August 26, 2011
Filed under: Art News — Alan @ 8:40 am
Street artist King Robbo, who is based out of Holloway, has recently been involved in an incident that left him with a serious head injury. One of his main rivals is Banksy, another street artist. King Robbo was placed in a coma by doctors after the accident and he remains in a critical but stable condition. The artist was set to open an exhibition of his work just days later in Shoreditch. There is no criminal investigation into the incident that caused his injury.
King Robbo has been involved in a rivalry with Banksy for two years. Banksy has recently been urged to donate some of his work to a fundraiser for the injured artist to help pay for his medical bills. Members of King Robbo’s graffiti crew, ‘We Rock Hard,’ say they have not heard anything from Banksy, while other artists are donating some of their works. They intend for the fundraiser to raise money for any long term care that King Robbo may need. This money will be given to his family, which includes his young daughter.
One of the members of ‘We Rock Hard’ has said that, “If Banksy chooses to donate one of his works, it would be a very nice way for him to extend a hand of friendship that we would gladly take. The rivalry between the two of them is not seen personally by King Robbo.” However, a month before his injury, King Robbo stated that the rivalry began when Banksy insulted him at a meeting.
The rivalry between Banksy and King Robbo came to the public’s eye in 2009 when Banksy gratified over some of King Robbo’s art. This started a competition which has seen King Robbo alter a great many of Banksy’s works.
The fundraiser will be taking place in Shoreditch, at Cargo, located on Rivington Street on the 4th September. It will see an auction of various works that have been donated to the cause. Banksy has not officially commented on the issue. Recently one of Banksy’s works has been graffiti-ed over and one academic has argued that the buildings with his more famous graffiti on should be protected.
August 25, 2011
Filed under: Exhibitions — Alan @ 10:29 am
Former jockey reveals racing art exhibition
A former jockey has captured the pageantry of racing in a new collection of abstract works of art at a gallery in the Midlands. The Geoff Price Exhibition is being displayed throughout September in the Granary Art Gallery at Weston Park, which is on the border of Shropshire and Staffordshire.
The exhilarating works of art portray, in glorious colours, all the thrills of racing and depict the physical prowess of both the horse and the jockey. After a successful career in the 1960’s-70, Geoff completely changed the direction of his career and went to study fine art.
Most of his works celebrate and combine his great passions for racing and art, and they are clearly evident in his powerful collection. The curator of the Weston Park Foundation, Gareth Williams, spoke about the exhibition and said the striking and energetic style of Geoff’s work was sure to have a huge impact on the visitors.
As will all exhibitions at the Granary Art Gallery, entry to see Geoff’s exhibits is free. The gallery is situated in the fully restored granary building and has an ever-changing all year round programme of contemporary, historical, decorative, traditional and fine art displays.
The Geoff Price selling exhibition at the Granary Art Gallery, Weston Park, will run throughout September from 11am – 4pm. For further information please visit www.weston-park.com.
August 20, 2011
Filed under: Art crime — Alan @ 10:38 am
A theft at a California hotel netted an expensive drawing by Rembrandt in what was said to be a well planned, well thought and well executed heist. Late on Saturday, in Marina del Rey, at the Ritz-Carlton, the heist took place during an exhibition of many different expensive paintings that were on sale.
A police spokesperson, Steve Whitmore, said that the hotel’s security was top notch and it appeared to be a very well thought out plan that was executed to perfection. But he wanted to make a point that it was not to say the theft was all that elaborate, instead it seems that is was part of an old classic heist method of – hey what’s that over there?”
The thief was able to walk away from the exhibition with the artwork when their accomplices were able to distract the curator of the exhibition by pretending to be a possible buyer of one of the pieces on exhibition. While the curator’s attention was diverted from the rest of the exhibition the artwork was lifted and when he turned around it was no longer there.
The artwork, called The Judgment, is pen and ink and is thought to have been produced circa1665 and is about 6 x 10 inches and roughly valued at around £154,000. It is thought to be one of only 700 drawings around today that experts have agreed was drawn by Rembrandt.
A news report says that Rembrandts are one of art thieves’ most popular targets according to many art experts and are second only to artwork of Picasso, and that is due to the name recognition with the artist. In the last century there have been over 80 thefts, that have been documented, of Rembrandt’s work.
The majority of the works were recovered and it probably will happen again with this artwork as it will be very hard to sell the piece. The police tend to have the same opinion and are also saying that due to the footage they have seen of the surveillance video at the hotel.
Filed under: Art events — Alan @ 3:06 am
Preparations for the first ever Caterham Vintage and art fair are in full swing, and the main aim is to make old and beautiful items both available and affordable to the local community. The combination of old fashioned vintage and modern art will be the creative leaning for those who make the journey to Caterham Valley on Saturday 17th September.
Historic Soper Hall will give visitors the old fashion delight of rummaging through a dressing up box which contains items from the 1920’s right up to the 1980’s. There will also be an exhibition of art that has been inspired by the vintage craze, and there will also be a wide variety of original and quirky art works and crafts on display from South London and Surrey based artists.
Entertainment will be provided with an old fashioned music hall and there will also be a vintage tea room where you enjoy a cuppa while taking part in a raffle, a tombola and a ‘guess the weight of the cake’ competition. All in all there will be 18 stalls featuring art, vintage, and vintage inspired arts and crafts.
The event runs from 1100-1700 and is entry in completely free. The organisers hope that any lovers of vintage and art will come along to have a look and a rummage through the many items on offer, including vintage clothes and accessories and also home wares.
* Leslie Wilson-Rutherford who makes quirky framed prints, appliqué hoops and collaged cushion covers
* DiDoesVintage lovingly handcrafts jewellery made from vintage treasures
* Little Toucan has a collection of wonderful vintage handcrafted bright and quirky intriguing items for your home
* Suzie Sharp has vintage home-wares and accessories
* KatyLou makes wonderfully pretty things using recycled fabrics and paper as well as using finds from her travels to create textile art, bunting and home-wares
* Trina Dalziel is a beautiful illustrator and surface designer with a sweet, funny and effortless style
* Stag & Bow are purveyors of craft, history and haberdashery.
Other stalls include vintage clothes and accessories, pottery, photography, paintings and bespoke handmade jewellery.
The RSPCA Charity Shop in Caterham and East Surrey Museum has been given a free stall during the event.
Organiser Anita Collins commented; “I am very excited to be putting on an event for the people of Caterham, and making beautiful and old things available and affordable for the local community”.
For full details please visit:
http://mrsantilsapartment.wordpress.com
Filed under: Photography — Alan @ 3:01 am
Andrew and Rosie Woodhouse, photographers who are based in the Isle of Skye have their own take on which are the best ways to let your loved ones know exactly how much you care. Their latest collection is simply called ‘Love Letters‘, and is available through their own website at www.landscapes365.com . The collection is a combination of the stunning landscapes that exist in the west coast of Scotland and beautiful hand painted letters which simply spell out the word ‘love’.
As well as the ‘love’ prints in their classic collection, you can also purchase bespoke images featuring short phrases, dates or names to create a personal gift that is ideal for a christening, an anniversary or a wedding. A backdrop of the sweeping sands on the Hebrides is a great way to celebrate the birth of a baby, and the splendid peaks of the Cullin Mountains are a splendid way of remembering the date of your wedding.
Founder, Andrew Woodhouse says: “We have always been in awe of the scenery that we’re lucky enough to photograph every day. It means different things to different people, we’ve met people who have fallen in love with the west coast of Scotland, visiting time and time again, we know people who have got engaged on local beaches and we know that some just dream about coming here. The ‘Love Letters‘ collection not only brings together our love of the Isle of Skye but it hopefully goes someway to expressing how inspiring and rousing the landscape can be and how much it means to people who see it.”
Available in a selection of sizes from 12 x 8in to 38 x 28in the ‘Love Letters‘ prints are finished in either a classic white wooden or ornate antique frame. They can also be presented as a canvas wrap or as an acrylic print. Prices start from £45 including delivery. A bespoke image starts from £85.
To find out more, please visit www.landscapes365.com
August 12, 2011
Filed under: Exhibitions — Alan @ 9:17 am
Easter eggs originally made for the Russian royal family are part of a large exhibition of objects designed by Karl Faberge to be displayed shortly at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
The exhibition titled, Faberge Revealed, will include many elaborately jeweled majestic Easter eggs as well as other objects and pieces from the Virginia Museum collection together with other pieces and sculptures borrowed from other private collections. According to Geza von Habsburg, a noted Faberge expert, this will be the biggest public exhibition of Faberge works in the United States of America.
Included in the exhibition is the well known and highly acclaimed sculpture, Imperial Lilies of the Field Basket, which is representative of all facets of Faberge’s artistic ability and combined into a single work.
The work, a favourite of Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna, was presented to her in the year 1896 on the coronation of her husband and Russia’s last emperor, Nicholas II. She had the work displayed on her desk up until the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. In the following year the couple and their children were executed.
The exhibition will include 6 of the eggs Nicholas gave to his wife and mother as Easter offerings, as well as the 1903 Imperial Peter the Great Easter Egg, the 1912 green and gold Imperial Napoleonic Egg and the 1912 Imperial Tsesarevich Easter Egg.
The Peter the Great Egg was commissioned for the bicentennial of St. Petersburg. The egg is made up of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, gold, platinum and enamel displaying minute watercolours on ivory. Within the egg is a miniscule facsimile of Falconet’s statue the Bronze Horseman, depicting the 17th century emperor. On opening the egg the statue rises up.
Habsburg has estimated that an Imperial Egg can command prices of between $20 million and $30 million on auction. Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian tycoon purchased nine Imperial eggs in 2004 from the Forbes collection. The purchase price is estimated to have been in the region of $22 million.
In 1882 Faberge sold a piece to Empress Feodorovna and thereafter his company became suppliers to the Court. His Imperial Easter Eggs made him famous and he became permanently connected to the royal court. At the height of his fame he employed more than 450 craftsmen and designers at his St. Petersburg studio. According to Habsburg most of his pieces were destroyed by the Bolsheviks and only a few are left in Russia.
August 4, 2011
Filed under: Art events — Alan @ 4:04 pm
‘Create! Art for Autism’ is a national art competition for young people between the ages of 11 and 25 who have been diagnosed with ASC (Autistic Spectrum Condition). Beechwood College in Sully, a specialist residential college for students with ASC, sponsored the event, and the competition included entries from over 350 students in the UK, India and Croatia. Create! was meant to showcase the imagination and creativity of these individuals, and they did not disappoint.
In all three categories including 2D, 3D and Digital Art, the contributions were impressive. Sam Fitzgerald, an 18-year-old Welsh student from St Cenydd School in Caerphilly took top prize for his Digital Art entry called “Angel”. Another Welsh student, 15-year-old Alexander Fox-Robinson from Pembroke School, won in the Teachers’ Choice category with “The Blitz”, a pencil drawing.
Brendan Stuart-Burns, one of four judges on the panel, made the observation that “. . . in art all things are equal” and that statement was validated again with the work of the various contestants. Artistic ability is not confined to any strata of society or any other area, and the organizers of Create! plan to expand the contest next year to encourage more autistic young people to express their unique talents in a medium that the public can acknowledge and appreciate.
Recent studies have also validated the link between artistic creativity and the condition of autism. Darren Jackson, Principal at Beechwood College, said that the contest demonstrated how art allows these young people to express themselves when they can’t do so in more conventional ways such as verbal communication. All the winners’ and finalists’ work will be on display at The Old Library in Cardiff until 7 August, and move to London in early autumn.
Street artist King Robbo, who is based out of Holloway, has recently been involved in an incident that left him with a serious head injury. One of his main rivals is Banksy, another street artist. King Robbo was placed in a coma by doctors after the accident and he remains in a critical but stable condition. The artist was set to open an exhibition of his work just days later in Shoreditch. There is no criminal investigation into the incident that caused his injury.
