Artworks by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein Stolen from Robert Romanoff's Apartment

Robert Romanoff, now president of the New Jersey-based Nebraska Meat Corp., one of the country’s major distributors of smoked meat, that for years owned property in the Meatpacking District, had several works of art stolen from his five-story apartment in Manhatan, New York.

The heist seems to have been perpetrated between 24-28 November, during Romanoff's absence. According to the authorities, the burgler or burglers, who managed to bypass several security measures to get into the five-story building that has only one key-operated elevator and no stairs access to the 3rd floor, drilled a hole through the wall of the hallway.

One of the facts that is preventing authorities from solving this case in a more swiftly manner is that who committed the crime was wise enough to walk out with the surveillance video footage.

The stolen artworks include the oil painting "Live Cat" by Carl Fudege, "Superman" and "The Truck" prints by Andy Warhol, a set of eight signed prints dated from 1986 called "Camouflage", also by Warhol, as well as "Moonscape" and “Thinking Nude", both by Roy Lichenstein.

Besides the works of art, Cartier and Rolex watches, as well as jewelry were stolen, totalizing near $750,000.

BP Portrait Award 2011

The thirty-second edition of the Portrait Award is now open to artists working in portraiture and who wish to attain recognition for their art.

On its twenty-second year of sponsorship by BP and organized by the National Portrait Gallery, the BP Portrait Award is an international competition open to all artists with 18 years of age and over 1 January 2011, and has the purpose of encouraging artists to focus upon and develop portraiture in their work.

The competition offers three main prizes, being the first one £25,000 in cash, plus, at the judges’ discretion, a commission worth £4,000, to be agreed between the National Portrait Gallery and the artist. The second and the third prize winners will receive £8,000 and £6,000 respectively.

The artists selected to exhibit at the National Gallery will be eligible to submit a proposal for the BP Travel Award 2011, which aims to provide the opportunity for an artist to experience working in a different environment, in Britain or abroad, on a project related to portraiture which will then be part of the BP Portrait Award 2012 exhibition and tour in 2012-13.

All entrants aged between 18 and 30 will automatically be considered for the BP Young Artist Award valued in £5,000, however this prize cannot be acumulated with another.

The registration can be made online or by post and the entry form and fee of £32 must be returned to the National Portrait Gallery by Thursday 10 February 2011.
Please note that pastels, watercolours and works on paper will not be considered.
The portrait must be predominantly painted in acrylic, oil or tempera, and must be on a strecher of board, preferably framed and unglazed i.e. without glass or similar.

For those wishing to participate in the BP Portrait Award 2011, is essential to read all the rules carefuly and revise each step before sending the work. This way you will ensure that your painting won't be rejected because you missed something.

The BP Portrait Award 2011 exhibition will run at the National Portrait Gallery from 16th of June to 18th of September 2011.

Merry Christmas 2010

To all the readers of The Art Inquirer and to their families, I would like to wish a Merry Christmas with lots of good things, especially peace, love and health.

Ok, and to all the readers of all other blogs too :-)

José Carrilho

The Uncovered Artistry Project - Empowering Domestic Abuse Survivors

Created by Angela Spoto together with her sister Sarah, the Uncovered Artistry project intends to provide domestic abuse victims with means to improve their financial situation and express their creativity, as well as to share their experiences with others in the same situation.

Operating out of Seacoast New Hampshire, the project is a nonprofit online boutique that provides an outlet to the finely crafted work of domestic abuse survivors and non-survivors in America and Canada who support abuse awareness. Uncovered Artistry also educates its customers about domestic abuse in order to raise awareness and eliminate stereotypes.

In order to give a general idea of how things work and answer a few doubts that may raise from those interested in participating, either as artisans or as sponsors, The Art Inquirer has conducted an interview with the authors of the project.

TAI When did you come up with the idea for this project ?

UA We thought of Uncovered Artistry last winter when we heard about the Projects for Peace grant, which gives select students $10,000 to start a project that promotes peace. We knew we wanted to empower women in some way, and since we had previously owned a jewelry shop on Etsy, we deiced to take our skills and start a nonprofit boutique that sells the work of domestic and sexual abuse survivors. Luckily, we got the grant!

TAI Why did you decided to make this project ?

UA We believe in the empowering effects of entrepreneurship and art and wanted to give others the opportunity to expand their businesses.

TAI Where has this project started and if it's still on the same venue ?

UA Currently, we sell exclusively online at Uncoveredartistry.com. We operate out of two locations: Seacoast New Hampshire in the summer and Chicago during the school year while we are at college.

TAI Do you have plans to expand this project ?

UA Yes, definitely. We are currently exploring other grant possibilities. We'd like to have many more artisans, a larger website, and more employees. We intend to reach out to the community and host community events. Also, we hope to raise $10,000 for domestic abuse shelters.

TAI Why did you think that this specific project would be a successful option ?

UA We believe that taking a for-profit business model and creating a nonprofit will enable us to become self-sustaining and reach more individuals.

TAI According to the artists/crafters, how has this project improved their lives ?

UA Here are some quotations from several of our artisans:

"When I work on my jewelry, I feel peaceful. I'm so focused on the project that I am able to momentarily "forget" those bad experiences. And I feel good about myself when I'm done with a pair. Some of my self-worth and confidence has returned."

"Creating has always been a way to get away from reality. As well as show that you are worthwhile and talented which I heard over and over I wasn't. It gives me self confidence I don't think I could have gotten elsewhere.Creating has always been a way to get away from reality. As well as show that you are worthwhile and talented which I heard over and over I wasn't. It gives me self confidence I don't think I could have gotten elsewhere."

"It helps me focus more on beauty and seeing the beauty inside myself. It's helped me accept myself more and actually love myself more because I have the ability to highlight the beauty of others. I can make others smile with it and that is worth everything to me. To have contemplated suicide many times and then to be able to help others showcase their own beauty means the world to me. I not only survived, but I've overcome, I've learned to forgive, and I've learned patience."

TAI From which areas do you accept works ?

UA Our artisans are from all over the country, and we do accept artisan applications from Canada.

TAI How can people contribute for this project ?

UA We take donations, both monetary and artistic donations. For instance, students at Lake Forest College donated a number of jewelry pieces. We accept most types of items, including artwork, jewelry, accessories, and home decor. If you are interested in donating, please contact Sarah at sarah(at)uncoveredartistry.com.

TAI What kind of art/craft is more common ?

UA Most of our artisans create jewelry, but we also sell artwork, accessories, and home decor. Our most popular sellers are necklaces, sculptures, and earrings.

TAI For those who don't have any means to buy materials to start, can you provide them with any kind of help ?

UA Yes, Uncovered Artistry has set aside a microloan fund for the purpose of providing artisans who may not have the current financial means to start their business with a small loan ranging from $25 to $100.

TAI Do you think that besides its main function, this project is also a vehicle for its users to share their experiences with each other ?

UA We hope that our artisans feel a connection with other artisans who have gone through similar experiences. We hope to start an artisan newsletter through which UA artisans can get to know one another.

TAI Have you ever felt when gathering information and promoting this project, that the tabu of not interfering in a couple's life is still implated in our society when talking of domestic violence ?

UA We think that many times people chose to ignore domestic abuse when it is happening. We believe this is unacceptable. Domestic abuse and sexual abuse should not exist, and we hope to promote awareness.Domestic violence is certainly a touchy issue. We are always mindful of the comfort level of our artisans when talking about this issue. Some artisans don't mind discussing it, while others would like to avoid the issue.

TAI How are you advertising this project to reach the maximum number of people ? Have you gotten interested sponsors ?

UA We currently advertise online at craftcult.com, greatgreengods.com, and modishblog.com. We also write a weekly column for our college's newspaper.

The Uncovered Artistry project was made possible by a grant from Projects for Peace established by the international philantropist Kathryn Wasserman Davis, upon the occasion of her 100th birthday in 2007.

"Columbano" exhibition in Museu do Chiado - Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea

Considered Portugal's most proeminent nineteenth century painter and the artist who most succefully expressed modern values, Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro (1857-1929) conveyed the Portuguese society through over three generations, including some of its most notable members such as Antero de Quental, Eça de Queirós, Bulhão Pato, Batalha Reis, Fialho de Almeida, Raúl Brandão, Teixeira Gomes, e Teixeira de Pascoais.

Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro was a keen and critical observer and his interpretive portraits reveal him as being a radical annalist of modern life.

His consecration as a portrait painter results from the support of a socio-political elite and from the press, gaining him a privileged artistic status confirmed by his appointment as a professor at Lisbon’s Escola de Belas-Artes and as Director of the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea from 1914 to 1927.

His political involvement as a republican led him to produce three official portraits of the first Presidents of the Portuguese Republic and to be part of the comittee responsible for deciding on the design and colours of the Portuguese national flag.

The different sections of the "Columbano" exhibition bring together seventy-three pieces, with most of them belonging to the collection of the two hundred works held by the museum. Other works were also lent from private collections, national institutions and international museums such as the Musée d’Orsay, the Palazzo Pitti and the MNBA in Rio de Janeiro, some of them never previously exhibited in Portugal.

Curated by Maria de Aires Silveira, the exhibition can be visited in the Museu do Chiado - Museu Nacional de Art Contemporânea, in Lisbon, from December 2, 2010 to March 27, 2011.

Portrait of Eduardo Brazão - oil on canvas (1909)

Roman Abramovich's Recent Art Project in the New Holland Island

Last month the russian billionaire and one of the top art collectors, Roman Abramovich, won a bid to run an island in the center of St. Petersburg (Russia) through a new venture called New Holland Development.

An 18th century former military base which belonged to the Russian admiralty, the New Holland island was created through the construction of two canals and ows its name for its resemblance to areas of Amsterdam.

According to news, Abramovich has plans to plans to transform the 18th century warehouses into a cultural and commercial centre that will eventually include galleries, offices, retail business, hotels, a museum and quite possible a permanent home for his own art collection.
Plans to open a satellite of the Garage Center are also predicted.

His better half Dasha Zhukova has played a decisive role on Abramovich's acquisitions of contemporary art and will certainly contribute with her expertise to this new art project of the Chealsea owner.

Zhukova, who graduated with honors in Slavic Studies and Literature from the University of California, Santa Barbara, is a philantropist, entrepeuneur, and magazine editor. In 2008 she founded the IRIS Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary culture.

Through IRIS, Zhukova and International Coordinator Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst launched The Garage Center for Contemporary Culture in Moscow, housed in one of Russia’s architectural masterpieces, the former Bakhmetevsky Bus Garage, designed in 1926 by the Constructivist architect, Konstanin Melnikov.

The development of this project is expected to take near six years to be completed.

Ikon Gallery (UK) seeks a Curator

Ikon Gallery, one of UK's leading international contemporary art galleries is looking for a creative and dynamic individual for the post of Curator.

The applicant should have at least an experience of 5 years working within an international contemporary art context, possess considerable writing and publishing experience, focused on public initiatives, and show interest in supporting the development of visual artists.
One of the major functions will include working with the Director to lead up and provide an ambitious exhibition programme at the gallery and off-site.

The post is offered on a full time pemanent basis.
Deadline for applications is Monday 10 January 2011, with the interviews being held on Monday 31 January 2011.

An equal opportunities employer, founded by the Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council, Ikon Gallery is always looking for occasional workers.

Collective Exhibition at the Quadrado Azul Gallery

Located in Largo dos Stephens, 4, in Lisbon, Portugal, the Quadrado Azul Gallery (Galeria Quadrado Azul) is presenting between December 4, 2010 and January 15, 2011 (Tue-Sat, 1pm-8pm), a collective exhibition of in the house artists.

With the title “Colectiva de Artistas da Galeria”, the exhibition shows the works of Ângelo de Sousa, João Queiroz, José de Guimarães, Paulo Nozolino, Pedro Tropa and Thierry Simões.

Art Below and The Sun Newspaper Together For BreakThrough Breast Cancer

Resulting from a colaboration between Art Below and The Sun Newspaper, an art project to support the BreakThrough Breast Cancer charity has united some of Art Below's most valuable artists to create works inspired from UK's favourite pin-ups in celebration of Page 3's 40th Annyversary.

Contemporary artists such as Jon Burgerman, Julie Verhoeven and Nasser Azam, have produced works inspired by individual sittings with some of the glamour models of The Sun Newspaper's Page 3.

A selection of these artworks has been featured in an exclusive anniversary spread in the newspaper, coinciding with a selection of works displayed at major London subway stations including Angel, Bond Street, London Bridge, Old Street, and Sloane Square.

On Monday 13th December 2010, at the Victoria & Albert Museum, these works of art will be auctioned in support of BreakThrough Breast Cancer, the largest and most influential UK breast cancer charity, fighting the disease on three fronts - research, campaigning and education.

Watch the Videos of the Future Generation Art Prize 2010 Award Ceremony

Yesterday took place at the Pinchuk Art Center in Kyiv, the award ceremony of the Future Generation Art Prize 2010.
Cinthia Marcelle from Brazil received the Main Prize. The Special Prize was attributed to the Romanian artist Mircea Nicolae.
The videos show the announcement of the prizes and the press conference.

The Main Prize awarded to Cinthia Marcelle:


The Special Prize awarded to Mircea Nicolae:


The Press Conference:

Cinthia Marcelle (Brazil) is the Main Prize winner of the Future Generation Art Prize 2010

Born in Brazil in 1974, Cinthia Marcelle, a graduated in fine arts from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, is the Main Prize winner of the Future Generation Art Prize 2010.

Recurring to video and photography, Cinthia Marcelle documents the effects that her interventions have on the usual order of things. Her actions, often conceived as useless or absurd repetitions, create situations that challenge our notions of conventional behaviour by introducing often humorous coincidences and connections.

Daniel Birnbaum, the Chairman of the Jury stated: “With a keen sense of scale and sculpture impact Cinthia Marcelle beautifully composed films captures the viewer immediately. Her visually powerful works in the exhibition impressed the jury through their visual economy and rigorous form. We congratulate her to her successful synthesis of choreography landscape and performance”.

The winner of the Main Prize ($60,000 in cash and $40,000 to be invested in the production of new work), Cinthia Marcelle intends to keep researching, experimenting and developing new projects.

Cinthia currently lives and works in Belo Horizonte. Her work has been commissioned for significant group exhibitions including the Biennal de la Habana, Cuba (2006), Biennale de Lyon (2007), Panorama da Arte Brasileira in São Paulo (2007) and Madrid (2008). She was awarded the International Prize for Performance in Trento, Italy (2006), and the annual TrAIN artist in residency award at Gasworks, London (2009).

Mircea Nicolae, born in Romania in 1980, received the Special Prize valued in $20,000 from the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, which will be used to fund Nicolae's stay at the artist-in-residency program, supporting the further development of the artist.

Robert Storr stated: “With disarming even deceptive simplicity Mircea Nicolae tells a complex multi-leveled tale of the coming together and coming apart of his family against the background of the coming together and coming apart of socialism in Romania after the second world war. Using documentary film footage, snapshots, architectural photos, his mother’s shoes and pictures and models of vernacular kiosks of modernist design, he gives us moving as well as critical images and symbols of the interweaving or private life and history, the personal and political”.

Mircea Nicolae studied at the University of Bucharest, where he earned a degree in European Cultural Studies from the Department of Literature, with a final thesis on the House of the People. Afterwards, he enrolled into an MA on the Anthropology of Space within the Ion Mincu Institute for Architecture, Bucharest. Nicolae currently lives and works in Bucharest.

The group show of the 21 nominees for the Future Generation Art Prize 2010 is open till January 9, 2011 in the PinchukArtCentre (Kyiv, Ukraine). The shortlist includes: Ziad Antar, Lebanon; Fikret Atay, Turkey; Fei Cao, China; Keren Cytter, Israel; Nathalie Djurberg, Sweden; Simon Fujiwara, United Kingdom; Nicholas Hlobo, South Africa; Clemens Hollerer, Austria; Runo Lagomarsino, Sweden; Cinthia Marcelle, Brazil; Gareth Moore, born in Canada; Mircea Nicolae, Romania; Ruben Ochoa, United States; Wilfredo Prieto Garcia, Cuba; Katerina Seda, Czech Republic; Guido van der Werve, Netherlands; Nico Vascellari, Italy, Jorinde Voigt, Germany; Artem Volokytin, Ukraine; Emily Wardill, United Kingdom; Hector Zamora, Mexico.

Future Generation Art Prize Award Ceremony 2010

Established by the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation to support the work of emerging young artists worldwide, the Future Generation Art Prize is a biennial art award in the value of $100,000 ($60,000 in cash), of wich $40,000 must be used by the winning artist for the creation of new works.

Today in the Pinchuk Art Center in Kiev at 20h00 (GMT + 2h) will take place the Award Ceremony of the 21 shortlisted artists for the Future Generation Art Prize 2010, presented by Tim Marlow (Director of Exhibitions, White Cube, Great Britain) and Olga Freimut (TV presenter, Ukraine).

The Mentor Artists of the Prize, including Andreas Gursky, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, and Takashi Murakami, will arrive to Kyiv especially to attend the Award Ceremony.

Among the special guests will be the members of the International Board of the Future Generation Art Prize Richard Armstrong (Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum); Alfred Pacquement (Musée nationale d’art moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou); Miuccia Prada (founder of Prada Foundation) and Sir Nicholas Serota (Tate, Great Britain).

The winner of the Main Prize will be selected and announced by the FAGP’s international jury consisting of Ai Weiwei (China), Daniel Birnbaum (Sweden) Eckhard Schneider (Germany), Ivo Mesquita (Brazil), Okwui Enwezor (Nigeria), Rober Storr (USA), and Yuko Hasegawa (Japan).

The live Internet broadcast of the Ceremony and press conference will be available at the official PinchukArtCentre website at 20h00 (GMT + 2h).

National Gallery of Scotland: The Young Vermeer

The National Gallery of Scotland presents "The Young Vermeer" exhibition, inaugurated this December 8th, 2010.

Displaying three paintings of the thirty six known ones by Johannes Vermeer, this exhibition is a must see for any art lover.

Vermeer is considered one of the world's greatest painters, and particularly renowned for his masterly treatment of light .

"Diana and her Nymphs" (about 1653-54) from the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague; "Christ in the House of Martha and Mary" (about 1654-55) from the National Galleries of Scotland; and "The Procuress" (1656) from the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Dresden, are the three paintings that can be seen at the exhibition.

During his lifetime Vermeer was known only to a small circle of devotees and never attained the same level of fame as other Dutch artists such as Pieter Bruegel the Elder ,Rembrandt or Gerrit Dou, with some of his paintings being misattributed to artists with greater reputations.

It was only in 1859 that the French connoisseur Étienne Thoré-Bürger discovered the signature on ‘The Procuress' in Dresden and identified it as the earliest work of Vermeer then known.

In 1901 the London dealer Forbes & Paterson offered for sale Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, attributed to Vermeer after his signature was discovered at the lower left on the side of the foot-stool. This discovery also finally confirmed Vermeer's long disputed authorship of the Diana and her Nymphs.

Open to the public until the 13th of March 2011, The Young Vermeer exhibition is admission free, therefore there are no excuses to miss it, especially for the readers of this blog who were informed last February.

Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer was baptized in Delft on 31 October 1632 as Joannis, and buried in the same city under the name Jan on 15 December 1675.

To know more about the artist you can consult the website Essential Vermeer.

Manifest Gallery International Drawing Annual (INDA 6)

Through its Drawing Center activities, the Manifest Gallery presents the 6th edition of the International Drawing Annual (INDA), an international juried exhibition-in-print of works of contemporary drawing and writing about drawing.

Manifest's International Drawing Annual seeks to support the recognition, documentation, and publication of excellent, current, and relevant works of drawing from around the world, as well as understanding of how drawing is realized, discussed, and interpreted in contemporary society.
The contest is open to any artist ,independently of their experience, submitting original works of art or design created within the past three years (2008 - 2010) and showing excellent drawing skills, and to authors of original text.

Contestants may choose to submit either artwork, writing or both, and enter with the number of works they find suficient to convey their body of work.
During the last years there has been an average of three works submited.

There is a non-refundable entry fee is of $10 for each submited work (drawn or written), be paid by U.S. check or money order made payable to MANIFEST, or via PayPal.
Detail images may be included at no additional cost but should only be provided when necessary to reveal accurate understanding of the artwork.

Artwork can adress a wide range of themes, including technical, graphic, fine art, architectural, digital, illustration, etc.
Artists can use any media applicable to the practice of drawing including but by no means limited to traditional drawing media. Printmaking, digital/new media, painting, photography, sculpture, installation, etc., are all possibly valid.

Written entries can be in any form (poetic, historical, technical, philosophical) as long as directly relevant to the practice of drawing. The text must be original, with proper citation for quoted material. The Length of written entries should be limited to a maximum of approximately 1500 words.
Selected written essays will complement the artwork chosen for inclusion in the publication.

Make sure that you carefuly read the submission guidelines concerning the image and text entries, namely the type of accepted files and supports, as well if you accept the inherent conditions by entering the INDA contest.

There will be three cash prizes of $700, $200, and $100 attributed to the first, second, and third place winners of the drawings selection, who will also have a brief artist's statement included in the publication.
Some of the works included in the INDA 6 publication will be considered for the Selections from the International Drawing Annual exhibit, scheduled for March/April 2011 at Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio

An Internet-based online INDA Resource website will be published to accompany the printed Annual. This will feature statements, bios, contact , and professional information for each person included.

Each participant selected for inclusion in the INDA will receive one complimentary copy of the publication.

The entry deadline for the International Drawing Annual (INDA 6) is December 31, 2010 and winners will be notified by e-mail around February 19, 2011.
The publication will be available in the Fall of 2011, at the same time of the awards announcement.

Manifest’s Drawing Center Studio offers life drawing open figure sessions, instructed courses that include classical drawing, drawing in perspective, object drawing, introduction to anatomy, and other subjects, as well as workshops.

Manifest is a creative research gallery and drawing center, and a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization

Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics, and Devotion in Medieval Europe

The Cleveland Museum of Art presents the exhibition "Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics, and Devotion in Medieval Europe", held at the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall until January 17, 2011.

Organized by The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, and The British Museum, London, the exhibition offers its visitors a look upon the importance of religion and its related objects during the Middle Ages, and their role in the development of Christianity, which emerged as a powerful new religion in the Late Roman world.

Several exhibition programs available throughout the event will enable visitors to further explore the theme.

Some of the early Christians who died defending their faith were later considered saints and martyrs and artists sought to bridge the gap between heaven and earth by fashioning special containers for holy matter. Reliquaries, often made of, or covered in precious metals and encrusted with gems like emeralds or rubies, would contain the relics of martyrs and saints, connecting believers with their devotions. Sometimes a reliquary could assume a similar form to the contained relic.

The shrines and places holding these reliquaries have in some cases become not only places of religious devotion, visited by pilgrims worldwide, but also of cultural and historical interest.

Exploring how medieval artists expressed the sacred power of fragmented remains and the role that relics played in the development of the visual arts, Treasures of Heaven shows 135 extraordinary works of late antique, Byzantine, and Western medieval art, including precious metalwork objects, paintings, sculptures, and illuminated manuscripts, lent by public and private collections from Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, and Vatican.

After Cleveland (OH), the "Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics, and Devotion in Medieval Europe" exhibition will travel to The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore where will be show between February 13, 2011 and May 15, 2011, following The British Museum, London from June 23, 2011 through October 9, 2011.

The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities, and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.

Image above: Bust Reliquary of St. Baudime (detail), c. 1180–1200. Romanesque (French, Auvergne). Gilded bronze, gems, and enamel with a wood core; 73 x 43 cm. Puy-le-Dôme, Parish Church of Saint-Nectaire, Treasury. © Francis Debaisieux, France

IX Bienal Internacional de Acuarela, Mexico

On December 5th will be inaugurated in the Museo Nacional de la Acuarela "Alfredo Guati Rojo" (Watercolour National Museum) in Mexico City, the IX Bienal Internacional de Acuarela (IX International Watercolour Biennial).

The event will gather some of the best watercolourists from the five continents and will be divided into two parts, with the first one running until January 9, 2011 and the second one between January 16 and February 13, 2011.

The IX Bienal Internacional de Acuarela celebrates the World Watercolour Day, established on the 23rd of November 1994 by the Master Alfredo Guati Rojo, who is also the founder of the event.

Modern Masters: Impressionism and Early 20th Century Art (Selling Exhibition, Hong Kong 26-28 November 2010)

Following the preview that took place in Beijing between the 22nd and the 25th of October, Sotheby's presents an Inaugural Selling Exhibition of Impressionist and Modern Art in Hong Kong.

Comprised of approximately 20 works by many of the most relevant artists active in Europe from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the "Modern Masters: Impressionism and Early 20th Century Art" selling exhibition is a reply to the increasing interest throughout Asia and especially within China in the field of Impressionist and Modern Art.

The exhibition shows some of the most beloved and important subjects by the respective artists, such as Monet’s Haystacks, Renoir’s Portraits and Bathers and Chagall’s depictions of the Circus.

An in depth view of certain artists such as Picasso, includes works from many of the different phases of his career – his romantic, early Blue Period; the radical experiments
of Cubism which were then followed by the Neoclassicism of the 1920s; a depiction of his most famed lover, Dora Maar; and his late Expressionist paintings created after 1960.

With works priced from US$2 million to $25 million (HK$15.6 to $195 million), some of the highlights of the exhibition are "Mère Tenant un Enfant (La Maternité)" ,1901, by Pablo Picasso; "Jeune Fille aux Cheveux Noirs (Dora Maar)", a portrait of Dora Maar completed by Picasso in 1939; "Les Demoiselles de Giverny", painted by Claude Monet on the Plaine des Ajoux in 1894, and part of his Haystacks series; "Léontine et Coco (Claude Renoir)" by Renoir, depicting an interior scene portraying his son Claude, also known as Coco, in the company of Léontine, a young woman who worked in the Renoir household in the latter part of his life; "Danseuses au Foyer", a vibrant pastel painting by Edgar Degas; "Le Paysan Allongé", a dense and colourful composition where intense colour and spatial experimentation reflect the essence of Chagall's work.

The Modern Masters: Impressionism and Early 20th Century selling exhibition is taking place between the 26th and the 28th of November 2010 (11am - 7pm), at:
Chief Executive Suite,
5/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
1 Harbour Road, Wanchai

350 EARTH: A Global Scale Art Project

Consisted by monumental instalations created in several countries, the 350 Earth is a worldwide exhibit visible from space and is being documented by satellites moving at 17,000 miles per hour nearly 400 miles above the Earth, operated by Digital Globe.

Bringing together artists and other participants from across the globe, this global art project seeks to call the attention to everyone and especially to politians about the need to take effective measures to preserve our planet and its species.

350 EARTH will take place on the eve of the next United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico where delegates will work to create an international climate treaty.

Founded in 2008 by Bill McKibben and a team of college friends, the 350.org is named after the goal of reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere from its current level of 390 parts per million to below 350 ppm, what scientists say is the safe upper limit for the planet.

Irish Women Artists, 1800-2009: Familiar but Unknown

Throughout centuries women artists haven't enjoyed the deserved recognition as their male counterparts, and still today that is evident through acution results.

Names like Sofonisba Anguissola (also spelled Anguisciola), Rosalba Carriera, Rachel Ruysch were important precursors for women's emancipation as artists and the quality of their work conquered due recognition in their time, maybe more than it would in more modern periods.

But we could go further back in time and mention Helena of Egypt, daughter of Timon of Egypt.

Edited by Éimear O’Connor and published by Four Courts Press, the book "Irish Women Artists, 1800-2009: familiar but unknown" seeks to familiarise a wide-ranging readership with the work of many women artists who resided in Ireland, including the names of Miss Battersby, Sister Concepta Lynch OP, Evelyn Gleeson, Gabriel Hayes, Louisa Marchioness of Waterford, Margaret Clarke, Moyra Barry and Nano Reid.

Discussing subjects like the access to professional training, the concept of the ‘amateur’, class structure, the use of feminized language as a means to privilege the work of male artists and artistic concerns with the concepts of Celtic, Irish, national and international, this publication presents an overview about women and the visual arts in Ireland and the critical treatment of Anglo-Irish women artists between 1962 and 1984, as well as the importance of databases in nowadays, offering an insightful information for any art lover and especially for those interested in the development of the arts in Ireland from 1800 to the present.

The Trinity Irish Art Research Centre (triarc) and Four Courts Press will host a public reception to mark the publication of Irish Women Artists at 5.30pm on Tuesday 30 November in the Trinity Long Room Hub, Fellows Square, Trinity College Dublin.

Ms Fiona Ross, Director of the National Library, will launch the book.

Art Basel Miami Beach 2010

Between the 2nd and the 5th of December (media reception is on the 1st) at the Miami Beach Convention Center, takes place the 2010 edition of the Art Basel Miami Beach, the sister event of Switzerland's Art Basel and considered the most important art show in the United States.

Art Basel Miami Beach will host more than 250 galleries from around the world, including some of the most famous ones, showing 20th and 21st century artworks by over 2000 international artists, from emerging to renowned ones.

The art fair will also include special exhibition sections and events featuring young galleries, performance art, public art projects and video art.

Parties and crossover events featuring music, film, architecture and design, will also be part of the programme.

Exhibition sites will be located in Miami's Art Deco District.

Other worth visiting events include the top-quality exhibitions in the museums of South Florida and special programmes for art collectors and curators.

The Art Basel Miami Beach 2010 edition is an opportunity for art lovers to keep up to date with the lastest trends of the art world, namely how artists are embracing the new technologies, and to meet them personally, which is always a rewarding experience.

Utrecht and SCAD 7th Annual Self-Portrait Contest

Utrech Art Supplies co-sponsored by Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) presents the 7th Annual Self-Portrait Contest.
The contest is divided into two sections: students currently enrolled in grades 9-11 and grade 12 (seniors), both with a GPA of 2.5 or greater.

Students interested in participating can enter with only one work, which has to be original in order to be considered.
All media, with the exception of cumputer generated artwork, photography and sculpture is eligible.

The Grand Prize winner of the grades 9-11 will win a Full Scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design Summer Seminar all inclusive: Full Tuition, Room, Board & Workshop Supplies. Plus a $300 ArtSmart Gift Card.
Grades 9-11 winners of the 2nd and 3rd prizes will receive a Gift Card in the value of $200 and $100 respectively.

The Grade 12 Grand Prize winner will earn a Featured Artist Profile on utrecht.com, a $500 ArtSmart Gift Card and a SCAD Gift package.

Don't forget to observe the Utrecht 7th Annual Self-Portrait Contest submission guidelines, as failing to do so may void your participation.

Entries must be received by Friday, January 21, 2011 (by midnight EST)

Metro Global Photo Challenge 2010

In some countries the submission of photos for the Metro Global Photo Challenge 2010 is still open.
If you are a creative photographer and want to have your work eventually seen by millions of readers just for participating, this is a competition that you don't want to lose.

There are three categories to choose from: "Emotions", "Favorite Spot" and "Everyday Travel" and the global winner of each category will win a trip for two people to any city where the Metro is published, besides the international exposure through the publication of the winning photographs alongside with an interview in all Metros.
The photos taken during the trip will be published globally as a photo story.

Verify by carefully reading the rules and checking the dates, if you are still in time to enter the Metro Global Photo Challenge 2010 competition, since the deadlines are not the same on every country.

Applications Open for Director at Artspace (Auckland, New Zealand)

With 23 years of existance, Artspace is a leading contemporary art project that usually presents eight exhibitions every year, as well as performances and public programmes.
Recent exhibitions and projects has featured works by Ann Veronica Janssens, Beatriz Santiago Muñoz, Dan Arps, Daniel Knorr, Francis Alÿs, Harun Farocki, Kate Newby, Kim Beom, Koki Tanaka, Layla Rudneva-Mackay, Liam Gillick, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Sean Kerr, Superflex, Shigeyuki Kihara and Tehching Hsieh.

During its history, seven directors have shared their experience and perspective on contemporary art, contributing to the continuous development of this project.

Now Artspace is seeking for a new Director for a three year period starting on April 2011.
With required experience as a curator or initiator of art projects, the successful applicant will own an in-depth knowledge of contemporary practice, strong networks and sector support, good editorial skills, and preferably will hold a post-graduate qualification in a relevant field.

The Director oversees a small team of staff and volunteers, and establishes parterships with cultural and funding agencies, actively encouraging and contributing to the development of the gallery through patronage contacts and public initiatives.
A strategic plan is set by the Board of Trustees, to whom the Director reports.

Applications close 10 December 2010.

"Coca-Cola [4] Large Coca-Cola" by Andy Warhol sold for $35,362,500

On the 9th of November 2010, the Contemporary Art Evening Auction at Sotheby’s in New York reached a total of $222,454,500 (£138,067,589, €160,103,711), with five new artist records established.

But the star of the evening session was Andy Warhol's "Coca-Cola [4] Large Coca-Cola" (1962), an acrylic, pencil and Letraset on canvas (81 3/4 x 56 3/4 in. 207.6 x 144.1 cm.), which surpassed the high estimate ($20/25$ million) to sell for $35,362,500 (price include's buyer's premium).

Warhol's painting, which was the last of four paintings of individual Coca-Cola bottles executed in 1961 and 1962, and the largest of the group, was disputed by eight bidders.

The other highlight of this evening's sale was Mark Rothko's Untitled, a major 1955 painting included in the Abstract Expressionist works and acquired for $22,482,500.

Arte Lisboa 2010 - Contemporary Art Fair

The 10th edition of Arte Lisboa 2010 - Contemporary Art Fair will take place between the 24th and the 28th of November, 2010.

Due to the fact that the NATO summit will be hosted at the International Fair of Lisbon (FIL) facilities during November, this year's event will be shown to the public in the River Pavillion of the Lisbon Congress Center(Pavilhão Rio do Centro de Congressos de Lisboa) located in the Industries Square (Praça das Indústrias)

Projected by the architect Keil do Amaral and inaugurated in 1957, the building has 3800 sqm of open space without any columns, featuring a system of natural light which can be opted out through a blackout system if so desired.

As the only contemporary art fair at national level, Arte Lisboa 2010 will present to the public a selection of 45 galleries (41 in the general programme) showing the work of emerging and seasoned artists in the national market and abroad.

The fair will also include a selection of works from EDP Energias de Portugal Collection and from Fundação PLMJ Video Collection.

Art Collectors, curators and international art critics are guests to the event, which organized with other partners aims to promote the aquisition of the exhibited artworks and provide visits to the city, including to studios and art centers.

Visitors will have the opportunity to attend and interact in discussion panels with the participation of artists, galerists, museum directors, collectors, art critics and other relevant personalities of the art world.

Curated by Filipa Oliveira, the Arte Lisboa 2010 - Contemporary Art Fair offers to the public in general and especially to art lovers, the chance to discover new works of art, in particular from portuguese artists, but also from other countries.

The Preview & Vernissage will take place on November 24 (18:00 - 23:00) and will be open to the general public between the 25 and the 28 (16:00 - 23:00).

The Art Inquirer wishes to thank the information provided by Filipa Lucena (AIP)

Was the "Cadillac Moon 1981" Already Defaced ?

According to news on several publications, The Art Inquirer informed its readers that the painting "Cadillac Moon 1981" by Jean-Michel Basquiat had been scribbled on its lower left side during the retrospective dedicated to the artist at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris.
However, a comment made by Olivier draws the attention to news that contradict the eventual time of that act, where photographs that prove that the scratches were made earlier, quite probably even before the exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler, are mentioned.
The Art Inquirer has contacted the museum and is now waiting for a conclusive answer.

Bronze Statues Stolen in Nijmegen, Netherlands

The City Council of Nijmegen has decided to remove ten bronze statues from their pedestals, following the theft of three bronze statues and another one mistaken for bronze since April this year.
Between the removed ones by the Council is the one of Mariken van Nieumeghen, which normaly stands in the main market square.

The decision was made to preserve those statues that could easily be sawed through.
Substituting the bronze statues for copies made of less expensive materials or embedding GPS chips are being pondered.

With near sixty bronze artworks in public locations, Nijmegen is a city and municipality located in the Gelderland province on the Waal River, Easten Netherlands.
Considered the oldest Dutch city, it celebrated its 2000th anniversary in 2005.

Photo (C) Frans van den Muijsenberg

Basquiat's "Cadillac Moon 1981" Vandalized at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris ?

After the recent theft of five paintings of Braque, Léger, Matisse, Modigliani and Picasso during the night between the 19th and the 20th of May, valued in 100 million euro, and until now not recovered, the Museum of Modern Art in Paris (Musée D'Art Moderne de la ville de Paris) was supposedly victim of another illicit act this last week.

The painting "Cadillac Moon 1981" belonging to Jean-Michel Basquiat, appeared scratched with a couple of small marks on its lower left side, made with a felt tip.

Exhibited since October 15, the painting has now been removed while the investigation takes place.

Mr. Fabrice Hergott, the museum's director, stated in an inconsolable tone that it's a dark period for the museum: "On n'a pas de chance, c'est vraiment la série noire"

Until January 30, 2011, the Museum of Modern Art is dedicating an extensive retrospective about the late American artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican origin Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) on occasion of the 50th anniversary of his birth.

Warhol's “Men in Her Life” Sold for $63.4 Million

On the 8th of November, 2010, the black and white painting by Andy Warhol "Men in Her Life" ( Silkscreen and pencil on primed canvas. 84 1/2 x 83 1/4 in. (214.6 x 211.5 cm) from 1962, featuring Elizabeth Taylor walking with both her third husband Mike Todd, seen to the left, and her fourth husband Eddie Fisher, who is seen at the right with his then current wife Debbie Reynolds, sold for $$63,362,500 at the Carte Blanche auction organized by Phillips de Pury & Company in New York.

Previously part of the Mugrabi family private collection, the painting was disputed by two telephone bidders, ending up in the possession of a client brokered by Philippe Ségalot, a French art consultant.

This was the second-highest price paid for a Warhol, after "Green Car Cash (Green Burning Car I)," (1963) sold in 2007 for $71.7 million at Christie's.

Values include the buyer's premium.

Museu da Cidade: " Africa: See You, See Me! "

Promoted by Africa.Cont and curated by Professor Awam Amkpa from New Yok University, the exhibition shows the experience of the african emigrants in Europe, conveying new perspectives about their presence.

With near 100 photos depicting african communities in France, Italy, Spain and with particular focus on some examples happening in Portugal, where the curator established contacts with photographers and associations working in geographic areas with a prominent african presence, the exhibition tells the stories of african emigrants from their unpredictable voyage from Africa to Europe, passing through their partaking in the european society and creation of social bonds.
Among the several works, visitors will have the opportunity to see the black and white photography of Malik Sibidé and Mamadou Mbaye.

Another section will show some of the first etnographic portraits conceiving Africa as an untilled land colonized by european settlers.

The final section highlights the contemporay photos of Africa by non African photographers who share experiences with African artists, transmiting the influence of Africa in art.

África: See You, See Me! can be visited in the Black Pavillion (Pavilhão Preto) of the City Museum (Museu da Cidade) in Lisbon until December 19, 2010 ( Tuesday - Sunday, from 10am - 13pm and 14pm - 18 pm)
Guided tours can be booked by contacting +351 21 817 05 34 or dpc.dga@cm-lisboa.pt.

The exhibition will continue its tour in Accra (Ghana) and Lagos (Nigeria)

COMBO by Blu and David Ellis (2 Times Loop)

COMBO is a collaborative painted animation created in 2009 at the Fame Art Festival in Italy by Blu, author of the famous Muto (a wall-painted stop motion animation) and David Ellis

The Art Inquirer discovered this animation at Boronalli

Artissima 17 International Fair of Contemporary Art in Turin

Between the 5th and 7th of November 2010, takes place in Turin, Italy, the 17th edition of Artissima International Fair of Contemporary Art in Torino.

The previews for the press and for collectors, as well as the vernissage, will happen on the 4th and can be attendend by invitation only.

Under the artistic direction of art critic and independent curator Francesco Manacorda, the fair will host a total of 154 galleries, including a main section featuring some of the most representative galleries from around the world, with 50 from abroad and 49 from Italy.

In its curatorial programme, the contemporary art fair will include for the first time a special section entirely devoted to Design where an event called “Visualising Transformation” will take place outside the premisses.

Part of the programme for its tenth consecutive year, Present Future 2010 will show the work of 15 artists selected by Mai Abu ElDahab, Richard Birkett, Thomas Boutoux, and Luigi Fassi (coordinator), and represented by galleries worldwide.

A jury of international critics and curators consisting of Ann Demeester, Richard Flood, Polly Staple and Adam Szymczyk, will be assigning the illy Present Future Award of €10,000 in cash, awarded to emerging artists under the age of 40.

The winner will have the opportunity to submit a design for the "illy Art Collection" of coffee cups designed by leading artists.

Devoted to international emerging art, Present Future as worked during its existance as a launch pad for the latest generations of talented artists.

The Artissima 17 International Fair of Contemporary Art in Torino will be open all days from 12h00 to 20h00.

Dictionary of Contemporary Art in Italian Sign Language

The Dictionary of Contemporary Art in Italian Sign Language (Dizionario di Arte Contemporanea in Lingua dei Segni Italiana) is a new lexicon containing 80 new specific signs related to contemporay art.

Specifically developed for the deaf, this dictionary has been developed through a collaboration between the Education Department Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art and the Turin Institute of the Deaf, where representatives of both institutions took the task of identifying a specific vocabulary related to contemporary art and not available in Italian Sign Language.

In order to permit a better compehension of the sign, the dictionary presents a summary of the term together with an exemplifying work of art.

Useful not only to deaf people but to everyone, namely cultural related individuals who are interested in understanding the relation between deaf people and art, thus obtaining and providing a more regarding experience, the Dictionary of Contemporary Art in Italian Sign Language (Dizionario di Arte Contemporanea in Lingua dei Segni Italiana) is an innovative project.

Written in italian and english, and published by Umberto Allemandi Editore, Turin, under the patronage of AMACI Association of Italian Contemporary Art Museums, it will be presented at Artissima 17, International Fair of Contemporary Art in Turin, starting on the 5th of November 2010.

The book will be available in Italian bookstores by mid-June and sold online with the ISBN: 978- 88-422-1841-8.

The Silent Evolution by Jason deCaires Taylor

Early this year, The Art Inquirer presented an article about the work of Jason deCaires Taylor, where a reference to The Silent Evolution project was made.
Now the project is almost completed and due to officially open next month.

Consisted of 403 life-size fugures and occupying an area of approximately 420 square meters, The Silent Evolution (La Evolución Silensiosa) besides its aesthetical component has in its purpose to permit the formation of an artificial reef in Cancun, Mexico.

This installation is part of the underwater museum called MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte) a project founded by Jaime Gonzalez Cano of The National Marine Park, Roberto Diaz of The Cancun Nautical Association and Jason deCaires Taylor, located in the waters surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc.

"Claude Monet 1840-1926" at the Grand Palais

Claude Monet is one of the most celebrated leader exponents of Impressionism and his work is one of most recognized by art lovers and public in general.

For more than sixty years he painted landscapes, still lifes and the figure.

Among is famous works are Belle-Île, Étreta, Femme à l'ombrelle and Impression Soleil Levant.

In 1890, Monet acquired his now famous property at Giverny where he painted his large format Water Lilies series.

Organised by the Réunion des Musées Nationaux and the Musée D'Orsay, and bringing together 200 paintings featuring exclusive loans from countries all over the world including Australia, Brazil, Russia, The Netherlands and USA, the "Claude Monet 1840-1926" exhibition is the first monograph devoted to the artist since the major retrospective in 1980.

Running from September 22, 2010 through January 24, 2011 in the National Galleries (Galeries Nationales) of the Grand Palais, it can be visited during the following schedule:

Opening every day from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, until 2:00 pm on Tuesdays and 8:00 pm on Thursdays. During holidays (from October 23 to November 7 and from December 18 to January 2), opening every day from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm (included Tuesdays). Closing at 6 pm on December 24 and 31. Closed on December 25.

Nearly 130 Fake Paintings Seized in Portugal

Through its branch of Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, the portuguese Judiciary Police (Polícia Judiciária) prehended near 130 presumable fake paintings.

Under the name of "Caverna do Tesouro" (Treasure Cave), the operation resulted in the apprehension of works from famous artists such as Chagall, Kandinsky, Matisse, Miro, Modigliani, Monet, Picasso, Vieira da Silva, and even Leonardo da Vinci, among others.
Also found were several supposedly forged certificates of authenticity intended to corroborate the origin of the paintings.

The paintings were found during a house search in the whereabouts of Lisbon (in Cascais, according to sources) and were in possession of a foreign female citizen.

This is the biggest apprehension of counterfeit paintings in Portugal and one of the major ones in Europe, sustaining the belief that Portugal is part of the international route of fake paintings.
Further investigation is being conducted in order to trace the several parts involded in this criminal activity.

Gian Bernini - The Art and Life of a Sculptor (Final Episode)

This serial of nine episodes about the life and art of the famous italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini arrives at its end.
Since its start in April, the readers of this blog had the opportunity to follow the story of one of the greatest sculptors of all time.
The previous episode can be watched here.

With the first episode about Caravaggio in December 2009, The Art Inquirer started the project of presenting several series about the art and life of famous artists, thanks to the wonderful work produced by the BBC in The Power of Art.

Soon this art blog will start another series of episodes about another famous artist.

Cincinnati Art Museum: "Thomas Gainsborough and the Modern Woman"

Christened on the 14th of May 1727 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England, Sir Thomas Gainsborough was noted for his informal portraits and for his naturalistic landscapes. His paintings were characteristically based on his observations, rather than following formal academic rules.

He died of cancer on 2 August 1788 at the age of 61 and is interred at St. Anne's Church, Kew, Surrey (located on Kew Green). He is buried next to Francis Bauer, the famous botanical illustrator.

Some of his most famous works are: Two Daughters with a Cat (c. 1759); Sunset (1760); The Artist`s Daughters, Molly and Peggy (1760); Lady in Blue (c. 1770)

Coinciding with the restoration of the oil portrait of Ann Ford (Mrs. Thickness) and organized by Benedict Leca, Curator of European Painting, Sculpture and Drawings for the Cincinnati Art Museum, the exhibition "Thomas Gainsborough and the Modern Woman" takes place between September 18, 2010 and January 2, 2011.

Composed of 16 paintings, the exhibition reflects the concepts of modernity and femininity in Georgian England from the perspective of Thomas Gainsborough's portraits of women. Also included is a selection of dresses from the epoch.

The exhibition will then travel to the San Diego Museum of Art, where it will be shown from January 29, 2011 through May 01, 2011.

"Mrs. Ann Ford" Oil on Canvas, 1760

Cincinnati Art Museum, Bequest of Mary M. Emery

Fundação Eugénio de Almeida: “A Magia de M.C. Escher”

Born in Leeuwarden (The Netherlands) on June 17, 1898, Maurits Cornelis Escher, nicknamed "Mauk", was the youngest son of civil engineer George Arnold Escher and his second wife, Sara Gleichman.

Escher attented primary and secondary school in the city of Arnhem until 1918 and in 1919 he went to the Haarlem School of Architecture and Decorative Arts, where he studied until 1922 under Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, gaining experience in drawing and woodcuts.

Due to his health condition, his grades since early age were generally poor, although he excelled at drawing.

In the year of 1922, Escher traveled to Italy and Spain and in the same year he completed his first artistic work, featuring eight human heads divided in different planes. Later around 1924, after returning to Italy, he met Jetta Umiker, whom he married and had a son called Giorgio Arnaldo Escher, named after his grandfather.

After losing interest in "regular division" of planes, he turned to sketching landscapes in Italy with irregular perspectives that are impossible in natural form.

Landscape, nature and even some insect studies completed during his early years, would be used on later works, such as Waterfall and Puddle (a woodcut where the trees are the same that he used on Pineta of Calvi completed in 1932)

The artist moved to Switzerland in 1931, drawing 62 of the total of 137 Regular Division Drawings he would complete in his lifetime. Two years later he travels to Belgium where in 1937 makes his first print of an impossible reality entitled Still Life and Street.

Finally moves to The Netherlands in 1941, where he lived until 1970 in the city of Baarn, where he completed most of his famous works and wrote his first paper, now publicly recognized, called Regular Division of the Plane with Asymmetric Congruent Polygons.

Escher moved to the Rosa Spier house in Laren in 1970, a retirement home for artists where he had his own studio. He died at home on the 27th of March 1972, at age 73.

During his lifetime, M. C. Escher made 448 lithographs, woodcuts and wood engravings, over 2000 drawings and sketches, as well as illustrating books and designing murals, tapestries and postage stamps.

Among his famous works are: Ascending and Descending; Drawing Hands; Relativity; Sky and Water

Like some of his famous predecessors, - Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer and Holbein-, M.C. Escher was left-handed.

Now for the first time in Portugal and after showing the works of Francis Bacon, the Fundação Eugénio de Almeida (Eugénio de Almeida Foundation) in Évora, presents the exibition "A Magia de M. C. Escher" (The Magic of M.C. Escher)

Inaugurated on October 8, 2010 and running until January 30, 2011 (daily between 9h30 and 19h00) at the Fórum Eugénio de Almeida, the exhibition is consisted of near 50 original paintings, including Tower of Babel; Day and Night; Drawing Hands and Relativity.

"A Magia de M. C. Escher" exhibition is curated by Willem Veldhuysen and possible thanks to the loan made by the M.C. Escher Foundation (established by M.C. Escher himself in 1968)

On November 19 (18h00), there will be a conference at the Fórum Eugénio de Almeida with the title "M.C. Escher: Matemático sem o saber" (M. C. Escher: Mathematician without knowing it), presented by Professor Nuno Crato. Admission will be 5 Euro.

With another exhibition of a major artist, the Fundação Eugénio de Almeida continues to give its contribute to make Portugal a cultural destination.

For more information you can contact the Foundation through the following contacts:

Tel: (+351) 266 748 300

Fax: (+351) 266 705 149

Email: geral@fea.pt

Thomas Lawrence: Regency Power and Brilliance

From 21st of October 2010 to 23rd of January 2011, the National Portrait Gallery, London, UK, will present a retrospective of artworks by Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769–1830) who was President of the Royal Academy and Fellow of the Royal Society.

He is regarded as the greatest British portrait painter of his generation and one of the most remarkable artists in Europe during the early decades of the nineteenth century.

Organized by the National Portrait Gallery in partnership with the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, and with the support of the Thomas Lawrence Exhibition Supporters Group and the endorsement from Gallery Patrons, the Thomas Lawrence: Regency Power and Brilliance exhibition shows fifty-four works by the artist, including drawings and paintings.

From early works such as the painting of actress Elizabeth Farren to magnificent images created at the pinnacle of his fame, such as Pope Pius II and Earl of Aberdeen, his paintings feature an innovative palette and splendid brushwork evidencing the luxurious Regency period.

Museo Thyssen: Mario Testino. Todo o Nada

Born in the city of Lima, Peru, on October 30, 1954, Mario Testino was the eldest of seven children born to an Italian father and an Irish mother.
He attended the Universidad del Pacifico, the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and the University of San Diego.
After completing his studies, Testino arrived in London in 1976 to pursue a career in photography, city to where he moved permanently after 1982.

Testino has shot fashion stories for Gucci, Vogue, V, and Vanity Fair.
His Celebrity portraits have most famously included Diana, Princess of Wales and her sons, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, Her Majesty Queen Rania al Abdullah of Jordan, as well as famous actresses such as Cameron Diaz, Emma Watson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts, Kim Basinger, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Considered one of the most preeminent celebrity and fashion photographers, Mario Testino has shot sessions with models such as Claudia Schiffer, Gisele Bündchen, Elizabeth Hurley, Kate Moss, and with performers Janet Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga, and Madona.
The photographer has contibuted to the image develpoment of brands such as Burberry, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Estée Lauder, Michael Kors, Valentino, Versace and Zara.
His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums worldwide, including the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2002 and a private view at the Phillips de Pury & Co auction house.
He is the author of books such as Any Objections ?, Front Row-Back Stage, Let me in !, and Kate Moss.

Mario Testino has been honoured for his contributions to many charitable causes and organizations, including The Elton John AIDS Foundation, Life Ball, Aid for Aids, the Naked Heart Foundation, and others. He was the first man to receive the Commitment Award from the charity Women Together in conjuction with the United Nations.

Now the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (Madrid) brings to the public fifty four photographs by Mario Testino comprising the subjects of fashion and nude, some of them especially taken for this exhibition.
Sponsored by Lancôme, the exhibition Todo o Nada seeks out for the frontier between fashion photograpy and portraiture, contemplated in the process and implications of removing one's clothes and becoming naked.
The photography of Testino is being shown between the 21st of September, 2010 and the 9th of January, 2011, at the First Basement galleries in the Pallacio de Villahermosa.

Mario Testino is currently represented exclusively by Art Partner.

2010 NASA & Etsy Space Craft Contest

Sponsored by Etsy, Inc. (owner and operator of Etsy.com) and by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) the 2010 Nasa & Etsy Space Craft Contest is open to all registered members of Etsy.com with 18 years of age or older, and who are United States citizens residing in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia during the period beginning at 12:01 A.M. on October 12, 2010, (the "Contest Start Date") and ending at 11:59:59 P.M. on November 2, 2010 (the "Contest End Date"). All deadlines and time periods found in these Official Rules will be based on United States Eastern Time (read the rules to learn about elegibility exceptions)

Divided in three categories, the contest includes a Grand Prize composed of $500 Etsy shopping spree and a V.I.P. invitation for the winner and one guest to attend an upcoming Space Shuttle Launch attempt at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, which will include tours of NASA KSC facilities and presentations by experts in the space community. Approximate retail value (ARV) of Grand Prize: $2500.00 USD.
Each of the "Best in Category" winner will receive a $250.00 USD Etsy Shopping Spree and a Sponsor gift package of NASA and Etsy merchandise (approximate retail value $500.00 USD). Approximate retail value (ARV) of each of the three Best in Category Prizes is $750.00 USD. The ARV of all of the Prizes to be awarded in the 2010 NASA & Etsy Space Craft Contest totalizes $4,750.00 USD.

Participants can submit their original handmade items or works of art inspired by the NASA Space Shuttle Program and space exploration through web or mail, not forgetting to respect the deadlines and observing the official rules.

16th International Exhibition of Vendas Novas

The 16th edition of the Fine Arts Exhibition of Vendas Novas will open on October 23 (15h00) at the Municipal Auditorium of Vendas Novas (Alentejo, Portugal)

Open to the public until November 21, 2010, the exhibition will show the works of international artists and will include different mediums.

Mini Barter at the Maurice Einhardt Neu Gallery (East London)

Art Barter was launched in London last November 2009 at The Rag Factory and after its successful debut, the second show was held in Berlin during the month of June 2010.

Now, to coincide with Frieze Art Fair, East London’s Maurice Einhardt Neu Gallery will host the first Mini Barter.
Ten artists selected from previous shows and two newcomers will show their works and you'll have just one night and one day to try your luck at bartering for their work.

The Art Barter platform permits visitors to acquirer art through alternative means to money
Those interested in a work of art can make an offer by filling a form that will be displayed on a pin board while the show lasts, eventually creating bidding wars.
At the end of the show the artists will choose which offer, if any, they'll want to exchange for their work.
One of the interesting features of Art Barter is that people don't know which artwork belongs to which artist until after the show’s end, making the public value the art for what it really is.
This event is also a great chance for visitors to get their unique skills recognized and eventually start a partnership with an artist.

Mini Barter at the Maurice Einhardt Neu Gallery (East London) will take place on Friday 15th October 2010 – 6pm – 11pm and Saturday 16th October 2010 – 11am – 9pm, and will include the following artists: Mat Collishaw, Charlotte Dualé, Wolfgang Ganter, Isabelle Graeff, Phoebe Collings-James, Sarah Lederman, Polly Morgan, Boo Saville, Volker Sieben, and Tim Noble & Sue Webster.

The second Mini Barter will take place in Miami, coinciding with the Art Basel Miami Beach (2nd-5th December 2010), while the next major Art Barter show will be held in New York City (9th-12th December 2010) at Envoy Enterprises.

Famous Fakes in the History of Art

Even during recession times, the art business is still an attractive one and although it may receed during worst economic times, soon picks up and new auction records are often broken, just as it happened in 2009 and is happening in 2010.
With this constant demand, art forgers know well about market preferences and have always resorted to available knowledge, techniques and talent to counterfeit the works of famous artists.

Some counterfeits are so good that only recently with new technology they were found out as so.
However some works thought of being from famous old masters, are copies made by their disciples, not with the intent of counterfeiting but as a common training practice, although of course that could happen.

The College Crunch features an interesting article with some useful links to probably the 11 Most Famous Fakes in Art History, including "Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus" attributed to Vermeer; "Kouros" acquired by the Getty Museum, still in exhibition and labeled "Greek, about 530 B.C., or modern forgery"; "Portrait of Alexander Mornauer" attributted to Hans Holbein and other works from famous masters.

The Art Inquirer cannot be held responsible for third party content and links found at other websites or blogs.