Art News Galore

This years shocking, un-shocking, Turner prize

Filed under: Art events — Alan @ 3:18 am

The surprising and shocking, is most people have come accustomed to expect from the Turner Prize, this year it is the fact that the prize nominees are not shocking that is unusual.

The Turner Prize is now entering its 25th year, and the contemporary art award is known for awarding honours to artists who utilize self-promotion, and excess, and shock tactics.

However, this year’s nominees are all “respectable” artists who triumph with democratic thought, without shocking displays of art. The nominees are Rogers Hiorns, Enrico David, Richard Wright, and Lucy Skaer.

Due to the moderate list, this year’s exhibition may be free from any gimmicks, and be somewhat calm for a change, which in itself is a shock, since the exhibition generally draws in a crowd that are not serious art connoisseurs.

Nominee Richard Wright from Glasgow, stated that the new focus of the award show may be due to the fact that people are now looking for a more subtle, real taste, of the world in all aspects of their life.

He went on to state that this might be due to the fact that many artists are now less focused on exclusivity, and have broadened their style to allow more people to embrace art.

Wright is known for drawing his art on gallery walls directly, instead of on canvas, which is one reason why his designs are hard to find and are not often seen as moving exhibits are.

Nude 10 year old Brooke Shields Pulled from Tate

Filed under: Art crime — Alan @ 7:26 am

“Spiritual America,” a Richard Prince exhibition at the Tate Modern London, was delayed from opening Thursday after Scotland yard issued a warning to the museum that a photograph taken of Brooke Shields in the nude at age ten, may violate obscenity laws.

The Prince exhibition was set to be part of the program at the gallery entitled “Pop Life: Art in a Material World” but did not open after press reviews about the display and the Shields feature drew police attention.
The photograph was first seen in 2007 at the Guggenheim Museum.

It was a photograph that was authorized by Shield’s mother and was printed originally by Gary Gross.

Tate Modern released a statement saying, that for the moment the exhibition will remain closed, and that all items in the catalog are also not for sale at the moment.

Mexico probes Kahlo book works

Filed under: Art crime — Alan @ 9:04 am

Under suspicion that the artworks in Frida Kahlo books are fraudulent the Mexican authorities have decided to launch a probe to get to the bottom of the situation.

Mexican prosecutors became alarmed about the artist’s work when they received a complaint by artist’s trust that over 1,000 of the items in the books were not authenticated.

However, the publishers of the book claim that the book is not legally in the wrong, since the book states in the notes that not all of the items contained within it have been authenticated 100%.

Kahlo is known for stunning self portraits in the nude and was portrayed in a biopic in 2002 by Salma Hayek.

Despite the statement by the publisher, a large group of art historians and the Frida Kahlo Trust stated at a Mexico City press conference, that it would be damaging to the art world to allow the books to be sold to consumers.

The opponents claim that the book commercializes false works, and will present an inaccurate picture of the works by Kahlo.