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• The Demuth Museum Presents the Art of the Vernon Kiehl & Christian Newswanger
• Sotheby's Announces Modern & Contemporary South Asian Paintings Auction
• New Work by German Photographer Roland Fischer at Von Lintel Gallery
• Modern Art Institute in Valencia (IVAM) Exhibits Photographer Franco Fontana
• Allentown Art Museum Hosts Jacob Lawrence :'Tales of Freedom'
• Group Exhibition of Street Art on View at Affirmation Arts in NYC
• New Exhibition at Auburn University Museum Explores Prints by Edvard Munch
• Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) to host William Holman Hunt & the Pre-Raphaelite Vision
• The Art Fund Helps Hunterian Acquire A Work About Surrealist Leonora Carrington
• Sculpture by Painters - Painting in Dialogue with Plastic Art at Museum Frieder Burda
• FORM ~ Contemporary Architects at Play at The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC)
• Claude Monet and Abstraction Opens at Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid
• Amon Carter Museum Exhibits Prestige Private Collection of African-American Art
• The Museum of Arts and Design opens "Dead or Alive"
• National Portrait Gallery shows Zaha Hadid's Portrait in Changing Colors
• Kunsthalle Bielefeld Revisits the 80s with Exhibition from Bischofberger Collection
• Art Knowledge News Presents "This Week In Review"

The Demuth Museum Presents the Art of the Vernon Kiehl & Christian Newswanger Posted: 06 Sep 2011 09:02 PM PDT Lancaster, PA.- The Demuth Museum is pleased to present "Chasing Inspiration: The Art of the Newswangers", on view until November 27th. The father and son artist duo of Vernon Kiehl Newswanger (1900-1980) and Christian Newswanger (1927-2005) may be best known for their depictions of the Amish way of life in Lancaster County. However, in examining these two artists separately, one will see that they each developed a unique perspective. Kiehl and Christian wrote and illustrated the well-known book Amishland in 1954; however, not much has been written about these artists. Therefore, this exhibition and accompanying catalogue will be the first to explore the lives of these artists by delving into their artistic training, their travels and the inspirations each found. Kiehl Newswanger's childhood and schooling greatly influenced his art. He grew up on his family's Lancaster County farm, and regular interactions with their Amish neighbors allowed Kiehl to become very familiar with the Amish way of life.  With a portrait of Bishop Samuel Petersheim Stolzfus from 1920, Kiehl won a scholarship to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Studying in Philadelphia allowed Kiehl to learn traditional drawing and painting, while also taking in the art of galleries and museums.  In 1925, Kiehl won a scholarship from the Academy to travel to Paris and study with Fernand Léger. Seeing firsthand the work of European abstractionists, cubists and other avant-garde artist gave Kiehl new ideas about how to represent his subjects.  He merged the realistic representation of subject matter learned at the Academy with more subjective depictions, resulting in intimate portrayals of his subjects. Once back in the States, Kiehl continued his artistic studies at the Barnes Collection where he was influenced by the work of Cezanne, as well as by the opinions of Dr. Barnes. Christian (Xtian) Newswanger was raised on the family's Lancaster farm as well. After traveling the world in the Merchant Marines, Christian studied art with his father and Pennsylvania Dutch folklore at Franklin and Marshall College, giving him a historical perspective on his Amish neighbors. Kiehl and Christian also spent time together away from Lancaster, following the uniquely American form of entertainment – the circus. The artists immersed themselves in the circus lifestyle, traveling with them and even obtaining bit parts in Cecile B. DeMille's film, The Greatest Show on Earth.  While the Newswangers each took different paths of artistic development, they shared a lifelong passion for depicting the people they closely lived and interacted with in ways that conveyed the humanity they found in their subjects. This exhibition will feature examples of the Newswangers' works from various periods, including portraits, intimate portrayals of the Amish life and people, and works from their time spent with the circus. Demuth Museum Executive Director and curator of this exhibition, Anne M. Lampe, believes "this exhibition will re-introduce the Newswangers to the Lancaster community with previously untold details about their artistic lives.  Visitors from afar will become acquainted with not only the Newswangers' charming depictions of Amish life, but also see how the avant-garde artistic movements of the twentieth century affected these artists."  Over 30 works, most held in private collections, by the Newswangers will be on view for this exhibition. The Demuth Museum, established in 1981, is dedicated to developing awareness, understanding and appreciation of the artwork and legacy of Charles Demuth (1883-1935). As a leader of the American Modernist movement, Demuth is best known as a pioneer of the precisionist style and a master watercolorist. Located in the artist's former home and studio in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the Demuth Museum has a permanent collection of over 35 Demuth works, along with an extensive archive and library. The Demuth Tobacco Shop, the oldest operating shop of its kind in America, and other historic buildings surround the museum; all are open to the public. All exhibits are supported in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts. The Demuth Museum is also supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Visit the museum's website at ... http://www.demuth.org

Sotheby's Announces Modern & Contemporary South Asian Paintings Auction Posted: 06 Sep 2011 08:16 PM PDT NEW YORK, N.Y.- On the15th of September Sotheby's will present Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art including Indian Miniature Paintings as part of the week of Asian art auctions. The sale offers approximately 90 works dating from 18th century miniatures to paintings and sculpture from some of the leading names in Indian Modern art. Among the many highlights of the sale is The Cobweb Cloud by Jehangir Sabavala, one of the most important paintings by the artist ever to appear at auction (est. $220/280,000) and Eglise, a 1962 abstract work by SH Raza (est. $300/500,000). The sale also includes a strong group of paintings by the other leading Modern Indian painters such as MF Husain, Jagdish Swaminathan, Ravi Varma, and Jamini Roy. Overall the auction is expected to fetch $2.5/3.6 million* with the pre-sale exhibition opening on 9 September.

New Work by German Photographer Roland Fischer at Von Lintel Gallery Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:47 PM PDT NEW YORK, N.Y.- Von Lintel Gallery presents an exhibition of new photographs by German photographer Roland Fischer. The exhibition, running September 6 through October 8, features Fischer's newest large-scale photographs of modern building facades from locales around the world including Munich, Melbourne and Mexico City.  As Lyle Rexer writes in his 2009 book The Edge of Vision: The Rise of Abstraction in Photography: ...Like that of his contemporaries Candida Höfer and Andreas Gursky, a significant portion of Roland Fischer's work is focused on built environment. He carefully frames details of highly schematic building facades in such a way that they are read as patterned two-dimensional surfaces with only telltale hints of their physical origin. This schematizing emphasizes the relentlessly geometric, repetitive and regular character of the social and political worlds these buildings embody.

Modern Art Institute in Valencia (IVAM) Exhibits Photographer Franco Fontana Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:23 PM PDT VALENCIA, SPAIN - Franco Fontana was born in Modena in 1933, and in the course of the last fifty years he has pursued a wide-ranging international career, presenting numerous exhibitions and publications all over the world. Franco Fontana was born in Modena in 1933, and in the course of the last fifty years he has pursued a wide-ranging international career, presenting numerous exhibitions and publications all over the world. This show at the IVAM is a wide-ranging retrospective of his work, following historical and thematic criteria that will allow the visitor to chart his work. This show at the Modern Art Institute in Valencia is on view 6 September through 6 November.

Allentown Art Museum Hosts Jacob Lawrence :'Tales of Freedom' Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:11 PM PDT Allentown, PA - The Allentown Art Museum presents the special exhibition Jacob Lawrence: Tales of Freedom October 8, 2006-January 7, 2007, in the Rodale Gallery.  Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000) is among the most acclaimed African-American artists, and the exhibition consists of 8 prints from his Toussaint L'Ouverture series, 22 prints from the John Brown series, and one print entitled Revolt on the Amistad. While typically identified with Harlem, Lawrence lived five years of his childhood in Easton, Pennsylvania and twenty-five years of his maturity near Seattle, where he taught at the University of Washington.  Over a career spanning seven decades, Lawrence exhibited his work at prestigious museums and galleries, and earned critical approbation and numerous honorary doctorates and national awards.  Lawrence's early successes include exhibiting at Edith Halpert's Downtown Gallery, which was the leading New York Gallery of American modernism; having his work published in Fortune magazine; and selling his Migration of the Negro series to the Museum of Modern Art and the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. Lawrence painted in a vibrant style of flat planes of color that evoked the stylistic concerns of Cubists, but never abandoned recognizable figures, landscapes, and forms.  Many of his paintings were conceived in narrative sequences that explored the African-American experience.  His series told the stories of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and the "History of the American People."  When Lawrence departed from narrative sequences, he often returned to favorite themes, including work, migration, jazz, literacy, mental illness, and the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. The dramatic images featured in this exhibition were conceived in the midst of World War II (in which the artist served as a member of the Coast Guard) and capture Lawrence's reflections on two signature struggles for freedom by people of the African diaspora.  The Toussaint L'Ouverture series was painted in 1938, and Lawrence later developed the paintings into a collection of fifteen prints (1986-1997).  Toussaint L'Ouverture was a Haitian general who led his people to independence from the French government that had colonized the island in the 18th century.  Despite being arrested and imprisoned in Paris in 1802, Touissant's efforts eventually resulted in the establishment of the first black republic in 1804. The John Brown series was painted in 1941.  It depicts the transformation of Brown from a land surveyor into a messianic leader of the abolitionist movement in the years leading up to the Civil War.  Brown organized black and white troops in uprisings in Kansas and in his last stand at Harper's Ferry, conflicts that catalyzed the Civil War.  Lawrence pays tribute to Brown's religious zeal by portraying him as a Christian martyr. A poem, by Robert Hayden, published with the prints echoes this theme, describing Brown "Doing the Lord's work with sabre/sharpened on the grindstone/of the Word."  Lawrence's paintings of John Brown were purchased by the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA).  The paintings became too fragile to travel, so the DIA commissioned Lawrence to publish them in an edition of 60 screen-print sets.  Artwork in this exhibition has been lent generously by Evelyn Boulware and DC Moore Gallery, New York. The Allentown Art Museum is located in Allentown, PA. Visit our website at www.allentownartmuseum.org to learn more about the Museum's exhibitions and programs.

Group Exhibition of Street Art on View at Affirmation Arts in NYC Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:10 PM PDT NEW YORK, NY.- Affirmation Arts presents Street Smart, curated by Heidi Lee, featuring artists: Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Blek le Rat, D*Face, Dalek, Date Farmers, Shepard Fairey, Doze Green, Keith Haring, James Jean, KAWS, Mark Ryden, Jeff Soto, Robert Williams and WK Interact. Street art, as a fine art genre, has been challenged since its inception in the 1980s and endured much resistance from society and art critics alike. Recently, it is experiencing a revival and the value and importance of street art cannot be denied. There are books, exhibitions, auctions and academic discussions about the subject.

New Exhibition at Auburn University Museum Explores Prints by Edvard Munch Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:09 PM PDT AUBURN, AL.- The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art (JCSM) at Auburn University presents a new exhibition, Prints by Edvard Munch, on view from Feb. 5–April 30 in the Noel and Kathryn Dickinson Wadsworth Gallery. Edvard Munch, a Norwegian artist who lived from 1863 to 1944 is world renowned for his evocative depictions of universal human emotions and experiences––love, attraction, separation and death. His widely reproduced painting, "The Scream", captures in expressive brushwork the anxious psyche of modern man, overwhelmed by his perceptions of a cruel or indifferent world. Art changes lives. Our mandate within the larger mission of Auburn University is to preserve, enhance, research and interpret the collections entrusted to us. Through the presentation of compelling exhibitions and programming to our diverse audiences, we foster the transformative power of art.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) to host William Holman Hunt & the Pre-Raphaelite Vision Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:08 PM PDT Minneapolis, MN - The Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA), offers visitors a rare glimpse into the life and work of 19th-century painter William Holman Hunt, with an exhibition of more than 60 iconic works by the artist who is considered to be the founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and has been deemed by some as the Damien Hirst of his day. "Sin and Salvation: Holman Hunt and the Pre-Raphaelite Vision" opens June 14, and on view through September 6, 2009, with the MIA as the sole U.S. venue.

The Art Fund Helps Hunterian Acquire A Work About Surrealist Leonora Carrington Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:07 PM PDT LONDON.- The acquisition of Leonora was made possible with help from independent charity The Art Fund, the National Fund for Acquisitions and the Scottish Arts Council. The work cost a total of £35,997.50, of which £13,000 came from The Art Fund. Leonora is a mixed media work, including a 16mm film featuring an encounter between Skaer and Leonora Carrington, aged ninety, made when Skaer paid a visit to the artist's Mexico City home in 2006. The film focuses on details of the elderly artist's appearance and the objects in her home. The installation also involves drawings on paper and wooden three-dimensional forms made by Skaer, inspired by her meeting with Leonora.

Sculpture by Painters - Painting in Dialogue with Plastic Art at Museum Frieder Burda Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:06 PM PDT BADEN-BADEN, GERMANY - This year's comprehensive exhibition at the Museum Frieder Burda puts the emphasis on the dialogue between painting and sculpture. The show, that runs from July 5 to October 26, 2008, is entitled "Sculpture by Painters – Painting in Dialogue with Plastic Art". It displays approximately 140 20th century art works by Degas, Miró, Picasso, Modigliani, Giacometti, Chagall, Kirchner, Beckmann and Baselitz. For the first time ever, the Museum in Baden-Baden presents an exhibition combining painting with sculpture on a large scale.

FORM ~ Contemporary Architects at Play at The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:05 PM PDT CINCINNATI, OHIO - The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) presents FORM: Contemporary Architects at Play, a collection of remarkable, new artworks from ten world-renowned architects, including Massimo Vignelli, Peter Eisenman, Zaha Hadid, Michael Graves, Thom Mayne, Bill Pedersen, Laurinda Spear, Jaime Velez, Buzz Yudell and Bernard Tschumi. Together the works, constructed in innovative materials provided by Formica Corporation, explore a range of artistic expression from the most creative designers working in architecture today, with designs ranging in scope from domestic pieces to conceptual sculpture.

Claude Monet and Abstraction Opens at Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:04 PM PDT MADRID.- The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and Fundación Caja Madrid are presenting the exhibition Monet and Abstraction. It offers a survey of the work of the great French Impressionist painter from an innovative perspective and one never previously employed in the context of a temporary exhibition of this scale and importance, namely the artist's relationship with the development of abstraction in the second half of the 20th century. On exhibition 23 February through 30 May, 2010.

Amon Carter Museum Exhibits Prestige Private Collection of African-American Art Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:03 PM PDT FORT WORTH, TX.- The works of more than 50 African-American artists from the late 1800s to the early years of this century will be on view at the Amon Carter Museum from June 6 through August 23, 2009, in the special exhibition The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper. The Kelley collection is one of the most esteemed private collections of African-American art, and the special exhibition features more than 90 works on paper by artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, Alison Saar and Charles White. Admission to all special exhibitions at the Amon Carter Museum is free.

The Museum of Arts and Design opens "Dead or Alive" Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:02 PM PDT NEW YORK, NY.-The Museum of Arts and Design opens Dead or Alive, an exhibition showcasing the work of more than 30 international artists who use organic and once-living materials—such as insects, feathers, shells, bones, silkworm cocoons, plant materials, and fur. Dead or Alive, on view until October 24, 2010, features new site-specific installations and recent work by contemporary artists from around the world, including Jennifer Angus, Nick Cave, Tessa Farmer, Tim Hawkinson, Jochem Hendricks, Damien Hirst, Alastair Mackie, Kate MccGwire, Susie MacMurray, Shen Shaomin, and Levi van Veluw among others. The exhibition is organized by the Museum's Chief Curator David Revere McFadden and Curator Lowery Sims with Assistant Curator Elizabeth Edwards Kirrane.

National Portrait Gallery shows Zaha Hadid's Portrait in Changing Colors Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:01 PM PDT   LONDON.- A groundbreaking constantly changing new portrait of a world-famous architect by one of Britain's most influential artists goes on display at the National Portrait Gallery this week. The portrait of Zaha Hadid, the Iraqi-born architect of the London 2012 Olympic Aquatics Centre, is the first work by Michael Craig-Martin, one of the key figures in British contemporary art, to be commissioned by the Gallery. Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, says: 'The portrait of Zaha Hadid is startling and magical, reflecting the brilliance of both sitter and artist.'

Kunsthalle Bielefeld Revisits the 80s with Exhibition from Bischofberger Collection Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT BIELEFELD, GERMANY - "Of course, the 1980s was an important period in art history—something that we are just beginning to realize. It is only now that we are really starting to understand the beauty, power, and special aspects of these paintings. This kind of art juggles a great deal, all at once, being oriented toward a variety of things. Many artists referred to earlier epochs, not merely to so-called Modernism alone. Suddenly, there were long traditions again. Minimalism and Conceptual art foresaw that painting would come to an end at some point, so from this viewpoint, it was quite astonishing for something like this to happen around 1980." The exhibition 'The 80s Revisited' will run from 21 March to 20 June 2010.

Art Knowledge News Presents "This Week In Review" Posted: 06 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT This is a new feature for the subscribers and visitors to Art Knowledge News (AKN), that will enable you to see "thumbnail descriptions" of the last ninety (90) articles and art images that we published. This will allow you to visit any article that you may have missed ; or re-visit any article or image of particular interest. Every day the article "thumbnail images" will change. For you to see the entire last ninety images just click : here . When opened that also will allow you to change the language from English to anyone of 54 other languages, by clicking your language choice on the upper left corner of our Home Page.  You can share any article we publish with the eleven (11) social websites we offer like Twitter, Flicker, Linkedin, Facebook, etc. by one click on the image shown at the end of each opened article.  Last, but not least, you can email or print any entire article by using an icon visible to the right side of an article's headline.

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