A gold, diamond and ruby Christmas ornament is certainly a far cry away from the traditional stringed popcorn as far as Christmas tree decor goes. (See A Charlie Brown Christmas for reference). But in this case, the extravagance is for a good cause, well partly. At least 15% of the proceeds from the £82,000 sale price will go to the National Autistic Society (NAS). Embee Jewels of London in … [Read more...]
British sculptor Jason de Caires Taylor has created an artificial reef in the waters surrounding Cancan, Mexico (specifically, the National Marine Park of Cancun) with a view to protect the natural reef which is in the process of re-growth. By drawing tourists' attention to the underwater museum, the natural reef has a chance to flourish undisturbed. It's a great idea - although I imagine that the … [Read more...]
Claude PicassoIf so, I'm in the wrong business. And the art world is up in arms. The word, according to Picasso's former electrician, Pierre Le Guennec who is now retired and living the in south of France, is that the artist's wife handed over 271 works including original sketches, paintings and collages as payment for his services. Picasso's heirs are not so convinced. The verdict will be … [Read more...]
Just hoping that my husband reads this in time for Christmas and takes the hint! (I don't need such an extravagant diamond but something similar would be nice. I'm nothing if not practical ;)British jeweller Laurence Graff purchased a rare pink diamond, weighing in at 24.78 carats, at Sotheby's yesterday breaking the record for the highest priced jewel sold at auction. The rare pink diamond went … [Read more...]
Exhibition currently on at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York until 17 January 2011 then it will coming to London's National Gallery from 23 February – 30 May 2011. For anyone who is interested in Northern Renaissance art this is a must see exhibition. Jan Gossaert (aka 'Mabuse') is one of the first Northern Renaissance artists to travel to Italy and to incorporate the Italianate style … [Read more...]
China's 'bad boy' Ai Weiwei has filled Tate Modern's Turbine Hall with a levelled mound of one hundred million porcelain sunflower seed husks. The exhibition was intended to be interactive, ie visitors were initially able to frolic in the seed casings, but due to the ceramic dust raised by the feet of visitors on the first two days of the exhibition, it has been restricted. It is now limited … [Read more...]
Caspar David Friedrich, Abbey in the Oakwood, 1809–10A funeral procession of monks trudge through the snow towards all that remains of a decrepit Gothic gate in this morbidly eerie scene. They are heading towards an open grave marked by a crucifix. With only two dimly lit candles to navigate the misty twilight, the monks bear a coffin. In the foreground and middle ground one can spot an array of … [Read more...]
Sanrio and Smart have teamed up and this is the result! Janet Hsu, president of Sanrio, Inc., says "Our collaboration with Smart USA allows fans to truly embrace the Hello Kitty lifestyle."What a way to travel, how could anyone rage against you when your cruising the roadways in your HK Smart Car? HK, along with other licensed brand car "wraps" will be available through the "Smart … [Read more...]
Brushes appiPhone apps are the latest craze. With so many options at your fingertips you may never have to leave the house. I'm all for promoting creativity, so the art-related apps are the ones that interest me the most. On that note, here's a quick review of some art apps that I've tried followed by a list of the top ten creative apps rated by Forbes.com. SketchBook is a painting app in which … [Read more...]
Read my review of Frank Bowling's recent exhibition at Rollo Contemporary Art on Art Rabbit.Frank BowlingBarticabush201033 x 58 inchesImage courtesy of the artist and ROLLO Contemporary Art … [Read more...]
The search for great Mexican food in London is over. Wahaca, a chain of market-style Mexican eateries, seems to popping up all over the city. Service is friendly, atmosphere is … [Read More...]
My anniversary lunch at the Skylon restaurant, located on the third floor of London's Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank, proved to be as elegant and delicious as … [Read More...]
John D'Agostino: Empire of Glass This month ArtSmacked is showcasing the work of New York-based artist John D'Agostino. The online show features a selection of works from his ongoing Empire of Glass project followed by the artist’s … [Go to Gallery...]
The Museum of Modern Art, NYC (MoMA) is celebrating the year 1913, a momentous year for modern art. To commemorate the centennial the museum will be featuring a series of videos highlighting important 1913 works from their collection alongside … [Watch Video...]
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