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Monday 31 January 2011

Cairo Museum Looted Latest

Looters broke into the Egyptian Museum in Cairo Friday night smashing vitrines,damaging statues and mummies.The robbery took place while police attempted to quell the violent protests which erupted on the streets last week and have carried on throughout the weekend. The museum is home to the world's largest collection of Ancient Egyptian treasures, including the priceless collection of King Tutankhamen.
 Read Full Article

Saturday 29 January 2011

Arts Donations From UK Business Falls By 11%

Businesses investment in UK arts fell last year by 11%. This was despite Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s DCMS directive to encourage corporate philanthropy. The initiative was launched last year to take the pressure off of the Government, which has made cuts to the arts of around 30%. The figures clearly highlight the universal tightening of belts taking place in some of the most prestigious British company boardrooms. The amount of funding raised for the cultural sector last year was £144m, down from £157m the year before. This revelation comes only two months after Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced plans for a "year of corporate giving" to help boost private funding. Read Full Article....

Friday 28 January 2011

Christie's Sales Total Record-breaking £3.3 Billion

Contemporary art market bounces back In 2010

Christies has announced sales figures of £3.3 billion or $5.0 billion for 2010. This is up 53% and a record for the world’s leading art business. The 245-year-old company now holds the record for the highest total recorded in the industry. The contemporary art market bounced back last year, logging $961 million, compared to a relatively weak $387 million the previous year. Impressionist and modern art was Christie's leading category, totaling $1.2 billion, a rise of more than 50% over $786 million realised in 2009. Read Full Article......

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2011 Open Submissions

New Contemporaries gives people still at, or just after, art school the opportunity to show their work in the context of a professional art gallery. It is important in that it takes the work out of the educational context and into the real. The relationship between education and art is known, respected, but strangely not recognised enough. As an organisation New Contemporaries is, however, totally independent of the art school as it allows applicants a democratic chance for the work itself to shine through. Reputations that might otherwise become set within the art school system are able to break out.

The annual exhibition is selected from slide, film, video, CD, proposal, and then at a second stage from a shortlist of the work itself. New Contemporaries is one of only two open exhibitions in the country.

Online Application

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Banksy Nominated for Oscar and Bafta

It’s official Banksy's film, Exit Through The Gift Shop, has been nominated for an Academy Award as well as a Bafta. The Bristol street artist’s first film has been nominated in the Best Documentary Feature category for the Oscars which will take place in Hollywood in February. The Academy is already considering what do in the likely event that the 'reclusive' artist fails to show up to collect the award should he win. The film was placed on the long-list, for an Oscar in the category of, Best Documentary Film and has now made it onto the final 5.
Read Full Story and Lists

Monday 24 January 2011

Dennis Oppenheim Conceptual Art Pioneer Dies 72

Dennis Oppenheim the pioneering conceptual artist has died of complications from liver cancer, he was 72. Oppenheim was born in 1938 in Electric City, Washington and studied at the California College of the Arts and Stanford University, before moving to New York in 1966. He made a name for himself as one of the first land artists in the 1960s, and explored Body Art at the inception of the movement. Oppenheim’s work evolved into the first wave of Conceptual Art and was influential and embraced by a younger generation of artists. He was a contemporary of ground breaking artists including, Vito Acconci, Gordon Matta Clarke and Bruce Nauman. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums internationally, including Tate Modern, London; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.  Read Full Obituary...

Art 42 Basel Who’s In Who’s Out

June 15 – 19, 2011
 
Richard Green and Patrick Painter have pulled out of the worlds biggest Art Fair, Art 42 Basel .The fair is the most important international art show for Modern and contemporary art, held annually in Switzerland. It features nearly 300 leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. More than 2,500 artists, ranging from the great masters of Modern art to the latest generation of emerging stars, are represented in the show's multiple sections. The exhibition includes the highest-quality paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and multiple works. Read Full List....

Sunday 23 January 2011

Has Jeff Koons Gone Bonkers?

Forever an egotistical megalomaniac, Koons is obsessed with himself. His inflated self-importance has overstretched all sensible boundaries, reaching the point of no return. He is now suing a small San Francisco gallery for design and copyright infringement. It all began about a month ago when Koon’s lawyers sent a ‘Cease and Desist’ letter to the Park Life Gallery in California. The dispute arose over a pair of cast resin bookends in the form of multi-coloured Balloon Dogs. The bookends are manufactured by Toronto-based imm Living, available in some 700 stores in the United States, retailing for $30. Does Koons think he owns the intellectual rights to Balloon Folding? Here is the complaint. Read Full Story ....

Saturday 22 January 2011

VIP Art Fair Is Virtually There

VIP Art Fair Is Virtually There - ArtLyst Article image

Review - First Major Online Art Fair Launches

The first online art fair featuring top international dealers, artists and prime location galleries, launched today with overloaded servers and the type of crashes only experienced when trying to buy Lady Gaga tickets online. “Please bear with us, as we work to remedy this situation”; was the frustrating message.

I persevered and managed to have a look at the ‘virtual fair’, cracking into some of the better-known galleries like Gagosian, White Cube and Pace but the slowness made me lose interest before browsing what I really wanted to see, the ‘Emerging’ and ‘Focus’ pages. I will return tomorrow ,as the fair continues for seven days.

The VIP Art Fair operates on a two-tier system. Participating galleries have sent invitations to their client lists, allowing them instant-messaging privileges. This also allows access to a wider variety of works not on show on the horizontally scrolling, virtual stands. The largest booths publicly display 20 works. The remaining 80 works on offer will be by request, opening up a dialogue between client and dealer. Valued clients may chat in private online viewing rooms. Visitors without invitations will be able to browse a limited inventory for free, but in order to view all areas the public must pay $100 for a pass, to see price ranges and interact with dealers, via instant messaging. Read Full Story...

Friday 21 January 2011

MODERN BRITISH SCULPTURE REVIEW

Royal Academy Of The Arts  London 22 January – 7 April 2011

Unknown work by Damien Hirst, a barnyard outbuilding and a smattering of 20th century masters are included in the first extensive survey of Modern British sculpture to be held in a major London gallery, in thirty years. Sir Anthony Caro, who features in the show, hopes it will raise awareness to a younger generation of Artists and Art Enthusiasts. This latest exploration of three-dimensional work has been curated by Dr Penelope Curtis, Director of Tate Britain and former head of the Henry Moore Foundation. The sculptor Keith Wilson is co-curating in conjunction with Dr. Adrian Locke the Exhibitions Curator at the Royal Academy. The team have chosen 120 pieces, which deliberately challenge and encourage an examination of the progression of  sculpture, in Britain. It highlights work from 1880 – 21st century. Read full Review .....

Thursday 20 January 2011

Stolen Masterpieces Recovered in Scotland

Works by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Samuel Peploe and Federico Barocci Returned.

Poor record keeping and slack security by the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the Museum of Transport, and Maryhill stores in Scotland has aided the disappearance of at least 10 works of art worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Three paintings stolen from the gallery, more than a decade ago have been recovered after one of the artworks was spotted in an auction catalogue. The painting, “Wooded Landscape With Figures” by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot was discovered by one of the curators at and Museum, in November. Read Full Story

Wallace Collection Appoints Christoph Vogtherr As New Director


  • Sir John Ritblat,Chairman of the Wallace Collection has announced the appointment of Dr Christoph Vogtherr as the next Director of the Collection upon the retirement of Dame Rosalind Savill DBE next October 2011.

    'Having run a fully international competition, it is very satisfying to find the right balance of scholarship and leadership from within the Wallace Collection itself, and that the appointment of Dr Vogtherr has the wholehearted endorsement of the Board of Trustees' says Sir John Ritblat, Chairman of the Trustees.  Read Full Story..... 

Wednesday 19 January 2011

UK Museum Storage Costs Millions

Storage costs for art in British Museums is costing over a million pounds per year. A Freedom of Information request put in by the BBC resulted in the finding. “The British Museum spent £86,280 in 2009 and 2010 mothballing 99% of its collection in storage.”Many museums in the capital keep an average of 90% of their collections stored away and the Museums Association says in view of the economic climate, with national museums facing funding cuts of 15%, venues are urged to offer more of their hidden collections on permanent display to the public. Read More....

Monday 17 January 2011

Yoko Ono Wins Hiroshima Art Prize

Yoko Ono, the avant-garde artist and widow of John Lennon, has been awarded the eighth Hiroshima Art Prize. This is awarded for her contributions to world peace through contemporary art. The Mayor, Tadatoshi Akiba stated the city will continue with its “Obamajority” anti-nuclear weapons campaign, amid controversy over a recent U.S. subcritical nuclear test, the first under President Barack Obama. Ono released a comment through the city, saying, “The tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were created by humans by themselves, and the humans also have the wisdom to eliminate their root causes,” in reference to the 1945 atomic bombings of the two Japanese cities in World War II. Read Full Article....

London Art Fair 2011















London Art Fair is one of the largest and longest established Contemporary art fairs in the UK. The five day exhibition covers work from over 100 countries, showcasing some of the best art galleries from Britain and globally.
The fair spreads over three floors in the Edwardian Business Design Centre, in Islington North London. The London Art Fair encompasses almost everything that has happened in art from the post war period.
The undoubted highlight of the Fair is Art Projects and Photo 50. The 2011 section is set to out do itself this year, as it is more extensive and exciting than ever before.

Click Here for complete gallery listings

Sunday 16 January 2011

BP Portrait Award Call For Entries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The National Portrait Gallery in London is calling for entries into the BP Portrait Award 2011. You must submit your entry by Thursday 10 February. First prize is £25,000, second prize £8,000, third prize: £6,000. There is also the BP Travel Award 2011 of £5,000 and BP Young Artist Award: £5,000.  

See Full Details...

Picasso and Dyslexia

Scientists at Middlesex University in London claim that Picasso's success may be attributed to his dyslexia

The 20th century master adapted to his shortcomings including the inability to see words written properly. Researchers think they may have explained the motivation behind some of Picasso’s most recognisable works, including his ground breaking Cubist pieces. Read Full Article...

Friday 14 January 2011

Con-Dem-Nation: UK

The short-sighted, position-serving budget cuts and decisions being made by the Coalition government since May 2010 have stirred the waters of unrest in the country so deeply that no-one could possibly deny the diversity of people involved, the depth of feeling solicited and the very real reasons for the protests, and reprove of the choices being made by those elected to serve the population.
Will further irrevocable damage be allowed to happen? Will the Coalition be allowed to continue with it’s 'style' of governance? It would certainly appear that with each new decision, the knife is twisted and more and more people are feeling the burn of being marginalised, discriminated, ignored and spoon-fed a media diet of bullshit and buzzwords. Let us not forget that this Coalition Government was not democratically elected in the first place. Surely this is a clear indication that the party political system, with it’s 'celebrity' posturing, finger-pointing and empty promises in dazzling manifestos designed by marketing agents, is fundamentally sick? All in favour say 'I', and read on.  Read Full Article By Rebecca Mellor

Fourth Plinth Sculpture Winners Announced

A giant blue rooster by Katharina Fritsch and a curly haired boy on a rocking horse by Elmgreen & Dragset are the next two sculptures chosen for the Fourth Plinth platform in London’s Trafalgar, Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced the winners this morning. The two commissions will go ahead for the Fourth Plinth in London's Trafalgar Square over the period covering the 2012 Olympics.  Read full article...

Thursday 13 January 2011

Shepard Fairey vs. AP Case Dismissed

The copyright lawsuit between the American Urban Artist, Shepard Fairey and AP (Associated Press), came a step closer to a conclusion yesterday, when U.S. District Judge, Alvin Hellerstein dismissed the case. The artist who had created the Barack Obama "HOPE" image from a photograph by a professional AP news photographer, has been excluded from the current lawsuit, but a March trial date has been scheduled for claims between the news service and companies that sold merchandise using the artist's image. Hellerstien also said the claims could be reinstated within a month if either side requested it.

Read Full Article....

Wednesday 12 January 2011

ICA Appoints Gregor Muir New Executive Director

The ICA has named the successor to Ekow Eshun by appointing Gregor Muir, as its new head. He is currently the director of Hauser & Wirth's, a London gallery, In addition to closing the gap between the commercial and curatorial jobs, Muir will inherit an institution in deep crisis. The former broadcaster and journalist, Ekow Eshun,who had held the post as ICA  Executive Director since 2005, resigned in August, as did the chair of the board Alan Yentob. Muir has prior experience at the ICA, having co-curated the 1997 show "Assuming Positions”.He has also served as a curator at Tate Modern. Read More....

Monday 10 January 2011

Tom Lubbock Artist / Critic dies at 53

The chief art critic for the Independent newspaper in London, Tom Lubbock died yesterday, aged 53. This has come two years after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He was best known for his art criticism which embraced a clarity so original that it never relied on art-speak or any other kind of pretence. His honesty  was never intimidated by reputations in writing about the visual arts.  Read complete Obituary

Saturday 8 January 2011

New Banksy Interview – Documentary Tipped For Oscar

As the Oscars approach the bickering begins. Joachim Levy a 34-year-old Swiss filmmaker is contesting the omission of his name on the Banksy film, Exit Through the Gift Shop in what he sees as an unjust oversight. Levy worked as a producer and editor with Thierry Guetta the driving force behind the doc" Life Remote Control," a rambling homage to street art which first screened in 2006. When Banksy's saw the chaotic footage from the Guetta /Levy's movie the idea of  "Exit Through the Gift Shop was born". 




Banksy Interview

 ATWT: One thing I've heard repeatedly from members of your team was that, early on, you were alone in your conviction that Thierry could and should be the narrative focus of the film - long before his show in LA that concludes the movie.  What drew you to Thierry as a film character and, aside from the fact that he had a lot of archival material about street art at his fingertips, why did you think that he could sustain the film's narrative arc?

Banksy: Thierry’s entertainment potential wasn’t difficult to spot - he actually walks into doors and falls down stairs. It was like hanging out with Groucho Marx but with funnier facial hair. Thierry arrived at a point when my world was becoming infested with hipsters and heavy irony, so his exuberant man-child innocence was fun to be around. Maybe I convinced myself Thierry was a good subject just because I liked him. I’d be lying if I told you the first time I met him I thought ‘this man’s life will deliver a good narrative arc’.

From the outset there are problems with any movie about graffiti because all the good artists refuse to show their face on camera. I needed the film to be fronted by a personality the audience could engage with. The producer Robert Evans said that ‘vulnerability’ is the most important quality in a movie star and that’s a hard thing to portray if all your interviewees have masks over their faces.

ATWT: It's clear in the film that you rely on a team of people to create your artwork.  What, if anything, was different about the filmmaking process, and the work you did with that team - Jaimie and Chris and others?  And how did you know when you'd found the right collaborators?

B: I paint my own pictures but I get a lot of help building stuff and installing it. I have a great little team, but I tell you what - they all hate this fucking film. They don’t care if its effective, they feel very strongly that Mr Brainwash is undeserving of all the attention. Most street artists feel the same. This film has made me extremely unpopular in my community.  Read Full Interview Here...

 

Friday 7 January 2011

Dennis Hopper Shot Chairman Mao by Warhol Auctioned

Next week Christie's will be offering a 1967 Warhol screen print of Marilyn Monroe in purple, yellow, and orange tones on a shocking pink background. This is cataloged with a pre-sale estimate of $40,000-60,000. While that work is obtainable with a higher price tag, a further print with a more historically important background is sold alongside it. This work, a 1972 Warhol screen print of Mao which is estimated at $20,000-30,000 and comes from the estate of Actor Dennis Hopper who shot two bullets through the print, one drunken (if legend is to be believed) night.   Read Full Article

Wednesday 5 January 2011

Top 50 Postwar and Contemporary Painters at Auction

Based on their averaged realized prices at auction    1986-2010


Josef Albers
Karel Appel
Francis Bacon
Georg Baselitz
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Alexander Calder
Richard Diebenkorn
Peter Doig
Jean Dubuffet
Marlene Dumas
Lucio Fontana
Sam Francis
Helen Frankenthaler
Lucian Freud
Philip Guston
Keith Haring
Damien Hirst

Read full list

London Art Fair Latest

London Art Fair 19 - 23 January 2011, presents over 100 galleries featuring the great names of 20th Century British art and exceptional contemporary work from leading figures and emerging talent. This January over 100 leading Modern British and contemporary art galleries will be brought together for the 23rd edition of the London Art Fair – the UK’s largest Modern British and Contemporary art fair – at the Business Design Centre, Islington. Every year, 23,000 visitors enjoy the work of over 1,000 leading artists ranging from Modern British masters to the most recent contemporary talent.  Visit The Fair

Mick Karn Artist Musician Dies At 52

Tributes are pouring in for the Sculptor/Musician Mick Karn who died yesterday after a long battle with lung cancer. Karn was born in Cyprus and came to England with his family when he was five years old, growing up in Lewisham, South London. Karn came to prominence with his 1980’s band Japan, which he founded at age 16 with friend David Sylvian. Read More....

Tuesday 4 January 2011

Art Stock Exchange To Launch In Paris

Photo: Anselm Kiefer.

 Pierre Naquin, a French entrepreneur is to create a fund offering shares in 20th - 21st century master works. Collectors, who cannot afford to hang a work by an important artist on their wall, will be able to buy shares in an art work. The first art stock exchange prepares to open in the French capital sometime in January. Read More.....

Sunday 2 January 2011

Is Art Dead?

Do artists only create for each other?  Since Hegel, the idea of the end of art has become a staple of aesthetic theory. Will Post Art be the end of art? The concept of “Post Art” was developed by the happening artist, Allan Kaprow based on his idea that life is much more interesting than art, at the expense of art. Post Art is not a point of no return and in fact there are many fine artists who continue to make important art,so it was perhaps inevitable that “Post Art” would be attacked as non-elitist. Marcel Duchamp called it “intellectual expression” over “animal expression”
 Read Full Article.