Ciao Fabio,

Please introduce yourself and your background.

I am from the southern part of Italy, Catania, Sicily, but I am really a little bit from everywhere. After the mandatory Italian military service, I left for France. I was 18 and that happened in 1996. I lived 3.5 years in France and then I moved to the United States in September 1999. Throughout my three years in France I learned about French techniques and French coiffeur and I started to take academic courses in England. I moved away from Italy because I needed to learn techniques and visions from other countries. In my field the Italians are considered to be super artistic and crafty with their hands “we are artisans”. It makes a huge impact to be able to visualize and finish something in a proper way. The English have much more structure and precision and they use technical abilities. The French are a combination of both (like the Italians and the English). The French also have a middle eastern influence as well. They know how to deal with different types of hair from a technical point of view but they are also artisans.

After these 3.5 years of experiences, I moved to New York and to Los Angeles and I have been here for 22 years and I currently live in New York.

This dream started in my childhood so I have been doing hair since I was 12 years old.

What do you call yourself?

I can be called a “hairstylist” but I am actually an “Artisan-Artist”, with the vision of an artist and with the technique of an artisan. I am also a hair doctor, consultant, a “Hairapist”.

Anybody can be a hairdresser but I am like a hair specialist. There is always someone that can do better. But do you have many people that can do better than you in every single aspect holistically speaking? The answer is no. I challenge everyone. I can specialize in every single area because of my time and my mindset. The way we approach things here is a little bit different than others. We can cover almost everything from the trichology to morphology and we try to see the psychology and the behavior of the customers in front of us as well as their facial features. Then we analyze everything and cover every single base.

When did you open your first salon and how many salons do you have now?

I have two salons. We have about 15 stations. I would have a maximum of 25 stations.

What made you decide to become a hairstylist? What inspires and motivates you? 

Italians by default have big passions: cars, motorcycles, food, and women. My neighbor was a hairdresser and he was always coming home with beautiful women on dates; he had a nice life and a great car. This guy had it all! He was always well dressed. My mom’s best friend was a hairdresser too and she was coming to the house along with other women and this also encouraged me to become a hairdresser as well. I could be around women, make money. I am very ambitious, I don’t do mediocre things. I always do the best and so I liked the whole package. So this is how everything started.

I was a visionary. Italy unfortunately is not very good about dreams and visionaries. Yes it was good to learn the craft and the creativity but not for dreams.

I learned a lot in Italy. I convinced myself to follow my dreams. I went to do an internship after middle school and I did “the gavetta” without being paid. I was doing a lot of side jobs to support myself.

How did covid have an impact on your business and how did you adjust and create a safe environment for your customers?

We are not anti vaccine, not political oriented, we just want what is the best. We had to adapt to the times, I went beyond the guidelines and I did everything and beyond what they were asking. We wanted to make sure that clients had a protocol when they came in. We stayed updated with the guidelines, we measured the temperature, and everyone had to wear a mask, and kept 6 feet distance between the stations. We stopped offering drinks, (we had a full bar, no more coffee as well), so people could learn how to manage the social distance and feel safe and comfortable when inside our salons. We washed our hands and sanitized everything and each station. Each customer stayed at a station and if they moved we sanitized the entire station and re-cleaned everything. We asked people not to stay in the salon if they didn’t have an appointment. We asked people to remove the mask they came in and put on a new mask; that was a little bit hard, but not negotiable. Nothing was negotiable in the guidelines. It was an extra precaution. The goal was to make sure that our staff members and family and customers were all safe.

We tried to cut down the hours or extend them according to the needs to make sure to be safe. We also eliminated magazines.

If people did not want to follow our guidelines, we had to ask them to leave. It only probably happened twice.

Through PPP we were able to keep the business afloat and I kept paying my staff.

We also started to ask our customers how Covid-19 has been impacting their lives and lifestyles, how often do you wash your hair now? How are you doing your hair now? Now they don’t go to the office but maybe they work on Zoom, so there are differences between seeing people in person or on a flat screen. I therefore asked people to bring a screenshot of how they look on Zoom so that we can work on their hair.

We currently maintain these standards and requirements.

What are your dreams and plans for the future?

My dream, my plan for the future is as follows: one part of my dream is to grow the Fabio Scalia brand in the most important cities in the world where we can be and become pioneers and inspiration for young hairdressers who want to pursue this career and make it a treasure. I also want to be able to give a wonderful opportunity to those who for one reason or another perhaps do not believe in themselves or do not believe that they can have a nice and lucrative professional future by doing hair.

Fabio Scalia’s Website

Instagram 

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To hear the phrase “the first woman to” do or become something is unfortunately quite common nowadays, and while the road to equality is still long, we salute those who help pave it.

We are also nevertheless very happy for Laurence des Cars, the first woman to lead The Louvre in Paris in its 228-year-long history. She was appointed on May 26, 2021 by the French President Emmanuel Macron, and will assume her position at the realm of world’s most visited museum on September 1.

While the name of Laurence des Cars only just became familiar to many, this experienced art historian has been around for a while. Born in 1966 to journalist and writer Jean des Cars, she studied art history at the Sorbonne and École du Louvre. Her first position as curator was at the Musée d’Orsay, of which she has also been President since 2014, along with the much smaller Musée de l’Orangerie since 2017. From 2007 to 2014, she was in charge of Agence France-Muséums, the French government body behind the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Des Cars is a specialist in 19th- and early-20th-century painting. As a teacher at École du Louvre, she organized many exhibitions for various museums, including the traveling show on Edward Burne-Jones (1998-99), Gustave Courbet (2007-08), and Jean-Léon Gérôme (2010-11).

During her time as head of Musée d’Orsay, Laurence des Cars oversaw the acclaimed 2019 exhibition “Black models: from Géricault to Matisse,” which looked at the representation of Black figures in visual arts, from the abolition of slavery in France (1794) to the modern day. The museum is also the first French venue of its kind to voluntarily return a Nazi-looted painting to its rightful owners.

“My heart beat much faster,” des Cars said to France Inter, after learning about her new role from the culture minister, Roselyne Bachelot, on May 23. She will be replacing the museum’s leader of the past eight years, Jean-Luc Martinez, who will now serve as a special ambassador for international co-operation on cultural heritage. According to a statement from the French culture ministry, Des Cars pledged to extend The Louvre’s opening hours in order to attract younger visitors, and to foster “a dialogue between ancient art and the contemporary world,” which will be particularly interesting to see, given that The Louvre has been a “classical” art museum under Martinez’s leadership.

In an interview with The New York Times, des Cars expressed her excitement to be the first female president-director of The Louvre. “Things are really changing for women in the museum world. Of the 70 curators in the Louvre, more than half of them are women. More women are heading museums, especially in Europe. And younger women are much more confident these days,” she said.

Although he grew the museum’s attendance to over 10 million a year, the previous Director Jean-Luc Martinez was criticized for a few decisions, including the Louvre’s partnership with the Uniqlo brand for a merchandize line, or the one with Airbnb, which allowed a couple to spend a night in the museum.

The Louvre Museum is a state-owned venue with the annual budget of about $291 million and more than 2,000 employees. Despite the fact that the attendance plunged by 72 percent to 2.7 million in 2020 during the pandemic, it is still the most visited – and the largest – art museum in the world.

As reported by The Guardian and the French Culture Ministry, about 67 percent of the country’s national museums are headed by women. Laurence des Cars will be joining the company of Catherine Chevillot, Director of the Musée Rodin, Tatyana Franck at the Élysée museum, and Sophie Makariou, President of the Musée Guimet.

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/laurence-des-cars-named-louvre-director
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/arts/design/louvre-laurence-des-cars.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/26/louvre-appoints-laurence-des-cars-as-first-female-president

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To see these masterpieces, you can to the MoMA or the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam – or you can see them projected in 90 million pixels across 500,000 cubic feet of a visual experience. Immersive Van Gogh, a digital art exhibition devoted to the Dutch master, is touring around the world with numerous venues in the United States.

Following the sold-out show in Toronto, and record-breaking run in Paris (glimpses of which you can see in Netflix’s show “Emily in Paris”), “Immersive Van Gogh” opened this May at a secret location in Los Angeles.

One of the most important artists in the history of visual arts, Vincent van Gogh developed a remarkable, memorable painterly style, drawing from his long history with mental illness combined with his unique sense of the world around him. His incredible swirls of colors and attention to detail continue to dazzle audiences around the world, now culminating in the “Immersive Van Gogh” experience. The visitors are able to “step inside” Van Gogh’s masterpieces, carefully selected from his 2000+ lifetime catalog of artworks, and accompanied by light, music, movement, and imagination.

Conceived as a one-hour walkthrough exhibition, “Immersive Van Gogh” was designed by Creative Director and Italian film producer Massimiliano Siccardi, and Art Directed by Vittorio Guidotti. It contains original, mood-setting score by another Italian, multimedia composer Luca Longobardi, that accompanies the Van Gogh artwork as it comes to life before the visitors’ eyes.

Chances are you’ve probably already seen dozens of images of “Immersive Van Gogh” across your socials. The exhibition provides an environment that flawlessly caters to our obsession with social media and the ever-evolving selfie culture (remember Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Room selfies? They were EVERYWHERE). Add to that the ongoing pandemic and our human need to socialize and be part of events, and you got yourself a blockbuster!

The “Immersive Van Gogh” experience has nineteen cities on its North American schedule, with shows already open in Chicago (until November 28, 2021) and San Francisco (until September 6, 2021). The Los Angeles iteration opens on May 27 at a yet undisclosed location “at the heart” of the city. The exhibitions will then open in New York City (June 10), Dallas (June 17), Charlotte, NC (June 18), Las Vegas (July 1), Phoenix, Minneapolis, Houston…

And speaking of the coronavirus, “Immersive Van Gogh” promises a safe space: through timed ticket admission, temperature checks upon arrival, hand sanitizer stations and social distancing markers across the exhibition hall, and of course masks, to be worn at all times.

Tickets for “Immersive Van Gogh” range in prices from $40 for off-peak time slots to $50 for peak ones. You might want to hurry: the first available time slot at the moment is in October!

Immersive Van Gogh LA Website

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With the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, virtually every in-person event on Earth was cancelled, art fairs among them. Directors had to get creative, inspired to find a way to keep art, hope, and inspiration alive by bringing the show to the public somehow.

A little background: Cube Art Fair is actually a Brussels-based enterprise, happening in the Belgian capital every year for four years now. It mainly focuses on American artists through a high standard of curation, presentation, and organization of a major gallery fair. Through Cube Art Fair, European collectors have a unique change to get familiar with the contemporary art scene in the United States, be it emerging or established.

So how does a Brussels fair end up in New York? The reason would be Gregoire Vogelsang, the man behind Cube, who moved to the Big Apple after managing an art gallery in Belgium for two years.

Now onto the NYC event! To visit Cube Art Fair 2021, you better get your legs ready: the artwork can be viewed on over 100 of the city’s many billboards and kiosks, from the heart of Times Square to the Lower East Side, Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, the Upper East Side and beyond. The whole of Manhattan is Cube Art Fair’s exhibition space! The billboard initiative seems to be part of Cube’s #staycreative campaign, which had already taken place in Brussels and Miami.

What not to miss? The Cube Art Fair definitely recommends seeing “Soft Stories,” one of the artworks appearing on a 12,000-square-feet billboard in Times Square. Created by Canadian photographer Laura Jane Petelko, the open series takes the symbolic inhabitation of animals as the point of departure and goes on to tackle the topics of intimacy, isolation, our relationship with nature.

On the other hand, the sculptural work of the American artist Sam Tufnell tries to reorient our understanding of beauty. His pieces present in the Cube Art Fair exhibition call out the macabre: there is a sculpture of a skull made of noodle soup, for instance.

Among other participating artists are Denmark’s portrait photographer Kenneth Willardt, the French-Mexican photographer Patricia de Solages, and Belgian wildlife photographer Griet Van Malderen.

Make sure you scan the QR code of each artwork, to find our more about it, or even to purchase it, in physical or NFT format.

Cube Art Fair is on view in New York City through May 9, 2021.

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My journey as an artist has been anything but linear. Although I loved the idea of a creative life, I had little going for me in that department aside from encouragement from my art teachers when I was younger. I didn’t go to art school and photography didn’t even become part of the journey until after the birth of my daughter. Feeling compelled to document her life, I bought a used camera and taught myself to use it to document this new life I’d hoped to make better than my own. I made a darkroom in my garage and spent almost every night experimenting as she slept. Finding that space to play with my artistic voice became like a drug and emboldened me to try all kinds of unlikely projects, none of which felt particularly inspiring until I was offered the chance to shoot stills for an independent film in Los Angeles. I arrived on day one with my beat up old camera and was told to find the cinematographer, who just happened to be the late and legendary John Alonzo (Chinatown). On day two he called me over to the grip truck, lent me his gear and told me to “stick close.” Thankfully, I did, and basically came away with a first-class education and a direction to head toward. I had no idea how to make a living with photography but knew then and there it was something I wanted to pursue further. 

I began to worry that I wasn’t doing my daughter any favors by dreaming, so I moved to LA to find work in photography. I managed to land a temp position answering phones at an entertainment firm in Beverly Hills. Within a few short weeks, I started filling in as photo editor, eventually taking over the position. I left four years later as director of the photo department, producing for various big name film, tv, and gaming clients, working closely with celebrity photographers and shooting many of the campaigns myself.

The culture of celebrity can be lucrative but holds little interest for me, however. I was always moonlighting on various personal projects and side hustles, shooting various nightscapes, avoiding anything with people. It was during these nightly escapades that I began to observe and appreciate the ever-changing and ephemeral nature of art of the streets. Hollywood was especially peppered with murals and graffiti, and although I was always working to omit their artwork in my photographs, my thoughts always drifted toward the person behind the work, their enduring spirit, flying in the face of traditional ideas around art, where it’s seen, and who gets to see it. I set out to photograph as many of these elusive figures as possible. 

Seven years later, Heroes & Villains (Zero+ Publishing) was published, just as my daughter was about to turn 16. I was thinking about my next project and she’d recently announced her plans to pursue a professional career in ballet. I asked if she’d be interested in sitting for a more formal portrait. Our time in the studio that day was pivotal in many ways. Having always loved dance — I had been photographing local dance artists initially for the Oregon Cultural Trust, and then for some of the dance companies directly. For me, capturing these artists out of context, not dancing, but simply being was something I wanted to explore. My daughter, with all the hopes and dreams she represented, was the perfect choice to begin that endeavor.

You resist being labeled as a photographer. How do you define yourself? 

Is it cheeky for me to say I’ve no interest in defining myself? While photography is my current medium, the idea that it defines me wouldn’t be true. I am many things. A dancer, a mother, a friend. “Photographer” seems so limiting. I guess I’d prefer to be thought of as someone who cultivates relationships with like minded collaborators? I’m interested in portraying someone as their best self. I like to strip away affectation and expected scenarios. In many ways I feel like an anthropologist who speculates on the future. I especially enjoy working with artists on the cusp.

What kind of works do you create? What do you like to photograph?

I make portraits. My approach, while on the surface may look simple and formalist, is a bit more nuanced and collaborative. I enjoy spending time within a specific genre of artists and having time to get to know someone before we work together. I like to immerse myself in a scene or a movement. I follow my interests, basically. Not in a social media way, but in a one-on-one kind of way. 

What makes one photograph stand out from another? 

That would depend on the viewer, I think. If you’re asking about my editing process, then that’s pretty simple. When I’m working with someone, there is almost always a moment where they’ve let their guard down. Those images tend to stand out for me.

What inspires you?

This is a question I find difficult to answer, mainly because it really depends on the day I’m asked. Other artists inspire me is the short answer. The long answer could lead me down a rabbit hole, but I generally like to read nonfiction. Mostly memoirs and history books. Right now I’m reading Mediocre by Ijeoma Ouelo. 

You are from the East Coast, how did you land up in Los Angeles? What do you like about LA and its art scene?

I grew up in a small town in Maryland and quickly became disenchanted with what I felt were limited prospects for my future. I did what any normal teenager does and sought out adventure, usually hopping on the train to DC or Baltimore to see bands, art exhibitions, or hang out on M Street in Georgetown. I’m close to my Aunt, who was an artist in New York, and when she moved to LA, I ventured out to spend what I expected to be a few weeks helping out. In a relatively short time, I felt surrounded by prospects, the energy and ease really meshed with my personality. LA has a reputation as a place for reinvention and possibility. For me, it continues to deliver, especially within art and culture. While sometimes seeming to dwell in the shadow of Hollywood, I believe the opposite is true. Instead, I think the scene here flies in the face of it.

What is the focus of your current practice?

Mainly two projects with the dance community: one focused on a single artist over several years, and the other, a more comprehensive overview of dance artists who come through or live in the LA area. 

How did Covid-19 impact your art?

Given that my work largely relies on human interaction in the studio and dance artists touring, the shooting component of these projects ground to a halt. Compelled by the state of things and using this as a backdrop, I dove into the archive, noticing and experimenting with themes and patterns that reflect what I feel is our collective state of mind. I also created an outdoor studio at home and collaborated with friends and family on some editorial projects. 

What are your future projects?

As a result of the experimentation with some of my existing imagery, I’ve been learning new software to integrate these stills into what I’m hoping will be something visually interesting.

Otherwise, I have some ideas but given the uncertainty around everything, I really don’t know.

Tatiana Wills’ Website

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New York City is a vibrant and dense city, full of life, colors, and forms. A city known for its love of art in all expressions and ways. Artists and creators find in New York City an open space to showcase their talent, that openness and invitation to create are what makes New York City a reference in the world and a destination for many artists and visitors who want to experience and see the world through the eyes of those who have a story to tell.

A beautiful and special place is Central Park, right in the middle of Manhattan, a space that has allowed New Yorkers and guests to experience nature in the middle of this concrete jungle. Central Park is there to offer all its visitor a space to breath, to walk and to decompress from the intensity that this city can embody. Central Park is also an open space and an open canvas for many artists to present their work to the world.

The Horses is a remarkable art installation located in the Doris C. Fredman Plaza in Central park, curated by Public Art Fund and the curator Daniel S. Palmer. The Horses is an impressive artwork of three aluminum horses, created by the well-known and respected French artist Jean-Marie Appriou. The massive sculptures raging from 16 feet tall to 16 feet long are outstanding installations that evoke those whimsical and poetic figures that can be found in magical stories.

Appriou was inspired by the horses-drawn carriages that are one of the many attractions found in Central Park and by August Saint-Gaudens’s gilded monument of William Tacumseh Sherman on horseback, located in the area. The Horses are magnificent sculptures, carved in clay and foam models, cast in aluminum and full of textures emulating muscles, metal plates and in some places like fabric. One horse is seated, the two others are standing but their location it’s made to create a feel of a scene or scenario.

Public Art Fund curator said about the artist in the public art fund press release, “Jean-Marie Appriou’s unconventional approach to sculpture is almost alchemical, His craftsmanship is informed by a deep knowledge of the historical lineage of sculptors that have preceded him. At the same time, Appriou’s equine sculptures are otherworldly, evoking the silent majesty of horses with nuanced sculptural details that flicker between narrative and poetry.” 

The Horses are sculptures of a mix of human and horse form, giving the viewers the experience of being in front of mystical creatures, encouraging the visitors to see beyond what their eyes see and into what their imagination see. The Horses installation is also an active experience, where people can walk under the standing horse, or around the others to see all of their details and touch their textures, an activity that creates a distinctive experience.

The installation is a beautiful artwork that invites all visitors to use their imagination and to find the magic in the creation and is a suitable art piece that asks everyone to experience the charmed that Central Park offers. Art could be a special way to see the world, with curious eyes and with an open and creative mind, and that is the perfect attitude to go to Central Park and see and discover all its beauty, secrets, and artistic elements.

The world is living in a new reality, where social distancing, face mask and proper hygiene are part of the vocabulary, a new reality in which parks and open spaces are now the perfect and safest places to visit and to spend time. For New Yorkers and tourist now days Central Park has become not only an essential point in an itinerary but also a must visit to fulfill the artistic need, to calm the anxious mind and to enter for a moment in a new and simple reality full of nature and art. The Horses and this type of art exhibits give people the chance to practice art in a safe and fun way.

Public art is a great way to enjoy and satisfy that artistic necessity in any day, but most important during this time when people are not only facing isolation and health concern but also economical concerns. Now creativity is a key not only to create art or to find it but also a way to enjoy time, families, and friends. New York is a place that offers many forms of public and accessible art to its residents and guests. The Horses installation is an example of that artistic vain that is part of the essence of this city.

The Horses will be on display at Doris C. Freedman Plaza, 5^th Avenue at 60^th Street, until August 2020.

Jean-Marie Appriou, The Horses, 2019, Cast aluminum, courtesy of the artist and CLEARING, New York/Brussels; Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich/New York
Presented by Public Art Fund, Doris C. Freedman Plaza, Central Park, Sep 11, 2019 – Aug 30, 2020

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Korean art has become the new vogue, as it continues to intrigue and impress the art world. Traditionally, Korean art was about harmonizing with nature and refraining from expressing in extremities. But with the current Eastern-Western fusion wave, a new narrative is beginning to form. Whether it’s the 2012, ‘Gangnam Style’ or the recent Oscar winning movie ‘Parasite’ by Bong Ho, Korean art is everywhere. From incorporating their native art references with the ever-changing western one to starting their own movement, Korean artists are consistently challenging the conventional boundaries. Here are some outstanding Korean visual artists that have recently caught our eye.

Generally very prolific and highly-appreciated in the US, some of the selected Korean Artists are independent, such as Hera Kim, Minjin Kang,  and Hyun Jung Ji;  all the others are represented by a gallery:

Hyun Ae Kang, Kim Seungwoo, Kim Jeong Yeon, Krista Kim, Cha Yun Sook & Hayeon are represented by BOCCARA Art Gallery; and Yang Jong Yong is represented by Vivian Choi Gallery.

FUSION AND REPETITION 

Hyun Ae Kang

Born in Seoul, Kang is a famous second generation ‘Dansaekhwa’ or ‘monochrome painting’ artist. Her work follows a Buddhist and Taoist ideology where she creates abstract paintings and prays before initiating each painting process. She uses the canvas as a surface which is to be multi-layered with meticulously applied, thick paint strokes. The viscosity of the texture and the methodology is reminiscent of her sculptural practices. Her color choices and strokes, create a vibrant, energetic sensation, much like Divisionism, and the laborious process of paint application is meant to remind one of the painful Buddhist meditation that is practiced repeatedly in order to attain Nirvana. Having received recognition in 1993, Kang’s works are housed in several prominent museums. Her work can also be seen at an upcoming retrospective at Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim, California, in 2021.

Kim Seungwoo

Seungwoo painstakingly assembles hundreds of thousands of coins and buttons to create hyper- realistic human body figures and sculptures. His life-sized figurines and flowing geometric patterns are made to communicate the question in his mind – ‘Art is Money, or Money is Art?’ These remarkable, detailed sculptures are so hypnotic that they make one temporarily forget that they are made out of a token of monetary value. As the coins themselves are assembled with a lot of hard work, the sculpture itself becomes reminiscent of the phrase- ‘hard earned money’, and its form comments upon the human desire to acquire it.

Seunwhui Koo

Koo’s works are a reflection and commentary of her life in New York city. Her work entails a combination of the human body and pig’s head displayed in various setups. Having received her Bachelor’s degree in Sculpture from Kyungpook National University, South Korea, Koo went on to experiment with the fusion between the Eastern and Western cultures. The idea of Good fortune (Eastern) and greed (Western) are two very different connotations of the pigs to her, and are the central motif in her work. She often uses either black and white, or vibrant colors, in a vast array of mediums to execute her ideas. The whimsical quality and the numerous pigs in her work, invites the viewer to indulge and investigate them further.

A NATURAL CONNECT

Kim Jeong Yeon

Yeon’s sculptures and installations are an amalgamation of the Korean concept of nature based energies, expressionism, calligraphy and conceptual art. She often uses naturally found materials such as marble and wood, and executes her work in minimalistic patterns and colors. Her installations are often dreamlike, representing an inner sanctuary and sense of security. Their enormous scale envelopes the viewer and provides a sense of comfort and connection with the natural elements attached to them. Her sculptures have a serene rhythm and flow that instantly helps one immerse themselves into harmony with Mother Earth.

Cha Yun Sook & Hayeon

This mother- daughter duo create textile and paper-based artworks that pay a homage to their Korean culture and celebrate human connection with the natural world. Yun Sook grows the herbs that are used to dye the Hanji material that are incorporated into their work and also uses these inks as healing remedies. The duo conduct performance acts, where they often cut and shape their fabrics into natural motifs, like flowers, in order to depict a mesmerizing natural landscape, or use it to spontaneously clothe themselves or the viewer with their dyed fabrics to make an exclusive dress that symbolizes nature’s relationship with oneself. Their installations are designed to mimic their intent, so their work often flows from the walls, over the ground, re-creating a peaceful environment.

A NEW MOVEMENT 

Krista Kim 

Kim’s work is a response to the LED lights that are exposed to us through the various devices that we constantly use. Her intrigue in the dialogue between digital technology and human perception was so strong that she has founded a revolutionary art movement called ‘Techism’. Her works are often based on digital algorithms, which result in bright and deeply saturated hues. Based in Toronto, she has exhibited her work all over the globe and has now collaborated with the fashion brand Lanvin. Her work offers a fresh perspective and makes us question the way we see our mundane electronics.

There are several other artists that have also intrigued us – Hera Kim uses drip like patterns to create abstract imageS that help her express and process her pain. She treats the painting process as a form of repetitive prayer, that allows her to ‘fossilize’ her emotions. We loved Yang Jong Yong surreal work which depicts ordinary objects with unusual alterations, that defy physical limitations and are placed in an alternative space. Artist Minjin Kang experiments with hyperreal colors and minimalistic styles to create a fantasy world that is viewed through an architectural lens. On an illustrative note, we liked Hyun Jung Ji‘s vibrant works that depict faceless human figurines and tangled lines which represent her childhood journey.

Contemporary Korean art offers new narratives and challenges our perception and definition of art. This cross-cultural representation, which was previously unexplored, is now beginning to make its mark. And, with several galleries moving towards a re-opening, you can finally have a view and not miss out on this new Korean wave.

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New York City is a city that breathes art in most of its corners, and it is known as the city that never sleeps and where dreams come true. New York City is where art cannot only be found in its famous museums, but also in its streets. Walking through the city could lead you to multiple and diverse forms of art, from installations, murals, paintings to monuments, you name it and probably you can find it in the well-known and appreciated street art in the mist and heart of the city.

A city that is full of attractions but also it is in itself a massive attraction to many visitors and locals. Walking through New York City has become in many cases a free for all access pass to a giant and singular urban museum of architectural wonders, music and other cultural experiences. New York City is a clean and open canvas for many artists, performers, and creators to display and share their talent with everyone willing to pay attention. Street art is mostly for everyone, and is an accessible way to convey art, to provide an experience to all visitors and viewers, and a spectacular way of doing art.

Banksy is the famous British street artist, known for his mysterious and anonymous identity, and for his popular graffiti paintings around many countries in the world. His urban street art and interventions in the art community have gained him recognition, his style is a signature that he has developed over the years with each of his pieces and displays. Banksy has attracted an interest in his street art and in the meaning of it, making it an experience for his followers, admires and critics. The inclusion of his fans in his way of doing art, and the chase to discover his latest creation or intervention is what has made him a symbol of the rise of street art. The use of cultural, urban and mundane objects and spaces as part his artwork, the graffiti form of painting and the inappropriate feel of it has gained him an audience that appreciates his irreverent style and his mysterious message sometimes implicit and at other times difficult to identify.

The Hammer Boy, located on 79^th Street and Broadway in Manhattan on the wall of the DSW store, is one of many Banksy’s street art pieces left during October 2013, when the artist created a few art pieces around New York City, in over a 31-day period. Some of those pieces were removed, but the Hammer Boy was preserved by the local business, owner of the store, where it was found it. Now covered with Plexiglas to protect the art over time and from other forms of damages, Hammer Boy has become a point of reference for tourist, visitor and Banksy fans.

The simplicity and the use of his surroundings are signs of the artist’s work found in the Hammer Boy. A simple black silhouette of a child holding a hammer painted in a stencil, imitating for many the popular carnival game, where a person uses a hammer to hit a level, the contrast with the brick beige wall and the black color of the silhouette makes it stand up to the viewer. The use of the hydrant, the pipe and the signs on the wall are a demonstration of Banksy’s style of using artless and ordinary objects.

Graffiti and the definition of it as a form of street art, art or  just simple vandalism is a topic of discussion and evaluation, but what is not up for discussion for many is the inspiration and appreciation street art provides to those looking to transform mundane objects, spaces and lives into better and more artistic expressions. Street art challenges the artist and everyone that admires it to see the world with a different and more artistic eye.

New Yorkers are coming out of a difficult quarantine due to a virus that has impacted the city in unimaginable ways but has strengthened its spirit and determination. The love of their city is ingrained in what it represents and provides not only to its local population but to the world. Art is subjective but also is encouraging, inspiring and healing, having these options accessible by a simple walk or a simple train ride, for many is what helps and keeps this city alive. Discovering and re-discovering these little gems throughout the city is a way to get back into a new normal that people are still trying to discern and grapple with. Soon Museums will open again and inside door activities will be available, but for now and for all those who value seeing and finding art in the monotonous and daily life, street art is a way to enjoy art and life in these difficult times.

The Hammer Boy is a simple, very accessible piece of art that is not only a representation of its creator, but also a fit in a city that love, speaks and inhale art. You can find Banksy’s Hammer Boy art piece on 79^th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam, on the wall of the DSW store. It is worth a visit.

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Before we get into the informational questions, could you tell us something about you that would be surprising and unique? Tell us about yourself and a curious fact in your life.

I am the only boy of a family of eight children. My little 5′ tall Irish fairy mother gave birth to a girl every year for 5 years straight. My father was working as a salesman for a pharmaceutical company. He was injecting my mother with Vitamin B and Folic acid to “build” her blood back up after all those babies. They did not know my mother was pregnant with me when she was receiving large doses of Vitamin B and folic acid. The result was that I had an energy level unmatched by anybody else.

What an interesting start to your life. What was your pathway like to become a photographer? When did you decide to become a photographer?

I studied radio, television, and film at Pennsylvania State University. I worked in local community television production for a few years. I left the industry and returned to pursue neon body-painting photographic art. The pathway to my art I cut for myself. I do not like to follow and copy other people’s creativity. I prefer to invent my own. Perfecting the technique was accomplished with much trial and error.

Please tell us what the inspiration is for your photography.

I like to make beautiful things, which I do through stimulating other people’s creativity and inspiration. Everyone has a creative side. I attempt to access and amplify it through my art.

Describe for us what is “Glow-Art”? And how do you create it?

GLOW-ART is a portal to experience the ethereal through the use of everyday earthly items. It is a God-source inspired photographic art. I do not create it. I push the buttons; the creativity comes from above, I am simply the conduit. I created GLOW-ART.COM to expand the conscious and the unconscious feelings and thoughts of my audience.

How do you create your designs? Can you tell us about your creative process?

To create the design I blend contrasting colors. The contrast between the colors is what brings out the thought evoking process.

You are a photographer and now you are also a fashion designer. How did you connect these two artistic worlds? What inspired you?

Transforming from body painting photographic artist to fashion designer was a financial decision. I do not want to make an income from photography the way other photographers do. I chose to cut my own path. Fashion design I believe is a natural avenue to promote art. The fashion and art worlds are both beauty driven, so merging the two is a perfect decision.

You recently have been part of NY Fashion Week. How was that experience for you and your career?

I loved New York Fashion Week. I love all fashion shows. New York happens to be driving distance from my home in York, Pennsylvania. I pursue any and all fashion shows I can afford and can travel easily. Fashion shows have an amazing energy you don’t find anywhere else. The models, the designers, the photographers, the audience are always very positive and vibrant.

COVID-19 is having an impact on every facet of life. How is the Covid-19 situation impacting you?

I maximized the quarantine time to create, design, and market my product from home. I shot photography quite a bit less and less and built much more apparel.

What is on the horizon for you concerning your creative outlets of photography and fashion apparel?

I will continue to bring awareness of  GLOW-ART to people through fashion shows, and photoshoots with other photographers and their models. I hope to bring awareness of my apparel through involving other more traditional photographers and BY working with models from their area. I will happily bring a garment bag full of GLOW-ART apparel to a photo shoot to enhance the work of other photographers and models.

Looking farther down the road into the future, are there any future projects percolating, either in your current fields or with an eye to branching out even further?

I am building a studio with a dark GLOW-ART studio and other spaces for more traditional photography. In my studio I am building model’s quarters to host traveling models. This enhances the ability of the model and regional photographers to create by having the model and studio in one place with all the tools to make great photographic art.

Ron Vestal: GLOW-ART.COM

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May I ask you what name you are known by? From where do you originate? How do you describe yourself as an artist?

My name is Corie Mattie. I am also known as the LA Hope Dealer. I grew up in New Jersey – South Jersey, right outside of Philadelphia. I describe myself as an “outsider” artist. I did not go to school for art or to pursue an art career. I don’t have much contact with mainstream art or the art world. 

What kind of art do you do? What is the meaning/purpose behind your art?

My art touches mostly on humanity issues – problems we are all facing as the human race. However, I want my work to bring positivity and motivation to peoples’ individual problems as well.

How would you describe your art? How have others describe your works?

Others have described my work as a mix between stencil and pop art and I would agree. I usually use a bright color for the background (yellow) and draw images in black and white (stencil-like but mostly never stencil).

What are you doing during quarantine to stay creative?

I am using this time to express my voice and my creativity. I try to bring awareness and positivity through my work during such a negative time. I have done over ten murals in the last few months. Painting is my outlet while providing people with some sort of art remedy during a difficult and unprecedented time.

You placed dozens of yellow works across Long Beach and Los Angeles. Tell us more. How do you find the inspiration, what inspired you to start working on the project?

I originally had the “hope dealer” idea written down in my phone from a list of ideas. Once the pandemic hit and I saw how hard it was hitting humanity mentally and physically I decided to bring the character to life. My brother is a doctor – he is someone I have always looked up to and respected. He helped me with some of the concepts – so while he potentially deals with the pandemic hands on I take my art to the streets to bring awareness.  

Following this pandemic theme, did you do any murals as well?

I have done some murals not related to the pandemic. One about following your heart and taking the path less traveled and also one recently touching on the topic of racism. It’s important that I address current issues that society is dealing with so they can relate and connect with my work.

How did people react to your undertaking of this colorful yellow works all over LA?

Almost everyone has reacted positively regarding my yellow works around LA. I think the color tends to stand out and have a warming effect on viewers. It puts images in a more positive light and I think that’s what society needs right now.

Your work has been distributed all over the country. Please tell us more about your many distributions.

I didn’t want this just a Los Angeles movement. I wanted the LA Hope Dealer to be a global movement. So I decided to start shipping my pieces all over the country and now the world. I want people to feel involved and apart of something bigger than them. It allows people to express their creativity and spread a good message where I can’t right now. The more people involved the better. So far pieces have popped up in New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami, New Orleans, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Phoenix, Tucson, and now Ireland, France and Spain.

When did you create the project LA Hope Dealer and would you describe it?

The LA Hope Dealer came to fruition during this pandemic. It serves as a beacon of hope for people – a nod to keep going and be strong for ourselves as well as for humanity. 

How do you think  the current situation with the pandemic has influenced the art world in your community in LA?

I think it allows artists to express their emotions and feelings through art while connecting with viewers. We are all in the same boat facing a different storm, so artists touching on Covid-19 have an opportunity to challenge, reassure, and address how everyone is currently feeling. 

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on pieces related to racial issues. 

One of your quotes ” After the plague came the Renaissance”, would you please tell us the meaning of that to you?

Just like during the Black Plague in the 14th century, a period of strong artistic expression is underway. Sometimes you can’t describe a situation or feeling with words, so that’s where artistic expression becomes more relatable and valued. Since this is a global issue, pandemic-related pieces are appealing to a wider range of viewers, in an unprecedented way. These pieces convey universal truths across cultures, values, age, gender, situations, etc. Artists have the chance to challenge, justify and comfort the feelings we may be experiencing, while providing clarity and reassurance during such a confusing and weird time.

https://lahopedealer.com/

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What is Clio Art Fair? Can you please describe Clio Art Fair to me?

Clio Art Fair is a marketplace that allows independent artists to come into direct contact with insiders without the presence of any intermediary. The project was born when I was living in New York and working as an art critic, I had come into contact with many independent artists capable of producing quality works but who had difficulty finding exhibition spaces and therefore an audience of insiders; this was because we had little time or little experience to devote to our promotion. Starting from this need, we built a tailor-made fair where artists can promote themselves, and where gallery owners will not be present as exhibitors but are invited to participate as spectators.

When did you create the Clio Art Fair? And how many editions have taken place so far?AB: In our first 6 years of life, Clio had 11 editions of the fair and hosted 541 artists representing 5 continents and 35 countries.

What kind of works do you showcase at the fair?

All sorts of artworks from independent artists and collectives from all over the world. Artists have been freed up to use different materials and media and to deviate from accepted art practice definitions. Clio also hosted two special sections: I Want to Go Home, curated by Asya Rotella in March 2019, and A Nest Watching an Avalanche in March 2020.

What makes Clio Art Fair unique?

The logistics services that we are able to make available to our artists is what makes Clio unique. We can offer logistics for the shipment of the works, for installation and also for sale if requested. We have a team of art handlers and very close curators and sellers built over the years. Moreover, during the selection process, our team of curators establishes a dialogue with each artist, preparing in detail the selection and promotion on-site and online of each work.

How did Clio Art Fair grow in the past years?

During this period together, the fair grew exponentially. In the beginning, the fair started on the fifth floor of the Wolf Building on 26th Street, and by 2018, we were organizing our events on street-level storefronts  positioned in the key areas of the city.

Is there a preferred medium of art that has been successful using this method?

It is important for us to have the maximum diversity of media present, site-specific included.

Do you have any particular success stories related to the new types of dialogues that you have created (artists/collectors, artists/curators)?

From 2014 to today we have managed to create a network of returning artists, curators, and collectors. Every edition we meet new friends, people we sometimes hang out with during the year. Our fair is an opportunity for dialogue, sharing, and comparison with people from all over the world.

What are the plans for this year? And how has this pandemic impacted the fair?

Considering the current health situation, we are officially suspending our fair programming for the next 12 months.

Starting with the name chosen for our project, Clio, the muse of history, we have never hidden the Greek and Latin references of our roots. Our culture, although lovingly open to influences from all over the world, which provide for profitable and mutually enriching exchange, continues to have at its core an education that includes the texts of the Old Testament. Our spirituality is experiencing an epochal and ancestral challenge. And these new times have allowed us to dedicate ourselves to the rediscovery of texts that contributed to our education in our youth and have helped us to  rediscover an awareness of how to live in an obligatory period of repose. In biblical times, every seventh year was a “sabbath under the Mosaic law, a time during which the land was allowed to rest. Clio will enter a sabbath of sorts.

When and where will the next editions of Clio Art Fair be taking place?

We have arrived in our seventh year of activity with an awareness that we will be coming to a halt. However, we are ready to announce new developments. Clio, the Manhattan Fair for independent artists, will debut in Venice in June 2021 as a side event of the Biennale, it will then return to NY in September 2021 during the Armory Show and will debut in Los Angeles in February 2022 as a satellite event of Frieze LA. Once this period of emergency is over, we expect a period of freshness, vigor, and additional energy. We are awaiting and planning for an historical awakening.

We are ready to select the artists for our new programming period, and we invite you to submit your works. The application is free. The marketing fee will be waived if you complete the application by December 14, 2020.

With the hope of a profitable and creative sabbatical period, we respect social distancing today, but we will re-hug stronger than ever tomorrow.

https://www.clioartfair.com/

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For the ninth edition, Asya Rotella (the daughter of the unforgettable master Mimmo Rotella) has been the chief of the curatorial team, and we must tell, she made a great job!

54 international artists from Canada, the United States, China, Japan, and Europe brightened the second weekend of October.

Asya Rotella chooses among many applications the most representative artworks for this era: versatile, powerful, and eclectic.

Sculptures and paintings, installations, big sized pieces exposed to be the joy of all the art lovers.

Clio Art Fair is known to give to the exhibiting artist lots of services such as free studio visits, which for this edition if we can say, has been a very fortunate choice. Clio Art Fair is also the place where you can meet artists that are showcasing their works for their very first time as the talented Thomas Fazio (painting and sculptures). this edition has seen also the debut in the fine art world of the well-known fashion designer Adrienne Landau, who exhibited her painting for the first time ever.

As old friends of Clio we appreciated again Anne Hefer with two romantic oils, Lauralee Franco with her huge canvases; the exuberant photographer Amanda J Armstrong, and, after a few years, we were glad to meet again Anthea Zito, painter and photographer, just at the entrance.

We would like to highlight also the Greek artist Despina Zografos with her very mystical and elaborated multi-layered paperwork; not to mention the cityscape photographer Annette Schreiber, or the magic gouaches by Hyun Jung Ji or Denise Adler‘s complex paintings empowered by the collage technique; the exquisite bronzes by Emilio Diiorio, and a young – very Basquiat-inspired – Keith Josiah.

Clio Art Fair hosted a couple of thousand visitors from Friday 10th to Sunday 13th, and counting the red dots on the walls we can say that the 25% of the artists sold at least one piece, data that definitely confirm that the human size of the show, and the affordable prices of the artworks (from $300 to $20,000), are a winning formula.

Written by Caterina Chavez

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New York City is a cosmopolitan city, where art museums are one of its biggest attractions for visitors who want to learn about art. The variety of options New York has to offer for those seeking to get in touch with the artistic world is an advantage and privilege for locals and visitors. Now the City has an additional option for people who admire, love and appreciate dogs.

The AKC Museum of the Dog, founded in 1982 in New York City, was later moved to St. Louis County, Missouri. After more than 32 years the museum is back in the City. A museum dedicated to celebrate dogs, their history, influence in society, and to praise the emotional bond between canines and humanity.

A unique place where sightseers will find fine-art paintings from various artists and media. Figurines and artifacts that showcase the history and diversity of dogs and their elements, as well as a substantial library with about 42,000 books and all sort of dog related information that a visitor might want to explore. Including a children section.

The Museum of the Dog according to their website, offers “rotating exhibits featuring objects from its 1700 pieces.” Visitors will discover paintings of famous dogs through history, including painting U.S. Presidents George H. Bush’s dog Millie and George W Bush’s dogs Barney and Miss Beazley. It was reported that former first lady Barbara Bush praised the museum in a letter in 1990. Among other famous dogs, visitants will see Edwar VII’s wire fox terrier Caesar.

As part of the American Kennel Club, an organization considered a leader force in all dogs related matters and advocacy, the museum has growth under their financial support and contribution. “The AKC Museum of the Dog houses one of the largest collections of dog art in the world and is an important part of AKC’s history and future,” expressed Ronald H. Menaker, Chairman of the Board for the American Kennel Club in their press information.

For some art critics, art dedicated to dogs has not being taken serious at times due to the sentimentality attachment, for visitors is a new way to learn and appreciate dogs. The Museum of the Dog has added technology and screens where a digital dog will appear to interact with guests enhancing the visitors experience.

The Museum of the dog located in 101 Park Avenue, entrance on East 40th street, open Tuesday through Sunday.

Written by Monica Herrera

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The human body has always been a fascination for many artists. It has been a source of inspiration, study, and analysis. If we could understand the body, we could probably comprehend the mystery that it embodies and develops the creativity that comes from that knowledge.

Mark Manders, an accomplished contemporary artist from the Netherlands, has always been interested in the human figure, especially the head which has been a significant element represented in his work throughout his career. Manders created an impressive art installation, a thirteen feet tall remarkable piece called Tilted Head, commissioned by the Public Art Fund and exhibit at the Doris C. Freedman Plaza in New York City. This large-scale sculpture that looks like an incomplete half-head made by clay but is actually of cast bronze, is one of the latest artworks that the city is displaying for locals and visitors, as part of their commitment to bring art into public places.

The massive sculpture appears to be a work still in progress or abandoned in a studio, a clear distinction of the labor that entails an installation of that magnitude. Tilted Head has its eyes closed, an expression of tranquility and the upper third of the face is cut. Other elements conforming the piece are wooden planks on the top, two chairs and a suitcase smaller than the installation can be seen in the back. All these components in different sizes have a purpose as stated in the Public Art Fund site “this shift in scale, unexplained objects, and trompe l’oeil bronze effect alter our perception and spark the imagination.”

As most of Manders’ work Tilted Head is his way to write with objects, a transition from his initial interest to be a writer in his younger years to a fascination with objects that evolved in the use of as a language of creativity and art. The result is a career filled with incredible sculptures and art pieces that speak to the public rather through the senses than through the written word. An invitation to the viewer to use their ingenuity and interpretations to formulate their own conclusions about his art.

Central Park as the backdrop of Tilted Head creates a clear contrast between the calm and simplicity of the sculpture against the color, the chaos and vibrancy of the park, making the scenery a compelling New York City spot and photo postal that visitors can experience.

Tilted Head is available for viewing until September 1st, 2019 at the Doris C. Freedman Plaza at the 60th street and Fifth Avenue, Central Park, New York City.

Written by Monica Herrera

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New York City is known for its impressive skylines, rich culture and vibrant communities. Considered a melting pot of different cultures and traditions. A diversity represented in its population and also in its art. Many artistic expressions are constantly created to showcase those unique backgrounds and languages that make it a city like no other.

This multiculturalism feeds artist with inspiration, opportunities, and a platform to amplify their message through their work. If you make it here, you can make it anywhere says the famous Frank Sinatra lyric in reference to New York. A phrase that has become a popular invitation for those who come from the outside. It doesn’t matter what language you speak or where you are from, New York City has a cultural history built with the contribution of all those that have come from different places and it will keep growing from the ones that keep arriving.

As a way to celebrate the city’s immigration diversity as well as a celebration of the artist, Kasmine Gallery’s rooftop is presenting a new exhibit consisting of three remarkable sculptures by Robert Indiana (1928-2018).  Indiana was an American artist creator of one of the most renowned works of art of the 20th century on the theme of love. On view from the High Line with access on 28th  street, for the first time, the three sculptures are exhibited in one place. Each sculpture is a reproduction of Indiana’s famous LOVE series. Expressed in three of New York’s most significant dialects: English LOVE, Spanish AMOR, and Hebrew AHAVA.

Indiana’s LOVE composition consists of the word LOVE in bold serif lettering of VE stacked underneath the L and off-kilter O. The original image, green and blue with a lively red script, was used for the Museum of Modern Art Christmas card in 1965. Followed by exhibits of iconic paintings, drawings and small sculptures in the 1960s. Later created as a public sculpture for the first time in 1971. Subsequently, with a series of love theme creations displayed in many museums and parks all over the world.

The three versions of the installation in this exhibition have a similar arrangement of the word in each language. AHAVA created in cor-ten steel, LOVE in color blue, red and white, and AMOR has a vibrant red and yellow.

Indiana was considered a leader in the pop art movement. A movement that originated in the United Kingdom and the United State during the 1950s. Popular imagery and mass culture art were included as a contrast to traditional fine art. Focusing on realism with the use and incorporation of advertising, comic books and day to day objects like Campbell’s soup cans, pop art challenged the ideas of abstract expressionism.

For Indiana the work done with the LOVE series was a return to his beginnings as a sculptor, painter and poet, as stated in his website, for Indiana, “ The Love Sculpture is the culmination of years of work base on the original premise  that the word is  an appropriated and usable element of art.”

The exhibition is accessible to view from the High Line on the 27th street until September 2019.

Written by Monica Herrera

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A selection of 7 artists from Yesterday and Today that are continuing to inspire the charm of the surreal.

2) Theodore Gericault
A forerunner of Romanticist painting in France, Theodore Gericault, was a typical romantic
artist, and the leader of the French realistic school. His most famous work, The Raft of the
Medusa, was a watershed moment in the history of modern art.

3) Hieronymus Bosch
Recognized as a highly imaginative “creator of devils”, Hieronymus Bosch was a European
painter of the late Middle Age. He is internationally recognized as an eccentric painter of
religious visions who dealt in particular with the torments of hell.

4) Salvador Dali

Salvador Dalí is among the most versatile and prolific artists of the 20th century and the most
famous Surrealist. Surrealism championed the unconscious as the primary motor of human
behavior, coupling this with an aspiration to political revolution. Though the concept of
Surrealism was new to him, Dalí was already well versed in the psychoanalytic theories of
Sigmund Freud.

5) Kazuki Takahashi
Kazuki Takahashi is an artist that started drawing manga comics in 1982. He created the manga
series Yu-Gi-Oh! In 1996, and quickly he has become a reference point for professionals and
lovers of fantasy design. The manga’s tagline reads, “A brand-new, ingenious game battle gives
rise to a new legend.”

6) Max Cui
Originally from Beijing, Max Cui is an illustrator painter and fashion designer based in New
York City. His feverish creativity allowed him to signal himself in the world of fashion and
design of the big apple

7) Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan’s greatest animation directors. His allusive works won both
critical and popular acclaim. “The creation of a single world comes from a huge number of
fragments and chaos.” Was his statement and his state of mind.

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Summer is in full swing in New York City, a time of the year when outdoor activities take center stage, especially in a city known for its vibrant life. Walks around the neighborhood, movies at the park and picnics are a fun way to enjoy the sun, the long days and the heat of the season.

A favorite interest among locals and visitors is to take advantage of art shows, presented in many forms and places all around the city. More recently sightseers have a new interactive public artwork to see, The Nautilus. Located in the famous waterfront at the Seaport District the exhibit lights up the nights of an already popular district.

The Nautilus is a collaboration between Lincoln, Atlantic Re:think, and SOFTlab. A partnership that brought to life an impressive art installation that invites those who visit it to appreciate the design and its magnitude but also to be active participants. An invitation to touch the art reads in most of the elements that shape the piece. Michael Szivos, founder of New York City-based design studio SOFTlab explained, “Museums are great, but our work that’s in the public realm is not in a white box, so it’s not framed, in a way.”

Consisting of 95 interactive poles, The Nautilus recognizes the visitor’s presence and touch. Each pole displays light and plays a melody when grasp, creating an experience of an oversize musical device. Linked by computer and sensors, with a touch, poles will play a full audio display. Guests can walk between the installation, immersed inside, and have a unique experience.

Approachable art and the need to stimulate society were partly the inspiration of its creators. Easy technology to understand and use was the main focus when creating the piece. “With this public art installation, we were able to use Lincoln’s rich design heritage and technology, and bring a really fun and immersive experience to the seaport,” said Jeremy Elias, executive creative director of Atlantic Re:think in a press release.

The Nautilus named after Lincoln new crossover the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus, is free to the public and showcase at Pier 17 until September 10, 2019. Later, it will move to its final destination at the Lincoln Headquarters in Detroit.

Written by Monica Herrera

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Christie’s is a British auction house founded by James Christie in 1766; its headquarters are in London United Kingdom. Christie’s has been staging numerous auction sales of different art and collectibles worldwide and has been able to break records. On Wednesday, Christie’s did as per the norm and staged yet another sale that was described as “unbelievably strong” by London based dealer Anthony Crichton-Stuart of Agnews Gallery.

There was strong bidding in the room and via phones that led the house to a $40m sale (with fees) that included works from New York Dealer Richard Feigen’s collection. The total came in north of the pre-sale high estimate of $34.1m; 79% of lots found buyers. Immediately following was a sale of 25 works from the estate of the venerated late dealer Herman Shickman and his wife Lila that brought $10.5m, just above the pre-sale low estimate of $9.9m, also with 79% selling.

The sale was led by record prices of $10m for a Double Portrait by Jan Sanders Van Hemessen’s, almost tripling his previous high of $3m and $6.5m by Jan Van Der Hamen Y Leon still Life smashing his previous high $1.1m. In addition, Annibale Carracci’s Madonna & Child with Saint Lucy and the Young Saint John the Baptist sold at $6m doubling from its previous high of $3.4m. Lorenzo Monaco’s “Prophet Isaiah” realized $3.6m doubling its previous auction.

New York based dealer Henry V Zimet of French & Company placed the winning bid on a Willem Kalf still life with the price $2.8m more than tripling Kalf’s previous record. Zimet however thought it was a great deal although they thought it might go for twice as much.

A Luis Melendez still life; Artichokes and tomatoes in a landscape,estimated at up to $4m was withdrawn from the sale and sold privately, on the other hand a Fra Bartolomeo Madonna and Child tagged at up to $2.5m was not bought by anyone.

Old Masters brought $905m at public sales last year, a number that was more or less the same as that in 2008 and 2009 but down drastically from a high of $2.13bn in 2011.

Auctions are not all about record-breaking and the great deals; they are also accompanied by different challenges including the problem of supply and dealers feeling the need to increase demand by luring younger buyers to get on board. Auctions require a bit of energy in order to hype the bidders; different auction houses acquire different ways of making the sale “interesting,” for instance Sotheby’s which is Christie’s main competitor recently recruited Victoria Beckham aka Posh Spice to hype an Old Master sale. Dealer Nicholas Hall partnered with Modern and contemporary titan David Zwirner to mount an exhibition at Zwirner’s New York gallery last year.

Christie’s has de-emphasised the “old” in Old Masters rebranding its spring sales as Classics Week in order to attract the social media audience. Christie’s has made many notable auctions including the Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller which realized the highest total for a private collection and became the most significant charitable auction ever realizing $835.1m in May 2018 and the November 2017 sale of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi that sold for $450.3m including buyer’s premium among many others notable auctions.

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“I am not the candidate of Black America, although I am black and proud, I am not the candidate of women’s movement of this country although am a woman and equally proud of that. I am the candidate of the people and my presence before you symbolizes a new era in American political history.” These were the words of Shirley Chisholm after she announced her interest in the presidential seat of the United States of America in 1972.

Shirley was an American politician, educator and author. She was the first black woman to run for Presidency and the first to be elected to the US congress in 1968. In 2015, Shirley was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Campaigning for the Presidential seat and the Congress was not a bed of roses for Shirley, perhaps because gender had something to do with it. She actually said, “When I ran for Congress, when I ran for President, I met more discrimination as a woman than for being black.” She expressed her frustration about “black matriarch thing” saying, “Men think I am trying to take power from them.” In her opinion, the black man must step forward but that does not mean that the black woman must step back.

Shirley’s love for leadership and development run in her blood, she dared to be herself, she dared to lead in an era where women and people of her skin color could not be perceived as leaders. she was one of America’s greatest dreamers; she wanted to take the citizens of America to greater heights and she indeed left an unforgettable mark. She passed on in 2005 and will forever be remembered especially for her contribution to the politics of the United States of America. The world of art is also playing part in celebrating this legend and soon there will be a monument in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park to honor Shirley Chisholm.

The New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs revealed five preliminary proposals for a new monument to honor Shirley Chisholm. The designs were conceived by the artists Firelei Baez, La Vaughn Belle, Tanda Francis, Mickalene Thomas and Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous.

The winning proposal will be selected through the city’s Percent for Art program in early April and will be commissioned as part of the She Built NYC initiative. Up to $1 million in funds will be available for the chosen project which will be presented to local community boards and submitted to the Public Design Commission later this year.

Firelei Baez proposed a sculpture of Chisholm; the sculpture is made of hand-painted metal columns. Depending on the view, the people would see one of three portraits, each reflecting different aspects of Chisholm’s career. The piece would stand between 10and 15 feet tall, and each image would include allusions to Afro-diasporic narratives.

La Vaughn Belle takes a famous quote by Chisholm as a point of departure: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” Belle proposed a sculpture of Chisholm holding a chair and stepping into a reinterpreted presidential seal on the ground.

Tanda Francis envisions a trail lined with quotes of Chisholm beginning at the Ocean Avenue entrance of Prospect Park. The path would lead to a large-scale bronze rendering of Chisholm’s face, surrounded by jets of water and light. Tanda described the ideas as “a colossal dedication which the people of New York City and the world will seek out and know of our commitment to honoring the women who helped build New York.”

Mickalene Thomas on the other hand imagines a human-scale sculpture of Chisholm seated at the top of a car. Benches surrounding the monument encourage engagement and interaction from visitors, and the nearby planters would contain plants that refer to the politician’s Caribbean heritage. In her proposal Thomas wrote, ‘Rather than portraying Shirley standing at a podium and speaking down to her audience, this model will instead show her rooted in the people’s space and speaking to their truths.” She added, “This is ultimately about the visibility of everyone in the community.”

Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous would entwine Chisholm’s silhouette with the outline of the dome of the U.S Capitol Building. Nodding to the layout of Congressional seating, an amphitheater-like shape would wrap around the monument.

Cultural affairs Commissioner Tom FinkePearl said in a statement, “We were thrilled to announce Shirley Chisholm as the first person honored and we’re excited to get a first look at what these artists are envisioning for this lasting testament to Chisholm’s achievements. We invite all New Yorkers to let us know what they think and help shape this landmark contribution to NYC’s public space.”

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said, “Shirley Chisholm, a true daughter of Brooklyn, born of West Indian immigrants who settled in Bedford-Stuyvesant, was one of this nation’s greatest dreamers. A monument of this magnitude, dedicated to the first person in 192 years to embody the triple threat of being black, a woman and a representative of Congress, is most deserving of this lasting recognition. It is long overdue.”

The public can comment on the proposals at women.nyc through March 31.

Which proposal will get to take the center stage in NYC? Well, they all are deserving because at the end of the day they aim at celebrating Shirley for being a woman of great historic importance.

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What genre of music do you love listening to? Music might not be your preference, maybe you would rather watch a movie or swim or read a book. Well, we all have different preferences and personally music is a favorite, I listen to almost all genres so long as I get to love it, from Rhythm and Blues to rock music to Hip-hop name them. Music helps relax my mind, brings out my deepest feelings and sometimes it boosts my morale when I’m doing things that I don’t really enjoy doing like folding laundry or doing the dishes. While in traffic music is also such a good company; with my earphones on, my playlist ready and the artists doing what they do best I will almost forget that I’m stuck in traffic.

Rock is one of the most unique and popular genres of music. It originated as “rock & roll” in the United states in the early 1950s and developed into a range of different styles. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s, a style which drew heavily on the genres such as rhythm and blues, electric blues, folk and country music.

Typical instruments used to create rock music are electric guitars, bass guitars, keyboards and the vocals. Rock music is basically all about feeling and moving to it. Elvis Presley a rock musician once said, “Rock and roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you can’t help but move to it. That’s what happens to me. I can’t help it.”As much as the vocals are important in this particular genre of music, I tend to believe that instruments are everything in rock music; the guitars and the keyboard are the “heart” of this music.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will be hosting an exhibit called “Play it loud: Instruments of rock and roll. This will be the first major exhibition dedicated to rock music instruments. The exhibit is set to feature 130 different musical instruments used by some of the “big names” in the rock music industry from Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, the Beatles and the Rolling stone among others.

The instruments were gathered from 70 private and public collections in the United States and in The United Kingdom. The exhibit will span from 1939 to 2017, featuring Hendrix’s “Flying V” guitar, Eric Clapton’s “Blackie,” Jerry Garcia’s “Wolf,” Chuck Berry’s main guitar from 1957 to 1963, St. Vincent’s 2015 electric guitars, Keith Moon’s “Pictures of Lily” drumset and Keith Emerson’s Moog synthesizer and Hammond Organ.

The rock instruments exhibition will start on April 1^st 2019 up until October 1^st 2019. It will later make the permanent move to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. This is going to be a totally different kind of exhibition aside from the normal exhibition of paintings, sculptors, drawings and photography among others, this time round the MET museum is bringing to you the “tools of rock music.” You will get to see the instruments that are responsible for your moves.

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