Monday, May 05, 2008

Shopping



Andreas Gursky, 99 Cent,1999, Matthew Marks Gallery

The photograph has been manipulated to enhance the consumer experience, removing shadows, adding a mirror to the ceiling, repeating the images, and removing the shoppers.
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Friday, April 18, 2008

There He Is


Man in a House beneath a Cliff by Shitao, late 17th century, Chinese, Wang Collection, NY.

I love how abstract this is yet, the scene is perfectly straightforward when you stop and look at it.
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Monday, April 14, 2008

Can This Marriage Be Saved?


William Hogarth, The Marriage Contract, from the Marriage a la Mode series,1745, Tate Gallery, London.
The Tate is having an exhibition on Hogarth now through April 29th. Hogarth is known for his satire and was one of the most innovative artists of the 18th century. http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/hogarth/
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Saturday, April 05, 2008

More Monsters


Matthias Grunewald, The Isenheim Alterpiece (detail), c. 1510-15, Musee d'Unterlinden, Colmar, France.

A shrine with two moveable wings, the Isenheim Altarpiece contains some of the most facinating creatures ever portrayed.
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Sunday, March 23, 2008

Mad Monsters

Matthias Grunewald, detail, Isenheim Altarpiece, 1510-15
These fantastic monsters are part of oneof the most amazing pieces of art to come out of the 16th century.
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Thursday, March 13, 2008

Natural Light



Interior with a Girl at the Clavier by Wilhelm Hammershoi, Private Collection.

Hammershoi's use of crisp clean interiors with natural light recalls the 17th century work of fellow Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer. Hammershoi's model is his wife Ida whom he painted many times either from the back or in profile.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Salvaged



Section of a Stencil from the face of the Main Ceiling Trusses of the Trading Room of the Chicago Stock Exchange Building, 1893/94 designed by Adler and Sullivan and executed by Healy and Miller, The Art Institute of Chicago.

The trading room from the Chicago Stock Exchange was dismantled when the building was torn down and reconstructed at The Art Institute of Chicago. The building was torn down in 1972. It was designed by the famous Chicago architecture firm of Adler and Sullivan.