visual arts blog, painting, drawing, sculpture, illustration and more!
The Visitor © Otto Rapp
Salvador Dali
One of the first times I was ever moved by a piece of artwork was as a teenager when I saw a print of “The Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dali. He has been a favourite of mine ever since. Dali was one of the most prolific, imaginative, and flamboyant artists of the 20th century.
Dali was born on May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Spain near the French border. He was a student at the San Fernando Academy of fine Arts in Madrid but was expelled for encouraging students to rebel and for withdrawing from an exam because he said the teachers were not qualified to judge his work.
Dali quickly gained recognition in 1925 after a solo show in Barcelona, in 1928 when his works were shown at the Carnegie International Exhibition in Pittsburgh, and in 1929 when he held his first solo show in Paris. It was at this time that Dali joined the ranks of the surrealists and met his future wife, Gala Eluard.
Dali painted “The Persistence of Memory” in 1931 after seeing some Camembert cheese melting in the heat on a hot summer day. Later that night, he dreamt of clocks melting on a landscape. The small work (24 cm x 33 cm) is one of the most famous of the surrealist paintings. During this time and inspired by Freud, Dali used his “paranoiac-critical method” to create his art. The painting has been owned by the MOMA in New York since 1934.
During the 1930s Dalí’s political indifference alienated him from the other Surrealists who were mainly leftist. In 1937 he painted an unusual series of Adolf Hitler that were considered to be in bad taste and partly led to his expulsion from the movement.
Dalí and Gala spent World War II in the United States, where he became a popular figure. He painted portraits, dressed shop windows, created a dream sequence for Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Spellbound” and created a cartoon, “Destino”, with Walt Disney.
Dalí returned to Europe in 1948 and was completely disconnected from Surrealism. He painted mainly in Spain, with an eclectic approach focusing on history, religion, and science. Dali worked in numerous mediums, including oils, watercolors, drawings, graphics, sculptures, films, photographs, performance pieces, jewels and much more.
Dali was greatly affected by the death of his wife Gala in 1982. After that time, he lost much of his passion for life, his health began to fail, and he painted very little. On January 23, 1989, at the age of 84, Salvador Dali died from heart failure with respiratory complications. He is buried in his Theater Museum in Figueres.
Sources: MOMA, Salvador Dali Museum, Wikipedia
Happy Mother’s Day everyone! This Sunday’s image is perhaps the most famous painting of an artist’s mother known colloquially as “Whistler’s Mother”. The true name of the work is “Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist’s Mother” by American painter James McNeill Whistler. The painting is on display at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
Whistler's Mother - James McNeill Whistler
Banksy - Let Them Eat Crack
I have to admit, I don’t know much about street art except to utter “cool” as I walk by a work that I like. I’ve recently discovered however, that street art, (aka graffiti, sticker art, guerilla art, street installation, etc), is a sophisticated sub-culture that warrants taking a closer look.
The term “Street Art” refers to any art developed in public spaces and usually refers to unsanctioned art. A large amount of street art is activist and subversive but one common thread is that it allows artists, to reach a much broader audience than traditional art venues usually permit.
Many street artists have become internationally known, and their art is highly sought after by collectors who are willing to pay large sums of money to acquire their works. One of the most famous of these is the artist known as “Banksy”. Banksy, like many street artists, has managed to keep his identity a mystery. Some information about the artist however, is widely accepted: he was born in 1974 in Bristol, UK, and got involved in street art in the early 90s, and by 2003, had gained widespread notoriety. Over the years, many people have come forward claiming to know Banksy’s identity, but none have ever been verified.
His paintings, stencils, sculptures, and other art pieces have appeared in cities around the world and are often humorous and satirical, tackling political, cultural, and ethical issues of the day. Banksy also likes to make social commentaries in the form of practical jokes. He once replaced hundreds of Paris Hilton CDs with his own and has sneaked his own artwork into major museums.
Banksy’s work is heralded by some and scorned by others. Some see the work of a great artist who has found a way to present his art (and opinions) to the largest number of people possible by using the street as his canvas. Others see street artists as criminals, vandals, nuisances that the taxpayer has to clean up after. I am personally moved and impressed by Banksy’s work, but that’s just me. Judge for yourself by visiting Banksy.co.uk, or by reading the fantastic eight part Banksy series on Weburbanist.com.
Banksy - Maid
Ever think of escaping the frustrations of life – of going to that otherworldly place that upholds your idea of how things “should” be? Then why not head down to Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron in Sumpter, Wisconsin and hitch a ride on his space capsule. Forevertron is the largest scrap metal sculpture in the world standing 50 ft. (15,2 m.) high and 120 ft. (36,5 m.) wide. Dr. Evermor is actually the creation of Tom Every, a 70ish wrecking and salvage expert turned artist.
For decades, Every collected scrap metal and machines that he found interesting and historical. In the early 1980’s, he started to question the “tearing down” of things, having nothing to show for his work. His general discontent with the world and desire to build something up led to the birth in 1983 of his alter-ego Dr. Evermor and the construction of his Evermor Sculpture Park.
Dr. Evermor is an eccentric Victorian-era professor-inventor from Eggington, England. As a child, Evermor had been trapped in a huge electrical storm with his father, a Presbyterian minister. “Such a storm,” his father said, “could only come from the hand of God.”
Dr. Evermor believes that if he can combine magnetic force and electrical energy, he can propel himself through the heavens on a magnetic lightning force beam, that will take him to his salvation. The Forevertron is a fantastical 300-ton sculpture made of recycled parts. At the top of the Forevertron sits a glass ball inside a copper egg that is Dr. Evermor’s space capsule. There’s also an antigravity machine, a teahouse for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to observe the event, a telescope to watch as Evermor is hurled to his meeting with God, and a listening machine that will transmit Evermor’s messages back to Earth.
Ok, back to reality. I haven’t been to Forevertron, but I now feel strangely compelled to travel to Wisconsin to see this sci-fi wonder that is visited by artists, historians, tourists, and passers-by. Among other attractions, the park has a pair of bipolar electrical dynamos constructed by Thomas Edison in the late 19th century and a decontamination chamber from the Apollo space mission. Another big favourite is the 70 Bird Band, consisting of 70 sculptures and some can even play music!
To find out more about Forevertron check out this PBS interactive tour. For some great photos go to Heart2art2Heart.com.
Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day. It actually commemorates the victory at the battle of Puebla of an outnumbered Mexican militia over French forces on May 5, 1862. The day is really not all that popular in México (other than in the state of Puebla), but has been celebrated for over 100 years in the U.S. and has become a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture.
Since we are celebrating all things Mexican today, let’s take a look at the painter Alfredo Ramos Martinez. Born on November 12, 1871 in Monterrey, Mexico, Martinez is considered the founding father of modern Mexican art. He studied for eight years at the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes in Mexico City but was dissatisfied with the school’s monotonous teaching method, preferring to paint scenes from ordinary life. In 1897, Martinez traveled to Paris and continued his studies embracing the Post-Impressionist style. He returned to Mexico in 1910 and three years later was appointed Director of the National Academy. Martinez began Open-Air Schools that focused on the Impressionist concept of painting the outdoors. His program influenced both the theoretical and practical approaches to painting in Mexico, expanding the reach of arts education to a more diverse range of people.
Martinez and his family moved to Los Angeles in 1930, seeking medical attention for his daughter who was born with a bone disease. The works he produced in California were modern but focused on themes of the Mexican renaissance. Martinez’s work was well received and he was commissioned to paint public murals in California and Mexico, and held numerous exhibitions.
From 1942 to 1945 Martinez lived again in Mexico, where he painted a series of frescos. In 1945 he returned to Los Angeles to paint a mural at Scripps College. Martinez sketched the entire mural and painted a section of it but then became ill. He died of a heart attack on November 8, 1946, leaving the mural unfinished. Today, Martinez’s paintings are in high demand and at a 2007 Christie’s auction, his “Flowers of Mexico” sold for just over 4 million dollars.
To find out more about Alfredo Ramos Martinez, visit the Alfredo Ramos Martinez Research Project.
I’m so grateful to have StumbledUpon the photographs of Poras Chaudhary. The image below is called “Burst of Red” and was taken at the Hindu religious festival Holi (Festival of Colours). The festival marks the onset of spring and the main day is celebrated with people throwing coloured powder and water at each other.
Born in Northern India, Poras Chaudhary is a freelance photojournalist and documentary photographer. Incredibly, his interest in photography only began in 2005 when he came across the work of Magnum photographers. Chaudhary is completely self-taught and is best known for his color work and unique compositions. In his short career, he has already received several awards including Digital Camera Magazine’s ‘Photographer of the Year’ award in 2006, National Geographic Traveler’s photo contest Merit Award winner in 2008 as well as being a Runner Up in the Epson Color Imaging Contest 2008.
To view more of Chaudhary’s incredible images visit his webpage at PorasChaudhary.com or see his work on Deviant Art.
Your Sunday image: Spring by Czech Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha. Enjoy!
Alphonse Mucha - Spring
Detroit On My Mind © Timothy Orikri
One of the benefits of belonging to various networking websites is that you come across individuals that probably wouldn’t cross your path otherwise. Such was the case when I discovered the art of Timothy Orikri while perusing a forum in a LinkedIn art group.
Orikri was born in southern Nigeria and came to the U.S. in 1995. He settled first in St. Louis and then Michigan. Working in a variety of mediums including watercolour, acrylic, oils, and often utilising found objects, Orikri’s paintings are packed with vibrant colours with strong forms and lines. His paintings exude a peaceful and positive energy that draw you in and then keep you there to explore the finer details.
The son of a Baptist minister, his father wanted him to follow in his footsteps. Orikri chose instead to “preach with his brush”, dedicating much of his time to volunteering, community outreach projects, and mentoring young aspiring artists. His goal is to teach and inspire understanding, hope, and possibility.
From 2004-2006, Orikri collaborated with over 100 children of different races, religions, and abilities in the production of a multimedia mural entitled, “Pyramid of Peace.” By bringing together children of diverse backgrounds, he wanted to break the divisive stereotypes children often learn, encouraging instead their unique talents that they can each use to make their community and the world a better place.
Orikri’s current project, “Compassion Through Art & Life”, is a collaborative project that allows participants an opportunity to portray their desire for peace and the need for compassion. Completed works will be donated to various veterans’ hospitals.
To learn more about Timothy Orikri’s inspiring work and community service, visit his website at TimothyOrikri.com.
Happy May 1st everyone! Around the world, countries are celebrating what is often referred to as May Day. The celebration is rooted in the Pagan observance of the “cross-quarter day”, when the Northern Hemisphere falls halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Over time, the Pagan holiday lost much of its original meaning, though many nations continue to celebrate May Day with parades, festivals, rallies, and basket giving.
May 1st is also a day that many countries celebrate International Workers’ Day, or Labour Day, in observance of the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. The colourful image below is a 1956 painting by Mexican artist Diego Rivera. May Day Procession in Moscow is an optimistic painting depicting a rally during the Cold War .
Considered a social realist, Rivera was interested in the social problems and hardships of everyday life. For this reason, Rivera felt a connection to the Communist movement in Russia and the state of the working class. His interest in communism also grew during a visit to Europe after meeting his first wife, Russian Angelina Beloff.
In 1922, Rivera joined the Mexican Communist Party and was active in the founding of the Revolutionary Union of Technical Workers, Painters, and Sculptors. Russian Leon Trotsky, after his expulsion from the Russian Communist Party, lived at the home of Rivera, and later at the home of Rivera’s wife, artist Frida Kahlo.
The Communist Movement continued to be a major source of artistic motivation and inspiration for Rivera. In 1933, he was commissioned to paint a mural for the RCA building of Rockefeller Center. The mural was never completed, however, because it included a portrait of Lenin which he refused to remove.
For more information about Rivera, visit DiegoRivera.com.
May Day Procession in Moscow, 1956 - Diego Rivera
Sources: DiegoRivera.org, Wikipedia, DiegoRivera.com