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ART talks directory
Crowd at a Secret Walls Halloween Battle at SW HQ in Los Angeles, 2023 Credit_ Mike Castro
Secret Walls: “What began as a grassroots experiment has grown into a global art movement.“
Action, booming beats, passion, creativity. NFT battles, mural battles, art parties, streetwear, street art - all this awaits spectators when they encounter the productions of the English art group Secret Walls. However, Secret Walls is not about light-hearted fun; the founders want to utilise the power of live art as a cultural force and catalyst for social change. An exclusive interview with the UK art group Secret Walls, now based in LA.
Most people are strongly attracted to artists and their freedom, but what sets Secret Walls apart is the high level of energy, almost magic, that the performances evoke in the audience. Launched in 2006, Secret Walls has become a worldwide phenomenon, pitting both established and emerging artists against each other in a live painting battle to create a masterpiece on a blank canvas. Each round lasts 90 minutes. The artwork created during this time will be judged by a panel of experts and the audience. This is followed by another round and the process continues until a champion is crowned.
Secret Walls claims to be the world's first live art competition. Its founder is Terry Guy, who founded Secret Walls after working in the art industry for decades. Kevin Collins is the CEO of Secret Walls. Collins is all about using the power of live art as a cultural force and catalyst for social change. The first competition was held in a bar in East London in 2006. Such enthusiasm did not go unnoticed by the retail industry for long and some of the SW events are now organised with high profile partners such as Adidas and Nike. Since 2016, there has also been the SW HQ in Harvard Heights in Los Angeles, where Team SW's creative studio and a shared studio for the artists and fans are located.
22. September 2024
TRENDING
Key Visual, BE.LIKE.ME. Social Media und ich – Created with Midjourney by Naroska, 2024
Dr. Susanne Rockweiler: Unser Ziel ist es, die Suchtpräventionsarbeit zu ergänzen und inmitten der Gesellschaft zu platzieren.
Neues Projekt der außergewöhnlichen Stiftung Welt der Versuchungen mit Sitz in Erfurt. Ziel der 2021 gegründeten Stiftung, deren Ansatz europaweit einzigartig ist, wird es sein, die Suchtpräventionsarbeit zu ergänzen und auch mit künstlerischen Ansätzen in die Mitte der Gesellschaft zu stellen.
Mit ihrer zweiten Ausstellung will die Stiftung das Alltagsphänomen Social Media thematisieren. Bekanntlich boomen Social-Media-Apps seit den 2000er Jahren und durchdringen die Menschen beruflich und privat. Doch was passiert, wenn daraus eine „Sucht“ wird? Social Media, so Chefkuratorin Dr. Susanne Rockweiler, bietet natürlich Chancen, verlangt den Menschen aber auch psychisch, physisch und in Bezug auf die Persönlichkeitsrechte sehr viel ab.
11. September 2024
TOPIC OF THE YEAR
Mischa Kuball, missing link_, Düsseldorf, 2023 (c) VG Bild-Kunst Bonn, 2022 Foto: Achim Kukulies
Mischa Kuball: „Meine Arbeit steht für Toleranz, Aufklärung und ein interreligiöses Zusammenleben.“
Im November 1938 wurde die Große Synagoge in der Kasernenstraße in Düsseldorf in Brand gesetzt. Nach dem Krieg kehrten nur 57 jüdische Bürger nach Düsseldorf zurück und gründeten die Jüdische Gemeinde Düsseldorf. Im Jahr 2023 überschlugen sich die Ereignisse. Der 7. Oktober führte zu Demonstrationen gegen Israel in der Stadt und zu zahlreichen Unterstützungserklärungen für das Bündnis mit Israel von Seiten der Stadt. Das bedeutendste Projekt und wohl auch das wichtigste Kunstprojekt der Stadt in diesem Jahr dürfte das Werk „missing link_“ des Düsseldorfer Künstlers Mischa Kuball sein. „missing link_“ wurde am 9. November um 22.30 Uhr eingeschaltet. Das Kuunstwerk wird demnächst wieder abgebaut, um die temporäre Installation in ein dauerhaftes Kunstwerk zu verwandeln. In diesem Interview verrät der Künstler, wie man sich das neue „missing link_“ vorstellen kann.
15. April 2024
The Atrium in Aga Khan Museum ©Toni Hafkenscheid
Aga Khan Museum Associate Curator Bita Pourvash and Special Projects Curator Marianne Fenton: “We see not only with our eyes, but also with our hearts and minds.”
On its 10th anniversary, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto goes back to its founding idea. His Highness the Aga Khan gave the architect Fumihiko Maki the vision that the museum should be built around the theme of light. The new "Light: Visionary Perspectives" exhibition sheds light on the omnipresence and impact of light. Artworks by Olafur Eliasson, Kimsooja and Anish Kapoor, among others, take visitors on a fascinating exploration of the meaning of light and its significance as a unifying symbol for the world. Opened in 2014, the Museum houses a collection of art and artefacts depicting the history of Muslim civilisations from the 9th to the 21st century. Dr Ulrike Al-Khamis, Director and CEO of the Aga Khan Museum: "This exhibition reminds us of the power of light over darkness and the crucial role of creativity in showing us new, hopeful horizons. At the same time, this exhibition reflects our ongoing mission and vision, reminding us that art has the unrivalled power to shine a light on all that we share and bring us together in peace and hope." We spoke to Associate Curator Bita Pourvash and Special Projects Curator Marianne Fenton about the exhibition and the fascinating ways in which the artwork resonated with the theme.
© LVR-LandesMuseum,
Dr. Christoph Schmälzle: "Im Spiegel der Kunst werden viele Veränderung unserer Lebenswelt deutlich – und zugleich dokumentiert die Kunst auch zeitgebundene Perspektiven auf diese Veränderungen."
Das LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn gab kürzlich den Erwerb eines bedeutenden Gemäldes zur Industriekultur von Conrad Felixmüller bekannt. Das Gemälde „Kind vor einem Hochofen“ aus dem Jahr 1927 zeigt den Blick eines Kindes auf die „Hasper Hütte“, das ehemalige Hochofenwerk der Klöckner-Werke AG in Hagen-Haspe.
Das „Kind vor einem Hochofen“ von Conrad Felixmüller thematisiert die Frage nach der Zukunft und dem Schauwert der Industrie und ist deshalb wertvoll für die Sammlung, sagt Dr. Christoph Schmälzle vom LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn im Interview. Wichtig sei auch sein Platz in der Weimarer Republik, als Symbol des Erfolgs inmitten einer krisengeschüttelten Verfassung.
©Sebastian Drüen / Arthena Foundation
Monika Schnetkamp: "Der Einsatz privater Mittel für den gesellschaftlichen Nutzen ist mir wichtig."
Ohne aktive Unterstützung können viele künstlerische Karrieren nicht beginnen. Gerade in Düsseldorf, wo jedes Jahr über hundert Künstlerinnen und Künstler ihren Abschluss machen, ist die Konkurrenz groß. Stipendien und Artist-in-Residence-Programme sind daher sehr begehrt. Einer der bekanntesten Fördererinnen ist die Unternehmerin Monika Schnetkamp, deren ARTHENA-STIFTUNG derzeit neben dem Publikationsstipendium „Publish Now!“ auch Aufenthaltsstipendien für Künstlerinnen und Künstler aus NRW anbietet. Gemeinsam mit der Kunststiftung NRW führt die ARTHENA FOUNDATION seit 2009 die Residenz im Atelier Galata in der Türkei durch. Der Standort sei nicht zufällig gewählt worden, da Istanbul als Schnittstelle zwischen Europa und Asien wichtige interkulturelle Impulse biete, so die Unternehmerin. Aktuell liegt der Schwerpunkt der Stipendienvergabe auf der Kategorie Zeichnung.
2. September
Dorothy Rice & Stanley Chase, Orly Airport, courtesy of Dorothy Rice Art Company
Jonell Lennon & Mark Pittman: “She felt a strong desire to try to capture the humanity in us all.“
The rediscovery of Dorothy Rice
The artistic work of Dorothy Rice, legendary model and extremely talented painter and sculptor, is being rediscovered in the USA. This is thanks to her close friend Jonell Lennon, writer and producer of Pretty Little Liars and Mark Pittman, both representatives of Dorothy's estate. She passed away last year at the age of 98, and hundreds of artworks have been rediscovered.
The director of the Southwest Museum once described Rice as a ‘true diplomat and mediator of goodwill between the people of Mexico and the United States’.
19. September 2024
CURRENT INTERVIEWS
"Anything To Say?" by Davide Dormino
©Lucas Tiefenthaler
Davide Dormino "Standing up where the masses sit down."
On 25 June, a few days after the UK High Court hearing, Wikileaks and Stella Assange announced that Julian Assange had left Belmarsh prison and was heading for the airport to return to his home country Australia. The artist group Artists for Assange, founded in 2015, has been working alongside many people for years towards the release of Julian Assange. We had the great opportunity to talk to one of these artists, the Roman sculptor Davide Dormino, who created the world-famous sculpture "Anything To Say?".
Above all, art has the potential to emotionalise people all over the world. "Anything To Say?" is a life-size 930 kilo bronze sculpture depicting Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, each standing on a chair. The fourth chair is empty because it invites visitors to play an active role. The sculpture premiered on Alexanderplatz in Berlin on 1 May 2015 and toured until 2023, visiting cities such as Geneva, Paris, London, Sydney and Melbourne. In Germany alone, it was on display six times, including in front of Cologne Cathedral in 2019 and in front of the Brandenburg Gate in 2019.
Davide Dormino explains how he became part of the Artists for Assange group in an exclusive interview. The group also includes: Ai Weiwei, Roger Waters, Oliver Stone, Banksy and many more.
According to Davide Dormino, he has been working towards the day of Julian Assange's release for 11 years. He was deeply moved by his personal meeting with Julian Assange at the end of November 2014 in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Sheila Girling and Anthony Caro
© Colette Morey de Morand
Sophie Camu: "Sheila Girling must have her time in the limelight."
The SPACE TO BREATHE in Fife, Scotland celebrates the artistic career of the English painter Shila Gerling. She spent her extraordinary life alongside her husband, the world-famous sculptor Sir Anthony Caro. Critics have always been convinced that Gerling was an exceptional talent, but as with so many artists' careers, it often takes a spark, a committed solo effort by someone with with deep commitment. Only now has this happened, according to curator Sophie Camu in an exclusive interview. Girling's recognition would have been long overdue. Sophie Camu sees Gerling as a major art discovery, an important addition not only to recent English art history, but also internationally.
Art consultant Camu had insight into the lives of Gerling and Sir Caro through the close family circle. 2024 is the centenary of Gerling's birth and so over 70 of her large-scale paintings and collages will be on display at Bowhouse, Fife, showcasing her enormous talent as a painter of expressive, vibrant and deeply emotional paintings and collages.
The exhibition also includes important sculptures by Sir Anthony Caro.
Sheila Girling came from an extremely art-loving family, many family members were painters or art dealers. She travelled in the highest art circles and was friends with Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski and Edoardo Paolozzi. e also had a demonstrable influence on Sir Caro's work; some of the sculptures were created on her artistic advice.
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29. July 2024
Creature Comforts LBMA Solo Show
Photo by Jonathan Jovel
Brent Estabrook: “Art is both individually and collectively very powerful, and I love being people’s entry point into it.“
Art critics have described US painter and sculptor Brent Estabrook as the painter of happiness. Looking at his extensive work, an exuberant landscape of teddy bears and childhood icons that he has created in just a few years, this claim cannot be disputed. The artist's colours are like a superpower that seems to go straight to the soul and heart. The world's leading galleries seem to see it the same way, and the renowned Maddox Gallery, whose artists include Banksy, David Hockney and Damien Hirst, is currently exhibiting Estabrook's works in Gstaad.
On show in Gstaad until 21 August, Estabrook's new series marks a significant development in Estabrook's artistic journey, as the works on display transcend the boundaries of realism for the first time. Picnic in the Park shows a hare peering out of a basket, its face transforming this idyllic scene into something altogether bizarre. In Spiffy, a portrait of the world's most famous cartoon mouse, Mickey's features have been swapped, creating a new character that hovers between the recognisable and the surreal. The rabbit hole, inspired by Disney's original Alice in Wonderland film, transforms the artist's signature quilt motif into a stunning, visually arresting swirl of colour.
There is something carefree, innocent and honest about the paintings. The viewer is transported back in time to being a small child in a land where the line between the real and the fantastical is blurred. Estabrook, who switched from a career in medical academia to the study of art, wants his choices and his work to inspire everyone to live a life of joy.
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11 August 2024
Key Visual, BE.LIKE.ME. Social Media und ich – Created with Midjourney by Naroska, 2024
Dr. Susanne Rockweiler: Unser Ziel ist es, die Suchtpräventionsarbeit zu ergänzen und inmitten der Gesellschaft zu platzieren.
Neues Projekt der außergewöhnlichen Stiftung Welt der Versuchungen mit Sitz in Erfurt. Ziel der 2021 gegründeten Stiftung, deren Ansatz europaweit einzigartig ist, wird es sein, die Suchtpräventionsarbeit zu ergänzen und auch mit künstlerischen Ansätzen in die Mitte der Gesellschaft zu stellen.
Mit ihrer zweiten Ausstellung will die Stiftung das Alltagsphänomen Social Media thematisieren. Bekanntlich boomen Social-Media-Apps seit den 2000er Jahren und durchdringen die Menschen beruflich und privat. Doch was passiert, wenn daraus eine „Sucht“ wird? Social Media, so Chefkuratorin Dr. Susanne Rockweiler, bietet natürlich Chancen, verlangt den Menschen aber auch psychisch, physisch und in Bezug auf die Persönlichkeitsrechte sehr viel ab.
11. September 2024
HGEsch Der architektonische Blick - Pompeji © HGEsch / Ministero della Cultura. Parco Archeologico di Pompei
HG Esch: Die Struktur von Pompeji ist wie das Manhattan des 19. Jahrhunderts oder viele Städte, die derzeit auf der ganzen Welt geplant werden!
Pompeji versank 79 n. Chr. nach einem Ausbruch des Vesuvs und wurde unter Vulkanasche und Schutt begraben. Seitdem ranken sich Mythen um die Stadt und ihre Bewohner, und seit Jahrhunderten wird sie von Malern und Fotografen porträtiert. Dem Architekturfotografen Hans Georg Esch ist es jedoch gelungen, dem Betrachter einen völlig neuen Blick auf die über 2500 Jahre alte römische Siedlung zu ermöglichen. Und sein Blick ist auffallend grün -„cosi verde“ war eine Reaktion aus dem Staff des archäologischen Parks.
TOPIC OF THE YEAR
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