Category Archives: Museums

Art, Arts & Literature, Museums, Profiles, Tours, Videos, Views

Morgan Library Exhibits: Swiss Painter Ferdinand Hodler “Drawings” Tour

Video August 23, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The Morgan Library & Museum (August 23, 2023) – Isabelle Dervaux, curator of “Ferdinand Hodler: Drawings—Selections from the Musée Jenisch Vevey”, discusses the artist’s legacy and his impact on modernism.

Ferdinand Hodler: Drawings—Selections from the Musée Jenisch Vevey

June 16 through October 1, 2023

A modern art pioneer, renowned Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler (1853–1918) created works that range from vast symbolist compositions to intimate, realist portraits and nearly abstract landscape paintings. This exhibition of approximately sixty works, primarily on paper, will focus on the role of drawing in his practice, from quick compositional sketches to elaborate oil studies.

Most of the drawings Hodler produced were preparatory studies for his large-scale figure compositions; these offer a fascinating account of his working process, which involved technical experiments with imprints, tracing, and collages. A few of his portrait drawings will also be featured, including a poignant series in which he recorded the illness and death of his lover Valentine Godé-Darel.

These rarely seen drawings offer a compelling survey of Hodler’s singular contribution to early modernism.

Art, Arts & Literature, Documentaries, Museums, Science, Videos

Ancient Art: How Experts Are Uncovering Forgeries

Video August 21, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

DW Documentary (August 21, 2023) – When a long-lost bronze of Alexander the Great suddenly turns up in Greece, experts are suspicious. This documentary follows archaeologist Stephan Lehmann as he follows the trail of the art forgers.

Stephan Lehmann has uncovered around 50 suspected forged artworks to date – in the marketplace, in private collections and even in museums. Now, a large bronze of Alexander the Great has resurfaced in Greece. It was owned by a British art dealer and was handed back to Greece as previously looted art. But Lehmann and other experts say it’s a fake. Due to his work, archaeologist Stephan Lehmann is not always a popular figure: in the art trade and the museum world, many people prefer to sweep the problem of forgeries under the rug.

But one anonymous Swiss collector decided to confront the issue. He sent Lehmann an allegedly ancient but highly dubious bronze depicting Emperor Augustus, which he had purchased for several hundred thousand dollars in New York. Lehmann examined it and had it X-rayed at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, using one of the most powerful CT scanners in the world.

Testing the material an artwork is made of can not only uncover forgeries; it can also shed light on how forgers go about their work. This documentary sets out on the trail of art forgers, uncovering a dark and concealed side of the antiquities trade. It reveals just how good forgeries can be. Fakes have even sometimes turned up among supposedly looted works being returned to states as part of the restitution process.

#documentary #dwdocumentary #fake #forgery #crime

Art, Arts & Literature, Exhibitions, Museums, Profiles, Videos

Exhibitions: Artist Frida Kahlo In South Australia

August 17, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

ABC News In-depth (August 17, 2023) – She’s one of the most famous artists of the 20th century, known for her colourful self-portraits. But what else do you know about Frida Kahlo? We visit an exhibition to find out more about her artwork and learn about her interesting life.

Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution

THE ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

24 Jun – 17 Sep 2023

Art Gallery of SA exhibition to explore the enduring allure of Frida Kahlo - InReview

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is remembered for her self-portraits, pain and passion, and bold, vibrant colors. She is celebrated in Mexico for her attention to Mexican and indigenous culture and by feminists for her depiction of the female experience and form.

Art, Arts & Literature, Museums, Profiles

Profiles: David Hockney At The Huntington Library

August 9, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Painting of a bare tree, with many small branches, in a green field with a blue sky. — David Hockney, *Tree on Woldgate, 6 March*, 2006

The Huntington Library (August 9, 2023) – A David Hockney in The Huntington’s venerable European art gallery? Yes, visitors can view the large and striking Tree on Woldgate, 6 March (2006), which depicts the serene Yorkshire countryside where the renowned artist grew up.

You can see fields in the distance and, in the center, a leafless tree with branches that twist and turn in an almost snakelike manner. The painting comes from a period in Hockney’s career when he created a series of plein air landscapes around his hometown.

Watercolor self-portrait of David Hockney, paintbrush in hand, looking at the viewer. — David Hockney, *Self-Portrait with Red Braces*, 2003

The painting hangs in conversation with John Constable’s monumental View on the Stour Near Dedham (1822). While the two works were created more than 180 years apart, their inspiration comes from the same source—childhood surroundings—and they both convey a sense of place and nostalgia.

One of the most famous British artists of the 20th century, Hockney emerged as a major contributor to the 1960s pop art movement and has had a multifaced career as a painter, draftsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer. He is perhaps best known for his acrylic paintings of bright swimming pools, split-level homes, and suburban California landscapes.

In 2022, The Huntington acquired its first Hockney works: 17 works on paper that include an artist book, drawings, prints, photocollages, and watercolors. These works display an intimate side of Hockney—like the self-portrait of the artist in red suspenders, bent over a table and peering over his wire-rimmed glasses, paintbrush in hand. His blue eyes, gazing straight at the viewer, create an immediate intimacy.

Museum Views: The Isle Of Wight – Dinosaur Island

August 8, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Natural History Museum (August 8, 2023) – The Isle of Wight is a traditional British holiday resort. It’s well-known for its beautiful sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, stunning countryside and many tourist attractions.

Video timeline: 0:00 A brief history of the Isle of Wight 1:13 Theo Vickers tells us about the geology of the island 1:35 Jack Wonfor talks about the diversity of fossil remains and how it is the best place in Europe for dinosaur discovery 2:02 Dr Susannah Maidment explains as to why the island is so good for dinosaur finds 2:35 Over 20 dinosaur species so far have been discovered on the Isle of Wight 2:52 Prof Paul Barrett tells us about the early palaeontologists, including William Fox and Sir Richard Owen 3:15 The Isle of Wight early dinosaur discoveries helped form much of what we know about dinosaurs today. 3:50 Original dinosaur discoveries are still relevant today. 4:15 New dinosaurs still being found today. 4:33 The dinosaurs found on the Isle of Wight. Iguanodon, Polacanthus, Omithopods, Sauropods, Neovenator and Eotyrannus. 5:26 How could you make your own discovery? 5:34 Techniques for finding dinosaur remains. 6:06 Dinosaur Island, the Isle of Wight’s excellent museum of geology, where there are many dinosaurs and fossils. 6:52 Why the Isle of Wight is a lovely place to visit. 7:08 how it is so easy to find a fossil on the beach.

But did you know that it is also the best place in Europe to find dinosaurs and the fossils of numerous other prehistoric animals, from ammonites to alligators?

Join our palaeontologists Dr Susannah Maidment and Professor Paul Barrett, as well as local experts, to discover what makes the Isle of Wight so special to them.

Art, Arts & Literature, Exhibitions, Museums, Previews, Views

Exhibition: ‘Tree & Serpent- Early Buddhist Art In India 200 BCE – 400 BCE’ (The Met)

Video August 4, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (August 3, 2023) – A virtual tour of Tree & Serpent: Early Buddhist Art in India, 200 BCE–400 CE. Featuring more than 140 objects dating from 200 BCE to 400 CE, the exhibition presents a series of evocative and interlocking themes to reveal both the pre-Buddhist origins of figurative sculpture in India and the early narrative traditions that were central to this formative moment in early Indian art.

Tree & Serpent: Early Buddhist Art in India, 200 BCE–400 CE

July 21st–November 13th, 2023

With major loans from a dozen lenders across India, as well as from the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States, it transports visitors into the world of early Buddhist imagery that gave expression to this new religion as it grew from a core set of ethical teachings into one of the world’s great religions. Objects associated with Indo-Roman exchange reveal India’s place in early global trade.

The exhibition showcases objects in various media, including limestone sculptures, gold, silver, bronze, rock crystal, and ivory. Highlights include spectacular sculptures from southern India—newly discovered and never before publicly exhibited masterpieces—that add to the world canon of early Buddhist art. On view: July 21st–November 13th, 2023

Art, Arts & Literature, Exhibitions, Museums, Reviews

Art Exhibitions: ‘Manabu Ikeda – Flowers From The Wreckage’ (Canada, 2023)

July 22, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Manabu Ikeda:
Flowers from the Wreckage

June 24 – October 9, 2023

Audain Art Museum, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada (July 22, 2023) – Manabu Ikeda: Flowers from the Wreckage features Ikeda’s meticulously detailed pen-and-ink drawings that are filled with astonishing images.

This Japanese artist seeks inspiration from his surroundings to bring attention and awe to viewers, as a way of sending warnings about the painful reality of environmental disasters. Central to his practice are metaphors of grief and the undeniable aspects of life that are often beyond society’s control, including the fundamental forces of Mother Nature. Ikeda’s drawings also reveal human resilience and the ability to rise above devastating situations when it appears impossible.

Curated by Kiriko Watanabe, the Audain Art Museum’s Gail & Stephen A. Jarislowsky Curator, this is Ikeda’s first solo retrospective in North America showcasing over sixty works from national and international collections. Flowers from the Wreckage includes Foretoken (2008), Meltdown (2013) and Rebirth (2013-16), a selection of Ikeda’s large-scale drawings that relate to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake; the most devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power disaster in the country’s recorded history.

Manabu Ikeda: Flowers from the Wreckage will be on display in the AAM’s Tom and Teresa Gautreau Galleries from June 24 to October 9, 2023. A full colour exhibition catalogue featuring essays by Kiriko Watanabe and comments by Manabu Ikeda will be available for purchase in the Museum Shop.

pen and acrylic ink on paper, mounted on board, 17″ x 23″ (Takahashi Ryutaro Collection, courtesy the Audain Art Museum, Whistler, B.C.)

Manabu Ikeda Studio Gallery

A studio has been set up in the Museum’s architecturally stunning Upper Galleries, where visitors have the opportunity to observe the process of Ikeda drawing his latest work and interact with him during open studio hours.

Manabu will be in studio on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 3:00pm to 4:30pm until August 30. Museum guests are encouraged to come and witness the Artist’s incredible talent and learn more about his techniques. The studio will be open for viewing Thursday through Monday until September 4.

Arts & Literature, Exhibitions, Interviews, Museums, Reviews, Videos

Interview: British Fashion Designer Sir Paul Smith On His ‘Picasso Celebration’

Video July 10, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Christie’s (July 10, 2023) – Iconic British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, in his legendary chock-full studio, talks about bringing out “Picasso’s playful side” in a stylish new exhibition at the Musée National Picasso-Paris: Picasso Celebration: The Collection in a New Light.

Sir Paul Smith, guest artistic director at the Musée National Picasso-Paris. Photo © Paul Smith. Artwork © Succession PicassoDACS, London 2023 — Sir Paul Smith, guest artistic director at the Musée National Picasso-Paris.

It is fifty years since Pablo Picasso died, on 8 April 1973 at Notre-Dame-de-Vie, his home in Mougins. The body of work that he left behind had a profound impact on the entire 20th century.

For this anniversary year, the Musée National Picasso-Paris has invited the British designer Sir Paul Smith, known for his work with colour, tailoring and unexpected details, to lead the artistic direction of an exceptional exhibition showcasing the museum’s collection.

Astronomy, Museums, Photography, Reviews, Space, Views

Sky Views: ‘Astronomy Photographer Of The Year’ Finalists (2023)

July 6, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Royal Museums Greenwich (July 6, 2023) – See a selection of the incredible space images shortlisted in Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023.

Image of decayed diamond mining processing plant with the Milky Way stretching out in the sky behind it

Sperrgebiet by Vikas Chander

Bogenfels, Namib Desert, Namibia

Astronomy photograph of the Moon, lit up silver with lots of craters visible and light blue mare

Ball of Rock by Rich Addis

Wallasey, Wirral, Merseyside, United Kingdom

Image showing WWI trenches at bottom lit up with lights, a line of trees in the distance, and a purple, blue and yellow sky behind with star trails making curved diagonal lines

Celestial Equator Above First World War Trench Memorial by Louis Leroux-Gere

Vimy, Pas-de-Calais, France

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Art, Arts & Literature, Exhibitions, Museums, Reviews, Videos

Museum Reviews: Cézanne And Van Gogh’s Influence On The Rise Of Modern Art

Video July 6, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The National Gallery (July 6, 2023) – The exhibition, ‘After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art’, celebrates the achievements of three giants of the era: Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin and follows the influences they had on younger generations of French artists, on their peers and on wider circles of artists across Europe in Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels and Vienna.

Explore a period of great upheaval when artists broke with established tradition and laid the foundations for the art of the 20th and the 21st centuries.