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"Of Interest"
For artists, art is both an expression and a source of inspiration, exploration and communication. For art lovers (and the two are of course not mutually exclusive) art is a rich well of beauty, ingenuity and creativity. Yet it also has another role to play – that of introducing viewers to a particular issue, saying something about it and attempting to persuade them of a way of thinking or conclusion.
The main thing here is that the work is intended not only to educate and inform but also to convince. It is, in effect, a way of publicly standing against a trend or a problem, and showing others your point of view so strongly that you hope that they cannot help but be convinced. It is a form of protest.
Art [...]
Using artisans – skilled workers – to aid in the process of creating art has been a common practice in the artist community for centuries. Michelangelo, as is well known, had a large group of artisans working for him who helped him complete the projects that came out of his studio, and many other famous artists also relied heavily on the use of assistants. In more modern times, Andy Warhol’s Factory churned out numerous artworks, many of which had relatively little direct input from the artist. Contemporary artists such as Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst have publicly discussed their own studios, in which a number of assistants work under the direction of the main artist to create the works that sometimes sell at auction for millions of dollars.
That it is an [...]
As we begin to feel that the new year really has started, it seems like a good time to answer one of those questions that so often gets asked by visitors to the gallery and in curious emails. It might even be something that you’ve asked yourself. The question is ‘What’s it like, working in the gallery?’
In many ways this is hard to answer precisely. It varies from person to person, and from day to day. Installation days, for example, are unlike any others – in fact they deserve a separate post all to themselves! – but even more ordinary days can be full of surprises. The gallery may look pristine, calm and relaxed – but that doesn’t mean that the people working in it aren’t frantically busy sometimes. Every [...]
It has been another full and memorable year at Agora Gallery. There were a number of small moments which the gallery staff will remember going into the coming year – from little birthday parties for staff members, to sharing cupcakes during a break in a busy day, to the look on a visitor’s face when they realized that they had found a work of art that speaks directly to them. These memories will invigorate and inspire us, moving forward into 2012.
However, there have also been a number of larger events which have also played a part in characterizing 2011. One of them was certainly the remarkable success of young artist Aelita Andre, the four year old whose astonishing work captivated Angela, our Gallery Director, before she found [...]
It’s November, and at Agora Gallery that means that freshly printed pages and shiny covers will be appearing in our hands – as well as on bookshelves and magazine stands all over Manhattan – very soon. Volume 26 of our biannual contemporary art magazine, ARTisSpectrum, is already online and will be coming through the mailboxes of eager subscribers shortly. You can see the virtual version of the magazine, and subscribe to receive printed copies .
ARTisSpectrum is a great way to keep up with the developing talent of artists all over the world, as the profiles in the magazine feature painters, sculptors, photographers and more who use their innate abilities and practiced skill to create works of interest and wonder. Artists who work in many styles, as well as [...]
Following the popularity of the ‘did you know’ post about Michelangelo, Agora Gallery assistant Chiara has agreed to share another fun, exciting aspect of the Renaissance art world with us, this time focusing on the renowned painter and architect Raphael. It might give you a whole new insight into the details painters choose to include in their works!
Did you know?
The art world has always been influenced by collectors and powerful personalities who entrust to artists the task of committing their favorite images and values to a painting or sculpture, with the aim of celebrating their prestige and becoming immortal. In this way, many people over the centuries have hoped to leave a sign of their lives, one that will be remembered long after their deaths.
We’ve talked before on this blog about the continually developing graffiti art movement. It is in many ways controversial, partially because of its illegal nature; the artists have not been commissioned and take pride in targeting hard-to-reach locations, while in some cities, the police force is on the alert for what they consider to be vandalism. Even as graffiti art slowly gains acceptance worldwide, with some graffiti artists even showing their world in bricks-and-mortar galleries, a number of questions and issues with the medium remain unresolved.
Yet in the last few years a different [...]
