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| The morning after the moment that changed my life... YOUR ART ESCORT'S RESPONSE: Absolutely … YES. When I first approached art school, I did not like Van Gogh’s art work. I could not figure out why he was so important and why all these other guys were important too. The old cliché, “My kid could paint better that.” I felt safe enough with this one teacher to tell her how I really felt. She was clearly a mature woman and I was too, going back to school for art around 40ish. Barbara, my teacher explained it’s what we learn about their lives that make us so convicted or compelled to move emotion within ourselves. Over the next few years I set out on adventure, to reach this point of personal comprehension of why what appears to be sometimes just outright ugly art becomes a master piece. Where it led me I never thought I would have gone. What I saw and personally experienced during this 2 years period would be so consuming that reading and learning about artists who had suffered seemed my only way out. During this extended period of HELL, with suicidal ideation, the life stories of other artists was one of my saving grace, and the care taking of my 20 year old to lead my life for me for a while... It’s sort of funny now that adding then another two years of trying to climb out of hell with multiple therapies and rehabs, the one I wrote my own prescription for… turned out to be the one that has shaped the reconstruction of my new life. I became intimate with so many international artists and settled in on my love for the modern art movement as my favorite. The impressionist pieces prior to my illness could not satisfy my hunger or squelch my thirst. It was the artists’ details of their lives, what made them tick? Why they needed to be driven to paint something that would never sell but they kept doing it. What kept them from the edge of suidice or let them fall to succumb? Now when I see works that I like, or that are different, weird or just ugly, I research the artist’s life deeper than others to see if I can see what I can find. To see how I may have aligned myself with whom they were expressing themselves to be. now are your all wondering what the hell happened to her that she write such crazy nonsense, knowing the depths of hell? Sept 2006 Informed I have 1 to 3 months before my heart valve blows, Oct 15, 2006 Legal divorce is finalized, my little daughter is 5 years old Nov 6, 2006 Open heart surgery mitral valve repair Dec 5, 6, 7, 2006 Suffered 3 mini strokes, one each day Dec 13, 2006 Suffered Ventricular Tachycardia or VTAC for short Dec - April 2006 Coumadin resistant needing multiple blood draws every week, arm veins scarred and collapsed Dec 26, 2006 Entered a multiple year phase of suicidal ideation Jan 2007 Body Memory Flashback started raging for 9 months May 2007 Diagnosis of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Nov 2007 Amnesia broke and night terrors started for 6 months June 2008 The bombing stopped and it was a wait and see Aug 2008 The first therapy started for stroke rehab. Progress was slow at best Jan 2011 Chronic Fatigue Immune Disorder was diagnosed and a whole new treatment plan was started April 2011 Started an experimental drug for my CFS neurological brain virus attacking my auto immune system June 2011 Registered for a MOMA online course… to help gather, organize and make sense of the past 4 years of my life through other artist’s stories and suffering |
07 June 2011
MOMA’S QUESTION: Does an artist's personality effects our way of thinking about their art?
MOMA AND MODERN ART
REPRINTED FROM: MOMA
Alfred H. Barr, Jr., 1930. The Archives of The Museum of Modern Art, Chart of Modern art
A video about women in MoMA's early history with commentary by Michelle Elligott, Museum Archivist.
ALFRED H. BARR, JR., AND THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
The Museum of Modern Art was founded in 1929, and from the beginning to the present day it has been the foremost museum of modern and contemporary art in the world.
Alfred H. Barr, Jr.
The Museum's founding director, Alfred H. Barr, Jr., was only 27 years old when he took the post. He had previously designed and taught the first modern art course in the United States, at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
The Museum's founding director, Alfred H. Barr, Jr., was only 27 years old when he took the post. He had previously designed and taught the first modern art course in the United States, at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
The Museum started out in 1929 in a few rented rooms in a midtown Manhattan office building at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue. In 1939, just 10 years after the stock market crash of 1929, the Museum was transferred to a new building on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
From the very beginning, Barr wanted multiple departments, so he established the first art museum departments of photography, cinema, architecture, and industrial design.
In 1933, Barr drew his "'Torpedo Diagram of Ideal Permanent Collection" to suggest that the collection moved like a torpedo through time, with its nose representing the present and its tail being the past. The goal was to have most of the collection focus on the early part of the 20th century.
For the cover of the Cubism and Abstract Art exhibition catalogue in 1933, Barr designed his famous diagram charting the "isms" that preceded, coincided with, and followed World War I. The art historian Robert Rosenblum wrote in 1986:
Amazingly, even now ... Cubism and Abstract Art maintains its fundamental authority. ... Barr's text survives to this day in a strangely timeless and undated way, a combination of historical chronicle with an unfailing ability to single out that work of art whose description will make the most salient points. ... This level of distilled excellence is so consistent that, for the past half-century, most scholars have been refining, amplifying, or diluting Mr. Barr's initial presentation of the Gospel of modern art in 1936.
With our class, we will examine many of these "isms" and look at their relationships to each other. Each week, one main artist will be used as a lens to focus our understanding of key concepts.
Francesca Owens, American Artist, has chosen Spoleto as her home, she is also a talented art critic!
REPRINTED FROM: SPOLETONLINE
Translated from Italian to English
Written by: Sandro Morcihelli
As a host of Spoleto, a well-known Italian-American artist resides her in our historical center from New York City and Colorado. She is called Francesca Owens and has already put in evidence for some of her successful exhibitions in Italy, with particular reference to city Etruscan Cortona, where has a clear reputation. Her work has been presented in America in numerous states, where her paintings representing high-level which were enthusiastically received, as known critics have written, that have focused on excellent technique combined with color Brilliant, immediately strike the eye of the visitor.
www.francescaowens.com her website includes wild animals and particularly savage, like the tiger, leopard, jaguar and lion. Not for nothing has worked together with famous biologists, who have sincerely appreciate his art, as can be seen from articles signed by famous personalities.
At present, Francesca Owens told us that following an illness that lasted for four years, she devoted herself to criticism of modern and contemporary art, and was also invited by directors American and foreign journals. He also added his criticism of the site Austrian Journal of Tamara de Lempicka for a show that is still held in Rome in Victorian, can be read here at Tamara’s official website.
www.francescaowens.com her website includes wild animals and particularly savage, like the tiger, leopard, jaguar and lion. Not for nothing has worked together with famous biologists, who have sincerely appreciate his art, as can be seen from articles signed by famous personalities.
At present, Francesca Owens told us that following an illness that lasted for four years, she devoted herself to criticism of modern and contemporary art, and was also invited by directors American and foreign journals. He also added his criticism of the site Austrian Journal of Tamara de Lempicka for a show that is still held in Rome in Victorian, can be read here at Tamara’s official website.
Canada and Austria, the United States and in Italy, has popularity, having been placed in evidence for its intense activities is considered very useful against a painting that can be defined as alive and real, not suffering any contamination.
For the immediate future, Owens will participate in some important "Seminars", putting at the disposal of young talent and schools that wish to be able to learn from the voice of an artist everything that is known only in a unsatisfactory and or skims the surface.
It should also be noted that our Francesca has a real archive of art books, DVDs, CDs and even toys table to educate modern art.
FRANCESCA OWENS AN AMERICAN ARTIST, AS HER HOME HAS CHOSEN SPOLETO. She also is a talented art modern critic. We intend to come back at the next Festival of the 2 Worlds, when our cities will be These Art Critics not only from Italy.
Photograph by Cesare Cestari of the Torre del Greco, near Naples
Photograph by Cesare Cestari of the Torre del Greco, near Naples
06 June 2011
Your Art Escort's response to Dott. Rosa Maria Letts of London commentary on Sgarbi
First is the attempt to understand the definition of the CONTEMPORARY ART MOVEMENT and all that may be included in this concept.
Second is the discussion of SGARBAGING, excuse me, I meant say, an understanding of some of the unfair trade practice or art poaching techniques of VITTORIO SGARBI.
Fourth is the concept of “Can we agree to disagree?”, which is not permitted in the “world according to Sgarbi”.
Since we are limited to 1000 words here, only half of one point will arrive here and that is where I shall start. The other 3 points will need to be reviewed at a different time.
For now I will address the 1st point hyperlinking my footnotes to support my social discussion and art commentary/critique.
Contemporary Art, (which I am NOT a huge fan of, so let’s get that out on the table) can be defined as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since WorldWar II. Examples of international contemporary museums and international contemporary artists in this movement are numerous and well established outside of Italy.
To use the term, “ephemeral” may sound trendy, chic, cutting edge or “to look smart” but is without merit when applied too loosely to one movement as a mutually exclusive event. To apply this word to any one specific art movement alone is not accurate, unless you are willing to look back over the entire history of art and see that. THIS WORD is part of what art movement is all about.
That where the idea of “movement” comes from. It is either too narrow to apply to one movement, or possibly is better applied to any of all of the past art movements, as there are so many!
Ten different art movements have been identified to 19th century
and 37 different styles have been identified for the
20th century. Even a child’s basic attempt at the simple law of averages would have to conclude 100/10 = 10 for the average length of a movement in the 19th century and 100/37 = 2.7 years to the average length of an art movement in the 20th century. But since these periods are NOT mutually exclusive this point of view doesn’t work either.
A sixty-six (66) year history and holding makes a statement, that even for those of us that may not be fans of the contemporary art movement.
Contemporary art is here and has been here and until the next brave group of controversial genius artist arrive pushing and dragging us along, here we lie.
Dott. Rosa Maria Letts of London writes:
REPRINTED FROM the comments section of: Shock appointment of anti-modernist to Venice Biennale,
Critics include Whitney Biennial curator Francesco Bonami who says Italy "deserves Sgarbi" because of its antipathy towards contemporary art.
Critics include Whitney Biennial curator Francesco Bonami who says Italy "deserves Sgarbi" because of its antipathy towards contemporary art.
Comments
Dott. Rosa Maria Letts, London
The appointment of Vittorio Sgarbi both as curator of the Italian Pavilion at the next Venice Biennale and as advisor for acquisitions at the Maxi Museum of modern art in Rome is very good news. Prof Sgarbi is at least one of the most cultured and intelligent man we have on the art scene in Italy. He has organized many important exhibitions and written extensively on Italian Art, Classical and Modern. His opinion is to be valued. He can be controversial but represents many trends and is conscious of our tradition and past supremacy in the sector. Modern Art should be the celebrated art of the 20 century,as opposed to contemporary art still to be proven. Gnoli is an artist he has mentioned - hopefully to enter the Maxi - he is a great artist like indeed De Dominici. But contemporary art should be kept to temporary exhibitions and await to enter the collections until they are accepted as Modern Artists. Much contemporary art is just ephemeral.
Shock appointment of anti-modernist to Venice Biennale
REPRINTED FROM:
By Alessandro Martini and Gareth Harris | From issue 211, March 2010 Published online 24 Feb 10
LONDON. The appointment of Vittorio Sgarbi, the celebrity art critic and polemicist, as curator of the Italian Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale and supervisor of acquisitions at Rome’s new MaXXi museum of 21st-century art is dividing the Italian art world, thanks to his well known antipathy to contemporary art.
Sgarbi was the under secretary of state for the ministry of culture from 2001-02 in Silvio Berlusconi’s government. In 2004, Sgarbi founded the Party of Beauty to halt the construction of new buildings in Italian cities. In 2006, he switched allegiance and stood for the centre-left Consumers’ List party.
Appointed as the mayor of the Sicilian village of Salemi in 2008, he is an outspoken television pundit.
The Venice appointment is especially sensitive as Italy celebrates the 150th anniversary of its unification in 2011. Italian culture minister Sandro Bondi defended his choice, insisting that Sgarbi “has in-depth knowledge of Italy’s heritage”.
The appointment has drawn stinging criticism from Sgarbi’s compatriot Francesco Bonami, the curator of this year’s Whitney Biennial, who berates the current Italian government’s attitude to contemporary art.
“Unfortunately we deserve Sgarbi,” he says. “Contemporary art is to Sgarbi what America is to Bin Laden.
Once in a while, Sgarbi, like Bin Laden, rants against his enemy. I have to say that Sgarbi’s joint appointment is very close to a suicidal attack on Italy’s dignity,” Bonami told The Art Newspaper.
MaXXi
“I believe that the MaXXi should concentrate on the generation in its fifties. The criterion should not be whether something is traditional or not—I want Antonio López García and Lucian Freud in the collection. The main point is, we are in Italy and our museum should be different from museums in London and New York,” he added.
But Bonami again raised concerns about the development: “Since 1999, the MaXXi has had a headless acquisition policy. The collection is a mediocre accumulation of late 20th-century art. The opening show, curated by Achille Bonito Oliva, will focus on Gino De Dominicis—you could not get an exhibition that is more 20th-century. They are going backwards. I don’t understand how the president of the MaXXi Foundation [Pio Baldi] and the curators can maintain their dignity.
They have mismanaged MaXXi and Sgarbi is the natural consequence.”
“Sgarbi will not directly acquire works. The directors of the two MaXXi museums—Anna Mattirolo, director of MaXXi Arte, and Margherita Guccione, director of MaXXi Architecture—propose all acquisitions.” She also pointed out that the De Dominicis show is one of five planned for the inauguration.
The museum, designed by the Iraq-born architect Zaha Hadid, was originally scheduled to open in 2006. The E150m project was first mooted in 1997 but various obstacles, such as shortfalls in government funding, have delayed the scheme. The E10m annual running costs will be partly provided by the ministry of culture. The institution has so far acquired more than 300 works, ones by Italian artists such as Alighiero Boetti, Mario Merz and Giuseppe Penone, as well as work by non-Italians Anish Kapoor, William Kentridge, Gerhard Richter and Andy Warhol.
But Sgarbi says that “works have been bought at prices that are completely inconsistent with [the usual] museum acquisition rates. These prices have definitely been inflated.”
He also criticised the appointments of Baldi, Mattirolo and Guccione, saying that they were “shoo-in” candidates, prompting the MaXXi spokeswoman to say: “The trio have worked with conviction on the MaXXi project since its inception, with excellent practical results.”
But Sgarbi says that “works have been bought at prices that are completely inconsistent with [the usual] museum acquisition rates. These prices have definitely been inflated.”
05 June 2011
la bella figura and the price of pork belly futures art!
Yesterday, I found myself in an awkward painful be fangled yoga position that I seemed to have gotten into all alone.
An American girlfriend asked to set up a personal tour of a local artist’s studio in Spoleto’s Historical Center and could I do this? My friend had a number of visiting friends in from the USA that she wanted to pull in tow, about 10 in total. I called the local artist and set up the appointment for later that afternoon.
The foundation of the ugly interaction was without words except two, “50 euros”. I accept blame for my part which will be exposed. Prior to arriving I mentioned that the artist had numerous little things for sale at good prices. This simple pick phrase “good prices” contributed to an expectation which did not pan out to be anything close to reality.
I had been this artist’s Christmas market and recalled reasonable may a little high, but reasonable prices for the exchange of items that had been painted.
So with 10 outsiders in tow they slowly filed into this local artists house. They were amazed at what they saw. Bold orange masses, sweeping trails pure clear pigment bright colors outlined with an accent of black wrapping up the final composition.
Unexpectedly for me, it was a chance to see the artist’s latest body of work that had begun to really begun to grow and show debt. I was impressed by the newest large pieces that had been created for a “well know museum in Rome show this September”. Then it was added “I was invited by a known art critic to show at this prestigious local show.” With a sincere interest I asked to be invited and personally remind of when she would have this show.
Again, I would reserve my critique until I saw the actual delivery of the so called “Museum” and the “so called art critic” who did the inviting.
In this 3 year relationship that I have known this artist, I saw a particular fixation on the need to paint everything. And with that I mean everything… kitchen bottles, hot mitts, fridge, curtains, knickknacks, a child’s bike, the family car, scraps of wood, inside walls to garden, men’s ties, woman’s scarves, drinking glasses, the even some very unique stones. I was sitting at her kitchen table where the chairs, benches all objects possible had been painted throughout her home studio. I am truly surprised she has yet to tattoo her body with her style as it seems the only thing left unpainted with in her reach!
On a prior visit I had fallen in love with her painted toilet seat with little faces looking up at you. It was almost difficult to sit down knowing there were all these faces looking up. I asked to show that to the visitors but it she stated that it no longer existed as the toilet set wore out. What a funny thought, the same thing had happened to mine.
I had found myself inspired as an artist to go out and buy a new toilet seat to paint in my animal theme. It looked great for some time with brilliant yellow and turquoise blues zebra stripes and all my guests loved it but the issue here is the lack of quality to the underlying item. So say that both of had created brilliant works of art to only have it be discarded after being breaking as to the active use of a toilet seat deteriorating.
The master piece of art had become something not of artistic value but something no one would want to keep around after being broken and the grossness of the whole idea. Anyway we all went upstairs and looked around. She offered her guests, 100 limited edition giclée prints offered at 50 euros. Not a bad price at all for a high quality limited reprint but enough for an artist whose works rarely sell at any of her asking prices.
I asked “How much for these 6 inch long rectangle sticks of wood painted that had a little clip on the back for hanging?” “50 euro came out.” Personally I thought to myself, “hum?” I’d say 25 or 30 euros at max but this were not my place to be pricing. She offered the round pendant necklaces where, you got it right, “50 euros”. A visitor asked, “How much for the 6” diameter Styrofoam painted balls?” Before I had a chance to control my flinch, distorted cringe and face of anguish, I heard “50 euros” ringing out again, “they are all original works of art too!”
At that point I felt embarrassed but for what I am not sure she even saw it. Was this a joke that wasn’t funny, a miscommunication or bad translation, was it the only English number she knew, 50? For me the tension grew with the air filling with the internal thoughts we were all having. So much noise without a word being spoken!
The artist started spewing off all her shows and the show coming up, the places where she had exhibited and invites outstanding as well as shows in other countries. She pulled out catalogs and brochures where she had been featured. An awkwardly loud silent sound stunned the air even stronger. The artist started to explain the wood frame came from her a 50 plus year old grandmother’s closet and the fabric was that of her Nonna’s too! Over 50 years old was the material she used, “it had a history in itself!”
The discussion went on and the audience cringed at her ridiculousness of some of her pieces prices. I agree with translating as the artist bled out her details of justification. I found myself turning to her defense as I saw the alienation of those bargain hunters or “Ugly American” posturing that she was possibly perceiving. Like the ridiculous idea of having to pay for public toilet use and then how dare the Italians charge paper!
But after living here in Italy full time for nearly 4 years now, I clearly see why how this posture was created and where it was needed for the sheer survival in this culture.
We did invite ourselves in. We did eat some cookies out of politeness but then the return of value for her was expected. This was her home, her time, she personal showing, her explanation as we did intruded on her. Did this not count for time?
I personally explained how one on my originals (gatto di Buddha)was easily valued for sale for 1500 euros and a sweet local shop assistant said I cannot afford that. I said, I know but neither is it for sale, as numerous others had asked prior to you for this particular work and where willing to pay it. I did mention I had a first reject version of this piece that was still lovely. I had about 65 euros in it for costs and would add another 65 for my pocket for time and labor if she was interested. I had screwed up on the Buddha cat’s eyes and then added Andy Warhol type glasses to rescue him. After the sun glassed Buddha cat was shown, she said no. I want that 1st piece you made and discussion returned that one. Again I said he is not for sale and if he was, there were already a few interested buyers at a price you could not even entertain thinking about.
My sunglasses Buddha got snubbed and snubbed hard. It ended up being a bitter lesson learned. With all the health issues I had been through these past fours and where I had arrived in life living on a disability pension, I did not need to even try making a living from art. So without even my solicitation of her interest, not being offered for sale, I was getting burnt, and dissed from the start. That became my moment where I just out right say, “NO ART IS NOT FOR SALE. PERIOD, IT’S NOT!” As my recollection of this event sat on my soul, I realized I was no longer in interest of haggling with others’ ignorant and insensitive whims.
But here I sat an artist kitchen table’s home studio and I found myself defending her right to a valid price and why art cost so much. But then there was the embarrassment of how ridiculously high her prices where on things that in no way supported her wringing our, 50 euros, 50 euros, 50 euros.”
As a few minutes passed a Baltimore couple was opening their wallet and I was being asked for 5 euros in help to make the 50 bill change. I asked the detail of the price exchange so as to make sure the language barrio was not adding to this awkward turned visit and there I saw a absolutely beautiful palm sized portrait painted on this stone for 25 euros. What? Wait did I miss something…. These stones where truly lovely, each with a different woman of color not hem, but the cartooned magic marked Styrofoam balls were 50 euros. I myself even thought it was extremely reasonable priced and found one I wanted.
It seemed like such a relief for me. Someone stepped up to the plate to rescue what was becoming a ugly American style possible in her eyes to one couple making what we had called a “Bella Figura”. To do something right even though the situation make not have merited it. To rise above the awkwardness of the situation of pricing injustices versus an artist who pours out here life savings to paint without return, I was relieved.
I thanked the couple more than once for doing the right thing and was actually shocked at how lovely the painted stone filling his wife’s hand was. As we walked away I was glad it was over and realized next time, I need to keep m big mouth of it. It would be a discussion I could never when with this artist and my simple intentions to help became extremely awkward.
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