The Portuguese cinematographer Manoel de Oliveira completed 105 years of age

With 105 years completed this December 11th 2013, Manoel de Oliveira is the oldest cinematographer in the world still active.

 Author of 32 feature-films, his first movie was a short-film: Rio Douro — Douro, Faina Fluvial (1931, admired by the foreign critics but dismised by the national ones. His last film is entitled A Igreja do Diabo (2012), but he already has plans for another one: O Velho de Restelo.

 To celebrate his anniversary, the National Museum of the Press (Museu Nacional da Imprensa) in Oporto Porto, inaugurated an exhibition that shows in chronological order the presence of Manoel de Oliveira in 105 national and international newspapers and magazines througout 80 years of activity where he directed over fifty movies.

 The Portuguese ceramics company Vista Alegre also celebrates his anniversary with the Aniki-Bobó porcelain teapot. With a graphic design created by the artist Manuel Casimiro, Manoel de Oliveira's son, this piece is available in a limited edition of 1000 and supplied with a special and exclusive edition of the movie that lends its title. Its price is €230 (€200 for the Vista Alegre members).

Portuguese architect and painter Nadir Afonso dies at the age of 93

The Portuguese architect and geometric abstractionist painter Nadir Afonso(GOSE) passed away this December 11th 2013 at the age of 93 at the Hospital de Cascais where he was hospitalized. Born on December 4th 1920 in Chaves he made his first "painting" on a wall of his home at the age of four: a red circle, which anticipated his life under the signs of rythim and geometric precision. His dedication to painting during his youth earned him his first national prize with 17 years of age. In 1938, Nadir goes to Oporto to study architecture at the School of Fine Arts. After earning his degree, Nadir Afonso moved to France in 1946 where he studied at the Beaux-Arts de Paris and became one of the pioneers in Kinectic art. Having colaborated with Le Corbusier during his stay in Paris and with Oscar Niemeyer in São Paulo between 1951 and 1954, he decides to abandon the architecture and dedicate solely to painting. Nadir returns to Paris where he works alongside Victor Vasarely, André Bloc, Richard Mortensen, Fernand Léger and August Herbin, all part of the Denise René Gallery. He also becomes friends with the composer and architect Xenákis. The first Kinetic painting in Portugal, Espacillimité (1956) is displayed in the publich showing at the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles in 1958. The painting can now be seen in the Chiado Museum, Lisbon. Nadir Afonso achieved international recognition and many of his works are in museums. His most famous works are the Cities series, depicting placaes around the world. In 2010 he was still actively painting. He was awarded with the Order of St. James of the Sword (Ordem Militar de Sant'Iago da Espada) by the Portuguese Academy of Fine Arts.

Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog (Orange) was sold for $58,4M and set a new record

During the Post-War & Contemporary Evening Sale at Christie's New York on 12 November, which totalized $691,583,000 (including buyer's premium), Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog (Orange) realized $58,405,000 achieving world auction record for a living artist.

 Signed and dated 'Jeff Koons 1994-2000' (on the underside), Balloon Dog (Orange) is a 121x143x45in (307.3x363.2x114.3cm) mirror-polished stainless steel "inflatable" sculpture with a translucent colour coating.
This work is one of five unique versions (Blue, Magenta, Orange, Red, Yellow), part of the highly acclaimed Celebration series of paintings and sculptures that Koons instigated in the early 1990s. 



The one-ton metal balloon sculpture is formed by 60 parts welded together to produce the simple, but very suggestive shapes, as well to convey an illusion of weightlessness. Jeff Koons worked closely during years with a specialist foundry in California perfecting the meticulous colour coating that appears to hover abouve the stainless-steel surface.

Francis Bacon's Three Studies of Lucian Freud sets record price for a painting sold at auction

Painted in 1969 at London's Royal College of Art, after his studio was destroyed in a fire, Francis Bacon's triptych Three Studies of Lucian Freud, as set a new record for a painting sold at auction. The painting was sold at Christie's New York after six minutes of fierce bidding for $142m (£89m, €106m), easily surpassing the previous record of $119.9m (£74m) paid last year for Edvard Munch's The Scream.


 Considered one of Bacon's greatest masterpieces, the triptych marks the friendship between Bacon and Lucian Freud, who got acquainted in 1945 and became close companions, painting each other on a number of occasions.

 This was the first time that the Three Studies of Lucian Freud  had been offered at auction and bidding opened at $80m (£50m, 60m euros). Its presale estimate was $85m (£53m, €64m).

 Exhibited in Francis Bacon's retrospective at the Grand Palais, Paris in 1971-1972, the three panels that form the painting were separated in the mid-1970s.
Later in 1985, one panel was shown at the Tate, before the three sections were reassembled.
The complete work was displayed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1999 and in October this year it got its first ever UK public viewing at Christie's in London.

 The absolute record for a work of art belongs to Cézanne's painting "The Card Players" sold in 2011 for €190 million (£158 million, $250 million) to the royal family of Qatar, beating the previous record of €106.4 million (£88.7  million, $141 million) paid for Jackson Pollock’s “No 5, 1948” sold by David Geffen in 2006. 

Over 1500 Paintings and Sketches found in Cornelius Gurlitt's apartment in Munich

In the last couple of years, German authorities have started checking more frequently for tax evasion carried out by wealthy citizens, namely through deposits in Switzerland.

 It was during one of those checks on a train from Switzerland in September 2010, that Cornelius Gurlitt, sole survival son of art dealer Hildebrandt Gurlitt, was caught with an envelope containing 9,000 Euros in cash. Cornelius had never worked and presented no other means of income.

 Official authorities issued a search warrant for his near €700-a-month rented apartment in Munich suburb of Schwabing and in 2011 the over 1500 paintings and sketches estimated to be worth over 1 billion Euro were discovered. 
Bizarre enough, the works of art were stashed behind piles of canned food and noodles that would reach the ceiling, much of it from the 1980's.

However, customs issued a ban on information about the raid and things were kept in secret from the public. But now the German magazine Focus has published an article about this surprising case and the story has been revealed to the public. A case worthy of a novel, such are the ingredients and the people directly and inderectly involved.

 Among the paintings and sketches, are famous names such as Albrecht Dürer, Edvard Munch, Emil Nolde, Ernst LLudwig Kirchner, Franz Marc, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Max Beckmann, Max Liebermann, Oskar Kokoschka, Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee.

 Hildebrandt Gurlitt had supposedly acquired those artworks in the 1930s and 40s from Jews who would dispose of their valuable works of art for a pittance in exchange for escaping from the Nazis. At a later date, Hildebrandt reported them all to be destroyed during the vast bombing of Dresden in February 1945.
His Jewish ascendancy and initial opposition to Nazism made him, in the perspective of the Allies, a victim not a persecutor and was never acused of taking advantage of Jews by acquiring and selling their collections for scanty amounts of money in exchange for their escape to safe countries. Hildebrandt  carried on dealing in art until 1956 when he was killed in a car crash.

 Included in the discovered paintings is a portrait of a woman by the French master Matisse that belonged to the Jewish French art dealer Paul Rosenberg, who had to leave behind his collection before his escape from Paris when the country fell in 1940. Rosenberg was renowned for representing Georges Braque, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. Him and his brother Léonce Rosenberg were among the world's major dealers of Modern art.
 
 Paul Rosenberg's granddaughter Anne Sinclair, the wife of former top banker Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has been fighting for decades for the return of his artworks stolen by the Nazis, but according to Focus she 'knew nothing' of the existence of this painting.

 Art historians in charge of examining the Cornelius Gurlitt collection claim that near 300 of those works were part of an Munich exhibition organized in 1937 by the Nazi called 'Degenerate Art' (Enkartete Kunst) - modern 'dissident' pieces to show German people what not to like.

 Hitler, who himself had been a watercolourist, liked only romantic paintings that idolised his vision and art movements such as modernism and cubism had no place in the Third Reich. Together with his propaganda minister Josef Goebbels, Hitler confiscated near 20,000 such works before WW2.

XVIII Galeria Aberta - Beja 2013

 The Escudeiros Gallery (Galeria dos Escudeiros) was this year's chosen venue for the opening of the XVIII Galeria Aberta, in the Portuguese city of Beja.
The event was atended by many artists and public in general, once again demonstrating the continuous success of this initiative throughout the years.

 This 18th edition of Galeria Aberta shows the works of 183 artists from several countries, mostly from Portugal and Spain. The range varies between drawing, painting, instalation, sculpture, photography and mixed media.

 Visitors to the exhibition will be able to enjoy the different use of media and see how each artist conveys his/her ideas through their use. From classical to contemporary, or from realism to abstraccionism, the range of artworks exhibited will make your visit worthwhile.

 Due to the high number of participating artists, the exhibition takes place in three venues:

Galeria dos Escudeiros - Rua dos Escudeiros, 30
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Beja - Rua D. Manuel I
Casa do Governador (inside the castle) - Largo do Lidador
 

The XVIII Galeria Aberta - Beja 2013, can be visited until the 15 November 2013.
Admitance is free.
For further information, please call +351 284 311 910.

Organized by the City Hall of Beja and Escudeiros - Galeria Municipal, with the support of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Beja and the sponsorship of Liberty Seguros.

Nightmare on Main Street 2013 - Call to Artist Students

NYU Abu Dhabi seeks a Professor for its Visual Arts Program

NYU Abu Dhabi is seeking for its Visual Arts Program, an innovative and accomplished artist-teacher, with a strong professional profile and a demonstrated commitment to undergratuate teaching. This is an open-rank search for a renewable arts contract position.

  Candidates should hold an MFA and/or have extensive professional experience as an artist (painting and/or sculpture) as well as significant experience teaching in internationally recognized visual arts programs and/or liberal arts universities.
The successful candidate will be deeply interested in interdisciplinary work and committed to working
collaboratively on creating curriculum and mentoring student projects from technical, theoretical,
and aesthetic perspectives.

 Faculty position encompasses three undergraduate courses per year (semester system), including at least one in the core curriculum. Engaging in both teaching and research opportunities at NYU New York and other sites of its global network will be possible.
Please visit the page of the Visual Arts Program for a description of its innovative curriculum

 The terms of employment are competitive and include housing and educational subsidies for
children. Members of NYU Abu Dhabi standing faculty receive generous support for research and
travel.

 The appointment will begin as soon as September 1, 2014, with a later start date possible, pending candidate availability.

 Applications are due by October 15th and will be reviewed until the position is filled.
To be considered, applicants should submit a cover letter describing their training, experience, teaching
philosophy, and approach to making art; a Curriculum Vitae; and three letters of reference, all in
PDF format.

 Instructions and other information on how to aplly, as well as other open faculty positions, can be retrieved on this page. Any questions can be sent by email.

"Sunset at Montmajour" attributed to Vincent van Gogh

 It was inventoried among Theo van Gogh's collection of his brother's works in 1890 and then sold by Theo's widow, Johanna van Gogh-Bonger to a Paris art dealer in 1901.
 During the year of 1970, re-emerges as part of the estate of the recently deceased Norwegian industrialist Christian Nicolai Mustad.
However, Mustad was advised by the French ambassador to Sweden that it was not a Van Gogh. As a consequence, "Sunset at Montmajour" was stashed away in the attic, where it stayed until the current owners purchased it from him.

 In 1991, the unsigned painting was taken to the Van Gogh Museum, but at the time the museum experts didn't conclude as authentic.

 About twenty years later, its owners brought back to the museum to seek authentication, and its researchers have been examining it ever since.
Under the supervision of Louis van Tilborgh, the Van Gogh Museum’s senior researcher, it was recently concluded that the work was a genuine van Gogh painting because the pigments correspond with those of van Gogh’s palette from Arles. “This time, we have topographical information plus a number of other factors that have helped us to establish authenticity,” said the museum director,  Mr. Axel Rüger. “Research is so much more advanced now, so we could come to a very different conclusion.”

 Mr. van Tilborgh states that "Sunset at Monmajour" was was painted on the same type of canvas and with the same type of underpainting van Gogh used for at least one other painting of the same area, “The Rocks.” The work was also listed as part of Theo van Gogh’s collection in 1890. It has “180” painted on the back, which corresponds to the number in the collection inventory. “That was the clincher,” he said

 The date of completion of the painting  has been identified as July 4, 1888. This conclusion was based upon a letter that Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother on the next day, where he discribes the scene:

 “Yesterday, at sunset, I was on a stony heath, where very small, twisted oaks grow, in the background a ruin on the hill, and wheat fields in the valley. It was romantic, it couldn’t be more so, à la Monticelli, the sun was pouring its very yellow rays over the bushes and the ground, absolutely a shower of gold. And all the lines were beautiful; the whole scene had charming nobility.”

 The painter moved to Arles in February 1888, where he spent time exploring the landscapes in Provence and doing plein air painting. Van Gogh was particularly fascinated by the flat landscape around the hill of Montmajour, with its rocky outcroppings and hay-colored fields.

In a letter dated July 1888, he said that he had been to Montmajour at least 50 times “to see the view over the plain.”

 Art historian Mr. Leeman, said that “in hindsight, many pointers in his letters and entries in catalogs of the 1900s have been linked to other paintings or misidentified,” adding, “Here, we see a painting that fits those descriptions exactly.”

 Depicting dusk in the hilly, forested landscape of Montmajour, in Provence, with wheat fields and the ruins of a Benedictine abbey in the distance, the 73.3 cm × 93.3 cm (28.9 in × 36.7 in) oil painting was completed during the most important period of van Gogh's life, when he created his significant masterpieces, such as 'Sunflowers,' 'The Bedroom' and 'The Yellow House.'

 "Sunset at Montmajour" will be on display at the van Gogh Museum during one year, starting on September 24, as part of the current exhibition, "Van Gogh at Work," which focuses on other new discoveries about the painter’s artistic development.
According to Mr. Rüger, the current owners have not indicated what they intend to do with it after that.

 This is the first full-size painting by Van Gogh to be discovered since 1928.

Made in Hollywood - Photos from the John Kobal Foundation

Conceived by the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (US), "Made in Hollywood" shows the original photos by some of the most prominent photographers of the Hollywood studios between 1920 and 1960, such as George Hurrell, Clarence Sinclair Bull, Laszlo Willinger, Ernest Bachrach, A.L."Whitey" Schaefer, Bob Coburn, William Walling, E.R. Richee and Scotty Welbourne.

 The 93 photos belonging to the John Kobal Foundation and in exhibition at the Centro Cultural de Cascais, portray some of the most famous movie stars and symbols of the Hollywood studios golden era. Some of the names include Buster Keaton, Elizabeth Taylor, Gary Cooper, Gloria Swanson, Greta Garbo,Humphrey Bogart, James Dean, Marlon Brando, Marylin Monroe and Rita Hayworth.

 Parallel activities will take place during the time of the exhibition, including a film programme in the movie hall Dr. Félix Ribeiro at the Cinemateca Portuguesa:

July 1 - Opening session with movie critique José Matos-Cruz.
Movie: "Suddenly Last Summer" (1959)

July 2 - 15h30 -  "Sabrina" (1954)
             19h30 - "Monkey Business" (1952)

July 3 - 15h30 - "The Young Lions" (1958)
July 4 - 15h30 - "Morocco" (1930)
July 5 - 19h00 - "Macao" (1952) - Closing session with the participation of Simon Crocker, President of the John Kobal Foundation.

 The exhibition "Made in Hollywood - Fotografias da Fundação John Kobal" is presented in Portugal by the Fundação D. Luis I, with the collaboration of the City Hall of Cascais, and can be visited free of charge at the Centro Cultural de Cascais until September 1, 2013 (Tuesday - Sunday; 10h00 - 18h00).
Terra Esplêndida is responsible for the production.

 Besides his participation at the Cinemateca Portuguesa, Simon Croker will also be at the exhibition on the same day at 15h00, for a guided visit. An event that the public will not want to miss.

Visit Art Basel 2013 During The Weekend

 If you are in Switzerland or nearby, why not reserve some of your time this weekend and visit one of the most renowned art fairs in the world?

 The 2013 edition of Art Basel, puts the public in direct contact with Modern and Contemporary art, ranging from the great masters of the 20th century to 21st century artworks, including the latest generation of emerging arists. All represented by 230 of the world's leading galleries.

 With more than 4000 artists represented, most of the artistic medium are represented at the fair, including paintings, sculpture, installations, videos, multiples, prints, photography, and performance.
Art Basel 2013 offers eight sectors that complement each other and enrich the visitor's experience.

Curated projects include solo presentations, juxtapositions, or thematic exhibits.
Each year, two outstanding young emerging artists from the statements sector, are awarded with the Baloise Art Prize. These solo projects are acquired by the Baloise Group, which are then donated to renowned European art institutions.

 Unlimited is an exhibition platform dedicated to projects that transcend the physical limitations of a common art-show stand. Large-scale installations, out-sized sculptures and paintings, video projections and live performances, are some of the innovative works exhibited on this platform. Unlimited is curated by New York-based curator Gianni Jetzer.


 Berlin film scholar Marc Glöde and Zurich collector This Brunner, are the curators of the film section,  a week-long programme dedicated to films by and about artists.

 Enhancing the experience beyond Basel's headquarters, Parcours engages the public with interventions and performances by renowned international artists and emerging talents, as well with site-specific sculptures.
This section is curated by Florence Derieux and is open to the public.

 Visitors can acess some of the most prominent art publications from around the world.
Editors and publishers are often present  and many magazines contribute with presentations to the Salon series, including lectures and panel discussions.

 Beyond these sectors, Art Basel offers a full programme of events that include symposiums and artist talks.
The morning Conversation series, enables the audience to access to an insider's point of view, while Dynamic dialogues take place between prominent members of the artworld, each sharing their unique perspective on producing, exhibiting and collecting art. Conversations is presented in collaboration with the Absolut Art Bureau.

 A mobile app is available for Art Basel, providing essential information as well as an interactive 3D-map and events listing.

 Tickets can be purchased online until the last day of the art fair.

Video curtesy of Vernissage TV

Operation "Rainbow" seizes near 300 fake paintings in Portugal

 In the scope of investigations concerning art faking and forgery, the Lisboa e Vale do Tejo Directory of the Portuguese Judiciary Police, initiated an operation entitled "Arco-íris" (Rainbow).
During the operation, the involved agents managed to detect and seize near 300 presumably fake paintings, allegedly by the renowned artists Paula Rego and António Palolo.

 The paintings, found in the possession of several merchants and collectors, were apprehended in the sequence of persistant investigation and house searching in the city of Lisbon and around its outskirts. The authorities also managed to find and apprehend some fake authenticity certificates corroborating the authenticity of the artworks.

 For its unprecedented number of fakes focusing on just two authors, the result of this investigation is the biggest of its genre accomplished in Portugal up to date.

 An antiques dealer, found in the possession of several artworks and suspected of introducing fake paintings into the art market, was constituted defendant.

International Museum Day 2013

Established by the International Council of Museums (ICOM)in 1977, the International Museum Day has the purpose of raising public awareness of the role of museums in the development of society.

 Celebrated every year in the 18th of May, the 2013 theme is “Museums (Memory + Creativity) = Social Change”. Putting together their traditional mission of displaying and conserving of hour historical heritage, with the necessary creativity to attract new and more public through their programmes, museums want to play a constructive role in society.

 During the International Museum Day 2013, near 32000 museums in 129 countries, celebrate this day with special programmes, including workshops,  and extendend opening hours - often until midnight.

 Don't stay home today, go to a museum near you.

Frieze New York 2013 - Contemporary Art Fair

 

Designed by SO – IL architects and sponsored by Deutsche Bank, the second edition of Frieze New York, contemporary art fair, is being held at New York’s Randall’s Island Park until tomorow May 13, 2013.

 Realized annually at Frieze New York and curated by Cecilia Alemani, this year's Frieze Projects program includes seven specially commissioned projects, for which five participating artists were invited to conceive site-specific works that either react to the exceptional location of Randall’s Island or engage with the experience of the fair.
The 2013 invited artists are: Andra Ursuta, Liz Glynn, Maria Loboda, Marianne Vitale and Mateo Tannatt.

 The program also features a special tribute to legendary artist-run restaurant FOOD, originally conceived by Gordon Matta-Clark and Carol Goodden in 1971. With a menu that changes daily, the artists chefs at FOOD 1971/2013 are: Matthew Day Jackson, Carol Goodden, Tina Girouard and Jonathan Horowitz.

 This year's Frieze Projects program includes a literary project entitled Frieze Story, this year with an original text by novelist Ben Marcus.
Interviews with all the commissioned artists, plus a special homage to FOOD as a continuing source of inspiration, appear in the Frieze New York Catalogue, which is available to purchase at the fair, and via frieze.com, and is priced: $39.95 / £24.95 / €30.77.

 Visitors to the Art Fair will have the chance to appreciate the work of sculptors from around the world, including Paul McCarthy’s Balloon Dog (2013), an 80-foot-high inflatable work.
Fiona Connor, Style Guide Spa (2013); Saint Clair Cemin, Fotini (2013); Martha Friedman, Amygdalas (2013); and Nick Van Woert, Primitive (2013) are also among the artists exhibiting at the Sculpture Park, located along the waterfront of Randall’s Island and overlooking the East River
Also on show will be works by artists: Tom Burr, Tom Friedman, Andreas Lolis, Charles Long, Jason Meadows, Pae White and Franz West. The Sculpture Park at Frieze New York is selected by curator Tom Eccles.

 Artists Charles Atlas and the New Humans, Trisha Baga and Haroon Mirza, were invited to create the three commissioned audio works for the second edition of Frieze Sounds, programmed and curated by Cecilia Alemani and presented with BMW. The sound works will be premiered in the BMW 7 Series cars that operate the VIP shuttle services from Randall’s Island.
Additionally, the works will be accessible at friezenewyork.com, available to download since May 10, 2013, and at a listening station within the fair.

 Frieze Talks is a daily program of presentations, panel discussions and conversations with leading artists, writers and cultural commentators. Frieze Talks 2013 is programmed by editors of frieze Dan Fox (Co-Editor) and Sam Thorne (Associate Editor).
This year’s participants include: Douglas Crimp, Lydia Davis, Joan Jonas and John Maus.

 Because education is an important part of our lives, this 2013 edition includes the Frieze New York Education, a space that enables public school classes and museum groups to further explore the fair through workshops.
psonsored by Deutsche Bank and held in a dedicated structure the program is devised by Free Arts NYC and 826NYC who together produce a dynamic context for students ranging from 4th–12th grade to explore notions of contemporary art and color. The guide and space centers around color theory and contemporary art. A creative documentation of the workshops will be made via a Frieze Education tumblr page.

 Gary Hattem, President of the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation, said of the Education program: ‘This new educational component is a chance for children to interact with art from around the world in their own backyard.’

 The 2013 edition of Frieze New York includes a selection of over 180 of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries. A strong contingent of US galleries is particularly in evidence, with 55 participating galleries from the fair’s host city. Galleries from the following 32 countries will show at Frieze New York 2013: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, UK and USA.

 Emerging galleries will be participating in the Focus and Frame sections of the fair. Focus is for galleries less than ten years old debuting works previously unseen in an art-fair context.
Focus galleries will show curated projects or solo stands conceived for Frieze New York. Frame is a section dedicated to galleries established less than six years ago and, this year, is supported by Joe Fresh. The Frame galleries selection is made on the basis of a proposed solo presentation and has been advised by curators Rodrigo Moura and Tim Saltarelli.

 A Stand Prize in the value of $15,000, was presented on Thursday 9 May to the most innovative gallery stand at the fair. The award was sponsored by Champagne Pommery and judged by an international panel of curators: Juan A. Gaitán (Curator 8th Berlin Biennale); Naomi Beckwith (Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator, MCA Chicago); Jeffrey Grove (The Hoffman Family Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, Dallas Museum of Art).

 Tickets to Frieze New York 2013 are on sale for $26 and can be bought online friezenewyork.com/visitors/tickets. Please note: to ensure the best experience for all visitors, tickets are limited and only available in advance.
 Frieze ferry services run from the 35th Street Ferry Dock on the East River every 15 minutes during fair opening hours and take approximately 20 minutes. $12.50 round-trip including booking fee. Tickets only available in advance.

 Frieze bus services run from outside the Guggenheim Museum on 5th Avenue between 88th and 89th Streets approximately every 10 minutes during fair opening hours. $5.50 round-trip including booking fee. Tickets only available in advance.

 Visitors should visit this page for further information.

“Really, Really Like Me” - A children's book about accepting disabilities

Written by Gretchen Leary and illustrated by Dani Bowman, “Really, Really Like Me” is an interactive children's book that helps children to understand the differences and promote a healthy interaction between children with and without disabilities.

 Maybe with this book, children can start teaching adults on how to deal with differences and not to be afraid of them.
Afterall, if it weren't the differences between men and women, you wouldn't be reading this.

 Both Gretchen Leary and Dani (Danielle) Bowman are on the autism spectrum.

Michael Kountouris is the winner of the Worldpress Cartoon 2013

Greek artist Michael Kountouris was awarded the WPC Sintra 2013 Grand Prix during the ceremony that took place yesterday at the Centro Olga Cadaval, Sintra.
He won with his editoril cartoon «EU Rescue Team» published in «Efimerida Ton Syntanton» newspaper, from Athens.

 Born in Rhodes in 1960, the winner of the World Press Cartoon 2013 has been working as an editorial cartoonist in Greek newspapers since 1985 and has been cooperating with magazines.
Kountouris is also a children's books illustrator and regular member of the Athens Journalists Union since 1993 as well as founding member and secretary of the Greek Cartoonists Association.
During his career, he has been awarded several prizes and honourable mentions.

 First, second and third prizes, were attributed in each category, as well as several honourable mentions.

 In the Caricature category, the winners were: 1st Prize: «Evo Morales», by Pablo Lobato, from Argentina, published in the «Qué Pasa» newspaper from Santiago do Chile; 2nd Prize: «Mandela» by Jarbas Domingos, Brazil, published in «Diario de Pernambuco» newspaper from Recife, Brazil; 3rd Prize: «Messi» by Carbajo, Spain, published in «El Jueves» magazine from Barcelona.

 In the Gag Cartton category, the winners were: 1st Prize: «Low Economy», by Saeed Sadeghi, Iran, published in the «Jam-E-Jam» newspaper, from Tehran; 2nd Prize: «Who is...», by Robert Rousso, France, published in «Barricade», from Paris; 3rd Prize: «Free Warrior», by Raul Zuleta, Colombia, published in «El Mundo de Karry», from Lima, Peru.

 In the Editorial Cartoon category, the winners were: «EU Rescue Team» by Michael Kountouris, Greece, published in «Efimerida Ton Syntanton» newspaper, from Athens (winner of the World Press Cartoon 2013 Grand Prix); 2nd Prize: «Untitled» by Radulovic Spiro, Serbia, published in «Politika», from Belgrade; 3rd Prize: «USA greatest enemy», by Gregório de Holanda, Brazil, published in the «Diário de Pernambuco» newspaper, from Recife.

The works can be seen at the Centro Cultural Olga Cadaval, from April 13 through June 30, 2013.
A catalogue is also available for purchase.

ColorADD available for iPhone and iPad

 Created by Miguel Neiva, ColorADD® COLOR IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR COLOR BLIND PEOPLE, is an intuitive and inclusive tool that adds to the concept of colour through the addition of a system of symbols.

 Based on a monochromatic system language, the colorADD code allows a  fast and easy colour identification by colour blind people, as well as unique, inclusive, universal and transversal.

 Programmed by Rui Seica, ColorADD® is now available for iPhone and iPad, with versions for Android and Windows Mobile following soon.

 After downloading the app, which has a price of only €0,89, the user only needs to point the camera to the surface and its colour will be imediately identified on the screen, with a caption containing the colour's name and its symbol.

 With a double touch on the screen, the user can freeze the image and slide a chromatic ring to a specific area, allowing a more precise result if needed. The results can be automatically shared on social networks.
It's also possible to analize the images saved on the mobile device.

 ColorADD has numberless applications, including in the industry, education and healthcare. Several official institutions and private owned companies, have already adapted it.

 Teacher-librarian Sílvio Maltez is the author on an ebook (only in Portuguese) about how the ColorADD system works. The preface is by Miguel Neiva.

Winners of the World Press Cartoon 2013 selected

The Jury of the World Press Cartoon Sintra 2013, consisted by Francisco Puñal, Spain, Ricardo Antunes, Brazil, António Antunes, Portugal, Riber Hansson, Sweden and Marielena Nardi, Italy (from left to right), has already selected the winners, who come from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, France, Greece, Iran, Serbia and Spain.

 The award ceremony will take place the 12th of April at the Olga Cadaval Cultural Center, located in Sintra, Portugal.

Stolen Rembrandt "Portrait of the Father" recovered in Serbia

 It's one of the most sought artists. Not only by museums and art collectors, but also by art thieves.
Rembrandt's talent continues to overwhelm and the desire to own his masterpieces continues unrivaled.

 Stolen in 2006, together with three other paintings, from Novi Sad's city museum, Rembrandt's painting "Portrait of the Father" was recovered by the Serbian police in the town of Sremska Mitrovica, 60 km (40 miles) south of Novi Sad.
Four people were arrested in connection with the 2006 case.



 The portrait of Rembrandt's father, painted ca.1630 and measuring 28 x 22.5 cm (11 x 9 in) has been valued at near $4m (€2,8m; £2.7m) and has been stolen twice in the space of 10 years. The painting was previously found in Spain after an earlier theft in 1996.

 The other paintings stolen from the Novi Sad City Museum in 2006 were a Rubens, a piece by Francesco Mola from the 17th century, and another by an unknown German-Dutch artist from the 16th century.
None of the other works has been recovered.

 Last year, police in Belgrade recovered a painting by French Post-Impressionist Cezanne, which thieves had stolen in Switzerland four years earlier.

Monstra 2013 - Lisbon Animated Film Festival

The 12th Lisbon Animated Film Festival, Monstra 2013 (Festival de Animação de Lisboa), takes place in Lisbon between the 7th and 17th of March.
Brazil and Spain are this year's invited countries, celebrating the 105 years of Segundo de Chomon's "Hotel Eléctrico" and the 30th anniversary of Boi Árua by Chico Liberato.

 With a vast programme distributed through 11 venues, the Festival hosts presentations from 48 countries, including: Films; student and children film; super-shorts; feature films; classic feature films; best of the world sessions, and more. Workshops, master-classes, exhibitions and a concert, are also part of the programme.

 As usual, this year's edition presents Monstrinha, a specific programme adapted to its audience and organized in 3 age groups (3 to 6, 7 to 12 and >13).
Monstrinha 2013 includes 25 short and feature-lenght animations, as well as workshops where children have the opportunity to build their own tools to give their first steps into animation.

 Monstra 2013 will present 15 awards, including the Vasco Granja | SPAutores and the Production Incentive Award, sponsored by Same day Solutions SDS.

 In 2013, are also celebrated the 25th anniversary of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," the 40 years of "La Planete Sauvage" and Michel Ocelot's 15 year old "Kirikou and the Sorceress."

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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.