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Tuesday, April 17, 2012 |
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Nude model causes a commotion in Urs Fischer exhibition at Palazzo Grassi
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Installation view, Urs Fischer, “Madame Fisscher,” Palazzo Grassi, Venice, 2012. © Urs Fischer. Courtesy of the artist and Palazzo Grassi, Venice. Photo: Stefan Altenburger.
VENICE.- Palazzo Grassi-François Pinault Foundation hosts a monograph exhibition by Urs Fischer from 15 April to 15 July 2012. This exhibition is the first of a series of monograph exhibitions which will be dedicated to major contemporary artists and held either in tandem or alternation with the thematic shows based upon the François Pinault Collection. Devised by the artist himself and Caroline Bourgeois specifically for the spaces within Palazzo Grassi, this one-man exhibition by Urs Fischer will comprise around thirty works dating from the 1990s to the present day – some from other international collections, some new creations. The exhibition will occupy the atrium and the first floor of Palazzo Grassi, whilst the second floor will continue to exhibit works from the François Pinault Foundation. It will be accompanied by a publication devised by the artist and by ... More |
| Israel Antiquities Authority inspectors seize two covers of ancient Egyptian sarcophagi |
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Artifacts from the ancient city of Morgantina in central Sicily go on view at the Getty Villa |
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Christie's New York announces the sale of six major works by artist Gerhard Richter |
It is suspected that Egyptian antiquities robbers plundered ancient tombs in the region of the Western Desert in Egypt. Photo: Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
JERUSALEM.- Inspectors of the Israel Antiquities Authority recently seized two covers of Egyptian sarcophagi that contained ancient mummies in the past. The covers were confiscated by inspectors of the Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery while checking shops in the market place of the Old City in Jerusalem. The ancient covers, which are made of wood and coated with a layer of plaster, are adorned with breathtaking decorations and paintings of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. The coffins were taken for examination on the suspicion they might be stolen property. After undergoing examination by experts, which included among other things a Carbon 14 analysis for the purpose of dating the wood, it was unequivocally determined that these items are authentic and thousands of years old: one of the covers is dated to the period between the 10th and 8th ... More |
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Unknown, Bust of Persephone, 325-300 B.C. Terracotta and pigment. 14 x 9 3/4 x 4 5/8 in. Museo Archeologico Regionale of Aidone.
LOS ANGELES, CA.- A selection of 37 objects excavated from the sanctuaries of the ancient city of Morgantina in central Sicily are on display at the Getty Villa in the exhibition The Sanctuaries of Demeter and Persephone at Morgantina. On loan from the Museo Archeologico Regionale of Aidone until January 21, 2013, these works include terracotta figures of deities, vases and oil lamps, a lead curse tablet, and bone clothing and hair pins, and are installed in a gallery devoted to images of gods and goddesses (Gallery 104). The artifacts are showcased in a special installation focusing on the worship of the goddesses of agricultural fertility, Demeter and Persephone, in Sicily. Persephone’s abduction by Hades, a myth that provided the ancients with a divine explanation for the changing of the seasons, was believed to have taken place in Sicily at Lake Pergusa, not far from Morgantina; consequently, these divinities were espec ... More |
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Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (798-3), 1993 (detail). Oil on canvas, 94 1/2 x 94 1/2 in. $14,000,000-18,000,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2012.
NEW YORK, NY.- Christie's announced the auction of an exceptional selection of six important works by Gerhard Richter at its Post-War and Contemporary Sale on May 8, 2012. This major comprehensive grouping includes works from the 60's to the 90's and is estimate to realize more than $40 million. Robert Manley, International Director, Specialist Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art declared: ―Christie's is fortunate to be offering an outstanding group of major works by Gerhard Richter, including two unqualified masterworks, Seestüeck (Leicht bewölkt) and Abstraktes Bild (798-3) . The six paintings span 25 years of the artist's career, from 1968 to 1993 and include his classic abstractions such as Abstraktes Bild (798-3) one of the most valuable Richters to come to market. From a breakthrough period of the 1960's comes his sublime Seestüeck (Leicht bewölkt) one of a small series of Seascapes executed in the late 1960's, ... More |
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| Christie's announces 20th century British and Irish art including iconic L. S. Lowry oils and drawings |
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Fans recall one of the 20th century's greatest American artists: Jackson Pollock at 100 |
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Freeman's to sell property from the estate of New York fashion stylist Janet Brown |
Sir John Lavery, Aïda, a Moorish Maid. Oil on canvas, 30 x 25º in. Estimate £150,000-250,000/ US$230,000-380,000/ €170,000-280,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2012.
LONDON.- 2011 marked an unprecedented year for the category of 20th Century British and Irish Art, with Christie’s realising the highest sale total for the category at the inaugural Evening Sale in November (£23.6 million), and setting the two highest prices for any work in the category when both Piccadilly Circus, London, 1960, and The Football Match, 1949, by L.S. Lowry, R.A.(1887-1976) each sold for £5.6 million, in November and May respectively. Building on this, Christie’s London sets the tone for the 2012 sales in this field with a stellar array of important works, both in the 20th Century British and Irish Art Evening Sale (45 lots), on Wednesday 23 May, and the Day Sale (161 lots), on the 24 May. The star lot of the series is an exemplary oil, Industrial Landscape: Stockport Viaduct, 1958, by Lowry (estimate: £1,200,000-1,800,000), which leads a total of 22 oils and drawings offered over the two ... More |
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The building that housed Jackson Pollock's studio is shown. AP Photo/Frank Eltman.
By: Frank Eltman, Associated Press
EAST HAMPTON (AP).- Out behind a small farmhouse on a Long Island country road sits an old gray barn where a tormented artist dripped paint off brushes, sticks — even turkey basters — onto canvasses spread out on a wooden floor. Besides making quite a mess of things, leaving splash marks everywhere, Jackson Pollock also created some of the 20th century's greatest masterpieces. Pollock, who would have turned 100 this year, is being remembered at a New York City fundraiser later this month honoring a charity that aids struggling artists, along with the Academy Award-nominated actor and filmmaker Ed Harris who spent nearly a decade making the 2000 film "Pollock." There also are exhibitions in Washington, D.C., and at the home Pollock shared with his wife, artist Lee Krasner, in the Springs community of East Hampton — now a museum and study center. And shoe manufacturer Crocs is releasing a Pollock-inspired shoe this June, ... More |
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Donald Judd, Untitled, 1960-78. Color woodcut with blue watercolor hand-additions, 20 7/8 x 16 in. Estimate: $20,000-30,000.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Freeman's will offer works from New York fashion stylist Janet Brown's collection over the course of its 2012 spring and fall auction seasons. Two noteworthy groups of decorative objects, furniture and silver will be offered, first in the April 30 American Furniture, Silver and Decorative Arts, followed by the May 22 Fine English & Continental Furniture, Silver & Decorative Arts auction. On May 12, an outstanding suite of Brice Marden prints, a rare woodcut by Donald Judd and a drawing by Balthus will be sold in the Modern & Contemporary Art auction, along with nearly twenty other outstanding examples by American and European artists of the 20th century. Photographs and Asian works of art will be offered in September. For socialites and successful, busy women, the advice and assistance of the late Janet Brown on matters of fashion and style was invaluable. From her small, white-walled boutique in the ... More |
| Sotheby's Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale to be held on 2 May 2012 in New York |
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Museum of Fine Arts, Saint Petersburg premieres important gifts of Soviet photography in exhibition |
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Dallas Museum of Art appoints Gabriel Ritter as Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art |
Fernand Léger, La joie de vivre. Est. $2.5/3 million. Photo: Sotheby's.
NEW YORK, NY.- Sotheby’s annual spring Evening Sale of Impressionist & Modern Art will be held in New York on 2 May 2012, featuring one of the world’s most famous masterpieces: Edvard Munch’s The Scream. The work stands as both a pivotal piece in the history of art and as an icon of global visual culture. A significant group of works from the Estate of Theodore J. Forstmann will open the evening sale, featuring major canvases by Pablo Picasso, Chaïm Soutine, and Joan Miró. In addition, the sale will offer a strong selection of Surrealist and Modern works, as well as sculpture from a private European that includes important pieces by Constantin Brancusi and Auguste Rodin. Highlights from the sale are currently on view in Sotheby’s London galleries through 18 April, and will return for exhibition in New York beginning 27 April. Edvard Munch’s enduring masterpiece The Scream is one of the most instantly ... More |
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Max Alpert, Workers at Sunrise, c. 1930s, Gift of Howard Schickler.
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.- Picturing a New Society: Photographs from the Soviet Union 1920s–1980s explores how photography was used in the development and propagation of communism. It also raises larger questions surrounding the perception and interpretation of photographs, which are often viewed as strictly representing reality. The exhibition opened Saturday, April 14, and continues through Sunday, August 19, in the second-floor Works on Paper Gallery in the Hazel Hough Wing. Artists in the early days of Soviet rule redefined their role in society. No longer creators of paintings, drawings, and sculptures for the elite, many artists embraced photography as an art for the masses. They advanced the cause of the October Revolution of 1917 by experimenting with avant-garde processes and points of view. With the founding of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) only five years later, photographic experimentation was abandoned and the realism inherent to the ... More |
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Ritter is currently completing his Ph.D. in Art History at the University of California, Los Angeles.
DALLAS, TX.- Gabriel Ritter has been appointed The Nancy and Tim Hanley Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art at the Dallas Museum of Art, it was announced today by Maxwell L. Anderson, the DMA’s Eugene McDermott Director. He will begin work in Dallas on May 14, 2012. Ritter has extensive knowledge of modern and contemporary art. He has worked internationally in museums and has served as an independent curator, organizing exhibitions of emerging artists from the United States, Europe, and Asia. “Gabriel’s great enthusiasm and sincere interest in connecting artists globally with the collection and the community in Dallas will add depth and excitement to our increasingly diverse and energetic programming in contemporary art,” said Anderson. Ritter is currently completing his Ph.D. in Art History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he also earned his masters of art history, and is complet ... More |
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| Turner Contemporary announces £13.8 million impact on Kent economy in first 12 months of operation |
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1949 Bigsby solid body guitar headlines Heritage guitar event at Dallas Guitar Show |
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Executive Director David Setford to leave Hyde Collection; National search for successor planned |
Now a new report shows that Turner Contemporary has generated an additional £13.8m of value. Photo: © Hufton + Crow.
MARGATE.- Turner Contemporary reaches its first birthday today 16 April 2012, 496,554 visitors have passed through the doors, more than treble what was predicted for the first year of operation. Now a new report shows that Turner Contemporary has generated an additional £13.8m of value for the Kent economy and supports an estimated 130 (FTE) jobs in the county. Victoria Pomery, Director Turner Contemporary said:‘The past 12 months have been truly spectacular for Turner Contemporary. We have been absolutely delighted by the number of visitors, and their response to the gallery and our exhibitions. This report highlights the positive impact these visitors have had on the local economy in terms of additional tourism income and in supporting jobs. The gallery has also had a huge social impact. We were delighted that over 20,000 people had participated in our Learning ... More |
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1949 Bigsby Birdseye Maple Solid Body Electric Guitar, #51649. Estimate: $25,000 - $35,000.
DALLAS, TX.- A stunning 1949 Bigsby Solid Body guitar, only the fourth one ever made by famed luthier Paul Bigsby – best known for creating the first successful electric guitar “whammy bar” – may bring as much as $80,000 when it comes up for auction on April 21 at the Dallas Guitar Show (Dallas Market Hall, 2200 North Stemmons Freeway) as part of Heritage Auctions’ Vintage Guitars and Musical Instruments Signature® Auction. “This not only a fantastic guitar, it’s a piece of musical history,” said Mike Gutierrez, Consignment Director at Heritage Auctions. “Simply put, you very rarely ever see these guitars show up on the market, especially not one as early and well-documented as this one. We expect hardcore collectors are going to go after this guitar with great energy.” A pair of early Les Paul models – a 1957 Standard Gold Top Solid Body Electric Guitar, Serial #7 6188 and a 1 ... More |
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David Setford has accepted a position with International Fine Art Expositions in Florida, as Managing Executive directing international art fairs in Palm Beach and Miami.
GLENS FALLS, NY.- The Hyde Collection announced today that David F. Setford has informed the Board of Trustees that he intends to leave his post as Executive Director in August. A nationwide search will be conducted to identify a successor. Mr. Setford, who has led the Hyde for four and a half years, spearheaded high-profile exhibitions including Degas and Music in 2009 and Andrew Wyeth: An American Legend in 2010 and oversaw a successful $3 million capital campaign. He has accepted a position with International Fine Art Expositions in Florida, as Managing Executive directing international art fairs in Palm Beach and Miami. “Leading The Hyde Collection has been one of the greatest professional experiences of my career, and I leave with both deep affection for this spectacular collection and great expectations for its future,” Mr. Setford said. ... More |
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| More News |
 Bonhams offers private collection of iconic Hermès bags in Knightsbridge Jewellery sale
LONDON.- A selection of sixty-four iconic Hermès bags from a private collection will be offered in the Jewellery sale taking place at Bonhams, Knightsbridge on the 16th May. Renowned for its handmade luggage and handbags, Hermès has never used assembly lines and a craftsperson makes a single handbag at a time, hand-stitching individual pieces.Included in the sale are the renowned ‘Kelly’ and ‘Birkin’ bags among a selection of handbags dating from the 1950s – 2008. In 1935, the leather Sac à dépêches was developed by Hermès, which was later renamed the ’Kelly bag’. In 1956, a photo of Grace Kelly, who had become the new Princess of Monaco, was pictured carrying the Sac à dépêches bag to hide her pregnancy. Photographs were sent all over the world and put on the cover of Life magazine. As a result, the bag became known as the ‘Kelly’ and has been hugely ... More Adventures in the Human Virosphere: Three-dimensional models to understand human viral infections
STANFORD, CA.- Demonstrating the beauty of the molecular world as well as the extraordinary creativity of Stanford students, models of herpes, papilloma, polio, rabies, smallpox and other human viruses fill the Rowland K. Rebele Gallery in the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. Many of the models appear at first glance as bedazzled flights of fancy, but the accompanying labels reveal the science behind their creation. Viruses are sub-microscopic biological particles that infect cells and use them to reproduce many more entities like themselves. Since viruses are genetically simple and generally symmetrical, the models display a surprising aesthetic beauty. The exhibition “Adventures in the Human Virosphere: The Use of Three-Dimensional Models to Understand Human Viral Infections” is now open to the public and continues on view through October. Stanford ... More Modern art, rare silver, tobacciana featured in May 5 Auction at Nest Egg
MERIDIEN, CONN.- Some of the best art and antiques from CT estates will be featured at Nest Egg’s Spring Art and Antiques Auction on Saturday, May 5 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Customers attending the 240-lot sale will find an eclectic selection of beautiful and unusual items, all fresh-to-market. “We like to think of this auction as a prerequisite for the spring show at Brimfield,” said auctioneer Ryan Brechlin. A Sol LeWitt painted aluminum sculpture will be offered for its first time. The thirty-eight inch, seven-pointed star rises into a flat topped pyramid. Originally intended for the Structures exhibition in New York’s City Hall Park, only five of the eight sculptures were installed from 1989-1990. This particular piece is owned by Michael Hayes; friend, neighbor and fabricator for Sol LeWitt for many years. The sculpture carries a pre-sale estimate of $30,000-$50,000 and ... More Exhibit of 18 violins tells story of the Holocaust
By: Martha Waggoner, Associated Press
CHARLOTTE.- When a musician plays a violin long enough, the instrument is imprinted with its owner's way of making sound. If someone else picks it up, they learn to play it in a way that honors its history. So when David Russell places a violin played in the World War II concentration camp of Auschwitz under his chin, he lets the violin tell him how to do it. The Auschwitz violin and 17 others with connections to the vanished world of Europe's prewar Jewish communities are part of a new exhibit and performance series called "Violins of Hope." "When the violinists in 'Violins of Hope' play these instruments and they find how to make these instruments sound their best, they're actually bringing back patterns from the former performers who used to play ... More Forever challenging conventional assumptions about art and design at SOFA New York
NEW YORK, NY.- When the 15th edition of the Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair (SOFA NEW YORK) opens on Friday, April 20 at the Park Avenue Armory, it will do what it has always had done best-spur visitors to wrestle with the topic: What is art? As always, attendees will be drawn to a thrilling collection of masterworks representing the gamut of contemporary art and design from around the world. Upon entering the exhibition hall, fairgoers will be instantly transported into a celestial mise-en-scene created by architect David Ling. Here is an armchair tour through some of the fair's top highlights, starting at Ceramicist Bonnie Seeman at St. Louis-based Duane Reed Gallery explores the utilitarian object as narration. Blending the macabre with the beautiful, the anatomical with the botanical, she expresses the fragility and resiliency of life (Booth 108). Cristina ... More Philip Mould discovers the Patron Saint of Transvestites in New York saleroom
LONDON.- The earliest surviving formal portrait of a male transvestite has been discovered by Philip Mould in a New York saleroom. On first glance the historic portrait featuring a rather masculine looking woman piqued the renowned art sleuth’s interest. A gentle clean and further painstaking research uncovered a rich and colourful history. “The 18th century portrait appeared to be of a somewhat manly middle-aged lady. Research before the sale suggested otherwise, and upon cleaning, the face revealed a distinctive 5 0’clock shadow. This fuelled further investigation that resulted in the astonishing discovery that the portrait is of the legendary spy, diplomat and transvestite, Chevalier D’Eon that has been lost since 1926. The painting is now “under serious consideration” by the National Portrait Gallery, London. Should it be purchased will represent the gallery’s first oil painting ... More John Giorno is author of Socrates Sculpture Park's new Broadway Billboard series
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY.- Socrates Sculpture Park announces the opening of “EATING THE SKY” by artist John Giorno. Giorno’s image spans the main entrance to Socrates Sculpture Park from April 13 through July, 2012 and is the new incarnation of Socrates’ ongoing Broadway Billboard series. “EATING THE SKY” vibrates with both dystopic and utopic possibilities, depending upon your worldview or mood of the day. The seemingly declarative aphorism defies easy interpretation and toggles somewhere between environmental, existential destruction and spiritual joy and nourishment. Giorno’s concrete poetry – equal parts visual experience and linguistic force - have been a part of his practice since his first text paintings in 1967. EATING THE SKY originally appeared as the first line in a poem back in 1977, then became the title of a poem, and later evolved into a poetic ... More |
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