The origin of the art began as Chinese Paper Folding. The Japanese origin began in the 6th century when Buddhist monks from China carried paper to Japan. The first Japanese origami is dated from this period.
An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand
origami cranes (Senbazuru) will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or
recovery from illness or injury. The crane in Japan is one of the
mystical or holy beasts (others include the dragon and tortoise), and is said to live for a thousand years.
The Thousand Origami Cranes has become a symbol of world peace through
the story of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who contracted leukemia as a
result of radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during World
War II. Her story is told in the the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Several temples, including some in Tokyo and Hiroshima, have eternal
flames for World Peace. At these temples, school groups or individuals
often donate Senbazuru to add to the prayer for peace. The cranes are
left exposed to the elements, slowly dissolving and becoming tattered as
the wish is released. (Source)
The goal of this art is to create a representation of an object using geometric folds and crease patterns preferably without the use of gluing or cutting the paper, and using only one piece of square paper. Dollar Bill Origami (or money origami) is a type of origami that uses money instead of paper. Enjoy this collection of creative dollar bill origami from Crazy Pics Blog.
Source of Image: Artblart Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
German 1880–1938
‘Reclining woman in a white chemise’
1909
oil on canvas
95.0 x 121.0 cm
Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main
Acquired in 1950
“The Reclining Woman in a White Chemise” is a voluptuous picture redolent with sensuality, the well- proportioned lady showing off her ample curves; the huge flowers contrast brilliantly with the furniture, and the echoing curves of the sofa and wall behind give off an air of luxuriance that suggest that the subject was intimately known and loved by the artist.
The German artist, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was considered one of the most important figures of European art in the XXth century, a founding member of a group called “Die Brucke (The Bridge) which aimed to draw a link between the art of the past and that of the brutal new era that was dawning. Born in Dresden in 1880, he too volunteered for military service during World War I in 1914 but suffered a nervous breakdown in 1915 and was discharged, recovering for the next two years in sanatoriums in Switzerland.
In 1918, he settled in Davos, living in a farm house in the Alps; from this time onwards his main subject matter was mountain scenes. In 1933, Kirchner was labelled a "degenerate artist” by the Nazis and asked for his resignation from the Berlin Academy of Arts. In 1937, over 600 of his works were confiscated from public museums in Germany and were sold or destroyed. In 1938, the psychological trauma of these events, along with the Nazi occupation of Austria, close to his home, led to his suicide. Bettinka - arts theatre commentary Daily Nation Nairobi Star, Guardian Weekly stories reviews opinion.
I have seen some of Kirchner's original paintings in Fundación Mafre today, and I loved the exquisite display of bright colors and yet with the sense of serenity in many of his paintings, among which is the "Reclining Woman in a White Chemise".
World's Youngest Artist Earning Thousands
09 May 2012
Aelita Andre is said to be the 'world's youngest artist'
SKY NEWS
A five-year-old Australian girl who has already earned well over £100,000 from her paintings has been described as the "world's youngest professional artist".
Aelita Andre has been painting since she was just two and her work has been exhibited in Australia and America, reports Sky News.
Her cheapest paintings are now selling for more than £3,000 each, the money from which is being put in a trust fund.
Her mother, Russian-born Nikka Kalashnikova, says she quickly realised her daughter's technique set her apart from other playschool painters.
"Her composition, her use of colour, her concentration span," she told Sky News.
"Sometimes even as a little kid she was painting for about one hour, one-and-a-half hours, she would walk off, then come back again, it is just her concentration.
"Usually kids paint for two or three minutes and they have had enough, they run off, but not Aelita."
Walking into Aelita's home the chaos and colour of her work hits you straight away.
Almost the whole of the downstairs of the suburban Melbourne house is taken up with the little girl's studio. Paint pots, brushes, spray cans, glitter and craft materials are everywhere.
Aelita's huge canvases are covered in bright swirls and splashes of paint and often have items stuck on them - twigs, children's toys and feathers.
What little space is left is taken up with completed works, stacked along the walls by her parents, ready to be shipped to New York for her next major exhibition in June.
The website of the gallery in New York states: "These paintings are both contemplative and powerful, providing a window into the emancipated creative subconscious mind of a child."
Critics say her parents must be influencing her art but Nikka Kalashnikova strongly denies that.
"She is her own person, and if she's was not enjoying it... have a look how much she produces. She absolutely loves it. Talk to any parents - if you are able to push your child into doing anything, well good luck."
Aelita's father recently filmed his daughter painting a canvas from beginning to end in a bid to prove she is not influenced by any adult.
Melbourne art critic Robert Nelson says the paintings have some merit and the people buying them could be collectors speculating on her future potential.
Don't you wish, you had a child like Aelita? I guess some professional artists could be lamenting and asking how come a child like Aelita can be earning what they could not even think of earning in a lifetime! Well, that is just the way things are. Some people are just gifted from childhood with talents that can earn money. But life goes on...
Melencolia I is a 1514 engraving by the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer. It is an allegorical composition which has been the subject of many interpretations. One of the most famous old master prints, it has sometimes been regarded as forming one of a conscious group of Meisterstiche ("master prints") with his Knight, Death and the Devil (1513) and Saint Jerome in his Study (1514).
It is ironic that this image of the artist, paralyzed and powerless, should exemplify Dürer's own artistic power at its superlative height.
One interpretation suggests the image references the depressive or melancholy state and accordingly explains various elements of the picture. Among the most conspicuous are:
-The tools of geometry and architecture surround the figure, unused
-The 4 × 4 magic square, with the two middle cells of the bottom row giving the
date of the engraving: 1514. This 4x4 magic square, as well as having
traditional magic square rules, its four quadrants, corners and centers equal
the same number, 34.
-The truncated rhombohedron with a faint human skull on it. This shape is now
known as Dürer's solid; over the years, there have been numerous articles
disputing the precise shape of this polyhedron
-The hourglass showing time running out
-The empty scale (balance)
-The despondent winged figure of genius
-The purse and keys
-The beacon and rainbow in the sky
-Mathematical knowledge is referenced by the use of the symbols: compass,
geometrical solid, magic square, scale, hourglass. Source: Wikipedia
Durer's icon of Melancholy portrays the dangers of obsessive study.
Note the many symbols of mathematics and alchemy.
Magda Sayeg, known as Knitta, is considered as the "mother" of this activity which started almost by accident in 2005. It occurred to Magda that by covering the handlebar of her store's door (in Houston) she would be able to attract passerbys along the street, her instinct proved to be right. And she started to knit for urban furniture starting from street lights, billboards, and cars which inspired a group in Valencia to knit covers for their famous bollards. (Pls refer to Post on Knitted bollards of Aug 14, 2011)
A new fad has began called:
"Yarnstorming: the art of enhancing a public place or object with graffiti knitting" (Or putting knitting on something unexpected in public and running always giggling wildly) or so is it described by the friendly knitters in their blog.
If you want to see more of their graffiti knits visit their blog at http://www.knitthecity.com/yarnstorms/.
Source of article: El Pais by Mari Luz Peinado Oct 6, 2011
Photos by:
Mary Roland - trees
César Ortega - bus
Jean Michel Sicot - sock
Urban Knitting - butterflies on trees
Jamie Beck, a New York photographer, with the help of web designer Burg Kevin, developed a technique that promises to create a new trend in digital magazines and newspapers.
Beck subtly animated small elements of photos, in GIF format, thereby creating works of art. His images in the Fashion Week in New York are surprising. Beautiful models with slight movements of either one leg or a hand, with hair seemingly blown up by a swift gust of wind, or with ornaments moving gently, are just a few of his artworks.
Being GIF images, they are light and quick to download, contrary with videos. Called "Cinemagraphs," the images in movement as photographed by Beck are only a sample of what is yet to be achieved with this new technique.
This one that you see, with a black hat, after looking at himself, asked the mirror:
"Magic mirror, tell me a minute, from this gallery who is the most beautiful?
In an instant, the wise mirror replied: "Well I have to tell you that even if you are not ugly, there are those more handsome than you in this museum".
The poor harlequin, upon hearing this told Picasso: "Paint me another mirror".
Source of Image: Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Painting by: Pablo Ruiz Picasso 1881-1993
Story translated from the Book: Abecedario de Arte by Carlos Reviejo and Ana Moreno
Rebordinos Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
One Sunday, in a city, two pairs of shoes crossed each other. "Hi, greeted the woman's shoes. How are you doing?"
"We are not doing very well", replied the man's shoes. "Our owner is a traveller, and we do not stop the whole day. Neither is there any time for us to get wiped with a dustcloth. On the contrary, you with those heels that are so beautiful..."
"Do not complain. Our life is boring. Since we are dress shoes, we are shown around only on festive occasions and ... Goodbye! Goodbye!..."
Their owners were going so fast that they were left with the words in their toes.
Abstract paintings can admit a lot of interpretations. In this case, I can picture three people. Two elegantly attired man and woman, probably not knowing each other crossing a pedestrian lane (symbolized with the dotted white lines). And it is nightime, and the lady seems to be wearing a mask, or is that a face covered with make-up? Every painting tells a story but whether it is what the painter portrays or something else is difficult to tell.
Painting by: Richard Lindner (1901-1978)
Source of Image: Wikipaintings
Story translated from the Book: Abecedario de Arte by Carlos Reviejo and Ana Moreno
Rebordinos Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
In the mind of an engineer with the talent of an artist and the heart of a lover, anything can be possible.
A strange man uses holographic tools to build a world for the woman he loves. This is a short by filmmaker Bruce Branit known also as the co-creator of 405.
Simply amazing specially the focus on the flower and how this video expressed such deep emotions without a single word. The ending is sad but it could have ended happily with the woman opening her eyes.
What is the joy of life? It is a wonderful gift of birth, a state of mind, a tiny motor that adds color to life and probably may seem to be an abstract idea which every one can visualize with a design of his own. With colors of red and green, yellow and violet, blue and orange that can compliment and attract. Others disturb and oppose. Warm colors of red, yellow and orange in contrast with the coldness of blue, violet, and green that are soothing and calming. Our choice of colors can give joy not only to us but also to others.
The sculpture of Lorenzo Quinn "The hand of God" installed in Park Lane of London forming part of the Westminster festival of street sculptures, weighs 400 kilos, 4 meters high and is made of aluminum.
The statue will be on exhibit for three months in the center of London, next to Hyde Park. It represents a naked and pensive man seated on an enormous hand, a part of the human body that has identified with the work of this artist.
This sculpture is a clear example of the relation between the real and the transcendental. It deals with the search for the spiritual life, according to Consuelo Ciscar Casabán, directress
of the Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno (IVAM).
Quinn was inspired by the famous poem "Footprints", by an anonymous writer, about a modern man looking for the hand of God for comfort and peace that he needs at a difficult moment, as explained by the representative of the artist, galería Halcyon.
It certainly is a beautiful illustration of how faith can be a wonderful shelter specially in times of difficulties.
This famous painting of Leonardo da Vinci "Lady with ermine" portrays "Cecilia Gallerani, mistress of Ludovico Sforza (Duke of Milan) believed to be 17 at that time when Renaissance women contrived to look middle-aged before they were twenty". As to be observed, the Lady is looking elsewhere from the public, she seems to be listening to someone, or probably absorbed in her own fantasies. She turns her eyes away, that's why the painting conveys a certain air of tension and mystery emphasized by the enigmatic presence of the ermine.
"The delicate little animal has been identified as an ermine in its winter coat; according to legend these animals died if their white coats became dirty". It has also been said that "the ermine does not eat other than once a day, and it will rather be taken by hunters than escape into a dirty lair." It is interesting to note that this painting has inspired a lot of interpretations of both lady and ermine.
Rembrandt was mostly interested in painting people. How they laugh, how they cry. He painted life, so to speak," Peter-Klaus Schuster (general director of the Museum of Old Master Paintings) said. Rembrandt's painting entitled Girl in a Picture Frame, which spent years in a private collection was only recently donated to Warsaw 's Royal Castle collection. "She has an exotic look and a mysterious presence". The outstanding feature of this painting is how the girl's hands seem to be touching the frame itself. It also called my attention how she seems to be following my eyes as I observed her from different angles.
Both of the above paintings are part of the temporary exhibits in the Royal Palace, Madrid courtesy of the Warsaw 's Royal Castle collection. I was lucky to have gone to see them. Two great works of art worth seeing a thousand times or more!
Last Friday, I went to two museums and I had a great time with the weather being favorable. First, I went to the Thyssen Museum, Madrid for the temporary exhibit of Antonio Lopez a reknown Spanish artist.
I left Sanfer early to catch my 1pm reservation to see the Antonio Lopez collection, a great artist, at the Thyssen. The museum was replete with people to see the collection of huge paintings mainly of Madrid. He is the same artist with whom I coincided with my exhibit his presentation of the huge sculpture of a woman's bust figure in Coslada next to NH Hotel. I specially enjoyed his sculptures although his paintings are also amazing for the detailed architectural designs of Madrid buildings and streets in particular, which are almost like photographs. It was worth seeing really and in the shop, I saw a lot of people buying his prints and his magnets.
I also took the opportunity to see the paintings in the permanent exhibits and detained more on the impressionist paintings of Monet and Van Gogh although the paintings were not my favorite ones. But it was a contrast in terms of the visitors because the permanent collection was empty of visitors so it was a quiet viewing pleasure.
I had lunch in the Thai restaurant near the Caixa Forum and rested before I took off again to see more exhibits this time at the Caixa (a few walks from the Thyssen museum) to see the Mexican exhibits of TEOTIHUACAN, which for 800 yrs (from the 2nd century BC to the 7th AD) was the cultural, political and religious center of a powerful civilization.
Lying 45 kilometres from Mexico City, the city, which rose to become the sixth-largest in the world in its day, is now an archaeological wonder of the world, catalogued as World Heritage by UNESCO.
It was a delight specially when entrances were free for me for both museums. Great cultural food and entertainment.
I wanted to go to the Prado and the botanical garden too, but they had to wait for another day, since I already was exhausted. It was almost nine pm when I got back home.
Artists should endeavor to express their ideas in terms easily understandable to others. The Old Masters built up a tradition that there is first of all such a thing as good composition; that good drawing is not necessarily slavish and stupid imitation of nature; that color and tone while being in general founded on the character of nature can be treated in a wide variety of manners; that a full understanding of the qualities and possibilities of the many mediums at the disposal of the artist is of utmost importance; that technical skill must be at the command of the artist and that an understanding of and sympathy with humanity must be his guide as to what beauty is.¹
~ from a letter by Curran to a "Mr. Frager," dated August 18, 1939.
I simply love this painting. I saw it in Madrid with Ron and Beatriz and I was completely enchanted as I observed this particular painting, that rather than being an oil canvas art seemed almost like a photograph. Curran's portraying beauty through his sympathy with humanity is really inspiring.
¹James Lancel McElhinney, "Charles Courtney Curran", in American Arts Quarterly, Vol. 28, Number 1 (Winter 2011), Newington-Cropsey Cultur
Thorns, camellias, lilacs, yucca leaves and laurel make up the
"Camellia Countessa." (Photo courtesy of Nicole Dextras)
Yucca leaves, flowers and thorns make up this party dress.
(Photo courtesy of Nicole Dextras)
Laurel leaves, rosehips and assorted leaves and thorns
make for a jaunty waistcoat.
(Photo courtesy of Nicole Dextras)
Environmental art created by Vancouver-based artist, Nicole Dextras surprises with the use of natural leaves and flowers. Who would want floral prints when we could have them made up with newly blooms. For the non-material girls, the above will probably cause furor but meat lovers will certainly go for the design of Lady Gaga's outfit. To each his own. Everyone has the right to to make his own choice.
Naturaleza encantada. Galería Éboli (Plaza Ramales). From 26 of May to 24 of June
Senin (1954-2011), whose enchanting paintings are in private collections distributed in different countries as USA, France, Russia or Spain, combine a subtle mixture between what is conventional and the modernity depicting nature in vibrant colors and beauty.
"Spain has given color to my palette. In the same way that Gauguin or Van Gogh received influence from their stay in the south of France, Spain has influenced me with its color and diversity; every part of Spain is a different country", as affirmed by this painter borne in Moscow but who lived in Spain for 26 years.
Admirer of Velázquez, Cézanne and Modigliani, a keen observer of the sun and sceneries, what stands out in his art is "his wish to see beauty in everything", and to show it too.
Excerpts from El Mundo.es by Laura Caso, May 24, 2011.
