One million dollar Russian art vandalized by security guard

 Art News: 2/9/22

A Russian security guard was found to have vandalized a Soviet-era avant-garde painting by drawing eyes on its faceless figures using a ball point pen. 

The art was insured for one million dollars. When asked why he did it, he said it was because he got bored.  It was his first day on the job. 

What is a lithograph?

WHAT IS A LITHOGRAPH?

Here is an example:

Matta Plate

by

Sebastian Matta

Click image to see more about this specific lithograph.

Lithograph Defined or described by the Metropolitan Museum:

Lithography is a planographic printmaking process in which a design is drawn onto a flat stone (or prepared metal plate, usually zinc or aluminum) and affixed by means of a chemical reaction.

First, the design for the lithograph is drawn directly onto a polished slab of limestone using an oil-based lithographic crayon or ink.

CONTINUE READING

Giclee Art Prints

A large variety, great for interior decorating, college dorms, offices or residential. Various size prints on canvas, paper or metal. Framed art or unframed art, or stretched over a stretcher bar.

All types of art in a varitey of subjects.

Easy to order!

Drawings

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The Arts

The arts are alive and well and millions of travelers are now visiting art galleries in New York, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Laguna Beach and more. While online sales for general goods has exceeded brick and mortar business, the art industry is quite different in that you really need to see a work of art in person to appreciate it. Art can be altered when uploaded to a site or blog, so seeing the art in person is important. If you have questions about art of any kind, I am a long time art consultant who has sold works by Salvador Dali, Picasso, Chagall, Miro, Warhol and many others including current popular living artists.  Email me

Art by Fabio Napoleoni

I did sell works by this artist in the past but have now moved on to another

gallery. For more info about this artist you can contact him at his Laguna Beach

Art Gallery on Coast Hwy.

Picasso Painting sets new record at auction

Picasso art sets new record at Christies auction house.

The bidder who won the piece has not been identified, it could

turn out to be Steve Wynn from Las Vegas who has purchased Picasso

works in the past, we all remember the "elbow incident" where a high

end Picasso was damaged, repaired and then sold for a nice profit.

When you can purchase a Picasso, damage it, sell it and then have enough

to build a hotel on the Vegas strip, you must be doing something right.

This post sponsored by The Laguna Beach Vibe Magazine

Art Event Downtown Los Angeles

Clara Berta Fine Art

Salone di Galleria

An Italian-inspired evening of art, wine and celebration

with Clara Berta

Please join me for the first presentation of new art, inspired by my recent Italian adventure.

Sunday November 23^rd. 4-7 PM

650 South Spring Street # 1112, DTLA

Los Angeles, CA 90014

Hor d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP by Wednesday Nov. 19 to

 clara@bertaart.com 

Look forward to seeing you there!

Cubans Get a Dose of Surrealism at Dali Exhibit

BY MARY MURRAY

HAVANA, CUBA -- Art appraiser Alex Rosenberg has spent decades hanging the forbidden fruit of Cuban art in New York galleries. This week, he opened the minds of Cuban art lovers by exhibiting a collection of the work of the surrealist painter Salvador Dali (1904-1989) in Havana. It is the first time a major collection of the Spanish-born surrealist has been shown on the island.

The exhibit is entitled “Memories of Surrealism” and opened at the National Museum of Fine Arts.

Viewers enjoying the "Memories of Surrealism" at the Museum of Fine Arts in Havana. The exhibit comprises major works by the late surrealist painter Salvador Dalí.

“It is a very important exhibition because it illustrates the flexibility that Dali had”, said Rosenberg, who selected 95 lithographs and etchings from five different periods that span 50 years from Dali’s portfolio. Rosenberg’s goal was to give “the people here the opportunities to see the range of Dali´s work”, a man he describes as a “genius” and “personal friend”.

In the catalogue distributed at this week’s opening, Rosenberg reminisces about one of their favorite New York haunts, the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel where he first met Dali and commissioned original pieces. Rosenberg also published over 150 editions of original Dali prints.

Many of the Dalis displayed in Havana come from Rosenberg’s personal collection. He is also the president of the Salvador Dali Research Center, sponsor of “Memories of Surrealism”.

Wilfredo Benitez, of Cuba’s Ludwig Foundation, an organization that promotes Cuban art, believes this exhibit is a milestone for Cubans drawn to Dali’s work, especially because few people can afford the luxury of visiting museums in other parts of the world.

Kentucky exchange student Naomi Williams plans to see the exhibit this weekend. “After all the terrible news this week from the Ukraine and Gaza, I need to experience something that reminds me there is beauty in the world.”

Boston's Arts Community is a $1.4 Billion Economy Booster, According to a New Report

When you think 'Boston arts,' the big names come to mind, like a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts, or a night at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But the vein of cultural influence runs much deeper than the obvious art institutions in the city. In fact, the 2014 Arts Factor report, culled by ArtsBoston and longtime partner and sponsor Bank of America, found that the arts in Boston is a $1.4 billion sector.

The first-time study, according to ArtsBoston's Catherine Peterson, proved just how powerful of a force Boston's art scene is in the city.

"[It] really shows what a powerful impact we have on the region, beyond what people do know already," said Peterson. "There's an incredible wealth of variety here in Boston, and it's letting people know that there's a rich, vibrant cultural community that they can take part in."

Peterson also echoed one of they key points made by the Arts Factor study: Boston boasts more arts and cultural organizations per capita than any other U.S. metro area, with 50 organizations for every 100,000 residents. This intensive community pumps $1 billion worth of direct spending into the community through admissions, with an addition $450 million dollars coming from revenue earned outside of admissions.

Bank of America's Bob Gallery said that from a business standpoint, the arts not only draws people from other industries and students in, it keeps them in the region. Peterson added that the number of jobs that the arts brings to the city aren't going anywhere, either.

The arts sector adds 26,000 jobs to the Boston economy, and according to Peterson, "those jobs aren't going to be outsourced."

To put some of the numbers that the Arts Factor found during research into perspective, the report found that enough people visit Boston's art institutions to sell out Fenway Park 488 times, meaning 18.3 million attendees per year are utilizing the city's art and culture resources. Meanwhile, and speaking of sports, 4.5 times more people visited art and culture institutions than Boston's sports teams – the Celtics, Patriots, Bruins and Red Sox – put together: 4.5 million sports attendees versus the 18.5 million art attendees.

And contrary to popular belief, engaging in the arts doesn't have to be expensive. According to the data, 40 percent of people who visited for free. According to Peterson, the median cost of admission throughout 2013 was $16 due to the number of free events, made possible by partnerships with companies like Bank of America, which, according to Gallery, "realize the public good, the economic impact and the public good of supporting arts and culture."

To learn more about the Arts Factor report, and some of the stats they discovered, check out the infographic below, and visit ArtsBoston to download the complete report.

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

The Starry Night is a painting by the Dutch post-impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. Painted in June 1889, it depicts the view outside of his sanatorium room window at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (located in southern France) at night, although it was painted from memory during the day. It has been in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, part of the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest, since 1941. The painting is among Van Gogh's best-known works and marks a decisive turn towards greater imaginative freedom in his art.

An affordable poster of this work can be ordered using the link below.

                                                                 

Hand signed Peter Max

PETER MAX - PRINTED ART SIGNED IN INK 1988

PETER MAX. Printed Image signed: "Peter Max/1988". Color, 8½x6 postcard. Depicts his 1986 painting, Lady on Red (With a Flowering Vase), from his "Ladies of the 80's" series, which also included Deco Lady, Lady By Window, Lady With Degas, Lady With Flowers, Nude and Vase and Zero Amarillo. Peter Max, born in Berlin in 1937, spent most of his first ten years in Shanghai, and then traveled the world with his parents before immigrating to the US in 1953. Already an award-winning graphic artist and designer, Max burst on the cultural scene in the 1960s, first with his "psychedelic art" and then with a new concept, "cosmic art." Max, who works in many mediums, has been the official artist for the Grammy Awards, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, the Woodstock Music Festival and 5 Super Bowls. He has decorated a Boeing 747, a Dale Earnhart racecar, and 265 murals on the US border. He has designed popular US and UN stamps, painted five US Presidents, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Mikhail Gorbachev and the Dalai Lama. He painted individual portraits of 356 firefighters who lost their lives heroically on 9/11, presenting these portraits to the families, and then at President Bush's request designed 356 more for the firefighters' memorial. Fine condition. Framed in the Gallery of History style: 17x20¾.

Order using the image link below:

Internet Art Sales increase, new trend to buy art online

LONDON - The value of the online fine art market is expected to more than double to $3.76 billion in the next five years as it increasingly attracts younger and first-time buyers, British insurer Hiscox said on Monday.

Online art sites do not threaten galleries and auction houses in the same way Internet availability has undermined the traditional movie, book and music businesses, Hiscox said.

But the willingness of younger buyers to make their first purchases over the Internet along with the rapid growth of online sites pointed to the future of the sector, it said in a statement.

"Young collectors are looking for art work which is easy to buy and available at a wide range of prices," Robert Read, Hiscox's head of fine art, was quoted as saying.

"Online art platforms cater for all tastes and budgets, but are particularly effective for those just starting to collect—opening up the art market in a way that is hard to replicate in the real world."

London-listed Hiscox, which underwrites cover for oil rigs, kidnappings, fine art and vintage cars, estimated the value of global online art sales at $1.57 billion in 2013.

In its second annual report on the online art market, in conjunction with market research company ArtTactic, Hiscox projects this figure will grow to $3.76 billion in 2018.

The report's findings are based on a survey of 506 international art buyers on ArtTactic's client mailing list, Twitter and Facebook, Hiscox said.

"Based on these figures, online art buying accounts for 2.4 percent of the estimated value of the global art market, which in 2013 was $65 billion," Hiscox said.

Internet retail giant Amazon had launched its Art portal in the past year and online auction house eBay was reportedly planning a rival platform, it said.

"Significant increased investment into platforms like Paddle8, Artsy and Artspace indicates continued confidence from investors and belief in the long-term potential of these businesses," Hiscox said.

Complementary buying opportunities

Online-only sales would not replace galleries, auctions and other traditional sales channels, it said, but provide an alternative buying opportunity and additional revenue stream.

"The findings indicate that online art e-commerce will not exist as a separate entity—it will augment and co-exist with what is happening in the real, physical art world," Hiscox said.

The report did find, however, that future generations of collectors were likely to make their first art purchases online, with almost 25 percent of 20- to 30-year-olds surveyed for the report saying they first bought art online without seeing the physical piece.

Although 39 percent of respondents said buying art online was less intimidating than at a gallery or auction, having a bricks-and-mortar presence instilled confidence, with 90 percent of online buyers purchasing from a physical space before turning to websites.

Limited edition prints were a popular entry point for online buyers, the report said, with 55 percent of those surveyed having bought a print online in the last 12 months.

The report found that 44 percent of buyers said they had spent more than £10,000 ($16,800) purchasing art and collectibles online so far, with 21 percent of this group saying they had spent in excess of 50,000 pounds.

Nevertheless, seeing the physical object remained important, with 82 percent of those surveyed saying the most difficult aspect of buying art online was not being able to inspect it. — Reuters

Largest outdoor art show Five U.S. museums unite for Art Everywhere

By Deborah Vankin

April 6, 2014, 4:15 p.m.

Among the denim-clad glamour girls and blockbuster movie stars staring down from the billboards of the Sunset Strip, images of great American artworks will be displayed this summer in what organizers are calling “the largest outdoor art show ever conceived.”

Five museums — the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Dallas Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York — have come together with the Outdoor Advertising Assn. of America to execute Art Everywhere, a sweeping, interactive art campaign.

Along with billboards in Hollywood, the images will be displayed in Times Square and bus stops, subway platforms and signs around the country.

ART: Can you guess the high price?

Starting Monday, the public will be invited to vote on its favorite American artworks from a master list of 100 that the museums have curated from their combined collections, the frenetic color-drippings of Jackson Pollock and the fluid curves of Georgia O’Keeffe’s oil blossoms among them. The 50 most popular images will then be featured throughout August on about 50,000 billboards and signs in select U.S. cities.

The campaign, which follows a similar progam in England last year that was a collaboration between Innocent Drinks co-founder Richard Reed, arts fundraiser the Art Fund, Tate, and the U.K. out of home advertising industry, may be a publicity play for the museums, but it’s also an effort to raise awareness of art nationwide.

“Images out of sight may be out of mind,” LACMA Director Michael Govan said. “Art Everywhere puts marvelously diverse American ideas and stories told through images in the open air with public involvement — reminding us of the many more great images that are accessible in our museums.”

Voters will be asked to consider not just paintings but photographs, multimedia works, drawings on paper and decorative objects from the 18th century to 2008. Grant Wood’s now-iconic “American Gothic,” of a rigid-looking farmer clutching a pitchfork beside his daughter, was nominated by the Art Institute of Chicago. LACMA’s black and white John Baldessari photograph from the mid-’60s, “Wrong,” is also in the mix.

CHEATSHEET: Spring 2014 arts preview

“In a way, it’s a mini history of American art — and an opportunity for people to identify which works resonate for them personally,” said Dallas Museum of Art Director Maxwell L. Anderson. “I hope families and individuals will have a fresh look at our collective cultural heritage and see the potential in their lives of visiting museums and appreciating great works of art.”

Voting will take place at ArtEverywhereUS.org, where the final list of artworks will be announced June 20. Among the artists whose works are on the ballot: Edward Hopper, Mark Rothko, John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Ed Ruscha, Catherine Opie, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman and Frank Lloyd Wright.

“The beauty of this project,” Govan said, “is that we can share these masterpieces of American art with people all around L.A. and the rest of the country — no admission necessary.”

Southampton City Council Get Flack For Art Collection Sell Off Plans

he South Hampton City art collection was first acquired in 1911 after a bequest by local Councillor Robert Chipperfield, who strongly believed that art benefited the community at large. The collection has grown over the years to include masterpieces by Monet, Turner and Lowry. The core collection is British 20th Century and contemporary art and currently has  2,700 works and spanning eight centuries in its inventory. 

Over the years as the collection increased in value, many of the works of art were put in storage, in a vault under the council offices, to avoid the high cost of insurance. Now the council has proposed a sell off of the collection. "The terms of the bequest mention that the council can use paintings or resources to ensure that the collection continues, however it always raises questions of inappropriate 'selling off of the family jewels'. One other concern would be to only sell to another pubic collection.

The authority was slammed in 2010 over a proposal to sell off artwork on the open market in order to raise £5m to help fund the Titanic museum."If pieces were sold from Southampton's collection that sets a precedent for local councils and museums to sell pieces from collections to fund unrelated schemes and services." The authority said it had no problem with a trust coming in, but pointed out it would "still have to raise the £2m". 

Resident Alex Lawrence has started a petition, calling for the works to be put into an independent trust taking away the council's powers to sell. He stated: "Any sell off would be catastrophic and have damaging consequences. "All other avenues of funding need to be explored first. The collection belongs to the people of the city and it should be safeguarded. It should not be sold to prop up other council services, he added.

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Clara Berta is a passionate, award winning mixed media, abstract artist of Hungarian heritage. 
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Support your local artist! Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow

Captain Jack Sparrow
by
Dan Twyman
Original work on canvas, also available as a
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Paper prints, Metal Prints and cell phone cases.

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