artobserver

Francesca Woodman. Eel Series, Roma, May 1977 - August 1978...

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:28:58 -0500

Francesca Woodman.

Eel Series, Roma, May 1977 - August 1978 1977-8

From Angel Series, Roma, September 1977 1977

Untitled 1975-80

1970s photographer, subject matter focused on self image and notions of gender. She appeared in a large proportion of her work alongside other women. Her photographs were shot at slow exposure to give an ethereal, dream like quality.

Heike Mutter & Ulrich genth: tiger and turtle - magic...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:00:34 -0500

Heike Mutter & Ulrich genth: tiger and turtle - magic mountain.

Walkable sculpture allowing elevated views of the western Ruhr. The rails of the sculpture are fitted with LED lights to allow it to be illuminated at night.

Sebastian Errazuriz: Opera fireplace. Carved from 600 pounds of...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:50:57 -0500

Sebastian Errazuriz: Opera fireplace.

Carved from 600 pounds of Italian marble, yet fully functional and able to be installed in any house!

Mark Rothko “Red on Maroon” - 1959. A large scale...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:19:57 -0500

Mark Rothko “Red on Maroon” - 1959.

A large scale primitive piece.

Three hammered wrought iron panels designed by Edgar Brandt...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:10:00 -0500

Three hammered wrought iron panels designed by Edgar Brandt (1880-1960). Made in Paris for Selfridges’ new Oxford Street (London) entrance, which included four pairs of lift cages, opened in 1929. The Lift Compartment epitomised the luxe style of the Art Deco period, whilst embarking the brashness of this combination of metalwork, naturally eluding to a mature approach of this period of design.The three sections of the lift compartments are currently displayed at the Brighton museum and art gallery, with the fourth at the V&A museum in London. The objects are displayed within the Twentieth Century Art and Design Gallery of each institution. Brandt’s Lift Compartment panels are segregated on a separate plinth, illuminated by spotlights; consequently eluding to the beholder to recognise their unique nature. The lifts were removed in 1971 from the Selfridges’ store to comply with new fire regulations, and have remained at these museums until the present day.

archimaps: Inside the Gallery of Bronzes, Naples

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:29:16 -0500

archimaps:

Inside the Gallery of Bronzes, Naples

The Ecstasy of St. Theresa - Gian Lorenzo Bernini....

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:14:00 -0500

The Ecstasy of St. Theresa - Gian Lorenzo Bernini. (1647-52).

Within the group of Saint Teresa of Ávila and the Seraph, the beholder’s view and perception is beyond the limits of previous styles. The piece does not confine itself to simple tangible character but allows aesthetic appearance to take dominance. This is most prominently depicted in the great, flowing waves of Theresa’s robe; only Bernini could transform marble into a textile so lucid in its visual kinesism. It is not restricted to outlines that depict a robe in its exact form and there are dramatic interchanging folds that continue through the body of the cloth. The robe represents the Saint’s intensive experience, the divine revelation we witness in the material that billows out with great force. Unlike anything we have seen from classical renaissance sculpture, there is no disconnection between the Saint and the lucid fabric. Therefore the two combine and the symbolic robe becomes part of her in the same way she becomes one with the spiritual love penetrated into her by the Seraph’s arrow. The painterly effect is also present even in the details of the sculpture, such as in the Seraph’s angelic curls. The hair is formed by swirling erratic shapes which transform the hard, bold marble into material perceived to be soft at touch. The hair does not just lie limply on the Seraphs head, it extends freely like an intense fire, complimenting the wildly excitable look in the Seraph’s eyes. Within the sculpture , the facial expressions of the two figures are not reduced to standard emotions. Specifically in the image of St. Theresa, her head is tilted backwards, her eyes willingly closed and her small mouth is open; her face exemplifies a woman in the throws of ecstasy.

leighton

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:57:03 -0500

Frederic Leighton

The Fisherman and the Siren, c. 1856–1858 (66.3 x 48.7 cm)

Distorted gravity

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:36:53 -0500

Beautiful photography from Anka Zhuravleva:

Very falling-down-the-rabbit-hole esqe!

Do not abandon me

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:33:42 -0500

One of the recent exhibition I visited was Tracey Emin’s collaboration with the late Louise Bourgeois at the RWA, Bristol. This exhibition (finished october 23rd) was entitled: ‘Do not abandon me’ and featured block colour paintings by Bourgeois that Emin has later added her famous doodles to. The original prints aimed to depict elegant silhouettes, however the unfinished works are just of the torso of the figures which then left Emin a somewhat abstract canvas to work with.

Emin’s sketched females can be seen to lying provocatively on the fleshy mass, paying (ehem) ‘admiration’ to the male phallus and contrasting images that contain angry text rejecting the male form altogether. We all know how much Emin enjoys bringing past experiences to her work…

The works explore themes of male and female relationships, female sexuality and even childbirth and abortion. I found the exhibition a little exaggerated and maybe self indulgent on Emin’s part also, however the works did encompass the themes imagined by Bourgeois and I felt they were aesthetically interesting and although small the exhibition felt whole and complete.

Lee Price

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:25:00 -0500

Recently I came across the work of artist Lee Price; her body of work is of predominantly voyeuristic self portraits painted in the photo realist style. Her portraits are usually from a birds-eye view and depict Lee indulging in various food vices. Her portraits can cross over from the sensual to often the overt fetishisation of food when depicted with the nude form.

I find her work utterly gorgeous! Her subject matter is a great mix of the taboo and obvious uninhibited pleasure. Not to mention the immense skill that goes in photorealist painting…here are some of my favourites:

“Ice Cream”, Oil on Linen, 31” x 62”

“Jelly Doughnuts”, Oil on Linen, 40”x64”

“Sleeping With Peaches”, Oil on Linen, 56” x 81”

Lee Price: “Often women are brought up to control their appetites. Not just for food but in many areas of life. We are taught to be givers, to nurture others at the expense of our own needs (in a way that men are not).  I think food, for some reason, is one way we have chosen to give back to ourselves- to attempt to nurture ourselves. This, mixed with the pressure to be thin, has caused many of us to consume in secret”.