Category Archives: FYI

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Bloomsbury Art & Design

April 29, 2018

FullSizeRender 8Self-Portrait // Roger Fry // oil on canvas // 1928

In 1900s London a group of artists and academics became known as the Boomsbury Group. Those affiliated with the group worked together on a variety of projects including those relating to art. Artist members included Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and Roger Fry and abstract designs was a characteristic of their artistic style. The Courtauld Institute of Art held an exhibition of the Bloomsbury Group which allowed visitors to see the juxtaposition of individual artist’s pieces next to works from other members. 

FullSizeRender 10Rug // Duncan Grant // Probably made at the Royal Wilton Carpet Factory // hand-knotted wool, jute or hemp warp // 1913 or later

FullSizeRender 17Spinet // Made by Arnold Dolmetsch, decorated by Roger Fry // oil on wood // 1918

FullSizeRender 18Plate with Sailing Boat Design // Duncan Grant // earthenware, painted overglaze, ‘Ω” painted on base // 1913

FullSizeRender 20Screen with Lily Pond Design // Duncan Grant // oil on wood // 1913-1914

FullSizeRender 29Rug Design // Attributed to Vanessa Bell // gouache and pencil on paper // 1913-1914

Becoming America

April 29, 2018

IMG_5895What do you think of when you hear “American art?”  Portraits of our founding fathers? American flags? The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens has an exhibition dedicated to showing art from the early United States titled “Becoming America.” Located in the Scott Galleries the works include paintings, furniture, spinning wheels and quilts and are all from the private collection of Jonathan and Karin Fielding. 

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Street Art Palms

April 28, 2018

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A gray electrical box on the sidewalk. Sounds boring right? Well, there is a current trend that is changing people’s perception of electrical boxes. In various cities in Los Angeles, such as Culver City, artists are using these seemingly ordinary objects as a blank canvas for their works. Painted in vibrant colors and varying designs, these boxes are becoming public works of art. Check out this one from Palms in Culver City. At a block party the public was invited to paint their handprints making this not only an artistic work of art but a communal one as well. 

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Tate Britain

April 27, 2018

IMG_7208.JPGThe History of the World // Jeremy Deller // graphite & acrylic paint on wall // 1997-2004

In my most recent visit to Tate Britain, I discovered works I had never seen before. These were some that I found most striking.  

FullSizeRender 15Sunil Gupta

FullSizeRender 12Chair // Allen Jones // acrylic paint on glass fibre & resin with Perspex & leather // 1969

FullSizeRender 11Blue Devils // Chris Ofili // oil paint & charcoal on canvas // 2014

FullSizeRender 10Portrait of David Hockney in a Hollywood Spanish Interior // Peter Blake // acrylic paint, graphite & ink on canvas // 1965

FullSizeRender 7.jpgDying King // Elisabeth Frink // bronze // 1963

FullSizeRender 5No Woman, No Cry // Chris Ofili // oil paint, acrylic paint, graphite, polyester resin, printed paper, glitter, map pins & elephant dung on canvas 

Still Life with Owls

April 26, 2018

IMG_1265.jpgStill Life with Owls // Jonas Wood 

If you have recently driven by MOCA in Los Angeles you may notice the entrance looks different. Artist Jonas Wood has created a mural to completely envelop the façade. Consisting of brightly colored flora, Wood creates a vibrant image of nature in this large scale work. 

IMG_1338.jpgStill Life with Owls // Jonas Wood

IMG_1266.jpgStill Life with Owls // Jonas Wood

Exhibition Road Quarter

April 26, 2018

FullSizeRender 7Exhibition Road Quarter // Amanda Levete Architects (AL_A)

The latest architectural project at the V&A museum in London was the opening of a new entrance on Exhibition Road. Created out of porcelain tile, this entrance leads to a large courtyard where people can mingle, sit for a cup of tea or walk directly to the temporary exhibitions. The use of porcelain in the design is a tribute to the V&A’s immense 19th century ceramic collection, but in a fresh and modern look. 

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Pause

April 25, 2018

 

FullSizeRender 8.jpg In Transit // Abdulnasser Gharem // silkscreen on paper // 2013

LACMA had an exhibition titled “Pause” which showcased works by Abdulnasser Gharem. An artist, Gharem is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Saudi Army. In “Pause” Gharem’s pieces reflect post 9/11 life. His works provide commentary on how that horrific event not only affected life in America but impacted other parts of the world. To highlight the interconnectedness of the world, Gharem blends Western and Eastern characteristics in his work such as geometric designs and Arabic script, which are characteristics of the East, with American icons such as the Twin Towers and US fighter jets. Viewers were intended to stop, pause and reflect on current world affairs since that tragic day in 2001. 

FullSizeRender 4The Path (Siraat) // Abdulnasser Gharem // silkscreen on paper // 2012

FullSizeRender 9Hemisphere // Abdulnasser Gharem // digital print and lacquer paint on rubber stamps on aluminum // 2017

FullSizeRender 6Ricochet // Abdulnasser Gharem // digital print and lacquer paint on rubber stamps on aluminum 

FullSizeRender 7Hemisphere // Abdulnasser Gharem // polyurethane with sand-cast bronze and aluminum inlay // 2017

 

BP Portrait Awards 2017

April 24, 2018

FullSizeRender 2Breech! // Benjamin Sullivan // oil on canvas // 1st Prize

Every year the National Portrait Gallery in London invites the public to submit portraits to be on view in the gallery in an exhibition known as the BP Portrait Awards. Last year marked the 38th year. In addition to the main show, there is a youth category called Next Generation. The 38th BP Portrait Awards had 2,580 submissions from 87 countries. Of that number, a panel of judges selected 53 to be exhibited. The following were my favorite.

FullSizeRender 4Delfin // Jesús Maria Sáez de Vicuña Ochoa // oil on board

FullSizeRender 7Simona // Lukáš Betinsky // oil on canvas

FullSizeRender 8Emma // Antony Williams // egg tempera on board // 3rd Prize

FullSizeRenderAnother Find Day on Elysian Fields Avenue, Nola // Éva Csanyi-Hurskin // oil on linen

FullSizeRender 6Archipelago // Brian Shields // acrylic on canvas behind part-mirrored glass

FullSizeRender 5Double Portrait // Thomas Ehretsmann // acrylic on board // 2nd Prize

FullSizeRender copyGabi // Henry Christian-Slane // oil on board // BP Young Artist Award