Art investment: Tea Stain, by Gavin Turk

Posted on January 27, 2012 by admin

Tea Stain’ by Gavin Turk – Fantastic Artwork, Bad Investment

I recently came across a limited edition print by Gavin Turk which was being sold by White Cube gallery entitled Tea Stain’ which basically consists of a round tea coloured stain from the base of a tea cup on a white piece of paper. There are those that would immediately dismiss this artwork as another piece of rubbish modern art but I have to admit that I personally find the concept rather intriguing.

According to the White Cube website, “This work by Gavin Turk further explores the complex ideas surrounding authorship and the concept of the artist as creative genius’. With each tea stain a unique mono print Turk asks the viewer to examine not only the way that an artist is seen to be a creator of objects venerated within an art historical context, but also the ways in which the simple motions of the everyday can become amusing or important.” Apart from the obvious comment on the issues of authorship and artist as creative genius’, tea has many different cultural, social and historical associations which are universally relevant and should evoke some sort of response in almost everyone. Although the artwork consists mainly of blank white paper, it is the simplicity of the work that forces the viewer to generate their own understanding and make their own interpretation of the work thus increasing the relevance and level of interest for each individual viewer.

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Music Band Placebo Interview at Projejt Revolution

Posted on January 25, 2012 by admin

I knew I was going to Projekt Revolution for my birthday. I had a goal to rock out and rock hard, but then came this thing. I found out I’d also be interviewing Placebo at Projekt Revolution in Camden, NJ. It started out as a phone interview but somehow by some miracle, I got to do a face to face interview. My birthday just got better. I’d been a Placebo fan for a few years and in fact, they happen to be one of my favourite bands. Happy Birthday to me!

Placebo, for those of you in the dark or on substances that don’t allow you to remember anything, is a three piece (Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Hewitt), British rock band that have been doing their thing internationally for a little over ten years. In 1996, their self-titled debut album brought the world a sound unlike any other sound out there at the time. It was raw, untamed and uncensored honesty about sex, drugs, love and life backed by grinding guitars, heavy basslines and solid beats. Their latest album, Meds, has brought the band full circle and back to that same honesty. This summer they joined the Projekt Revolution tour and alongside bands like HIM, Taking Back Sunday and My Chemical Romance (lets not forget the reason for the season Linkin Park), they have sufficiently unleashed a Revolution upon the people of North America. I got to spend some time in a very hot and humid Camden, NJ talking to bassist/guitarist Stefan Olsdal.

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Art Investment : Does provenance matter when buying artwork?

Posted on January 23, 2012 by admin

If you are investing in artwork, rather than buying it solely for its aesthetic value, then there is nothing more important than its provenance. A work of art without provenance can be impossible to sell when it comes time for you to realize its price appreciation, and can even land you in hot water. In fact, without a satisfactory provenance, it can be difficult to be satisfied that you even have title to the work, despite the fact that you may have paid good money for it.

Provenance is important for two reasons: theft and forgery. The art world is rife with both, particularly with art works that are sought after and therefore valuable.

If the piece of art you buy has been stolen, you will not acquire title in it when you purchase it. This is because a thief cannot pass on title to an art work, not having acquired title at the time of taking. Even if there exists a chain of bona fide purchasers in between you and the thief, you still are not immune to a claim from the work’s rightful owner should that person appear. And, if your art work is to be sold at auction, it is quite likely that the owner – or their insurance company – will find out about it. You will lose your artwork, together with the money you paid for it. As well, your reputation in the art community will certainly not be enhanced.

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Art Investment : How to find art treasures at flea markets and garage sales

Posted on January 21, 2012 by admin

At one time I had a small antique business in an antique mall. I was always on the lookout for finding bargains at garage sales, thrift shops and flea markets. Flea markets seemed to have more to offer. For one reason, there are usually more choices and also vendors who specialize in everything from Delft pottery to wall art. They are quite willing to come down in their prices, hard cash is difficult to refuse, especially if you’ve been standing in the hot sun all day and thinking about having to load up all your stock and haul it home again. Usually you can find a price that both of you feel good about.

Arrive very early. Most flea markets open as early as seven in the morning. But to get the best stuff’ or art, you will be more successful if you arrive a half hour before that. I’m not a morning person, so have rarely have done this, but I have seen artwork that other shoppers purchased that early and it is amazing and makes me try to get there earlier next time.

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Photography : Getting started with landscape photography

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin

Landscape photography is one of my favorite hobbies. When I visit a new location, or revisit a favorite place I love to capture images of nature that I find there. Although “landscape photography” sounds impressive and complicated, it doesn’t have to be. With a little practice and a decent camera, anyone can be proud of their work.

One thing I discovered shortly after I got my digital camera was that there is no such thing as waste. The beginner should remind himself of this frequently. When you come to a place like a nature park and want to get some great shots, don’t hesitate to take as many as you can. You can always delete the ones you don’t want at a later time.

The first thing I think about when I am going to take a landscape picture is, “What colors and shapes will frame this shot?” If you have spent much time looking at postcards or photography books, you will notice that the landscape itself “frames” the main point of interest. If you were taking a picture of the beach, for example, the picture would typically be “framed” by the sand on the bottom, and the sky on the top. The main point of interest, perhaps some off shore rocks, would be basically centered in the middle of this “frame.”

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Body Art : A brief history of body art

Posted on January 17, 2012 by admin

Body art has been around for centuries so the history of it is vast. Body art comes in many styles and is performed for many different reasons. It is popular in almost every region and culture just in different forms.

Body art can range from tattoos to body piercing to body modifications or henna applications. Each culture uses body art for their own purposes. The purposes of body art can be but are not limited to tribal identification, spiritual worship, systems of rank and status, rights of passage, wedding rituals and even in some cases as a medical practice.

Tattooing can arguably be traced back 12,000 years ago. An example was found on a mountain top between Italy and Austria. The body archeologists recovered was dated to be 5000 years old, male, and was found to have 60 tattoos from the waist down. Another archeologist by the name of Sergei Rudenko found mummified bodies during a dig in a region between China and Russia in the Altai mountains, these mummies were found to have tattoos and were dated back 24,000 years. Not only have male mummies been found but also female mummies. In Egypt a mummified woman was found to have tattos along her torso and lower abdomen among other parts of her body. This woman dates back to between 1994 B.C. and 2160 B.C. She is believed to be Amunet, an Egyptian priestess. The word Tattoo is believed to come from the Samoan language. The word Tatau means to mark or to strike twice. The earliest recorded use of the word tattoo was in 1769 in Captain James Cook’s diary that he kept during his voyage to Marquesas Island.

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Art History : The cat in the art world

Posted on January 15, 2012 by admin

Elegant of form, fluidic in movement and possessing eyes that command your undivided attention, it is no wonder that cats have made their way into the world of art. Artists delight in subjects that seemingly flow onto the canvas. A single stroke of a brush can hint at the gentle curve from shoulder to tail. Jeweled eyes finely crafted effortlessly follow viewers around the room. The cat has a mesmerizing effect on most humans and this attraction has been going on for centuries.

Egypt

In ancient Egypt the cat was considered sacred. Images of cats can be found on the walls of tombs, on pottery and in statuary. Cat mummies, some buried next to Egyptian royalty are sill being discovered. The cat goddess Bast, sometimes called Bastet, was the deity associated with fertility and motherhood. Early representations of Bast were somewhat fierce, but as Egypt’s history entered a more tranquil period, her likeness softened. Rather than a lion style figure in full snarl, she became more like that of an attentive feline sitting and observing her domain. Bronze sculptures and amulets were crafted by the thousands. Sometimes Bast would be shown with one or more kittens. Women used these images to pray for children.

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Artists and the need to collaborate!

Posted on January 13, 2012 by admin

I was really excited when I saw this article title. I really think that this is a very important and oftenly overlooked portion of artist issues. Throughout history we are able to seperate artists through different periods of time. These have not only been seperated through time but also through space. As in earlier times, the great’s where not always well known in there lifetime and even when they where, they where usually seperated by land or sea and thus not able to work on a collaborative effort.

But wouldnt it be nice to see a collaberation between two of the greatest artist ever. The contrasting styles, the pleasant mixture of colors, shapes and sizes. It would all be very great!

There are a few artists that I would have liked to see collaborate on different paintings and other works of art, and I will list them below. And please if you have any additional suggestions, do not be afraid to send a comment to me!

Carravagio and Piccaso- Especially a later piccaso. It would really prove to be one for the ages. The contrasting styles might not gel, but it would be nice to see.

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Art History : A brief history of Japanese art

Posted on January 11, 2012 by admin

Shunga, an Introduction to a Japanese Erotic Mystery Shunga, literally “Images of Spring”, is the generic term used to describe erotic prints, books, scrolls and paintings of Japan. History The beginning of the shunga genre is connected with the origins of Ukiyo-e (‘Images of the floating world’) and starts with the work of Hishikawa Moronobu and his school between 1660-1670. Originally shunga were published as erotic manuals (guides) for the most popular courtesans in houses of pleasure. But with the growth of prosperity, the expansion of the brothels in Edo (today’s Tokyo) and the alterations in the Japanese caste system with the merchants getting wealthier, embracing a hedonistic lifestyle, shunga gained a more diverting purpose.

Shops in the pleasure quarters of Edo, called the Yoshiwara, sold shunga prints and books as souvenir to the visitors of the brothels. Shunga were also offered as dowry to newly-weds as an educational guide. Around 1765 with the transition to multi-colour woodblock printing, before woodblock prints were colored either by hand or printed with a limited palette, the shunga genre entered new ground (both aesthetically and commercially).This revival lasted another century ending at the start of the Meiji period (1868-1912) when Japan opened its economic and cultural gates to the West. During the Meiji period only a few artists specialized in designing shunga prints which were mainly influenced by Western art. Subjects and Themes At first glance a shunga image can have a confrontational effect on the (Western) viewer because of the undisguised way the subject matter has been portrayed or the exaggerated depiction of genitalia.

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Reflections on the starving artist

Posted on January 9, 2012 by admin

Personally, speaking as an artist, I am not fond of starving. Starving is hardly conducive to the act of creating art – any more than it is to any other kind of activity. A rumbling belly, a weak body, a brain crying out for nourishment – these all tend to impede the creative flow. Past poverty may inspire some artists, but present poverty leaves little time for creation – the work needed to survive is too hard and time-consuming. Few artists would starve by choice, though some have been unfortunate enough to find themselves living in poverty and starvation. A few have even starved to death – thus effectively ending all artistic endeavor. Not a pleasant thought.

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