straight
I love this Ai Weiwei installation from the 2013 Venice Art Biennale. He gathered 150 tons of steel rebar from the wreckage of the Sichuan quake for the material. (This disaster occurred in 2008 and claimed the lives of 5,000 school children. Ai Weiwei was active in uncovering the names of all the victims, facts that the Chinese government wanted to keep quiet. He was arrested and jailed for his involvement. Many of his subsequent works have referenced the tragedy. Long story, but there’s a brief background for anyone getting acquainted with this artist. via.) Sizes of the steel varied in length and diameter. For the work, he had all the pieces of steel straightened, as if new. All of the steel rods are then arranged into neat stacks and piles, suggesting there is some order in their being there. This article says that this aspect is “metaphorically speaking of the artist trying to make things right” – which I can see. Further, the room holding all the steel seems like it would be heavy on an emotional level, the stacks and stacks of rods reminding the viewer of the individual victims of the disaster. via designboom. <<–there’s also a great video on this link that discusses his works from the Biennale.
Filed under: installation | 1 Comment
Tags: ai weiwei, children, china, installation, order, quake, rods, school, stacks, steel, straight, symbolic, Venice Biennale
7 a.m.
George Shaw paints scenes from Tile Hill in Coventry, England, where he grew up. Even of quiet subject matter, they are unsettling somehow. Perhaps it is in the silence of the places that make them so. (Where IS everyone?) His work appeals to me because they are both mundane and utterly intriguing at the same time. The words “nothing” and “something” came up often in this article about Shaw’s work, and I think that together the two represent an aspect of his work beautifully. For the artist, though, these images are loaded with memories or at the very least, pensive feelings about these places – which he investigates through the process of painting. Speaking of…the way he paints is stunning as you can see. Shaw says that he sees this ongoing series as “essentially one big painting.” This is a fitting perspective to apply to this artist’s body of work, a perspective I may adopt myself! via.
Filed under: painting | Leave a Comment
Tags: art, contemporary art, England, fence, houses, landscape, leaves, oil, outside, painting, phone booth, shadows, shaw
either way
I am loving these oil paintings by Michael Carson. I like the way the paint is washed-out looking in some areas, and thick and globby in others. He has a background in graphic design and loves fashion, both of which are evident in his work, from the stylish figures, bold divisions of colors, and variation of paint application. I also admire the way Carson painted shadows, particularly in the 2nd and 7th image..defined, with an occasional flare here and there by running the paint or blurring the edges. via.
Filed under: painting | 1 Comment
Tags: art, color, contemporary art, figurative, figure, flesh, oil, oil painting, paint, seated, women
out of reach
Take a look at these recent oil paintings by Canadian artist Paul Fenniak. He presents us with an apparent moment of a broader story, in a style that reminds us of a handful of art references all at once (Degas, Manet, Beckmann)…and does so in such a way that is utterly refreshing. I also love his range of painting; the third image is far more polished and busy than the more impressionistic, softer second image. I certainly enjoy his rendition of figures too…hope you like!
Filed under: painting | Leave a Comment
Tags: art, art historical reference, color, contemporary art, figurative, oil painting, painting, portrait, scene, triptych
painted narratives
I’m enthralled with these narrative paintings by Jerome Witkin. I love how full of content the images are. There’s soo much going on in each painting, and they’re so impeccably executed. The reflections, the way light hits the subjects, the intense presentation of details…there’s so much to appreciate I’m going to politely refrain from typing an essay here. No surprise that Witkin has been painting for decades! If you want to read more about the artist, this interview offers some great topics to consider. And, he has works in the permanent collection at the Met, so next time you’re in New York City…
Filed under: painting | Leave a Comment
Tags: art, art historical reference, color, figurative, jerome witkin, light, narrative, painting, portrait, shadows
mille fleurs
Victoria Selbach paints nude women, with a strong interest in the play of light and dark that falls onto the body. (This is perhaps most evident in the fourth image.) I love how deeply individual the women are portrayed. Light sources are clear in each composition, and the fall of light onto the figures is beautifully rendered. The heavily dark areas evoke a sense of mystery to the work, which furthers the intrigue of the women. via.
Filed under: painting | Leave a Comment
Tags: art, contemporary art, dark, doorways, figure, flesh, girls, light, nude, painting, shadows, women
this place
These delightfully eerie photos are by St. Petersburg artist, Alexey Titarenko, from his series on St. Petersburg (1991-2009). Extended exposures have blurred – sometimes down to a ghostly presence – the figures within the frame. I love this effect in this context because the half-presence reminds us that history exists within the landscape..and how people are an integral part to a place. Titarenko’s photos offer an appreciation of his city, while making me think, “Lives were lived here.” via. NOW, what Russian novel needs to be read…
Filed under: photography | Leave a Comment
Tags: art, B&W, black&white, broken ice, extended exposure, photography, photos, Russia, snow, st. petersburg
scavenger hunt
Connecticut-based artist Amy Eisenfeld Genser layers, rolls, and cuts paper to make these beautiful paper collages over her painted surfaces. It is evident that patterns in nature influence Genser, considering for example the beehive layout of the paper elements and the organic qualities of the compositions. I love the flow of the paper and color schemes within the works. Notice the varying sizes of the paper circles; how they get smaller and then more spaced out. So much to enjoy in each piece! via.
Filed under: collage, paper | 2 Comments
Tags: abstract, art, beehive, collage, color, design, nature, organic, paper, pattern
clowns
I’m digging the neon splashes of color coupled with the lightly drawn graphite lines in these works by artist Niki Pilkington. Simple lines, loud colors, stylish figures. ORANGE nail polish. They’re fun. via.
Filed under: illustration | Leave a Comment
Tags: art, ballpoint pen, color, drawing, graphite, neon, parrot, text, triangles
hands-on
You know how I like HANDS in artwork, and here David Agenjo made a whole series of paintings studying hands. Expressive in color palette and application, he shows a disciplined control over value. Notice the highlighted areas bring the subject matter to life, despite how many colors are competing for attention. Enjoy the hands! via.
Filed under: painting | 2 Comments
Tags: color, expressive, figure, hands, series, study, value
monicovka 