Author: Seraphina Calder
Vicky Tsalamata’s work, particularly her project La Comédie Humaine C, offers a deep reflection on the human condition. Drawing from Honoré de Balzac’s La Comédie Humaine, this piece serves as a sarcastic commentary on how humans, past and present, find themselves subject to the overwhelming forces that shape their lives. Tsalamata highlights the insignificance of human worth within this larger scheme, while also stressing the essential need for connection in today’s world—especially after the isolation experienced during the global pandemic. Using mixed media and archival prints on Photo Rag Hahnemuehle 100% cotton art paper, Tsalamata conveys the delicate yet enduring aspects of…
When pitcher Ryne Stanek put the finishing touches on the New York Mets’ 7-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox, it was clear that Tuesday was a perfect night. To be fair, it started that way too, with Sarah Sze releasing the first release and the first 15,000 fans receiving a baseball cap emblazoned with a blue and orange fragmented globe designed by the artist. The game marked the third and final edition of the Mets’ “Artist Series” program, where the team ditched the more typical bobblehead giveaways for items created by the best contemporary artists. In May, the team…
Caroline Kampfraath, a Dutch artist, creates compelling 3D sculptures that combine a variety of materials to reflect her observations on life, nature, and human relationships. Her art frequently incorporates surprising elements like metal cans, bottles, and even fragments of human anatomy. These objects serve as powerful symbols, allowing Kampfraath to explore themes of emotional depth and environmental awareness. Through her sculptures, she crafts a complex narrative that intertwines the physical world with abstract ideas about existence. One example of this is her work The Tentacles of the River, which blends human lungs with jellyfish to emphasize our delicate link to nature.…
In the press, there’s always a lot of ink spilled over the inaugural edition of a fair: will it make the big splash it needs to cement its place in the calendar? Its second iteration is often met with a similar question: Can it maintain the momentum from year one to second? But Year 3 tends to get less attention, as it’s business as usual. That’s why the biggest story at the third edition of Frieze Seoul, whose VIP presentation was held on Wednesday, was a bit baseball: a change in the opening hours. The first two editions of Frieze…
Randa Hijazi is a contemporary Syrian Canadian artist who brings a unique perspective to her work, blending the rich cultural heritage of the Middle East with the dynamic, evolving landscape of the West. Born in Damascus, Syria, Randa’s journey as an artist has been shaped by her experiences living in various parts of the world, including Dubai and, most recently, Canada, where she settled in 2017. Her artistic roots are deeply embedded in her early education at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Damascus, where she graduated in 2000. Randa’s artistic vision was further refined through her studies at…
Sylvia Nagy is an artist with a rich and diverse background, blending her expertise in industrial technology, art, and ceramic design. After receiving her MFA in Silicet Industrial Technology and Art from the Moholy-Nagy University in Budapest, Nagy further honed her skills at the Parsons School of Design, where she was asked to teach industrial ceramic design. Her experience includes creating a class on Mold Model Making in Plaster, showcasing her deep understanding of the technical aspects of ceramic arts. Nagy has been an Artist-in-Residence in several countries, including Japan, China, Germany, the USA, and Hungary, which has enriched her…
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) Commissioner Laurie Cumbo announced Thursday (Aug. 22) that more than $200 million in city funding will be distributed to 80 cultural nonprofits across the city. city in support of capital projects. part of the municipal budget for the year 2025. Of the $213.8 million earmarked for cultural improvement projects in New York City, the largest amount, $4.3 million, will be awarded to the Arts Students League of New York.where the announcement took place, in support of its 150th anniversary renovation project.”Culture is a pillar of our city’s economy and a critical part…
Emma Coyle in the Hamptons,” an exhibition currently showing at Galerie Patricia Kamoun, offers a compelling view into the evolving world of Emma Coyle, an artist whose work over the past two decades has become synonymous with modern interpretations of Pop Art. This exhibition, running through August 2024, brings together a series of paintings created between 2017 and 2021, a period marked by significant growth and experimentation in Coyle’s artistic journey. The show at Galerie Patricia Kamoun was organized thanks to Anne-Marie Helwaser of the Helwaser Gallery in New York. Helwaser’s gallery is well-regarded for its dedication to the original…
Hidden beneath the streets of London, the Crystal Palace Subway is a Victorian tunnel and a relic of a bygone era. Opened in 1865 next to the “High Level” railway station, the underground labyrinth features ornate design elements, including a large Italianate facade. It was meant to reflect the grandeur of the Crystal Palace, an iron and glass structure in Hyde Park, London, built to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. It was therefore intended to impress visitors, although its importance waned after the Palace burned down de Cristal in 1936, which led to the station’s closure in 1954. Restoration…
Phoebe Thomasson, born in Portsmouth, UK, in 1972, is an artist who has carved out a unique path in the world of contemporary art. With a practice rooted in her self-developed lexicon of mark-making and idioms of color, Thomasson has pioneered a visual language she calls ‘Differentism.’ This approach is not merely a technique but a philosophy that guides her creative process. Through extensive experimentation across various mediums, she has developed a way of expressing the granular structure of subconscious contradictions and the often perverse, dualistic aspects of existence. Thomasson’s work is a constant exploration of the struggle with chaos…