Senin, 21 November 2011

Art Knowledge News - Keeping You in Touch with the World of Art...

Art Knowledge News - Keeping You in Touch with the World of Art...


The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Highlights its Emily Carr Collection

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 08:15 PM PST

artwork: Emily Carr - "Dream Picture", 1924 - Watercolour on paper - 26 x 36.2 cm. - Collection of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. On view in the ongoing exhibition "Emily Carr: On the Edge of Nowhere".

Victoria, British Columbia.- The Art Gallery of Greater Victora (AGGV) is showing "Emily Carr: On the Edge of Nowhere", an ongoing exhibition that highlights the museum's extensive collection of work by the artist. Although Emily Carr described herself as an "isolated little old woman on the edge of nowhere" her work has an appeal that is universal in its expressive messages. This exhibition has made the AGGV the premiere destination on Vancouver Island to visit and learn about Emily Carr through her paintings. On the Edge of Nowhere will include an historical survey of Carr's artistic career, featuring pieces in all the media and styles she explored and perfected. It will also focus on Carr's influences and inspirations, such as European modern art, members of the Group of Seven artists, First Nations artists, Carr's spirituality, and her interest in developing an art that speaks of her personal experience and her connection to the West Coast landscape.


Emily Carr grew up in a strict household in Victoria, B.C., where her English parents had settled. Orphaned in her early teens, she managed to convince her guardians to let her study art in San Francisco at the California School of Design. During her later studies in England and France she began to develop a distinctive style of painting that produced bold and colourful canvases that would eventually make her a Canadian icon. But Emily Carr's journey of self-discovery was a painful one. Unable to support herself through her art, she focused on managing an apartment house in Victoria for 15 years. It wasn't until 1927 that Emily Carr came to the attention of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, and was welcomed by the Group of Seven painters when she exhibited some of her work. Renewed by the contact with these talented artists, Emily Carr began to paint vivid pictures of the natural world and West Coast native peoples. It was only near the end of her life that Emily Carr began to be recognized as an exceptional painter as well as a writer. Her first book, Klee Wyck, won a Governor General's Award. Her paintings now hang in galleries across Canada and the fascinating life of Emily Carr is celebrated in a multitude of books and films. An impressive bronze statue of Emily Carr, created by sculptor Barbara Paterson, was unveiled in Victoria on October 13, 2010.

artwork: Emily Carr - "Above the Gravel Pit", 1936 - Oil on paper - 61 x 91.1 cm. - Collection of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. - In the ongoing exhibition "Emily Carr: On the Edge of Nowhere".

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is a public art museum dedicated to the celebration of art. When it first opened in 1951, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria exhibited art in the historic 1889 mansion that is now adjacent to its seven modern galleries. With almost 17,000 works of art, the Art Gallery has the largest public collection in BC and is a vibrant and active part of Victoria's artist community. Designed by William Ridgeway Wilson, the Spencer Mansion was built in 1889. The property originally stretched from Fort Street to Rockland Avenue and incorporated formal gardens, two tennis courts, stables and a coach house. The crowning feature, the belvedere, commands an inspiring view of the ocean. The Mansion was donated in 1951 by Miss Sarah Spencer to become the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.  In the summer of 2004, the heritage mansion was repainted to reflect the original Queen Anne style colours. The exhibition gallery spaces were originally added on to the Spencer Mansion between 1955 and 1978. From 2001 to 2003, the seven galleries have been extensively renovated and outfitted with state-of-the-art heating, ventilation and air conditioning giving the Art Gallery one of the best climate control systems in Canada. These changes allow the Art Gallery to host prestigious touring exhibitions and bring a higher calibre of artwork to Vancouver Island. Substantial aesthetic improvements have been made to the front entrance, corridors and Gallery Shop.

artwork: Emily Carr - "Victoria Inner Harbour", 1905 - Watercolour on paper - 15.2 x 23 cm. Collection of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. In the ongoing exhibition "Emily Carr"

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria prides itself on presenting a diverse assortment of exhibitions including showcases of own Canadian, historical and world-class Asian collection, as well as creating, commissioning and hosting important contemporary exhibitions. Both the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council recognized the Art Gallery for its outstanding presentations in recent years. On permanent display is the work of British Columbia's foremost historical artist Emily Carr. An exhibition including paintings, excerpts from her books and archival images offers an insightful look at this inspiring local artist who captured the BC landscape and the lives of its First Nations peoples in paint. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is home to one of Canada's most important Asian art collections, second only to the Royal Ontario Museum. The collection of amber and ivory carvings is one of the largest and most exquisite in North America. The Gallery's collection has grown under the careful watch of internationally recognized Asian Curator, Barry Till. Several impressive objects d'art are on permanent exhibition including a grand Chinese Bell, cast in 1641 during the Ming dynasty that was presented to the City of Victoria in 1903. A popular attraction, it hung in Beacon Hill Park until 1989, when it came to the Art Gallery to ensure its long-time preservation. The Gallery's Asian Garden boasts the only authentic Japanese Shinto Shrine in North America. It is a fine example of the architecture of a Meiji period Shinto Shrine, now perfectly situated among bamboo and Japanese maples. Visit the museum's website at ... http://aggv.ca/

PAN Amsterdam With More than 125 Art Dealers & Antique Galleries

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 08:14 PM PST


AMSTERDAM.- PAN Amsterdam is twenty-five years old and a celebration for every art lover. This fair of today for art, antiques and design presents a fascinating cross-section of what the trade currently has to offer and is an important indicator of the mood of the art market. One hundred and twenty-five art dealers, antique dealers and gallery owners will be showing a fascinating variety of old, modern and contemporary art in an inspiring setting—from Jan Steen and Studio Job to a Roman statue of the Greek god PAN and top photography by Schilte & Portielje. PAN Amsterdam runs from 20 to 27 November in the Parkhal of the Amsterdam RAI. PAN Amsterdam organises 'Art Encounters' every year. This select evening is designed especially for art lovers in their thirties and forties so that they can meet like-minded art lovers, artists and dealers in a relaxed atmosphere. There are artists at work on some of the stands, a DJ plays lounge music in the 'Rembrandtplein' and you can enjoy cocktails and canapés. This is also the evening of the annual Chairmen's Drink for Captains of Industry and the Corps Diplomatique.

The Known Gallery Exhibits "Whitewash" Featuring KC Ortiz and POSE

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 07:55 PM PST

artwork: POSE – "Day", 2011 - Acrylic, spray paint and cel vinyl on clayboard - 72" x 48" - Courtesy of the artist. On view at the Known Gallery, Los Angeles in "Whitewash" from November 19th through December 10th.

Los Angeles, California.- The Known Gallery is pleased to present "Whitewash", works by graffiti artist POSE and photojournalist KC Ortiz. "Whitewash" will be on view at the gallery from november 19th through December 10th. In this, their second exhibition at Known Gallery, the artist present their most cohesive to date. The opening reception for Whitewash takes place Saturday, November 19th at Known Gallery and is open to the public. For POSE, Whitewash references society's attempt to eradicate graffiti and stifle human expression. "Shortly after I started writing graffiti, Chicago took an extremely hard-line stance on its eradication, outlawing the sale of spraypaint and implementing Mayor Dayley's Graffiti Blasters program," POSE explains. With this exhibition, POSE will recall a time before the buff. "I am digging into my fondest childhood memories of riding the train and seeing all the colors, letters and cartoon characters along the lines. Making these paintings has been an incredibly rich process, and it makes me thankful that no city official can eradicate my memories."


The Museum of Modern Art in Wakayama Opens a Retrospective of Yoshihara Hideo

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:54 PM PST

artwork: Yoshihara Hideo - "She is Empty" - Lithograph and etching on paper - 70.6 x 103.2 cm. - Collection of the Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama. Japan On view in "Yoshihara Hideo: A Retrospective" from November 19th through January 15th 2012.

Wakayama, Japan.- The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama is proud to present "Yoshihara Hideo: A Retrospective", on view at the museum from November 19th through January 15th 2012. This exhibition marks the first retrospective show of the artists work since his death in 2007. In addition to works from the museum's own colleection, artifacts from the artist's studio will be presented. Yoshihara was born at Hiroshima in 1931, and began to take a keen interest in art in his high school days at Tennoji High School, Osaka. Although he took part in the founding of Gutai, whose leader Yoshihara Jiro was one of his distant relatives, soon he disaffiliated himself and joined in the Demokrato Artist Association, where he took significantly inspiration from Izumi Shigeru, the leader of Demokrato in Kansai district and began print making.


The Leopold Museum Shows the Drawn & Graphic Works of Hermann Nitsch

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:42 PM PST

artwork: Hermann Nitsch - "Golden Love", 1967 - Multimedia collage on paper/canvas - 159 x 323 cm. - Museo MAGI'900. © VBK Vienna, 2011. On view at the Leopold Museum, Vienna in Hermann Nitsch - Structures" until January 30th 2012.

Vienna.- For the first time in Austria, the Leopold Museum will be presenting a museum-based examination of the drawn and graphical oeuvre of Hermann Nitsch. "Hermann Nitsch - Structures" is on view at the museum through January 30th 2012. At the centre of this exhibition will be Hermann Nitsch's architectural designs, as well as early sketches for monumental compositions influenced by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka, informal scribbled drawings, sketches from various actions, colour scales for projections, scores for his music and printed graphics. Hermann Nitsch (born 29 August 1938) is an Austrian artist who works in experimental and multimedia modes. Born in Vienna, Nitsch received training in painting during the time he studied at the Wiener Graphische Lehr-und Versuchanstalt.  He is called an "actionist" or a performance artist. He is associated with the Vienna Actionists, and like them conceived his art outside traditional categories of genre. Nitsch's abstract splatter paintings, like his performance pieces, established a theme of controlled violence, using bright reds, maroons, and pale greys that communicate organic mutilation.


Sotheby's in New York to Auction Rare Synagogue Interiors by Marc Chagall

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:17 PM PST

artwork: Three rare oil paintings of synagogue interiors by Marc Chagall are going on the auction block at Sotheby's in New York City on 14 Dec. The paintings came to the market for the first time in 66 years from a descendent of art collector and original owner Max Cottin, who acquired them from the 1945 exhibition at the Gallery of Jewish Art in New York.- Only six finished oil paintings of synagogues by Chagall are known to exist.

NEW YORK, N.Y.- Sotheby's New York announces that it will present for sale three exceptionally rare oil paintings of synagogue interiors by Marc Chagall (1887-1985). In all, only six finished oils of synagogues by the artist are known to exist. These three paintings come to market for the first time in 66 years from a descendent of the original owner Max Cottin, who acquired them from the 1945 exhibition at the Gallery of Jewish Art in New York. Leading this offering in the forthcoming Israeli & International Art auction on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 is Chagall's 1931 Interior of the Yemenite HaGoral Synagogue, Jerusalem, illustrated below, which carries an estimate of $400/600,000..

Commenting on the sale of these rare and revealing paintings, Jennifer Roth, Senior Vice President and Head of the Sotheby's Israeli & International Art Department, said: "Documentary paintings by Chagall are remarkably rare and only six finished oils of synagogues by Chagall are known to exist. The sale this coming December represents a truly unique opportunity for collectors of Chagall to acquire works from this little known aspect of his oeuvre. Fitting testimony to their importance and rarity, two of the other three synagogue paintings reside in Museum collections: one painting is in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam; one is in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem; and the third is in a Private Collection, on extended loan to Musée d'art et d'histoire du Judaïsme ."

A clue to the significance of these three paintings was found in a small cache of letters, written in the 1960s and 1970s, between Chagall and Max Cottin. The correspondence demonstrates Chagall's great attachment to the paintings that Mr Cottin had acquired and eventually Chagall asks if he can buy them back or arrange a "mutually advantageous" exchange. The request was poignantly but firmly declined. 

In the spring of 1931, Chagall and his family spent three months in the Holy Land, a trip he undertook to gather material for his Bible etchings. While Ambrose Vollard – his dealer – had commissioned this project, Vollard did not support or understand Chagall's desire to travel to the land of the Bible and see it for himself. Ultimately, this trip brought Chagall closer to his Jewish roots and was to be the first of many visits there. In the mystical hill town of Safed, the seat of Kabbalah , Chagall painted two views of the Ha'Ari Sephardi Synagogue (now in the Israel Museum and the Stedelijk Museum) and one of the Ha'Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue, which is included for sale. Interior of the Ashkenazi Ha'Ari Synagogue, Safed, 1931, is estimated at $300/500,000 and the synagogue depicted, with its elaborate Ark with ornate carving by Galician craftsmen, is still in use today. It is no surprise that Chagall, raised in the Hassidic tradition, would have been drawn to synagogues dedicated to the Ha'Ari, Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-72), who had a profound impact on mystical Judaism.

artwork: Marc Chagall - Interior of the Yemenite HaGoral Synagogue, Jerusalem. Est. $400/600,000. Photo: Sotheby's.

The largest of the three Cottin paintings, Interior of the Yemenite HaGoral Synagogue, Jerusalem, is more enigmatic and is estimated at $400/600,000. Discussing her research into this work, Jennifer Roth, commented: "Unable to discover any photo of the synagogue, I was determined to find the structure itself, to explore whether it still resembled Chagall's delicate and exquisite depiction. A scholar of Jerusalem synagogues provided the address and instructed me to simply go there, as there was no phone. In the old Yemenite neighborhood in Nachla'ot, through a maze of winding pedestrian streets, impassable to motor traffic, I finally spotted a small plaque with the name of the synagogue. Within moments we were standing in the small upstairs room, in the footsteps of Chagall, admiring the tri-partite wooden Torah Ark surmounted by delicate carving, which had been so lovingly portrayed."

artwork: Marc Chagall - Interior of the Ashkenazi Ha'Ari Synagogue, Safed, 1931 -  Est. $300/500,000. Photo: Sotheby's.The third of the synagogue works was painted in Vilna, Lithuania, in 1935, where Chagall was invited to open the Museum of Jewish Art. The painting has a more somber feel than the others, perhaps an indication of the gathering clouds of the 1930s. Beneath the glow of the beautiful stained glass windows, the synagogue is shown empty. It depicts the "Kloyz" or study hall of the Vilna Gaon. Remarkably, the painting appears to be the only extant record of the Torah Ark of this small but important synagogue, which was destroyed just a few years later in the ashes of the Holocaust. Synagogue in Vilna, the "Kloyz" of the Vilna Gaon, 1935, is estimated at $300/500,000.

All three oil paintings were shown in 1945 at the Gallery of Jewish Art in New York, where Mr. Cottin bought his treasured artworks. The exhibition opened as World War II was finally drawing to a close and the full impact of the destruction of European Jewry was becoming known.

Among the other highlights of the sale on 14 December are several works by Reuven Rubin , including The Drummer of Meron from 1929, as well as several landscapes and still lifes; Nahum Gutmann , the other founding father of Israeli art, is represented by two brightly colored harbor scenes of Jaffa and Haifa. Other exceptional works include oils by Mordecai Ardon, Ori Reisman and Michael Gross and a large-scale steel sculpture by Yaacov Agam . The Contemporary art section includes a video by Sigalit Landau , who represented Israel at this year's Venice Biennale .

Marc Chagall,. (24 June 1887 – 28 March 1985), was a Russian-French artist associated with several major artistic styles and one of the most successful artists of the 20th century. He was an early modernist, and created works in virtually every artistic medium, including painting, book illustrations, stained glass, stage sets, ceramic, tapestries and fine art prints.

Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century." According to art historian Michael J. Lewis, Chagall was considered to be "the last survivor of the first generation of European modernists." For decades, he "had also been respected as the world's preeminent Jewish artist." Using the medium of stained glass, he produced windows for the cathedrals of Reims and Metz, windows for the UN, and the Jerusalem Windows in Israel. He also did large-scale paintings, including part of the ceiling of the Paris Opéra.

'Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters ~ The Cone Sisters of Baltimore' Premieres at the Jewish Museum in NYC

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:12 PM PST

artwork: Henri Matisse - "Large Reclining Nude (The 'Pink Nude')", 1935 - Oil on canvas - 92.7 x 66 cm. Collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art. On view in the 'Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore' at the Jewish Museum in New York from May 6 through September 25.

New York, NY.– Henri Matisse called them "my two Baltimore ladies." Their friend Gertrude Stein wrote a poem about them entitled "Two Women." The sisters Dr. Claribel Cone (1864-1929) and Miss Etta Cone (1870-1949) began buying art directly out of the Parisian studios of avant-garde artists in 1905. Although their taste for this radical art was little understood at the time, the Cones followed their passions and eventually amassed one of the world's greatest art collections. The Jewish Museum will present Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore, an exhibition of over 50 works from The Baltimore Museum of Art's internationally renowned Cone Collection, from May 6 through September 25.


artwork: Pablo Picasso - "Woman With Bangs", 1902 Oil on canvas - 24 1/8" x 20 1/4" Collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art. - At the Jewish Museum in New YorkPaintings, sculptures and works on paper by such artists as Matisse, Picasso, Cézanne, Gauguin, Renoir, and van Gogh will be featured. Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters will focus on the remarkable vision of these two Jewish sisters from Baltimore and the personal relationships they formed with of-the-moment contemporary artists as they shaped their extraordinary collection. In addition to masterworks of French art, the exhibition will include textiles, decorative arts, arts of Asia and Africa, photographs, and archival materials to place the Cone sisters' remarkable story in the context of the exciting world of modern art and the artists who made history. Ten of the fine art works and all of the textiles and decorative arts have never been seen in New York City before. The exhibition is organized by The Baltimore Museum of Art, The Jewish Museum, and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Following its New York showing, Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore will travel to the Vancouver Art Gallery (June 2 to September 23, 2012).

Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters includes iconic paintings by Matisse such as "Standing Odalisque Reflected in a Mirror", "Interior, Flowers and Parakeets", "Large Reclining Nude", and "Striped Robe, Fruit, and Anemones". Pablo Picasso's Blue period "Woman with Bangs", as well as a Picasso sculpture and several of his early drawings are also on view. Other highlights include Gauguin's Tahitian masterpiece, "Vahine no te vi (Woman of the Mango)", Gustave Courbet's "The Shaded Stream at Le Puits Noir" and Camille Pissarro's "The Highway (La Côte du Valhermeil, Auvers-sur-Oise)". Also on display are important paintings by Delacroix, Renoir, and van Gogh.  The story of the Cone sisters unfolds in the exhibition beginning with their German-Jewish social circle in Baltimore, where they first met Gertrude Stein and her brother, Leo. In the late 1890s and early 1900s, Claribel Cone held lively Saturday evening salons in their family's Baltimore home which the Steins attended as young adults. These gatherings attracted the cultural elite of Baltimore including musicians, artists, writers, and scientists. "Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters" retraces the Cone sisters' travels, first to Italy and France, then around the world, and back to Paris where they purchased many outstanding works of art.

They were among the earliest collectors to bring European modern art to the United States several years before the famed New York Armory Show of 1913. Their story will be brought to life through archival materials, including Etta's diary from her first trip to Italy where Leo Stein introduced her to Renaissance art, and Etta and Claribel's account books showing their passion for collecting not only art-of-the-moment, but jewelry, textiles, furniture, and other objects. Exhibition visitors will also be able to see excerpts from 'Michael Palin and the Ladies Who Loved Matisse', a 2003 film originally aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom. An interactive, touch-screen computer tour of the Cones' adjoining apartments in Baltimore will reveal how the sisters lived with their art and objects.

artwork: Henri Matisse - "Standing Odalisque Reflected in a Mirror", 1923 - Oil on Canvas 31 7/8" x 21 3/8". Collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art.As daughters of prosperous German-Jewish immigrants, the Cone sisters were well-educated and widely traveled. Generously supported financially by the successful Cone family textile business, Claribel and Etta made regular trips to Europe to purchase art. They often visited Gertrude Stein, who had become a celebrated avant-garde writer, and her brother Leo in Paris. Through them the Cone sisters became acquainted with a wide circle of artists, musicians, and writers who would influence their collecting. The Steins introduced them to Picasso and Matisse and the sisters became friends and patrons of both artists. Etta Cone met Matisse in 1905, and her initial purchase of several drawings marked the beginning of a life-long passion for his art. Among his first patrons, the Cone sisters collected Matisse's art throughout his entire career. The sisters also purchased over 100 works by Picasso, including an important group of prints and drawings from the artist's early years in Barcelona and Paris. They amassed an exceptional collection of approximately 3,000 objects, many of which were displayed in their Baltimore apartments.

The highlight is a group of 500 works by Matisse, considered the largest and most significant in the world. The Cone sisters filled their adjoining apartments with cutting-edge art. In the late 1920s they began lending works from their collection to museums for temporary exhibitions. When Claribel died in 1929, she left her collection to Etta with a suggestion that it be donated upon Etta's death to The Baltimore Museum of Art, "if the spirit of appreciation of modern art in Baltimore should improve." From then on, Etta acquired art to fill out the collection as a public trust. She maintained Claribel's apartment, adding to the art on its walls, and filling it with fresh flowers daily. Etta was wooed by many museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. When she died in 1949 she bequeathed the collection, and nearly $400,000 to construct a wing to house it, to The Baltimore Museum of Art.

The Jewish Museum, one of the world's largest and most important institutions devoted to exploring the remarkable scope and diversity of Jewish culture, was founded in 1904 in the library of The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where it was housed for more than four decades. In 1944, Frieda Schiff Warburg, widow of the prominent businessman and philanthropist, Felix Warburg, who had been a Seminary trustee, donated the family mansion at 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street to the Seminary for use as the Museum. Located along New York's Museum Mile, this elegant former residence has been the home of the Museum since 1947. A sculpture court was installed alongside the Mansion in 1959, and the Albert A. List Building was added in 1963 to provide additional exhibition and program space. In 1989, a major expansion and renovation project was undertaken. Upon completion in June 1993, the expansion doubled the Museum's gallery space, created new space for educational programs, provided significant improvements in public amenities, and added a two-floor permanent exhibition called Culture and Continuity: The Jewish Journey.

Today, The Jewish Museum's permanent collection, which has grown to more than 26,000 objects (including paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, ethnographic material, archaeological artifacts, numismatics, ceremonial objects, and broadcast media materials) is the largest and most important of its kind in the world. The Jewish Museum regularly presents large temporary exhibitions of an interdisciplinary nature. Such exhibitions often employ a combination of art and artifacts interpreted through the lens of social history in order to explore important ideas and topics. For nearly a century, The Jewish Museum has illuminated the Jewish experience, both secular and religious, demonstrating the strength of Jewish identity and culture. Its unparalleled collection and unique exhibitions offer a wide range of opportunities for exploring multiple facets of the Jewish experience, past and present, and for educating current and future generations. It is a source of education, inspiration and shared human values for people of all cultures. Visit the museum's website at ... www.thejewishmuseum.org

The Whitney Museum of American Art Presents Exhibiton Exploring Its Founding Collection

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:11 PM PST

artwork: Edward Laning - "Fourteenth Street", 1931 - Tempera on canvas - 76.2 x 101.6 cm. - Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC On view as part of the 'Breaking Ground: The Whitney's Founding Collection' from April 28th to September 18th 2011.

New York, NY - At the turn of the twentieth century, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, an heiress and sculptor born to one of America's wealthiest families, began to assemble a rich and highly diverse collection of modern American art. This group of objects, combined with a trove of new works purchased around the time of the Whitney Museum's opening in 1931, came together to form the founding collection. 'Breaking Ground: The Whitney's Founding Collection' is the first in a multiyear series of exhibitions aimed at reassessing the museum's collection. Unfolding in chronological order over a two year period, these exhibitions will explore overlooked developments in American art and reconsider iconic figures and masterworks within new frameworks and contexts.


"American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:10 PM PST

artwork: A light blue silk satin British evening cape, circa 1910-1915, center, on display with other period clothing from the Bohemian Girl installation of the 'American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity' exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Monday, May 3, 2010.

NEW YORK, NY.- The spring 2010 exhibition organized by The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art is American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity, the first drawn from the newly established Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at the Met. The exhibition, on view from May 5 through August 15, 2010, explores developing perceptions of the modern American woman from the 1890s to the 1940s, and how they have affected the way American women are seen today. Focusing on archetypes of American femininity through dress, the exhibition reveals how the American woman initiated style revolutions that mirrored her social, political, and sartorial emancipation.

Portland Museum of Art Breaks Attendance Record

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:09 PM PST

artwork: Philip Townsend (England, 1940) - "The Beatles with Maharishi", undated. Gelatin silver print. Private collection. ©The Philip Townsend Archive.

PORTLAND, ME.- The Portland Museum of Art finished 2009 with the second-highest attendance in Museum history and the highest attendance in a decade. With 161,000 visitors, the Museum had an increase of 11,000 visitors over the previous year. The highest attendance record was set in 2000 with 188,000 visitors with the success of two exhibitions by legendary artists Ansel Adams and N. C. Wyeth.

The Museum Of Contemporary Art Sydney (MCA) ~ Twenty Years Young ~ With Many Highly Regarded Art Collections

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:08 PM PST

Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) seen from Circular Quay Station, Sydney, Australia. The former Maritime Services Board building was donated by the NSW government in 1989 and after extensive renovation opened to the public in 1991. - Photo copyright Greg O'Beirne

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, Australia (MCA) is celebrating its 20th anniversary in November 2011. Originally established using a bequest left by Australian artist John Power to the University of Sydney to "inform and educate Australians in the contemporary visual arts", the museum was opened to the public in 1991. The Museum of Contemporary Art is Australia's only museum dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting and collecting contemporary art from across Australia and around the world. With a continually changing program of exhibitions there's always something new, exciting and inspiring to see at the MCA. The land on which the MCA building is situated has great historical significance, originally owned by the Eora people of the Gadigal nation, the site also marks the landing place of the First Fleet in Port Jackson in 1788. In 1802 Sydney's first hospital and wharf were built nearby, with commissariat stores built by Colonel Foveaux in 1812. In the 1930s the commissariat stores and taxation building were demolished to make way for a new Maritime Services Board (MSB) building (the previous MSB offices were displaced by the Cahill Express Way and Circular Quay railway development). Government architect W.H. Withers began work on the building plans in 1939. Work resumed in 1944 under government architect W D H Baxter after a postponement of four years from 1940 due to Australia's involvement in World War II. Builders were appointed in 1946 but difficulties in securing labor and material due to post war shortages delayed construction. The foundation stone was laid in 1949 and in 1952 the MSB building opened. With the relocation of the MSB to larger premises in 1989 the building was gifted by the NSW State Government to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Funded by the University of Sydney and the Power Bequest, restoration and refurbishment of the building commenced in 1990 under the direction of Andrew Andersons of Peddle Thorpe/John Holland Interiors and in November 1991 the Museum of Contemporary Art officially opened. The MCA is currently in the middle of building works to create a new northern wing, however, disruption is minimal and the potential visitor should not be put off. The museum hosts over 750,000 visitors annually. Be sure to visit the museum's website at . . http://www.mca.com.au/

artwork: Brook Andrew - "Loop. A Model of how the world operates", 2008 - Animated neon and wall drawing - Edition 1/3 Dimensions are variable. From the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Sydney

The cornerstone of the current collection are the works donated by J W Power and those bought using his generous financial bequest. The J W Power Collection is the largest of the MCA's collections and was established through the 'Power Bequest to The University of Sydney'. The will of the late John Power stated that the Bequest should be"put towards the purchase of contemporary art ... so as to bring the people of Australia in more direct touch with the latest art developments in other countries." The Power Collection is a varied and eclectic collection of works by Australian and international artists from the late 1960s up until the constitution of the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1989. Within the Collection are 1,103 paintings, oil sketches and drawings by John Power himself, as well as a variety of works by other artists including kinetic work from the 1960s and 1970s, op art, performance pieces, pop art, minimalist works, and more recent works from 1980s. Artists featured in the Power Collection include Ulay and Marina Abramovic, Valerio Adami, Joseph Beuys, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Juan Davila, Neil Dawson, Gilbert and George, Richard Hamilton, Keith Haring, Edward Kienholz, Barbara Kruger, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Longo, Sidney Nolan, Ed Ruscha, Mike Parr, John Power, Cindy Sherman, Imants Tillers, Peter Tyndall, Andy Warhol, Jenny Watson, and John Young. The Loti and Victor Smorgon Collection of Contemporary Australian Art was gifted to the MCA in 1995 by private collectors Loti and Victor Smorgon, this collection of 154 works is a remarkable survey of work of the 1980s and 1990s by Australian artists spanning several generations. It represents paintings by artists who have emerged during one of the most lively and prolific periods in Australia's history, a time when artists had unprecedented representation in exhibitions and collections around the world. The collection focuses on three generations of artists working in Australia since the late 1960s. The first group comprises paintings from the 1980s by artists who exhibited in the landmark exhibition "The Field" in 1968. The second consists of a diverse group whose work was based in 1970s conceptual practice, and the third, a younger group of artists who emerged during the 1980s and 1990s. Artists represented in the Smorgon Collection include: Davida Allen, Howard Arkley, Peter Booth, Stephen Bush, Tony Clark, Juan Davila, Richard Dunn, Robert Hunter, Robert Jacks, Maria Kozic, Michael Johnson, Tim Johnson, Kerri Poliness, Vivienne Shark LeWitt, John Firth Smith, Imants Tillers, Dick Watkins, Jenny Watson and John Young. The MCA is also justifiably proud of its collections of Aboriginal art, including the Maningrida Collection of Aboriginal Art consisting of approximately 600 works created in and around the town of Maningrida. It includes works in fibre and other materials, including seeds, shells and feathers, mostly made by women. These beautiful objects reveal the ingenuity of the women and their ability to maintain strong links with the past, while at the same time incorporating new ideas and materials. The MCA's continue to develop their collections through acquisitions and loans.

artwork: Bardayal Lofty Nadjamerrek Nadulimi – "Kangaroo of the Ubar Ceremony", circa 1992 - Ochre on paper - 152 x 101 cm. Image courtesy Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection © Estate of Bardayal Lofty Nadjamerrek. On view in the artist's retrospective exhibition at the MCA in Sydney until 20 March 2011.

Three temporary exhibitions are currently on view at the MCA, until July 19th 2011, "New Acquisitions in Context" celebrates five years of the MCA's successful "New Acquisitions" series of exhibitions. "New Acquisitions in Context" provides visitors with the opportunity to experience a diverse selection of Australian and international art as well as offering an insight into how the MCA Collection is developed. Spanning a range of media from sculpture and drawing to installation and video, the exhibition includes work by artists James Angus, Hany Armanious, John Barbour, Sophie Coombs, Juan Davila, Hayden Fowler, Simryn Gill, Matthew Griffin, Mary Gubriawuy, Patrick Hartigan, Mathew Jones, Peter Kennedy, Laith McGregor, James Morrison, Arlo Mountford, Dorota Mytych, Robert Rauschenberg, Sangeeta Sandrasegar, Tim Silver, Ken Thaiday, Imants Tillers, Günter Weseler and Simon Yates. "Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life 1990 - 2005" (until 26th April) presents the work of legendary American photographer Annie Leibovitz to Australian audiences as part of the Sydney International Art Series. "Bardayal 'Lofty' Nadjamerrek AO" presents a retrospective of works by one of Australia's best loved Aboriginal artists until 20 March 2011. Born around 1926 in the Mann River region of Western Arnhem Land, Bardayal 'Lofty' Nadjamerrek AO (deceased), lived at Kabulwarnamyo outstation located on the upper Liverpool River, in the stone country of the Arnhem Land plateau. This exhibition traces the influence and development of the artist's practice and his legacy. Nadjamerrek's position on Western Arnhem Land art was unique. As a prominent elder he resided over clan estates with long links to cave painting sites, which trace some of the oldest forms of human expression. Nadjamerrek's earliest rock-art images are located at Karrmadjabdi, a shelter in his Mok clan estate on the Liverpool River, where he painted fish species, yam, rock possum and representations of Namorrodoh spirit beings by shaping bees wax and pressing them into the rock. In 1969, Bardayal began to paint on bark and paper remaining loyal to the natural pigments used for rock art. This exhibition explores the stories and places depicted in Nadjamerrek's work, providing visitors with a greater understanding and respect for the artist's unique traditions and origins. The Ramingining Collection of Aboriginal Art contains over 260 bark paintings and wood carved sculptural and functional objects. The works in the Collection centre on the Yolngu system of classification of the natural world. Groupings of works represent the mangroves, the forests, the freshwater swamps, the oceans and beaches, the jungles and the plains and the many creatures that inhabit them. A further collection of 285 bark paintings was donated to the MCA in June 1993 by Arnott's Biscuits Limited. Featuring work by artists from the late 1960s through to the early 1980s, it is one of the most significant and in-depth Aboriginal bark painting collections in the world.

Exhibition Links Works from S.M.A.K.'s Collection to Gagarin Magazine

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:07 PM PST

artwork: Allora & Calzadilla - Stop, repair piano with hole, pianist (Amir Khosrowpour, depicted in photo) photo by: David Regen © Allora & Calzadilla / Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, NY

GHENT, BELGIUM - "GAGARIN The Artists in their Own Words" is a unique international artist's magazine (°2000), entirely dedicated to the publication of especially written and unpublished texts by artists who are now working, anywhere in the world. The texts are published in their original language (from Albanian to Italian) with the addition of an English translation. GAGARIN does not restrict itself to a particular period or import and runs trough the codes that are applied in the world of art. Its orientation is artistic, documentary and historical. GAGARIN also aspires to provide an accurate source of information about the collaborating artists, using their own words.

Fuller Craft Museum Presents "Icarus": An Installation By Mark Davis

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:06 PM PST

artwork: Mark Davis - "Icarus", 2011 - Aluminum, brass, steel, acrylic and oil paint. - Courtesy of Pucker Gallery. Photo by Dean Powell. On display through March 15, 2012, created specifically for Fuller Craft's Courtyard Gallery.

BROCKTON, MA.- Fuller Craft Museum, New England's home for contemporary craft, presents Icarus, an installation by Mark Davis, on display through March 15, 2012, created specifically for Fuller Craft's Courtyard Gallery.

'Beth van Hoesen: Personalities' at the Tobey C. Moss Gallery in LA

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:05 PM PST

artwork: Beth Van Hoesen -  "Sally", 1979 - Aquatint, drypoint, etching, roulette, ED: II - 29.8 x 34.9 cm. Image courtesy of the Tobey C. Moss Gallery. "Beth Van Hoesen: Personalities" is exhibited at the Tobey C.Moss Gallery in Los Angeles from April 16 to June 30, 2011.


Los Angeles, CA - The exquisite etchings, aquatints and drawings by BETH VAN HOESEN brighten the spring of 2011 from April 16th through June 30th at the Tobey C. Moss Gallery, Los Angeles. Renowned as a portraitist of self, friends and animals she made many explorative pencil drawings.  Offered are her self-portrait in Checked Shirt and a portrait of the incomparable Imogen Cunningham. The opening image in the exhibition is a graphite and color pencil Self Portrait in Apron, a rendering that reveals her confident and diffident nature. Also, to be shown are iconic images of Sally, the imposing hare, and Boris, he of the critical and cynical eye!  She invests all subjects with individual personas. To etching, drypoint, aquatint and roulette Beth Van Hoesen routinely hand applied her colors a la poupee.  Each print displays the virtuosity, delicate stroke and sensitive palette associated with her work.


Sotheby's to Offer 400 Items from The Fabius Frères Gallery Collection

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:04 PM PST

artwork: Jean Béraud (1845-1935) - "À la salle Graffard" - Signed and dated 1884, Oil on canvas. - Estimate: €350,000-500,000/ $506,800-724,000. Image :  © Sotheby's / ArtDigital Studio.

PARIS.- Sotheby's announce, in association with the auction house PIASA, the sale of the Fabius Frères Gallery collection on the 26th and 27th October 2011 in Paris. The 400 sculptures, pieces of furniture, works of art, drawings and 19th century paintings, estimated to sell in the region of €10 million ($14,5 million), will be on view at the Galerie Charpentier for five days prior to the sale. The Fabius Frères Gallery is known worldwide for the exceptional quality, condition and provenance of the works of art in their collection. The Fabius Frères collection is undoubtedly the most important ensemble of 19th century sculpture ever to be offered at auction. It consists predominantly of works by the most original and significant sculptors of the period: Antoine–Louis Barye (1795–1875) and Jean–Baptiste Carpeaux (1827–75).


Carpeaux's important marble group Daphnis & Chloe is a sculptural masterpiece. It was made in 1874 during the sculptor's two–year stay in England, where he took refuge in the turbulent aftermath of the Paris Commune. Alexander Hugh Baring, 4th Baron Ashburton, commissioned Carpeaux to make this large mythological marble group in 1873. It illustrates a passage from Longus' idyll Daphnis & Chloe and was made as a pendant to Canova's famous marble Cupid & Psyche (now in the Louvre), which then adorned Lord Ashburton's London residence at Bath House, in Piccadilly. Carpeaux began modelling the group in plaster in 1873. It was not until July 1874 that Carpeaux began sculpting the marble group. It was delivered to Lord Ashburton on 8 January 1875.

Daphnis & Chloe perfectly expresses Carpeaux's virtuoso talent for modelling form and sculpting marble: he brings the stone to life, combining graceful movement with the sensuality of his intimate subject (estimate €1,000,000-1,500,000 / $1,448,000-2,172,000).

The collection also includes an autograph plaster version of Carpeaux's Ugolino & His Sons. Carpeaux chose the dramatic episode from Dante's Inferno as the subject for the large-scale composition he was required to make during his time as a student at Rome's Villa Medici in 1860/1. It depicts the moment when Ugolino, condemned to death by starvation, resolves to devour his children (est €50,000-70,000 / $72,400-101,350)

artwork: Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux La Rieuse aux Roses et Le Rieur aux Pampres Terres cuites - H : 54 cm. Paris, Galerie Fabius Photo: Sotheby's/PiasaShortly after Carpeaux's return to Paris, the state commissioned a monumental bronze version of this subject which was exhibited at the Salon of 1863; it was subsequently installed in the Tuileries Gardens as a pendant to the monumental bronze of the Laocoon and is now in the Musée d'Orsay. A full-size marble version, signed and dated Jbte Carpeaux Roma 1860, was made for the 1867 Exposition Universelle, and is now in the Metropolitan Museum, New York. More than six plaster and terracotta versions – composed of three to five figures – exist in public collections, including a terracotta version in the Louvre.

In 1865, at the request of architect Charles Garnier (1825-98), Carpeaux produced his most famous monumental group for the façade of the Paris Opera. La Danse was intended to complement three other allegorical sculptures: Lyrical Drama by Jean-Joseph Perraud (1819–76); Music by Eugene Guillaume (1822–1905); and Harmony by François Jouffroy (1806–82). The 2ft-high (61cm) autograph plaster model to be offered here shows the composition at an important point in its evolution: here the Genius of Dance is shown with feminine features; in the final version, the Genius is depicted as a man (est. €80,000-120,000 / $115,850-173,750)

Carpeaux's marble bust Candour, was inspired by the features of his wife, Amelie de Montfort. It appeared in the Carpeaux sale on 29 April 1873, when it was bought by Madame Carpeaux herself. This exceptional bust is remarkable for its very sensitive modelling and delicate expression (est. €100,000-150,000). The collection also includes the plaster model for the bust, made by Carpeaux in 1867 (est. €60,000-80,000 / $86,900-115,850).

Amelie was 22 at the time of their marriage in 1869, roughly half Carpeaux's age. She lent her features to several of Carpeaux works, notably Temperance, made for the church of La Trinité in Paris in 1865; Hope (1868) – an 1873 marble version of which appears in our auction (est. €70,000-100,000 / $101,350-144,800) La Fiancée (1869), represented by a terracotta version in the Fabius Frères collection (est. €40,000-60,000 / $57,900-86.900). Other busts of exceptional quality include L'Espiègle, a marble from 1865 (est. €70,000-100,000 / $101,350-144,800); and the plaster original of La Rieuse aux Roses from 1872 (est. €50,000-70,000 / $72,400 -101,350).

Antoine–Louis Barye, is represented by 51 bronzes, all cast during his lifetime. One of the highlights is Theseus and The Minotaur, a seminal version in bronze with attractive brown patina, stamped Barye and numbered 2. This superb cast belonged to Antoine-Marie d'Orléans, Duc de Montpensier, the Infante of Spain (1824–90), before entering the collections of the King of Portugal (est. €200,000-300,000 / $289,600-434,400).

Barye illustrates the story of Theseus and the Minotaur from Ovid's Metamorphoses, a combat symbolizing the battle between Good and Evil. It is a virtuoso rendering of a key moment during this epic confrontation, with the tense, muscular figure of Theseus carefully aiming his sword at the Minotaur. Variants can be found in the Baltimore Museum of Art (U.S.A.) and the Musée Bonnat in Bayonne (south–west France).

Another Barye masterpiece in the Fabius Frères Collection is his Charging Elephant, a unique work cast in 1832 by Honoré Gonon & Sons. This was the first major work by Barye to be collected by a member of the ruling House of Orléans. It was acquired by the Duke of Nemours and lent by him to the Salon of 1834 (est. €300,000-500,000 / $434,400-724,000).

Elephant Crushing a Tiger hails from the David Weill Collection. This is the chef-modèle cast in Barye's own foundry and is a classic example of Barye's concern for detail (est. €150,000-250,000 / $217,200-362,000 ). The collection also includes an extremely fine cast of Tiger Devouring a Gavial from circa 1845 (est. €50,000-70,000 / $72,400 -101,350). At the Salon of 1831 the plaster model enjoyed unanimous acclaim from the critics and partisans of both of Academic art and Romanticism. It's audacious depiction of the subject demonstrates Barye's vivid imagination and his ability to observe, and transcend, the violence of the animal kingdom.

The sale's furniture combines 18th century neo-classicism with 19th century exuberance. The sale includes magnificent neo-classical furniture, dating from Louis XIV to the First Empire. Fabius Frères were advocates of 19th century furniture and that century is represented by works by eminent cabinet-makers such as Grohé and Diehl, as well as Dufin's unusual neo-Renaissance furniture.

artwork: Detail of the collection of  Fabius Frères Courtesy Sotheby'sThe sale includes a Louis XIV ormolu-mounted kingwood- and palissander-veneered commode attributed André-Charles Boulle (c.1710). With its decoration of skilful frieze-work and sumptuous, original gilt-bronze mounts, this counts as one of Boulle's most accomplished commode designs. The sober patterning of alternating concentric motifs to the front-drawers, and heart-shaped motifs to the top and sides, is a departure from the exuberant floral marquetry for which Boulle is best known. The virtuoso stringing and end-cut marquetry lend the veneer a pictorial feel, while the stringing in ebony and light wood around each drawer heightens the impression of relief and creates an illusion of depth (est. €300,000-500,000 / $434,400-724,000).

Sumptuous gilt-bronze mounts, typical of Boulle, underline the commode's powerful architecture. he commode, which seems borne aloft by generous scrolls of acanthus leaves, was designed with five feet: an aesthetic, rather than technical, solution, as shown by a preparatory Boulle drawing now in the Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs.

Two Sèvres porcelain Medici vases from 1811 epitomise Napoleonic prestige and the genius of Alexandre Brongniart, who helped give the Sèvres factory a new lease of life at the start of the 19th century. They are of outstanding interest due to their exceptional production quality, rare subject-matter, historic interest, virtuoso tortoiseshell grounds, powerful gold ornament and prestigious provenance (est. €500,000-800,000 / $724,000-1.158.450).

The scenes painted by Jean–François Robert on these tortoiseshell-ground Medici vases are particularly accomplished. Although some less prestigious ceramics show the imperial family at leisure or at their various homes, such scenes seldom appear on vases – which were usually decorated with official portraits, military subjects or allegorical scenes. It was doubtless Brongniart who, with an eye on Napoleon's political Public Relations, chose the subjects for these vases, cleverly exploiting Sèvres' latest technical innovations and Robert's outstanding talent as a figure- and landscape-painter.

Tortoiseshell grounds first appeared at Sèvres in 1790. They were used in 1800 on the Cordelier vases (now in the Louvre) supplied for the Palace of St-Cloud's Gallery of Apollo in 1802; and then in 1803 for Napoleon's Service Ecaille at the Tuileries Palace (two plates from this service are now in the Palace of Fontainebleau). 

Glass and ceramics hold pride of place amongst the sale's decorative arts with numerous pieces of richly varied design. Highlights include striking, refined works by Théodore Deck, Eugène Collinot, Maurice Marinot and others.

The Fabius Collection also features a fascinating group of 19th century drawings and offers connoisseurs a rare opportunity to acquire works on paper by the sculptors Antoine-Louis Barye and Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux. There will be two Barye watercolours, Lioness Devouring a Gazelle and Study of a Panther Attacking its Prey (est. €30,000-40,000 / $43,400-57,900 apiece); and several portraits by Jean–Baptiste Carpeaux, including his Portrait of Bruno Chérier (est. €15,000-20,000 / $21,700-28,950).

A final sale highlight is Jean Béraud's A la Salle Graffard, a spectacular canvas from 1884 showing a political meeting, with an anarchist orator ending his speech to triumphant acclaim from an audience shrouded in tobacco smoke. This is an unusual subject for Béraud, reflecting a little-known aspect of his artistic output. Although best-known for his worldly portrayals of elegant females and scenes from the Belle Epoque, Béraud also painted working-class scenes and episodes from everyday life, invariably imbued with a concern for historical accuracy (est. €350,000-500,000 / $506,800-724,000).

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art to Re-open with a New Exhibition "Pure Pleasure"

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:03 PM PST

artwork: Julie Blackmon -

BOULDER, CO.- On June 5, 2009, the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art will present "Pure Pleasure". This exhibition celebrates the re-opening of the museum following a four-month closure. The museum has undergone renovations to include installation of an elevator and upgrading our jewel of an historic building. We are excited to be able to make our exhibits and programs accessible to a larger community. "Pure Pleasure" highlights the rich and varied talents of a renowned group of artists from the region and beyond. In diverse media, including photography, painting, assemblage, ceramics, video and installation, these artists explore the boundaries of varied definitions of pleasure.

Gagosian Gallery Announces Exclusive Representation of Photographer Richard Avedon

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:02 PM PST


NEW YORK, NY.- Gagosian Gallery announces the worldwide representation of Richard Avedon, in partnership with The Richard Avedon Foundation. Larry Gagosian comments, "Avedon is America's consummate modern photographer and one of the iconic artists from a generation which produced many extraordinary painters, sculptures, and photographers. We consider it a great privilege to represent one of the true masters of twentieth century art."

The Knoxville Museum of Art Presents Xiaoze Xie ~ Amplified Moments

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:01 PM PST

artwork: Xiaoze Xie - "November 2002 - February 2003, P.P-G." - Oil on canvas, 2003, 36 x 54-1/4 inches - Private Collection


KNOXVILLE, TN.-
Amplified Moments is the first major US exhibition to survey the work of Xiaoze Xie (pronounced shout-zah shee-ay), an important Chinese contemporary artist. More than 30 works document his achievements in painting, drawing, photography, installation, and video, and represent his use of books and newspapers to symbolize the fragile nature of history and memory. Xiaoze Xie: Amplified Moments is organized by Samek Art Museum, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. On exhibition through 15 May, 2011 at The Knoxville Museum of Art.

Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Salutes "Superheroes" in Fashion

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:00 PM PST

artwork: The Graphic Body Gallery View - Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
NEW YORK CITY - As superheroes enjoy a surge in mass popularity, The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art explores the symbolic and metaphorical associations between these fictional characters and fashion in Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, an exhibition at the Museum from May 7 through September 1, 2008. The exhibition features approximately 60 ensembles including movie costumes, avant-garde haute couture, and high-performance sportswear to reveal how the superhero serves as the ultimate metaphor for fashion and its ability to empower and transform the human body.
artwork: The Paradoxical Gallery View Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art"Today, superhero imagery has suffused almost every aspect of popular culture," said Andrew Bolton, Curator in the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute. "The superhero's iconic costume of cape, mask, and bodysuit finds many fashionable permutations. But fashion's embrace of the superhero extends beyond iconography, to issues of identity, sexuality, and nationalism. Fashion shares with the superhero an inherent metaphorical malleability which fuels its fascination with the idea and the ideal of the superhero."

 The exhibition, in the Museum's first-floor special exhibition galleries, includes movie costumes as well as radical fashions that literally and figuratively reference superhero iconography, including Bernhard Willhelm's 2006 royal blue dress emblazoned with Superman's red-and-yellow "S-shield," a 1996 Walter van Beirendonck pink vinyl inflatable jacket, and a Thierry Mugler motorcycle bustier with polychrome handlebars and side-view mirrors. A long leather Balenciaga jacket with articulated bronze leggings evokes Iron Man's metallic skin, while a Jean Paul Gaultier second-skin bodysuit shares The Flash's streamlined aerodynamics.

artwork: Paco Rabanne, A Future Dress with metal discsDesigners in the exhibition include Atair, Giorgio Armani, Balenciaga, Pierre Cardin, Dolce & Gabbana, Jean Paul Gaultier, Eiko Ishioka, Alexander McQueen, Julien Macdonald, Moschino, Thierry Mugler, Nike, Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, Speedo, Spyder, As Four, Walter van Beirendonck, Versace, and Bernhard Willhelm.

Objects are organized thematically around specific superheroes, whose movie costumes and superpowers are catalysts for discussion of key concepts of superheroism and their expression in fashion. Superman and Spider-Man costumes address the subject of The Graphic Body, relating Superman's 'S' chevron to designer logos and branding. Catwoman represents The Paradoxical Body, which explores the character's vacillating manifestations of good and bad. The stars and stripes of Wonder Woman's uniform, a composite of the American flag, epitomize The Patriotic Body and designs that appropriate patriotic emotions implicit in the character. The Hulk, a metaphor for male potency, introduces a section on The Virile Body, which includes inflatable clothing that swells to exaggerate the male physique.

The Flash – a character who possesses superhuman speed - addresses the Aerodynamic Body as manifest in high-tech sportswear including Speedo's "Fastskin LZR Racer" designed by Rei Kawakubo for Michael Phelps and the 2008 United States Olympic swim team, Nike's "Swift Suit" for running, and Descente's "Muscle Suit" for speed skating. Batman and Iron Man represent The Armored Body, and examine avant-garde fashion that merges flesh and metal, skin and chromium. The Mutant Body, denoted by the X-Men, highlights clothing that morphs men into beasts. Ghost Rider (the biker-demon with flaming skull) and The Punisher (the vigilante who sports a giant death-skull emblem on his T-shirt) symbolize The Postmodern Body that suggests an anti-hero identity through the eclectic mixing of street styles.
Visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art : www.metmuseum.org

This Week in Review in Art Knowledge News

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 05:55 PM PST

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.

This Week in Review in Art News

Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar