Art is Power!

Art has the power to illicit emotions, to shed a clearer light on human nature and on the natural world and to raise awareness about injustice, repression and personal responsibility.
No contemporary artist speaks louder on those themes than the Chinese dissident/artist, Ai Wei Wei. Although he is currently on house arrest in his studio in Bejing, an exhibition of his work Ai Wei Wei: According to What? is on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario. This is the only showing of his work in Canada and includes not only video, photographs and large-scale installations, but a strong sense of his philosophy and position on life and human rights.

There are structures which reflect his veneration for Chinese tradition as he utilizes wood from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) from destroyed hutongs and temples.

Map of China 2008

The height of the piece illustrates the long history of the Chinese nation and the top represents a map of the very culturally diverse China. (56 ethnic groups I believe)


Ai Wei Wei also uses traditional wood working techniques in creating some of his installations -in which no nails are used. 

Untitled 2006

Three thousand porcelain crabs were created and painted as a protest piece displayed on the floor. It represents the restriction of free speech in Chinese society. As the government was about to demolish his newly constructed studio in Shanghai, Ai invited guests to a feast of 10,000 river crabs in protest. He, however had been placed under house arrest and couldn't be there.

He Xie 2010

Ai Wei Wei was very affected by the earthquake in Sichuan province  in 2008. For me, the most memorable and significant work was related to that disaster. Wenchauan Steel Rebar  uses metal rebars, recovered from the rubble of schoolhouses which he straightened and placed in a formation, which indicates society's ability to start fresh, but is also reminiscent of the undulations of the earth during the quake. It is place in front of a printed list of over 5000 of the lost children's names.

The exhibition as a whole is very moving.

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Limited Palette Part One

I have wanted to experience the oft-touted joys of a limited palette. What an interesting exercise!  I used the same acrylic colours in a group of six paintings. The first three are here for comments.  I used quinacridone burnt orange, anthraquinone blue, white, and a mere suggestion of  cadmium yellow medium.  I used a  light glaze of burnt sienna in some areas to create more warmth.

Papamoa Evening

Charlevoix

On the Beach

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An Artist I Love

I saw a painting in a gallery recently  that reminded how much I enjoy the art of Lyonel Feininger   1871 - 1956.
He was born and raised in New York but moved to Germany at the age of 16 to study art and became one of the leading practitioners of German Expressionism. Forced to leave Germany in the wake of the Nazi  campaign against modern art he returned to the United States. He was somewhat of a renaissance man - photographer, carver of miniature wooden figures and buildings, painter and cartoonist for the Chicago Sun comic strips. He also has been at times, a pianist and composer.

His early works have a lively art nouveau look.

Village Near Paris 1909

This is a cover story about one of his comic strips in the Chicago Tribune

Later his style shifts to a more muted impersonal style. Angular planes of light intersect and overlap, almost like gauze panels in a stage setting. The colours are subdued and the forms somewhat architectural. There is a sense of alienation in some of the later paintings. This is contrasted with the many freeing images of sailboats

Bird Cloud

Church of the Minorites

Sailboats 1929

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Picking on Picasso

I just finished preparing a presentation on "Art Appreciation" for the Aphasia Institute. I am a volunteer there as a conversation facilitator and this is one of my favorite  activities each week. Part of the presentation involves a few paintings of Picasso. 

 There are many portraits of the photographer Dora Maar, none of them very flattering as you can see.

 

The really interesting discovery for me, however, was the actual photograph that Dora took of herself. See below the Dora Maar self- portrait.

What a guy!!!

I`m sorry - it`s time for a Picasso joke:

Artist Pablo Picasso surprised a burglar at work in his new chateau. The intruder got away, but Picasso told the police he could do a rough sketch of what he looked like. On the basis of his drawing, the police arrested a mother superior, the minister of finance, a washing machine, and the Eiffel tower

 The Aphasia Institute has a fundraiser coming up called  ``Walk Talk and Roll``. For more information, to learn about aphasia  or to donate for very worthwhile programming for those affected by aphasia and their families, please go to http://www.aphasia.ca

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An Exciting Art Event

You are warmly invited to visit the studios and homes of 18 North Toronto artists to view their latest work on display. The North Toronto Group of Artists represents local artists in various forms of visual fine arts, and reside in the North Toronto area from Wilson to Eglinton and from Avenue Rd to Mount Pleasant.

Saturday May 4 and Sunday May 5

11am - 5pm

I am located at 109 Old Orchard Grove and it would be great to see you. Check for the sign and the green balloons 416 480 2248 

For more information and a map which can be printed, open the brochure by clicking "save" on the above attachment and then "open" on the choices at the bottom of your screen.

http://www.anneneidhartart.com/

http://timeforart-anne.blogspot.com/

http://www.ntga.ca/

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Exhibition at Studio 51

Another successful show called "Group of Seven Per Artist" is ongoing at the gallery in Studio 51. in Toronto and will continue till Sunday April 20. (details in last post

Here are some photographs of the event, including some of my latest paintings.

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Welcome to an Art Show

Save this date! 

 art exhibition of paintings by 14 artists on:

Friday April 12     Opening reception   5 - 10pm

Saturday April 13                                  2 - 5pmSunday 

April 14     Tea Party                2 - 5pm

At: Studio 51  

51 Laird Dr South of Eglington on the East Side, North of Millwood

Exhibition continues through Sunday April 21 at 5pm

 Some views of last years' exhibition:

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Red White and Blue

I am currently struggling with a couple of watercolours - another "old man" and another "young people in love". To have a break, I looked over my many photographs on the computer. I was attracted to these three because of the fresh red, white and blue colouring. They remind me of how I enjoy colour in paintings and to emphasize that in my next two efforts.
Are photographs art, or just a technical exercise? I have seen some wonderful photographs in galleries recently. This is an ongoing debate in many circles. Share your thoughts.

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Are You Working Hard enough?

All serious artists suggest that in order to be a painter of any consequence, you have to paint every day, barring hurricanes or the flu. This is why we have groups that are committed to "A Painting a Day". They don't fool around by just laying down the first wash, or they certainly don't put their painting on the mantel for a week's assessment. It is common knowledge, however, that the more you paint the better your chance for success. As Aristotle said:  “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is

not an act, but a habit.” 

Here is an example of an artist that definitely works hard enough:

 Levitated Mass by Michael Heizer, 1969-2012

"Known colloquially as "the Rock," Michael Heizer's latest project wooed Southern California residents on its 105-mile journey from the Riverside rock quarry to LACMA. The closely-documented tow lasted almost two weeks, because it's top transport speed was recorded at five miles per hour. Despite its tedious haul, Heizer's boulder attracted followers, reception crowds at pit stops, and full newspaper spreads over the course of the installation. Its notoriety in recent news is only a testament to the social and art historical parallels that are exposed, as Angelenos now gather around a massive rock akin to an ancient megalithic monument."

This is one of the 50 artworks you can view on the website below. It is an interesting site for art and design news.

http://www.complex.com/art-design/2013/01/the-50-most-iconic-artworks-of-the-past-five-years/

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My Blue Period

Having just finished talking about how I "love the brilliant yellow which brightens up whatever room it is in" in my last blog I have turned to the dark side in my latest painting. I do, however, must admit that I also love this dark inky indigo blue.

                                                           

Speaking of "Blue Period" reminds me of Picasso, and that reminds me of a really bad joke:

After his wife divorced him, Joe asked his best friend, Bill, to fix him up with a blind date. Bill obliged. The next day Joe called up Bill and shouted at him angrily: "Bill, what kind of a guy do you think I am. That girl you fixed me up with was cross-eyed; she was almost bald; her nose was long, thin and crooked; she had hair growing on her face; she was flat chested; and her ankles were as thick as her thighs".

Bill answered: "Either you like Picasso, or you don't like Picasso."

(Don't blame me -  blame Picasso.)

I just learned that anyone viewing my blog, can go to the left sidebar, click on the "sidebar" heading and select other ways to view the blog eg. magazine, or mosaic etc. Give it a try.

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