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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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Please tell us a little about where you are from? And what is your background as an artist? 

I was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, USA. It’s a suburb on the Southern side of Pittsburgh. My family rented three rooms on the upper floor of a house there. When I was eleven years old, we moved across the river to Dravosburg, which is yet another suburb on the Southern side of Pittsburgh. We lived in the projects there, and that’s where I lived until I left school.

During the time I was a boy, the steel industry was in full blossom. Everywhere around you, one was surrounded by fire, earthen ores, molten metal, lots of smoke, big machines and industrial noises.  It was really sexy. Today I still love to visit old factories and railroad yards with heavy equipment and huge machines.   

In Pittsburgh, there was some sort of philanthropic program that identified young, artistically inclined students in public school. Through that program, I attended fine art classes at Carnegie Institute for several years, and then later at Carnegie-Mellon University. I studied at CMU at night and on weekends throughout my high school years.  Later, I enrolled at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University in Boston.   

Carnegie-Mellon was a very classical fine art program. Hours and years spent drawing bottles and human anatomy. The Museum School on the other hand, was the exact opposite. No rules and run with scissors as fast as you can. In fact, pick up some knives and razor blades while you’re at it. It was a change of direction that electrified me.

So you can say that I had a fairly rich academic start to my practice. I’m really grateful to the instructors that I had. I’ve been working in my studio and exhibiting as much as I can ever since. Besides all of that art school stuff, I have two degrees in Electrical Engineering. Who would have known? I actually chose my engineering major based on a sculptural project I was thinking about using electro-magnetism. I could have used a good life coach when I was young.

The academics had value, but the art seed germinates only once you come to terms with the “why” of your practice.

What made you want to become an artist?

Well, since so much of my youth was spent in art school in one way or another, I was very comfortable in an artist’s skin right from the start. There wasn’t a someone or a something that triggered it all for me. I had my artistic heroes and sheroes, but I think it’s more that art gives me a vehicle to think deeply about things.  I become very mentally invested in certain ideas and concepts. Painting is my way of sorting it all out. Actually, my studio practice is a sort of neurosis of mine. You might call it an addiction or even a compulsion.  It’s something I feel that I have to do, something I’m driven to do. If I spend too much prolonged time away from working, I just feel a bit undone. It’s always been that way for me. 

Is there name/category for the kind of art you create?

Because of the materials that I use, my work has been referred to as Haute Pâte, or Matter Painting. There was a time, say maybe ten years ago, when the way I was using the material aptly fit that description. Nowadays, I can’t say that I agree or disagree with those labels.  I am using the Earth as a painting medium but the way that I’m using it is dry rather than some material mixed with paint. Does that qualify as Haute Pâte? It’s thick, gravely stuff affixed to the surface. There are probably people who feel very specific about those terms. As far as I know, I’m unique in what I’m doing.

If we talk about my subject matter, I’m interested in consciousness, and I approach that through metaphysics, physics, and spirituality. The images are mostly abstract, I think.  Sometimes even primitive. Abstract is more real than real, when you’re trying to ask hard questions, in my opinion.

Often there is a message behind art. What is the message behind your art?

When looking at one of my paintings, you’re sharing a snapshot of a moment of time of my stream of consciousness. Maybe that’s more like a babbling brook. You will literally see what I was thinking about at the time I painted the piece. It will have notes, formulae, lyrics, glyphs and so on that are relevant to the topic that I was analyzing and unpacking at the time. The paintings do not read literally though. The composition itself dictates what stays and what is erased. When I watch people looking at my work in the gallery, I’ll catch them trying to read the painting or identify the math. That makes me laugh to myself. There is no secret message to unlock.

Do you have a targeted audience for your art?

That’s a really interesting question. I’ve never thought about a target audience. Now that you bring it up, it’s possible that I’m painting just for myself. The target audience is me!  Isn’t that funny? I should send myself a survey to see how I feel about it. I haven’t noticed that my work is collected by any single sort of demographic. The most frequent feedback that I hear is that “it just makes me feel good.”  I can’t think of a higher compliment, actually.

You state in your artist statement that your body of work is also an attempt to tap into the core of human experience. Can you tell us more what you mean by that? What do you see as the core of human experience? 

It’s a somewhat contrarian view these days, but I think that no matter where you’re from, when you’re from, no matter your race, sex, or culture, people are pretty much the same once we strip off the learned beliefs that end up creating otherwise arbitrary differences.  Sometimes we choose to pick up and carry a flag for those differences, but at the core we’re basically the same. We are Humans, all of us together, motivated ultimately only by love or fear.

If you allow the assertion that we all share a common inherent “humanness,” then at a primal level we all experience the universe in the same way. Because I’m an artist, I’ll give you an example by way of what happens when we see something.

We tend to experience symbols and glyphs in the same primal way no matter who we are.  You can in fact observe this when you look at the ways that ancient cultures, separated by distance and time, used common graphical symbols. A cross, a figure eight, a spiral, curves vs. angles and so on work the same in one place in space and time as they do in another.  We see with our human mind, not with our eyes.  

Looking at this a bit more deeply, it would seem that our minds are connected at a core, root level. Think of islands in the sea. The islands are separated on the surface of the water, but underneath the sea they’re connected through the same Earth. You and me are islands, but we’re connected. A collective, consensus humanness. Interestingly, developments in quantum physics seem to be touching upon the mathematics that identifies how this happens at a quantum level. Physics is affirming metaphysics. So, to answer your question more directly, it’s possible that we are all that there is. At least as far as we’ll ever be concerned. That deserves looking at.

Are you currently working on new artworks?

Always! Constantly! Feet don’t fail me now.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m sort of driven in my studio practice. I’m running a race that never finishes. I started working on this series that I call “Multiverse” around the beginning of the year. This is looking at the ideas around parallel universes. I think there’s still some distance to travel with that, unless a new shiny penny comes my way.

Looking to the future, what are any upcoming projects and art exhibitions that you have? 

I’ve got a few of the early Mulitiverse pieces at the gallery in Atlanta. I’d like to exhibit a larger body of that work sometime this year, but at the moment there’s nothing scheduled for that. My next solo show on the books is in 2022.

On the horizon, I’m thinking about the role of consciousness in the creation of physical reality. I’ve been reading about string theory for some time, and especially the areas of math that involve the presence or absence of an observer. I’m having fun with that and I think there’s enough brain food in that topic that will lead to something soon for me. Then there’s a life/afterlife thing that I’m noodling on too. We’ll see what happens.

COVID-19 has impacted so many parts of our lives. How did Covid-19 impact your work?

You know what, I don’t think it impacted my work at all. I feel a bit odd saying that out loud, but that’s the honest answer.  

I spend eighty percent of every day alone, working in the same room. The social isolation is what my daily routine was anyway. I do miss going out and spending time with friends like I used to, but my work hasn’t changed because of Covid.  Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

I’m an open book. Drop me a line.

Bob Landström’s Website

Instagram: @boblandstrom

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Hi Emanuele,

You are the Prince of Venice. Please tell us about your fascinating story and your background.

It’s a very long story. I am the son and heir of Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia and only male-line grandson of Umberto II, the last King of Italy. My family unified Italy.

My great-great-great grandfather King Victor Emmanuel II became the first king of Italy and then we reigned in Italy until 1946 when the Republic came after the referendum. Since then, we were in exile in Switzerland. We couldn’t go back to Italy and I was not born in my country. In 2002 I was able to go back to Italy finally to visit my country, but my family exists since the year 1000. We are one of the oldest royal families in Europe if not in the world so from France to Switzerland to returning we were a bit all over Europe. 

What made you decide to start a food truck and now a restaurant?

Casualty. One day years ago I was at a big event in Los Angeles, and I discovered the food truck scene.

In Europe, it was not very well known so I arrived and I see all those beautiful food trucks with plenty of colors, but I wanted to eat Italian food. So I was with a friend and I was looking for an Italian food truck and I didn’t see one so I came back home and I said, okay, I’ll do one. So I wanted to do something a bit special. I decided to do fresh handmade pasta and celebrate pizza, Sicilian arancini, desserts, salads and let’s say good Italian food that I think you find here at very expensive restaurants or you don’t find them. I wanted to introduce this food to the Americans and with a very good quality and in a rather good price.

Are you planning on starting a chain of restaurants?

The idea is to go into franchises and I hope, even it’s a difficult time, to open a chain of restaurants. But if we manage to do a good business, not to lose money in this time, I think it shows that the concept is a winner concept. So I’m even more excited to open in these difficult moments and to see that people are responding very well. The restaurant from day one had success but it’s increasing and people are coming back and this is for me something wonderful. So yes the idea is to open then a chain of restaurants all over America.

What are the specialties at your restaurant?

We have very good food. Our arancini are made by a Sicilian cook. We have many food selections. What I like about my restaurant, without taking anything away from anybody else, is that when you enter my restaurant you see that the chef is from Naples, my pizza chef is from Sicily, my manager is from Venice; they all are Italian. I think you need Italian people to have an Italian restaurant. We still have the food truck, but we are holding off now because of the pandemic.

Do you think that the Italian cuisine is a form of art?

I think the Italian cuisine is our culture first of all. There are incredible cooks and chefs that are artists but my goal is to have incredible cooks more than artsy chefs that go on TV. I want people to discover the Italian taste and thus taste our culture. I want people to try the grandmother food. All grandmothers are incredible cooks.

You are a prince, the grandson of the last king of Italy, but you like to be in the front line at the restaurant and you are definitely down to Earth. What is your approach to life?

It’s difficult to describe myself, but I was always very down-to-earth and I’m like, yes, I come from a big family, have a big name, but I’m a guy that works and wants to please people and wants to be friendly with them. I never put distance between me and others or between me and people I could meet. I could meet the President of the United States or my dishwasher and I really treat them in the same way. So this is how I am made.

Prince of Venice Website

Instagram

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Welcome, Stephen! How did you find your way into the art world? Tell us about your journey.

I initially was interested in art by lots of early exposure to it. My parents took me to great museums like the National Gallery of Art and Hirshhorn Museum. My mother used to put me in a papoose-style infant carrier and I’d watch paintings perched on her back. As a kid, I drew and I made Plasticine sculptures routinely and watched my engineer father draw plans for aeronautical projects he did at the Applied Physics Laboratory. Then, after graduating from Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, I moved to New York City to make art. I exhibited some work there and came to a big revelation. After experiencing the isolation of making art alone during an ice-cold NYC winter, I wanted to collaborate with other people and use myself as the medium. So, I took acting classes, did professional theater in Washington, D.C., then moved to sunny Los Angeles to act in feature films and network television. After that long, circuitous route, I found an art studio in L.A. and realized plans for dozens of artworks I had been sketching or making notes on the entire time. Now, I’m back.

You are a conceptual artist. For the uninitiated, what exactly is conceptual art? Please, tell us about your conceptual fine art practice.

The traditional definition of conceptual art supposes that the ideas an artist seeks to explore are more important than the objects or events that express them. I think about it differently. While I have developed big and little ideas, the fine art objects I make and their immediate visceral viewer experience are equally important.

My work exists to raise questions about the roles of creation, the people who author our world and those who engage them both. There is obviously a dependence of one upon the other. These relationships, like those in life and society are key to the art experience. Much of my work presents the elements that make up the intimate setting of home interiors. They often say a few things about comfort, class, lifestyle, and – most importantly – personal identity. Our perception wraps up all of the relationships in our lives, which is crowned by our identity and place within those relationships.

At the end of the day, I am an artist – conceptual or otherwise. I create. We all do, whether it’s high art on a white wall or whistling a favorite song. Sometimes, my art is generated from concise ideas that I feel need exploration or an emotional state I feel the audience might want to share, but haven’t been able to.

Your sculptural explorations express domestic dramas. What brought you to that area of interest?

I have always been interested in origin stories. How did it all start? Virtually all of our origin stories began at home with family. Sounds mundane, but it is very complex when, as a young person, you are not equipped to talk about family dynamics or drama. We unconsciously assign value to events in our home lives – good, bad, strange, amazing, disheartening, enlivening. We are, as the saying goes, “meaning making machines.” But we often pack away contorted meanings of our formative upbringing and forge ahead as adults in a rather compromised way.

I was raised in a suburban planned city called Columbia, Maryland, a place where extra care was taken to promote cooperation and understanding among those with differences in class, race, economic power, etc. It wasn’t some idealized “Walden II” town, but had its merits. I experienced family fights, fear of bullies, mysteries of the unknown, loss, love – you name it. I also developed my identity within that experience. The people who made the choice to live there and raise families also chose an aesthetic to populate their homes, whether in step with their station in life or aspirations in life. In my art, I seek to use these home interior design elements and rearrange their context to help audiences review or dispel the meanings we may attach to them.

How do you create your artworks – from conception to completion?

Ideas for new artwork arrive quickly for me. They often come to me in an early morning waking state, a time when we lose consciousness of self, but are brimming with the experience of dreams. When I wake up, I usually write down a working title or a very basic description of what the work will look like and the material it’ll be made of. For days and weeks, I will determine how to refine or simplify the idea.

Sometimes, simply working in the studio helps to generate an idea. A piece I’m currently showing in Hawaii entitled “What’s Right With This Picture?” came from testing out a router radius corner template on scrap wood. I planned to make four rounded corners on the test piece, but stopped short of the fourth corner, keeping the right angle on the lower right side. Then I filled, primed, sanded and finely sprayed it in many layers with a paint gun. It’s difficult to even call it a “picture” at all or say that it is inherently good or bad, right or wrong. It questions perception and judgment, as much art does, but provides very little to gauge or review perception and judgment with. It floats off of the wall and approaches objecthood, but it’s still largely a flat object on that wall. Is it an idea, an object seeking to break out of the idea, a pun or all of the above?

You currently have three exhibitions. Where are they? Is there one that you are enjoying more than others?

I have work right now at the Cameron Art Museum in North Carolina, in L.A. Stories at the Leo Castelli Gallery at Brenau University in Georgia and in Abstract Only! at the Wailoa Center in Hawaii. I think they are all equally interesting spaces and exhibitions. I admire many of the other artists exhibiting alongside me, like Paul Paiement, Abel Alejandre, Cherie Benner Davis and others. I do love the Cameron Art Museum, though. For part of their light-themed Illumination show, I got to do more tech-based work, which I like quite a bit.

Not only are you a conceptual artist, but also maintain a parallel career as a working professional actor on such network TV series as NCIS: Los Angeles. Did you start your acting career first? What brought you to that career?

I started as an artist, but took a long and important detour into the performing arts world. In art college, I took performance art classes with powerhouse playwrights like Ntozake Shange and learned a lot. I later took theater and on-camera acting classes. I love the idea that with my input and someone else’s input, a third unknown thing – a performance, a film, etc. – can be created. That’s phenomenal to me. I figured as an actor, I could make art of myself and contribute to someone else’s art at the same time. I also loved the idea of reaching a great number of people – of affecting a real change of perception – whether it’s in an art house feature film or an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise seen by millions of viewers.

How do you combine your fine art career with your acting career? Do you prefer one over the other?

That’s a great question. There is definitely an overlap between them, so I feel that one informs the other. The activity of making art gives me private time to review my creative motives and a place to decompress from this high velocity world we live in. My acting performance must be integrated with other performances in real time. It takes me out of my comfort zone, but is immediately satisfying. I can’t say that I prefer one over the other, but since the event of Covid-19, making art seems like the best fit.

You are L.A.-based. How do you like the city? Is it part of your inspiration?

Yes, I have been in Los Angeles for many years now, but I also maintain an art studio in Wilmington, North Carolina, so I can be close to family and get extended breaks from the big city. Los Angeles is a fascinating place with a rich history that includes wars, gold rushes, the rise of cinema, agriculture, aerospace industries, the development of suburbs – you name it. It is a city that holds high hopes and uncanny dreams for many people who move there, but tends to be seen and respected differently by indigenous Californians who have an appreciation of the land and what practical life means there.

In some ways, Los Angeles is an inspiration for my art. The sprawl that makes up Metropolitan L.A. is immense, but each distinct neighborhood – from Koreatown to Beverly Hills – can be called home for its residents. Like I said, I am interested in the artifacts that make up “home” in all of those places. The transitory world of Hollywood in particular is, of course, rife with artifice, accolades and anguish that don’t mean much outside of that insular place. Maybe it’s not even a place – but a state of mind. I’m interested in revealing some of that, too.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I see myself making art that really connects with audiences on a significant scale and on a regular basis. Whether it’s on highway billboards, broadcast on iPhones or seen in a venerated museum, I’m totally up for it. I see having significant commercial and institutional solo shows in the U.S., Europe and Japan – and perhaps setting up some cultural exchange programs among artists all over the world.

How has Covid-19 influenced your artwork and your acting career?

Covid-19 is a truly life-altering event for just about everyone, whether they know it or not. Many people who choose to ignore it have to face the bigger change that has come out of this moment in history – and adapt. The people who do accept it also have to adapt and figure out a way to work with those who don’t believe. Clear communication and perception, as well as true acceptance mean a lot in 2020 – and beyond. It has influenced my art. I’m more determined than ever to invite viewers to review their perception, their origins, their home and the world out there, which really isn’t that alien.

Covid-19 has slowed down my acting career, as the entire business has dropped off significantly, but I still audition for network TV. Some safe feature film productions are being made, but only a handful of major television series are being produced for the time being. Many of us are in active hibernation mode; writing new screenplays, pitching media projects and expecting this thing to turn around when scientific and medical officials say we’re ready to go!

Interestingly, even though some art shows I have had work in were postponed, others are still going strong and new ones are coming up. I’ve shown more work in 2020 than ever before. I’m sure you can agree that people truly need art. It’s healing, it’s provocative, and it has an important place in virtually all of our lives.

 www.stephenwozniakart.com

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Please, introduce yourself. When did Love Ghost get started? Why the name Love Ghost?

Finnegan Bell – singer/Guitar Player, Ryan Stevens – Singer/Bass Player, Daniel Alcala – Guitar Player, Corey Batchler – Keyboards, Samson Young – Drums. Love Ghost has been a band since 2013, a few members have come and gone through this journey, but this line up has been the same for half a year. We are called Love Ghost because at the time I was obsessed with both Love and Death, but Love Death did not sound right, so we decided on Love Ghost.

How would you describe the kind of music you play?

It is a combination of many genres, but we like to call it Trap Rock. Honestly, it is a mixture of Grunge, Emo, acoustic/singer-songwriter, R&B, Punk, Trap and Hip Hop.

Your new single “ll Be Fine” just came out and even if there are some dark themes in the song, there is a message of hope for the listener.

Can you tell us more about the creation of this song and its message? What does it represent to you?

The song was made fast, like in a day. It’s really an acoustic song with trap production. I know what it’s like to have no one there or to feel like everyone hates you. I’ll be “Fine” is about depression and I hope it’s helping people that struggle with depression and people that feel ostracized. What “I’ll be Fine” really represents to me is having an internal voice that tells you that you will be fine, even when no one else does.

How is the pandemic impacting your music?

It sucks that there are no live shows, but we are making lots of music on our own, so that is good. We also do have a live stream coming up on the streaming platform sessions live on Saturday September 12th at 7:00p.m., and we are really excited about that.

What are some future projects and dreams for the future?

We have tons of unreleased music, and we want to have hella collabs in the future. As a band we are writing all the time.

Who/what has influenced your music individually and as a group?

We try to take inspiration from everywhere. A few people who inspire us are Kurt Cobain, Lil Peep, Tupac, Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix, Machine Gun Kelly, Juice Wrld, Alice in Chains, City Morgue and Lil Bo Weep. We also listen to a lot of underground music on
Soundcloud- so it is always changing and growing.

Apart from the group, do any of you have individual projects that you are working on?

We are all song writers in this band. Daniel has Qing and Corey has Little Trauma.

Could you describe the creative process you have when developing a song?

Sometimes one of us comes in with a fully formed song, and the others give feedback and fill-in their parts. Sometimes all of us meet to write together, and we start with nothing, and by the end of the session we usually have the start of a cool song.

Has there been a performance that you each particularly remember that stands out from the rest? And why is that?

Yes, the festival we played in Ecuador. The love we received there was insane and made it very memorable.

What do you do for refreshment when you are not performing?

We write music, watch cartoons (shout out Scooby Doo, Disenchantment and Seis Manos), Ryan, Daniel and Samson also play video games.

http://loveghost.com/

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I’ve been known to call myself a most outgoing hermit. Maybe a thought shared by other artists, I don’t know? I do love people and being around others, but I also cherish my quiet time to reflect and simply observe the world around me. I do stay informed with news and current culture and events, but am the kind of person who likes to talk first-hand in working to know what is real – the under the skin feelings, and in the heart stuff, that drives us as individuals. So yea, I like to listen as much as I like to talk and create.

Perhaps it’s an outcome of an adolescence where I never really fit into any one group. I bounced from clique to clique in wanting to find myself (I guess, a normal thing for many teens). Or maybe it was the carry forward from a 20s when I was in demand and labeled a wiz-kid artist, my eye for fashion and special effects feeding my ego in my quest for approval. Or could it be the subconscious of a somewhat emotionally suppressed upbringing? Not that there wasn’t affection or that I faced any abuse in my childhood. I had parents who took good care of me, even to the point of spoiling and supporting me in just about everything (yep, even the police raided high school parties and all). But with all dignity recognized to my parents and sisters, deep emotional or spiritual conversations where a rarity in the home of my childhood. And not putting you in the shoes of a therapist, and for the integrity of sharing what makes this creative mind tick, something inside me has pushed me to share this in defining my origins of why I am so fascinated to better understand the dynamics of human connection, and I’m guessing the reason why I got into arts in the first place.

You are an established photographer in the fashion industry and entertainment world in LA, where and when did you start your journey?

I’m the youngest child with two older sisters, one 8 years, and the other 11 years older. There was always a distance between us because of the age gap. Plus, they both left home by the time I was 13, so, in a way, I spent a big part of development years kind of like an only child in a British household (sarcasm, humor, table manners and all). My father was a dreamer and survivor, who as did my mother, lived through the blitz and mid-century anti-Semitism. Their example to me was a blend of move forward care taking, stiff upper lip thinking, and keep-it-quite intimacy. So I learned early to dream quietly, to push through whatever was in front of me, and to be independent. I know… a strange way to answer a question of how I got into fashion and entertainment, but relevant for defining what I do, how I live, what I see, and why I create.

So per that fashion thing? I don’t really consider myself a fashion photographer… probably more of a portraitist, beauty, and observational photographer (and I’m not describing myself as a fine artist for a reason. I’ll get to that in a minute). To start, I’ve always been driven by emotion, spiritual connection, and, for better or for worse, the feelings I absorb from others. Scary at its worst; a rush beyond all rushes at its best. So to talk about my journey is to expose both the blessings and phantoms that drive me in all that I do. If you had to define me in a simple phrase, you could describe me as an openhearted wall dropper– more interested in who a person is and how we relate, rather than what they do or how deep their resume is. It’s weird; I even look at inanimate objects with the same perspective.

Regarding that “I’m not a fine artist” statement, well, it just feels too constrained and limiting. A lesson I’ve learned throughout my life and career, that being, every time I try to categorize myself, I lose myself. And the result, my work becomes forced, and my imagination becomes replaced by looking at category rather than into my heart, or better yet, toward the heart of others. Most likely, (that besides my subsiding hairline); is the stuff that keeps me young and breathing. Never wanting to stop my quest for the unexpected discoveries of life and intimacy in trusting my relationship with others. An outlook that prompts me to reach into my fears and comforts to face, and own, what I intake, see and feel in every chapter of my evolution. The stuff that comes at me becoming the literal source material I harness for all that I do, and in how I communicate with those I work with.

So here’s the strange artistic dilemma, the conflict that never fails me to see and feel the world around me, and better yet, trust and own emotions within myself. As I see it, the greatest key to vulnerability with others, as well as the hangman’s noose I’m always muscling through. It’s not an easy thing to be in the moment in expressing what’s in my heart. I’ve had some pretty amazing moments with people, as well as some painfully embarrassing slip-ups. But I accept this life view with open arms, for I believe that living on the edge of open-heartedness, is where branches to honestly create can grow to their fullest. Best I can explain it. All in all, it just happens, but as I sit here thinking about it, I guess it’s all about emotional integrity (not genius, concept, bravado, or over-production), and with this acceptance, my feeling is, the purest place for art and expression to happen has to come from trusting ourselves. Like I said, not so easy a thing to do, but a discipline I am now just starting to fully realize and own. And per that journey thing, I’m not sure if it ever started for me, or will even end anywhere in the near future. It’s more like a soulful thing that is simply part of me from the inception of who I am. And in that, even when life sucks, I still feel purpose in what I see, do and create. So, I’ll simply say this, The journey is truly the present. I know, sometimes I sound like such a guru!

How do you like to work with models and other creative minds?

Most importantly, I do my best to divorce myself of all preconceptions and predictions. To realize that everyone I work with, just like I do, brings to the table more than what is first viewed on the outside; regardless of what may seem apparent. I like to be organic, spontaneous, and live by the mantra of Less-is-More. Especially when it comes to photographing a person. I think we all have hidden children dwelling within our hearts, and each of us are carrying so many joys and pains that we are dealing with; and, to be able to tap into the intimacy of a quiet moment with another person, is something that I am at a loss to fully explain. I’ve had a lot of people open up to me in the most humbling ways. So in honor of them, I feel it my responsibility to do the same.

Photography is a very powerful drug. I think that’s why it gets abused in so many ways– the “can you drop your top a little bit” stuff that really infuriates me. My role, as I see it, is to build trust and protect all those in front of my lens, in my life, or under my pen. And if I broke that rule, I know I would not sleep at night, and the integrity of my work would cease. For me, it’s all about sincerity, empathy, and honor in viewing others. Models, Creative minds, the guy at the supermarket who screamed at me, whoever; and in that, is the place I find the deepest creativity, peace to openly interact, and ability to be in the moment.

Would you please describe for us the different seasons/phases you have been involved in with your photography? Where do you see the evolution of photography progressing towards?

Boy, you do ask the probing questions. I’m going to take a second to look at this from an external perspective. Promise I’ll get back to the direct answer, just feels a little less self-serving, and maybe a better way to get to the truest answer. I get the opportunity to talk to a lot of artists, students, and creators, in that, 35 plus years of countless conversations and dealing with a vast set of perspectives, lifestyles, and personalities. The full range of what can be expected within the artistic community. From the kind and fulfilled to the lost, depressed, angry, and disenchanted. So when I share my perspectives, know that they are a mix of my own personal observations of other artists grounded by my quest to find my place as a human and creator. I’ve been rich and in demand, I’ve also been homeless and forgotten. Weathered through a lifetime of swinging doors in navigating my own set of personal, economic, social, political, cultural, and professional challenges. Each phase affecting me in all areas of who I am, how I feel about myself, and my dreams of where I am going. Being a creator is a fragile thing, we live in an A plus B never equals C, or anywhere near the same outcome vocation. Add that to the pressures put on us by our own fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams, the opinions and prejudices put on us by the critiques and attitudes of others, and it becomes easy to find ourselves wandering in the weeds. Yep, I’m one of those philosophical guys. The talker and presenter, but still, the social hermit I trust to keep me centered. But here is the silver lining of it all. A consideration brought to my attention by a stranger I once photographed and interviewed on a Los Angeles street. A clinical psychologist, she asked, “how much of what you do you consider therapy?” I’ll leave it at that. If you are truly a creator, you know exactly what I’m saying. So there it is, Again, back to my earlier thoughts regarding the journey. For me, the season is never-ending, and in looking back, all the feelings and knowledge of what I’ve personally been through are all equal subtexts to all that I create now. Per the future, well, that’s an organic thing that only time will prove what will come to be.

You are currently expanding your art to the new horizons of fine art. Would you please tell us more about this expansion?

First, thank you for calling my work art. Some don’t view the photographic process quite that way. And please know how thankful I am for all the commercial projects I have been, and continue to be, commissioned to produce. Also, gratitude to the creative minds, and friendships, who have trusted me with their vision, reputation, and livelihood. But the rawness and vulnerability to create wholly personal works is a truly remarkable therapy that is beyond assignment, storyboard, or layout. And now pushing into my 50s I have so much emotional history to pull from. A gift and responsibility to care for after having spent a lifetime honing the creative skillset I’ve evolved. So in this opportunity of fine art, I have walked into a rebirth of sorts. A release to put my rubber to the road in listening away from all expectations; the ones of my own making, and those programmed into my head based on the compliments and rejections that come my way. And being a glutton for self-growth and a good old emotional shake-up, expanding into the world of fine art is a natural progression for me. I’ve dabbled with it over time, but never with an honest effort. But something about now feels so not forced. And to be the creator I’m claiming to be, to ignore the promptings of my deeper self would be a sin against my evolution. It’s an exposed and financially risky place to be. Yet in the challenge, I have to admit this is probably the purest and most honest heart-set I’ve felt in a long time, and in looking back, I can now clearly see, why I had to wait until this point in my life to start this journey toward what I hope will be a valuable and meaningful chapter.

You are creating a new series of work, called HEAL. Can you share with us what inspired this new series of work and what you hope to accomplish with your message to the world?

I’ve always been inspired by music, something I can see when I relax my mind and close my eyes. I know, sounds so cliché. But it’s a real thing for me, and in opening up in this interview, a part of my psyche I feel compelled to expose. It’s a bizarre thing that happens in my head, it’s not like feeling the rhythm, beat, or cadence of a musical piece, it’s a visual experience. At its fullest leaving me dream like control to create, view, and move dimensional pictures in my head. And per the music itself, I’ve even awoken at night with fully composed symphonic orchestrations building in my head, but without the musical skills, they are trapped there. So with this reveal, can I put the question so many ask on the table? If you could do it again, what would you do? For me, knowing what I know now, I might have studied musical composition. Perhaps I’d be a composer or conductor now. But, no regrets here, love where I am and what I do. OK, onward to “HEAL.”

It started very vicariously as being a father to an emerging and very disciplined ballet dancer; I’ve been graced to meet some amazing artists. And in this experience, I’ve fallen in love with the movement, emotional depth, physicality and musicality of traditional and contemporary ballet. A trust that is allowing me to connect my emotional self and musicality in a profoundly sensory, emotional, and spiritual way, and the deeper I push into letting go to the project, the more organic and personal the project is becoming.

HEAL is a double meaning title, one part reference to the physicality of dance and reference to foot position, but more passionately, the emotional implications of the title. For it is, that in all of us are hidden, unexpressed or dreamed for feelings, and yes, even reason for healing. And who better to emote the fullest depth of human emotion and relationship than a dancer, who in a most touching way, can own and emote a feeling from head to toe. My hope is, that as more-and-more take the time to look into the frozen frames of the Heal photos, that they may too reflect on what they see in that photo. Perhaps better yet, to relate to what they feel from that photo, and from there, to reflect on how they treat themselves as well as those around them. As the title suggests: to HEAL whatever is in need of forgiveness, to accept the reality we are all dealing with a unique set of inner joys and pains, and to be released to our own calmness by knowing that not one of us is alone in dealing with our feelings and relationships.

And as per what the most amazing choreographer, dancer, and my good friend, Shamika Jones suggested as she helped me conceive the project, “There is grace in that.”

What do you like about photography?

A still frame, if not overly manipulated, is about as honest as artwork can become, especially in regard to capturing a human portrait. There is no cover-up for misplaced technique. No secondary chance to replay a moment. And in the telling of emotion and form, there is nothing like the pureness of an honestly captured photograph, and the larger that photograph is reproduced, the deeper it can be examined. The harder it is to make it lie. But that’s just the final destination. What’s most captivating is the process of making that photo. Now, I’ve directed film, produced, and photographed large commercial productions. Told a ton of stories through both still and moving picture. Processes and adrenaline rushes for sure, but again, to create a meaningful still frame is an experience like no other. For me, as you might presume from what I’ve shared so far, the emotional and spiritual part of photography is the drive for why I create. The self-growth and listening to others all a big part of why I make pictures, and admittedly, a selfish therapy. An important corner stone to the person I am, the human I want to be, and my link to a medium that has, and continues to, guide me to openly and deeply look at the world and people around me.

Who is your audience for your photography?

OK, here you go, and perhaps a welcome surprise. A short answer, I don’t know. Like I’ve framed, I’m a work in progress.

Black and white photography vs color photography. Do you have a preference? And if so, which one and why? And what does the choice depend upon?

Without a doubt, for portraiture, Black and White all the way. It does not lie and if done right, captures the purest of emotion and expression. I do like color for drama, and for some of the still life work I’m doing. A little saturated color does a lot to deepen the depth and texture and history of an object (Yes, inanimate things have a connection to someone too. Hey, I can say that. After all, I’m a weirdo artist).

You must be thinking of some future projects. Could you describe them to us? Will these projects involve more fine art photography?

I’m one of those people who has a mind that never stops moving. The guy who writes into the early morning hours, or wakes up at 2 am to take a photo of a plastic gas can. Yes, the dude who can drive his family nuts with what if’s, and did you see that’s. Give me a Styrofoam cup, and I’ll turn it at different angles, look at it in different light, and then make a claim that the cup has a unique history and story to tell. I know, super nutty, huh? But that’s just me. Take it or leave it, and luckily enough for me, I have friends and a family that let me live in this world that I see. Per those future projects, whatever they look like, my guess is, most likely they will be centered around opening conversations which get us all to consider what might be in the hearts and minds of one another, or ideas that push us to examine ourselves, or at it’s least, to make some sort of statement per the impact we as humans have upon each other as well as the world we share. Stuff like my “Dreams” project, where I film people telling about the dreams they have in their sleep, or the photographs of “Rubbish” and “In•an•i•mate åbjekts” that tell of our human footprint and our impact on the planet. Even the documentaries I’m directing and producing focus on what is, “Under The Hood” in each of us.

You host a podcast called Sidewalk Ghosts. What is it about?

Got to say, I love you tons for asking about Sidewalk Ghosts. It’s more than a podcast, it is an effort of purpose that has reshaped my life for the better. And my most sincere hope is that it will do the same for all who the project touches. Bottom line, in 2011 I challenged myself, regardless of where I was, or how I felt, to interview and photograph a stranger every day for 365 consecutive days. Not one day missed as I blogged an essay and the photographs for the world to read and see. Three months in it caught fire as WordPress featured it as one of the top ten daily blogs to follow, and as comments and subscribers from around the globe flowed in, I fell in love with the world. Now, almost a decade later, 100s more interviews behind me, a book written, a non-profit formed, a speaking outreach and podcast growing, Sidewalk Ghosts has become a mission I hope will touch the hearts and minds of many. A community-forming advocacy based on three fundamental principles:

1, “There is an extraordinary story living within each of us.”

2, “If we seek to truly see each other and grow our connections from a place of sincerity, empathy, and acknowledgment of others; what we create, and the impact we leave, will have long-lasting reach and effect.”

3, “Every moment of every day… your individual impact truly does matter to someone else in the world.”

Now as I approach the 10th anniversary of this journey, I find myself grounded as an ambassador to what I feel a very timely and much needed message. One that, as an artist and human, has helped me to be more committed to recognizing what I have to contribute through and beyond my medium. The payoff (if I have to look for one), my life and work are becoming even more balanced and purpose-based. An awakening I have to consider when I think about just how far the works I am leaving behind will reach (ie, fine art, film works, books, articles, posts, speaking, podcasts, and outreach).

Leaving behind? I know, sounds morbid and maybe a bit self-aggrandizing. But in trusting you, here is my motivation. I’m not on a quest for fame or on a downward spiral toward my deathbed. I’ve got a lot of good years to go and am in my creative prime. So to the world, I pledge, “my friends, you’ll see no razor to my ear.” But here is the thing I wish to share with my artistic allies. A notion I wished I grabbed onto in my 20’s (but even then, I was doing all I knew with what I knew). And not standing on the guru’s soapbox, I’m humbling myself to be as vulnerable as I can in this written interview. So, I stand exposed (OK, I hear a snicker from the back of the room in that statement). On a course to do all I can to be true to the artistic, healed, and damaged voice within myself. My integrity on the line as I set an example to my family, and the sobering mirror to do my best to stand with credibility in all that I do and say; and knowing there are only two unavoidable obstacles, those being, taxes, and death, that when I meet my maker, I wish to be as close as I can to debt-free. And in that, to know, that I did my best to honor the gifts of art that I was given; and if lucky enough, to know I have forwarded the same to you. Pass it on at www.sidewalkghosts.com

www.richardradstone.com

The post Into the Mind and Heart of Photographer and Artist Richard Radstone – A Most Outgoing and Gregarious Hermit appeared first on Artiholics.

My name is Gianfranco Meggiato, I was born in Venice in 1963 and am a sculptor of abstract works in bronze, aluminum, stainless steel and marble.

Please describe your journey to starting your life as an artist. How did you start your career and what brought you to start showing your works?

Since I was a child I felt a particular inclination for art, drawing, modeling, I studied for five years at the Istituto Statale of Venice, where I came into contact with different materials: wood, stone, clay, plaster, bronze.
Already at sixteen I participated in a collective exhibition in Piazza San Marco, at the Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation, organized by the municipality of Venice, where I presented my first work created at school: a perforated stone panel on both walls; it already contained the initial seed of my future plastic research.

What is the process behind the creation of your works?

Unlike many other sculptors, I never start from a drawing or from a project, but instinctively, directly, by modeling the wax directly by heating it in special stoves and then modeling it with the help of a heat gun and lavacrete.
It is a very long and complex job and a work is sometimes done over and over again until the satisfactory result is achieved.

What inspires your artworks?

Telling you what inspires my works is not easy, in the sense that my sculptures arrive a little on their own. It is not that when I start working in the morning I already know what I will do, but as I proceed, the idea born takes shape and develops.
As Joan Mirò said: “Images take shape while I work. In other words, instead of deciding to paint something, I start working and while I paint the image imposes itself or offers itself to my brush.”
Here in this definition of Mirò on making art I find myself very much there and in my opinion the artist is nothing more than an energy receptor which then manages to transform matter whatever their medium, plastic in my case.

Your sculptures are elegant and very powerful. Is there a specific meaning or message behind your Art?

On the general meaning of my artistic research I can say that I model my sculptures often inspired by the biomorphic fabric and the labyrinth that symbolize the tortuous and tormented path of man aimed at finding himself and his own precious inner sphere. In this context, space enters into all my works and emptiness becomes as important as fullness. 

Lately I have been increasingly attracted to the foundational concepts of quantum physics
One of the best known experiments in the field of quantum physics is that of the double slit (a variant of Young’s experiment) where the results change as the conditions of observation and execution change.
In essence, subatomic particles are fired through two slits and their behavior changes, changing their nature from beam to wave, depending on whether or not there is the presence of an observer assisting with the experiment.
A question then arises: what is the true nature of man if he is able to modify, with the mere presence of an observer, the behavior and nature of subatomic particles?
Here I think that contemporary art must be in line with its time, also having the courage to touch uncomfortable scientific themes.
Some of my latest works: Uomo Quantico, Respiro Quantico etc. refer precisely to a way of making art linked to these scientific theories where space and time would not exist but everything would happen at the same time and in the same space.
In creating the sculpture, I then proceed to perform separately, without an overall view, each single element that will constitute together with the others the final sculpture that will appear when all the elements are composed in the same space and at the same time.

In general mine is a plastic research that tries to touch current issues and inner research.

You exhibited all over the world, tell us about your experiences. Any favorite places? 

I must say that in my opinion, before being in museums, art must be among people and that is why in recent years I have given much space to monumental installations placed in squares or in particularly symbolic public places.
One of the installations that touched me most was: “La Spirale della Vita” made in Piazza Bologni in Palermo on the occasion of Manifesta 12, between June and September 2018.

The installation dedicated to the 878 innocent mafia victims, made in the shape of a spiral of twelve meters in diameter, made up of jute bags, culminated in the center with a vertical sculpture 4 meters high entitled: “Il Mio Pensiero Libero” because in the end only a free thought can free us from the spiral of death.

This installation was particularly felt and experienced by the Palermitans who came to see if the name of their relative or friend was among those imprinted in the jute bags; the Spiral of Life had then become a mausoleum to their dead.

When art interprets the common feeling of a people, remembering the fallen and at the same time giving a message of hope, I think it can be said that it has achieved one of its highest goals.

Tell us about your icomos-UNESCO award. What is it awarded for? When did you receive it? How did you feel? Was there any impact upon your career after receiving this award?

The Icomos-Unesco prize was awarded to me in Florence in October 2017 “for having masterfully combined the ancient and the contemporary in sculptural installations of great evocative power and aesthetic value.”
In June of that year at the International Sculpture Park of the Marca museum in Catanzaro I had created a circular installation of 20 meters in diameter consisting of 4 thousand jute bags with 8 monumental sculptures inside entitled: Il Giardino delle Muse Silenti.

These military jute bags were symbolically placed in defense of our values, of our culture, also given the repeated terrorist attacks that had occurred in that period: “Not soldiers behind the fortifications but sculptures: the Silent Muses, after having inspired the poetry the Muse defends it, the last bulwark against barbarism and death.” (Luca Beatrice)
This which had been my first large installation had immediately made me aware that this was my way.
I was thrilled by an art made of “social” installations to face the drama of the contemporary era and the Icomos-Unesco award received had made me understand that I was in the right direction.
At the end of the installation, the Marca museum has acquired and placed on permanent display in the international sculpture park, a work of mine 4 meters high: Il Mio Pensiero Libero.

How is the Covid-19 influencing your Art? What is the impact of the virus on you? How are you using the quarantine time?

In 2019 on the occasion of Matera European Capital of Culture I had created the largest contemporary art installation of the event.
An installation of 25 x 20 meters was made with more than 5 thousand bags colored with the 7 colors of peace, in the shape of the hand of Fatima, a symbol common to Jews, Muslims and Orthodox Christians.

The founding theme of the installation was: Everything is One, imprinted on the bags in the 30 most spoken languages in the world.

Well the year of Covid-19 made us understand how prophetic that phrase was.
We are all cells of the same organism and a body must remain united if it wants to defeat the virus.
In June of this year, the art magazine ArteIn dedicated the cover to my installation.

“Today“– writes Luciano Caprile for ArteIn –“we can open the drawers of the soul and take advantage of this difficult period as an opportunity for growth and enrichment. In this respect, the great hand of Gianfranco Meggiato, open to all humanity, makes us understand how truly everything is one (…) and how each person’s physical and spiritual salvation depends on safeguarding this conviction.”
Personally, I used the time of quarantine to model new works in view of the next exhibitions.

What are your plans for the future?

For the summer of 2021 I am planning a large exhibition with about twenty monumental works in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world where great international sculptors, from Igor Mitoraj to Jan Fabre and many others, can be viewed.

The theme will be “Know Yourself” the famous inscription on the pediment of the temple of Apollo in Delphi.

The post Gianfranco Meggiato: The Master of Sculpture appeared first on Artiholics.

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.

The post The New Korean Vogue appeared first on Artiholics.

Luxury Escapism or “The Oddly Satisfying Spa” is an immersive art technology wellness experience reminiscent of a Spa with elements of theatre & Virtual Reality. Luxury Escapism – a VR Spa has been created by Tyler Pridgen. Initially I went in to do a shoot for their online advertisement campaign last year in December and that itself was a lot of fun. The space was very cool so when Tyler asked me to come on as a member I was intrigued by what that would entail for me as an actor.

What was your role?

My role in Luxury Escapism involved taking on the character of a “Spa Attendant”; working alongside an ensemble of artists to set the stage and keep the front of a Spa. We are given a script that we memorize and deliver for all the different stages like the welcoming of guests into the space, the rules they have to follow, the instructions they should look out for, etc. Doing that was more traditional in the sense of learning lines and delivering them but then the rest of it used improv so we got to play around with a bunch of different techniques.

From an actor point of view, what has been the peculiar aspect of this kind of technology that makes it different from a standard filming project?

In a set up that’s so different from what I’m used to working on, it can sometimes be quite the challenge to not break character. I had never worked on a project like this before and it allowed me to work with a whole new realm of experimental theatricality since it is on us to maintain the believability of the experience and the people coming into the space have no idea about us acting or what they are in for really. The project has been so well received and people genuinely enjoy it because it’s truly one of a kind. I highly recommend everyone to try it!

What is the most important artistic project that you have been a part of?

I think I have been lucky in my journey so far to have worked on a few projects that I consider important to me. One of these was a project I worked on last year that was part of the 48 Hour Film Festival NYC.The film was screened at The Anthology Film Archives, NY.

About your previous works, you took part in a project that was part of the 48 Hour Film Festival NYC.The film was screened at The Anthology Film Archives, NY.  What is the concept of that festival?

The concept of the festival was that we had 48 hours to create a short film after a theme, a prompt and the name of a lead character. “Joan” in our case was the character I played in what had been given to us. The film was action heavy and I hadn’t really worked on many films like before so it was cool to work with a stunt choreographer and being an observer to that process.  It was such a fascinating experience working with a team of people that came together just for this project and had not worked with each other before. Of course we had our set departments like acting, cinematography, producing etc, but it was very collaborative from the script to the directing. I think that’s also the reason that this project was influential because it gave me insight into all the things that go into making a film and I learned a bit about all the aspects. It also peaked my interest into production; I think that may be something I’m keen on going into the future!

Covid-19 and creativity. Has the pandemic changed any of your artistic plans?

I had recently been cast in an off-off broadway satirical comedy show that has actually been a long running show at the Producers Club Theatre, New York. The show called “Sketch of New York” is a hilarious representation of life in NYC. We were due to go on at end of March this year and were mid rehearsals when the lockdown began and we had to postpone the show until further notice, but the directors of the show are still in contact with us. We have had talks about zoom rehearsals to keep us in the rhythm of the show so that once we are in the clear we can pick up where we left off.

With the coronavirus it has been a collective struggle for everyone all around the world and my heart goes out to everyone who has suffered and their families. I wish everyone safety and health. These are strange times that we are living through and with the lockdown the last 2 months have been unusual to say the least.

Were you able to be involved in any artistic project during the pandemic?

I have been trying to use this time to be as creative as possible for when I am not creative that has been detrimental to my well being. I think creative engagement helps so much with keeping positivity alive at a time like this. I actually have been involved in 2-3 remote projects during the quarantine that have kept me busy and it’s been interesting to create with other artists, all of us working on our individual end at home! At the moment, I am working on a music video from home as well so I look forward to seeing how that turns out.

What is your opinion between the filming NY and LA scene? Why have you chosen NY instead of LA?

New York has been my home for the last few years now and I have really liked both living & working here. While I don’t have experience working in LA as yet, it would be a new space for me to break into. I have a familiarity with New York and there is a lot of work that is being done here with films, shows and the theatre but, that being said, I did make the move from India all the way to New York and ultimately if the situation called for me to make the move to LA I would certainly consider it.

I think I would definitely like to work projects there and learn what the “scene” is like there plus I haven’t been to LA yet so that would be a good reason to visit. I am excited to see what opportunities are ahead for me and what else is in store!

Are you a theatre cinema lover, or do you prefer series TV from the couch?

Hmm! That is a hard question to answer (laughs). I love both those things equally I think. I love balance in life, so in general I am person who enjoys both being outside and outdoors but, I also love staying in bed all day or just having a chill day at home. The same can be said about my preference with that because I truly love the experience of going to the cinema – popcorn & soda, but I am also a binge watcher who enjoys her shows.

We are living in an explosion of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and the Disney channel. Do you think that the end of Hollywood has already been decided?

I don’t think so, I wouldn’t say we’re at the end for Hollywood, no. It’s true that with Netflix, Amazon and all the other subscription services we have access to, and a platform for films, tv shows, and such which is amazing. But the experience of going to the cinema has its own very significant place so I do think there’s a big place for films in that capacity in our lives still.

Why have you decided to have a career as an actress and singer in the USA rather than India?

The reason that I made my initial move to the USA was to have the best available education in acting, that’s also why I chose New York. There is such a rich history of the arts here so I knew there was a lot for me to gain in my learning. But it was never a decision of choosing one over the other. At the end of the day I just love to act and if I felt that I had more opportunities in India I would go back, but I’ve been lucky enough to have found my footing here for now. I’m happy that work here has kept me busy and I think another added bonus has been that being in New York has given me the exposure of working with so many talented artists from around the world. It truly is a melting pot of culture and the arts in the best way possible.

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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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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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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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She has long been known as photographer, whose black and white portraits of subjects looking away or cut off by the frame, with fragmentary captions that read as if lifted out of an unfolding story, announced her in the 1980s as a major voice in black feminist art.

Lorna’s works have been included in numerous exhibitions both nationally and internationally and the journey continues. Lorna is currently exhibiting at the world’s most prestigious gallery, Hause & Wirth a Swiss contemporary and modern art gallery in New York City. The exhibit titled “Lorna Simpson. Darkening” which is currently ongoing is the artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery in New York. Presenting for the first time in the public, the exhibit will bring forth new large-scale paintings by Lorna; it finds Simpson returning to and building upon themes and motifs at the center of her practice: explorations focused on the nature of presentation, identity, gender, race and history.

For more than 30 years, Simpson’s works have entangled viewers in an equivocal web of meaning, drawing upon techniques of collage through the use of found materials, often culled from the pages of vintage Jet and Ebony magazines. In “Darkening “Simpson continues to engage viewers with layers of paradox, threading dichotomies of figuration and abstraction, destruction and creation, past and presents.

Lorna’s Darkening has been on view at Hause & Wirth from 25^th April 2019 and will end on 26^th July 2019.

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The 58^th International Art Exhibition, Venice Biennial 2019 opened to the public on Saturday May 11^th and will take place until November 24th. The Pre-opening took place on May 8^th, 9^th and 10^th and the awards ceremony and inauguration were held on May 11^th. This year’s exhibition was curated by Ralph Rugoff and organized by La Bienniale di Venezia which is chaired by Paolo Baratta. It will feature 79 artists, all living.

The title of this year’s exhibition “May You Live In Interesting Times” is taken from a supposedly Chinese saying referring to periods of uncertainty, crisis and turmoil. The words “interesting times” are meant to mean exactly as the times we live in today; that perhaps art can guide on how to live and think in “interesting times.” Ralph is certain that this title will include artworks that reflect upon precarious aspects of existence today, including different threats to key traditions, institutions and relationships of the “post-war order.”

According to Curator Ralph Rugoff, “the 58^th exhibition will not really have a theme, but it will highlight a general approach to making art and a view of art’s social function as embracing both pleasure and critical thinking. Artists who think in this manner offer alternatives to the meaning of so-called facts by suggesting other ways of connecting and contextualizing them.”

Venice Biennale 2019 is divided into two separate shows, one at the Arsenale and one at the Central Pavilion in the Giardini. Both shows include artists exhibiting different kinds of works. There will be a lot of paintings besides film/video, spatial and digital works.

The exhibition includes 89 National participants in the historic Pavilions at the Giardini at the Arsenale and in the historic Centre of Venice. Ghana, Madagascar, Malaysia and Pakistan are the countries that will be participating for the first time. The Dominican Republic exhibits for the first time at the Biennale with its own national pavilion.

There will also be 21 collateral events which are admitted by the curator and promoted by non-profit national and international organizations. The events will take place in several locations and offer a wide range of contributions and participations that enrich the diversity of voices that characterize the Biennale.

The biennale will feature special projects including: the Forte Marghera Special Project, Mestre Ludovica Carbotta, has been invited by Ralph Rugoff to expressly make a work in Forte Marghera inside the building called the Austrian Polveriera,  the Applied arts pavilion special project where Marysia Lewandowska is the artist set to exhibit in the pavilion of applied arts located in the Arsenale, Sale d’Armi. This particular project which has been renewed for the fourth consecutive year is the result of the collaboration between La Biennale and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

For the tenth consecutive year, La Biennale has been directing energy to learning activities, more specifically to institutions that develop research and training in architecture, the arts and related fields and to universities and fines arts academies. The ultimate goal is to offer favorable conditions for students and teachers to organize three-day group visits for fifty people or more, offering the possibility to organize free of charge seminars at the exhibition.

In the past two years, La Biennale’s great 57^th International Art Exhibition and 16^th International Architecture Exhibition had 114, 814 participants in educational activities in total amongst whom 68,794 were young people.

According to Ralph Rugoff, “May You Live In Interesting times will be formulated in the belief that human happiness depends on substantive conversations, because as social animals we are driven to create, find meaning and connect with others. The exhibition will aim to underscore the idea that the meaning of artworks are not embedded principally in objects but in conversations. Biennale Arte 2019 aspires to the idea that what is most important about an exhibition is not what it puts on display, but how audiences can use their experience of the exhibition afterwards, to confront everyday realities from expanded viewpoints and with new energies. An exhibition should open people’s eyes to previously unconsidered ways of being in the world and thus change their view of that world.”

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We go to restaurants to dine, wine and of course get to catch up with our family and friends. We go there with the hope of enjoying a delicious meal and leave with a smile on our faces and a lot of contentment too!

Restaurants differ in size, location and interior design but there is nothing really extra-ordinary in most of them because the point is to offer the best services to clients. However, the M Wells Dinette, is an extra-ordinary eatery joint in New York. It is located inside the MoMA PS1 museum, one of the largest art institutions in the United States dedicated solely to contemporary art. Yes, a restaurant inside a museum.

Its space is unique because it is designed to look like a classroom with desk-like tables and complete chalkboards. The acclaimed restaurant serves you both food and lots of artworks and it is home to the a steakhouse offering friendly, delicious and exciting dining options. It was opened by Hugue Dufour and Serah Obraitis, serving dishes like seared frog legs and carbonara sandwich which featured spaghetti on a bun.

After opening the dinette, the two proprietors also opened a more upscale meaty restaurant called M Wells Steakhouse in 2013.

Sadly, the M Wells Dinette, is closing its doors at the end of this month after serving its residents for more than six years. It will close down on the same day that marks the end of the exhibition that is currently being held in it, the Bruce Nauman retrospective. Bruce is one of the most experimental and influential American artist of his generation with more than sixty works including walk-in-environments, video installations, neons, sculptural objects and sound pieces.

The dinette opened in 2012 after the original M Wells closed down operations in an old diner in Queens. It has been a must-visit place for the visitors of the MoMA museum. The restaurant through an email expressed its sentiments saying, ‘‘Mike Kelley, Maria Lassnig, Cao Fei, Wael Shawkey and Mark Leckey are artists we especially adored, and of course Bruce Nauman, our current master of MoMA PS1, for whom it has been a complete pleasure hosting and feeding.’’

The M Wells Dinette lives to be one of the most unique restaurants in New York City, serving both food and art.

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Which is that one advert on your screen that gets you hooked always? Adverts appeal to viewers in different ways for instance an advert could be appealing because it is hilarious or the person advertising the product is your favorite celebrity among many other reasons. Adverts influence our selection of product or services and it is the objective of every advertiser to ensure that the advert gets the point home and the product off the shelves.

Burger King is an American global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants and  is also  the fifth-largest fast food chain with numerous locations in the world. The burger chain has been advertising in very unique ways from advertising its delivery service with actual car accidents to fiercely throwing jabs at its largest competitor, McDonald’s. This time round the Burger King’s Super Bowl commercial leaves you thinking “okay, that was it?” You would actually think that something catchy would happen in the ad but there is none really.

The Burger king Super Bowl commercial has featured the iconic artist Andy Warhol. Warhol was a well-known legendary painter, sculptor and filmmaker and was also the leading figure in the visual art movement known as Pop art. The 45-seconds commercial simply shows Warhol silently unwrapping the burger from a burger king bag adding a little ketchup and eating it. In a press statement, Burger King said “the spot is meant to break through the tradition of super bowl commercial break filled with explosions, slapstick jokes and celebrities with an almost silent, yet powerful work of art.” The ad is really simple and as they say, Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Interestingly, the clip that has been used in the burger commercial was part of a film “66 Scenes from America” by Director Jorgen Leth in 1982 and was meant to highlight different aspects of the modern American society. However, Burger King had obtained approval from the Andy Warhol Foundation to use the clip as the advert. The giant fast food restaurant is now inviting Americans to enjoy their whoopers using the hashtag #EatLikeAndy

Burger King wanted its consumers to know that whoppers are for everyone; the wealthy, the famous, the poor, the athletes and the artists and that is the reason why they used Andy Warhol. Warhol on the other hand once said “What’s great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest.” I tend to believe that these two statements are more or less passing the same information.

The irony of the advert is that Warhol might not really have been a big fan of Burger King Whoppers but instead he was a fun of its competitor McDonald’s because he once wrote in his book, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol “The most beautiful thing in Stockholm is the McDonalds. The most beautiful thing in Florence is the McDonald’s.” The advert has raised different reactions but basically the point was to get more buyers for the Burger King Whoppers; both the wealthy and the poor.

Here’s some food for thought, would Warhol actually agree to do an advert for Burger King Whoppers if he were still alive or would he still be a fun of McDonald’s?

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A 16^th Century artwork that can be identified as a unique-statement-of-masterpiece has been stolen from St Ludgerus church in the small of Zele, Belgium. The painting that was long forgotten at the church, had been donated by a parishioner 16 years ago. It’s just recently when the church’s pastor Jan Van Raemdonck noticed that the work, depicting the Holy Family could be one of Michelangelo’s. The painting features Mary the mother of Jesus, Joseph, an infant – Jesus who is asleep and John the Baptist. Known as a passionate historian, the pastor had identified some resemblance of the painting to a sketch by the famous Renaissance artist.  “The drawing, which is 100 percent sure of Michelangelo, shows just the same scene. That is why I thought that this too could be the work of Michelangelo, or one of his pupils,” he said. The sketch which is the artist’s only other work in Bruges, Belgium is a part of the Duke of Portland’s collection and was recently exhibited.

The missing ‘Michelangelo’ painting thought to be worth 10,000 euros was to be verified by an Italian art expert just few days before it was stolen. This is after Van Raemdonck moved it to a more superior place that the initial.

The church council believes that the nature of the burglary is linked to Van Raemdonck’s recent discovery of the painting as well as his involving of the art expert. “They were only interested in that one painting,” says Johan Anthuenis, the chairman of the church council, “They have not even looked at all other valuable items.” 

However the historic artistic pastor claims to have requested for extra security measures to be placed at the church, when the council opted to restore the church’s tower instead. Contrary to the information, the council has now denied such claims, that no such conversation ever took place.

The church is said to have been broken in between 5am and 6am on January 11th, according to the East Flanders public prosecutor. A man of about 17- 20 years, fully dressed in dark clothes and a hood was spotted carrying a backpack. Pastor Van Raemdonck however says that the burglary would have involved more than just one individual with the painting on wood, measuring 145 by 99 centimetres and weighting 100 kg.

Ironically, art theft does not seem to be an unfamiliar term to the pastor. Also possessing quite strong writing skills has written a number of novels including one on the Just Judges – an art theft in Belgium. The Just Judges was stolen back in 1934 and to date is still missing despite the endless investigations and efforts to locate it.

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The works of Andy Warhol were and still are in the limelight as far as the world of art work is concerned. Warhol was an American artist, director and producer. He was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as the Pop Art. He was well known for printmaking, painting and photography works. Pen and ink, ballpoint pen, blotted line, graphite and acrylic paint are terms that were common to Warhol; they were his tools of work. He received numerous awards and has exhibited in different shows and was the most successful and highly paid commercial illustrator in New York even before he began to make art destined for galleries.

Warhol’s works gained him a spot in the art world while he was still alive and even after his death his name is still a big deal. The New York Academy of Art will be showing drawings of the pop artist Andy Warhol. The academy will present “Andy Warhol: By Hand, Drawings from the 1950s-1980s,” an exhibition of more than 150 illustrations, many of which have never been exhibited in the United States. This will provide a platform for Warhol’s work to be shown to the art lovers and also to other artists.

The show will be opening on January 22 and running into March. The show has been co-curated by David Kratz, the president of the New York Academy, and Vincent Fremont, formerly an executive manager of the artist’s studio and a founder of the Andy Warhol Foundation.

Andy said that “business art is the step that comes after art, I started as a commercial artist and I want to finish as a business artist.” He became one of the world’s most successful artists and made different types of art that were highly lucrative. Andy Warhol is a legend, and even after his death he comes back in the New York Academy.

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Puzzles are so easy yet so hard, they are all about placing things where they actually fit or belong and so long as you are determined, you will always be able to solve them. It’s with no doubt that our lives are summed up by the puzzles we solve daily and until we are able to solve them, we can never really be at peace. In some cases, we ask for help from people who can solve them.

Caitlin Mahony, an assistant conservator at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of art is not new to life puzzles and in her case her puzzle was “work related.” Caitlin first examined a wooden Yup’ik mast that was created around the 1900 and was amazed by it and didn’t really know how to proceed with it. The mask was perforated with holes on the side into which appendages were inserted. Some of the appendages were broken, missing or probably wrongly fitted and this made it difficult for Caitlin to understand the mask. You see how it feels when you play a game on your phone and have to fit in certain things and it is so hard to figure it out but you keep playing because you need to get it right? Well, that was the case for Caitlin, to get the actual mask features well put for it to actually look like a mask.

Caitlin sort help from Chuna McIntyre, a storyteller and dancer born in southwestern Alaska who travels performing in traditional costume as an ambassador for central Yup’ik culture. Chuna was definitely a good solution considering the fact that he is an ambassador of the Yup’ik culture; he sure came in handy and was able to fit the pieces together; he helped decipher the original configuration of the. Chuna got most of his knowledge of Yup’ik culture from his grandmother, who passed along traditional stories, dances and songs.

Two comma-shaped red pieces depicting spurts of blood were moved from the skull to the gills of one of the two salmon framing the top of the mask. A hoop on the mask was in the wrong location, and previous repairs on it were failing, so Mahony adjusted the position and stabilized it. The two flippers towards the bottom of the front of the mask were not originally a pair but a single front and a single back flipper, so one was moved.

Carved from driftwood and measuring nearly 3ft in height, the mask depicts a kayak pierced by a seal and studded with a skull, a fish, a bird’s head, hands, flippers and feathers. Because the mask was too large to be worn during ceremonies, it would be suspended from the ceiling and then a Yup’ik dancer would approach it from the rear and bite on a protrusion to set it in motion.

The mask was donated to the Met last year and is now on view at the museum alongside other 115 objects dating from the 2^nd to the early 20^th century in Art In Native America. A mixture of sculptures, drawings, paintings that will be showing at the museum aim at acquainting viewers with the customs and daily life of more than 50 indigenous cultures. The mask is now a glimpse of the ancient connection to the spiritual realm thanks to the joint effort of Chuna and Caitlin. It is now up for viewing with its pieces well put together.

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