Foot Medication

Artist´s Studio "Foot Medication", 1974

Oil and Magna on Canvas

Roy Lichtenstein

The Lichtenstein "Still Life" Exhibit at the Gagosian Gallery is just about to close if you still want to go and brighten your day a little.

When we think of still lifes, we think of paintings that have a certain atmosphere or ambience. My still life paintings have none of those qualities, they just have pictures of certain things that are in a still life, like lemons and grapefruits and so forth. It's not meant to have the usual still life meaning.
--Roy Lichtenstein (From Gagosian web site)

I am just about to prepare for my Bachelorette party weekend on an Island in Norway called "Hankø" with 27 wild wonderful Women. Wishing now that I had pampered my nails... In my head I am already dancing all night long.

See you all next week!!

With Love

Kristin

From Worry Beads to Prayer Mat

Worry Beads, 2009

Mona Hatoum

On my recent Chelsea Gallery trip last Friday, I came upon this cannonball size bronze prayer beads at the Alexander and Bonin Gallery. I had heard of Mona Hatoum before, but I am surprised at actually never having seen any of her work in person. Especially when I notice the intense amount of incredible work that she has presented so far.

.

Measures of Entanglement/Undercurrent (red) 2008-

Ph. Oak Taylor Smith_UCCA

Mona Hatoum was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1952 but ended up staying in London after Civil War broke out in 1975. She began as a performance artist but gradually moved through fields of installations, video and sculptures.

Homebound, (installation) 2002

"Your first experience of a work of art is physical," says Hatoum. "I like the work to operate on both the sensual and intellectual levels. Meanings, connotations and associations come after the initial physical experience as your imagination and intellect are fired by what you have seen."  - From Egodesign.ca

Traffic 2002

When you look at Hatoum´s work you gradually will notice what she is most known for. She brings otherwise normal objects out to the public and then overexposes it to make them almost unfamiliar and at times frightening. She demands the viewer to rethink the "normal".

Hot Spot III, 2009

Interior Landscapes, Pallazo Querini Stampalia

Stainless steel and neon tube

I began with the worry beads and will end with the Prayer Mat, I guess "praying" for more. I definitely have "blood on my teeth" the more I see and read about Mona Hatoum the more I want. 

When will she have a Solo Show in New York that I can attend, I wonder?

Prayer Mat, 1995

British Council, London

With Love

Kristin

Event Horizon 2010

Event Horizon March 26 - August 15, 2010

ANTONY GORMLEY

My English friends keep asking me why I am not writing about Antony Gormley? Finally he is having an exhibit in New York. But even the distances in Manhattan sometimes feels far.... Tuesday though I finally ventured to Madison Square Park to view the Iron casted Men (casted out of the artist´s own body). 
Unfortunately my pictures did not come up as exciting as the one above...

I hope you can find the men up there, this would be the perspective from you standing at the ground, looking up without a zoom.

I have a feeling this exhibit actually worked a lot better in London where they held it in 2007, especially since the buildings in New York are too tall for us to view the sculptures close up, it is a bit hard to get an intimate feeling from it.

I am impressed though at the incentive to do these public exhibits, it brings art out to the people in a completely different, more open minded and interactive way. People actually thought there was guys on the roof trying to jump, which then again ended up reminding them of 9/11. It also opens up an interest for Antony Gormley as an Artist for us in New York, in London he is a celebrity.

Here are some of his other projects:

Anthony Gormley in front of his 180,000 terracotta Figurines "Asian Field" at the Sydney Biennale in 2006

Photo: Ben Rushton ©

"Between You and Me" 2009

Quantum Cloud.1999 

Firmament, 2008

Anthony Gormley´s web site is pretty impressive if you would like to see more:)

Have a lovely day:) Kristin

Lucian and the girl in bed

Lucian Freud © Cecil Beaton Archive, 1956

Sothebys London / Collection National Portrait Gallery, London

LUCIAN FREUD

1922-

A fellow Art lover reminded me yesterday about Lucian Freud.
It made me think of the fantastic retrospective that I had a chance to see at the Tate Britain in 2002.

I had then just finished reading the Biography about Caroline Blackwood (1931-1996) who was married to Lucian Freud between 1953 - 1958 and who inspired some of his greatest work.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Caroline (from the Guinness family) met Lucian at a debutante ball where Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother attended as well.

"Princesse Margaret was seized by a desire to add to the festivities by singing a medley of Cole Porter tunes, which she sang "Hopelessly off-key." Her audience was nonetheless cheering and asking for more, when, suddenly, a hiss emanated from the back of the ballroom. Someone was boing the Princess!

........the fellow who had booed Princess Margaret was the iconoclastic Anglo - Irish painter Francis Bacon. And Bacon had arrived with his young friend and fellow artist, the wolfishly handsome Lucian Freud." 

          ( Dangerous Muse Page 64-65)

Caroline Blackwood was a successful writer, especially later in life. She was short-listed for a Booker Prize for her novel "Great Granny Webster" in 1977. After she left Lucian Freud she married the composer Israel Chitkowitz and then followed with a third marriage to the poet Robert Lowell.

"a mermaid who dines upon the bones of her winded lovers"

          - Lowell's words on Caroline.

Girl in bed (1952)

My favorite painting of Lucian Freud´s might actually be this one "Hotel Bedroom". The questions it rises is why he painted such a young woman so old, so worn? (Maybe a prediction of her Alcohol problems?) And why does he looks so harsh so tortured?

Hotel Bedroom (1954)

Lucian Freud was actually born in Berlin (Sigmund Freud´s grandson) but is being seen as one of the greatest modern British painters. He and his family left Germany and the Nazi uprising to become British Citizens in 1933. The other great post-war British painter was his older friend Francis Bacon. 

Francis Bacon, painted by Lucian Freud (1952)

(Stolen in 1988, never to be seen again)

Lucian Freud, painted by Francis Bacon (1965)

I feel like I could keep going on about Lucian Freud for a long time, but to round it up I would like to add one of his nudes, some of what he is probably most known for.

Naked girl asleep II (1968)

Lucian Freud painted raw, realistic and one could say a bit cold paintings. But the truth they are portraying has a penetrating longevity. The more you look, the more they show you his intense talent.

I will definitely never forget the moment I first found myself in front of one of his naked portraits and how mesmerized I was by it´s crude nearly deadly silence it hit me with. But where and when that was, I cannot remember......

"He had a reputation in Soho - people thought he was going to be a great artist. But he wasn´t much liked by the galleries. Everyone thought his work was too ugly, even the work we now think as really pretty. They thought the portraits were hideous. Everyone said, "Oh, the nightmare would be to be painted by Lucian, because he makes everyone so ravaged."

          - Caroline´s words (Dangerous Muse page 80)

Lucian Freud is still alive and supposedly still working in his studio in Holland Park, London. 

With Love!

Kristin

Activities for Saturday Nights

Activities for Saturday Nights, Part 1 (Paris 2008)
Painting by Pia MYrvoLD, photo by Petter Hegre ©

PIA MYrvoLD

Pia MYrvoLD is probably one of the most beloved Norwegian artists at the moment. You can say she is quite untouchable when it comes to the wide spectrum of directions that her art takes you in. She began as a painter in the 1980´s with a debut in Paris. From there she has broaden out to include video, dance, architecture, fashion and performance Art as crafts she proves to master.

Her immense production is also breathtaking. Bellow I will show you pieces from what she has done so far this year.... and we still have many months left, for new wonders to be made:)

Mixed media painting exhibit at Gallery Nielsen in Skagen, Denmark:

"Forest VI" 

mixed media painting on canvas 90x90 cm, 2010 ©

Digital art, video and editions solo exhibit at Gallery A. in Oslo:

Yellow series IX (2010) ©
Digigrafikk

Exploration in landscape - Blue Diver (2010) ©
Digigrafikk

A whole series of these radiant colorful hanging sculptures in Paris:

PensiveMovementReflex - Signed Edition (Paris 2010) ©

"I love in-between

phenomena; things that fall

between two stools, or

connect gaps. They allow

borders to meet, in a space

where communication is

possible. It is in the realm of

the interfaces that our lives

take place and evolve"

Pia MYrvoLD - Interfaces statement

Pia MYrvoLD ©

To see more of her large varieties of intriguing and beautiful pieces (even modular carpets, and music ) click here.

Isn´t she incredibly exciting? Have a lovely weekend all!

Kristin

O Morro

Jeroen Koolhaas & Dre Urhahn

Rio de Janeiro

This summer, the art duo Jeroen Koolhaas & Dre Urhahn has painted a striking rainbow out of 33 buildings in the deepest slum of Rio de Janeiro (O Morro means "The Hill", synonymous with "Slum" according to N.Y. Times).

A wonderful grassroots movement about remaking an unknown place into a monumental space, helped out by the youngsters that live there and by grants and donations.

The Dutch duo Dre Urhahn and Jeroen Koolhaas

These sort of communal projects, might be of the most uplifting and positive aspects of what we can create out of our surroundings and for the people that needs it the most.

Please, if you know of similar projects that I might not have heard of, hit the send key:)

Love Kristin

Essentials of a Woman

GEORGIA O´KEEFFE

1887-1986

I just finished watching the 2009 biopic "Georgia O´Keeffe" about her life with Art and the relationship between her and the photographer Alfred Stieglitz. 

Alfred Stieglitz

(Georgia O´Keefe) 

Torso

1919

(When they first met he obsessively took pictures of her, like he wanted to capture every piece of her body).

The film is also telling us the story of how Mr. Stieglitz brought her to recognition, and also through his demonic side and unfaithfulness made her choose to live a lonely life in Taos, New Mexico.

Joan Allen portrays Georgia O´Keeffe beautifully, and Jeremy Irons seldom disappoints, here as Alfred Stieglitz. 

I would like to remind you of her paintings together with O´Keeffe´s words that are said at the beginning of the movie.

Red Canna, 1925

Museum of Art University of Arizona

"I don´t trust words. Words and I are not good friends at all.

A painter using words, is like a baby trying to walk.

Better to let the picture speak on it´s own than try to help it

along with a word."

Calla Lillies on Pink, 1928

Philadelphia Museum of art

"What has happened to me in the past and how it has happened. 

I don´t think that´s anyone´s business, except my own.

You just look at the paintings, see what you can see in the paintings.

That´s all you have a right to see. 

That´s all I will allow you to see."

Jack-in-the pulpit No.IV 1930

From the National Gallery of Art collection

"Someone else´s vision will never be as good as

your own vision of yourself.

Live and die with it. 

Because in the end, that´s all you have.

Lose it and you lose yourself and everything else.

I should have listened to myself."

Pelvis with distance, 1943

Nobody will ever be able to paint flowers like her again, her unique interpretation and daring work makes her one of the most influential female artists of the 20th Century. She was also the first Woman to have a solo exhibit at MoMA.

With that I would like to wish you a fresh start on a new week, must it be good:)

With Love! Kristin

Design and Oil...

MOROSO

Armchair

These armchairs just blew my mind the other day. I found them at the fantastic Moroso store on Green street in Soho. It has a fantastic movement, the design is stunning to look at and it amazed me with an incredible comfort, especially for a cross sitter like me.

Every day the shadow of the oil spill is hanging like a drape around my head. I can´t watch the news it makes me nauseous. I am honestly trying to escape from it... but that is not the right thing to do and one blog that knows that is the Poppytalk. They have started a wonderful Gulf Relief Market, read more about it here.

Handmade donated work like this ceramic clock by MB Art Studios, can be bought here:

(Carl Sagan quote)

A small drop in the Ocean you might think, but at least it is fresh! I hope this nightmare will take an end soon!

Love Kristin

I Wish Your Wish

Rivane Neuenschwander

A day like any other

New Museum

If you feel out of luck one day or otherwise not your happy self? You should go for a visit to the New Museum right now. It's hosting one of the most uplifting and giving exhibits by the artist Rivane Neuenschwander. 

The exhibit includes past work like "Rain Rains" from 2002 with hanging leaking and receiving buckets, more beautiful than it sounds. And new ones like "A Conversation" Inspired by the Coppola movie with the same name. Here she raided a large corner space for Bug-devices. Funny idea, back in fashion now with all these Russian spies around, some whom might be hanging out at your next garden party....

My favorite was (of course) the "I Wish Your Wish" piece, and the attendance to this piece is even for free! It is installed in the lobby, in a large glass room where there are thousands of silk ribbons with different wish messages, hanging from small holes in the wall. 

I was allowed to pick two wishes, one was "I wish for a long life for my children" and another that is secret:). 

Michael, who works there (also an artist) helped twining these around my wrist and helpfully said; that one will have to wear them until they fall off, so the wish will come true. After this, you write down two of your own made up wishes to give back, then you place them in the empty wholes from the ribbons that have been taken. Maybe someone else will get your wish one day?

Rivane Neuenschwander´s idea came from a church from Brazil (Rivane is Brazilian) where they actually tied ribbons to their wrists and the gates to the church as a tradition. When they fell off their wishes was granted.

I took this blurry picture quickly in the elevator at the New Museum thinking I have a chance to take plenty more.... But, little did I know the ribbons disappeared during the evening that day, and I have no idea where and when? I guess that means my wishes are now granted?

I hope so! Sending good wishes to you all! 

with Love Kristin

Big Bambu

Doug + Mike Starn

Friday's are my favorite museum days, the museums stay open late and yes the weekend feeling is in the air! 

The Metropolitan museum's Roof Garden is special, since this is the place where you can have a cocktail while enjoying the art and also have one of the best Central Park views. 

Right now the roof is dominated by the twins Doug and Mike Starn's growing Bambu tower called "You can't, You don't, and You won't stop". 

The only unfortunate thing about seeing the sculpture in the evening is that you don't get to see Dough and Mike in action and you don't have a chance to test out the Bambu walk.

But, you do get a real romantic sunset start of the evening, and a great bubbly Art loving crowd.

You still have plenty of time to see the Big Bambu, it will keep growing until the 3rd of October, I can't imagine how humongous it will be.....:)

Hope your 4th of July weekend was fantastic, it was hot hot heat here and absolutely perfect for the Beach!

With Love Kristin

On it´s own for eternity

Dessau, Germany. April 1945

Henri Cartier-Bresson

The Henri Cartier- Bresson exhibition at MoMA is over. I finally managed to view it on one of its last days.

Each and every one of his photographs could use hours of interpretation, create a whole novel, prove a historical moment or just dig itself into your mind, simply on it´s own for eternity.

The photograph that made the strongest impression on me and that keep lingering in my mind is this picture from 1945. It was taken at a deportation camp between American and Soviet territory in Dessau. The Belgian woman in the picture is hitting a Gestapo informer whom she found trying to hide in the crowd.

I am in awe at how Henri Cartier-Bresson captured this second of action, seemingly before the people in the crowd even manage to react. The anger and the guilt portrayed here will always haunt me. The choices we make in life that can make or break us.

I hope goodness is stronger after all, and lets try to remember that:)

Love Kristin