World Art - by Craig Hill

Artist profiles Art reviews - World Art

Position Art with Stavaros

June 22nd 2008 00:06

Stavros says

Position Art by Stavros

Stavros - “Position art has a unique position in art”

The website theworldismycanvas.com is the brainchild of Stavros, a living parody of the Artist as innovator. Showman, promoter and comedian, as a self fulfilling entity Stavros has coined his own discipline called position art.

Stavros - "I remember when I was younger I was much smaller”

Stavros leaves his footprints on art

Using a portable GPS unit as his brush and “The world as his canvas”, Stavros maps his trips and then walks along a calculated route in order to render an image on the globe.

Stavros masters the art of sitting

Referring to himself in the third person, the royal we is in play as the footage below is hosted by the one and only visionary Stavros. Explaining the concept of position art the website itself too has much to offer and is worth a visit.

Meet Stavros – A tutorial

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Art reviews, Popular culture

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Bill Henson - Art or Sinister Exploitation

May 23rd 2008 02:33

Art show closed down with Accusations of Pedophilia

Exhibit A

Bill Henson is one of Australia’s most respected photographic artists, his work has received prestigious recognition over the years. Last night in Sydney his latest exhibition opened to controversy and has been promptly closed down pending an investigation into accusations of child pornography.

Like filmmaker Larry Clark, Henson has always been fascinated with the coming of age, the limbo between adolescence and adulthood. Much of his work revolves around images of teens that attempt to study the nature of breaking into adulthood.

Artist Bill Henson with his work

The problem with this particular collection seems to the inclusion of nude images of girls 12 – 13. According to a report on monstersandcritics.com it is Hetty Johnston, executive director of child sexual assault action group Bravehearts that has insisted on closing down the exhibit.

“'It's child exploitation, it's criminal activity and it should be prosecuted,' Johnston told Australia's AAP news agency. 'They are clearly illegal child pornography images. It's not about art at all. It's a crime and I hope they are prosecuted.'

Young love or something more sinister?

Australian Democrats leader Lyn Allison who instigated a Senate inquiry into the sexualisation of children in the media said “I think it is shocking and confronting, but I am torn on this. I have to say because I was an art teacher and I am very reluctant to want to censor what artists do and a lot of artists do want to be confronting, to raise issues, and in some ways, this does that.”

'Police have spoken to the photographer and gallery owners,' Superintendent Allan Sicard told reporters outside the gallery. 'As a result of this conversation, all parties have agreed the exhibition will be temporarily closed to allow further inquiries to be made.'

On the subject the artist himself says: 'Kids of this age, they seem to, as all those clichés go, be half in childhood and half in the adult world,' Henson told The Sydney Morning Herald. 'They're at a point where there is an exponential change, both psychologically and physically taking place, and this all kind of creates a floating world of expectation and uncertainty.'

Henson’s collections are often shocking and carry a moody atmosphere that elevates them to be defined as “art”. Whether or not he is innocent of exploiting his subjects is unclear, but he does always receive parental consent. The real problem lies more with the predators who will get sexual arousal from such frank images, but then these pedophiles also get the same thing from glossy magazine advertising anyway. Often publications and television sexualise under age children to hawk clothing, soft drinks and a myriad of other products.

Personally I am not offended by what I’ve seen of his work, challenged yes, but can certainly appreciate the concerns raised. There does seem to be an element of hypocrisy in the debate, aside from the aforementioned media’s sanctioned promotion of child pornography in commercials, the streets are filled with pre teen girls who flaunt there flesh with minimal clothing while accompanied by parents in shopping malls and other public places.

So in a way isn’t this just art reflecting society?

Another of Henson's more honest images of teen sexuality

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Art reviews, Exhibitions & Performances

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The Obesity of Record Breaking Art

May 16th 2008 01:26

The Body Treasured

Benefits Supervisor Sleeping

Proving again that art is like beauty “in the eye of the beholder” a picture titled “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping” has gone under the hammer at London’s famous Christie’s Auction house for the staggering sum of $33.6 million.

The work painted by British Artist Lucian Freud broke the record for the largest sum ever paid for a work by a living artist. Reported on CNN.com the painting depicts Sue Tilley, a civil servant manager sleeping on a tattered lounge.

Lucian Freud at work

From the CNN article:
“Christie's calls it a "bold and imposing example of the stark power of Lucian Freud's realism," depicting "the forceful and undeniable physical presence of people and things."

“The painting challenges modern notions of beauty and elicits a reaction from everyone who sees it. That may have been precisely the aim of Freud, who told London's Tate Gallery in 2002 that he wanted his paintings to "astonish, disturb, seduce, convince."

"It's the sort of thing that everyone immediately wants to voice an opinion about," he said of the painting. "It challenges conventional taste ... and people do find that rather exciting and interesting to talk about."

“Though some regard the painting as shocking -- ugly, even -- that is also the appeal for collectors, said Michael Hall, editor of Apollo Magazine in London.”

"There's a reaction against art that's regarded as too pretty," he said.

Lucian Freud Reflections - Self Portrait

Personally I see a tranquil poetry to the image, a relaxed outsider at ease in her skin. A woman comfortable in her own over sized body, the peaceful essence exuding the intended “beauty”.

A compilation of Britian's most respected living Artisan Lucian Freud

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Art reviews, Exhibitions & Performances

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Henry Fuseli

February 20th 2008 03:29

Henry Fuseli

Fuseli's famous Nightmares

Born in Switzerland in 1741 and dying 1825 Henry Fuseli is a classic gothic painter of the macabre with few equals.

From wikipedia:
“As a painter, Fuseli was daringly inventive, and always aspired to the highest forms of excellence. He favoured the supernatural, and pitched everything on an ideal scale, believing a certain amount of exaggeration necessary in the higher branches of historical painting….The violent and intemperate action which he often displays, in the conventional wisdom, destroys the grand effect of many of his pieces.”

Adam and Eve

Fluent in several languages he also gained respect for his writing on art. Forced to leave his native land after clashing with the bureaucratic injustices of the time he spent a lot of time in Germany and Britain.

I remember seeing Fuseli’s work as a child and being unnerved by it, now it is inspirational. There is a strong atmosphere of darkness that permeates even his more picturesque works, his surrealism of motion and attention to detail command an emotional response from the observer.

Henry's world

Existing largely in the grotesque later in life, his early years were spent gaining a classical education and with a painter for a father seemed destined to create more traditional pieces.

Thriving on the horror of imagination and seldom drawing from real life Fuseli’s “adult fairytale” quality was underestimated in his lifetime. Though he did receive a measure of success few of his painting were exhibited and those that were only impressed those willing to embrace their unique nature.

Silence

Looking at the stunning renderings now it is hard to imagine not being affected by their strength of will and metaphysical comments on the world in which we live. It is the innate beauty and sensuality of these disturbing subjects that forces me and may others to declare Fuseli a master.

Henry Fuseli

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Art reviews, Popular culture

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Movie Art.

February 16th 2008 00:03

Moving Pictures become stationary objects

Gene Tierney

An artists muse comes from anything that inspires their creative passions of expression. In the classic era it was often the real world that ignited the imagination but now the media saturation of the last century has emerged with its’ own set of emotive imagery.

Imaginary Friends by Justin Read

Treated with the same disdain as fantasy and comic art in some circles, paintings of cinema idols often fails to trigger an emotional response in anyone other than fans of the subject matter.

Warhols Elvis from the movie Flaming Star

Defined as part of the pop art universe pioneered by Andy Warhol with his famous prints of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley etc, the popularity of capturing screen gods on canvas in sketch and painting has grown ever since.

A Warhol style image of Steve McQueen in Bullitt

A self confessed film lover myself, I admit that sometimes this medium can be lazy and merely an echo of what has already been processed in its original form on celluloid.

Marla Singer in Fight Club

Along with professionals, the advent of online technology has allowed geeks globally to share their artistic interpretations of their favourite big screen characters.

Cult Characters

There generally seems to be two separate disciplines at work here, the fan inspired art which tends to be sci-fi/fantasy or cult orientated and classic silver screen legends of the past.

Frank The Bunny from Donnie Darko

There are exceptions to every rule though, shown aptly in this beautiful rendering of Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in the Gunfight at the Ok Corral western Tombstone.

Val Kilmer in Tombstone

Sadly I didn’t have much time to source images today so there is still an avalanche of fine examples available to be found for those interested. I do hope that this brief selection at least illustrates the aesthetic quality that elevates movie art beyond a hobby into the realm of artistic merit.

The popular Boulevard of Broken Dreams

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Art reviews, Popular culture

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Australia Day Collection

January 26th 2008 04:43

Great Australian Artists

Here on the bottom of the globe it’s Australia Day, a day of national celebration. So forgive me the brief post, (read short) but I felt it was appropriate to share a few noted Australian Artists whose work I appreciate. I tried to hurriedly find a visual sample of each too.

Hope your all having a great day no matter where you are in this big wide wonderful world.

John Glover

John Glover

Brett Whitely

Brett Whitley

Julia Rrapp

Julie Rrap

Robert Dowling

Robert Dowling

Roland Wheelwright

Roland Wheelwright

Charles Bryant

Charles Bryant

Emma Minnie Boyd

Emma Minnie Boyd

Sidney Nolan

Sidney Nolan's Minefields

Clarice Beckett

Clarice Beckett

Norman Lindsay

Norman Lindsay

Matt Coyle
[

Matt Coyle

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Art reviews

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Tim Fort’s Kinetic Art

January 18th 2008 03:18

Tim Fort’s Kinetic Art

Tim Fort's Kinetic Art

It seems that many readers are garnering the same sort of wonder I am out of spotlighting out-of-the-box contemporary art. Your responses to obtuse mediums like Sand Art, Nail Art, the Groovin Artist and Ice Sculpture have been very encouraging. Thank You.

In the same vein I have just discovered an artisan by the name of Tim Fort who specialises in what he calls “Kinetic Art”. Now at a glance this may just look like the age old dominos routine, but look closer. Sure there is all the precision, coordination and limitless patience that goes into tumbling rectangular dice but also something more.

Try this at home, I dare you

Quoting Tim’s own site, lunatim.com he describes his medium as:
“To the uninitiated, my kinetic gadgets are gnarly chain-reaction devices that collapse and explode in, like, really cool ways; to the discerning aesthete, they're entropy-generating entities designed to confront the observer and challenge their paradigms for processing reductivistic-mechanistic Weltanschauungen from a post-modernistic perspective.”

There is a beauty watching this cleverly edited and highly inventive collapse of objects that employs a myriad of chain reaction techniques.

harder than it looks

The clip below is a great example of Tim Fort’s work and though it may not delve deep into the psyche to express something about the universal experiences of humanity it is aesthetically rivetting.

If you are interested I highly recommend checking out Lunatim.com for more information. Amongst other attractions his goal of building a digital computer out of popsicle sticks is downright inspirational.

Marvel at Tim Fort's Kinetic Art

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Miscellany, Artist profiles, Art reviews, Popular culture

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Nail Art

January 11th 2008 02:09

Hammer Splendour

The Process begins

No I’m not talking about painting fingernails in exquisite fashions, decorating digits with bright colours. Instead this is a brand new application for the essential carpentry
tool. Usually employed to join timber in construction, this group of inventive and patient artisans have found an alternate application, all together more pleasing to the eye.

Slow and steady

There is something compelling about looking at the process and care taken to achieve a conversion of raw materials into an emotive art work. Constructed on a large canvas of wood, the nails are driven in strategic positions, manipulated to achieve illustration. Demanding several workers, their muse, the famous Da Vinci self portrait, comes to life with an alternate essence to the original.

Hammering away

It is easy to see that this relatively new medium demands precision and a degree of ingenuity to achieve tone and depth. Looking at the finished product, all the hours of intensive labour are confirm the sacrifice.

Surveying the progress

Sadly a search of the internet revealed no more information about these images that a friend sent me. Impressive enough that it didn’t stop me sharing it with all you eager fans of artistic expression. Even without specifics, I hope you marvel.

That looks right

Time for a set square and ruler

Revealing itself

A worthy conclusion

100

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Miscellany, Artist profiles, Art reviews, Popular culture

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Francesco Mai – Alien Sculptures

November 7th 2007 00:02

Francesco Mai – Alien Sculptures Exhibition Melbourne

Cruising around looking for what Art shows are on in Melbourne I stumbled upon this superb looking exhibition held at the Brunswick Street Gallery.

The artists name is Francesco Mai, an Italian digital photographer and sculpture who seems to be heavily influenced by the work of H.R Giger. Regular visitors will already be aware of my fascination and appreciation of this provocative visual stylist and the work of Mai seems an extension of his concepts.

The work of Francesco Mai features striking bold designs, beautifully rendered. The composition of the pieces is dominated by sensual lines and contours of distracting precision.

There is a gloss to the cosmetic veneer but lurking beneath is something more primitive, disturbingly industrial. Clashing with this artificial surface is an organic quality that triggers more primitive emotions and injects the work with a natural wonder.

Haunting and beautiful the aesthetics spiral and curve drawing the eye closer to the central meaning and purpose of the artist. There is a less horrific philosophy when compared to the work of Giger ensuring his images are unique and original, despite the obviously derivative influences.

Apologies, I wish I could display some of pictures of Mai’s work but they are all stringently copyrighted. Instead, I will insist that those interested in seeing more visit his homepage which includes a bounty of high resolution renderings.

You can see the art of Francesco Mai at francescomai.com or visit the brunswickstreetgallery.com.au
for further information on the exhibition

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Art reviews, Exhibitions & Performances

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