ArtBistro

Pope Tells Artists Beauty Can Be a Path to God

Associated Press — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:34:00 -0800

VATICAN CITY--Pope Benedict XVI addressed artists, actors and musicians in the splendor of the Sistine Chapel on Saturday to renew the Catholic church's friendship with the world of art and remind them they were "custodians of beauty in the world."

"Through your art, you yourselves are to be heralds and witnesses of hope for humanity," he said.

But he warned them to guard against "seductive but hypocritical" beauty that creates "indecency, transgression or gratuitous provocation."

Benedict spoke to more than 250 people - painters, sculptors, architects, writers, dancers, musicians, actors and directors seated amid the frescoed beauty of the Sistine Chapel.

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The mainly Italian audience included such leading names as Oscar-winning director Giuseppe Tornatore, singer Andrea Bocelli and ballet dancer Carla Fracci.

Benedict noted the history of the Sistine Chapel as the location where cardinals assemble to elect popes and where "I myself ... experienced the privileged moment of my election as successor of the Apostle Peter."

"Let us allow these frescoes to speak to us today," he said, referring to Michelangelo's The Last Judgement.

The pope said the church's friendship with the art world has been strengthened over time but must be "continually promoted and supported."

December 5x5 Show

LFG Artists — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:27:11 -0800

December "5x5" Show!

La Familia Gallery is turning mini! The entire Gallery will feature a group show with over 275 pieces all sized to be exactly 5" x 5". We are excited to invite you to a special early opening.

La Familia Gallery will be hosting an "Early Opening Reception" before December's First Thursday just for you, our patrons. We want to give you the opportunity to be the first to view the new pieces by all our artists. The Reception will start at 430pm and run till 6pm. The Gallery will then remain open till 9pm for regular Art Walk Hours.

We look forward to seeing you there!

-LFG

Where & When

La Familia Gallery

117 Prefontaine Place South

Seattle, Washington 98104

December 3, 2009

4:30PM-6:00PM

5 Signs Your Resume was Passe

Tania Khadder — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:43:00 -0800

The workplace is not what it was five years ago. Neither is the job hunt.

The most successful candidates are those who are ready and willing to adapt to a changing landscape. But it doesn’t matter how ready you are for the modern workplace if your resumé’s straight out of 1994.

And sometimes, it's the most minute details that make all the difference.

Does your resumé speak to the modern hiring manager? Or does it need a serious makeover?

Your resumé might be passé if…

#1: You’ve forced it to fit onto one page

You’ve reduced your font size to eight, eliminated margins altogether and left out key information about yourself, all to conform to that age-old “one page resumé” rule. Big mistake. After all, would a recent college grad really need the same amount of resumé real estate as someone who’s been in the workforce for 20 years? Of course not.

Don’t get me wrong: Your resumé should be concise. Recruiters are busy people – they don’t have time or the patience for long-winded career chronologies. But if your experience warrants two pages, by all means, don’t limit yourself to one.

#2: You list an objective

Of course you’re looking to gain more experience in the field/sector/type of company to which you’re applying. Your interest in the job implies that. Do you really need to say it at the very top of your resumé?

At this point in the selection process, hiring managers are far more interested in what you can do for them than what they can do for you.

If you want to explain why you’re applying for the job, say so in your cover letter. Resumé space is far too valuable to waste on information that is both redundant and inconsequential.

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#3: You write “References available upon request” at the bottom

Once again, a waste of valuable space. Do you really need to say so? The hiring manager can only assume that if they ask you for references, you’ll provide them. What, are you going to say “no?”

Instead, prepare a list of references with contact details and your relationship to each. Hold onto it until you’re further along in the selection process — you don’t want to annoy your referees with repeated contact by employers who are less than serious about you. Most respectable employers wouldn’t bother to contact a reference until they are fully ready to make you an offer.

#4: You attach it to your email as a Word document

While you’re unlikely to be penalized for emailing a Word document, there’s a lot to be said for converting it to a PDF before sending.

A PDF document just looks neater. And even if you’ve gone crazy with the formatting, it will show up correctly on the hiring manager’s computer no matter what their settings, Word version, or font inventory. Besides, do you really want those squiggly red lines showing up under your former company’s name?

Stick to PDF. It’s the only surefire way to display your resumé exactly as you intended it.

#5: You list every job you’ve ever had in chronological order

In the olden days, the person with the most experience got the job.

Nowadays, the person who’s most talented, has the most relevant skill set, and has proven to be most valuable to his or her former employers gets the job.

If you want to be that person, make sure your resumé says so. Don’t list jobs that are irrelevant to the one you’re applying for just to fill up space. Instead, expand on the jobs that are relevant. Focus on measurable achievements in each role as opposed to a play-by-play of your daily responsibilities.

Psychiatric Unit

Erin Masterson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:03:39 -0800

Many people suffer from bipolar disorder, an illness of very high and very low and depressive moods. According to Robert Feldman's Understanding Psychology, people with bipolar disorder often are able to use the energy from their soaring moods to "make unusually creative contributions." But everything depends. For an artist, everything feels like shapes. Everything feels like colors, feels like the light of meditation.

"Circles, not squares," Bernadette says.

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October 26, 2009:

I am making wish pumpkins. We make a wish and put it on the Halloween pumpkin. They organized an artistic activity. I'm here with Cynthia and somebody else.

I went over to Sawan's room a while back, and asked him if he drew the beautiful picture on the second page in my folder, but he was too sleepy to answer.

"I've been having having headaches," Cynthia said, "But my wish for myself is to feel happy."

Schneur wishes for everyone to have a good business, and wishes a watch for himself.

"So, why do you think a watch is so important to you?" asks Staff.

Schneur explains that watches help keep us organized. He feels emotional about things. William wishes happy things and "happy things for you."

------------------

October 27, 2009:

I didn't have breakfast. I've been working on an artwork with Jason, and looking everywhere for my astronomy textbook. Oh, no!

It is raining outside, orange, and deep, until I rest and go to sleep. The hallways are thick with blue and green by night, the solid hue...

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November 10, 2009:

Last night, I dreamed that there were a bunch of people shaped like green felt squares. One square saved someone's life, but that person made it clear that their alliance because of this rescue would only be temporary.

"Get this straight," he said to the green square, that the alliance would only be until his debt was sufficiently paid.

Later, in the large TV lounge, Bernadette makes a Christmas tree drawing-slash-painting. Cheese is a good thing.

"She takes notes of everything everybody says," Bernadette says.

"Go away," Danielle says. "I'm just joking, Steve." Danielle begins to sing. "It's hot in here."

"It's getting hot in here," I sing. Then Danielle sings a minute later.

"Who was that lady?" Danielle asks when she looks at the TV.

Lindsey is doing artwork. Nice! They get shoes.

"You should design shoes," someone says.

"But I'm on Social Security Disability," Bernadette responds.

I draw several pictures of shapes. Shapes I dreamed about last night...

What do I do now? What do I do?

Smoking and fresh air break. I go outside and walk. And keep walking, and keep walking, and keep walking. The fence turns into many rectangles; the lights are oranges in the distance.

"Erin!" Bernadette cries suddenly. "Circles, not squares!"

"Squares!" I respond.

"Circles!" Bernadette replies.

I am standing here in the dark of night. I see Danielle over there with the smoke group. The tips of the cigarettes glow like a furnace coal, shining.

It's really something to see so many people here.

"Remember," Bernadette says, "Circles, no squares. Only circles. No squares. Only circles."

The Degenerate Craft Fair (NYC)

Amy Wilson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:23:24 -0800

Announcing the Degenerate Craft Fair, a sort of anti-art-fair featuring over 20 artists and designers. Just in time for holiday shopping, it will take place in the first three weekends of December at three different locations, and feature works of art generally priced under $50.

Organized by artists Amy Wilson and Shannon Broder, this event was originally designed to help a group of friends weather the recession together. “Artists have been really devastated by the terrible economy. So we wanted to come up with a way to help ourselves to make a little extra money by selling inexpensive versions of our work – books, prints, multiples, whatever we can come up with,” states Wilson. From that point, the DCF was founded and has now grown to involve a whole variety of artists and objects, including jewelry, stuffed animals, CDs, stickers, clothing, zines, and even square inches of Detroit, MI.

Locations

Silent Barn, Ridgewood (NYC)

915 Wyckoff Ave (nearest subway: L train to Halsey)

December 4^th

8pm to 12am

Our launch party, which includes live music and giveaways.

10pm performance by The Beets (http://www.myspace.com/thebeetsbeat)

303 Grand Street, Williamsburg (NYC)

303 Grand Street (nearest subway: L train to Bedford)

December 13^th from 12pm to 10pm; December 14^th from 12pm to 8pm

Our storefront “pop-up shop” will feature a cocktail reception on Sunday from 8pm to 10pm.

BravinLee programs, Chelsea (NYC)

526 West 26^th Street (nearest subway: C/E to 23^rd Street)

December 18^th from 12pm to 9pm; December 19^th from 12pm to 6pm

Our last stop is a gallery in the midst of the Chelsea art market, and features a cocktail reception on Friday from 7pm to 9pm.

Participants:

Shannon Broder, Everest Hall/Yadir Quintana, Marissa Havers, Imaginary Friends, LOVELAND Detroit, Shalimar Luis, Andi Magenheimer, mimi soho, Danica Phelps, Rapt Boutique, Secret Clubhouse, Showpaper, Spaghetti Suicide, Jay van Buren, and Amy Wilson.

The DCF is sponsored by Kickstarter (http://kickstarter.com) and Crazy Company (http://makeloveland.com). Our beer sponsor is Brooklyn Brewery (http://www.brooklynbrewery.com). For the most up-to-date information on special events, sponsored parties, and the like, please go to our website at: http://www.degeneratecraftfair.com

Burning Obama Sculpture, A Hot Controversy

ArtBistro — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:27:00 -0800

Until recently, few people had heard of Liu Bolin. He is one of 40 Chinese artists represented by Eil Klein Fine Art in Soho. He recently gained international notoriety for his sculpture "Burning Man Obama." Bolin is also famous for his "invisible" photographs. Find out why millions around the world recently discovered this artist.

h2. "Read the article here":http://artbistro.monster.com/news/articles/10063-burning-obama-sculpture-a-hot-controversy

Answers to the Turkey Quiz

ArtBistro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:36:00 -0800

ArtBistro created the What's Your Turkey IQ? quiz to help you learn more about Thanksgiving's most popular dish: The Turkey. We're providing the answers so you can learn from the quiz, but...

h4. Don't cheat! If you haven't taken the What's Your Turkey IQ quiz, go take it first.

See answers on the next page...

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1) 1. Deep-frying turkeys originated where?

San Francisco

The South-Correct Answer!

Turkey, the country

Hawaii

2) Approximately, how many turkeys are produced each year in the US?

10 Million

29 Million

165 Million

270 Million-Correct Answer

3) Which US statesman proposed the turkey as the official US bird, eventually loosing out to the bald eagle?

George W. Bush

George H. W. Bush

Benjamin Franklin-Correct Answer!

Franklin D. Roosevelt

4) Which color meat is preferred in the US?

White-Correct Answer!

Dark

5) What month is National Turkey Lover's Month?

January, to ring in the New Year

June, to introduce Summer-Correct Answer!

November, of course!

September, same as National Chicken Month

6) Which are methods used to cook turkeys?

The microwave method

The brine method

Aluminum foil wrapped method

Braised method

All of the above-Correct Answer!

7) The top five most popular ways to use turkey leftovers are:

Sandwich, soup/stew, stir fry, eaten plain as a side, and salad

Leftovers? I never have leftovers

Soup/stew, sandwich, stir fry, salad, and casserole-Correct Answer!

Casserole, eaten plain as a side, soup/stew, sandwich, and stir fry

8) When was Thanksgiving declared a national holiday?

1776, when our nation was founded

1863, to encourage unity during the Civil War-Correct Answer!

1945, to celebrate the end of WWII

9) Why does eating turkey make you drowsy?

Tryptophan enzymes-Correct Answer!

Eating too much of the bird

Badly cooked turkey

10) What percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving?

40 percent

65 percent

95 percent-Correct Answer!

80 percent

11) Which of the following methods to cook turkey is unsafe?

Grilling

Frying

Slow cooking-Correct Answer!

Roasting

12) The costume that "Big Bird" wears on "Sesame Street" is rumored to be made of turkey feathers.

True-Correct Answer!

False

13) What birds are used to make a Turducken?

Turkey and duck

Duck and chicken

Turkey, duck, and chicken-Correct Answer

A WHAT?

We hope you enjoyed the quiz and learned a lot about turkeys!

"I Love What I Do" ArtBistro Video Contest Winner

ArtBistro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:28:00 -0800

The winner for ArtBistro's "I Love What I Do" video contest was Lauren Hampton, a graphic designer based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The prize for winning the contest was a 16GB iPod nano. We asked her to tell us about her so we could share her story with the rest of the ArtBistro community. So give your congratulations to Lauren for being a great designer and for winning the video contest, and make sure to click the link below to view the video!

Here is what she said:

My name is Lauren Hampton and I am the Graphic Designer for AY Magazine based in Little Rock, AR. I began my art career early- making the decision to be an artist when I was a young child. I experimented with all forms of artist craft- from painting & drawing, 'rainy-day' crafting, to cartooning. Although I was certain I would attend college to pursue Art in some form- I chose a Liberal Arts Undergraduate Program- and accepted entrance into Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. As to avoid labeling myself as 'Artist'- I continued to indulge my other interests in literature, psychology, technology, and politics. I come from a family of diverse professions- and I am the first to pursue a creative career.

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As a Rhodes Associate at the college, I held the position of IT/Digital Media Technician and Lab Manager. During this experience, I obtained computer skills in the entire Adobe Master Collection, particularly InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Encore and Premiere. To polish these self acquired skills, I took additional courses in Design Systems at the Memphis College of Art and Design. My work at a local Memphis gallery- David Lusk -required me to generate artist press releases and website updates, while working directly with the artists on a business level by promoting shows and photographing works. I have recently been commissioned as a graphic artist to produce print and web logos for various businesses, including Rock the Vote, FX Foreign Exchange, Red Point Outdoor Adventures, and Rhodes College.

After months of freelancing, filling out job applications, and listening to people tell me my creative dreams were unrealistic- I got an offer to be the Graphic Designer for AY Magazine. Since this new hire- my days have been filled with an array of intellectual and creative activities- from shooting photography & attending social events - to web coding, financing, & InDesign/Illustrating on a Mac Pro in the office.

My 'dreams' and desire to spend my day at work as I would in my free time have become a reality. I’ve found myself to be a person caught between an extroverted taste seeker and an independent introvert. I believe that a lot is waiting to be discovered and it is the job of the artist to note and bring to life. If I can give one piece of advice- I say always do what you love... and you will never work another day in your life. (That's a fact) Thank you!

View The Winning Video Here!

Burning Obama Sculpture, A Hot Controversy

ArtBistro / Eli Klein Fine Art — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:45:00 -0800

Liu Bolin, "Burning Man Obama", 2009, Bronze and pyrotechnics, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

h4. A New Art Star Is Born

Until recently, few people had heard of Liu Bolin. He is one of 40 Chinese artists represented by "Eil Klein Fine Art":http://www.ekfineart.com/html/home.asp in Soho.

What happened to catapult his career into the stratosphere? It was a perfect storm that included a newly finished sculpture of a burning President Obama, President Obama's visit to China and a media frenzy eager to pick up everyday citizens’ reactions to his visit.

Bolin's image of “Burning Man Obama” was all over the web last week. Over 400,000 blogs picked it up. Bolin is one of a handful of artists whose work suddenly hit a nerve in our contemporary cultural dialogue and won a great amount of fame.

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“Burning Man Obama” is made of bronze, a very traditional sculpture material. It is a bust and about one quarter life sized. It is covered with holes. Coming through the pedestal is a propane flame. When the gas is turned on and flows through the holes, the lit Obama sculpture is engulfed in flames. The bronze then changes colors according due to the intense heat. The gas has to be turned off after three minutes so that the bronze can cool. This image has stirred quite a controversy surrounding its intended meaning.

h4. Influence of the Internet

That controversy was propelled by the internet. Bolin finished this piece just in time for President Obama’s visit. He posted a photo of it on the Internet and it almost instantaneously made his work famous. Many artists use the internet to promote their work including Bolin. Eli Kelin has over 40 images of his work on their site, but before last week, few people had seen them. Now, over a third of the gallery’s website traffic is from Google, and Bolin is overwhelmed with media requests. ArtBistro is one of 477 media outlets who have requested to speak to him.
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Liu Bolin, "Burning Man Obama", 2009, Bronze and pyrotechnics, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

h4. Skyrocketed Fame

This skyrocketed attention has had far reaching consequences. Peter Failmezger from Eli Kelin Fine Art says, “We have sold many of his photographs.” I asked if “Burning Man Obama" had been sold. He said it hadn't. “Someone who wants to buy it would also like to see it. We are trying to figure out how to show it. Our insurance won’t allow us to show a burning sculpture.”

h4. Question of Image Rights

Peter also said that ArtBistro was the first entity to actually ask for permission to reproduce the images of Bolin’s work for an internet article. All the other images on the internet of the sculpture were stolen from the original post. The blogs are using the image without permission and seemingly with no regard for the artist’s image rights. Artists are very protective of the rights to their imagery.

However, the knife cuts both ways. If the image hadn’t been stolen so many times, no one would know about Bolin’s work, and he would not have seen the successs he's seen today. Because we were the only website to ask for permission to use the images, Eli Kelin gave us permission to run images of “Burning Man Obama” and other images of Bolin’s work as well as access to interviews with Bolin.

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Liu Bolin, "Burning Man Obama", 2009, Bronze and pyrotechnics, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

h4. Controversy

Obviously “Burning Man Obama” is a controversial image. One might assume that it suggests violence to the US president. Liu Bolin maintains that the flames are to represent the president’s popularity.

Liu Bolin is a sculptor but the majority of his work is photography. He has a long running series titled, “Hiding in the City“ These are powerful photographs if people that are hard to find in their surroundings. Their clothing has been altered so that they become invisible in the photograph. Bolin uses this metaphor to point out the social and political limitations of his country.

An internet video has reported that Bolin is asking $15,000 for the sculpture. The price of the piece is probably going up faster than the Dow Jones these days.

h2. See Liu Bolin’s work on the next few pages along with interview excerpts.

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Liu Bolin, Burning Man, 2007, Bronze and pyrotechnics, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

Before completing the sculpture of Obama, Bolin had complete other “Burning Man” sculptures.

h2. View Liu Bolin’s invisible photographs

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Liu Bolin, Hiding in the City No. 80, 2006, Photograph, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

Yao Bodun: I have enjoyed many different types of your works, among which I’m specially interested in “Hiding in the City” series. I wonder if you could introduce me your motive for creating this serial works.

Liu Bolin: From my perspective, the meaning of human beings has been constantly annihilated in modern society. In the rapidly developing course, while living environment is improving, people are effacing themselves. What a great contradiction! I choose to hide in different backgrounds, because each one has its own significance. For example, the train head named “Red in the East”, it could mean geographically east, or it could be understood from the meaning of “Red”, or relationship between men and the environment and other kinds of relationships.

h2. Next photograph

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Liu Bolin, No. 9 of Hiding in the City (Red in the East), 2006, Photograph, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

Yao: Do you think such an annihilating case is serious, especially in China?

Liu: No, not really. Because it is the fact, the only difference is that I speak it out, which is more concerned by Contemporary Art. Unlike official artworks, which are all positive and tendentious, my works try to make people realize the state of existence.

h2. Next photograph

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Liu Bolin, No. 11 of Hiding in the City (The Girl No.1), 2006, Photograph, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

Yao: Among all your various works, I pay more attention to those with social slogans. There is no such kind of slogans in Hong Kong. I wonder why you choose to draw materials from them?

Liu: I think a lie could be the truth if one persists in telling it for ten years. Those works with slogans could be divided into two periods. The first period dates back to the days before last October. At that time, we were finding views in Suojiacun Village, where I live. Because there was a vote in the village, I found there were many slogans on the roadside signs, even on the doors of the gate. Almost each door had a piece of slogan on it. There were almost three or five kinds of slogans everywhere. I had never participated in a vote and did not know what vote it was and for whom should I vote. That was it! But when I saw those slogans, I felt people were dominated and duped in such a way. As I have said above, a lie frequently repeated will become the truth. In my opinion, every one has the right to vote and to be one of the candidates for such a democratic election, but I don’t know who have really voted. Maybe no one knows. Perhaps we could make an experiment. Let’s go out to find someone and ask him or her if he or she has ever attended an election, 99% of them would give you a negative answer. This is for sure. In fact we are all blindfolded.

h2. Next photograph

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Liu Bolin, No. 45 of Hiding in the City (No. 1 of Family Photo), Photograph, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

Yao: We could feel a strong political color when enjoying your works, such as the slogans, policeman, national flag, party flag and so on in “Hiding in the City” series, as well as “Red Hands” series. I am eager to know why you pay so much attention to political subject matters.

Liu: As an artist, it is my job to express my ideas through art, just like an auto manufacturer’s work is to manufacture cars.It is his duty. When I studied in university, I have learned a kind of skill, which confers me the quality to create something. But the quality only shows that I have grasped the skill, the most important for my work is my sentimental experience. After my graduation, I had been a teacher in a college for several years. At that time, I thought the institute was not at the first-class level and I wanted to shift to a better college. But during the course of my transferring, I had deeply experienced the negative aspects of our system. It is very important for us to be in a right group. I failed several times not because of my ability but because I was not a member of any group. How funny! Many people only consider their own benefit in the group and gradually becomes one part of the system unconsciously. Whatever they say and however reasonably the words are, they are all lies. Such as the sculptures of “Red Hands”, each character covering his eye with a red hand, they show us that you needn’t to be capable in our system and we should lose our power of thinking even lose our nature. I think people in Hong Kong are luckier than us, but people around me are all in such a way. They all want to find a place where they can stand and rely on and finally they go to communism. But communism is intangible, at least I think so. I am a member of Communist Party, but I am a good person. I deem myself an excellent individual. But from my experience, I have learned from the society that the system gives you a place and in return you have to speak for it. But mostly people are utilized and our system is manipulated by some interest group.

h2. Next photograph

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Liu Bolin, No. 3 of Hiding in the City (The Girl No.1), 2006, Photograph, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

Yao: As you mentioned just now, Contemporary Art reflects on personal problems, but “Hiding in the City” series seems to pay more attention to social problems…

Liu: It is true. You may have noticed that Contemporary Art is seldom related to sex, because sex is a very personal issue. But in Contemporary Art, the artists are all reflecting on the social problems, for example the communication between western and eastern world. The tour group to foreign countries is a very good example. During the days when we had no money, people went to Taishan Mountain, Huangshan Mountain, Forbidden City and Great Wall. Now we become rich, we can organize groups to other countries. But the number of Chinese tour groups ranks the last place but two in the world. We could find a social problem here. When at home, we have no problems, but compared with other countries the democracy issue comes forth. In fact Contemporary Art contemplates more on the relationship between the individuals and the society. And this society applies to an extension of societies from the domestic, foreign to international.

h2. Next photograph

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Liu Bolin, No. 48 of Hiding in the City (Bejing Welcomes You), Photograph, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

Yao: In “Hiding in the City” series, it is your assistant that paints you. Since you are not involved in the painting process why “Hiding in the City” is called your work instead of a collective work?

Liu: The conception of work is more important than the action. At present, many foreign artists are still creating works with their own hands. But in “Hiding in the City” series I can’t paint myself. A work completed by the artist’s hands is rather an experience. For example, in Modern Art era, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet expressed their feelings by their brushworks because they were anti-academicism. The academicism needs no personal sentiment, on the contrary, the anti-academicim must work by himself to express his feelings and it is the problem that Modern Art has to address to. In the history of western art, they have to pass this barricade. Without their contribution, we couldn’t experience the feeling of being a man. Modernism praises human and its strength. The way in which they manifest beauty is different from the academicism. In the century after the emergence of modernism, war has effaced the meaning of man. One is exploded to death when a bomb comes. After two world wars, economic development , consumption pattern and use of space had transformed and man is effaced in this changing process. Apart from personal sentiment, Contemporary Art focuses more on the effacement of the symbol of human. Compared with the glorification of human in Modern Art, Contemporary Art harbors a critical, sarcastic and negative attitude towards things. Traditional beauty elements like power, line and curve eulogized by Rodin do not appear in Contemporary Art. Man as an unit in the society becomes dispensable. In a macro point of view, man may die out in few decades because he is defeated by his defects.

h2. Next photograph
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Liu Bolin, Hiding in the City No.62 (American National Flag), 2006, Photograph, Courtesy Eli Klein Fine Art

Yao: Why do you choose to be painted instead of painting others?

Liu: So far, I have only painted other people in three pieces of my works. They come from different families. One is a three-member family, the other is a four-member family. I choose them as the objects to be painted because the work is probing into the problem of national family planning policy. Our country is carrying out family planning policy. We are all controlled by our country, and procreation is not a personal affair. Another work is about six laid-off workers, their youth and life were devoted to work. But they bear in mind one slogan: The power that leads us to prosperity and wealth is Chinese Communist Party. I think people are really pathetic, especially in China. As an unit, nothing belongs to us. We are always loyal and faithful to what Chairman Mao and the party dictate to us. Apart from them, I have no reason to paint others. The object effaced in the photo has an identity that is irreplaceable. For example, I can’t stand among the laid-off workers, because I have no such experience and they don’t live and work in the same environment as I do. That is so-called irreplaceable.

Italy Opens New Contemporary Arts Museum

ArtBistro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:25:00 -0800

Rome is well known for Renaissance artists, Michelangelo, Da Vinci and the Coliseum. It is hard to go there and not be surrounded by ancient art and feel like you could go back in time. However, the next time you are there, you'll have to go to the new Museum of Contemporary Art. Italian contemporary artists are contributing to the global contemporary art discourse.

h2. See the museum here.

Italy Opens New Contemporary Arts Museum

Associated Press via YellowBrix — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:15:00 -0800

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ROME - Italy is opening its first national museum for contemporary arts and architecture in a bid to shed its image as merely a keeper of a glorious artistic past.

The euro150 million ($223 million) Maxxi cultural center opens Saturday, for a limited weekend run before its full-fledged opening in a few months. The museum, located in a residential area of Rome, was designed by Zaha Hadid, the Iraqi-born architect who was the first woman to win the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004.

The Culture Ministry decided to build the museum in 1998, recognizing that the country that produced Giotto, Michelangelo and Bernini - the avant-garde artists of their times - must continue to promote contemporary creativity if it wants to have a cultural heritage in the future.

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"It is inconceivable for this very long flow of Italian creativity to be interrupted and do without the promotion and support which, over past centuries, have generally kindled it," said Pio Baldi, head of the foundation that runs the museum.

The center, officially called the National Museum of the XXI Century Arts, is the latest in a series of cutting-edge architectural projects to be built in the Eternal City, which is better known for its Roman ruins, Baroque basilicas and Renaissance palazzi.

Renzo Piano's Auditorium opened in 2002, giving Rome its first major-league concert hall. More recently and controversially, Richard Meier's Ara Pacis museum, which houses a 2,000 year-old altar, opened in 2005. Critics complained the box-like shell was a modern blot in Rome's historic center - to some, a gas station blocks away from the Spanish Steps.

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No such protests befell Hadid's design, which is located on the grounds of a former military barracks in Rome's Flaminio neighborhood, far from the cobblestoned streets of the center but close enough to be reached on public transport and near the new concert hall.

Hadid said she intended the space to be an "urban cultural center," an arts campus with indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces. The building itself - a sleek, windowed box on top of a box - is made of cement walls, steel stairs and a glass roof, giving the galleries a neutral backdrop illuminated by filtered natural light.

"I see Maxxi as an immersive urban environment for the exchange of ideas, feeding the cultural vitality of the city," she said.

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Indeed, the museum is designed to be a research workshop of sorts, not just exhibiting contemporary art and architecture but incorporating contemporary design, fashion, film and advertising in a multidisciplinary cultural center.

Maxxi technically is two museums: Maxxi Art and Maxxi Architecture, which includes the files of architecture designs. The campus - which covers 29,000 square meters (312,000 square feet) - also includes an auditorium, library, media library, study rooms, laboratories, a bookshop, cafe and spaces for live events and commercial activities.

Rome has several other modern and contemporary art spaces but the Culture Ministry says Maxxi is the first national museum devoted to contemporary arts.

Baldi, the head of the Maxxi Foundation, said the aim is for the museum to act as a sort of "antenna" which broadcasts Italian contemporary art overseas and receives international culture at home.

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"Art and architecture are essential components of the image and perception of a country abroad," he said. "This holds true today ever more immediately and rapidly" considering the globalized world.

Hadid is best known for her tram station in Strasbourg and her Vitra fire station in Germany, which was cited by the Pritzker jurors in awarding her the 2004 prize, architecture's most prestigious honor. More recently, she designed the aquatics center for the 2012 London Olympics, the games' architectural showpiece.

While Maxxi museum opens to the public officially on Saturday, it's a limited two-day opening. The museum will formally open its first exhibits in 2010, when five shows are planned.

November's Design Gallery Winners!

ArtBistro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:13:00 -0800

ArtBistro is proud to announce November’s Design Gallery Winners! This album represents excellent level of professionalism that ArtBistro members exhibit in their art work. There is a wide variety of design specialties. Congratulations to all the winners! To leave comments on the work, click on the designer’s name and browse their portfolio.

h2. See the winners here!

ArtBistro November Design Gallery Winners

ArtBistro — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:50:00 -0800

ArtBistro is proud to announce November's Design Gallery Winners! This album represents excellent level of professionalism that ArtBistro members exhibit in their art work. Congratulations to all the winners! To submit your work for next month's "Art Gallery show click here.":http://artbistro.monster.com/topics/12607-submit-your-work-for-the-august-art-show/posts To leave comments on the work, click on the designer's name and browse their portfolio.

Carlos Katarina Ongaigui, Graphic Designer

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Anton Khodakovsky, Graphic Designer

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Jamie-lyn Bacon, Graphic Designer

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Nevena Todorovic, Fashion Designer

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Robin Ko, 3-D Designer, Car Concept**

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Andrew Tryon, Architect, Architectural Rendering**

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Lynnette Franklin, Applique Designer, Applique Pillows**

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Benjamin Bay, Graphic Designer

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So Jung Kim, 3-D Designer

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Pauline Matthewman, Illustrator and Cartoonist

See other ArtBistro Design Gallery winners

Meet Painter Marie Kazalia

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:47:09 -0800

Recycled Packaging Supports "Undies to Poverty" Stance

Design Week — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:49:00 -0800

Studio 91 has designed packaging made from recycled Fairtrade cotton for ethical underwear group Pants to Poverty.

Pants to Poverty started as part of the Make Poverty History campaign in 2005, and sells Fairtrade organic underwear. The company sells its underwear through independent shops and online retailers to 22 countries, and works with more than 4500 farmers in India.

Studio 91 started working with the company in June 2008 on graphics projects, following a recommendation from another client. In April the consultancy was briefed to develop packaging for the undies.

Ben Ramsden, founder of Pants to Poverty, says, 'Having very high ethical and ecological standards, we'd always rejected packaging, but recently we had a lot of retailers coming to us saying they could double sales if we packaged the underwear.'

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The packaging uses recycled cotton paper from company Esteam, which reuses the 30-35 per cent of cotton that is discarded in the clothes-production process.

Sam Hextall, director of Studio 91, says of the design, 'The underpants come in a range of colors and with different waistbands, so we had to make sure the customer could see the pants, and a cut-out was the easiest way of doing this.' The cut-out has been designed to incorporate the Leo Burnett-designed identity in what Hextall describes as 'a really fun and satisfying shape'.

The packaging launches this week. Studio 91 is also working on packaging for a new children's range and website for Pants to Poverty, both of which will launch next year.

Hirst Says Anyone Can Be Like Rembrandt

Sunday Mail via YellowBrix — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:14:00 -0800

Glasgow, UK - Outspoken artist Damien Hirst has sparked controversy by claiming "anyone can be like Rembrandt".

Hirst, 44, who is famous for exhibiting dead animals preserved in formaldehyde, is reputed to be the world's richest living artist.

The Bristol-born artist was responding to critics who have lambasted his latest London show as "an embarrassment" and "shockingly bad".

He says he is convinced he can be as good as the masters.

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Hirst added: "Anyone can be like Rembrandt. I don't think a painter like Rembrandt is a genius. It's about freedom and guts.

"It's about looking. It can be learnt. That's the great thing about art. Anybody can do it if you just believe. With practice you can make great paintings.

"I don't believe in genius.

"Picasso, Michelangelo, possibly, might be verging on genius, but I don't think a painter like Rembrandt is a genius."

Dutch master Rembrandt, who died in 1669, is considered one of the greatest painters.

Last year, Hirst raised pounds 111 million from sales of his work.

He came to prominence as one of the Young British Artists group in the 1990s.

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Artists Cut Out the Middleman, Auction Records Broken

ARTINFO — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:36:00 -0800

Have you ever felt that artists get the short end of the stick in lieu of Galleries, Museums, Dealers, and other artworld forces? Artists most often do not see any of the money from the sale of their work at auction, because they have already sold it and it is out of their hands.

One group of artists is taking matters into their own hands and cutting out galleries and auction houses by holding their own auction. Read the story and see the images!

h4. "See the article and the works up for auction!":http://artbistro.monster.com/news/articles/10044-artists-cut-out-the-middleman-as-auction-records-are-broken

Artists Cut Out the Middleman, as Auction Records are Broken

ARTINFO — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:36:00 -0800

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Ryan McGinness, Untitled (2008). Acrylic on wood panel, 24 in. dia. Estimate: $12,000 – $14,000

New York, NY—The other night, when Christie’s sold a Peter Doig painting for a whopping $10.2 million — a full $4 million above its pre-sale estimate — Doig happened to be in the room, sitting next to the collector who was selling the work.

According to Sarah Thornton’s report on Artforum.com, the artist was pretty mellow about the whole thing. “Everyone says artists shouldn’t attend auctions, so I wondered: What are they hiding from me? It’s my painting, after all,” he told Thornton. Though he added, “But I don’t think I’ll need to come again.”

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Yorgo Alexopoulos, Mt. Diablo/No Feeling Is Final (2009). Aluminum C-print, plexiglas, wood frame, 54 x 35 in. Unique. Estimate: $3,000 –$3,500

Things weren’t always so tame. Back in 1973, taxi fleet owner Robert Scull sold two pieces from Robert Rauschenberg at Parke-Bernet as part of the first auction that included work by living artists, and Rauschenberg, miffed that he saw no proceeds from the astounding sum his works had brought, reportedly decked Scull after the sale.

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That incident was on artist Ryan McGinness’s mind when he organized the Artist Direct Party, an auction to take place tomorrow night at McGinness’s studio in downtown Manhattan. The auction house — or “middleman,” as McGinness puts it — has been cut out, and artists are selling directly to collectors.

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Cheryl Dunn, Fans 2 – Rutherford, NJ (2007). Photograph, framed, 41 x 28 in. Edition 1 of 5. Estimate: $1,500 – $2,000

The artists in question — there are pieces by McGinness himself, as well as Robert Lazzarini, Erik Parker, Eve Sussman, Spencer Tunick, and others — are all McGinness’s friends. He asked them to select any work of theirs that they wanted to sell. The lots are all estimated at $14,000 or less.

McGinness says he’s “not particularly interested by the smoke-and-mirrors game which is the auction process,” but he is, however, “interested in revealing tricks and transparency.”

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Todd James, The New Deal (2009). Screen print on paper, 21.7 x 29.5 in. Edition 36 of 150. Estimate: $250 – $350

The auctioneer is Sara Friedlander from Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Department, and McGinness also got a little help from his friend Cristin Tierney of Cristin Tierney Fine Art Advisory, who served as an advisor to the sale. “I took Ryan to his first sale at Christie’s a few years ago. He’s one of the only artists I know who is interested in the mechanics of how art finds a life outside the studio.” Tierney says this is a good time for such an event. “Things are much harder for artists now than they were two years ago,” she says. “And in visual art there is basically no royalties system.” She guesses that however things go, the sale should generate some good cheer. “I think there will be a warm and fuzzy feeling Friday night, however it goes. Well, as close to warm and fuzzy as the art world gets.”

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José Parlá, Name & Note (2009). Acrylic, oil paint, and powdered pigments on printmaking paper, 27 x 44 in. Estimate: $10,000 –$12,000

But was the auction, by any chance, inspired by disheartening experiences McGinness himself has had in the salesroom? “No,” the artist avers. “My work has always done well at auction, and there is no need for an artist to maintain an interest in his commodities if he has sold total property rights to the work.” But...there must have been something that irked him. “I have, however, been disappointed in the sellers who have broken promises to me. The secondary market is populated by schmucks.”

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Like what you see? Sign up for "ARTINFO's weekly newsletter":http://www.artinfo.com/newsletter/ to get the latest on the market, emerging artists, auctions, galleries, museums, and more.

Fifth-Grade Fashion Designer

Daily News — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:07:00 -0800

Cecilia Cassini of Encino is a fashionista with a famous designer's name, the style and attitude to go with haute couture -- and she's all of 10 years old and in the fifth grade.

She also has a big mane of beautiful hair and the cuteness that could make any young girl aspire to the life of a model. Instead she wants to design and sew their clothes.

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"I have known that I wanted to be a fashion designer from the second I was born," said Cecilia, who today will have her own trunk show at a Sherman Oaks boutique and display more than 200 one-of-a-kind items that she has personally designed and sewn -- all with the environment in mind.

"I also care about saving the planet, and I think I can help by repurposing old clothing into new masterpieces," said Cecilia, who is no relation to famed designer Oleg Cassini but knows her fashion history.

"I don't want to wait until I'm an adult like Coco Chanel to start creating my masterpieces," she added.

She may not have to.

Cecilia has made clothing for the children of several celebrities, among them actresses Denise Richards and Candace Cameron Bure.

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In an e-mail thanking her for the dress, Richards wrote: "We absolutely love them and wanted to make sure to tell you how amazing your designs were. Good luck and we will be looking for your designs on the red carpet!"

She was also asked to design and make a dress for auctioning at this year's Susan G. Komen Fashion for the Cure event featuring designer Diane Von Furstenberg. A spokeswoman for the show said Cecilia's dress was offered for a retail value of $50, but ended up selling for $125.

And she's already held meetings with the "Project Runway" producers for a possible television project.

"Cecilia is the most remarkable 10-year-old you'll ever meet -- she seems so much more mature than her 10 years," said Shannon Komsky, owner of the Tough Cookies Children's Boutique which is hosting Cecilia's debut.

"Her mother, Michelle, came in to shop one day, and she was telling me her 10-year-old sewed her own designs. I said, 'Bring her by.' The little girl came in and brought some of her designs, and I was floored.

"I can't sew a button, and here's this 10-year-old girl who can use a sewing machine, constructing and reconstructing clothing. I've been talking to my vendors. Everyone is just amazed. No one has ever heard of a 10-year-old who would rather come home to sew clothes than come home to watch TV, text her friends or do whatever it is that most 10-year-olds do."

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But even with her enthusiasm and talent, industry experts caution that fashion is a tough business to crack at any age.

Mary Stephens, director of fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, said success in the industry requires not only talent and luck, but also financial resources.

"But if this little girl at the age of 10 is designing clothes -- and sewing what she creates -- then she sounds like she's a prodigy," said Stephens. "We hear of child prodigies in music and art, but I've never heard of a child prodigy in fashion design.

"It's just not normal to hear of a 10-year-old with that kind of passion for fashion design. I would hope that she also will get formal training."

Even at school, Cecilia hardly acts like the average 10-year-old. She doesn't hang out with her fellow fifth-graders at Hesby Oaks Elementary School, where she chooses not to get involved in any extracurricular activities but makes A's and stands out as a fashion plate.

"I am definitely the belle of the ball every day at my school," she said. "What other girls would wear to a party is what I wear to school.

"I don't want to be like everybody else. I want to be me and let my personality come out."

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She also does all her homework at school, she said, so she can hurry home -- to her sewing machine.

"There's a story behind the sewing machine," said her mother, Michelle, a yoga instructor. "Cecilia's older sister Annabelle was given a dress by their grandmother. Cecilia adored that dress and wanted it, and we were stunned one day to find that she had cut it down to fit her and put it together with pins.

"'Well, if I had a sewing machine,' she told us, 'I could have sewn it to look so much better."'

For her sixth birthday, Cecilia received a sewing machine.

Cecilia now makes some of her sister's clothes, all of her own and a lot of clothes her friends wear.

"I would say that I'm definitely the lone fashionista in my family," she said. "My mother used to take me to fabric stores for fabric, but I also love to find new fabric in old clothes from my closet, my mother's closet and drawers."

But if Cecilia is a child with style, she is also a kid with a big conscience. She has made back-to-school outfits for children at L.A. Family Housing, which helps shelter homeless families.

"I know how good it feels to wear something new and I wanted these little girls to feel a little better," Cecilia said. "I mean, they must be having a hard time. I just want people to feel happy and this is easy for me to do."

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In the coming days, Komsky said, more kids will be wearing the "Cecilia by Cecilia Cassini" line that she will carry in her store and sell from $29 and up.

"I had a mother who came in (to the store) to buy something for her 4-year-old, and one of the things her daughter wanted was a dress that Cecilia designed," Komsky said. "I called Cecilia to tell her, and she was so excited that children are loving her designs you would thought she had won the lottery."

In Cecilia's mind, she said, she has.

"I am just a little girl who is inspired by fun and fantastic and beautiful and classic fashion," she said. "I am lucky enough to have a sewing machine and parents who let me cut up clothing to create new fashions."

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5 Tips for Picking Colors for Your Home

Igor Asselbergs / Livelygrey — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:26:00 -0800

How to pick colors for your home:

Think combinations, not colors.

Picking colors is in fact about picking a combination of colors. One color is no color. Did you know the human eye can't even perceive single colors? We can only see color differences, in other words: we only perceive contrasts. Therefor it's no use fretting over a single color for your walls. Because the million dollar question is: how does that wall color relate to the existing color of your floor.

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h4. Start with the colors you can't change.

Obviously, a palette is made up of different colors that need to fit together. If you want to paint your room and you have colors you cannot change, like flooring, curtains or furniture, they still need to be part of the palette. Therefor always keep them in mind when picking the rest of the colors. As a rule of thumb, you start with the colors with the smallest range and work towards the widest range. For instance: look at your existing flooring and furniture first, then pick the new curtains, and finish with the wall color.

h4. Get inspired.

There are many ways to get inspired. You can search the web. You can pick a flower and match its colors to a paint fan deck. You can take any picture or painting you like and extract colors from it. It's really not that hard. Just pick something that inspires you and match it to paint colors to produce a great palette. A few hints to keep in mind when making a palette:
• Try to include light as well as dark colors. Remember: contrasts are key.
• If you go for greys, pick at least one bright color to accentuate.
• If you go for bright colors, combine it with at least one shade of grey to provide your palette with a neutral tone.

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h4. Visualize

Once you established at least some idea of a palette and a rough idea of what it should look like, you can start experimenting, using Colorjive (for now, only here). Just try out different ideas. Don't be shy, you can change colors in an instant. Once you know your wall should be blue for instance, you can try different shades of blue till you find the one that works for you.
You can use the software to show the result to your friends and family. After all, they'll have to put up with it.

h4. Check your choice

When you use the color codes to order paint in the shop, first take a good look at the color swatch to make sure this is the color you want. Colors onscreen may differ from real life colors. If you are still a bit uncertain, buy a sample or a small pot of paint first. Then paint a small surface to see if it works. And remember: it's only paint. Worst case scenario is repainting. So you can afford to take some chances.

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November's Design Gallery Winners!

ArtBistro November Design Gallery Winners

*Carlos Katarina Ongaigui, Graphic Designer*

*Anton Khodakovsky, Graphic Designer*

*Jamie-lyn Bacon, Graphic Designer*

*Nevena Todorovic, Fashion Designer*

*Robin Ko, 3-D Designer, Car Concept*

*Andrew Tryon, Architect, Architectural Rendering*

*Lynnette Franklin, Applique Designer, Applique Pillows*

*Benjamin Bay, Graphic Designer*

*So Jung Kim, 3-D Designer*

*Pauline Matthewman, Illustrator and Cartoonist*

See other ArtBistro Design Gallery winners

Meet Painter Marie Kazalia

Recycled Packaging Supports "Undies to Poverty" Stance

Hirst Says Anyone Can Be Like Rembrandt

Artists Cut Out the Middleman, Auction Records Broken

Artists Cut Out the Middleman, as Auction Records are Broken

Fifth-Grade Fashion Designer

5 Tips for Picking Colors for Your Home

Carlos Katarina Ongaigui, Graphic Designer

Anton Khodakovsky, Graphic Designer

Jamie-lyn Bacon, Graphic Designer

Nevena Todorovic, Fashion Designer

Robin Ko, 3-D Designer, Car Concept**

Andrew Tryon, Architect, Architectural Rendering**

Lynnette Franklin, Applique Designer, Applique Pillows**

Benjamin Bay, Graphic Designer

So Jung Kim, 3-D Designer

Pauline Matthewman, Illustrator and Cartoonist