"The Actor", art blunders, art restoring, Curious art articles, Pablo Picasso, Rose Red Period, Stephen Wynn
In Uncategorized on February 5, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Picasso’s Rose Period painting “The Actor” has hung in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for over half a century. However, after a woman taking an adult education class at the Met accidentally fell into the painting, causing a six-inch tear, experts are trying to determine how to go about fixing the delicate 105-year old painting. Luckily, the vertical tear runs along the lower-right hand corner of the painting and does not disrupt the picture’s main focal points. Thus, according to a recently released statement, the repair will be “unobtrusive.”
In 2006, billionaire casino owner Stephen A. Wynn elbowed “Le Rêve“ (“The Dream”), a 1932 Picasso painting depicting a mistress of the painter (see image, below). While Wynn’s blunder produced a sizable hole, the fissure was masterfully repaired, leaving no visible signs of damage.
Apparently, though, repairing a 1904-created Picasso (such as “The Actor”) presents more problems than that of a torn 1932 Picasso because earlier canvases are more delicate, and the oil paint that Picasso used was thinner than the enamel-based kind he later used.
Painted when the artist was just 23-years old, “The Actor” is the largest piece created early in his career, and dealers estimate it is worth over $100 million. Accordingly, experienced art restorers have important decisions to make – as there are many options and a range of materials and instruments that could be used to repair the valuable painting.
Click here to read more about this story (including details about the painting, how restorers sometimes use acupuncture needs to fix damaged paintings, and about further issues plaguing the painting’s restoration).
Conceptual art, Curious art articles, Lawrence Weiner, Museum collections, the Irish museum of Modern Art
In Uncategorized on January 25, 2010 at 11:26 pm
Tomorrow the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMAA) will début “What Happens Next is a Secret,” an exhibition that seeks to answer and deal with questions and issues about what happens when pieces of art become part of a museum’s collection (and are later shown in various contexts).
The displayed works will change throughout the captivating exhibition’s reign (through April 18, 2010), with artwork removals generating empty spaces that will call to mind gaps in memory and point to the partially hidden nature of museum collections. Additionally, films from the museum’s collection will be shown in a dedication screening room and strategies (like repositioning works within the gallery) will be used to alter the pace and motion of the exhibition.
A majority of the works in “What Happens Next is a Secret” are from the museum’s collection, while a small number of displayed artwork has been borrowed directly from artists and other collections (including famed conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner’s Statement 021, on load from the collection of Seth Sieglaub).
The IMMA will not release a list of included works ahead of time, adding to the mystery (and allowing the exhibition to live up to its name of “What Happens Next is a Secret”).
Click here to read more about the exhibition and how artists involved in IMMA’s Artists’ Residency Program will be participating and engaging with the innovative presentation.
Bartoux Galleries, Courchevel, Curious art articles, Open Air Museum, Salvador Dali, the Dali Universe, the French Alps, The Stratton Foundation
In Uncategorized on December 22, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Courchevel, a French Alps haven for skiers, isn’t typically associated with the contemporary art world. However, the ski area has recently captivated the art scene and made international headlines. On December 5th, Courchevel took an innovative approach in exhibiting 14 sculptures by Spanish artist Salvador Dalí.
Utilizing its reputation as one of the world’s most prestigious winter-resort destinations, Courchevel displayed an open air museum. The Stratton Foundation, the Dali Universe and Bartoux Galleries presented the exhibition which included seven monumental sculptures placed in the heart of Courchevel, and two of the artist’s masterpieces that can admired from the ski run (one of which is positioned at the top of Vizelle, 2,659 meters (8,723.8 feet) above sea-level).
Click here to read more about the exhibition (including the location of all of the exhibit’s sculptures) and the entire article associated with this post.
Click here to check out exhibitions around the world currently displaying the work of Salvador Dalí.
Click here to see what’s going on in France’s contemporary art scene.
