In June this year, a colossal ancient marble head was discovered in Rome. Presumably once part of a larger, full-body statue, the identity of the bust is yet to be determined. Although it was found in the forum of Trajan, it does not resemble the emperor, who reigned from AD 98-117, and might be a portrait of his predecessor Nerva. In any case, this is the latest in a series of similar finds from excavations in Trajan’s Forum, as marble heads of the god Dionysus and the emperor Augustus were unearthed nearby in 2019.
Art News
In 1943, the Uruguayan artist Joaquín Torres-García sketched a map of South America with the continent turned upside down, so that its southern tip was at the top, marked “South Pole.” Titled América Invertida, the drawing was intended as a declaration of independence for all Latin American artists, expressing the belief that in order to fulfill their destiny, they must stop seeing themselves as peripheral.
Step into the Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel in Portugal, and step back in time to the 1630s, when wine was the primary economic force in the region. Today, it's still an essential part of the economy, with imbibers coming from all corners of the globe to partake.
The title creation process for abstract art can be fascinating. Sometimes titles are chosen by a family member, agent, or gallery. But most artists title their works themselves, deliberately crafting titles that give a visual context to artworks, labeling their inspiration, or grabbing viewers' attention.
Faced with government funding cuts and mounting redevelopment expenses, the British Museum is taking a page out of the American fundraising playbook with an inaugural ball on October 18th.
Stock exchanges have been offering the public a piece of corporate earnings since the Dutch East India Company opened one in 1602, but only recently has art become a tradable security. Half a dozen or so investment firms specializing in art shares have been steadily evangelizing the potential financial benefits of owning a stake in otherwise out-of-budget works.
Born in England, formed as a surrealist in Paris, residing in Mexico since 1942, Leonora Carrington had her first solo exhibition in New York in 1948. It was held at the Pierre Matisse Gallery, arranged by her patron, Edward James, an eccentric English collector who also championed the work of Salvador Dalí.
On August 16, 1972, at Riace Marina on the south coast of the Italian boot, amateur diver Stefano Mariottini reported to the local Carabinieri station the presence of archaeological finds which he had stumbled upon while underwater fishing. Five days later, two of the most precious remnants of the ancient world emerged from the Ionian Sea: bronze giants almost two meters tall, surprisingly intact.
Known as the Renaissance's greatest sculptor, Michelangelo was often commissioned to apply his talents to other mediums such as painting and architecture.
Contemporary museums and galleries are faced with the dual challenge and opportunity of working directly with living artists to display work in a way that feels authentic to both parties. However, in an increasingly politicized and polarized world, it has become harder than ever for exhibitions to strike a mutually agreeable balance between presenting the artists’ intended messages and the ones that will keep other stakeholders happy.
