René Magritte, the consummate surrealist painter, faced a question of conviction at the age of forty-four, as Europe was overwhelmed by the horrors of World War II. Already in possession of his classic style of painting, honed over the previous two decades, Magritte suddenly began to make paintings that looked almost nothing like his previous work. In this era of instability and upheaval during the German occupation of Belgium, he questioned the role of art and looked for a new direction and new meanings.
Art News
Sotheby’s October auction of Important Prints & Multiples concluded last night in New York with a $12.1 million total – Sotheby’s highest result for the category worldwide since 2010, and for New York since 2007. The group was led by Andy Warhol’s complete set of Campbell’s Soup I, which sold for $852,500 and set a new record for any set of prints featuring this signature subject. In addition to two other works by Pablo Picasso and Edvard Munch that fetched over $500,000, the auction featured 29 Picasso ceramics that totaled $495,875, with all lots sold.
As Dia de Los Muertos approaches at the end of October, art and cultural museums alike prepare to celebrate the holiday through an array of exhibits and public programs. A traditional Mexican holiday to honor and remember the dead, learning about and celebrating this day offers a unique opportunity to blend culture, art, and history while engaging with visitors in a very personal way. Here are six museums that are connecting with their communities by celebrating Dia de los Muertos.
The National Portrait Gallery’s upcoming exhibition “The Sweat of Their Face: Portraying American Workers” will present nearly 100 portrayals of laborers by some of the nation’s most influential artists. The multifaceted exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, media art and photographs that reveal how American workers have shaped and defined the United States over the course of its history—from the Colonial era to the present day.
New York – Christie’s is honored to have been entrusted with The Collection of Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass, which will be offered throughout Christie’s 20th Century Week. The most substantial grouping will lead the specially retitled Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale Including The Collection of Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass.
The griffins that adorn this 18th-century ormolu, bronze, and marble clock might be reminders of Harry Potter, but it will take someone with the purse of JK Rowling to bring it home. The clock, offered at auction by Christie's on October 24, has a pre-auction estimate of $70,000 to $100,000. This spectacular timepiece traces its roots to Dominique Daguerre, a marchand-mercier in Paris who likely commissioned this piece. The tail-tale sign are the Wedgwood insets, of which Daguerr
The Salon Art + Design will showcase fine and decorative art from an international assortment of exhibitors at its sixth annual show from November 9 through November 13, 2017, at the Park Avenue Armory, where designers will create more than 50 galleries with art in various environments, suggesting that beautiful pieces are more than simple collector's items.
Executive Director Jill Bokor recently spoke about the upcoming show and what she hopes visitors will take away from the experience.
Blood, guts, and gore are the name of the game at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, where It's Alive! Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Art from the Kirk Hammett Collection is currently on display. Perhaps better known to his fans as the lead guitarist from the heavy metal band Metallica, Kirk Hammett has also spent the past thirty years amassing a massive collection of classic science fiction and horror movies.
Launched in 2014, Miami's Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) has already outgrown its current location in the historic Moore Building, a former furniture showroom built in typical Art Deco style in 1921. As of December 1, the ICA moves into a new home built by Madrid-based architects Aranguren & Gallegos Arquitectos. Former Philadelphia Eagles owner turned philanthropist Norman Braman and his wife, Irma, fully funded the design and construction of the new building.
By now, we've all seen the devastation Harvey wrought on the city of Houston. Entire neighborhoods once inundated with water are now rapidly filling with moldy detritus pulled from homes and businesses.
Among the city's 6.4 million residents, a vibrant group of working artists live in Houston, and in Harvey's aftermath, many of those artists found their homes, workshops, and archives destroyed.
