms and shipwrecks’, ‘The Ephemeral’, and ‘The Quest for Infinity’.

 Arnold Bocklin, Eugène Boudin, Constable, Courbet, Giorgio de Chirico, Friedrich, Hopper, Fattori, Francesco Guardi, Paul Klee, Claude Lorrain, Manet, Monet, Signac, Sorolla, Turner and Van Goyen, as well as the Portuguese Amadeu de Souza-Cardoso, Henrique Pousão, João Vaz, Maria Helena Vieira da Silva and Menez, are some of the eighty-nine authors represented in the exhibition.

 "Ages of the Sea" can be visited between until January 27th, 2013 (10:00 am - 20:00 pm) at the main buliding of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Av. Berna, 45-A (GPS: 38.738286,-9.154821).
Admission is €5,00.

The Uweza Aid Foundation and the artist Joseph Wanderi together against poverty through art

When the new millenium started, there were hopes that humankind might gain consiousness and the indifference in the world towards those less favoured might fade away.

But in a world rulled by material values, where money plays an important role as never before and people are relegated to second plan, we keep having millions of individuals, especially small children, who keep living in inhumane conditions and don’t have a single opportunity to raise out of that situation.

Fortunately, organizations and people exist that try to fight this status quo. It’s a continuous and difficult fight, but they never give up and keep believing that they can make this world a better place.

The Uweza Aid Foundation (Uweza is the Swahili word for ability and power) is a 501(c)(3) organization registered in the State of Illinois that fights the cycle of poverty that persists in Kenya's Kibera slum, in spite of the resiliency and ingenuity of Kenyans working to better their communities, even without any external assistance.
Through community-based empowerment programs, Uweza nurtures and builds upon the already existing capabilities and resourcefulness of Kenyans.

All its projects are developed and/or run by Kenyans, primarily residents of Kibera who are dedicated to the betterment of their community. Current projects include an after-school program, soccer club, school sponsorships, and a counseling initiative for at-risk and troubled youth.

You can also contribute to their projects and one of the ways of doing so is by investing in art.
Most of us would like to own some works of art, or even start an art collection, but usually don’t know how to start or who to contact.

The paintings of Joseph Wanderi are beautiful and creative one of a kind originals that represent in warm tones, the people's life as well as the wonderful fauna, flora and landscape of the region.
His works can be considered an opportunity for the emerging art collector who values aesthetics above all.

Moreover, African artists are gaining recognition in a global art worl, making it not only an aesthetic acquisition, but as well as a wise one

Half of the sales of each painting will go to the artist and half will go toward funding weekly art classes for Kibera youth.

Should they wish, when at the checkout, the readers of The Art Inquirer can enter the promotional code theartinquirer, which will give them a 10% discount on Wanderi's paintings, supported by the Uweza Aid Foundation.
This promotional code is valid until January 1, 2013. After this date, the discount will be 5% until further notice.

Joseph Wanderi (known to most as "Wanderer") is an art instructor and a well-known Kibera artist who started painting when he was in primary school. He now makes a living by creating artwork and aims to nurture artistic talent in other Kibera youth.

Disclaimer: The originalty and quality of the artworks, as well as their commercialization, is of the responsibility of their author and owner respectively.

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.

Oscar Niemeyer dies at the age of 104

Regarded as one of the most important architects ever and having created the largest number of projects, surpassing 600, the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer died at 21h55 of December 5th , 2012, in the Hospital Samaritano, District of Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro. He was 104 years old and although debilitated, he worked almost until his last day proving his dedication.

 Born on December 15, 1907, Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares, graduated from the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes do Rio de Janeiro (School of Fine Arts of Rio de Janeiro) in 1934 and started gaining national and international recognition during the 1940's, namely for his plastic explorations of concrete.

 Niemeyer completed his first project in 1937, for which he didn't receive any income. It was a building in the Lagoa district, Rio de Janeiro, influenced by Le Corbusier and entitled Obra do Berço (inaugurated in 1938).

 In 1946, the architect is invited to lecture at Yale, but his visa is denied because of his political beliefs. However, in 1947, Niemeyer is pointed as part of the international team of architects selected to develop the United Nations headquarters in New York. His project, elaborated together with Le Corbusier, would become the selected one.

 During the year of 1951, he projects the Copan building, located in the old downtown of São Paulo and known as the largest concrete structure in Brazil. It is also in the same year that he builds his own house, which he names Casa das Canoas because of the road where it stands. Many years later, it would become part of the Oscar Niemeyer Foundation. In 2007, the house was demolished by the IPHAN.

 Author of several known projects, it's in the year of 1956 that Oscar Niemeyer is contacted by the elected president of Brazil, Juscelino Kubitschek, to lead the ambicious project of moving the capital to an uninhabited region in the center of the Country. The architect is invited by Juscelino to integrate the direction board of Novacap, the building company responsible for the new capital.

 In 1957, he opens a public contest for the head plan of Brasília, the new capital. His former boss and friend Lúcio Costa wins the contest and becomes responsible for the city's plan, while Niemeyer takes the task of developing the projects for the buildings.

 Completed during one mandate, the construction of Brasília required Niemeyer to plan a series of buildings in few months as to be able to shape it. Among the most recognisable ones are the President's residence (Palácio da Alvorada), the Edifício do Congresso Nacional (Câmara dos Deputados e Senado Federal), the Catedral de Brasília, the state department buildings, the Government's building (Palácio do Planalto) and several residential and commercial buildings.

 Kubitschek's determination was essential to move forward his intention of developing the depopulated center of Brazil and bring progress to the rest of the country.

 The project of Lúcio Costa had considered the modern concepts of a city, where displacement takes an important role and where the automobile is placed in evidence. Buildings are parted over large green areas.
Brasília was built based on directives that remount to Le Corbusier's projects from the 1920's and to his project for the city of Chandigarh, evident in the monumental scale of its governmental buildings. The city also exhibits concepts similar to those of Hilberseimer.

 In this new projected city, the socialist ideal was taken in mind, where homes would belong to the Government and be used by the public servents. In this perspective, all workers either public servents or parliement members, should inhabit the same buildings.
 However the contruction of Brasília wasn't exempt from controversy, namely due to its monumental scale and for the priority given to the automobile. The city developed into a non-predictable plan, with satellite towns appearing as a way to accomodate the growing population.
Nowdays only a small part of the inhabitants of the Federal District lives in the area anticipated in the project of Lúcio Costa.

Article still in development......................

"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.