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Film Reveals Susumu Shingu’s Quest for Harmony

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Susumu Shingu in Thomas Riedelsheimer’s Breathing Earth

FILM: Japanese sculptor Susumu Shingu strives for harmony between art and nature

PORTLAND, OREGON– Thomas Riedelsheimer’s Breathing Earth screened on September 19 and 20 at the Northwest Film Center reveals an artist’s love of the environment . The film  focuses on Japanese sculptor Susumu Shingu, who pays tribute to nature with hypnotic and playful kinetic works powered by wind and water.

ENTERTAINMENT FILM  | READ ALSO: Hockney: Artistic Career and Quest to Escape Labels

For Shingu, “the wind is the absolute” and  the only constant in  the creation story. The wind which is part of nature has been a  major point of fascination for Shingu.  Shingu explain his attraction for nature in the Breathing Earth documentary: ‘As an artist I have been close to nature and have considered  how best to convey the wonders of nature.  That has led to my project to my project Breathing Earth.’

The 2013  film documents the artist’s  quest for a place where art and sustainability can coexist. From Japan, Italy, and Mexico—where Monarch butterflies congregate, the film captures the symbiotic relationship between Shingu’s works and the environment where they are situated.  “My works are created in a dialogue with nature. I translate the message from nature into movement,” Shingu explains

This is a film to watch as it shows Shingu’s genius  at  creating a cordial relationship between sculpture and environment. This is perhaps the best film on the  intermingling of artificial and natural.  The 97 minute film is subtitled in Japanese with English. Thomas Riedelsheimer also directed Rivers and Tides. He is a well-respected director  and celebrated across the globe for his insightful documentaries

TRAILER / Breathing Earth: Susumu Shingu’s Dream – Thomas Riedelsheimer

Breathing Earth: Susumu Shingu’s Dream/ Youtube

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Hockney Artistic Career and Quest to Escape Labels

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David Hockney in the film Hockney directed by Randall Wright. The film delves into Hockney artistic career. Image courtesy of Northwest Film Center

FILM: Randall Wright’s film delves into David Hockney artistic career, his life, and his struggles to avoid being labeled queer.

PORTLAND, OREGON– On Art and Artists,  a new film series at the Northwest Film Center in Portland Art Museum provides art lovers the opportunity to see the life and works of artists. One of the films is Hockney directed by Randall Wright. The film draws on the treasures trove of photographs and home movies to bring to life the career and life of this famous artist.

ART AUCTION | READ ALSO: Bonhams Prints and Multiples Sale Creates Excitement in London Art Market

Hockney is one of the most charismatic, inquisitive, and exciting figures in contemporary art. The 113 min film traces the career of the famous artist and his life history through the years. It takes viewers from Hockney’s early life in working-class Bradford, where his love for pictures was developed through his admiration for cinema. There is a particular focus on his relocation to Hollywood where his life long struggle to escape labels such as  ‘queer,’ ‘working class,’ ‘figurative artist’ was finally overcome. The focus on the struggle to overcome the labeling, even as he focused on his artistic career, gives this film credence.

Hockney remains true to his roots over the years. In the film, the artist talks about his art, friends, lovers’ childhood experience, source of inspiration, and dreams. The artist is humorous and full of vitality even at 77.  Even as he continues work in his Los Angeles studio seven days a week, the artist is still vivacious undiminished.

HOCKNEY Official Trailer (2014) Randall Wright

HOCKNEY: Youtube

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Stunning Drawing Art Skills Distinguish Art Drawings Facebook Group

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Jeffrey Appiatu,  a member of the Art Drawing Facebook group shows off his drawing art skills in this painting titled Stages of Evolution. Charcoal and graphite on Canson paper drawing.  Scale : 28 x 20 inches. © Jeffrey Appiatu 2015

ART & SOCIAL MEDIA

Art Drawings, a Facebook group, is the place to show off your drawing skills, learn how to draw, and share your drawing ideas with emerging and professional artists.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE

Art Drawings is a Facebook group dedicated to artists who love to draw. This is the place to share your drawing art skills. Many of the artists in this Facebook group use traditional drawing tools like pencils, pens, and crayons. However, drawing for this group extends beyond the use of pencils, crayons, pens, and other traditional drawing materials. If you can draw or create art using cables, wires, and strings, then you can become a member of this group.

Drawing Materials

• Pastel pencils
• Colored pencils
• Conté Sticks, crayons, and pencils
• Charcoal sticks and pencils
• Graphite sticks
• White chalk
• Pens
• Brushes and dip pens
• Ink
• Sharpeners
• Erasers and stumps
• Papers and supports

Art Drawings, a  Facebook art group, is a place to learn how to draw.  What is particularly fascinating about this art group is that it has a lot of videos showing artists exploring different drawing techniques. These videos are very instructive for aspiring artists who love to draw or want to learn to draw. In these tutorial videos, artists show off their drawing art (remove) skills. For aspiring artists who love to draw or want to learn to draw, the videos are very instructive. In them, artists show off their drawing art skills.  They reveal techniques established artists use to create amazing drawings. From drawing pictures to drawing ideas, there is so much to learn from the videos. Here are some of the drawing techniques explored by members of the group.

Drawing Techniques and Drawing Art Skills

1. Vertical Hatching
2. Horizontal Hatching
3. Inclined Hatching
4. Cross-Hatching
5. Radial Hatching
6. Expressive Hatching
7. Contour Lines
8. Dotted Line
9. Zigzag Lines
10. Interwoven Textures
11. Basketweave Patterns
12. Wavy Lines
13. Scribbling

Although there are no details as to when the group started or membership requirements, what is clear is that the Art Drawings Facebook group attracts members from across the globe. The opportunity of a level playing field where everyone can contribute is one of the strongest features of this Facebook group.  Although not all the works on the group’s Facebook page are outstanding, there are many enjoy.

Creative Drawing Ideas

If you are looking for drawing ideas, this is the group for you. Many members of this group are innovative in their approach to drawing. They explore different creative drawing ideas and techniques to communicate their ideas and thoughts. The ideas are endless. Here are some of the drawing ideas you can find on the group’s page:

• Portrait of a friend
• Self-portrait
• Drawing of a family photograph
• Portrait of a famous person you admire
• Draw a new fish tank for a fish
• Animals
• Flowers
• Flower arrangements
• Interesting pair of shoes
• A cute baby animal
• Still life of fresh fruit that has been cut in half
• Landscape
• Treehouses
• Tress with arresting characteristics
• Cars and automobiles
• Food
• Perspective
• Aerial view of your favorite place
• Superheroes in real life

ART & SOCIAL MEDIA | READ ALSO: Work of Art Contest Brings Artists Together on Facebook

THE ARTISTS: DRAWING ART SKILLS

One of the artists in this group is Jeffrey Appiatu, a 20-year-old artist. Appiatu’s approach to drawing is delicate and sensitive. From the sketch to the finished work, there is a great effort by the artist to go beyond likeness to the point of bringing forth emotions. In his recently finished portrait drawing of a woman,  Appiatu captures the beauty and emotion of the woman staring into space.

The charcoal and graphite on Canson paper show the brilliance of this artist, and how much patience goes into creating such an exceptional portrait drawing.  On his Facebook page, Appiatu allows an insight into the creative process that makes his drawings unique. He presents the step-by-step approach from the beginning to the end of the portrait drawing. It took 95 steps to get from the drawing to the finish line. Commenting on his drawing, a fellow artist noted, ‘Got Mad Skills!:

But Appiatu is just one of the exceptional artists with amazing proficiency in this group. Merna Ahmed is another artist with great skills. A student in Cairo, Egypt, Merna Ahmed’s approach to drawing explicates bravery. One of her recent drawings shows why this is an artist with a great future. Titled Praise God, the young artist uses colored pens, crayons, and pencils to capture sun rays radiating on swirling waves.  The movement, color interaction, and composition make this piece very interesting.

The Magic of Coloured Pencils

In the hands of Jesse Lane,  colored pencils are like magic wands. Lane, who studied at Texas A&M University, has perfected his drawing skills by emulating old masters. Caravaggio, the seventeenth-century Italian artist, is a  major source of influence for this young artist. Caravaggio developed tenebrism, a style of painting that explored very pronounced chiaroscuro.  Caravaggio’s influences are evident in many of Lane’s drawings that play on the dramatic contrast of light and dark.  In his Anatomy of Light Series,  Jesse Lane creates several portraits showing Caravaggio’s influences of dramatic illumination.

One of the drawings is titled OASIS. The colored pencil drawing is the portrait of a woman with water running from her head to her face and neck.  The face of the woman with her eyes closed tells the whole story of her emotions and mood. That mood is accentuated by the realistic rendition of the water flowing down her face. It is not surprising that this colored pencil drawing was accepted for the 49th Annual Richardson Civic Art Society Regional Show in Richardson, TX.  It is an outstanding piece of art.

From illustrators to designers, and drawing enthusiasts, this group has a long list of creative minds. Besides showing off their skills, members can also create links to their own Facebook pages. This is another reason this group is unique. Unlike many other groups that do not allow members to post links to their website or Facebook page, artists have the opportunity to create links. There are also many painters in this group.  Members not only have the opportunity to learn how to draw but also understand how the environment and culture inform artistic representation.

The Art Drawing Facebook group is where professional and emerging artists share drawing art skills. Are you a member of this group? What do you think about the group?  Join the art conversation: Share your thoughts and comments.

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Work of Art Contest Brings Artists Together on Facebook

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Dramatic portrait by Francesco Mauro featured on Facebook Work of Art group. Image courtesy Work of Art and Francesco Art

REVIEW | FACEBOOK ART GROUP

Artists find a home on Work of Art Contest, a Facebook art group dedicated to bringing artists from across the globe together

BY KAZAD

Work of Art Contest (WOA) developed from the Work of Art Group that started in 2012. The main objective of this Facebook art group is to provide an open platform for artists to showcase their art, design, and share ideas. Since it started, the art group has brought together talents, including painters, sculptors, and designers from across the globe. In fact, WOA has become a popular platform for discovering new art forms, designs, and artists.

There is a high level of cordiality in this art group. Everyone, especially artists with limited means, is encouraged to share their works and ideas. The response to artworks are insightful and the critiques are subtle. The Facebook work of art contest group also provides a link between artists and valuable structures/ networks to showcase art.

ART & SOCIAL MEDIA | READ ALSO: 10 Social Media Sites Artists And Cultural Institutions Find Beneficial

The group organizes weekly art contest which draws contestants from across the globe. The contests allow artists around the world to share artworks, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures. The objective of the art group contests is to engender friendship, connectivity, and opportunity to win the bragging right of ‘Featured Artist’.

Work of  Art Featured Artists

A major highlight of this Facebook group page is the ‘ WOA Featured Artists’. The group regularly selects artists to feature after each art contest. One of the artists currently featured is Isolde Gänesch, a painter and freelance artist. Born 1962 in the former USSR, Gänesch turned to art after years of working as a technical designer in mechanical and electrical engineering. A watercolorist, Gänesch paintings are reflections of her environment, including urban motifs and still-life.

Francesco Mauro is another artist the Facebook art group is featuring. Mauro who lives in Civitavecchia, Italy has an eye for details. His portraits of musicians, artists, and ordinary people not only capture the resemblance of the sitter but also their psychological state. One of his portraits is that of John Lennon, the celebrated co-founder of the Beatles. The portrait not only revalidates the pensive look Lennon was well-known for, but it also reveals the image of a thoughtful and compassionate man.

Other artists that have been featured by the group include Környei-Zsuppon Orsolya, a painter who lives in Dunaújváros, an industrial city in Fejér County, Central Hungary. Zsuppon Orsolya is a landscape painter who also loves to paint flowers. There is also Monique Spanbroek, a portrait painter and animal lover who loves to paint animal portraits.

The cross-section of artists featured by the group shows the wide reach of this art group.   WOA’s team and core administrators are spread across the globe and this has effectively put Work of Art Contest on a global stage. Core administrators of the art group include John Konthoujam – WOA Founder (India), Sandy Cann – Canada, Lyn Connolly – USA, Sevdalina Mitrevska—Macedonia, Ildikó Gál – Hungary, Line Potvin – Canada, Artica Arta – Croatia, Hossam ElKady – Egypt, Melisa Groff – The Bahamas, Blagojce Dumovski – Macedonia, and Colin Pringle – USA.

Work of Art Group Rules

Although this is a group that welcomes artists from across the globe, there are rules to follow. The group does not allow political discussion or artworks praising the political and religious groups. Nude pictures are also not allowed. All nude images, including nude artwork, will be deleted. WOA is also against harassment and demeaning of members or administrators. Anyone who demeans, harasses, or engages others to do the same will be dismissed from the group.

It is a stated rule that group members should only post their own original works. If the work was based on somebody else’s photography or draws references from another artist creation, the group is very clear on how to present such work: “If your artwork is NOT Original, not created totally by you, please add this into the information when you post your art.” Artists are also expected to include a link to the references they used in their work.

Do you know of any other art group on Facebook bringing artists together? Join the art conversation: Share your thoughts. Leave comment

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Murakami Jellyfish Eyes Tackles How Children Respond to Tragedy

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Jellyfish Eyes (2013), written and directed by the artist Takashi Murakami. Film still courtesy of the artist and Blum & Poe © 2015 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co. Ltd

FILM REVIEW

Famous Japanese artist Takashi Murakami explores the Fukushima disaster in Jellyfish Eyes to confront the consequences of nuclear tragedy and disasters on children.

BY KAZAD

BASEL— At the beginning of Art Basel in Basel, Takashi Murakami’s Jellyfish Eyes was screened to an excited audience made up of artists, curators, gallerists, and other art professionals. Many who had not seen the film before were even more excited at the opening. The 101- minute-long fantasy movie premiered earlier in April 2013 as part of the Film Independent series at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art). Jellyfish Eyes was a major point of interest at Art Basel weeks before it opened.

Murakami Jellyfish Eyes

Jellyfish Eyes takes a cue from the Fukushima disaster. It reveals the story of a child who tries to shape a new path after confronting one adversity after another.  At the core of the story is Masashi (Takuto Sueoka), a cute, cross-eyed kid whose life had been torn apart by misfortunes.

After the death of his father in a Fukushima-like disaster, Masashi and his mother (Mayu Tsuruta), abandon their homes for an evacuation center. The experience traumatizes Masashi who is unable to adjust to his new life. For a while, nothing mattered to him. But just when things seem to be looking up for Masashi and his family, they encounter another problem that pushes them to the brink of another meltdown. At the center of the problem is a power-hungry group called Black-Cloaked Four.

ART FAIR | ALSO READ: Galleries, Artists and Rich Collectors Converge at Art Basel

Dressed in black capes, the Black-Cloaked Four have evil in their hearts. To perpetuate their wickedness, they take over a lab where Masashi’s uncle (Takumi Saitoh) worked to conduct dangerous experiments. After several experiments, they discover a powerful new energy force. The devious force is capable of influencing children’s emotions including anger and sadness.

The Black-Cloaked Four sees the discovery of this new powerful energy force as an opportunity to manipulate children and also create mayhem. To archive their malicious objective, they create and release hundreds of magical companions call Friends into the community with the clandestine scheme of exploiting the unhappiness they create.

Masashi encounters one of the devious Black-Cloaked Four’s creatures soon after he moves into the small town set in the Japanese countryside. After returning from his new elementary school one day, Masashi discovers a flying jellyfish-like creature. He innocently falls in love with this floating pink Friend, which he calls Kurage-bo (jellyfish boy).

But Masashi is not the only one with a Friend. When he arrives in school, he discovers that his classmates also have their own Friends. Friends are visible only to the children and never the adults. Many of these strange creatures call Friends are beautiful and captivating just like many of Murakami’s art.

Believing that the beautiful creatures are Friends and can be controlled via an iPhone-like device, the children open up their homes and hearts to the creatures. However, it does not take long for Masashi, like his friends, to realize that these creatures are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Illusion Of Power

Captivated by the illusion of power, the children begin misusing their Friends. They intimidate and bully one other, causing a lot of disaffection. With every act of aggression towards one other, the children aided the Black-Cloaked Four to convert negative emotions into a ‘supra-universal power.’ In the end, however, the children realize they are just puns in the hands of the devious characters. Consequently, Masashi and his fellow classmates combine their effort in order to defeat this wicked plan of the Black-Cloaked Four.

Murakami Designs and Characters

Jellyfish Eyes features many of Murakami’s designs and characters. The Japanese multidisciplinary artist is famous for his flowers, skull paintings, and sculptures. Jellyfish Eyes relies heavily on CGI to impact the viewing audience. Murakami brings his instantly-recognizable, genre-bending superheroes to life in the movie. Although the target audience for this film is children, this is a very scary film with a lot of purposes. It allows the artist to express his concern about social issues, a side of the artist not well-known to many.

The message in Jellyfish Eyes is very touching. It brings to the fore the disastrous 2011 earthquake and the subsequent Fukushima nuclear meltdown. The film conveys Murakami’s abhorrence of nuclear which he did not hide. Speaking through the actors, the artist expresses his disappointment with the Japanese government’s response to the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

Murakami: Tragedy and the Plight of Children

The plight of children in the face of catastrophic events is another issue in Jellyfish Eyes. It is clear that children are the first victims of any In catastrophic events. They lose their homes, parents, and way of life. Some even die. Many of those who survive are forced to leave their homes to live with people who do not know them. In Jellyfish Eyes, Masashi,  the protagonist of the film, explicates the pain of Japanese children after the Fukushima disaster. Many children lost their parents and were forced to leave their homes to avoid radiation. In their new homes and school, they encounter bullying and maltreatment.

Murakami draws inspiration for Jellyfish Eyes from phantasmagorical Tokusatsu aesthetics, which he experienced during his childhood. The film also reveals influences from Steven Spielberg’s ET and the live-action children’s television series Power Rangers. However, the film has its own originality. Murakami combines a cast of flesh and blood young actors to give the film a unique perspective. The array of fantastical animated creatures also help address important social issues. Murakami invested an estimated $7 million in the film.

Jellyfish Eyes by Takashi Murakami (Trailer)

What do you think about Murakami Jellyfish Eyes? Join the art conversation: Share your thoughts and comments. Add to the story

Galleries, Artists and Rich Collectors Converge at Art Basel

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Artists, collectors, galleries and art lovers outside Art Basel in Basel. Image courtesy of Art Basel

ART FAIR

Galleries and artists present their best works to rich art collectors at Art Basel

BY KAZAD

BASEL- After so much expectations, Art Basel, the highly anticipated art fair for works by emerging and established artists opened today in Basel.  Like other years, many galleries and artists from across the globe are showcasing their best works at this art event that has become an annual ritual for art professionals and all those in the art field. Considered the premier international art show of its kind for Modern and contemporary works, there is so much to experience at Art Basel 2015. From paintings to sculpture, installations, videos, multiples, prints, photography, and performance, every artistic medium is represented at this year’s event.

Taking place at Basel situated at the border between Switzerland, France, and Germany, Art Basel continues to be one of the most celebrated art fairs in the world. During the preview of the fair Tuesday, thousands of collectors from across the world throng the Art Basel venue in search of great works to buy. With the increase in the number of collectors, it is expected that established and emerging artists will benefit from new money pouring into the contemporary art market.

As with other years, this year’s Art Basel includes single artist projects and dynamic configuration of two or three artists in dialogue.  Art Basel  2015 features 23 site specific artworks, the largest in the art fair’s history.  Located in the Parcours Sector, the works bring a fresh perspective to art trends across the globe as well as major sources of influence for artists in 21st-century art. This sector features site-specific sculptures, interventions, and performances by renowned international artists and emerging talents who use their works to engages the city’s historical quarters.

ART FAIR | ALSO READ: Glass Art Artists Captivate Audience With Stunning Designs

Curated by Florence Derieux, Parcours, which is taking place in the Münsterplatz area near Basel Cathedral this year has many interesting artworks on display. One of the works attracting a lot of attention is by the conceptual artist Piero Golia. Titled Untitled (Evil exists where good men do nothing) 2005. Made up of a life-size guillotine built from wood, rope, stainless steel, and brass, the sculpture recalls the cruelly public nature of executions throughout the world during centuries past. The work which title invokes a well-known proclamation of eighteenth-century Irish statesman Edmund Burke. while its calls on all good people across the globe to rise up against injustice and capital punishment.

One of the projects at this year’s Art Basel generating so much discussion is  Do We Dream Under The Same Sky by Rirkrit Tiravanija, Nikolaus Hirsch, Michel Müller and Antto Melasniemi. Installed at  Messeplatz, the large scale, interactive installation was commissioned by Art Basel.

Do We Dream Under The Same Sky is an insightful installation that carefully blends with the festive environment of this year’s  Art Basel.  The installation which looks like an open space where guests to the annual art event can rest their legs or get something to eat serves a  venue for communal dining and communication. The space expands the notion of hospitality where people from across the globe can converge. There is also a green aspect to this installation which appears to address the issue of global warming. Installed along with the project are various alternative energy models, including a solar kitchen where tea and food grown on site are prepared.

Leading Galleries of Modern and Contemporary  Art

Guests at this year’s event have the opportunity to experience the many dimensions of Modern and contemporary art in the best ways possible ways. The show sector curated by established curators include museum-caliber paintings, sculptures and classical photography. The gallery sector made up of more than 200 of the world’s leading galleries of Modern and contemporary art have on display art show featuring works by more than 4,000 artists, including paintings, drawings, sculpture, installations, prints, photography, video and digital art.

In Hall 2, Bruce Silverstein Gallery is presenting an amazing selection of masterworks by André Kertész, a major figure in the fine art photography world. The exhibition which serves as a retrospective of the artist’s career, highlight the primary facets and developments of his practice. The show begins with Kertész’s early photographs in Hungary spreading through his final years as a celebrated photographer. Included in shows are prints of Kertész’s most historically significant works including: Chez Mondrian, 1926; Stairs of Montmartre, 1925; Leger’s Studio, 1926; Fork, 1928; a suite of images from his Distortions series, 1933; and a rare vintage example of his most iconic New York image, Washington Square Day, 1954.

The Film sector is one of the major areas of interest at this year’s Art Basel. It features a premier program of film and video works selected for the first time by Cairo-based film curator and lecturer Maxa Zoller. Included in the list of films are the long-awaited European premiere of Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict, Takashi Murakami’s first feature film Jellyfish Eyes and Hassan Hajjaj’s new film Karima: A Day in the Life of a Henna Girl. The screenings will also include works by Julieta Aranda, Katie Armstrong, Will Benedict & David Leonard, Pauline Boudry & Renate Lorenz, Kimsooja, Oliver Laric, Karolin Meunier, Laure Provost, Michael Snow, Mounira Al Solh, Agnès Varda and Kan Xuan.

Of all the films and video announced for the Film sector, Takashi  Murakami’s debuts feature film  Jellyfish Eyes (2013), which opened this section of the event is the one generating a lot of attention. In addition to the film is Murakami’s  fantastical creatures set presented as an art form at the art fair.  As expected, the screening of the film Tuesday attracted a lot of artists, collectors, collectors and art enthusiasts. Two screenings were held to accommodate the crowd and due to popular demand.  The film show was followed by a question and answer session with the artist.

Contemporary Africa art and African artists are at center stage of this year’s Art Basel. Several African artists are showing their works to the collectors and global art audience in several exhibitions. Georges Adéagbo is one the artists representing Africa at this year’s Art Basel. His site-specific installation is at Galerie Wien Lukatsch at Art Basel. Titled Les artistes et l’écriture (2014), the installation consists of tribal sculptures, handwritten texts, books and newspaper clippings sourced in Germany and Benin. A section of the installation has already been sold to a private collector.

During  Conversations and salon programs, there will be renewed focus on modern and contemporary African art.  This follows on the track of recent development in the global art scene where  African artists have continued to take their place at the dinner table. From Venice biennial to Dak’Art Biennale, African artists have continued to forcefully insert themselves into a global discourse.

Since inception in 2005, Art Basel has maintained a stand as the premier art shows for modern and contemporary art in the world.  This year, 284  leading galleries from across the world are at the heart of Europe showcasing their best works in some of the intuitively curated shows and exhibitions.   The exhibition includes the highest-quality paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and editioned works.

Founded by gallerists in 1970, Art Basel has grown to become not just the major hub for artists and galleries but also art collectors who take their cue on art trends from works on display at the show. It is not surprising that the focus of the organizers of Art Basel has been to act as the driving force in supporting the role that galleries play in the nurturing of artists, and the development and promotion of visual arts. 45 years after the first initiative was put in place by galleries, Art Basel continues to foster the dynamic relationships between art galleries, artists, private collectors and public institutions with an understanding of their essential role in today’s art world.

Galleries, Collectors, and Art Basel

The role of Art Basel as a link between galleries and collectors is evident in the effort of ensuring that more wealthy collectors have greater access to galleries and artists at the art fair. Since 2008, Art Basel has been working extensively to cultivate wealthy collectors. Besides increasing its VIP relations team from 9 to 26, Art Basel has also done a lot to create a conducive atmosphere for collectors at the fair.

Galleries are particularly conversant of not just the increase in the number of wealthy collectors at this year’s Art Basel, they also know that they must put the best artworks in front of the rich collectors. Walking through the show sector, it is clear that galleries are doing their best to attract art lovers as well as entice collectors. Beyond the exceptional artworks, galleries have on display, they are also reaching to collectors.

Join the art conversation: Share your thoughts and comments. Add to the story

Glass Art Artists Captivate Audience With Stunning Designs

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Loy Allen, Glass, and metal Tomato sculpture, glass art. Image courtesy of American Craft Council Show

ART FAIR

Glass art artists showed stunning glass sculptures, figurines, vases, mosaics, and stained glass at the Baltimore Craft Show. Here are the top glass art artists at the event.

BY KAZAD

BALTIMORE, MD– Glass art was one of the major attractions at this year’s American Craft Council Show in Baltimore. Glass artists from across the country presented stunning designs that captivated art lovers. While some of the glass artists pushed the boundaries of glass art, others embraced the traditional style of glass making. From flower vases to bowls,  glass sculptures, and stained glass, the artists did not disappoint the teaming arts and craft lovers that had converged at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Top Glass Art Artists

Although there were many exceptionally creative glass art artists at this year’s event, five of them stood out from the rest. Arts and crafts enthusiasts crowd their stands because of the unusual quality and high aesthetics of their works. More importantly, their works were absolutely intriguing. It was fascinating watching art lovers as they struggle to understand and unravel the creative process that went into the creation of the masterful glass art pieces.

Here are the top glass art artists at the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore.

Loy Allen

Loy Allen’s glass art is captivating. ­­­­­­The artist combines elements from nature to achieve high aesthetics. Flowers, insects, bugs, and reptiles are major sources of inspiration for Allen. Viewed before light, the objects glow, giving life and movement to th­­­­ese static art objects. Some of Allen’s objects are for decorative purposes, while others are utilitarian. Her bottle designs are hidden within beautiful flowers to hide their functional value. Her stylistic approach is akin to Art Nouveau. Like artists of that era, Allen is inspired by natural forms and structures. The flowers, plants, and curved lines inherent in her designs are reflective of her connection to nature.

ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR: Arts and Crafts Lovers Converge in Baltimore for Craft Show

A native of South Dakota, Allen studied design at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where she graduated with a Bachelors of Art in 1975. Soon after, she went to study advanced glass techniques at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina and at The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. Her contemporary glass art brings attention to the beauty of creatures that are often considered ugly.

Ed Branson

Ed Branson’s glass artworks are delicate beauties. They glow brilliantly sitting on pedestals at the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore. Although many of Branson’s glass art is high in aesthetics, they were designed for everyday use. From bowls to vases and pitchers, all his designs are made to serve everyday purposes.

The balance between utility and beauty is what owners of Branson’s creative glass art will have to contend with. To use or not to use? Branson’s art has its unique characteristics. While some of the shapes were influenced by nature, others were the result of experimentation.  Beyond his training with the world’s glass art masters, Branson’s trust for glass and the desire to have fun with his creative process, has led to an amazing career in glass art.

Susan Gott

Totemic Glass Sculptures

Susan Gott’s totemic glass sculptures show her brilliance and experience in glass art. Her works are inspired by mythological imagery, symbolism, and philosophies from historic and ancient cultures.  Gott’s glass sculptures are outstanding in the true sense of the word. They reveal the experience of her travels and love of ancient civilizations, symbols of ritual art, and myths.

For more than 30 years, Gott has worked in glass, creating one-of-a-kind cast glass sculptures. Her brilliance as an artist and glass sculptor has won her many awards, including the American Craft Council Award of Excellence. She has also won First Place in many exhibitions. Her work can be found in major galleries, private, and corporate collections in the United States and across the globe.

Gott grew up in Virginia and Tennessee and resides in central Tampa. She has a Bachelor’s from Radford University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in glass from Kent State University. Additionally, she studied glass at Pilchuck, Haystack, Arrowmont, and Penland Schools.  -Stained Glass

Ernest Porcelli -Stained Glass

Ernest Porcelli’s stained glass art is what distinguished him from other participants at the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore. Many of the visitors at the art event could not stop asking him how he created such amazing stained glass pieces. His lamps were particularly magnetic and attracted many art lovers. Art lovers thrang his stand throughout the event just to see his creative lamps. The lamps with their multicolored shades cast new light and mood in their environment. In addition to the lamps are sculptural glass art, screens, windows & doors, and mirrors.

Porcelli’s stained glass art has brought him great recognition. In 2004 and 2005, he was a finalist for the distinguished Niche Award. His work has also received notable attention in national publications, appeared in major motion pictures, and featured in museums and galleries nationwide.  Porcelli works out of Brooklyn, New York. He has practiced the craft of stained glass art for more than 30 years.

Randi F. Solin

There is a mysterious element to Randi F. Solin’s glass art. Every look brings a new experience and there is always something new to discover. Guests to the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore stared at her pieces with total devotion as they quest to unravel their hidden mysteries. Then, just when they thought they had discovered the hidden meaning, they find something new.

Looking at Solin’s glass art is like looking at an abstract expressionist painting. Lines intersect with lines just as shapes converge to create endless movement. It is like every element of the design is in constant flux. That is what makes Solin’s glass art very engaging. Her Window Series, for instance, invites viewers to interact with the object. The experience is always different from one individual to another.

Solin’s Window Series is remarkably different from her other works. Her Emperor Bowl series, for instance,  borrows from ancient pottery forms designed to hold one flower. Unlike the Window Series that is in the abstract expressionist tradition, the design of her Emperor Bowls are reminders of the impressionist landscapes. Aliyah External, for instance, is reminiscent of Claude Oscar Monet’s Water Lily Pond. Tiny leaf-like organism embraces the bowl just like Monet’s painting, creating magnificent optics.

Painting Glass Art

The similarities between Solin’s glass art and her paintings are not accidental. Solin approaches her work two-dimensionally “like a painter to a canvas or a weaver using thread to create an intricate tapestry.” This approach to glass art allows her to develop her forms which are then taken through her complex coloration process. On her complex coloration process, Solin notes: “I build layer upon layer of color using glass in all particle sizes–powder, cane, fruit, and rod-like a painter’s palette, to create original homogeneous coloration and truly one-of-a-kind work.”

Solin’s glass art display at the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore highlights her exceptional technical skill. Her highly inventive coloration style is captivating. As expected, her works are in major collections across the globe. She has also won many awards, and her works have been in important museums and galleries shows in the United States and around the world.

Selecting the five artists celebrated here was most challenging. This year, like other years, featured exceptional glass art artists whose works are aesthetically pleasing. Their works were major attractions for young artists and art lovers. Several artists had demonstrations for guests who tried their hands at the glass making process. Loy Allen, Ed Branson, Susan Gott, Ernest Porcelli, Randi F. Solin are just a few of the artists that made the mark at this year’s event. Beyond the aesthetics of their works, their creative genius also captivated the audience at the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore.

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Christie’s New York ‘First Impression’ Offers Something for Everyone

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Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997), Sunrise, from Seven Objects in a Box, Baked enamel on metal multiple 1966. Estimate: $ 2,000- 3000. Image courtesy of Christie’s

ART NEWS

Christie’s sale of prints & multiples by leading contemporary artists expected to attract seasoned and new art collectors

NEW YORK- Works by Claes Oldenburg, Ellsworth Kelly and a selection of contemporary prints by well-known names such as Damien Hirst, Julian Opie and Jeff Koons will highlight Christie’s New York First Impression, a Prints & Multiples sale taking place at the Rockefeller Plaza on February 12, 2015. Building on the success of First Impression print sales in July, this inaugural Prints & Multiples sale provides amazing opportunities for art lovers, seasoned collectors, and new art collectors interested in collecting affordable art prints. According to Christie’s “This sale offers something for everyone from the seasoned collector to the first time buyer with estimates ranging from $500 – 50,000.”

One of the major highlights of the Christie’s New York First Impression, a Prints & Multiples sale is Sunrise by Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997). From Seven Objects in a Box, the piece was created in 1966 as part of the baked enamel on metal multiple. The art print features a raising yellow sun with all its glorious rays penetrating the sky. It is estimated at $ 2,000- 3,000. Another important work is Del Mar, From Race Track by Frank Stella. The screenprint in color was created in 1972 and is estimated at $4, 000- 6, 000. Ellsworth Kelly’s Black Curve I (White Curve I), lithograph with pencil, 1973, has been described as the work to own. Estimated at $ 3,000- 5,000, the print was published by Gemini, G.E.L., Los Angeles, with their blindstamp and inkstamp on the reverse. Damien Hirst’s Lanatoside B, screenprint in colors, 2011, is one of the most recognized prints by the artists. Estimated at $6,000 – $8,000, it was printed on Somerset Satin and signed in pencil. Andy Warhol’s Flowers: one plate screenprint in colors, 1970, is another work that will excite collectors. Printed on wove paper and signed in ball-point pen on the reverse, the piece is estimated at $25,000 – $35,000.

Christie’s New York ‘First Impression’

ART AUCTION | READ ALSO: Christie’s Begins 2015 Celebrating 2014 Record Art Auction Result

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Curator June Yap Centers Asian Art at Guggenheim Museum

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Ho Tzu Nyen, The Cloud of Unknowing, 2011, Color video, with sound, 28 min., edition 35 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. June Yap. Guggenheim UBS MAP Purchase Fund © Ho Tzu Nyen. Photo Courtesy Russell Morton

ARTCENTRON CELEBRATED

BY KAZAD

June Yap, a brilliant curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, shines new light on Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia

NEW YORK, NY.,– When June Yap was selected as curator of the Guggenheim USB Map Global Art Initiative in the spring of 2012, many people celebrated. June Yap has an outstanding record as an independent curator and there was no doubt that she would make great strive curating the first exhibition in the initiative. However, there were those who doubted her ability and were very skeptical about what she would produce. Since June Yap is not well-known in the West, many in the art circle wondered and continue to question why she was selected over other established curators for such a major show.

Based in Singapore, June Yap is presently in residency at the Guggenheim in New York. She is a well-traveled curator and has organized exhibitions in different parts of the world, including Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, and Singapore. As an independent curator, June Yap is focused on contemporary art practice in South and Southeast Asia. She has curated several shows, including You and I, We’ve Never Been so far apart: Works From Asia for the Contemporary Art in Tel Aviv for the International Video Art Biennial. In 2011, she exhibited the works of Ho Tzu Nyen as part of the Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Cultural Studies in Asia Program at the National University of Singapore, June Yap has written numerous essays and exhibition catalogs.

No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia that opened recently at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York has proven many of those who doubted June Yap’s ability wrong. No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia is an outstanding exhibition by every standard. Divided into seven sections, the exhibition is educational, informative, enlightening and captivating. The show has a comprehensive theme enhanced by dialogue not just between the works, but also amongst the seven sections. But perhaps the major point of the exhibition is the introduction of new young vibrant artists from South and Southeast Asia, whose works show rich artistic developments in the areas of painting, sculpture, photography, video art, and performance and documentation.

June Yap: The Search for Artists

Drawn from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines Myanmar, Bangladesh and India, the artists in No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia use their works to challenge and contest the hegemonic narratives and dominant Western –centrist view of art history and discourses that have negated other narratives. They bring to the fore the relevance and importance of competing narratives beyond that often postulated in Western discourses as the dominate treatise. But more importantly, they show that modernism does not follow a linear trajectory or just a Western phenomenon.

No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia features 22 artists and collectives. The works of the artists highlight one of the major criticisms of Western curators and institutions, who have often been accused of deliberately marginalizing or overlooking highly developed artistic tradition and artists because they don’t reside in Western metropolises. The artists through their works vehement contest this faulty line based on power relations. Many of the works selected for this show not only reflect new and recent artistic traditions of the areas represented, but also multiple sources of influences. A globalization thread runs through all the works, showing evidence of cross-fertilization of artistic traditions.

Majority of the works in No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia display a confluence of influences, thoughts and ideas, transcending the South and Southeast Asia axis. Works by Amar Kanwar (India), Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook (Thailand), Tun Win Aung and Wah Nu (husband and wife, Myanmar), Tuan Andrew Nguyen (Vietnam), Vincent Leong (Malaysia), Khadim Ali (Pakistan), Norberto Roldan (Philippines), Navin Rawanchaikul, and many others reflect cross-cultural influence and encounters, which have significantly influenced identities, religion, history and interpretations of culture.

June Yap’s deep knowledge and understanding of the artists and areas represented is key to the success of this exhibition. She presents a cohesive body of work that is very engaging and instructive enough to facilitate intense discussions. Evidently, the curatorial strategy explored by June Yap was not intended to pass judgment or reiterate already well-known facts, but to make meaning, new observations and comments about the artists and their works. It is not surprising that the success of this exhibition is generating a lot of energy, and art lovers are already looking forward to subsequent projects. The next installments in this project will focus on Latin America, and the Middle East and North America. Works in this exhibition and subsequent ones will be bought for the Guggenheim permanent collection.

ART PROJECT | READ ALSO: Sculpture of Palestinian Worker Crossing the Border Highlights an Unresolved Conflict

USB sponsorship of the Guggenheim USB Map Global Art Initiative deserves some commendation. While it is easy to criticize the relationship between USB and Guggenheim museum, what is of utmost significance is the show. Besides bringing to the center marginalized artists and artistic traditions—many of which are as advanced as those in the West—the inclusion of curators, who have until recently resided in the periphery of global curatorial practice for decades deserve praise. Furthermore, the sponsorship helps expand efforts to dislocate the modernist tradition of museums privileging one group over the other. USB sponsorship also frees the curators selected for this initiative from the unbridled pressure from artists, institutions, and galleries.

Clearly, this exhibition is a huge undertaking. Although it features just 22 artists and collectives, the curatorial process is daunting. Besides the excavation of archives, the travels across countries, viewing works in museums, galleries, artists’ studios, and institutions can be gruesome. Even June Yap acknowledges this much.  But what is even more challenging is the selection of works and the curator’s inability to include every thoughts and idea, not just because of the difficulties and complexities of navigating such terrains presented by this show, but also because things are ever evolving and changing. June Yap acknowledges this challenge when she noted that, “However much one may know or have experienced a place, there is always something new to find, as these are complex cultural terrains.”

June Yap Faces the Challenge of Curating

Despite the enormous challenge of putting together, the exhibition archived its intended objective. Beyond the introduction of the rich artistic development in the South and Southeast Asia to a Western audience, the show also “reflects a range of the most salient cultural practices and intellectually discourses from these areas.” There was no attempt at experimentation or effort at breaking imagined boundaries. The focus was on what it means to be an artist in South and Southeast Asia and artistic practices therein. This curatorial strategy effectively enabled the carryover of full artistic energy emanating from the interaction between curator and the artists whose works are in No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia.

The success of this exhibition is why Artcentron is celebrating June Yap. This exhibition shows not just her boldness as a curator, but also as someone who is always willing and ready to face challenges. Above all, it supports her track record as an outstanding curator. June  Yap, however, did not achieve the success alone. She worked with “local artists, curators, and intellectuals to bring context to the artistic and cultural practices that are currently shaping regional discourse and practice”. Curatorially, she worked with Helen Hsu, Assistant Curator, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Nancy Spector, Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York, and Joan Young, Director of Curatorial Affairs, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Unlike other exhibitions of this nature, what is very clear in this show is Yap’s dedication to showing that Asia is not a place stuck in the past but a continent ever evolving.

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Creative Exposure Baltimore (CEB) Celebrates Five Stars

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On Parade celebrates Creative Exposure Baltimore (CEB) five years anniversary.  Photo: Kazad/Artcentron

PHOTOGRAPHY

Creative Exposure Baltimore (CEB) strides into the future after five years of successfully promoting photography in Baltimore.

BY KAZAD

BALTIMORE— When Creative Exposure Baltimore (CEB) was created five years ago, little did the organizers know that the Meetup group will soon become one of the foremost groups to foster the photography career of young photographers in Baltimore. Since inception, the group has been providing some form of free online photography lessons for all those interested in photography. From armatures to professionals, CEB has been attracting photographers who continue to inspire one another. Membership requirement for the group is easy to fulfill. All that is needed to become a member of CEB is a passion for photography. The organizers of CEB better articulate the mission of the group:   “From novice to pro, there is something for you. If your passion is photography, join us to be inspired, learn, explore, share and network.”

Creative Exposure Baltimore is managed by a group of seasoned professional photographers dedicated to inspiring other photographers. Known as the CEB Steering Group, the members include Marc Siegel, Marcus Moore, Bonnie Schupp, Brycia, Art Silverglate, Kevin, and Rolando. The CEB Steering Group has devotedly nurtured the group in the last five years, focusing on different areas of photography that have been very beneficial to its members. Areas of interest include photography, digital photography, landscape photography, location photography, street photography, model photography, Photoshop, professional networking, and photography workshop.

Photography Workshop at CEB

Photography workshop is one of the key elements that have put CEB at the forefront of the photography business in Baltimore. Beyond the free online photography lessons, CEB has also been organizing photography workshops to educate photographers about photography techniques and how to take better photos. One of the workshops was held several weeks ago as part of the celebration of the CEB’s 5^th anniversary. The photography workshop held at the Baltimore Museum of Industry brought together amateur and professional photographers, who shared ideas about how to relate to models, shoot great portrait photographs, and also explore photography equipment for maximum effect. Armed with cameras, flash and reflectors, young and old photographers shoot portraits of models provided by the group.

In fulfillment of the group’s commitment to the education of photographers, Creative Exposure Baltimore in June invited photographers to shoot Sunflowers at Mckee-Beshers WMA. For many of the young amateur photographers that attended, it was a rewarding experience to be able to learn new photography tips from professional photographers who freely shared photography techniques that would have cost hundreds of dollars to learn. The Sunflowers shooting workshop was followed by Astrophotography, an informative photography workshop anchored by Wes Bunton, a Maryland based amateur landscape photographer, who taught attendees how to take amazing photos of the stars.

ART PROJECT | READ ALSO: Photographer Matt Mawson Documents Life at the Mexico Fish Market

In the last five years, Creative Exposure Baltimore has not only focused on new developments in photography, it has also continued to educate its members about new developments in photography techniques and equipment. On June 21, 2014, the group organized a photography workshop that allowed members to learn and share ideas about the best ways to take photographs with cell phones and Tablets. TaggedCell Phones and Tablet/iPad Camera Shoot, the venue was the Larew Gardens, one of the most outstanding topiary garden in America. The evidence of the success of that event is the growing number of photographs taken with phones and tablets that continue to be posted on the group’s website.The group has also organized workshops on street photography. The last one featured Patrick Joust, a professional street photographer, who taught street photography and professionalism.

In addition to the photography workshops, the CEB has also organized photography competitions that were judged by seasoned photographers drawn from within and outside the group. The open competitions allow members to submit images to be evaluated by their peers. What is perhaps most instructive about the photo contests is the opportunity for photographers to critique each other’s works.

Five Years Later: Creative Exposure Baltimore (CEB) Looks to the Future

Five years down the line, Creative Exposure Baltimore has made a great impact on the photographer community in Baltimore. That is why Artcentron celebrates CEB. Beyond organizing photography workshops and events that have helped advance the career of photographers in Baltimore, the group has also engendered an environment for networking amongst armatures and professional photographers. Of course, the group could not have achieved such success without the help of others. The Baltimore Museum of Industry has been a great supporter of this group. Located at the Baltimore Inner Harbor area, the museum has served as the main venue for many of the photography workshops organized by the CEB. As the group takes another stride into the future, there is no doubt that Baltimore amateurs and professional photographers have a lot to look forward to.

Photography Quotes

11 Photography Quotes to Inspire Baltimore Photographers

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
― Ansel Adams

“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”
― Ansel Adams

“All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.”
― Susan Sontag

“To the complaint, ‘There are no people in these photographs,’ I respond, There are always two people: the photographer and the viewer.”
― Ansel Adams

“For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.”
― Henri Cartier-Bresson

“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”
― Henri Cartier-Bresson

“A portrait is not a likeness. The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but an opinion. There is no such thing as inaccuracy in a photograph. All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth. ”

― Richard Avedon

Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art.

— Ansel Adams

Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer – and often the supreme disappointment.

— Ansel Adams

Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution.

— Ansel Adams

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