All Things Art & Photography
Many people have worked in this vein of collaging pictures through the history of art. See David Hockey’s wonderful collages… While the technique is not new these images by Sohei Nishino are particularly ambitious.
Diorama Map /Rio de Janeiro via the artist web site
The Venice Biennale or La Biennale as it is better known in Italy opens today June 1, 2013.
55th International Art Exhibition: The Encyclopedic Palace
1st June > 24th November 2013
The title chosen by curator Massimiliano Gioni for the 55th International Art Exhibition is Il Palazzo Enciclopedico / The Encyclopedic Palace. Massimiliano Gioni introduced the choice of theme evoking the Italo-American self-taught artist Marino Auriti who “on November 16, 1955 filed a design with the US Patent office depicting his Palazzo Enciclopedico (The Encyclopedic Palace), an imaginary museum that was meant to house all worldly knowledge, bringing together the greatest discoveries of the human race, from the wheel to the satellite. Auriti’s plan was never carried out, of course, but the dream of universal, all-embracing knowledge crops up throughout history, as one that eccentrics like Auriti share with many other artists, writers, scientists, and prophets who have tried – often in vain – to fashion an image of the world that will capture its infinite variety and richness.”
via the Venice Biennale web site
The Folk Artist Marino Auriti and his creation.
There are just not enough photo surrealist’s in the world for my liking and the young and untrained Toshiko Okanoue is one of the best. In 6 years she knocked out over 100 works and had a couple of shows in Tokyo in the 1950’s. She then stopped making art abruptly after marrying (the not so remarkable) painter Kazutomo Fujino.
Her photo-collages as she says,
“…fit my dreams. Those scraps of my fantasies turned into strangely interesting things, – things I would not have thought of. Emboldened and delighted by the results, I made one collage after another.”
Her work was forgotten for 40 years but now she is getting the attention she deserves via two books from the great Nazraeli Press which got her into a show at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.
via nice article in Foam Magazine
The Collages of Toshiko Okanoue
I love Alec Soth’s work but this hand-ringing is complete and utter nonsense. It’s not about the camera(s) it’s about the vision. Photography is having its “Is Painting Dead” moment and painting is doing just fine thank you very much. There is this big universal photographer worry out there and I can’t wait until its over and we can move on. Yes you can network 50 miniature cameras and record an event from every angle but it will not be interesting. Give me a great lens and I can change the way you see something forever. Great Photographers will always be able to do that. That is why we should not worry about this and just go forth and make a great image dammit!
Maybe Photography Isn’t An Art Any More, Maybe It Never Was
Alec Soth: A few years ago Robert Frank said, “There are too many images, too many cameras now. We’re all being watched. It gets sillier and sillier. As if all action is meaningful. Nothing is really all that special. It’s just life. If all moments are recorded, then nothing is beautiful and maybe photography isn’t an art any more. Maybe it never was.” What do you think about this?
William Eggleston: I don’t disagree with any part of that statement.
via LBM Tumblr.
via Maybe Photography Isn’t An Art Any More, Maybe It Never Was.
Art Basel is the king of all art fairs and big art follows Big Money. Because of the recession Europe is running out of Big Money so Art Basel is now expanding to Hong Kong so for the fist time one can check out lots of Asian galleries at this colossal fair.
If you can’t jump in your private jet to whisk over to Asia the folks at artsy.net are happy to give you a preview. Or jump over to the Art Basel web site for an online catalog. The fair is divided into 4 Sectors: Galleries, Insights, Discoveries & Encounters.
Art Basel Hong Kong: May 23–26, 2013
Welcome to the newest Art Basel show. With half of the participating galleries coming from Asia and Asia-Pacific, Art Basel in Hong Kong assumes a significant role in the international artworld, providing a portal to the region’s artists. The new show gives galleries from around the world a platform in Asia to demonstrate the way they work with artists, and bring their highest quality work to Hong Kong.
Yes you will see “art” that will most likely just make you laugh (and not pull out your wallet)
Installation Log Lady & Dirty Bunny by Marnie Weber
But as in all art fairs you have to look for the jewels. Great art takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary; like Ichwan Noor’s Beetle Sphere.
Ichwan Noor, Beetle Sphere, 2013, aluminium, polyester, real parts from vw beetle’53,paint, 180x180x180 cm