World Art - by Craig Hill

Artist profiles Popular culture Exhibitions & Performances - World Art

The Art of De Niro

August 23rd 2008 06:56

Robert De Niro salutes his Fathers Art

Robert De Niro stands with his fathers Art

“Don’t call me Junior” - Frowning, scowling and punishing Actor Robert De Niro has his artistic genealogy coming in part from his father, Robert De Niro Snr. A dedicated abstract expressionist painter, the De Niro Senior currently has an exhibition of over 25 works displayed at the BBK in Bilbao, Spain.

Joined by his wife and brood Robert De Niro Jr travelled to the European gallery and appeared on Tuesday night as an in the role of Ambassador for his respected father’s creations.

Encompassing over 30 years of work that started in 1955, artdaily.org describes the paintings of Robert De Niro Snr as:

“Grounded in European antecedents, specifically French, but unmistakably American in style, the paintings of Robert De Niro, Sr., represent one of the foremost achievements in painterly representation. De Niro’s efforts to reconcile the real with the abstract through the use of brilliant draftsmanship, bold, Fauvist-inspired colors, and confident, gestural brushwork stand as one of the great achievements in postwar twentieth-century American painting.”

“Hans Hofmann reportedly considered De Niro one of his two best students ever, (the other being Virginia Admiral, De Niro’s wife).1 Thus it was no surprise when De Niro emerged from the New York abstract expressionist school in the 1940s and became a leading member of the second-generation of postwar American painters who turned to representational subject matter as a means of reinvigorating the tradition of painterly expression. These painters, a group that included Larry Rivers, Jane Freilicher, and Paul Resika reopened the discussion of what is possible in painting by returning to figuration and confronting the legacy of their art historical predecessors head on.”

Another example of Robert De Niro Sr's Work

Though he died in 1993 De Niro Snr’s accomplishments in life are displayed in several museums and galleries around the world and this particular event is open to the public until September 27th 2008.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Popular culture, Exhibitions & Performances

Email this Post to a Friend

Beth Josey – Ask Again Later Exhibit

July 18th 2008 04:24

Aussie talent on Display

Ask Again Later Collection Poster

Beth Josey is a surreal Australian artist whose exhibition “Ask Again Later” launched July 16th at the Somedays gallery in Surry Hills Sydney.

Creating an intriguing visual tone of textured renderings inspired by artists like Francis bacon and film Directors Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow) and Guilermmo Del Toro, (Pan’s Labyrinth, Cronos) Beth’s emotive works make her an up and coming artist to watch on the local and international scene.

From the press release for the show:
“Ask Again Later is the debut solo show of artist Beth Josey. Her ruminations on beauty, insanity and mortality lead the viewer into a strangely familiar, twisted world of staring porcelain-like characters, heartbroken skeletons and masked lords of business.

The body of work takes advantage of the different styles and emotive force of oil, acrylic and print mediums. With a blend of portraiture and surrealism, Beth has created a Gothic aesthetic that envelopes the viewer, exploring the fragmented nature of the individual and the contradictions inherent in all people.”

For more information please visit bethjosey.com.au or somedays.net.au

Beth Josey - Jaded

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Popular culture, Exhibitions & Performances

Email this Post to a Friend

Peter Saul - A Pop Art Statement

July 4th 2008 03:36

Peter Saul - Ignored Genius

Bush at Abu Gharab

Born in San Francisco in 1934, Peter Saul is a pop culture artist whose surrealist and expressionistic, vibrantly coloured paintings often make a statement about society, politics and religion.

Art Critics Suicide

Brought to my attention through a recent LA Times article, Saul has an exhibition running at the Orange County Museum of Art. Selected works spanning his 40 year career are on display in the gallery until September 21st.

Please Don't Hurt My Money

Achieving notoriety and positive reviews in the 1960’s ever since then the 74 year old artist has continued to demand the eye of the viewer, provoke reaction and force complex examination.

I Forgot Everything Important

There is a satirical element to many of his images that deceives some into dismissing the simplicities as heavy handed devices. There is a diabolical ugliness to his depictions that is compounded by his attention seeking use of pastels.

Business Woman

Enthusiastically dissecting timely topics there is historical significance to much of what he does. Essentially Peter Saul offers everything that I see as important to successful art. Visual style, deeper meaning and unique observations on the world in which we inhabit, the fact that he has not achieved more international acclaim is a shame, though I’m sure petty fame is not high on his priorities.

Rough Landing

Images Courtesy of Artnet.com

Vote

Comments (1)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Popular culture, Exhibitions & Performances

Email this Post to a Friend

Cheech Art – No Chong, No Bong

June 27th 2008 04:13

Cheech Marin’s Chicino Art Collection.

The mary jane duo in their hey day

Cheech Marin is no longer bogarting the joint with stoner pot head partner Chong. Predominately known for his work in movies and television, since the 1980’s Cheech has been an avid art connoisseur collector of Chicano art.

Joan Miro's The Village of Prades

After a decade of trying to get a public exhibit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is displaying his eclectic selection of personal favourites. Featuring works by revolutionary artists like John Valadez, David Botello and Diane Gamboa this event represents a massive triumph of the spirit for the passionate Cheech.

Cheech Chicino Art on display

In an interview with iht.com Marin says:
"That's been my struggle, to have these Chicanos be recognized as fine artists.” "The museum world kind of wanted to write them off as agi-prop folk artists…I'd go, 'No, no.' These are fine artists. These are really great painters who have developed past that stage."

"When Chicano art first began emerging, it was very much part of a civil rights struggle during the late 1960s and early 1970s," says Howard Fox, LACMA's curator of contemporary art. "All of these first-generation Chicano artists were about establishing in the mind of the audience and their colleagues, as well as the art world at large and American mainstream society, that they even existed."

Another slice of Cheech's eye

A large part of the show is impressionistic works that use vibrant colours, pastels and acrylics. Titled "Los Angelenos, Chicano Painters of L.A.: Selections From the Cheech Marin Collection" the exhibit runs till November 2nd.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Popular culture, Exhibitions & Performances

Email this Post to a Friend

Naturalistic Animation that leaves you Breathless

May 18th 2008 00:02

MUTO Wall Animation by Blu

Standing still isn't as effective as movement

Based and created in Buenos Aires and Baden the art site BluBlu.org has released another staggering work. Using Stop motion techniques, combined with 2D and 3D animation this astonishing and original concept art depicts an ambiguous wall painting.

Constantly influx, painted on public domain artists Blu, and Sibe have taken elements of traditional graffiti and elevated the form into one fluid visual feast that bleeds patience and imagination at a time lapsing 24 frames per second.

Morphing static images into motion, the first time I saw this video it left me in awe, speechless. The second time I was just trying to comprehend the hours of discipline and focus on display. The third viewing was when I could finally begin to appreciate the whole package’s inventive nature as one of the most impressive image manipulations in contemporary art.

I hope you enjoy it too.

Please visit blublu.org for more information on the artist.

MUTO – Ambiguous Wall Painting by Blu

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Dexter - Category: Miscellany, Artist profiles, Popular culture, Exhibitions & Performances

Email this Post to a Friend

Warhol is more collectable that Picasso?

April 2nd 2008 01:27

Andy Warhol: Highest Priced Art

Warhol's Green Car Crash

Art auctions are a privilege reserved only for the financially elite. Collectors of fine art are a rare breed, a small percentage of us could only ever dream to own an original piece by any number of masters. The question is does wealth or education breed taste?

The reason I ask is that according to the latest report from Bloomberg.com the artist that now earns the highest bids is pop pioneer Andy Warhol. Surpassing the previous market leader Pablo Picasso and a host of other notable names.

Picasso exercises in form and lines

From the Bloomberg article:
“Warhol led the 2007 table of the world's 500 most auctioned artists with $422.3 million in sales, more than doubling the year- earlier $199.6 million, Artprice said. Seventy-four Warhol works sold for more than $1 million, led by the hammer price of $64 million paid for ``Green Car Crash'' at Christie's International, New York, in May. Christie's is based in London.

Sales of works by Picasso totalled $319.7 million at auction last year, down $20 million from 2006. Francis Bacon leaped to third place from 19th with $244.5 million, lifted by seven results over $10 million. The bestselling living artist was Gerhard Richter, whose works sold for $85.9 million, ranking him 12th.

Thirty-six Chinese names featured among the top 100 contemporary artists in 2007 ranked by total auction sales. ``Bloodlines'' series painter Zhang Xiaogang was the world's second-most actively traded living artist at $56.9 million, pushing Jeff Koons, with $52.6 million, into third place.”

Regular readers will know that I have an appreciation for most all variations of form and style and am certainly open to Andy Warhol’s place in the art world. But, I would never believe that renderings of silver screen legends and commercial products is as important as some of the great impressionists, renaissance and other historical painters.

Age alone is not a dictum for quality, however when talking about the “Collectable” nature of pivotal works it certainly adds to my personal sense of value. Also the ability for paintings to emote and provoke an emotional response is a component not prominent in the Warhol’s work.

Vote

Comments (1)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Popular culture, Exhibitions & Performances

Email this Post to a Friend

Tintin Art work set to make history

March 29th 2008 00:10

Comic Book Art Earns Big Bucks

Tintin - This is not the piece on auction

For decades comic book art has been viewed as nothing more than a novelty item by many in the art community. Relegated to the sidelines, meeting with little respect despite the obvious influence it has had on modern art.

In the last few years that has begun to change and now the Euro-market is leading a revolution that places graphic illustrations into the arena of “fine art”.

France24.com is reporting that some classic renderings are beginning to fetch higher and higher prices at auction houses. From the site:

"It's a booming market, we've got buyers from all over Europe. People are no longer ashamed to say they collect BD," said Eric Leroy, expert at the Artcurial gallery and auction house.

The latest of these is “a 1932 oil painted by the Belgian author Herge for the cover of "Tintin in America" is the star item at a one-off sale of 650 comic originals Saturday in Paris, with a starting price of 280,000 euros (440,000 dollars)”.

Tintin creator Herge at work in his studio

Along with Herge’s Tintin works “an original ink drawing of Lucky Luke, by the Belgian cartoonist Maurice de Bevere, or Morris, has a starting price of 10,000 euros.”

Like many being a child of the 70’s I have always appreciated the care and aesthetic pleasures of visual storytellers. As they say “it’s a collectors market” and in the new millennium comic book drawings are destined to only continue increasing in price.

After all these are treasured memories from childhood that are now able to be physically represented by those who can afford to purchase a slice of pop culture history.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Popular culture, Exhibitions & Performances

Email this Post to a Friend

The secret Art of Dr Seuss

March 28th 2008 00:06

The secret Art of Dr Seuss

The Secret Art of Dr Seuss book companion

Dr Seuss was a master at the art of storytelling in rhyme (he would have been one hell of a rapper) and his work has inspired generations. There is a charm and intelligence to his children’s books that transcends age to inspire the young and the young at heart with equal passion.

Creating a plethora of iconic pop culture characters like the Cat in the Hat, The Grinch and Fox in Sox, the memorable illustrations from his tales are as recognisable as Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny.

A selection of the word surgeons creations

A new exhibition at Sydney’s Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery is showcasing some of the legendary figures original visual character interpretations. The Doctors skill with a pen is universally acknowledged but his talent for sculpture, drawing and painting is often overlooked. This display aims to rectify that.

Boasting a collection of rare and forgotten art, this astonishing selection includes a range of unique characters and an assortment of intriguing designs that were only released after his death.

Not to missed by fans for more information and samples from the exhibition please visit tvhgallery.com.au

Fiction becomes reality

103

Vote

Comments (8)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Dexter - Category: Artist profiles, Popular culture, Exhibitions & Performances

Email this Post to a Friend

Pecha Kucha

January 31st 2008 03:57

Pecha Kuchu - Slide into the emotive

Pecha Kucha night an interactive experience

As with most new technologies that become a permanent fixture in the cultural lexicon, once all practical applications are exploited often more creative uses are revealed.

A great example of this is the newly emerging art form known as Pecha Kucha which utilises “Power Point” slide shows for artistic expression instead of dull business related presentations.

Developed in Tokyo in 2003 by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein-Dytham Architecture, the name Pecha Kucha translates to English as “Chatter”.

Created for industry expos to attract more attention to their burgeoning Superdeluxe experimental online multimedia event space. The concept was quickly adopted for its more free form qualities.