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• The AKN Editor Visits The Charming & Historic Skagen Museum In Denmark
• Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Acquires New Work by Walton Ford
• The Kresge Art Museum at MSU opens American Modernism Exhibition
• Christie's Offers Exceptional Vintage Photographs from the Miller-Plummer Collection
• Street Art Uses Iconic River Facade for Exhibit at Tate Modern
• Columbia Museum of Art shows Its Collection of Art Spanning 1000 Years
• Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art ~ Form, Balance, Joy at Chicago's MCA
• Sotheby's NY Sale of Impressionist & Modern Art to feature Masterpieces in May
• 7th Annual Affordable Art Fair to Open in New York City
• When the Topic Is Race ~ the Art Can Be Fearless
• Eli Klein Fine Art solos Ma Bing ~ "Drifting Serenely" ~
• Peter Fischli & David Weiss / Flowers & Questions at Tate Modern
• Tria Gallery to present Frank Olt ~ Selected Works
• Art Knowledge News Presents "This Week In Review"

The AKN Editor Visits The Charming & Historic Skagen Museum In Denmark Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:46 PM PST The Skagen Museum is located in Skagen, Denmark was founded in the dining room at Brøndum's Hotel in Skagen on October 20th 1908. The aim was to gather the works of the Skagen artists and to raise economic funding for the building of a museum. The collection of Skagens Museum includes over 2,000 paintings, sketches, graphic works, sculptures and ceramics, mainly from the period 1870-1930. From the end of the 1870s and up to the turn of the century Skagen was an international meeting place for young artists. They all were inspired by naturalism and open-air painting, sought new places and motifs. During the course of the 1880s Skagen was transformed into an artists' colony. The artists' favorite motifs were the fishermen working on the beaches, the tiny fishermen's cottages, the landscape and the artists' social life. Already during their own lifetime the Skagen artists achieved world fame at prominent exhibitions abroad. The Skagen Painters, who enjoyed the reputation of a bohemian lifestyle, encompassed not only painters, but also writers, and other influential people as well. While only a few were fulltime residents of the area, they were often joined by friends, especially during the summer months. Among these notable visitors and residents of the time were writers Holger Drachmann, Georg Brandes, Hans Christian Andersen, and Henrik Pontoppidan, artists Peder Severin Krøyer, Marie Triepcke Krøyer Alfvén, Christian Krohg, Michael Ancher and Anna Ancher, and composers Carl Nielsen and Hugo Alfvén. The most prominent Skagen artists are the Danish painters Anna and Michael Ancher and P.S. Krøyer, but also artists such as Holger Drachmann, who was both poet and painter, Viggo Johansen, Carl Locher, Laurits Tuxen and the Nordic artists Christian Krohg and Oscar Björck contributed to putting Skagen on the map. Since 1928 the museum has been located in a building designed by the architect Ulrik Plesner. The Garden House, where many of the artists used to rent lodgings, and the old grain-drying warehouse where P.S. Krøyer established his first studio in Skagen can both be found in the museum's atmospheric and evocative garden. The Garden House (Havehuset) in the museum garden is one of Skagen's oldest houses. It was first mentioned in 1801, and was named in the 1840s when it became part of the Brøndum property. P.S. Krøyer completed his painting 'Hip, hip, hurray!' from 1888 (Gothenburg Art Museum) in this garden. The garden and its many varieties of plants and flowers continued to be a source of inspiration to the artists. The sunflowers seen in Michael Ancher's paintings of the girl with sunflowers are picked in the garden. The Brøndum and Ancher families donated "Brøndum's old garden" including the Garden House and the Coffee House to Skagens Museum in April 1919. In 1926 the old garden was extended to include an adjoining site. Today, museum guests have free access to the garden where selected museum sculptures are placed at various spots. Extensions to the museum were built in 1982 and 1989. The museum is a combined open-air museum and exhibition facility, housed in buildings dating from three different periods in the history of the town of Skagen: the '"dark period'" (lasting until c. 1875), the '"yellow period'" (c. 1875-1907) and the '"red period'" (after 1907). In addition, there are collections dealing with fishing, the rescue system and seafaring. The exhibitions lead visitors back in time through the history of Skagen, and extend outward into other areas of Danish society as well. The museum cutter, the "Hansa", can be studied in the harbor, and even takes visitors out on cruises during the summer season. Skagen received 2008 two large grants for the preservation of Brøndums dining hall, which is a unique work of art. Brøndums dining hall was designed by architect Ulrik Plesner and Thorvald Bindesbøll in 1891/92 for the first extension of Brøndums Hotel. On the painter PS Krøyer's invitation was hotelier Degn Brøndums art collection added into the décor. The artists who visited Brøndums Hotel, had for years donated portraits of each other to Degn Brøndum. These portraits were placed in a frieze below the ceiling in the dining room. At the end of the 1800s served as the dining room setting for the artists' social life. It was here they met to discuss, eat and celebrate. Hall was transferred to the Skagen Museum in 1946. The museum presents the "Painting of the Month" the first and third Thursdays on the months of February, March, April, September, October, November and December from selected works from its collection. Registration is not required and everyone is welcome. Visit website :_ http://www.skagensmuseum.dk/ The Skagen Museum has divided its collection in three sections: "The Journey to Skagen", "Open-Air Painting", "The Skagen Painters' Portraits of Local Fishermen". The first part of the collection is a description of the journey to Skagen. At the end of the 19th century, Skagen could be reached in two ways: By train and horse-drawn carriage or by boat. Up until 1890, the railway only went as far as Frederikshavn, and the last 40 kilometers of the journey had to be made by a horse-drawn coach. If you were coming to Skagen by sea, the large ships would anchor off the coast of Skagen, and the passengers would then be sailed to shore in smaller vessels, for until 1907, Skagen did not have a port where large ships could moor. Several Skagen Painters have described their difficult journey to Skagen. Some of the artists have even described the journey to Skagen as a very risky one which nearly cost them their lives. Still, it was precisely the difficult and perilous journey, combined with the distinctive landscape, which fascinated the painters. The second section is all about open-air painting. Photographs showed P.S. Krøyer sitting with his large canvas near the shoreline, painting one of the models for the oil in canvas Boys Bathing ("Badende Drenge" – 1892). At the start of the 19th century, several French artists would complete their works in the open. To a certain extent, artists have always been working in the open, but before the 19th century it had been common practice for artists to complete their works at their studios. During the 19th century, however, plein air painting became an artistic practice in its own right, and in the 1870's, the French Impressionists became known for their quick, spontaneous sketches of Nature. When the Skagen Painters started coming to Skagen, it had become fashionable to complete one's paintings in front of the motifs, even the large canvasses. It was called open-air painting, because the artists sat out in the open whilst painting. In this way, they were able to capture the light and the colors directly on the canvas. It was thanks to the open-air painting, the unique landscape, the special environment, the colorful locals – and the fact that other artists were staying in Skagen. The last part of the collection is all about the people and especially the fisherman of Skagen. At the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century, several European artists portrayed the life and work of fishermen. In the 1870's, motifs with fishermen became really popular among the general audience, and the pictorial art and literature from the period abound with portrayals of heroic fishermen. The fishermen were seen as heroes because of the dangerous nature of their work, and their heroism is often emphasized in the paintings. Michael Ancher is known particularly for his many portraits of fishermen working as rescuers, whereas P.S. Krøyer's paintings of fishermen are more peaceful. Krøyer preferred to portray fishermen hauling nets on the beach in different light conditions. In order for the artists to maintain their credibility, it was very important for them to appear as eyewitnesses to the hardships of the fishermen. The Skagen Museum is showing from February 1st until May 8th 2011 its collection of drawings, watercolors and pastels. The museum is also including the exhibition its fine collection of vases designed by Thorvald Bindesbøll and a selection of the architect Ulrik Plesner drawings for several of the houses in Skagen - including Skagen Museum, Brøndums Hotel Klitgaarden and the church. The Skagen Museum is the place to be for those who enjoy 19th century Nordic Naturalist paintings and at the same time visit the places that inspired the famous "Skagen Painters". ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Editor has been invited to visit Museums and cultural sites in mainland China, Korea, Vietnam. Myanmar, Thailand (Siam), Singapore, Bali and mainland Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia, Japan, Mongolia, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway and now Denmark. Because of the Editor's travel we will be posting many interesting articles from our archives, some of the BEST Articles and Art Images that appeared in your magazine during the past six plus (6+) years . . Enjoy.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Acquires New Work by Walton Ford Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:03 PM PST BENTONVILLE, ARK.- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has acquired a major new work by Walton Ford, an artist winning international acclaim for his highly detailed, monumental watercolors of exotic birds, reptiles and mammals. In 'The Island', Ford presents a writhing pyramidal mass of Tasmanian wolves (thylacines) grappling with each other and a few doomed lambs. The violent extermination of the thylacines, which were hunted to extinction in the early 20th century, calls into question who is hunter and hunted in this savage tableau.

The Kresge Art Museum at MSU opens American Modernism Exhibition Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:02 PM PST EAST LANSING, MI.- Kresge Art Museum at Michigan State University opens 2010 with American Modernism, 1920s to 1940s, an ambitious display showcasing over 100 paintings, prints, photographs, sculpture and drawings from the museum collection. The exhibition is on view January 11 through March 14, 2010, and guests attending the sneak peek party, Puttin' on the Glitz will enjoy a special preview of the show.

Christie's Offers Exceptional Vintage Photographs from the Miller-Plummer Collection Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:01 PM PST NEW YORK, NY..- This fall Christie's Photographs sales will feature The Miller-Plummer Collection of Photographs at Rockefeller Center on October 8. Offered as a single-owner sale and comprising 118 lots, the collection is distinguished for its range and depth from vintage masterpieces to modernist prints, all of impeccable quality. A unique opportunity for collectors around the world, the collection will be offered at a range of attractive estimates starting from $2,000. Harvey Shipley Miller and Randall Plummer began collecting photographs in 1973. Amassed over 20 years, this comprehensive collection was inspired by a commitment to assemble a discerning, encyclopedic ensemble of seminal works that exemplify the history and practice of the medium. Regarded as one of the leading private photography collections in the world, it is characterized for its major early works and represents a veritable survey of photographs that were pivotal to the development and evolution of photography.

Street Art Uses Iconic River Facade for Exhibit at Tate Modern Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:59 PM PST LONDON - In the first commission to use the iconic river façade of Tate Modern, the gallery will present the work of six internationally acclaimed artists, whose work is intricately linked to the urban environment. Street Art at Tate Modern, sponsored by Nissan QASHQAI, opens on 23 May and is the first major public museum display of Street Art in London.

Columbia Museum of Art shows Its Collection of Art Spanning 1000 Years Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:58 PM PST COLUMBIA, SC.- Highlights from the Collection opens on Saturday, January 10 and runs through June 7. The exhibition includes approximately 80 works of art spanning 1000 years pulled from the Columbia Museum of Art's galleries and storage. The exhibition encompasses the breadth of the collection from Ancient art to Contemporary and from paintings to silver.

Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art ~ Form, Balance, Joy at Chicago's MCA Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:57 PM PST CHICAGO, IL (AP).- Colorful mobiles made from boldly painted sheet metal and steel wires will dangle above visitors' heads this summer as the Museum of Contemporary Art displays an exhibit of 60 works by Alexander Calder. But this Calder show, which debuts Saturday, doesn't only feature the artist's abstract pieces in the museum's large, white main-floor gallery. In an equally large gallery across the way, dozens of works by young artists who have a Calderesque style are on view. Exhibition dates 26 June through 17 October, 2010.

Sotheby's NY Sale of Impressionist & Modern Art to feature Masterpieces in May Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:55 PM PST   NEW YORK CITY - Sotheby's evening sale of Impressionist and Modern Art on May 7, 2008 in New York will present a superb offering of key works by many of the leading artists of the period: Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch, Fernand Léger, Alberto Giacometti, Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Joan Miró and others. The sale of 53 lots is estimated to bring $207 / 284 million. Prior to the exhibition and sale in New York, highlights of the offering will be on view at Sotheby's London from April 20-25, 2008.

7th Annual Affordable Art Fair to Open in New York City Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:54 PM PST NEW YORK CITY - Developed to appeal to younger art buyers and emerging collectors, the seventh annual Affordable Art Fair New York (AAF NYC) will again feature contemporary art from $100 - $10,000. Over 75 percent of the art will be priced between $100 - $5,000 and the balance for under $10,000. More than 75 galleries from 12 countries will be exhibiting original contemporary painting, sculpture, photography and prints at The Altman Building & The Metropolitan Pavilion (135 West 18th Street) in New York City from June 12-15, 2008.

When the Topic Is Race ~ the Art Can Be Fearless Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:52 PM PST   New York City - In the 1970s the African-American artist Adrian Piper donned an Afro wig and a fake mustache and prowled the streets of various cities in the scowling, muttering guise of the Mythic Being, a performance-art version of a prevailing stereotype, the black male as a mugger, hustler, gangsta. Recently a new kind of Mythic Being arrived on the scene, the very opposite of the one Ms. Piper introduced some 30 years ago. He doesn't mutter; he wears business suits; he smiles. He is by descent half black African, half white American. His name is Barack Obama.

Eli Klein Fine Art solos Ma Bing ~ "Drifting Serenely" ~ Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:50 PM PST New York, NY - Eli Klein Fine Art is proud to present the first solo exhibition in New York of Ma Bing, whose masterful paintings provide striking and nostalgic views of Beijing. In Ma Bing's new works, a fresh approach to painting is presented by the layering of various media - including oil, acrylic, pastel, charcoal, pencil, and tea - on the surface of the canvas. The interplay between subtle shifts in tone and refined line drawing that permeate the work are reminiscent of traditional Chinese ink and wash paintings. He integrates this classic Chinese style with Western oil painting. The exhibition will be on view at Eli Klein Fine Art from December 17, 2009 through January 30, 2010. The artist will be present at the private reception on December 17th.

Peter Fischli & David Weiss / Flowers & Questions at Tate Modern Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:48 PM PST London - The first major retrospective of Swiss artists Peter Fischli (b1952) and David Weiss (b1946) to take place in the UK will go on display at Tate Modern in October 2006.  The artists' creative partnership began in the late 1970s and this exhibition will span nearly three decades of their collaborative practice bringing together more than twenty significant bodies of work.

Tria Gallery to present Frank Olt ~ Selected Works Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:46 PM PST New York City - Tria Gallery is presenting our next exhibition of selected works by Frank Olt: abstract works that cross over between a variety of media and unusual processes encompassing elements in linen, wood, ceramic, linen, encaustic, and oil. Aspects of wrapping, built out from finely constructed surfaces, ingeniously worked through repeated applications, scrapings, abrasions, and re-applications of pigment, define an oeuvre which is without direct comparison. The aesthetic sources are rooted in a love for abstract traditions of the New York School. On view 2 April through 9 May, 2009.

Art Knowledge News Presents "This Week In Review" Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:45 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.

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