Awesome Computer Case Mods

Although not technically art for some, to me these computer case mods seem like functional and fun sculpture, enjoy!

More, including Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and Aztec themed mods found in the article here:
http://games.yahoo.com/photos/masterful-case-mods-slideshow/intro-photo-1336753435.html

May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Forever Marilyn is Leaving Chicago!

I hate to say it to the super Marilyn fans out there...but thank God!  I think this is one of the most hideous sculptures ever made, and I am glad that somebody else's city has to put up with it, her giant underpants, and all the cheesy tourist photos instead of Chicago.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Marilyn-Monroe-Statue-Leaves-Chicago-Monday-150411285.html

Or this one who says it well:
http://www.chicagonow.com/2012/05/the-marilyn-monroe-statue-is-leaving-finally-2/

May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Louise Bourgeois

Title: Maman (“Mother” in French)

Artist: Louise Bourgeois

Date: 1999

Medium & Size: Bronze, stainless steel, and marble, 29.4 x 32.2 x 38.1’ (8.95 x 9.8 x 11.6 m)

Location: Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao (Spain)

Bourgeois has said, “The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother. “

One of the best television series on contemporary art is Art21: Art in the Twenty-First Century on PBS. There is an excellent section on Louise Bourgeois that I highly recommend viewing.

Watch Identity on PBS. See more from ART:21.

May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Bacteria Cleans Art

I came across this interesting conservation article online and just had to share it with the blogosphere. Restorers have found a safe and interesting way to use bacteria to clean frescoes.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2011/2011-06-15-02.html
Art restoration expert Rosa María Montes applies bacteria to a fresco in Valencia's Church of Santos Juanes. (Photo courtesy Polytechnic University of Valencia)May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Damien Hirst: Is a Shark Art?

Damien Hirst, always controversial, and arguably artistic, made a splash (yes, pun intended) when he created his most notorious work The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living in 1991. The work consists of a tiger shark in a tank of formaldehyde solution and asks us to confront our fears of death. Whether or not it is art has been a debate since its creation; but, more recently a few years ago it re-opened the age old debate of originality and authenticity as well when the shark had to be replaced. The shark was purchased by hedge-fund manager Steve Cohen and since it was degrading in quality, i.e. disintegrating, it had to be replaced by another shark (2006).

One of the major issues we seem to have in the history of art is whether or not a work is authentic if it is not made solely by the hand of the one artist on the label (see "The Renaissance" for thousands of people who worked under one name, yes you should be detecting sarcasm), or if it's a replica/replacement then is it as valuable as the "original?" Below is a video with the curator of Contemporary Art, Gary Tinterow, at the Met in NY discussing these issues, when Mr. Hirst's work was exhibited after the replacement shark was put in its new home (2007-2010 for the exhibition).



May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Does PETA Have Too Much Free Time?

O.K. so PETA just has way too much free time on their hands! I respect the rights of people who choose to be vegetarians and care about animals and all that but, going after visual imagery in video games for promoting cruelty to animals, seriously? While we all know the strength and power that visual images can have, I think it more than fair to say that this is a ridiculous stretch of the imagination and that there are bigger fish to fry (or tofu) out there than a beloved cartoon character from a video game. Aren't there more important problems in the world than little old Mario? For more on this check out the article from yahoo, "PETA Slams Mario Over Use of a Fur Suit" written by Ben Silverman.

May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Simplicity Changed the World: the Roman Arch

Title: Pont du Gard

Date: 1st century BCE

Location: near Nimes, France

We tend to take the small things for granted in life and the art world. One innovation that truly revolutionized construction and architecture was the round stone arch. Although it had been developed earlier, about the 2nd-millennium BCE in Mesopotamia, the Romans were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures, and to tap its full potential for above ground structures.

The Pont du Gard near Nimes, France is an aqueduct: a channel constructed to supply water. However, this is no one trick pony. While the topmost layer safely and efficiently carried water down from the higher ground (can you say pricey mountain spring water?) the bottom level was wide enough to accommodate foot traffic and carts for people and soldiers that were traveling in or through the area. I found a great little video that shows you some of the features of the Pont du Gard, including some nice shots of the spaces left by the Romans to maintain the structure.



May inspiration and creativity be with you!