The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Wednesday, August 24, 2022

 
Museum of the Bible returns ancient gospel looted from Greek monastery

The Museum of the Bible returned a gospel that is more than a thousand years old to the Greek Orthodox Church after determining it had been looted. Photo: Museum of the Bible.

by Jane Arraf


NEW YORK, NY.- The Museum of the Bible in Washington, which has been working to regain credibility by giving back tainted objects in its collection, returned a handwritten gospel that is more than 1,000 years old to the Greek Orthodox Church on Tuesday afternoon after determining that it had been looted from a Greek monastery during World War I. The museum said that it transferred the artifact, which its founders acquired at a Christie’s auction in 2011, to an Eastern Orthodox Church official in a private ceremony in New York. The manuscript is to be repatriated next month to the Kosinitza Monastery in northern Greece, where it had been used in liturgical services for hundreds of years before it was stolen by Bulgarian forces in 1917. The return was in line with the Museum of the Bible’s policy in recent years of investigating the provenance of its entire collection after early acquisitions by its founders, the owners of the Hobby Lobby craft store chain, were found to include thousands of ... More



The Best Photos of the Day
Best Photos of the Day
Artemis Gallery will hold its HOT-HOT-HOT Ancient, Ethnographica, Fine Art sale on Aug 25, 2022 9:00 AM GMT-5. With no end in sight to the stifling summer heat, here are some sweltering selections from both torrid and sultry geographic regions around the world! 9th C. Islamic Abbasid Vellum Qur'an Page w/ Kufic. Estimate $6,000 - $9,000.






Once more into the vaults: Blondie on the music that defined its legacy   Bertoia's to auction long-held Bill and Stevie Weart antique toy collection in special Sept. 8-9 Signature Auction   The Vancouver Art Gallery presents 'Uninvited: Canadian Women Artists in the Modern Moment'


Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and their bandmates built a career rooted in wit, excitement, pastiche and sex. A new boxed set, “Against the Odds: 1974-1982,” traces their journey.

NEW YORK, NY.- As Chris Stein searched for rare recordings to include in “Against the Odds: 1974-1982,” a handsome chronicle of the new wave band Blondie’s emergence from underdogs to pop stars, he rummaged diligently inside a packed barn on his property near Woodstock and — “I don’t have a barn,” Stein exclaimed in a recent interview, in a tone that was exasperated but also comedic. “The boxed set says I have a barn?” He sighed. “It’s a garage.” Up in the Blondie stratosphere, something has always gone wrong, even when things were going right. “Against the Odds,” out Friday, documents a volatile timeline of massive chart successes accompanied by personal and professional missteps. “I mean, missteps is an understatement,” Debbie Harry said with a chortle. In an hourlong video conversation, Stein, 72, who plays guitar and functions as the abstract mastermind of Blondie, and Harry, 77, the alluring singer who fronts the ban ... More
 

Hubley cast-iron ‘Say It With Flowers’ delivery motorcycle, 10in long, the book example depicted in Bill and Stevie Weart’s ‘Cast Iron Automotive Toys’ (2000) reference book. Rare all-original toy in excellent to pristine condition. Estimate $15,000-$25,000.

VINELAND, NJ.- On September 8-9, Bertoia’s will auction the antique toy collection of the late Bill and Stevie Weart, a couple whose contributions to the toy hobby were immense. Anyone who ever had the privilege of visiting the Wearts at their magnificent home in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was left with the impression that they had witnessed something exceptional for these times. Their gracious three-story residence, which was situated in a tranquil parklike setting, visually reflected what was most important to them in a home: fine architecture, tasteful furnishings, a garden that beckoned wild birds, and most of all, an interior design plan that prioritized the display of their spectacular toy collection. In every room on every floor, there were custom-built showcases. Bill, a former executive engineer with Ford Motor Company, designed them solely to accommodate their precious ... More
 

Paraskeva Clark, Self-Portrait, 1931–32, oil on cardboard, Collection of Museum of London, Ontario, © Estate of Paraskeva Clark.

VANCOUVER, BC.- The Vancouver Art Gallery presents Uninvited: Canadian Women Artists in the Modern Moment, a major exhibition gathering more than 200 works of art by a generation of extraordinary painters, photographers, weavers, bead workers and sculptors. Focusing on the 1920s, 30s and 40s, Uninvited foregrounds the production of women artists from across the country, providing a broad and diverse account of female creativity in Canada during this pivotal modern moment a century ago. In this monumental exhibition, organized by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, audiences will see the work of women from all parts of our nation as they respond to a period of dramatic, and sometimes traumatic, change. Rather than pursuing the calling of landscape painting prevalent among their male peers, settler women artists in this period are notable for tackling such themes as portraiture and human psychology, urbanization, ... More


Cincinnati Art Museum rediscovers a national treasure in storage for more than 50 years   SF Camerawork to open new space in Fort Mason Center   John Hansard Gallery presents Tangled Hierarchy, curated by Jitish Kallat


Buddhist Bronze Mirror, 15–16th century, China or Japan, bronze, Source Unknown, 1961.2.

CINCINNATI, OH.- Mirror, mirror on the wall—what is the rarest artwork of them all? In spring 2021, while conducting research on an ancient artwork in the museum’s collection since 1961, Cincinnati Art Museum’s Curator of East Asian Art, Dr. Hou-mei Sung, made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. Under special lighting conditions, a plain-looking bronze mirror from the 16th century reflects to reveal an image of a Buddha surrounded by numerous emanating rays of light. This “magic” mirror will be on display beginning July 23, 2022, for the world to finally see. Known as “magic” or “transparent” or “light penetrating” (透光鏡) mirrors, these types of artworks were first created in China during the Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE). When light is projected on them, the mirrors appear transparent and reveal characters or a decorative design. “This is a national treasure fo ... More
 

Kija Lucas, In Search of Home Bay Area 586, 2021. Archival Pigment Print, 24 x 20 inches, edition of 5. Courtesy of the artist.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- SF Camerawork announced it will open a new space at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture (FMCAC) this September. The 1,900-square-foot space features a large ground-floor gallery and a mezzanine dedicated to the organization’s administrative offices. Previously located on Market Street, the opening at Fort Mason Center reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to being an integral part of the San Francisco arts community, and to introducing new audiences to thought-provoking and boundary-pushing photography. Located in Fort Mason Center’s historic Landmark Building A and featuring panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the new headquarters for SF Camerawork will allow the organization to further its engagement with photographic artists and arts community members, ... More
 

Tangled Hierarchy opened at John Hansard Gallery on 2nd June 2022, marking 75 years to the day since this momentous meeting.

SOUTHAMPTON.- John Hansard Gallery, part of the University of Southampton, is presenting Tangled Hierarchy, an exhibition that centres on a collection of five humble yet remarkable used envelopes. Each envelope is addressed to Mahatma Gandhi and all are now carefully conserved within the Mountbatten Archive at the University of Southampton. On Monday, June 2, 1947, Lord Louis Mountbatten (the newly appointed Viceroy of India) met with Mahatma Gandhi to discuss the imminent partition of the Indian subcontinent, a proposition strongly opposed by Gandhi. As a consequence of Gandhi undertaking a vow of silence on Mondays, he communicated with Mountbatten by writing notes on the backs of used envelopes, which are now the only surviving record of their exchange. Tangled Hierarchy opened on June 2, ... More



Yi Gallery is presenting Figuration, an extraordinary body of new paintings by GJ Kimsunken   Katonah Museum of Art presents 'Tradition Interrupted'   Compton Verney examines and enjoys artists' use of colour


Installation view.

BROOKLYN, NY.- In his work, Kimsunken asks questions about human existence: who are we, why are we and what are we for? Generally, he titles each work Figuration. The new works represent a significant departure from his previous series and are an exciting development in his continuing interest in and investigation into human figuration. Kimsunken still methodically primes the canvas with gesso, which he then covers in multiple layers of oil paint, giving the surfaces an otherworldly luminescence, as well as substantial weight. Despite his compositions’ reductive, abstract appearance – achieved by scraping away paint from the canvas – Kimsunken’s paintings represent the human figure.To the artist, this method is very much the most direct way of mark-making and is related to the core theme of his work - arousing the human condition - leading to the question of human salvation. Kimsunken’s non-descriptive figure paintings occupy a singular space ... More
 

Remy Jungerman, Pimba AGIDA VIII, 2020 (detail), Cotton textile, kaolin (pimba) on wood panel (plywood), 75.6 x 75.6 inches (192 x 192 cm).

KATONAH, NY.- The artists of Tradition Interrupted are merging age-old media and technique with innovation, and re-visioning culturally historic ideas to create new work that interrupt traditional practice but still collaborates with the past. For generations, traditional craft and art practices held steadfast and often visually defined a culture. Today, artists are unraveling certain traits and facets of these ancient customs to redefine or reclaim them for the contemporary world. For many of the artists in Tradition Interrupted, everyday objects are sources of powerful agency to recall memories in danger of being forgotten, or to call into question revisionist histories. Many of the artists work in a conceptually “uncomfortable” space with the traditions and theories of their past as they create hybrid artworks that address contemporary concepts and concerns Tradition Interrupted ... More
 

Installation view, David Batchelor: Colour Is at Compton Verney. Photography by Jamie Woodley.

COMPTON VERNEY.- Throughout 2022, Compton Verney is exploring, examining and enjoying artists’ use of colour. With David Batchelor: Colour Is, the Warwickshire art gallery is hosting the first large-scale survey of the Scottish artist and writer’s work spanning four decades. Throughout his career, David Batchelor (b.1955) has been concerned, predominantly, with colour. His work reflects both a delight in the myriad hues of the modern urban environment and an inquiry into the nature of our rapidly changing surroundings. Batchelor works in a variety of media, including sculpture, installations, drawing, painting, photography and animation. He has also written a number of books, including Chromophobia (2000), which looks at changing Western attitudes to colour. Colour Is invites visitors to explore galleries filled with a diverse range of artworks - nearly 200 in all - from across Batchelor’s career. In ... More


Marc Swanson's 'A Memorial to Ice at the Dead Deer Disco' on view at the Thomas Cole Site   ICA Miami launches new podcast series; Marine archeology, rising sea levels, in season one   Weatherspoon Art Museum announces summer exhibitions


Installation view.

CATSKILL, NY.- A Memorial to Ice at the Dead Deer Disco is a new series of installations by Catskill, NY-based artist Marc Swanson inspired by the artwork and writings of Thomas Cole (1801-1848). A Memorial to Ice is jointly presented at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site and MASS MoCA. The companion exhibitions are curated by Denise Markonish, Senior Curator and Director of Exhibitions at MASS MoCA. The companion exhibitions are Marc Swanson’s most ambitious installations yet and consist of sculptures and environments that look at the relationships between humans, culture, and the natural world. Swanson is creating a series of sculptures based loosely on dioramas and nature displays, as well as old Hollywood glamor, gravestones, and memorial monuments. The works exist as both memorial and monument aligning climate change with the AIDS crisis. Swanson is interested in the fact that we seem to be living in ... More
 

The four information-packed episodes in season one look at oceans as a source of knowledge and considers its symbolic and historical meaning across many cultures and communities.

MIAMI, FL.- Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami launched the inaugural season of Tomorrow is the Problem, a new podcast series that approaches the urgent issues of our time by unearthing the hidden meaning behind everyday phenomenon. The four information-packed episodes in season one look at oceans as a source of knowledge and considers its symbolic and historical meaning across many cultures and communities, and through the lenses of climate activism, marine archeology, Afrofuturism, and more. Tomorrow is the Problem builds on ICA Miami’s robust program of digital initiatives, designed to engage audiences around the world with the cutting-edge ideas explored in ICA Miami’s in-person exhibitions and programs. The platform is spearheaded by the museum’s ... More
 

Ernst Barlach, Riding Urian (the Devil), 1922–23, from Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night). Woodcut on paper, edition of 120, 11 1/2 x 9 3/8 in. Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro. Museum purchase with funds from the Benefactors Fund, 1976.2362.

GREENSBORO, NC.- The Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNC Greensboro shared new exhibitions this summer. The Eye and the Ear: Animations by Mary Ellen Bute (May 14–September 10, 2022) and Bestiary: Animals as Symbols and Metaphors (June 11–December 3, 2022). From the mid-1930s to mid-1950s, artist Mary Ellen Bute produced more than a dozen pioneering animations that sought to allow viewers to see sound. Born and raised in Texas, Bute left home at sixteen to study painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Frustrated by the limitations of working on canvas, she learned stage lighting at Yale University before moving to New York where she forged collaborative relationships with innovators across professional ... More




Faith Ringgold: American Story



More News

Vienna Design Week 2022 to be held September 16-25
VIENNA.- Vienna Design Week is Austria's most important multidisciplinary and curated design festival. Beyond the interest in the design of products, it poses the question of what role the work of designers* plays for the coexistence in the city and worldwide. Preparations for the 16th edition of the festival are ongoing and there is a lot to report in the meantime. The festival moves its focus around the city from edition to edition, changing its main venue every year. In 2022 the Focus District is Mariahilf – the sixth district of Vienna. The festival takes place from September 16 to 25 at numerous locations in the focus district and throughout all of Vienna. The projects selected for the Urban Food & Design challenges and the social design format Stadtarbeit were announced recently. In addition to the local and content-related highlights of Vienna Design Week, ... More

'Infinite Beauty' exhibition explores artists fascination with nature opens 9 September at The Arc, Winchester
WINCHESTER.- Infinite Beauty is a unique exhibition that investigates the enduring appeal of nature as a subject for leading contemporary artists. Victorian art critic John Ruskin (1819-1900) promoted nature as an inexhaustible source of truth and beauty, and this exhibition demonstrates that for many contemporary artists this is still very much the case. Exploring the way in which artists interact with natural materials, forms and phenomena: plants, animals, habitats and the wider landscape, Infinite Beauty features an eclectic mix of photography, painting, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture, helping us to take a fresh look at our relationship with nature. Works by leading artists such as Andy Goldsworthy, Chris Drury, Elisabeth Frink, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Maggi Hambling, Richard Long, Juliette Losq, Darren Almond and Dan Holdsworth will transport visitors ... More

University At Buffalo Art Galleries announce appointment of Anna Wager as Curator of Exhibitions
BUFFALO, NY.- University at Buffalo Art Galleries announced the new appointment of Anna Wager, Ph.D. as Curator of Exhibitions. The interdisciplinary search committee comprised of staff and faculty selected Wager for her experience with curating both from collections and working with contemporary artists in an academic setting. UB Art Galleries Director and search committee chair Robert Scalise stated, “We’re thrilled and delighted that Wager has joined our team. She brings important experience of working with art historical research, contemporary artists, and connecting students to the work.” As Curator of Exhibitions, Wager will conceptualize and implement UB Art Galleries’ exhibitions and programs of contemporary art with a commitment to supporting art and ideas that are urgent and relevant to our time and place. “I am excited to be joining, ... More

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art announces key appointments
HARTFORD, CONN.- The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art has announced the appointment of two new members of its senior leadership team: April Swieconek as Director of Marketing and Communications and Sharmin Mahmud Price as Director of Advancement. Swieconek is a seasoned communications professional with a wealth of experience in both commercial and nonprofit organizations, much of it in support of art museums in the United States and internationally. Most recently she served as Director of Communications for the Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, where she was responsible for developing and implementing strategic communications plans encompassing a wide range of audiences and stakeholders, coordinating content across print, digital, social and other media. Price is a highly skilled development ... More

SJ Auctioneers announces Silver, Collectibles, Toys & Décor auction
BROOKLYN, NY.- SJ Auctioneers will bid farewell to summer and greet early fall with a Silver, Collectibles, Toys & Décor auction on Sunday, September 11th, beginning at 4 pm Eastern time. The 248-lot, online-only auction serves the needs of collectors and gift retailers alike and features a wide variety of items, many of them hard-to-find, for just about everyone. The catalog is packed with jewelry, silverware and collectibles from artists, designers and silversmiths such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Dominick & Haff, Jose Hess, Emile Delaire, Gorham, Movito, Reed & Barton, Watson, Wallace, Wm. B. Kerr, Daum pate de verre, Lalique, Sackermann Hessenberg & Co., Vetreria Murano, Steuben, Baccarat and Herend. Toys and trains will be led by makers such as American Flyer, Lionel, Buddy L, Lesney, Nintendo, Tootsietoy, Matchbox and Tonka. Old Disney ... More

Getty Museum's YouTube Series Becoming Artsy returns
LOS ANGELES, CA.- The Getty Museum announced the return of Becoming Artsy, a YouTube series hosted by Jessie Hendricks, senior creative producer at Getty. The first episode of the new season, Jousting, is now available to stream. New episodes of Becoming Artsy will be released every other Tuesday. In season one of Becoming Artsy, which launched in fall 2021, Jessie took viewers on a dynamic ride through Getty Museum collections, laboratories, gardens, and more, while interviewing various Getty professionals. As a newcomer to the art world, Jessie provides an entertaining, relatable perspective while venturing into new territory along with viewers. While the first season was more of an introduction to Getty and its many programs, season two will dive even deeper with topics that illuminate the intersection of art and science, including ... More

Kate Berlant can't hide any longer
NEW YORK, NY.- As soon as Kate Berlant walked offstage at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles in May, she started spiraling. After months of workshop performances, her new solo show felt like a mess. Comic Tim Heidecker came backstage and told her he loved it. She didn’t look like she believed him. Over the next few minutes, Berlant, 35, speculated about what went wrong. Lack of focus? Not funny enough? Her sensibility not coming through? Her director, comic Bo Burnham, had been emphasizing the same point: clarity, structure, clarity, structure. “I operate more with fragments,” she said, before her expressive face flattened. “I just don’t know what the show is.” Such anxiety is a normal part of the artistic process, but perhaps especially so for Berlant, whose show, titled “Kate,” is now in previews at the Connelly Theater in New York. After more ... More

1927-D Double Eagle, from Bob R. Simpson Collection, sells for record $4.44 million at Heritage US Coins Auction
DALLAS, TX.- An exceedingly rare 1927-D Double Eagle MS66 PCGS, part of The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part IX, soared to a record $4.44 million at Heritage Auctions US Coins Signature® Auction. The result shattered the previous record for the 1927-D Double Eagle of $2.16 million at Heritage’s FUN US Coins Signature Auction in January 2020. “We expected the strength of the $20 Saint market to continue into the sale of Mr. Simpson’s collection, but certain results still far exceeded our estimates,” Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Todd Imhof said. “What was most remarkable to me about the $4.44 million sale was the fact Heritage delivered at least five bidders on the 1927-D $20 who remained engaged ... More

The Native Land Conservancy selected as a beneficiary of the 35th Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla
PROVINCETOWN, MASS.- The Provincetown Community Compact, sponsor of the 35th Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, announced the inclusion of the Native Land Conservancy as a beneficiary of this year’s Swim on September 10. The Compact has acknowledged the ancient lands of Wampanoag Nation on Cape Cod for many years and is pleased to financially support the important work of the Native Land Conservancy (NLC). “We are moved and grateful to be included in Swim for Life this year. Supporting one another through community events both brings us closer and makes us stronger” states NLC Director, Diana Ruiz. Based in Mashpee and operating regionally, its mission is to rescue, ... More


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Indigo Waves and Other Stories

Carolina Caycedo

Embodied Knowledge

MAGELLAN


Flashback
On a day like today, German-born photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt died
August 24, 1995. Alfred Eisenstaedt (December 6, 1898 - August 24, 1995) was a German-born American photographer and photojournalist. He is best known for his photograph of the V-J Day celebration and for his candid photographs, frequently made using a 35mm Leica camera. In this image: Harold Gray, chairman of the board of United Technologies Corp., points to a print as he discusses the photo with photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt at Manhattan’s International Center for Photography in New York in Jan. 22, 1981. The display of photographs titled “Eisenstaedt Germany” was organized by the Smithsonian Institution of Washington and made possible by United Technologies.

  
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