A Branch of the Louvre Museum to be Built in Abu Dhabi

Plans for the building of a branch of the Louvre Museum are being carried out in Abu Dhabi. The Louvre branch will reportedly begin being built early in 2013. The “emirates tourism arm” is responsible for this project.

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The Louvre project will do much to add to the rich culture of Abu Dhabi. The museum will be built beside prestigious housing developments and a golf course and will cost an estimated $27 billion to complete. Saadiyat Island will be home to the new branch of the Louvre.

A branch of New York’s Guggenheim museum as well as New York University will also be built on Saadiyat Island. This development of the island is being called “one of the largest cultural projects in the Middle East.” However, due to a reported exploitation of foreign workers, over a hundred artists have threatened to boycott the Guggenheim museum.

Sources:
Abu Dhabi to begin building Louvre early next year

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Museum Curator Elevates Prestige of Paint by Number Art

The argument about what does and does not qualify as art has created tension in the art world for centuries. Some people think only fine art should be considered “real” art. Others believe that primitive, rustic, rugged pieces crafted by the unschooled are indeed genuine works of art. This is just the type of debate that has surrounded paint by number paintings, which were created from mass-produced paint by number kits, for the past several decades.

While many art elitists do not believe paint by number paintings are true works of art, William L. Bird, Jr., believes they are. Bird should know – he is not only the curator at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, he is also highly educated on the subject of paint by number.

Bird raised the prestige of paint by number art in his book, Paint by Number: The How-To Craze that Swept the Nation. In his book, Bird gives an explanation of how paint by number was born, who marketed it, and why it was such a success. Also, the author explains the level of artistic skill it took to create paint by number kits. Understanding these facets of this technique and brand is helping the public see paint by number paintings for what they truly are – a form of art.

William L. Bird, Jr., further championed paint by number paintings when he displayed them in an art exhibition in 2001 at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

An individual who visited Bird’s exhibition commented to Bird that several paint by number paintings from “identical kits” had variations painted in them. (These were variations that the artists themselves had “painted outside the lines” to add.) This individual wondered if such artistic inconsistencies helped these particular paintings qualify as art. Bird affirmed, “By expressing preferences and making choices, these painters are taking the first steps toward art. I think you can charitably argue that in these cases it was art.”

Do you love paint by number and Segmation? Whether you like being a perfect painter or great digital artist, or simply have fond childhood memories of coloring inside the lines, your experience is valuable. We want to hear your story in the comment section below. What does paint by number mean to you?

Sources:

http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/15/paintbynumbers.php

http://www.amazon.com/Paint-Number-How-To-Craze-Nation/dp/1568982828

Note: The top photo used in this post does not belong to Segmation; it was found at http://mocoloco.com/art/archives/020982.php.

Coming soon: Read Segmation’s heartwarming article about various individuals’ much-loved childhood memories of paint by number.

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Picasso’s Art Is Recovered After Half a Century of Being Hidden

Pablo Picasso is certainly one of the most famous artists who ever lived. His name is one that is recognizable by laypeople as well as art enthusiasts, and his pieces of artwork sell for millions upon millions of dollars. Indeed, Picasso is a household name that can be found in any art history textbook. All these reasons make the recent finding of one of Pablo’s works something to celebrate.

“Seated Woman with Red Hat,” a painting created by Picasso himself, was found in the attic of the Evansville Museum in Indiana. Given to the museum in 1963, the piece was stored in the attic after being wrongly catalogued. For about 50 years, the painting was thought to have been created by an artist named Gemmaux, thus was the piece kept in an obscure place. The significant point is Picasso’s name is reportedly quite evidently signed in the top right corner of the piece. Why is it, then, that the painting was claimed to have been created by Gemmaux and not Picasso?

Art historians attributed the painting to Gemmaux because the piece was “described in documents as a ‘Gemmaux.’” But the truth is Gemmaux is not a person; it is an art medium. Now believed to be a plural form of the word “gemmail,” gemmaux actually means the assemblage of glass pieces. (It is thought that Jean Cocteau taught this medium to Picasso sometime during the 1950s.) Since museum workers were not aware of the name in the upper right corner of the painting, they assumed it was crafted by “Gemmaux,” the artist we now know does not exist.

The Evansville Museum staff discovered the true painter of Pablo Picasso’s “Seated Woman with Red Hat” after Guernsey’s informed them of a research project it was initiating. Guernsey’s was researching Picasso’s “gemmaux works.” It was at this time that “Woman Seated with Red Hat” was reevaluated and pronounced a true Picasso piece.

As one might imagine, “Woman Seated with Red Hat” quickly went from being worth no considerable amount of money to having an unbelievably high value. Housing a painting of such value would undoubtedly cost the Evansville Museum. It is for this reason the museum has chosen to pass the painting on Guernsey’s.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/aug/16/pablo-work-rediscovered-indiana-museum

http://ht.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big/topvideos/2012/08/17/pkg-picasso-piece-discovered.wfie.ipad.qtref.mov

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How the Father of Abstract Expressionism Forsook Fame to Pursue Art

Have you ever heard of Clyfford Still? Many modern-day art lovers have not. The irony in this is that Clyfford Still was and is incredibly influential to the art world. In fact, Still, who was born in 1904 and died in 1980, was one of the pioneers of abstract expressionism.

Still’s early pieces (from the 1930’s), which depicted farmhands during the Great Depression, give a nod to Alberta, Canada and Washington State, the locations he was raised in. In the following decade or so, Still’s work began to take on a more abstract shape. It would be later in his career that Clyfford Still would help father the movement of abstract expressionism.

The young artist spent some time in California, then moved to New York City, a place where other would-be abstract artists, such as Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning, lived. While Still shared some commonalities with these artists, his artwork was decidedly unique and strayed from geometric shapes.

People had begun to take notice of Still around 1951, but by then he had chosen to separate himself from the commercial art world. Still was certainly not forsaking his art by doing this, but rather devoting himself wholly to it by distancing himself from distractions. This noble decision was probably one that prevented Clyfford Still from becoming widely well known.

After relocating to Maryland in 1961, Still consistently produced painted artwork on canvases and pastel drawings. He did all of this independently of the commercial sector of the world of art.

While in the past Still has been somewhat obscure, the opening of The Clyfford Still museum in Denver, CO, might change all of that. The museum shows only a portion of Still’s pieces of art, which are “considered the most intact body of work of any major artist.” Even more of Still’s works are being uncovered as curators discover pieces from his farmhouse. As this man’s collections are viewed by more and more people, it is likely that recognition of him and his contributions to art will increase.

Is fame necessary to validate an artist’s brilliance? Clyfford Still’s life proved that the answer to this question is no. Still was truly devoted to art and obviously cared little for the accolades of man. But while Clyfford Still didn’t receive all the praise he deserved on this earth, his life is beginning to speak in increasing volumes to a new generation of artists.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/09/living/artist-clyfford-still-profile/index.html?iphoneemail

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Smithsonian Declares Video Games Works of Art

When you think of the word “art”, what comes to your mind? Picassso, painting, drawing, Michelangelo, photography, and….video games? Most people would probably not associate that last term with art. But the truth is, video games are being acknowledged as an art form. In fact, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is so convinced of this that it is currently hosting an exhibit called “The Art of Video Games”.

The Smithsonian’s increasingly popular exhibit features about four decades worth of video games. It displays games created in the 1970’s and 1980’s, such as Space Invaders, Pac Man, Combat, Super Mario, and Pitfall, and later games such as Heavy Rain. The exhibit is interactive, and most people come not to observe, but to play. “The Art of Video Games” has been such a smash success that there are plans for it to move to 10 other cities.

One of the reasons the Smithsonian decided to acknowledge video games as works of art is the sheer prevalence of them in the modern world. Betsy Broun, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, pointed out that up to 6 million copies of a single video game have sold in just one day. Obviously, there is something unique about video games that captures people, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum wanted to find out what that was and expose it.

But what is it about video games that is so artistic? To find the answer to this question, begin by considering the games’ images. “Indeed, when you look at some of the images from games, they can resemble moving paintings, from abstract to figurative to landscapes.” There are probably dozens of artistic features in your favorite video games; it is just a matter of recognizing them.

The intense creative process that must take place for a video game to be born is another validation of a game’s artistic nature. After all, art is always the product of some type of creative work, no matter how simple or intricate. In the case of video games, the process of creation tends to be quite complex.

By creating “The Art of Video Games” exhibit, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is challenging people everywhere to open their minds and hearts to the possibility of new art forms. The droves of people that are visiting the exhibit are proving that they believe video games are works of art — do you?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57399522/the-art-of-video-games/

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Art Alive

If you’ve never been to the San Diego Museum of Art for their yearly event, Art Alive, this is the year you should participate. The San Diego Museum of Art challenges floral designers to make the artistic masterpieces housed in their museum come alive through their floral interpretations. This four day event, beginning April 12 and ending on April 15, will fill the museum with thousands of flowers and, hopefully, thousands of visitors. The pictures in this blog post are examples of what you can expect to see at Art Alive.

Floral designers of all levels, from amateur to professional, gather at the museum to create floral sculptures that mimic famous pieces of art. The sculptures of flower arrangements depict images painted on canvas, from portraits to landscapes. Throughout the four day-long festivities, these living floral arrangements will be placed beside the famous pieces of art they are interpreting.

The museum’s masterpieces truly come alive as they are interpreted by these creative floral designers. You will be surprised and delighted to see how imagination comes alive when flowers meet with paint. The floral designers make use of light, color, and structural ingenuity to make these canvas paintings take on a new dimension. Art Alive celebrates artistic masterpieces of all types.

The four day-long event will be packed with activities. The event begins with an opening celebration on April 12 and includes a dinner for guests and a sneak peek at the Art Alive floral designs with their painted counterparts. The exhibition is open to the public beginning April 13. The Art Alive exhibition will also included fun events for children and families. These events will be geared towards the idea that art is alive.

Flowers After Hours is another nighttime event in which guests can peruse the floral art exhibit while sampling tasty hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Behind the scenes, these floral designers are competing hard to create their own artistic masterpieces inspired by the famous works located at the San Diego Museum of Art.

If you plan on visiting the Art Alive exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art, be prepared to pay an entry fee. Rest assured that this fee is going to a good cause–Art Alive is one of the museum’s greatest fundraising events. The proceeds will go towards special exhibitions, educational outreach programs, and art conservation projects.

Can you imagine a more perfect way to usher in Spring?

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