Very few people are lucky enough to say they own a Picasso or a Rembrandt, but unfortunately those that do own a highly prized piece of art can be a target for Art thieves. This is one of the more unusual topics covered on Artgalore, but as the title suggests, there is more to this blog than meets the eye.
Visual arts including painting and sculpture, along with photography are represented, while there are also sections dedicated to performing arts and theatre. This art guide covers shows and exhibitions, art awards, and some quirky news stories to keep you entertained. It would be a crime to miss it!
20TH MAY UNTIL 17TH JUNE 2013 45 ALBEMARLE STREET LONDON W1S 4JL
PAINTINGS BURST WITH LUMINOUS COLOUR, EXPRESSING THE JOY OF LIFE,
AND DELIGHT IN THE NATURAL WORLD
Belgravia Gallery will be showing approximately twenty paintings in their Summer exhibition devoted to abstract art.
Three leading artists represented in the show are London based American painter Monroe Hodder, self taught Brighton born artist Dion Salvador Lloyd and Professor Dr. Maurice Cockrill RA.
Latest acquisition for this show are paintings by John Illsley, one of the founders of Dire Straits.
Monroe Hodder, in the words of a critic: ‘barely needs the natural light of a gallery, so brightly do her canvases burn with colour.’
She uses fields of tiered horizontal bands which ‘test the chromatic limits of abstract painting without eliminating associations to landscape and memory.’
The Hedonist and the Heavenist I – Monroe Hodder
Maurice Cockrill RA, who was Professor of Fine Art at Liverpool John Moores University, later appointed a keeper at the Royal Academy, has been described as ‘one of the most protean painters to have emerged in the UK since the second World War. He has ranged from photorealism to Expressionism and from sexually charged landscapes to mythological subjects and near abstraction.’
Tangled Primaries – Professor Dr. Maurice Cockrill RA
Dion Salvador Lloyd, engages with his internal dramas and feelings, his work is contemplative, and he draws his inspiration from music, light, nature, beauty and decay. He is determined to master the medium of paint, by exploring all its tactile possibilities.
Art treasures from such northern towns as Bolton and Bury have appeared in an exhibition in China and become a huge success. This has many wondering whether or not booming foreign countries can offer the cash strapped galleries in the UK a way out of their current financial crisis.
When Thomas Wrigley, the paper tycoon from Bury, during the industrial revolution amassed a personal collection of some 200 artworks, England became known as the ‘workshop of the world’. The Bury Art Museum was opened in 1901 just to house the fine collection that Wrigley had brought together. Those heady days are long gone however, and this council run gallery, like many others in the UK, is facing a massive cut in its funding.
The new ‘workshop of the world’ is now China, so it made perfect sense that the jewel of Wrigley’s collection, the sublime JMW Turner masterpiece Calais Sands, has been sent along with 80 more works from Bury and a further 8 from other north west galleries, on a 6 city tour of China that is proving to be somewhat of a money spinner.
The brains behind the ambitious venture is Tony Trehy, the manager of the Bury Art Museum, who had the vision to see that a collection of art owned by the north western industrial barons could be a very big draw overseas. He corralled the other galleries to put together their ‘greatest hits’ collection and then they all headed east.
As Mr Trehy says himself, the tour has proved to be sufficiently profitable that people have stopped talking about cutting them. The exhibition has the title of ‘Toward Modernity; Three Centuries of British Art’, and apart from the turner, there are also works from Lowry, Constable, Lucien Freud and Henry Moore that have been collated from collection in Carlisle, Chester, Stalybridge and Salford.
Just throwing money into the arts does not really help society and in fact actually hurts art more than it helps. Take for example Liverpool where the funds that are placed towards the arts have been increased since 2008, but now that it is five years later there have not been that many changes.
A report that was published by the Liverpool Hope University stated that the urban-regeneration focus is now not on the communities or the city centre. Instead, Liverpool still has many struggling and disadvantaged areas and less art.
It seems that in Liverpool people are not being inspired. The operas regularly play with only about a third of the seats filled and the Royal Court Theatre continues to show the same old cycles. Poetry events only get other poets to attend. The real value to Liverpool would be further development of the Liverpool-Manchester canal or of the Mersey Docks because these projects would be able to positively contribute to the economy.
Art only has the value that people place on it, and apparently in Liverpool people have decided not to place that high of a value on it. Events like the Edinburgh Festival and Capital of Culture might get some local business and ticket sales but they are not focused on sales. Instead these events occur because people enjoy them and love taking part in them.
On the other hand, when the state starts to push arts they become more about policy and less about what really inspires people which makes it hard to really make any initiative effective. At one point there was an Arts Council and during this time artists and musicians were in charge of organizing exhibitions and free concerts. It was during this time that art was really appreciated.
After more than forty years the Newport Art Gallery will cut its temporary displays leading many to become concerned that the city is going to lose the only cultural arts location that it has. The last exhibition to grace the Newport Art Gallery will be Shift, an exhibition from David Garner.
Garner’s work often focuses on injustices that are seen in corporate society and the way that decisions are made within the corporate world. The show officially opens this week and a demo is planned to take place highlighting the presence of the exhibition in John Frost Square right outside of the gallery.
At the beginning of this year it was announced that the temporary displays would have to be stopped in order to save money. They are just one of the many cutbacks that the Newport City Council has decided to make in order to save over £7m. In response many protesters have hit the streets stating that the city is going to become a ‘cultural wasteland.’
Michael Sheen, the Hollywood actor who was born in Newport, joined the fight to save the revolving exhibitions stating that this is a very dangerous move to make against the young artists that are working today. He also added that it is a harsh move against artists that are already established. Sheen also addressed the fact that without the temporary exhibitions a new group of young people are going to grow up without the vision that comes from being exposed to art.
Despite the cuts the permanent exhibition of the gallery will stay on display and Garner’s show will proceed as planned. Shift takes a look at work that was created to show how we work within an industrial, social, and educational context with many pieces taking a close look at the contrast between the working class man and the CEO.
After deciding that corporate life was no longer for her, Nicola Hyslop has turned her efforts into fulfilling a lifelong ambition by creating Betsy Blu, a collection of art with personality and colour. Inspired by bright colours, different textures and all things a little bit unique and quirky, the main aim of Betsy Blu is to evoke smiles in those that view the pictures.
Alongside her passion for art, Nicola is also a busy mother of two. By creating Betsy Blu she has combined her lifelong love of painting in a new career to fit in around family life, dirty nappies and the school run.
“I take inspiration from my children, whether it be them smiling, laughing or running around with no cares in the world” said Betsy Blu creator, Nicola Hyslop. “They can at the same time be my greatest supporters and my harshest critics! The great thing about kids is that you always get an honest opinion!”
“The colours I use depict the mood of each image, creating personality and a sense of uniqueness. My main collection focuses on both surrealism and impressionism, creating pictures which are bright, fun and which have a sense of humour!”
“When I see something which inspires me for a new picture I simply have to capture that moment whether it’s taking out my camera for the hundredth time, or jotting down notes for my next piece. There is never a moment when I am not thinking about a new collection or idea. It’s like a compulsion!”
The collection includes a diverse range of colourful and unique pieces, from a jolly giraffe to a cheery cat, each piece can add a little fun to the otherwise ordinary.
Each pictures is priced at £149.99 and is available from www.betsyblu.co.uk. Finished in a beautiful swept moulding, picture size approx 16” x 20”. Total including frame approx 23” x 19”. Fixtures and fittings included. Fixtures and fittings included
In the last 10 years, museums all over the world have been renovating their galleries. A museum that stands out is the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, which was closed down for a total of 10 years for renovations.
The museum is home to Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Vermeer, and other art masterpieces from the “Golden Age”. Contrary to what one may think, the purpose of the renovation was not to install a modern gallery, but to restore the original palace made of Victorian-era bricks, from way back in 1885.
Very few museums would have the gumption or the resources to close down for such a long period of time. Oddly enough, the closure happened when other notable museums, such as the Stedelijk, Van Gogh, and Museumplein had also closed down for renovations.
The cyclists that pass through the entrance of this historic building opposed changes that would deny them the opportunity to pass through this entrance. They claimed that they were an important part of the history of the museum, since they have used this entrance since the museum was opened.
The most important fact behind the renovation was to bring back the glory of the museums past. The venture cost the government a total of 375 million Euros; money which was used to remove all modern architecture and restore the original floors and murals. The museum is all about restoring the glory of Dutch art, and is therefore a precious national treasure worthy of such expenditure.
The venture did not receive the approval of all, with some considering it to be a white elephant project, aimed at restoring Roman Catholic architecture. Originally, the building was a cathedral designed by the Roman Catholic Architect, Pierre Cuypers. All in all, the majority of citizens believe that it is important to maintain such a rich art history in its original gallery setting.
Unique property up for auction, no bedrooms and occasionally noisy
An enormous sculpture that sings by Luke Jerram, the internationally renowned artist, has gone up for auction carrying a starting bid of only £1.
Organisations, businesses and individuals from across the globe have been invited to make a bid for Aelolus, the acoustic wind pavilion specially created by Jerram.
The sculpture was originally commissioned by the Universities of Southampton and Salford, and received Arts Council funding. The artwork took the artist three and half years to make, cost £250,000 to fabricate and takes three articulated lorries to transport!
Aeolus was completed in 2011 and has toured the country including the Eden Project (Cornwall), Lyme Park (Cheshire), Media City UK (Salford), and Canary Wharf (London). The artwork is currently in storage which is why Jerram wants to find a permanent home for it.
Created in stainless steel and weighing in at 10 tons, Aeolus has 20m long strings which vibrate and sing in the wind. The sound is amplified by huge steel tubes which also hum their own deep tones.
Artist Luke Jerram said: “Rather than just selling the artwork through a gallery to a museum or collector, I thought it would be good to open the opportunity up to everyone. During the UK tour, visitor numbers were really high and we received a great deal of press coverage for the artwork. So I’m hoping there may be interest from people who’d like to own this artwork.”
Arts Council England’s Director for the South West, Phil Gibby said:
“The project received Arts Council funding in 2011, so we are very pleased that the potential sale of the work will enable it to be experienced by a new audience. This isn’t a money making exercise, it’s more about finding a new home for this amazing sculpture so that people can continue to enjoy it. Any money that is made will benefit the development of Luke Jerram’s artistic practice.”
Any money made through the sale of the artwork will be invested in new high profile artworks to be experienced and enjoyed by the UK public.
To find out more about how the Aeolus Sealed Bid Auction process works and to see photos and video clips of the artwork in action visit www.aeolus.org.uk
Southwold – at sunrise’ Copyright Tom Owens 2013 All rights reserved
An exhibition is set to showcase the new, emerging talent in the Ipswich area when it goes on display for one night only. Pretty’s Solicitors is the venue for the show on Thursday 25th April 2013.
Primavera will be showcasing the work art students from the University Campus Suffolk (UCS) has produced and has a seasonal theme of all things new and fresh.
This will be the 4th time that the UCS has held an exhibition within the Pretty’s offices as it provides a stimulating and professional working environment that is ideal to display work that is both engaging and creative.
Paul Dickie, Prettys Solicitors Partner and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Following on from our last three exhibitions of art from students at UCS, I am extremely pleased to say that our fourth exhibition has arrived. Here at Prettys we encourage our staff to participate and support in whatever way they can with local education authorities, for example through mentoring, work placements, delivering special talks to students or providing tutoring support.”
He continued, “We are particularly pleased to be able to support this exciting project showcasing the very best new and promising creative talent from UCS.”
The exhibition is a student led project and shows their capabilities as both artists and leaders.
Curator Tom Owens said: “There has been a very positive response to the request for submissions to this fourth exhibition from across the faculty. This is no doubt due to the very successful exhibitions we have previously held and we have had to hold back some entries due to the overwhelming response. Hopefully, as the exhibition progresses we will be able to find space for these extra works”.
As the fourth exhibition of its kind hosted by Prettys, there are high hopes that ‘Primavera’ will carry on the success of the previous shows. The evolving talent and increasing momentum from students and faculty insures that this year’s show won’t disappoint prospective buyers.
Join us for a glass of wine and an evening of great art. Works are for sale throughout the evening and a £150 prize will be awarded to the artist with the best piece. ‘Primavera’ opens from 5pm until 7pm at Prettys, Elm House, 25 Elm Street, Ipswich, IP1 2AD.
For more information, contact Tom at t.owens@ucs.ac.uk
A 9 year old lowland gorilla called N’Dowe, who lives at Paignton Zoo, has shown his artistic side by painting a sculpture of a gorilla. This is part of a year long art project that was created to both celebrate the 90th birthday of the Devon zoo as well as to highlight the plight of gorillas in the wild.
In total, more than 20 of these sculptures have been creates to make gorilla trails around the Exeter and Torbay areas. The masterpiece that N’Dowe created is to be used as an educational study before it goes up for sale in an auction.
The staff working at the zoo claimed that the gorilla opted to paint using her fingers and lips and brushed aside all other ways to apply the paint on the sculpture. Neil Bemment, the Paignton Zoo Curator of Mammals, said that this could be the very first sculpture of a gorilla to be painted by a live gorilla.
Not all artists can participate in this great event as only a few were selected to show their talents and the work of these artists will be displayed through entire duration of summer. Sources claim that the event organisers hope to have at least 30 gorilla sculptures on the art trail and mini-sculptures will be displayed indoors. These small gorilla sculptures are also created for various projects and activities in the educational sector.
The zoo stated their delight at the success at the preparations saying that the project is on course to be a huge success and the sponsors that are backing them for this event have been very cooperative. They added that these gorillas is a new way of showing the world of the animals in the wild and that it will dazzle people.
After the summer is over the statues will be sold at a public auction and the proceeds will directly go to gorilla projects as well as other community development projects.
Charming Baker surveyed the latest model aircraft centre piece thanks to some last minute preparations for this newest and ever largest exhibition to be hosted in the London artistic district. Thanks to a rapidly rising celebrity, the art world will be showcasing some of the works that Baker has been creating in the past couple of years. Unpredictable in nature, it advocates love and understanding, and these works are coming from an art gallery in Hollywood.
This is only the preface to something exciting that will be happening soon, thanks to the air of contentment that will be seen in the gallery itself. Hollywood has glamour of its own, and this is often what is needed to bring a fresh view to the origin of these artworks. Otherwise, only something from the Milk Studios that will be displayed up to Sunday will be making a high point in the gallery for all to see.
Lewisham is another artist who will be added to the exhibition, and thanks to the council flat with five children of the professional artist, he was into commercial projects and professional artworks as well. But then everything changed when, one day out of the blue, his art work was seen by executives from a US management group. This is where he found the best inspiration for his products.
Magnarella and Baker were the introduction to the music industry, and Baker found his colleague Roger Klein who recognised the parallels between art promotion and management in a rock band, which then led him to bigger opera adaptations like American Idiot, Heartfelt Desire and I Think I Love You. His paintings were used in all of those, and many more throughout Hollywood. Nothing will be left up to chance at the exhibition for all to be seen.
