57 posts categorized "Art"

The poetry of hands, 29

Minerva

Detail from Minerva by Rembrandt (oil on canvas, 1635) at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art / August 2009

Minerva is known as the Roman goddess of wisdom. I wonder has she read everything in that big book where her left hand rests? Or is that the book of wisdom she has written? She is also known as the goddess of the useful and ornamental arts and craft such as spinning, weaving, and needle-work.


Creatively endowed it

Nanxi_inknotink
Fashion City by Nan Xi, 2008, ink on pape / ink not ink exhibit

Nan Xi composes his art using fading ink dots -- similar to a faxed or newspaper photo with many round dots -- and the techniques of broken-ink, accumulate-ink, stained-ink, and washed-ink.

He has "created a metaphor-featured painting mystery close to history and reality. The intention and value of the original images has been doubtlessly disrupted to a large extent and provoked brand-new reflection and questions. Therefore, his recent works always give people various thoughts -- it is certainly not easy to achieve."

"Nan Xi brought us great inspirations. Under the circumstances of digital age, when somebody considers the wash and ink media insignificant and no longer coordinated with the colorful and volatile new life, and have to develop towards abstract ink and wash, he has not only persisted in seeking the new possibilities for this traditional media, but also creatively endowed it with new cultural attributes and mode of expression."

~ Lu Hong writing about the works of Nan Xi


Desire to fly

Pengwei_fly
Ink on hemp paper mache, silk, iron wire; ink not ink exhibit

I'm here and desire to fly
~ by Chinese artist Peng Wei

A release of mood

Wuyi_thenight
Detail from The Night, III, ink on paper, 2008 by Wu Yi; part of the ink not ink exhibit

“I think I draw for a release of mood rather than anything else,” said he, “and I do my works according to intuition and nature only.”
~ Chinese artist Wu Yi

In the realm of ink and wash Chinese painting, Wu Yi advanced the theory that color and ink are of the same origin, thereby bringing change to the traditional school of Chinese painting, which has favored the ink and wash technique. Art critics praised his paintings which combine tradition and originality. In their words, Wu Yi represents a new generation of artists who paint images embodied with meaning.”
~ a description of Wu Yi from the Association of Modern Chinese Art

Art as therapeutic agent

Lijin_eating
Detail from a work by Li Jin; ink on paper

... In the appearance it seems like the promotion of business world in a fine line, but in fact, it is quite a contrary to the capitalist proposition with conspiratorial strategy to push people to consume and enjoy the world so as to destroy the rivals. And actually no one can live a good life in the crazy consuming pushing but intensive competition among people only. Perhaps art enjoyment is the only therapeutic agent for human being in our era.

~ Li Xianting writing about the art of Li Jin; from the ink not ink exhibit

The artist paints the artist paints the artist

Theartists

From the Hot Sauce Fest Art Show: Pappy's sketch and test colors for a portion of his "Summer Day on the Lake" mural / Mountain House / August 2007

"An American, Bernard observed paintings in his travels throughout the states and Europe. He in fact became an ardent collector of hundreds of paintings of famous artists of which many (no, really all) are only photographs of the paintings he admired. Many of these paintings in his collection were the inspiration for this painting."

~ from a Description of the artist; written by the artist, 2003


Empower the doves

Empowerthedoves

Out our seaside window on the Adriatic / Opatija, Croatia / May 2005

“Empower the doves
Declaw the hawks”

~ A Suggestion Box suggestion

Hey, would you like to make a suggestion? With that simple question and an enormous white Suggestion Box, Illegal Art canvassed the five boroughs of New York City, collecting suggestions from passersby. Suggestion Box is a project of the New York City based public art group, Illegal Art (a collaboration of artists whose goal is to create interactive public art that inspires self-reflection, thought and human connection).