Art News

Lucian Freud, Figurative Painter Who Redefined Portraiture, Is Dead at 88

The New York Times reported recently that Lucian Freud, whose stark and revealing paintings of friends and intimates, splayed nude in his studio, recast the art of portraiture and offered a new approach to figurative art, died on Wednesday night at his home in London. He was 88.

Mr. Freud, a grandson of Sigmund Freud and a brother of the British television personality Clement Freud, was already an important figure in the small London art world when, in the immediate postwar years, he embarked on a series of portraits that established him as a potent new voice in figurative art.

Mr. Freud was a bohemian of the old school. He set up his studios in squalid neighborhoods, developed a Byronic reputation as a rake and gambled recklessly (“Debt stimulates me,” he once said). In 1948, he married Kitty Garman, the daughter of the sculptor Jacob Epstein, whom he depicted in several portraits, notably “Girl With Roses,” “Girl With a Kitten” (1947) and “Girl With a White Dog” (1950-51). That marriage ended in divorce, as did his second marriage, to Lady Caroline Blackwood. He is survived by many children from his first marriage and from a series of romantic relationships.

Naked!

“He’s buck-naked — Lord have mercy!” a woman said, stopping to gawk at, loudly judge and then photograph a sudden expanse of flesh.

Seconds after 7 a.m. on Monday, trousers were dropping and skirts were lifting all along Wall Street. The mass dishabille was part of a site-specific work of performance art, “Ocularpation: Wall Street,” by an artist, Zefrey Throwell. It was intended as a commentary on work and the economy, Mr. Throwell said, though that seemed to be lost on the police stationed near the New York Stock Exchange.
There, three people — two men and a woman dressed (briefly) as a stock trader, a janitor and a dog-walker — were arrested and taken to a nearby precinct, where they were given summons for disorderly conduct and later released. By 7:05 a.m., the remaining 46 men and women who were part of the project had simply put their clothes back on and gone about their day.

(Stories from: New York Times online) Drawing by Charlotte Rossmann

Art News

Clemente Exhibit        in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, MO.- The Saint Louis Art Museum presents: Francesco Clemente's High Fever, which brings together a series of nine dark and mysterious woodcuts that explore the beauty, pleasure and pain of love by contemporary Italian artist Francesco Clemente. Influenced by the mysticism of India, Clemente conveys both the sensual and spiritual aspects of love, including childbirth and motherhood. Clemente exploits the natural grain of his woodblocks to dramatic effect, allowing it to become part of the repertoire of expressive marks found in each of the compositions. The grain and the dark tones of the ink reference the Northern European history of the woodcut. Born in Naples in 1952, Clemente taught himself to paint after finishing high school.  The exhibit will be on view July 15 through October 9, 2011.


Chinese art in Denver
 DENVER, CO.- This fall, visitors to the Denver Art Museum (DAM) will get a rare look inside China’s artistic history through two special exhibitions. Xu Beihong: Pioneer of Modern Chinese Painting and Threads of Heaven: Silken Legacy of China’s Last Dynasty explore this mysterious and ceremonial country during two time periods—the latter years of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), and the subsequent formation of the Republic of China during the early to middle 20th century. Xu Beihong offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the full spectrum of work by the 20th century Chinese artist who is widely recognized as the father of modern Chinese painting. One of the first Chinese artists to study in Europe, Xu revolutionized painting in China by drawing influence from both the East and West.
 
Soulful Stitching in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Stunning, colorful, patchwork quilts known as kawandi and made only by craftswomen living in the little known Siddi communities of Africans in India are on display at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) as part of its exploration of how traditional practices are adapted over decades throughout the African Diaspora. The exhibition presents over 30 quilts of a variety of styles and techniques and also the compelling story of the Siddis, descendants of East African slaves, sailors and merchants who currently live in the highlands of the KarantakaSiddis) in India” opened at the Museum of African Diaspora Friday, July 15, 2011. The traveling exhibition consisting of 32 quilts will be on view until September 18, 2011.

Drawing by Charlotte Rossmann

Frank Lloyd Wright

For Sale: A masterpiece you can live in!
Unbelievably several of Frank Lloyd Wright's beautiful houses are currently for sale.  These are magnificent homes and many are in the multi-million dollar price range but still, it is shocking that they haven't been snatched up.  There are currently at least 17 Wright properties on the market now and the number may be as high as 27. The vast majority of the houses are upper-bracket, priced from $800,000 to $7.5 million.

Interestingly enough, Wright also did a lower end type of house later in his career and these are very affordable.  This house is near McGregor, Iowa and is the lowest priced Wright house on the market at $129,000.  It has three bedrooms and 2 baths.  In addition there are the quality features of a Wright built house such as maple floors, original fireplace and leaded windows.

The beautiful house above is  is priced at $2,590,000.  To find out more you can google Frank Lloyd Wright.

Two New Abstract Landscapes

Two oil on canvas paintings.  The inspiration is color and pattern. 



R.B. Kitaj

Kitaj was born in 1934 and died in 2007.  He was a well known artist who was born in America but spent most of his life in England.  He studied with the artist David Hockney and in fact, they became life long friends.
Kitaj's work relied on strong areas of color and overlapping planes that resembled painted collages.  The work was heavy with symbolism, historical, political and literature references.  Kitaj was known as a being an excellent draftsman.  His work showed the economy of a brilliant line, the mark of one gifted with the drawing tool. 
He called his style 'agitational usage'.  His large, complex compositions are a montage of distorted landscapes, constructions and exaggerated human forms. 
Yet, much of his work is very realistic as Kitaj moved between some fairly abstracted images to highly realistic figurative work.  A talented and skilled painter, his work emotionally expressive and powerful.    
After his wife died in 1997 Kitaj moved to Los Angeles.  He was one of the artists to to make a post-it drawing in 2000 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of 3M.  His post-it was sold on the internet for $925 making it the most expensive post-it note ever sold.
Kitaj took his own life 8 days before his 75th birthday.

Keith Haring Graffiti Art

Keith Haring (1958-1990)

Graffiti art is vandalism. It is unwanted and can be obscene and destructive. However, Keith Haring became well-known and famous by doing graffiti art. He was born in 1958 and died in 1990 of AIDS. After Keith moved to NYC where he studied art, he became involved in the thriving art community that was developing outside of the gallery and museum system. Soon, Haring joined artists like Basquiat and Scharf in creating immediate and accessible artwork, graffiti in the New York subways. Haring's dynamic images rely on patterns, strong design, vivid colors and expressive lines to show movement and passion concerning his interests and social issues. His work might be drawn from aboriginal art since it displays the simplicity and force of gutsy, primitive style artwork. He was an idealistic and compassionate person, donating his time to create murals that benefited children after he became well-known.


Haring's influence is strong in current design. His work has had an impact on our culture with his vital and bold images.
http://www.haring.com/

New Book by Patti Smith

Patti's new book, "Just Kids" is an amazing story of two poor artists, lovers living in NYC during the 1960's and 70's.  It won the National Book Award for non-fiction. Prior to reading this book, I didn't know anything about the life of Patti Smith. I certainly didn't know the story of her close and intensely personal relationship with the controversial photographer, Robert Mapplethorp. The two met in NYC when they were just 19 and starving newcomers to the city. They quickly developed a love relationship and a shared personal and artistic support system that lasted the rest of his life.

In 1989 I saw photographs by Mapplethorp and I was shocked by some of the images but I didn't know the story behind them. Mapplethorp died in about 1988 of AIDS. The gripping story of Patti and Robert's early years as struggling artists sheds light on their eventual divergent creative directions. She doesn't sugar coat how difficult life was for them. Living in New York and working to achieve artistic success was more challenging than I would have imagined. They lived on the edge of starvation for years. Not many people would have stuck it out but they did. Eventually, it paid off but not really in the way they had suspected.

Patti was a hard working woman and supported herself and Mapplethorp minimally for years by working in a bookstore. She also bought and sold used books with her developed knowledge of valuable collector's items. However, that wasn't always enough. When life became particularly difficult Robert started hustling in the streets at night. Both women and men were attracted to him.  He was beautiful. His raw and shocking images followed years of internal searching brought on by feelings that developed during this seedy period of selling himself to the highest bidder. Patti doesn't dwell on this other than to report her despair during this time. One can only imagine the desperation of such a life.

Even as they found other lovers, Patti and Robert continued to support each other as artists and friends. It's a tragic love story with an artistic twist.

Patti Smith

Violence

Line drawing by Charlotte Rossmann

Violence to self can happen.
Violence to others can happen.
But it's never, ever right.
It can be a habit to be broken, just like junk, just like smack.
It is seductive and seemingly beneficial to the ego to stroke with hatred.  Get over it!
It's violence and it's never, ever right. 
You wicked, wicked soul to think bad things of yourself.
Get over it!
It's never, ever right.

More on David Hockney

Above: David Hockney's Digital iPad creations that I snagged off the internet.

Anything new is instaneous.  I just googled David Hockney's iPad images and there is a ton of info on it. 

Please scroll down for more on Hockney and iPad art.

David Hockney and the iPad

David Hockney who is the current rock star of the art world has a new line of work.  It's totally digital, done on his iPad.  He sends his new creations to 30 or 40 of his relatives and friends. (David, my email address is: charrossmann@hotmail.com)

Back in 2008 Hockney started experimenting with his iPhone and using only his right thumb began this new series of images.  He started early in the morning while still in bed capturing dawn as it broke over the horizon.  Throughout the day he continued to practice and a favorite was fresh flowers, imaginary or real.  Anything enhanced by light was most effective because light is the media of digital transmissions. 

In 2010 Hockney moved on to the iPad.  He found this a little more challenging because it's larger and mistakes are visible.  Now, he has quite a collection of these images.  He estimates there are more than 1,000 to date. 
"He is thrilled that the art establishment-a confederation he sometimes calls the I.C.S. (International Crooks and Swindlers)-will have a hard time figuring out how to convert this oeuvre into cash." *

This year the Yves Saint Laurent Foundation, in Paris will be showing these works in an exhibit on iPhone and iPad screens.  New images will be constantly streamed by by Hockney on a regular basis.  He calls this exhibit "Fleurs Fraiches" (Fresh Flowers). "the art is subversive", says Berge, but "creation is subersive-always!"*

I have not had experience with either the iPhone or iPad since I'm at the level of food and shelter, not expensive digital media.  However, my daughter sent me a beautiful line drawing that she created on her iPhone (below).

*Vanity Fair Magazine, page184, Nov. 2010

Red Grooms

I remember seeing an exhibit by the artist Red Grooms at the Denver Art Museum many years ago.  It was a fun art show.  I suspect excitement is a quality quite common to the exhibits of this artist.  Red Grooms provides a complete experience in his exhibitions.  I felt like I was involved in the process of creating the art as I toured the exhibit.  His work reminds me of the immediacy of a funky, alternative exhibit except the quality of work is more professional and cohesive.
Grooms is a pop artist and he studied under the artist, Hans Hoffman.  He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Red_Grooms_NYC_Taxi_on_the_Street

This is one of Red Grooms' sculptures.  This artist creates powerfully dynamic and original artwork.