"Painting Below Zero: Notes on a Life in Art"

The term "Pop Art" is defined as a visual art movement that challenged tradition (first during the mid-1950s in Britain and then in the late 1950s in the U.S.) by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art. Case in point: the most well-known American Pop Artist, Andy Warhol, silk-screened a seemingly non-iconic image of a Campbell's soup can onto a canvas and voila, the public became fascinated with the Campbell's Soup image (and the product itself).

As a recent review from the NY Times discusses, James Rosenquist penned "Painting Below Zero: Notes on a Life in Art," an autobiography about the artist's accidental status as a pop artist (as a Midwest painter whose work happens to thematically parallel that of Warhol). Rosenquist started his art career as a sign painter and didn't initially meet Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein until 1964 (after Warhol and Lichtenstein had individually developed their avant-garde styles).

The artist's book contains a detailed biography (including his various art-world experiences), along with photographs (like the one below of the artist standing with his proud mother below his first billboard painting - for Coca-Cola), and various anecdotes. Rosenquist acquired the assistance of David Dalton (a founding editor of Rolling Stone Magazine) as well as Tony Scherman (a veteran music journalist) on his book.



To read the entire article from the NY Times - including more about Rosenquist's autobiography and life, art critic Arthur C. Danto's new pop-art related book, and discussion on new definitions / explanations of "Pop Art," click here.

Tattoos as Art

The art world is constantly evolving - and thus, the definition of art (or maybe just that of "contemporary art") continues to broaden. While tattoos were once considered taboo, or an act of rebellion against conformity, getting permanently inked with body art has turned into a pretty widespread occurrence (at least in the Western world).

Tattoos are now frequently accepted as a form of self-expression, but even more interesting are those who actually create the tattoos and ink them onto bodies. It seems that the growth of acceptance of tattoos has allowed tattooists to be viewed as artists and tattooing - like painting or sculpting - to inch its way to being considered a standard form of art.

More and more contemporary tattooists have fine-arts backgrounds - and many have developed their own unique artistic styles, with their tattoo parlors now resembling specialized art studios and galleries.

Accordingly, the market for tattoo-themed books has expanded over the past several years. One recently published book, Art by Tattooists: Beyond Flash by Jo Waterhouse, is unique among the category.

Tattooist Jo Waterhouse examines drawings and paintings by tattoo artists independent of the bodies they are permanently attached to. Thus, without the images of tattooed bodies, the viewer sees the tattoo as a true piece of art (and can subsequently judge it purely as art, rather than thinking of it as a tattoo).

To read more about Jo Waterhouse's book, click here.

The Letters: A Culmination of the Van Gogh Museum's Fifteen-Year Project

The newest edition of Vincent Van Gogh's letters is a pinnacle of achievement for Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum. The 15-year project, which includes almost one-million words, over 4,000 illustrations and has been published in six volumes, has trumped earlier editions by putting the letters in correct chronological order. The new edition includes more accurate translations and detailed annotations, and it truly transforms our current knowledge and understanding of the famed artist.

With almost all of Van Gogh's illustrations now identified (unlike previously, when the lesser known works had remained unidentified), full annotations - with footnotes and references, as well as the inclusion of other important details - like topography, customs, and historical context - The Letters are remarkably detailed and chillingly revealing.

As an article from The Art Newspaper states,

Although most letters were published in earlier editions, some lines were left out for a variety of reasons. For instance, one delightful and telling phrase was omitted simply because it had been crossed out by Van Gogh. On 7 December 1883, while living with his parents in Nuenen, he had written: “People are like brushes—the ones that look the best do not work the best.” This very much reflected his philosophy, and his family often criticised his scruffy clothes.

Sometimes details were withheld, even as late as in the 1958 edition, because they were still sensitive to the family. For instance, in Van Gogh’s unsent letter to Theo and his wife Jo of 7 July 1890, in the last month of his life, the words “while there are disagreements between you” were omitted...

...The most important completely new discovery is a letter from Van Gogh to his former boss at Goupil’s gallery in The Hague, where he had his first job. Van Gogh is said to have eventually written up to 300 letters to Hermanus Tersteeg, but all were apparently thrown into the fire late in his life when he wanted to warm his room. Recently, one letter surfaced, which had been given by Mrs Tersteeg to an autograph collector in around 1900 (it remains with the collector’s descendants). Sent on 3 August 1877, after the death of Tersteeg’s infant daughter Marie, it is a rambling condolence letter, peppered with Biblical quotations, and written at a time when Van Gogh had a deep religious fervour.

As such, the letters reveal a lot about the various aspects of Van Gogh's life - both personal and professional, as well as what it was like to live and work in Europe during the nineteenth century.

Perhaps most compelling, The Letters allow us to grasp a clearer understanding of Van Gogh's tragic death.

On 10 July 1890 he wrote about his latest picture (possibly Wheatfield with Crows), saying he was painting “immense stretches of wheatfields under turbulent skies, and I made a point of trying to express sadness”. Before posting it, he added to the letter the phrase “extreme loneliness”. Since it was in the wheatfields above Auvers-sur-Oise that he shot himself just 17 days later, these additional two words could well have had a deep significance.

The newest edition of the Letters is on display at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam from October 9 through January 2010.

STRANDed

Since I had some guests in town this weekend, I was doing some slightly more "touristy" things with my time. Although I consider this store a real local treasure of New York, people from far and wide have heard its praises, so it often ends up in guidebooks and "must-see" lists for visitors.

The Strand bookstore has millions and millions of books (literally 18 miles!). The second floor is home to so many art books that I could spend weeks of my life drooling over the amazing photos, monographs, catalogues, writings, and texts... ahhh, Strand - I can't wait to go back this weekend!

The Americans

Last post I wrote about Cartier-Bresson's seminal work The Decisive Moment. This week I wanted to feature another photography book. Robert Frank's The Americans was the result of his 1955 U.S. road trip funded by a Guggenheim grant. Although he was friends with the likes of famous figures like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, Frank's work showcases a beautifully gritty, heartbreakingly unfair America.

The Decisive Moment

As an artist or an art enthusiast, I'm sure you will agree with me that sometimes the best art texts don't involve anything other than visual language. I have always held deep respect and reverence for the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson. The French photographer was born in 1908 and gained international recognition when he covered the funeral of Ghandi.

In 1952, his book entitled Images à la sauvette (The Decisive Moment was the title of the English edition) was published. Drawing from a text by Cardinal de Retz, Cartier-Bresson wrote, "There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment". This idea of such a "decisive moment" would become synonymous with Cartier-Bresson and his work.

"Photography is not like painting," Cartier-Bresson told the Washington Post in 1957. "There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative," he said. "Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever."

The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge

Recent news about Christie’s, in collaboration with Pierre Bergé and Associates, announcing the second sale of Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Berge’s collection has me all in a tizzy. Nevertheless, just as I was unable to attend the first auction in person, there will be no way I will attend this upcoming auction in November.

So, as solace, I just placed my order for The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge, written by Robert Murphy and photographed by Ivan Terestchenko. The book beautifully catalogues the works that were auctioned off in the first sale, making this a great resource for great art.

I must be really gullible or something, but the book description just about had me jumping out of my pants with excitement:

The star pieces from fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent's art collection including works by Cezanne, Picasso, Mondrian and Matisse have been unveiled in the Grand Palais, Paris, ahead of what auctioneers have dubbed the art sale of the century. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge amassed the collection together before the designer’s death in June 2008. The works, which had adorned the pairs Paris flats, the Chateau Gabriel in Normandy and their home in Morocco, include antiquities, Old Master and 19th-century paintings and drawings, Art Deco pieces and European furniture and art. Now Pierre Berge has decided to sell the entire collection. It’s the end of an era and the sale has already excited enormous interest and speculation. This book shows, for the first time, the collection in situ in the pair’s homes. Although some pieces have been photographed separately in the past, they have never been photographed together, making this beautifully produced book the ultimate record of one of the 20th century's great collections.

Rogue's Gallery

When it comes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I think of a haven of well-curated exhibitions, quality art by quality artists, a place to cultivate culture - all in all, a do-gooder in the world of art. But then again, there’s the star-studded Met Gala accompanied with its notions of glamour and LOTS of money, and I have to rethink what the Met really is about.

Rogue’s Gallery by Michael Gross was especially enlightening when it comes to the capitalist aspect of the Met. Intriguing anecdotes throughout the book gives insight into the behind the scenes dirt in acquiring art and garnering publicity, thus presenting the interesting symbiosis of culture and cash.

Persepolis

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi is not just a comic book meant for children. Though the illustrations are in clean black and white, they are immensely powerful and beautiful in their sheer simplicity. On top of that is Satrapi's humorous yet mortifying autobiography, told through her eyes as a 10 year old.

For those unfamiliar with the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and the Iran-Iraq War, Persepolis will not only be an enjoyable read but also an educative one - it certainly was for me.

There's also a sequel - Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return.

The Sartorialist

Yes, the Sartorialist is now a book.  Pre-order your copy today.  For those of you who don’t know, the Sartorialist is a street style blog run by Scott Schuman that has gained a devoted following.  I, too, am an avid follower, and I am so excited about this.

This blog has received accolades, named as one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Design Influences.  The New York Times says “the bellwether American site that turned photo blogging into an art form.”

Kanye West says, “Scott doesn’t just take pictures, he captures emotion. He is not just a photographer. He’s a historian marking the feelings of this generation one photo at a time.”

Carine Roitfeld, editor of French Vogue, says, “During all the fashion weeks I am approached by many photographers, Scott is the only one who can ask me to cross the street for better light and I do it! I love his portraits.”

I can’t wait to get my hands on this book and flip through all the wonderful photographs.  To me, as much as I love following the Sartorialist online, nothing can compare when I can study the portraits up close in print.

White Oleander

I’m having such a good time reading White Oleander.  You might have seen the movie when it came out in 2002, but the book is really worth reading.  The story follows the heroin, Astrid through intense experiences as she makes her way from foster home to foster home.  Though the plot itself has absorbed my attention, I am mostly delighted with how great a job the author Janet Fitch has incorporated art and its beauty as a means of healing Astrid’s emotional and physical wounds.  The references are spot on, and for the art junkie, it’s also really cool to catch these references and understand.  Right now, I’m reading about how Astrid is going through a Kandinsky phase, but I’ll leave the rest for you to find out.  I hope you enjoy!

Picasso: Drawing with Light

Today, rather than share with you what I recently read in a book, I'm going to share an image feed of a series of pictures that I came across in Life Magazine.

via Life.com:

LIFE photographer Gjon Mili visited Picasso in 1949. Mili showed the artist some of his photographs of ice skaters with tiny lights affixed to their skates jumping in the dark—and Picasso's mind began to race. The series of photographs that follows—Picasso’s light drawings—were made with a small flashlight in a dark room; the images vanished almost as soon as they were created.

Aren't these images absolutely terrific?

The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft

If you have not been to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, believe me, it is worth the visit. The founder, a wealthy American, Isabella Stewart Gardner, amassed an impressive collection of art from her travels all over the world, and she it her duty to share and educate the public with her treasured cultural relics. Her love of art is reflected in this museum, where each exhibition gives off an aura of intimacy, as if this were the very house that she lived in. Rather than organizing the art in a methodical fashion, relying on intuition, Mrs. Stewart "decorated" each "room" with art in a way that she found pleasing.

Visiting the museum is really a calming experience, especially sitting by the courtyard with pretty plants growing and blooming year round. Just beware of the guards surrounding the place. They keep an extremely tight eye on all visitors, making sure there is no funny business going down. The tight security is actually the result of a heist at the museum in 1990, where thieves escaped with invaluable art including three Rembrandts and one Vermeer. To this day, the robbers still have yet to be caught, and we still have no idea where the art is.

This robbery forms the plot of the book, The Gardner Heist by Ulrich Boser. A journalist turned amateur sleuth, Boser takes the reader through his investigation as he pursues leads and collects a wealth of clues. It was such an entertaining read that solving the actual mystery become secondary to the narrative.

Chromophobia

The list of phobias is rather extensive and exhaustive, ranging from the fear of sitting down (kathisophobia) to the fear of relatives (syngenesophobia). A lot of phobias probably seem a little ridiculous (like the ones I mentioned), but the title phobia of David Batchelor's book, Chromophobia, is a fear that afflicts more people than you would think.

By definition, chromophobia is the fear of colors. In a series of essays, Batchelor explores Western culture's aesthetic propensity in avoiding the use of color, a trend that he disagrees with, evinced by book's brightly colored cover. Batchelor is thoughtful in his argument, drawing references from Herman Melville's "great white whale," Le Corbusier's architecture, and galleries' use of white space, among others.

Well-written and concise, Chromophobia is a fun delve into art theory.

Formless: A User's Guide

For anyone interested in modern art, Formless should be the textbook of choice. Authors Yve-Alain Bois and Rosalind E. Krauss introduce a range of concepts in understanding avant-garde and modernist art practices. They further explore the term, informe, originally developed by Georges Bataille, arguing for its importance in twentieth-century culture. Especially now, when art is appreciated aside from its formal mastery, the re-conceptualization of the modern world of art in terms of the formless makes for a fascinating read. This book has me thinking about Jackson Pollock or Claes Oldenburg from a completely new perspective.

Towards an Architecture

I’ve been really into architecture lately, doing a lot of reading related to the art of architecture. 

For the most part, we associate architect Le Corbusier with his modernist home, the Villa Savoye.  However, he is also the author of the seminal book, Towards an Architecture (Vers une Architecture in French), detailing his belief in modern architecture and the direction that modern architecture should follow.  Because of the 20^th century’s association with the machine age, Le Corbusier believed that architecture should also be a product of mechanical reproduction, thus rejecting historical references and traditional materials.  A memorable quote from the book: “a house is a machine for living.”

 

Ways of Seeing

Ways of Seeing by John Berger remains as one of the canonical works in art literature.  The book, based off the BBC television series of the same name created by Berger with Mike Dibb, was written over 30 years ago, though what Berger had to say about the prevalence of visual imagery in our day-to-day lives still remains as recognized as ever.  I wasn’t alive in the 1970s to watch the series, but I read a few assigned chapters as a student, and I remember being blown away by what he had to say, and how simply he said it.  It’s a short read, and I look forward to reading through the book in its entirety.

The Poetics of Space

The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard, although published in 1958, remains completely and utterly relevant to an artist's practice today. Read by architects and theorists alike, the book examines our relationship to spaces, particularly the home. Divided into sections such as "the attic", "the cellar", etc., the text is one that should be read by anyone who deals with space, place, or environments on a regular basis (arguably all of us). I read it years ago, and recently picked up my dusty copy - the first page alone got me all excited again.

Naked by the Window

I debated whether or not to write about this book which I recently read, for fear that it seemed too gossip-magazinesque. However, I think it is actually really valid in terms of an art text, although in a strange way. Naked by the Window: The Fatal Marriage of Carl Andre and Ana Mendieta by Robert Katz chronicles the events surrounding the death of Ana Mendieta (her fall/shove from the window of the apartment she shared with Carl Andre - possibly shoved by Andre himself). Mendieta's 1985 death caused a huge schism in the art-world, as collectors, gallerists, and artists seemed to take one side or the other. A court case was waged, and Mendieta's family and fans still mourn her death to this day. This wild tabloid-worthy story does not garner mention here due to the hype and celebrity, but it does deserve a reading, especially by anyone who has ever been, known, or loved an artist, and known the incredibly agonizing and manic life that often accompanies them. Also, the book had a chilling impact on my daily routine - knowing that there is still an imprint of her fall in SoHo.

Yoko Ono's Grapefruit

So I was given a very old, very beautiful copy of Yoko Ono's Grapefruit as a gift recently. I had previously been sneaking quick reads whenever I would see it over at my friends' houses, and I cannot be more excited that I now have my very own. It is unbelievably beautiful and poignant - and totally Fluxus. You know, she's more than just the wife of the former Beatle, but an extremely accomplished and amazing artist.

A few excerpts:

HAND PIECE
Sit in the garden.
Raise one hand.
Extend it until it reaches a cloud.
Have your friend ring a symbol.
Keep extending it until it goes out
of the stratosphere.
Have your friend put a flag out.
1963 Summer

BODY PIECE
Stand in the evening light until you
become transparent or until you fall
asleep.
1961 Summer

PAINTING TO HAMMER A NAIL
Hammer a nail in the center of a piece
of glass. Send each fragment to an
arbitrary address.
1962 Spring

MutualArt.com

Straying from my normal focus on art literature and films, I'd like to take a minute to write about a new website that I've just gotten into using.  It's called MutualArt.com and it is a resource for all things art.  It is full of the latest information on art venues, artists, museums, and news all around the world.  The greatest part about the website is the "preferences" component.  As world news on the arts is quite overwhelming, I was able to set my personal account so that the site will highlight and make easily accessible news that pertains to my particular interests.  The same goes for artists I like, venues I attend, and types of exhibitions and openings that I might be interested in attending.  It's a really great site and am trying to spread the word.

There is a membership fee but in all honesty, it's worth it (and cuts down my frustration in surfing google each morning to find art news that interests me).  Once again, the site is http://mutualart.com.

Have a great day! 

Goya's Ghosts - Art Film

Rather than read the other day, I decided to watch an art-related film.  The movie was called “Goya’s Ghosts” and starred Natalie Portman, Javier Bardem, and Stellan Skarsgård.  It was a disturbing, but great film.  They do an excellent job at depicting the atmosphere in Spain during this time and the ways that Goya’s work was affected by politics, religion, and social circumstances (which were all incredibly volatile and corrupt).  I have only very briefly studied Goya in my college art history classes and don’t remember much about his art other than how terrible and disturbing some of the images were.  After watching the movie, I now understand what inspired and influenced his work.

It’s a GREAT film and is available to “watch instantly” on Netflix.

Thieves of Baghdad

My newest book that I recommend everyone read is called “Thieves of Baghdad” by Matthew Bogdanos and William Patrick.  I had an opportunity to see Colonel Bogdanos speak the other day about his efforts to return looted artwork to the Iraq Museum.  Not only was he a captivating speaker, but the story he had to tell was unreal.  I had not ever heard of his book, but immediately went out to purchase it after the lecture was over.  The book is available on Amazon for cheap.  Not only does it have details of their quest to restore this museum (and the priceless antiques that were stolen from it) but it has a couple incredible photos to go along with it.

I’ve always known that art and antiques hold a lot of value, but not in the sense that Colonel Bogdanos explained.  Did you know that the illegal trafficking of antiques is just as prominent at the trafficking of illegal drugs and weapons?  In fact, antiques usually accompany the exchange of drugs and weapons.  Interesting stuff.  

Happy reading! 

some reading thoughts on art ...

Still reading “Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him…” I’m enjoying it but it’s getting a little bit tooo feminine for me. It’s quick read and I should have been done with it a while ago but just got busy with other things over the weekend. The books brings up a couple interesting topics to ponder. For example, in the story an new artist who attracted moderate attention from the art world dies shortly after his first exhibition. The day after his death is announced, there are waiting lists to buy out the entire show of his work. I can’t help but feel a little bit uneasy about this notion of “limited supply = bigger demand.” Were people buying the work because they liked it? Or were people buying the work because they wanted a work by the artist that died at his first art show? I’m thinking the second is probably the story, and as an ‘art for art’s sake’ champion, this notion makes me unhappy. Another interesting issue that’s brought up is watching this gallery owner deal with all the people he put on hold for a painting – who would the work go to? The muse that inspired it (the woman to whom the artist promised the work)? The young artist who was his biggest fan (who promised the artist he’d buy the work from him)? The wealthy collector? The socialite? To the hoity-toity celebrity? I’m interested to see how he works this out.

On Amazon the other day I bought “The Art of the Steal” – it’s about how to recognize and prevent art fraud… a friend of mine said it was pretty good

Fake: Fraud, Lies, and eBay (Part 2)

I finished the book within about 4 hours of starting it.  It was a great, quick, read and it caused me to do some research on my own afterwards.  I first went and looked up the "incident" on google.  Tons of articles came up about it.  This was huge and I can't believe that I missed this when it happened.  Afterwards, I went to play around on Ebay.  Though I understand why people like the site (it's fun, it's risky, it has everything you can ever ask for offered), I am having a difficult time understanding how the author was able to get as addicted to it as he was.  It was like he couldn't quit.  Even after he pled guilty, he went on to create computer software FOR Ebay... there are a million different things he could have made software for and yet, he was single minded beyond the point of being able to recognize it and continued to involve himself in Ebay.  

I started reading another book.  It's a quick read as well and is associated with the social aspect of the art world.  As much as I hate to admit this, it was written by a young woman, for an audience of young women.  It reminds me of that movie "The Devil Wears Prada" (which I was dragged to against my will) only it relates to the art world as opposed to the fashion world.   The book is called "Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him," and is by Danielle Ganek.  So far, though I have only read about 20 pages, it's hilarious.  Everyone check it out (girls and guys both!)!

When I'm done with this one, I'm most likely going to be in search of another quick, easy, entertaining art read... recommendations welcome!

Fake: Fraud, Lies, and eBay

Yesterday evening I was browsing on Google Books in search of a new novel to begin.  I was looking for something light but interesting, that wouldn’t take too much time to get through.  What I came across was Fake: Fraud, Lies, and eBay by Kenneth Walton.  I started reading some of the pages Google posts online and couldn’t seem to stop reading.  It was only around the time that I got to “page 7-8 have been removed from the internet for copyright purposes” (or something along those lines) that I realized that I NEEDED to go out and get a copy of this book.  Until I was able to go obtain a copy I spent a little bit of time researching the store (which is a true story).  It’s about a man who got addicted to selling fine art on eBay during the big dot com boom in the mid-90’s.  Literally, it got to a point where he quit his career as a lawyer (to pursue his eBay career full heartedly), started copying artists signatures onto works that could be by them, and knowingly deceived people into buying works that were not what he portrayed them to be for thousands and thousands of dollars.  It wasn’t until a work went for over $100,000 that the newspapers (and later the FBI) got involved.  AND this story is 100% true! 

So, first thing this morning I hunted down a copy of the book and can’t seem to put it down.  In fact, I’m back to reading.  Another post will come later when I finish reading.  

Art News In Place of Art Texts

I haven't been reading lately.  I guess I haven't really had much time.  Actually, I take that back, I have actually been reading quite a bit but it hasn't been literature on the arts.  It's been articles relating to the art world.  Is it just me or have newspapers and magazines and journals and online publications lately been dedicating more time to writing about the arts?  I've been reading about British statues being removed due to becoming potentially dangerous.  I've been reading about the upcoming Yves Saint Laurent auction held by Christie's in Paris at the end of this month.  I've been reading about the poor showing and sales results of the European Contemporary Art Fair (going on now) called ARCO...  it's hard times for everyone right now.  

I think that people are working hard and trying to have positive attitudes about the gray economic situation but it seems to be poking its ugly head into even the most beautiful parts of life right now.  :: Sigh ::

Art Media

Straying away from things to read about art, I would like to draw attention to a video clip that I came across online the other day. A friend of mine introduced me to the work of an artist/computer genius named Jonathan Harris and the things that he creates are unreal. This video clip is about one of his projects called "We Feel Fine" - it's relatively long (about 20ish minutes) but really provokes a lot of thought. After watching the clip, I looked up the project and can't get enough of it. Essentially this guy invented computer software that compiles all the "I feel" statements from blogs around the world every two hours. Then these statements are displayed for people like me and you to read in an attractive way. My words can't do it justice, I suggest you check it out for yourself. A friend of mine, who isn't into anything relating to the arts, enjoyed it too (although I think it was for completely different reasons than me)... it's one of those things that can reach and affect a wide range of people in totally different ways.

Strange, does this mean that MY "I feel" statements have come up some time or another on this site? I assume so. How cool is that?

Art Museum Closure

"Brandeis University's board of trustees has voted unanimously to close the Rose Art Museum as part of a campus-wide effort to preserve the university's educational mission in the face of the historic economic recession and financial crisis..." ** WOW.  I know this post is straying from my usual discussion of art literature I've been reading but it's such a huge thing that I feel the need to address the situation as a way to let out my frustrations.  I am truly disappointed to see that in response to financial pressure, this is the step that Brandeis University must take to maintain their status quo.  The implications of such a closure are huge.  Not only is all the work in the museum's collection is going to flood the secondary market (via auctions and/or private sales) BUT this sends out a huge message to the American public about the university's priorities.  Rather than shaving off a few extra dollars from all the different educational programs they run (in different subjects, I mean) in order to keep their art museum afloat, they are choosing to rid themselves of it entirely.  I'm sure there were tons of meetings among university officials during which they discussed possible ways to avoid this situation, however if the best conclusion they could reach was absolving this 50 year old institution, they didn't try hard enough.  It's a big hit for the arts and I hope that other university's don't follow suit.  

** (There are articles about this all over the internet, newspaper, and TV but my particular source for this quotation was found at mutualart.com)  

Mr. Obama Champions the Arts!

I'd like to draw attention today to a document that I came across on the internet written by our new president that states Mr. Obama's platform for the arts.  The things that I expected to find on this piece of legislation were all there: he addressed several aspects of art education, increased funding for the NEA (which I can't seem to believe will actually happen anytime soon due to the present state of our economy), streamlining visas in an effort to attract foreign talent, AND (something that I think is most interesting) working on an effort to provide affordable healthcare for artists.  That artists do not have health care never occurred to me, but I guess it makes sense (since most Americans receive their healthcare from the company which employs them... artists don't tend to be employed by companies... etc.).  I realize that Mr. Obama puts a lot of emphasis on working towards achieving affordable health care, but never really associated that with the arts - the connection makes complete sense to me and I hope that this goal is eventually reached. 

Anyways, it is a quite interesting read and I recommend all those interested in the arts that want to know our new president's position read this document!  And here's an artistic rendition of the man himself just to add a little flare to my visually-not-so-stimulating blog! 

record art price of 2008

Sadly, I have not had much free time to continue reading 7 Days In the Artworld.  I am still making my way through chapter 1 (which covers the auction house) and would like to include some interesting information which I came across the other day about auction houses.  Did you know that the record auction sale price in 2008 was a triptych by Francis Bacon and it went for a whopping $86 million?  I have only attended one art auction before and it was quite exciting (though no pieces went for 86$ million).  Actually, to be quite honest, it reminded me of horse races that I used to go to with my friends back in college.  The same sort of "what's going to happen next" energy was in the air and, though I was not bidding, I loved trying to spot the people in the crowd that were (though most of the bids came over the phone).  The highest hammer price was around $210,000, not including the buyers premium (thank you very much, Miss Thornton for improving my auction vocabulary!).  Anyways, if you've never been to an auction, I highly recommend it - even if you know very little about the art being sold, it is a one-of-a-kind experience just the same.  Sotheby's and Christie's auctions are free and open to the public and have their auction calendar listed online.  

Goodness, I just realized that now is a good chance to do some more reading - enough blogging for today! 

7 Days in the Art World

I just recently purchased a copy of Sarah Thornton's book titled 7 Days in the Art World (which was conveniently available in the art books section of Amazon.com) and can't seem to put it down.  A friend of mine said that Ms. Thornton gave a presentation for a class that she attends about a month ago and swore to me that after hearing her lecture, I absolutely needed to go read this book. I have always loved to read but have never been really been open to the idea of novels or literature surrounding the arts (maybe because it made me think of the tedious, late nights during my years as an undergrad where I would be up at odd hours of the morning struggling with pages out of a very dry art history book).  This book has very much changed my opinion of art literature.   In a very clever and expressive way, the author takes the reader through various aspects of the art market including the auction house, the art gallery, the art school, etc. and gives a very behind-the-scenes look at the way these various organizations function.  It is quite fascinating though I admittedly am only 1 chapter into the book.  The first chapter is about the auction house and presented so much new terminology that I was inspired to go do a little online research of my own.  

Can't wait to continue reading - until my next post... sold!