Wall Spin, The Zatista Blog » Nancy

Artists In Film

Nancy — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:10 +0000

If there’s a topic you can count on to get a group of people talking around a dinner table, it’s the age old favorite, “What good movies have you seen?” Since we’re not spending a leisurely evening dining together, but rather grabbing a few minutes on the Internet here and there , I thought I’d narrow the field and ask, “What good films about artists have you seen?” Indeed, there are a lot of them out there but I’d love to hear what you’ve enjoyed watching. Feel free to add your favorites in the comments section below. If you’re like me and are trying come up with new ways to dodge the spring rain and thunder storms, here are a few favorites I’d offer up for discussion if we were sitting around a table together:

Still from the movie Wasteland

Wasteland: A 2011 documentary about Brazilian contemporary artist Vik Muniz who collaborates with the ‘pickers’ of recyclable materials who live and work in the garbage from Jardim Gramacho, the world’s largest landfill on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.

Still from the movie Pollock

Pollock: A 2000 biographical which tells the life story of influential American abstract painter Jackson Pollock. Ed Harris is Pollock and Jennifer Connelly as his artist wife, Lee Krasner.

Work by Andy Goldsworthy

Rivers & Tides: A 2001 documentary about the British artist Andy Goldsworthy who creates intricate and ephemeral sculptures from natural materials such as rocks, leaves, flowers, and icicles.

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Basquiat: a 1996 biopic/drama film directed by fellow painter Julian Schnabel which is based on the life of American postmodernist/neo expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat who used his graffiti roots as a foundation to create collage-style paintings on canvas.

Sagrada Familia by Antonio Gaudi

Antonio Gaudi: A 1984 Japanese and Spanish documentary film by Hiroshi Teshigahara about the works of Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi. In this film with minimal narration, the director visits buildings and houses in Barcelona, and the Sagrada Família.

Eames: The Architect and The Painter

Eames: The Architect and The Painter: A 2011 documentary telling the story of the American husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames, widely considered America’s most important designers. Their creations include furniture, photography, interiors, and much more.

What films about artists do you recommend?

Jackson Pollock: Unpublished Photos(life.time.com)
A week in Barcelona, part 2 (La Sagrada Familia)(pursesandpugs.wordpress.com)
Andy Goldsworthy(takeadragortwo.com)

Guest Curator Interview with Maria Gabriela Brito

Nancy — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:10:04 +0000

Maria Gabriela Brito is an interior designer and authority on why, where, and how to display contemporary art in any environment. Frequent contributer to Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP lifestyle newsletter, Maria knows the art world inside and out and is able to create the perfect environment to showcase a well curated art collection. An art collector herself, Maria’s mission is to help her clients live beautifully and get dialed in to the art scene worldwide. She is also an avid believer in encouraging kids to grow up around great works of art. Contributing writer Nancy Cost interviews this month’s Guest Curator, Maria Gabriela Brito.

When did you become familiar with the world of fine art?
Since I had memories! My parents were art collectors and my grandfather was an M.D. who, in his spare time, painted gorgeous oil-on-canvas landscapes.

Do you see any differences between the way Americans and South Americans incorporate art into their lives or interiors?
Not really. Perhaps some Americans are more exposed and can push the envelope a bit more.

What is your advice on how to start an art collection?
Do preliminary research and buy the absolute best that you can within your price range. Go to art fairs and galleries and buy what you love, BUT, always do preliminary research about the artist.

Lifestyling by Maria Gabriela Brito

Does good art have to cost lots and lots of money?
Not really. I’m always after the thrill of discovering emerging artists whose pieces are way more affordable than mid-career or established artists.

What was your most recent art purchase?
An Assume Vivid Astro Focus Print and a Sculpture that they made out of one of the original Dade County voting booths from the debacle of the 2000 Presidential elections.

What is the biggest misconception you find people making regarding art in their homes?
That they can’t have contemporary art because it’s either too edgy, too expensive, or too hard to understand.

Where are your favorite places to go get inspired by art?
Anywhere! From chic hotels to galleries to collectors’ homes.

What’s your number one tip for making an interior sizzle?
COLOR!

What was the first piece of art you bought?
A Rothko print at The MoMA 13 years ago.

Lifestyling by Maria Gabriela Brito

Have you ever purchased artwork on line?
Yes, from different sites around the world.

What’s hanging on your walls at home?
Vik Muniz, Mickalene Thomas, Assume Vivid Astro Focus, Flavia Da Rin, Faile, Mark Bradford.

What would our readers be surprised to know about you?
I love pop music from the 80s!

The Art of Gerhard Richter

Nancy — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Famous German abstract painter and one of the leading figures of the art world, Gerhard Richter, turned 80 years old earlier this year. If you’ve been to a museum lately, you’ve probably seen one of his signature colorful smeared canvases as many museums seem to have a Richter on display. If he’s not yet a common name in your household, now’s the time to get to know Gerhard Richter. Even an armchair viewing of his current solo exhibition via the Internet will help you do just that.

Elizabeth I, 1966 by Gerhard Richter image: Tate.org

Organized by the Tate Modern in London, the exhibition (next on display in Paris this summer) spans almost five decades and is a major retrospective that groups together significant points in the timeline of his impressive career.

Abstract Painting, 1990 by Gerhard Richter image: Tate.org

The Tate describes Richter as, “…known for the diversity of his approaches to painting. His practice can seem to be structured by various oppositions, with paintings after photographs countering abstract pictures; traditional still-lifes alongside highly charged subjects; monochrome grey works and multicoloured grids. Some paintings are planned out and ordered; others are the result of unpredictable accumulations of marks and erasures. Even a single painting can seem contradictory, with some areas seeming gestural, and other parts almost mechanic.”

Abstract Painting (726) , 1990 by Gerhard Richter image: Tate.org

“The title of this exhibition, Gerhard Richter: Panorama, evokes the intention to look around at the range of Richter’s practice, discovering contradictions and connections, continuities and breaks. Each room is devoted to a particular moment of his career. While the focus is on painting, the exhibition also features glass constructions, mirrors, drawings and photographs.”

11 Panes, 2004 by Gerhard Richter

“Lovers of the epic beauty of Rothko, Twombly and Hodgkin will have much to enjoy, as will those who appreciate striking portraiture or the crystal-clear precision of photorealism.”

Abstract Painting (Skin) (887-3), 2004 by Gerhard Richter

In addition to solo exhibitions in Paris, Beirut, Ecuador and Berlin this year, Richter ‘s work will be featured in group exhibitions in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, the UK, Hong Kong, New Orleans, Minneapolis, New York, Chicago, and Maine.

Curtain, 2012 by Gerhard Richter Image: Gerhard-Richter.com

Get out there and get to know a living legend of the fine art world, Gerhard Richter!

Is it worth all the hype? – Gerhard Richter’s Panorama (myartexperience.wordpress.com)
Gerhard Richter Mobbed by Paparazzi as Retrospective Opens in Berlin (artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com)
New Gerhard Richter Documentary Shows Abstract Art in Action (wired.com)

480 Hours Until Spring

Nancy — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:00:04 +0000

Spring Mirrored by Shawn Nelson Dahlstrom on Zatista

Hang in there. Just twenty more days until the vernal equinox. If you’ve forgotten what spring is like, let us remind you:

Spring Thaw by Nina Fuller on Zatista

It’s green, it’s dewey,

Thoughts of a Spring Pond by Jacquie Gouveia on Zatista

it’s light, bright, and sunny.

I Like Birds by Prints by Peskimo on Zatista

Birds are chirping and people are smiling – some may even be skipping or laughing.

Exploding Heads by Azur Mele on Zatista

If you live in California or Hawaii you’re probably wondering what all the fuss is about, since it may not be dreary where you are.

Matador Beach, Malibu California by John Kilduff on Zatista

Even though this winter hasn’t been harsh or dramatic for the rest of us, I think we’re still looking forward to spring. Its freshness and promise are irresistible.

Spring Rain by Susan Ulrich on Zatista

If you find yourself dreaming of spring year-round, consider bringing a bit of the season home with you. Zatista’s invigorating selection of original works is like a breath of fresh air!

Oil vs. Acrylic (zatista.com)
Artist Glimpse – Doug Hockman (zatista.com)
It’s Unthinkable (zatista.com)
Let The Good Times Roll (zatista.com)

Scream For Sale

Nancy — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:00:44 +0000

2012 The Munch Museum/The Munch-Ellingsen Group/Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

Get your bidder numbers and paddles ready because it’s happening again – an extremely popular original work of art will be up for sale at Sotheby’s in New York on May 2nd. Apparently, this 1895 version of Edvard Munch’s celebrated painting “The Scream”, which has been merchandised up the wazoo on mouse pads, hats, t-shirts, tote bags, inflatable dolls, and plush toys, is expected to sell for more than $80 million.

Scream Plush Doll by Unemployed Philosophers Guild on Amazon.com

According to Arts Beat at the New York Times, “Munch made four versions of the composition, which has become the embodiment of angst and existential dread. Three are in Norwegian museums and this one, pastel on board, from 1895, is the only “Scream” still in private hands. It is being sold by Petter Olsen, a Norwegian businessman and shipping heir whose father, Thomas, was a friend, neighbor and patron of the artist.”

Homer, The Scream Covers & Citations http://search.it.online.fr/

Arts Beat continues, “Besides being one of the most recognizable images in art history, “The Scream’’ is also one of the most often stolen. Versions of it have been taken twice, first in 1994, when two thieves entered the National Gallery of Norway and fled with an 1893 “Scream” (it was recovered unharmed later that year), and then in 2004, when masked gunmen stole the 1910 version as well as Munch’s “Madonna” from the Munch Museum, also in Oslo (both works were recovered two years later).”

Ghostface from the Scream movie series created by Wes Craven. Based on The Scream painting by Edvard Munch, the mask was originally created by Fun World employee as a Halloween costume prior to being discovered by Wes Craven for the Scream film.

Simon Shaw, who heads Sotheby’s Impressionist and modern art department in New York, said in an interview with Arts Beat, “The Scream is unique. Everybody knows it, but paradoxically few people have ever really seen it in person. When you stand in front of the painting it’s really quite scary. It has the power to shock.’’

"The Scream" inflatable doll

Indeed, that kind of price tag often shocks me. How about you? More importantly, tell us the truth – have you ever purchased a t-shirt, poster, or coffee mug, etc., depicting Munch’s “The Scream”?

Munch’s The Scream to go on sale (bbc.co.uk)
The Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold (theartwolf.com)
Top 10 Most Expensive Auction Items (time.com)
It’s Unthinkable (zatista.com)

Let The Good Times Roll

Nancy — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:00:50 +0000

As you may know, today is Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season beginning tomorrow, Ash Wednesday.

A float design from the 1886 Krewe of Proteus parade by Carlotta Bonnecaze, from the Tulane Carnival Collection.

What you may not know is that, “Tulane [University] has the finest collection of Mardi Gras art in the city,” Carnival historian and float designer, Henri Schindler tells The Times-Picayune.

Bananas by Charles Briton – A costume design from Mistick Krewe of Comus' 1873 from the Tulane Carnival Collection.

“Not only does the Louisiana Research Collection at Tulane have the broadest assortment of vintage Mardi Gras ball invitations, dance cards and other ephemera in the world, but the library is sharing its wealth with students and scholars through a new, searchable online digital library, ” reports The Times-Picayune.

A float design from the 1889 Krewe of Proteus parade by Carlotta Bonnecaze, from the Tulane Carnival Collection.

The Times-Picayune continues, “The archived materials feature gold emboss, die-cuts and foldouts stuffed into envelopes hand-addressed with calligraphy dating from Carnival’s Golden Age – 1870 to 1930.”

Happiness costume design by Ceneilla Bower Alexander from Krewe of Rex parade 1920 from the Tulane Carnival Collection.

Among the treasures found in this collection, which is on exhibit at Tulane through May 30, 2012, are works of art by Carlotta Bonnecaze, who designed some of the most elaborate costumes and spectacular floats during the Golden Age.

Paradise float design by Carlotta Bonnecaze from Krewe of Proteus parade 1885, from the Tulane Carnival Collection.

Daughter of Alexis Bonnecaze, a member of the Krewe of Proteus, she was the first woman and the first Creole parade designer. She created Proteus’ Mardi Gras designs from 1885 to 1897.

Mask by Thurston Howes on Zatista.com

Whether you are in New Orleans this Carnival season or enjoying your King Cake from afar, this artwork is worth seeing. Many artists have been inspired by the alluring city of New Orleans, and the riotous celebration of life that occurs around Carnival.

Green House At Night by Will Eskridge on Zatista.com

Happy Mardi Gras!

Live from New Orleans, It’s Will Ferrell, Mardis Gras King [Mardi Gras] (jezebel.com)
Mardi Gras helps fatten New Orleans businesses (usatoday.com)
For Mardi Gras float makers, next year is here (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

5 Best Films To See In February

Nancy — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:00:41 +0000

Whether or not you have a sweetheart, you always need to have a good movie option up your sleeve for Valentine’s Day. I’m not talking about blockbusters – indie/art films are more my speed. Thinking back to an earlier WallSpin post 10 Ways to Make a New St(ART) – film is art too. So consider this one way of bringing art into your life in 2012. I can think of some other ways to bring art into your life as well, if you need some pointers (wink wink!).

Robert Altman – Director by Matt Dinerstein on Zatista.com

Meanwhile, here’s a list of Leonard Maltin’s Five Best Indie Movie’s To See This Month, via Huffington Post. Check out more of Maltin’s movie musings on www.leonardmaltin.com.

1. Albert Nobbs

Glenn Close first played the role of a woman masquerading as a male butler in Victorian-era Dublin off-Broadway in 1982. It’s taken this long for her to bring this fascinating story to film, and the result has earned her and her gifted costar Janet McTeer well-deserved Oscar nominations.

2. Coriolanus

Ralph Fiennes has chosen one of Shakespeare’s most challenging plays for his directorial debut and done it proud, as both filmmaker and star. Shakespeare’s words flow from his lips with the greatest of ease, and he’s completely credible as a ferocious warrior who finds himself a pariah on his own home turf of Rome.

3. Declaration of War

Valérie Donzelli dares to dramatize her own experiences: falling in love, having a baby, then dealing with the heartbreak of learning that their boy is desperately ill. As director, costar and co-writer (with real-life mate Jérémie Elkaïm) she avoids melodrama, cliché, and easy answers – just as she and her family apparently did in real life. In its own quiet way this film is really quite remarkable.

4. Project Nim

Oscar-winning documentarian James Marsh (Man on Wire) explores a fascinating case study about a chimpanzee who was taken from the wild and placed in a world of humans to see if he can learn to communicate. The animal’s fate, as he is passed from one caring person to another, is fodder for great storytelling – if not a terribly happy tale.

5. On the Bowery

In the late 1950s, novice filmmaker Lionel Rogosin spent months getting to know the denizens of Manhattan’s skid row, The Bowery, so that he could bring cameras there and capture the lives of these men. The result predates both cinema vérité and reality television; its unusual melding of documentary techniques and staged scenes manages to convey the truth of its setting and its sad protagonists. It’s one-of-a-kind, and deserving of rediscovery.

10 Ways to Make a New St(ART) (Zatista.com)
Angelina Jolie to Present at 84th Academy Awards on Oscar Sunday, February 26 On ABC (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
When is Film Art? (huffingtonpost.com)

It’s Unthinkable

Nancy — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:00:19 +0000

Andreas Gursky/Christie's Images, Ltd., 2011

What you’re looking at is Andreas Gursky’s photo, “Rhein II”, which sold for $4,338,500 at Christie’s in November of last year, breaking the record for the most expensive photograph ever sold at auction. Yes, you read that right. Four million dollars. The buyer was anonymous.

Barry, Baker, Brookline, MA by Joel Degrand on zatista.com

According to NPR’s Claire O’Neill, “The photo comes at the mammoth proportion of about 6-by-11 feet, and that’s got to count for something. Plus (sorry all starving photographers), that price tag is nothing unusual for Gursky. Until the purchase of Cindy Sherman‘s Untitled in May, Gursky’s 99 Cent II Diptychon had been the most expensive photo, which sold at Sotheby’s for $3.3 million in 2007. He has photos in major museums like the Museum of Modern Art and London’s Tate Modern and studied under the renowned Bernd and Hilla Becher in Germany.”

Byron Bay by Daniel Grant on zatista.com

The good news is, we don’t sell $4 million photos here on Zatista. We sell affordable photographs, like the two above and this one:

Sheets on a Clothesline by Norman Lerner on zatista.com

And this one:

Shadows by Jeffrey Hummel on zatista.com

And this one:

Negatives #18 by Klaus Rossler

And that’s barely the tip of the iceberg. So make yourself a pot of tea, grab your lap top, sit back in your easy chair, breathe a deep sigh of relief, and enjoy the bounty of budget-friendliness that we have to offer. It’s art that’s fit for folks with fabulous taste and a budget like you and me!

Related articles

10 Ways to Make a New St(ART) (zatista.com)
Gursky sets record for photograph (bbc.co.uk)

Color of the Year 2012

Nancy — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:00:48 +0000

One thing I look forward to each January is the announcement of the Color of the Year selected by the Pantone Color Institute. Some may think having a Color of the Year is a silly concept, but I’m fascinated there is such a thing. OK, ready for it? Drum roll please…

Tangerine Tango!

Prada in Tangerine Tango image: GoRunway/Indigital

: Marc by Marc Jacobs in Tangerine Tango image: GoRunway/Indigital

According to Pantone, “Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute® explains, “Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth.”

: Hermes in Tangerine Tango image: Hermes

Eiseman continues, “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

: Tangerine in Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat by Steven Sickles on zatista.com

Pantone comments, “Over the past several years, orange has grown in popularity and acceptance among designers and consumers alike. A provocative attention-getter, Tangerine Tango is especially appealing in men’s and women’s fashion.”

: Jimmy Choo Umbra in Tangerine Tango image: Jimmy Choo

“Tangerine Tango is a bit exotic, but in a very friendly, non-threatening way. Tangerine Tango is a complementary opposite that flatters blue or green eyes. When paired with brown, it brings out an amber cast,” says Pantone.

: Jonathan Saunders from Vogue image: GoRunway/Indigital

Pantone suggests, “Energize interior spaces with Tangerine Tango patterned home accessories. Pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories in this high-impact hue add spice to any room. Or incorporate Tangerine Tango appliances and personal electronics for an unexpected pop of color.”

: Jonathan Adler in Tangerine Tango jonathanadler.com

Going a step further with interior design advice Pantone says: “Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Tangerine Tango for a dynamic burst of energy in the kitchen, entryway or hallway.”

: Tangerine in Elle Decor image: Simon Upton

Whether your style is sophisticated, dramatic or seductive, Tangerine Tango may just be the hot accent color you’ve been looking for!

Color of the Year 2011 (zatista.com)
Color of the Year 2010 (zatista.com)
Pantone names orange as its colour of the year (money-gurus.com)
Yellow is the New Red (zatista.com)

Need Art?

Nancy — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:00:32 +0000

Interested in joining our “Most Needy” art contest on Facebook? Take this simple quiz:

1. Do you own a Velvet Elvis?
2. Do you have a Van Gogh, Picasso, or similar ‘greatest hits’ poster from college still hanging on a wall at home?
3. Are your walls naked and in desperate need of help?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, upload a photo of your dreadful art or explain to us why your wall needs updating. Then, tell all your friends to cast their votes for you on Facebook! Zatista will choose a winner from among the 3 most voted for entries. The winner will win $100 in free art from Zatista.

So, what are you waiting for? Enter today!

A Walk in the Park (zatista.com)
Meditative Mandalas (zatista.com)
Masters of Gouache (zatista.com)
Home Sewn (zatista.com)

Connect the Dots

Nancy — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:00:31 +0000

Today is the day; Gagosian Gallery walls burst with Hirst in New York, Beverly Hills, London, Paris, Rome, Geneva, Athens, and Hong Kong.

Beclometasona, 2008 by Damien Hirst gagosiangallery.com

The Complete Spot Paintings exhibit, opening at all Gagosian Galleries today, offers Hirst-o-files and jet setters alike The Complete Spot Painting Challenge where dedicated dot hunters can visit each of the eleven galleries and receive a signed spot print by British artist Damien Hirst.

The Complete Spot Challenge gagosiangallery.com

Spot seekers may supplement the hunt by referencing Gagosian Gallery’s free iPad app which provides an overview of exhibitions and projects at Gagosian Gallery and includes a Damien Hirst “art board” for exploring over ninety spot paintings.

DL-P-Chlorophenylalanine Methyl Ester, 1998 by Damien Hirst gagosiangallery.com

A body of work spanning 25 years, Mr. Hirst’s spot paintings are controversial for a variety of reasons, one of which is, according to the New York Times, “Of the hundreds of spot canvases, Mr. Hirst painted only five himself”.

"Controlled Substance Key Painting," by the British artist Damien Hirst, dates from 1994, an earlier "spot painting" period.

Will this global exhibit be as “fantastically boring” as Richard Dorment, art critic for The Daily Telegraph in London, called the spot paintings? When asked about the premise of the Gagosian shows, he replied: “The accumulation of scores of them in one place like the Tate’s Turbine Hall could make a visual impact, but I can’t see the point of filling all of Gagosian’s galleries around the world. What purpose will it serve?”

Prochlorperazine, 2009 by Damien Hirst gagosiangallery.com

After today, the world (aka the critics) will decide. Meanwhile, let’s go and see for ourselves!

Damien Hirst’s spots: a rough guide to the pricing (telegraph.co.uk)
Art World Star Doesn’t Change His Spots – New York Times (nytimes.com)
Will Damien Hirst Dot the Art Market to Death? (bigthink.com)
Spots (fashioncopious.typepad.com)

Finnish Forest House

Nancy — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:00:09 +0000