Tag: culture

The Mega Galleries That Blur the Line Between Gallery and Museum

Artnet

Is there still a distinction between the museum and the art gallery? Over the last 10–15 years, the lines between institutions and commercial galleries has become increasingly blurred as mega-galleries expand to match institutions in funding, ambition, and size.

‘The Mega Galleries That Blur the Line Between Gallery and Museum’
Artnet | Henri Neuendorf | July 19, 2016

The Art World Reacts to Nice Attacks on Instagram

Artnet

France is left reeling following a third major terror attack in only 19 months. On Bastille Day, France’s national holiday, a radicalized 31-year-old Tunisian man drove a truck into a crowd of revelers watching a fireworks display along the famous seaside boulevard of Promenade des Anglais, in Nice, in southern France.

‘The Art World Reacts to Nice Attacks on Instagram’
Artnet | Henri Neuendorf | July 15, 2016

A renaissance for Indian art

Telegraph

There have been countless such gatherings at Jehangir Art Gallery over the years. It’s the opening of a group exhibition of new sculptures and paintings. In between posing for photographers, the artists mingle with friends, family and would-be collectors; flowing freely are tropical juice drinks, in many cases alcoholic; and, given the 35-degree heat, few of the male guests’ kurtas are buttoned right the way to the top.

‘A renaissance for Indian art’
Telegraph | July 11, 2016 | Alastair Smart

The Stories behind Some of the Most Striking Sports Photographs of the Last Century

Artsy

Athletes have long held a mythical foothold in the public imagination as superhumans with quick instincts, confidence, and grace. And since nearly the dawn of photography, we’ve taken to immortalizing their images.

‘The Stories behind Some of the Most Striking Sports Photographs of the Last Century’
ARTSY | CASEY LESSER | JUL 7TH, 2016

Russia’s Richest Man Is Building a Venice Art Institution to Combat Nationalism

Artsy

It’s not that Venice lacks private art collections: There are the Punta Della Dogana and the Palazzo Grassi, owned by French luxury commodities magnate Francois Pinault, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, all which show in vaunted architectural environs.

‘Russia’s Richest Man Is Building a Venice Art Institution to Combat Nationalism’
ARTSY | ANNA KATS | JUL 6TH, 2016

INDEPENDENCE DAY ART THAT CONVEYS SYMBOLS OF FREEDOM

Widewalls

Today we are celebrating some of the Independence Day art pieces. We know that there is no need to explain why, on the day of the 4th July, we will present to you various images showcasing the American flag, political speeches, and ceremonies, the Founding Fathers, fireworks, barbeques, family gatherings, baseball games, and parades.

‘INDEPENDENCE DAY ART THAT CONVEYS SYMBOLS OF FREEDOM’
Widewalls | July 4, 2016 | Silka P

AMERICANA – THE CULTURAL PHENOMENON

Widewalls

It is considered that the famous saying “ Mom, apple pie, hot dogs, baseball, and Chevrolet ” sums up the feel of America’s charm. The artifacts of America’s history and the reference to the cultural heart and traditional roots of the United States, be it in folk art, pop culture, music, literature, even tattoo art, all of this makes up the Americana spirit.

‘AMERICANA – THE CULTURAL PHENOMENON’
Widewalls | July 3, 2016

Spectacular Winning Entries From the 2016 Environmental Photographer of the Year Competition

My Modern Met

Just last month, we unveiled a number of compelling short-listed photographs from the international 2016 Atkins CIWEM Environmental Photographer of the Year competition. The remarkable images—from both amateur and professional photographers—are environmentally-focused subjects that inspire us to think about our world in a different way.

‘Spectacular Winning Entries From the 2016 Environmental Photographer of the Year Competition’
My Modern Met | July 1, 2016 | Sara Barnes

REVEALING THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF YEMENI WOMEN

Feature Shoot

Frustrated by the constant questions about her experience as a woman in the Middle East, Yemeni Egyptian American photographer Yumna Al-Arashi wanted to show another side of wearing the hijab in her project Northern Yemen; one that conveys Yemeni women’s power, grace and beauty without showing their skin or face.

‘REVEALING THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF YEMENI WOMEN’
Feature Shoot | June 29, 2016 | Elizabeth Sulis Gear

Why Does Japan Have Such Great Art Porn?

Artspace

After more than piquing our interest in historical Japanese erotica, we’re taking a second, more intimate look at the history and influences behind these unique, beautiful, and evocative prints (called shunga, or “images of spring”) and the hedonistic ukiyo-e (meaning “Floating World”) they depict.

‘Why Does Japan Have Such Great Art Porn? A Short & Steamy History of Japanese Erotica’
Artspace | JUNE 29, 2016

ANTI-DESIGN MOVEMENT – AESTHETICISM OF THE MODERN ERA

Widewalls

The 20th-century design was greatly dominated by the modernist philosophy and ideas. That was up until a new approach to design took a stance against everything modernism stood for – it was the so-called Anti-design movement that emerged in Italy during the 1960s.

‘ANTI-DESIGN MOVEMENT – AESTHETICISM OF THE MODERN ERA’
Widewalls | June 25, 2016 | Elena Martinique

Beyond the Gesamtkunstwerk: 6 German Art Terms You Should Know

Artsy

There is a saying among Egyptologists that ancient Egypt had five major dialects, and German is the sixth. German scholars have played an outsized role in the field of art history since its advent in the 18th century, leading many excavations of antiquities and contributing foundational texts to the discipline.

‘Beyond the Gesamtkunstwerk: 6 German Art Terms You Should Know’
ARTSY | JUNE 24, 2016 | JESSICA BACKUS

4,200-Year-Old Egyptian Temple Discovered to Have Remarkably Well Preserved Artwork

My Modern Met

Scattered throughout modern Egypt are many ancient temples which are famous for their splendor and historical significance. The perfect example of one of these breathtaking displays of luxury is the Temple of Hathor.

‘4,200-Year-Old Egyptian Temple Discovered to Have Remarkably Well Preserved Artwork’
My Modern Met | June 23, 2016 | Kristine Mitchell

Why London’s Victoria & Albert Museum Is Launching an Outpost in China

Artsy

Culture is big in China. And institutions from around the world want a piece of it. While many international art institutions have been actively building bridges with China in recent years, staging touring exhibitions to promote their names and collections, the first to plant roots in the vast country will be Britain’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A).

‘Why London’s Victoria & Albert Museum Is Launching an Outpost in China’
ARTSY | JUNE 20, 2016 | VIVIENNE CHOW

A Million Photos Were Used to Create This Dazzling Three-Year Time-Lapse of Singapore

My Modern Met

Over the span of three years (500 days of shooting), photographer Keith Loutit has made one monumentally impressive time-lapse portrait of the ever-shifting city of Singapore.

‘A Million Photos Were Used to Create This Dazzling Three-Year Time-Lapse of Singapore’
My Modern Met | June 14, 2016 | Leah Pellegrini

Artist Installs a Giant Gushing Waterfall in the Middle of the Palace of Versailles Gardens

My Modern Met

A waterfall gushing from an invisible source is enough to make one stop and stare, so the sight of one splashing down in the middle of the gardens of the Palace of Versailles is really something of a spectacle. This is just one of Olafur Eliasson’s ingenious installations which have been strewn throughout the manicured gardens and glittering halls of the famous French landmark.

‘Artist Installs a Giant Gushing Waterfall in the Middle of the Palace of Versailles Gardens’
My Modern Met | June 7, 2016 | Kristine Mitchell

In Brussels, Art Museum Brings Hope to Muslim Neighborhood of Molenbeek

The New York Times

BRUSSELS — After three years of fund-raising and renovations, the founders of a contemporary art museum housed in a converted brewery in the Molenbeek district here were eagerly anticipating their grand opening on March 23.

‘In Brussels, Art Museum Brings Hope to Muslim Neighborhood of Molenbeek’
The New York Times | May 31, 2016 | Doreen Carvajal

Girls: Luo Yang’s insightful portraits reveal a new generation of Chinese women

Creative Boom

In her series Girls, Beijing-based photographer Luo Yang reveals a side to contemporary China that is rarely seen in the West. Her portraits depict an emerging generation of women who defy traditional stereotypes. Instead of being simply shy and reserved as one might expect, these Chinese women are also bold, self-aware and painfully cool.

‘Girls: Luo Yang’s insightful portraits reveal a new generation of Chinese women’
Creative Boom | May 22, 2016

WHERE IS ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY IN CONTEMPORARY ART?

Widewalls

Regardless of the graphic form it took, in ancient times writing was considered a dominant symbol of supernatural power and divinity. In the Islamic tradition, the development of point to the line, of light to movement and of the Aleph (the first letter of the Arabic alphabet) to the rest of the letters, symbolizes the story of creation itself. The importance of the Arabic calligraphy, not only used for the writing of the sacred texts, but also as a point from which many artists take their inspiration from, is seen to influence many urban and street art, graphic and design work, and is visible as a reference in many of the contemporary artworks today.

‘WHERE IS ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY IN CONTEMPORARY ART?’
Widewalls | May 21, 2016

pop culture icons combined with Van Gogh’s iconic works

Business Insider

Sometimes, accidents end up creating the most beautiful masterpieces — just ask Aja Kusick.
After posting one of her paintings online — an image of the Eiffel Tower in the thick, impasto style of a Van Gogh — an education blog soon posted it on their site and mistakenly attributed it to him. Kusick decided to have a little fun with the whole misunderstanding and took the idea to the extreme. 

‘These gorgeous paintings combine pop culture icons with Van Gogh’s most iconic works’
Bussiness insider | May 9, 2016 | Tim Mulkerin

Meet the photographers exploring contemporary african identity

i-d

Red Hook Labs is following British photographer Jamie Hawkesworth’s first-ever solo exhibition with an exciting new group show spotlighting six contemporary photographers from Africa and the African diaspora.

Created in partnership with African creative platform Nataal, New African Photography brings together established and emerging photographers to examine the diverse continent and its dynamic array of cultures. “The exhibition explores multiple themes that challenge accepted notions of belonging and identity; the everyday and the fantastical; the past and the future; the public and the private,” reads the exhibition’s release.

‘Meet the photographers exploring contemporary african identity’
i-d | May 9, 2016 | Emily Manning


Would You Win Jeopardy’s Art-World Lightning Round?

Artsy

During the second round of Tuesday evening’s Jeopardy! episode, Alex Trebek announced a familiar category for the contemporary art world: The Broad. Since opening in downtown Los Angeles in late September, The Broad (pronounced like “road”) has had Angelenos and visitors to the city queuing around the block of its Diller Scofidio & Renfro-designed home. The museum holds the acclaimed contemporary art collection of Eli and Edythe Broad, including some of the most iconic and superlative artworks and installations by contemporary artists—from Robert Therrien’s looming table and chairs, to Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Room, to Jeff Koons’s balloons.

‘Would You Win Jeopardy’s Art-World Lightning Round?’
Artsy | April 27, 2016

Artist and Beyoncé Collaborator Laolu Senbanjo Is an Overnight Media Sensation

Artnet

Laolu Senbanjo’s artwork in Beyoncé’s visual album,”Lemonade,” has conjured up a media storm that’s been rumbling along since it dropped on HBO last Saturday evening. In the past few days alone, Vogue called the Brooklyn-based artist their “new Instagram obsession,” and ABC News held a nationally syndicated interview.

‘Artist and Beyoncé Collaborator Laolu Senbanjo Is an Overnight Media Sensation’
Artnet | April 27, 2016 | Rain Embuscado

Old Paintbrushes Transformed into Famous Ladies

Fubiz

Rebecca Szeto is an artist who lives and works in San Francisco, California. His work plays with notions of re-forming beauty and value. Influenced by her love for art history, she uses humble and end-of-life materials, to give them a new future. These old paintbrushes were transformed into well-known ladies, of any times : dancers, duchesses, icons of famous paintings, each of them marked their time by their courage, their blackness of soul or on contrary their dedication. All details of these women lives are on her website.

‘Old Paintbrushes Transformed into Famous Ladies’
Fubiz | April 22, 2016

You’re Looking at Art Wrong

The Creators Project

Ryan McGinness‘ approach to art and the art world is sardonic yet earnest, a mature version of the rebellious ethos that defined his youth in 90s skate culture. He’s soft-spoken and very tall, a gentle giant from Virgina Beach, long and far away from his current space on the top floor of a six-story former factory in New York’s Chinatown.

‘Ryan McGinness Thinks You’re Looking at Art Wrong | Studio Visits’
The Creators Project | April 22, 2016 | Beckett Mufson

Classical Paintings Rock Modern Tats

The Creators Project

Since its return to Paris, the Mondial du Tatouage has become one of the largest international tattoo exhibitions ever held, with approximately 32,000 people in attendance last year. In anticipation for the upcoming event, Nicolas Amiard, the French digital artist known for his Star Wars-themed vignettes, released a new series of photo manipulations entitled, The Art of Tattoo.

Classical Paintings Rock Modern Tats’
The Creators Project | February 5, 2016 | Nathaniel Ainley

Old Paintings, Grotesquely Reanimated

The Creators Project

Antiquated sexts, suicidal scientists, and the end of the world as we know it are just a few of the idle thoughts artist Kiszkiloszki has transformed into GIFs. Like friend of The Creators Project Scorpion Dagger, Kajetan Obarski animates old paintings in absurd modern circumstances, but adds a heap of ickiness. Blood and guts are everywhere in his body of work, and the glee he takes in composing them is evident.The visuals are always compelling, and the pure WTF factor of the scenarios he thinks up are well worth the gore.

‘Old Paintings, Grotesquely Reanimated | GIF Six-Pack’
The Creators Project | February 5, 2016 | Beckett Mufson

The selfie really is a form of art

If it’s good enough for Goya, it’s good enough for you.
Before camera phones were ubiquitous, there was another name for a selfie—a “self portrait”. As the so-titled works by Goya, Gordon Coster, Anthony van Dyck and Edgar Degas below show, sometimes you are your own best subject. 
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has compiled a droll selection of old-fashioned “selfies” from its collection in honor of international #museumselfie day, a hashtag campaign today that encourages museum-goers to incorporate themselves as subjects in pictures with the art.
See the entire catalog here

‘The Metropolitan Museum of Art confirms: The selfie really is a form of art’
Quartz | January 20, 2016 | Kate Groetzinger

Art Wolfe | Rotella Gallery

2504Admittedly, the first thing we thought of seeing the Human Canvas series by Art Wolfe, at the Rotella Gallery, was the music video for ‘Somebody I Used To Know’ by Gotye – but once we got past that, we began to appreciate the distinct graphics and purity of the images.
2502
The Human Canvas series does seem out-of-place considering Wolfe’s background as a wildlife, landscape and culture photographer. However, take note of the tribal-like patterns and you can instantly connect Wolfe’s previous experience with this highly stylised project.
2503
There is a strong aesthetic to the images. Wolfe’s palette is strictly crisp white and blackest black. He uses defined dots and lines, which are applied to the human literally as if it is canvas. The marks and the monochrome gives the photographs a touch of minimalism; we are being immersed in what we see, not what it represents.
2501
Theatrics over erotic – in remote cultures, nudity is the norm and in the Human Canvas, the fact the models are nude is almost irrelevant. We are not focusing on the body as sexual matter; instead, bodies are compositional tools, like building blocks or brush strokes on a painting. In this way, the images possess a physicality and rawness. We see the human form for all its beauty, its curves and contours, despite the camouflage.
2505
Clay Study was our particular favourite because of its inviting texture – we just wanted to pick at the cracking clay peeling from the skin. Nonetheless, there is a kind of flatness, as the body merges and obscures into the patterned background; painting and human become one. Then sometimes, we cannot even notice the human at all.
2506
Check out this link to watch how the process of creating the Human Canvas series and Art Wolfe taking about the project.

Home

Home