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: