is just one example of a number of sites supplying online books for your reading pleasure. Many books no longer have current copyright- making them public domain and freely available to download to anyone who can source a copy. The Gutenberg project provides such texts, all free to download- ready to read on your computer, eReader, iPad or other device (even your phone!). Gutenberg Australia encompasses a wealth of texts- from the classics of fiction to early works on Australian history and genre themed reading guides.
When it comes to fame, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) strikes me as being right up there with Rembrandt in the minds of the general public. No other modernist artist comes close except, perhaps (in the USA, anyway), that other master of self-advertisement, Andy Warhol.
From what I've read, the young Picasso impressed other artists with his existing and potential talent even before he helped invent Cubism. I make no secret of my dislike for nearly all of Picasso's work, but I'm willing to explore the work he did when young as grist for speculation regarding his ability and whether or not he could have carved out a career as a representational painter.
For background and information about his early paintings, I consulted the first volume of John Richardson's uncompleted multi-volume biography of the artist.
Picasso's father was an artist and art teacher whose work Richardson considered inferior. Still, one can assume that Picasso could not have failed to absorb many nuts and bolts of the craft of oil painting by the time he entered his teens and began attempting serious work. While in his teens he received some formal training but did not go through the complete rigorous academic regimen still in place in the 1890s. He was done with schooling before he turned 19.
Now let's look at a sample of his paintings that basically can be considered representational in style; I've ordered them by year. Keep in mind that Picasso was born in late October of 1881 and do some subtracting from the painting dates to get an idea as to his age at the time.
Gallery
The Old Fisherman (Salmerón) - 1895
First Communion - 1896 Click on image for a larger, clearer view.
Altar Boy - 1896 Click on image for a larger, slightly clearer view. I saw this at the museum at Montserrat, a few miles west of Barcelona. It struck me as being smoothly painted, an attribute this reproduction fails to show.
Ciencia y Caridad (Science and Charity) - 1897 This was painted as a salon entry.
Moulin de la Galette - 1900 Painted the year Picasso first visited Paris.
Mujer en azul - 1901 Richardson suggests this painting reflects the influence of Goya.
Self-portrait (Yo Picasso) - 1901 The drawing is representational, the technique is "painterly" and the colors seem early Fauvist, even though Picasso wasn't identified with that movement. Richardson also notes (Page 417) that Picasso was never strongly interested in color -- a Spanish thing, it seems.
Woman in Mantilla (La Salchichona) - 1917 Here Picasso experiments: a smoothly-painted face contrasted with pointillist technique.
Portrait of Olga - 1917 Click on image for a larger, clearer view.
Olga Picasso - 1923 Here he was as representational as he ever got in the years following Cubism. Even so, this portrait and the one above simplify to the point where a bit too much crispness (from a reality standpoint) creeps in. This tack was taken by many artists in the 1920s and 30s wanting to introduce a whiff of modernism to their paintings. Click on image for a larger, clearer view.
Did Picasso have the Right Stuff to succeed in representational art?
I think he did, though I have trouble evaluating the ability displayed in the earliest, most representational, works. Richardson does not consider Picasso's mid-teens efforts outstanding, though he fails to offer a yardstick for this opinion.
My problem here is that I don't hang out around art schools of any kind, let alone those inhabited by 15-year-olds; I have no idea how good a painter that age might be.
The yardstick I do have is myself. At ages 15-20 I did not paint nearly as well as did Picasso, nor do I recall any fellow student who did. On the other hand, our training was close to non-existent. As best I remember, high school art classes basically were sessions where we fiddled around drawing or maybe using water-based media and the teacher's role was that of a gentle critic. College was more of the same, except that we got less than a bare minimum of instruction and also began working in oils.
It's too bad we can't invoke a parallel universe where Picasso studies at the Académie Julian under, say, William-Adolphe Bouguereau or perhaps elsewhere under Jean-Léon Gerôme or Carolus-Durand. If so, the kid coulda had a future.
Artist of the Month is a new program featuring the work of local artists, on display at Camden Council's libraries. It provides an excellent opportunity for established and emerging artists in the Camden community to display their works in either Camden or Narellan branches.
If you want to know more, call Narellan branch on (02) 4645 5039 or drop in to pick up the brochure with artist guidelines and application forms.
Nacido en Niza en 1883, Gustav Adolf Mossa, iba a tener en su padre, Alexis Mossa, ilustrador, pintor y creador de numerosos carteles para el carnaval de Niza, una de las más fuertes influencias para dedicarse a la pintura.
La inclinación hacia el arte comenzó en su temprana edad. Dice su biografía que con nueve años realizó una pintura tomando como modelo la fotografía de su progenitor.
Pertenece Gustav Adolf Mossa a ese grupo de pintores como Gustave Moreau, Edgar Maxence y algunos más que se inspiraron en el Quattrocento y en los Pre-Rafaelistas para realizar su obra.
LA DAMA Y EL JOKEY
En Mossa, además, observamos una gran influencia del Art Nouveau debido, en parte, a su formación en la Escuela Decorativa de Arte de Niza hasta el año 1900 en dónde tuvo contacto con este estilo que hacia 1890 surgiría en Europa y que, aunque conocido como Art Nouveau, tomó diferentes nombres en los distintos países europeos en los que se desarrolló y del que hablaremos en este Taller de Encuentros en futuras entradas.
EVA PANDORA
Mossa, al igual que otros simbolistas, también se inclinó hacia la literatura escribiendo obras de teatro y diversos poemas.
EL PRINCIPE DE LA ESTUPIDEZ
Su padre, además de ser de gran influencia a la hora de elegir el arte como oficio, encendió en él un interés por los paisajes de los alrededores de su Niza natal y le introdujo en el arte de la acuarela. Todo ello hizo que fuera adquiriendo una técnica fina y precisa. El primer cuadro que se podría considerar simbolista, “Salomé”, lo pintó hacia 1901.
SALOMÉ
También sería con su padre con quien viajaría a Italia. Un viaje por Padua, Mantua y Venecia que le pondría en contacto con todos los movimientos artísticos del momento.
MARIA MAGDALENA
Entre los años 1904 a 1911 gozó de un periodo muy fructífero. De esa fecha datan sus pinturas simbolistas pero también las acuarelas de paisajes, las escenas de carnaval y también mucha de su producción literaria.
PIERROT
En 1913 expone en Niza y en París toda una serie de obras inspiradas en Robert Schumann.
En toda la obra de Gustav Adolf Mossa hay múltiples referencias a los símbolos, los mitos y las fábulas.
DAVID Y BETHSABEE
Mossa trabajó en el simbolismo durante muchos años. Posteriormente descubriría el “primitivo flamenco” que haría que abandonase esa tendencia pictórica. Sus obras consideradas simbolistas fueron abundantes sobre todo en un periodo determinado, pero la mayoría se conocieron después de su muerte.
AUTORRETRATO
Gustav Adolf Mossa murió en la ciudad que le vio nacer, Niza, en 1971 dejando una obra que nos acerca mucho a ese Art Nouveau que bebió, entre otras, de las fuentes del simbolismo.
NOTA: Para mejor visualizar la fotografía “picar” con el ratón encima de las que interesen.
Para la lectura de entradas anteriores, ir a la ventana de la derecha y “picar” en los años y meses. Se desplegarán los títulos correspondientes a cada fecha.
Fuente consultadas:
El simbolismo. Michael Gibson (Edit. Taschen)
Historia Visual del Arte. Claude Fontisi (Edit. Larousse)
En el año 2004, junto a los compañeros de la empresa recuperada Cooperativa Chilavert artes gráficas, los integrantes de su centro cultural, Martín y Anita, y los alumnos del Taller de Arte Público y Muralismo de la Escuela Pública de Bellas Artes "Manuel Belgrano" organizamos la segunda versión de la jornadas de muralismo que iniciamos en 1997 con el padrinazgo de Carpani y Campodónico. Esta vez en medio de un escenario esperanzador y combativo como lo son la empresas y fábricas recuperadas. No voy a detenerme ahora en los pormenores organizativos, ni porque esto pasó inadvertido habiendo contado con la presencia y la colaboración de artistas y pensadores tan importantes como Fernando Calzoni, Raúl Ruiz, Gerardo Cianciolo, Alfredo Fernandez, el Grupo Contraluz, Juan Bauk, Patricia Aballay, Norberto Galasso, Jorge Falcone, Fernando Buen Abad, Adolfo Colombres, Carlos Juliá, el cantor Ariel Acuña y el cineasta Alejandro Fernandez Mouján entre muchos que hicieron posible este encuentro. Sólo les dejo este fragmento de la ponencia de Jorge Falcone y el link para leerla completa y el recuerdo en ella de un testimonio de épocas que superaremos, con la pétrea convicción de sólo lo haremos sin olvido ni perdón. M.C.
Ponencia para "Segundas Jornadas de Arte Público Latinoamericano - Buenos Aires- 2004" celebradas en Gráfica Chilavert Recuperada, del 12 al 16 de octubre.
Hacia una lírica de emergencia
(...)El poeta como ladrón de la imaginería popular En todo caso, la habilidad de quien ha elegido una poesía referencial como su medio de expresión será la de percibir y capturar los datos de aquella esencialidad que -según el autor de "El Principito"- sería invisible a los ojos; lo que a mi leal saber y entender, y como tantas otras cosas, se logra a fuerza de observación y trabajo. Y, lógicamente, asumiendo a la vez un compromiso afectivo con la tarea que se desea acometer. Referiré brevemente un par de ejemplos de mi cosecha a fin de aclarar lo que expongo. El primer caso vinculado a la retransmisión oral y el segundo a la vivencia directa. Mi poema titulado "Composición: La Vaca" surgió casualmente ante la sórdida descripción de un hecho acaecido en un barrio muy pobre de la Provincia de Buenos Aires durante los saqueos de 1989, el cual me fue referido con particular elocuencia por un testigo directo. El impacto emocional que me produjo la anécdota, consistente en el descuartizamiento de un animal vivo a manos de la población famélica, fue en mi tan poderoso que me indujo a contrastar violentamente la escena con aquellas ingenuas composiciones literarias que nos eran reclamadas desde una escuela primaria remota e irreal. Si tiene algún valor comunicativo, seguramente nace de semejante contraste. En él coloqué mi condimento autoral:
Composición: La vaca Señorita "Chispa" Migues, Maestra de mi primer grado: He tratado, desde aquellos días, de ser como soñaba usted. Hoy confieso, Segunda Madre, Que no me fue del todo bien. Los vigilantes no se dedican, como en las lecturas de "Agüita Clara", a cruzar la calle a las viejecitas. Los abuelos ya no comparten ni las faldas ni los cuentos sino la desesperación. Ya no canta como entonces "El sapito Glo Glo Glo". Y he sabido que Sarmiento, maestra, no sólo no faltaba nunca a clase sino que -de grande- se dedicó a regar la pampa con la sangre del criollaje. He buscado, no obstante, como se ve, mantener mi letra pareja, no comerme los mocos, y aprender de los mayores (Solo obtuve -de ese modo- historias de inconclusas gestas). De tanto en tanto He intentado, Como lo hacia en su clase, Plasmar imágenes sobre un papel. No hay caso: Me llevo mal con la belleza impuesta. Pruebo... "Composición: La vaca" Y no acude en mi auxilio La estampa bucólica de los caramelos "Cremalín", sino la bestia desaforada que empujaron a la villa en los días del saqueo, y pinto literariamente un festín dantesco de harapos, sangre y bufidos: "Clava su cornamenta en el polvo y la busca, cual plaga de langostas, un enjambre de cuchillos. Muge brutalmente y se tumba. Se yergue y huye torpemente cayendo sin tregua sobre el costado en donde hasta hace poco la sustentaba una pata. Tose muerte y se estrella contra el alambrado. Después, viejos, mujeres, y niños... Gente con hambre que danza en derredor sin que entienda. Y se la lleva de a partes". Lo sé, maestra de mi primer grado, nunca volverá usted a ponerme MUY BIEN DIEZ.-
Sta Maria entre El lucero y El ceibo Mar de las Pampas
del 27/1 al 27/2 de 2011
Horario de visitas: todos los días de 9 a 0 hrs.
El Encuentro de las Artes-Mar de las Pampas Las Gaviotas, Mar Azul- nace a partir de la necesidad de un grupo de artistas visuales de conectarse con sus pares, como un espacio donde compartir experiencias estéticas y generar una red de intercambio abriendo la propuesta a todo aquel que quiera expresarse por medio de las artes.
Las propuestas/convocatorias del Encuentro se van modificando cada año.
Esta experiencia de Libro de artista colectivo, se concretó a partir de la convocatoria que El Encuentro de las Artes (Mar Azul-Las Gaviotas-Mar de las Pampas) realizara a principios de 2010, solicitando a cada participante el envío de 80 trabajos (técnica libre, originales y/o reproducidos, iguales ó diferentes, en formato bidimensional de 10 x 15 cm ) con la temática "Encuentro", insertos dentro de una caja de madera intervenida por el mismo.
Recibidas las cajas, se procedió a mezclar los contenidos, quedando así cada una con un surtido de obra de aprox. 65 trabajos (ya que ese fue el número final de participantes)
Luego, en el marco de la muestra (que se realizó en Las Gaviotas en el mes de agosto) y por medio de sorteo, se redistribuyeron las cajas-libro entre los artistas.
Participaron en este encuentro, personas de diversos lugares de Argentina, de Brasil, Francia y USA.
Además, se dictaron las charlas "formas de encuentros en las artes visuales" (arte correo, edición alternativa, intercambio de tarjetas artísticas)a cargo de los artistas plásticos Alejandra Bocquel y Fabián Zanardini y "acerca de la categoría objeto en las artes visuales" a cargo del artista plástico Norberto José Martínez. Y se realizó la muestra de las banderas intervenidas a partir de la convocatoria "Celebrando el bicentenario" de la artista Silvia Calvo. Deseamos que el Encuentro de las Artes siga creciendo año a año, que se acerquen todos los que quieren participar, que se difunda para que podamos mostrar que en este lugar que amamos, arte y naturaleza son nuestros mayores tesoros. Sí, somos utópicos, un poco locos, soñadores, amantes del arte, discutidores, guerreros de la paz, ecológicos, enamorados de nuestros bosques y nuestras playas, pero sobre todo amigos y guardianes de la alegría de encontrarnos en el arte.
Hosts Arrive by Kirsten Borror 2000 Mixed Media 5x7
One of the names of God in the Old Testament is the Lord of Hosts. Hosts here translates "armies". The Lord commands ministering spirits for His children. We see this in 2 Kings chapter 6 which records the story of Elisha and his servant being surrounded by the vast Syrian army.
2Kings 6:15-17 [And Elisha’s servant] said to Elisha, Oh, Master, what will we do now? And Elisha answered, Fear not: for there are more on our side than those who are against us. And Elisha prayed, Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see. Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
I suppose it's nice to be one of those souls who don't mind making fools of themselves. Me? -- I try my best to avoid doing anything where my abilities are below average unless the outcome is so important that I'm willing to grit my teeth and suffer the learning curve.
Fortunately for we the talentless, American culture has degenerated to the point where one doesn't have to be skilled in order to participate or even succeed in fields of endeavor that are called "arts" -- the expansion of the definition of that term might be yet another symptom of our decline, but I'll leave that matter for another time.
Consider the following items.
Some hold teaching to be a kind of applied art. I'd call it a craft, but let's go along with the notion that there can be an art to it. Primary and secondary school teachers for the most part cannot get their jobs unless they have had a certain amount of training and practice in teaching. Presumably, therefore, they have acquired a set of teaching-related skills before becoming professional teachers.
On the other hand, most people who teach in universities lack any training in pedagogy: all they need is a Ph.D. in a field of specialization. Or perhaps not even that. As a graduate student, I had to lead "quiz sections" for an introductory Sociology course. I knew zilch about how to teach: whatever knowledge I had of teaching was from the perspective of having been a student for many, many years. I'm convinced I seriously short-changed all those super-sharp Ivy League students, including one who was the daughter of a sitting Supreme Court justice.
Literature is considered an art, though it can be difficult to pin down where it leaves off and ordinary writing begins. And writing itself doesn't require training beyond the set of skills required to make one considered "literate." Sure, there are college courses dealing with writing not to mention writers' workshops and the like. Yet none of these purportedly advanced forms of training are essential to becoming a writer of some sort. After all, just about anyone can start his own blog: I did.
Then there is dancing. The highfalutin' form is The Dance, but up until the mid-1950s even ordinary social dancing required the ability to execute dance steps. These included the waltz three-beat step, the four-beat foxtrot step and others. And there were "fad" dances that popped up every few years. Somebody would concoct a set of dance steps and perhaps other actions, come up with a catchy song extolling the dance and then hope both the song and the dance would become popular.
Nowadays, unless you are into Serious Tango or something similar, going dancing usually means dealing with some kind of rock-based music -- and no set dance steps. What one does is stand away from his partner and gesticulate as best he can to the tempo of the music. The skill level in this is minimal.
Time was, there was singing. To be a decent singer required a sense of pitch, a pleasing voice and perhaps formal training incorporating skills in phrasing, breathing and voice projection. Today, we have rap. Rap strikes me as closer akin to crude chant than singing. I suppose rap makes use of some skills, but you don't need to be able to sing at all to become a rapper, record your performances and become filthy rich.
A subject dear to this blog is painting, so let's consider the genre of Abstract Expressionism which is still practiced by many artists more than half a century after its heyday. Becoming a good abstract painter requires some skills in the areas of composition and color handling, among others. But there is one traditional graphic arts skill totally unnecessary: draftsmanship.
The Local Studies room in Camden Library contains information relating to the people, the environment, the geography and the history of Camden.
Local Studies collect and preserve Camden's history so that it is available to current and future researchers and the community.
Local Studies is an invaluable resource for:
School students
Historical researchers
University and TAFE students
Family Historians
Businesses
Local community groups
The collection contains items of current or historical significance to the local area in a variety of formats includin: books, periodicals, newspapers, audio-visual meterials, microfilm and pamphlets housed in the Local Studies room at Camden library. The collection is for use in the library but duplicate copies of some items are available for loan.
Discover, imagine and explore Camden Library and Camden Museum with 'Mini Discoverers'. Join us at Camden Library on Tuesday the 8th of February for an exciting adventure exploring both the past and present of our world. A free hour of stories, craft and songs in which children get to play with, touch and see items in Camden Museum from 11am. For further details view the Mini Discoverer's brochure.
Places are limited so booking is essential. Call the Camden branch on 4654 7951 to book in your child.
Segovia is worth a visit if you like picturesque cities and architecture. It lies about an hour's drive to the north-northwest of Madrid, so doesn't present a large detour when trip planning. However, it deserves a minimum of half a day's time on-site, and I'd set aside an entire day to do the project justice.
Like most places in Europe, there's a new city and an old city. The old city lies atop a mesa that has been described as boat-shaped and the modern city occupies low-lying ground and nearby rounded hills. Connecting the nearest hill and the old city is an aqueduct built by the Romans that was still in service in the 19th century.
The old city has lots of narrow, winding streets, a few plazas, a fine semi-gothic cathedral and, at the sharp end of the mesa (dare I call it the "prow"?) is a Viollet-le-Duc style (though he wasn't involved here) restored Alcazar, or fortress-castle.
Aside from a few glimpses of the latter, the photos below deal with less imposing buildings found around the old city. The pictures were taken last October and are not adjusted in any way. They are concerned with various kinds of texturing found on those structures. This detailing fascinated me, and I hope you too will be interested.
This is a tower on the Alcazar, the pointed top probably a feature concocted during the 19th century restoration. Regardless of its provenance, it has a romantic flair. Note the variation in the top's cladding.
This shows part of the Alcazar's wall. See how the stonework varies near the wall's intersection with the structures at the left.
A room in the Alcazar.
Now we switch to old city street views. The projecting window can be found here and there in Spain. The one shown here is actually an enclosed balcony. I speculate that it has to do with the comparatively harsh winters experienced in the high country of central Spain; it makes a balcony useful year-round. Note the textured wall on the left. This is characteristic of Segovia. The following photos show some of the variety in textures I saw.
The picture immediately above shows a texture pattern unusual for Segovia. It's too much of a not-so-good idea, but fortunately is contrasted by the large expanse of plain stonework on the arch over the door.
What's interesting here is something I noticed in Segovia, though it might be elsewhere in Spain. It's how the roof tiles are laid. Such tiles are conventionally laid with the rounded part facing upwards on the topmost layer of tile: call it convex. But here it's the reverse. Aside from some decorative bands, the tiles are laid in a concave position.
This photo doesn't have much to do with texture. I include it because I find it charming.
This was the ultimate in texture-mix in the collection of photos I took. Half-timbering, detailing on metal gates, two kinds of brickwork, cut stone, rubbled stone -- a feast! Click on the image for a slightly larger view.
Opening on January 29th, 2011; exhibition continues to February 26th at A1 Neeti Bagh, New Delhi.
Nature Morte is pleased to present a solo exhibition of the New Delhi artist duo Thukral & Tagra. The exhibition continues from their 2007 solo exhibition (“Put It On,” Bose Pacia, New York) with a body of work that addresses the themes of safe sex practices and increased sexual activity among Indian youth, against the backdrop of traditional perceptions of sexuality and the increased representation of sexualized bodies within the Indian media landscape. With their characteristic use of pop culture imagery, graphic pizzazz, seductive colors, sardonic wit and insightful juxtapositions, Thukral & Tagra will address deadly serious subjects through a humorous façade, employing paintings, consumer products and sculptural installations in the mix.
Camden and Narellan branches are closed tomorrow on Australia day.
Australia day commerates the landing of the First Fleet on Sydney Cove on January 26th, 1788. This celebration has its roots in small celebrations given by Governor Macquarie in 1808.
At times Australia Day is controversial - with alternative labels such as Invasion Day and Survival Day, dating back as early as the 1940s from both Aboriginal and colonial parties. Regardless, Australia Day marks a powerful focal point in the Australian spirit- a courageous willingness to look critically on the past, and an indefatigable tendency to take the best from that past as the fuel for the future's national identity.
As a small freebie for iPad and iPhone users, we've found this free copy of the Australian constitution available free to anyone who would like to view the core legislation that defined Australia's spirit.
Francis Picabia (1879-1953) was something of a modernist gadfly, taking on this movement and that before reverting to representational work for a considerable stretch of his career. This is summarized here in his Wikipedia entry.
Picabia is yet another member of the circa-1880 generation of painters (Pablo Picasso was another) who was aware of modernism yet received at least some traditional training before cutting loose on the exiting adventure of rejecting the past in favor of an innovative future.
In case you are not familiar with his modernist paintings, here are two examples.
Dances at the Spring - 1912
Balance - c.1919
And here are two landscapes that predated his move to modernism.
Riverbank - 1905
Sunlight on the Bank of the Loing River, Moret - 1905
As mentioned above, Picabia largely set aside modernism for a while. At first, he painted a number of works that were figurative, yet included modernist-seeming embellishments. By the early 1940s he did a large number of paintings of female nudes where poses were taken from a French magazine of the 1930s that featured girlie photos. Even a self-portrait was photo-based, as is shown below.
Mi - c.1929
Self-Portrait
Photo source for self-portrait
Viareggio - 1938
L'Espagnole - 1938
Deux nus - c.1940
This series is based on the question of how good a representational artist the modernist might have become had he never "gone modern." In Picabia's case, I see little evidence to indicate that he would have been more than a journeyman realist.
