The Arts

This is just so far from what the rest of us know as art–both as creators and as consumers. But what the hell? Who else is going to do it? (the piece is rumored to be entirely self-financed at 28,000,000) Who cares what the piece looks like? It’s worth talking about for the price tag alone.

"Since being unveiled to the public at London’s WHITE CUBE GALLERY as the most expensive piece of modern art ever made with a pricetag of $98,000,000, DAMIEN HIRST’s diamond encrusted skull (titled, “For The Love of God”) has yet to be sold. According to the gallery, three parties have shown some interest, most notably, the pop star George Michael (who probably thinks it would look perfect perched atop John Lennon’s white “Imagine” piano, which he famously acquired several years ago). Whether it can be sold at full price remains to be seen, in what will be a true test of the price bubble that currently surrounds the world’s modern art market."

via Supertouchblog

Just kidding. It’s just that I’d rather see the gallery full of Charlie’s work. Truthfully, I like all of the included artists. But a blatant advertising showcase like this is a little hard to stomach. It’s worse than an art fair in that it is using the long, hard work of these talented artists to get more students to sign-up for indentured servitude. And I’m convinced it does little for each artist’s practice to show them together like this. I would much rather have seen a rotating series of smaller shows that could have given each artist their own space and time.

Nevertheless, be sure to check it out before it closes:

SIX
alumni making fine art

June 3 — August 19, 2007
Opening reception: Saturday, June 2, 7 to 10pm

Opening June 3, "SIX : alumni making fine art," includes work by Sharon Lockhart, Jennifer Steinkamp, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Mark Tansey, Charlie White, and Pae White. The exhibition continues through August 19.

At Art Center, the fine and applied arts are mutually and intensely exposed to each of the others’ vocabularies and processes – what Fine Art Department Chair Laurence Dreiband calls a "perpetual conflict of values" — and the work being accomplished by Art Center graduates finding their expression in the fine art world is making a strong statement about contemporary art practices and culture today.

Williamson Gallery hours are 12 noon to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday (12 noon to 9 pm on Fridays), closed Mondays and holidays. Parking and admission are free. For taped gallery information call (626) 396-2446.

thanks to Sassy Pedro for the tip…

Need a reason to visit Hungary? Check this out:

ESZTERGOM, HUNGARY.- A fresco that is part of a four-piece mural in the ruined castle of Esztergom is now believed to be the work of Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli. Research on the works had already been done, but only recently did the experts recognize the style of Botticelli in the frescoes.

Bela Horvath, director of the Esztergom Castle Museum, said, "It’s not as if we suddenly happened on a Botticelli. Restoration has been going on since 2000 with the most modern methods and the art historian and the head of the restoration have identified, based on the style, that it could be a Botticelli."

The images portray the four medieval virtues and were made after the archbishop of Esztergom, Janos Vitez, asked the school of Filippo Lippi, who had been training Botticelli in Florence, to decorate the chapel.

via Artdaily.org

"Over the last 24 years the festival has become the Northwest’s premiere laboratory for the creation of cutting edge, risk-taking performance. During the course of 2 weekends on 2 stages audiences can experience a spectrum of brand-new performances and works-in-progress by Pacific Northwest-based artists and ensembles. These artists are defining the region’s future in dance, music and theater. Don’t miss your chance to see tomorrow’s innovators today."

The festival lineup was curated by a panel of peer artists and arts administrators from the region.

"It’s the best deal anywhere in Seattle for such exciting work"
-Seattle Post-Intelligencer

via ONTHEBOARDS.ORG

LONDON.-" Photo-London 2007, The International Fair for Contemporary Photography, opens its 4th edition. A departure from previous editions of photo-london, originally founded by Daniel Newburg, the new fair now focuses exclusively on contemporary photography since 1970. As a hotbed of contemporary art Britain has produced some of the world’s leaders in contemporary photography. photo-london aims to show the diversity of subjects, concepts, styles and techniques explored by artists working with photography, from documentary work to conceptual art photography, as well as multi-media incorporating audio, video, and installation. photo-london will provide a unique platform to highlight the latest international trends, placing London firmly back as the leading market-place and centre for contemporary photographic production."

via Artdaily