World Art - by Craig Hill

Miscellany Exhibitions & Performances - World Art

Olympic Games Art

August 8th 2008 03:31

The Art of the Games

Conflicting Personal Expressions of Beijing

The opening ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games start today. The Ancient Games began in 776BC in Olympia, Greece. Ever since they have inspired artists from all disciplines to create works depicting the athletes, events and their champions.

the recognizable Olympic Games statue discus

Uniting the nations of the world in friendly sporting competition, the modern Games as we know them began in Athens in 1896 and continue to be an ultimate event on the sporting calendar.

Olympic Oil Paintings

Art itself merged with the Olympic Games on several occasions. In 1912, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1948 Art competitions were held in conjunction with the event. The Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were given for excellence in architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture.

Olympic Games Statues

On the topic of why the 1948 games were the last to hold the art competition, from Wikipedia:
“These would be the final Games in which art competitions were held, after being in the official program for all Games since 1912. At a meeting of the International Olympic Committee in 1949, it was decided to hold art exhibitions instead, as it was judged illogical to permit professionals to compete in the art competitions but only amateurs were permitted to compete in sporting events. Since 1952, a non-competitive art and cultural festival has been associated with each Games.”

An Olympic Vase

Seems it might be time for a revival now that in recent years professional athlete’s compete in events like Basketball. These images show that some striking paintings and sculptures have been inspired by the games and will continue too for years to come.

The colours of the games

Reimagining the Rings

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

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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

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

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Top Ten Art Museum’s on the Globe

May 11th 2008 00:04

The Premiere Art Gallery Tour

Readers might be interested in the results of recent research care of Reuters. According to Canada.com they have compiled a list of the Top Ten Art Museum’s in the world.

The list was compiled based on traffic to the attractions on tripadvisor.com and is not endorsed by Reuters.

All destinations are very well known and offer something in their architecture that sets them apart from other structures. After all, these buildings reflect the resting place for priceless and monumental art works of supreme historical importance.

Musee du Louvre

1. 1. Musee du Louvre, Paris, France

Once a fortified palace that was the home to kings of France, the Louvre is now the world's most famous museum, renowned for some of the finest pieces of art in the world, including the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa.

The Vatican City Museum

2. Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Rome, Italy

Spanning nearly nine miles, the Roman Catholic Church's Vatican collection is one of the largest and most stunning in the world. Estimated to have more than four million visitors annually, the Vatican museums feature the art of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and, of course, Michelangelo's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

3. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York

From Picasso to Pollock, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on New York City's Museum Mile, is one of the world's largest museums with over two million pieces of artwork and enough variety for any enthusiast. Peruse the Greek sculptures, admire the armory or browse the 2,000 European paintings, all contained in a magnificent Beaux-Art facade building.

The J Paul Getty Centre

4. J. Paul Getty Center, Los Angeles, California

The Getty features a remarkable collection, including the works of Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne. The museum's structure is a piece of art in itself, and the grounds also feature beautiful gardens, and views of Los Angeles.

Musee d'Orsay

5. Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France

Enjoy Van Gogh's "Starry Night," inside the Musee D'Orsay, a former train station built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, with a dramatic glass roof. Specializing in 19th and 20th century artwork, the museum displays a striking collection of Impressionism, including famous works by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Degas.

the Uffizi gallery

6. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Experience (or at least admire) Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," in the Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest museums in the world featuring works from Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci in the heart of Florence.

7. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Located on Chicago's Loop, The Art Institute of Chicago boasts extensive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections, including more than 30 pieces by Monet. Visit France from afar through Monet's "Haystacks" and spending time "At the Moulin Rouge," one of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec's famous paintings.

8. Tate Modern, London, England
Enjoy the electric art at the Tate Modern, displayed in a former Bankside Power Station, with views of the Thames River and Millennium Bridge. Remember the "Forgotten Horizon," one of Dali's many masterpieces and part of one of the largest collections of Surrealism in the World.

9. Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

One of the largest and most impressive collections in the world, not surprisingly, the Prado Museum is most famous for its assortment of works from Spanish artists such as Goya, Velasquez, Murillo, and El Greco.

10. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Art is comprised of an east and west building, and features a sculpture garden surrounding a large fountain. Modern art fans should head to the east building, where works by Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol are displayed.

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

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The Groovin Artist

December 18th 2007 00:12

Painting to Dance

I’m on a bit of a performance art kick at the moment and foraging through you tube footage I stumbled upon this delight.

This is urban visual art to a distinct beat, expressing a creative soul. What may just look like some guy in street ware prancing around like a show horse reveals itself to be more. There is a grand design to the piece, a twist of perception that like the sand art previewed a few weeks ago is fluid in execution and the pleasure is found in the journey of style.

Set in an atmosphere of nightclub lights and throbbing rhythm a lone painter bops his way around the stage splashing white onto a spotlight canvas. Administering the material with a seemingly casual aplomb, gradually a picture begins to emerge.

There is distinct street culture ingenuity to the act. You can tell that it would entertain in on a crowded New York street just as aptly as onstage.

Sadly I couldn’t find out any information about the artist or even an official name for this merging of disciplines. The lack of more details is vexing. I have asked for more information from the youtube author and if I get it then rest assured I will share it.

Here is the dancing artist and his work…a word of advice, make sure you watch till the very end.