Author: Sam Art
There’s Botticelli and then there’s Botticelli. Get ready for an old master of 21st century shopping, courtesy of supermarket chain Lidl, which has commissioned a new version of The Birth of Venus (c. 1485) made of… bottle caps. The 25ft high permanent mural, unveiled in Glasgow’s west district, is made from 253,000 plastic bottle caps recycled through Lidl’s take-back scheme. (Until August, shoppers will receive 5p for every item they return.) The piece, which goes by the nickname Bottlecelli, was made by artist Smug and street art organization Yardworks. Smug has gained notoriety for his imposing, realistic pieces dotted around…
Natali Antonovich is an artist whose journey through the realm of fine art has been both diverse and profound. With roots firmly planted in graphics and portraiture, her artistic exploration has ventured into the realms of batik, teaching fine arts, and delving into the depths of art history. Currently, her passion lies predominantly in the captivating mediums of oil painting and watercolor. These mediums serve as the canvas for her evolving series of works, which include intriguing titles such as “Who are you?”, “Heart on the snow”, “Their secret”, and “Eternity”. Each of these series intertwines, seeking to uncover the…
Loud and bright day and night, Times Square is filled with strange customers, harassed tourists, honking cars, and a few brave cyclists, all of whom had better make way for New York’s newest landmark: a 65-foot-tall hot dog long This is no street vendors’ swan song, but a public art installation by irreverent Brooklyn-based artist duo Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw. On view from April 30 to June 13, the aptly titled Hot Dog in the City can be seen in Duffy Square, the largest square in Times Square. The sculpture will consist of a monumental bun and a classic…
Mary Arnold, a Canadian artist with a career spanning an impressive forty-five years, has navigated the intricate dance between analogue and digital photography, crafting visual stories that are both captivating and evocative. What sets Mary Arnold apart from her contemporaries is not merely her keen eye for detail but also her audacious choice of medium. Her digital stitched panoramic photographs are a testament to her technical prowess and artistic vision. However, it’s her unique printing method that truly elevates her work. Arnold meticulously prints her photographs on aluminium, seamlessly blending the traditional with the contemporary, adding a modern flair to…
Rafael Blanco, hailing from the scenic city of Alicante in Spain, embarked on a transformative journey from the confines of studio painting to the expansive realm of public art. With over 15 years of rigorous training in classical studio painting under his belt, Blanco’s artistic compass took a dramatic shift after his inaugural experience painting a mural at a 24-hour Mural Marathon in Reno, NV, back in 2014. This encounter served as a catalyst, compelling Blanco to weave together the technical finesse of studio painting with the vibrant spontaneity of street art. The result? A series of breathtaking, large-scale site-specific…
Nestled near the vibrant city of Boston, USA, Scott Bruce has carved a niche for himself in the world of art with a career spanning several decades. His journey is a captivating tale of artistic evolution and daring exploration. From his early days as a sculptor and director of artist spaces to his later ventures into the world of collectibles, Bruce’s artistic trajectory has been nothing short of extraordinary. In the ’80s and ’90s, Bruce created his distinctive collections of vintage lunch boxes and cereal boxes. These collections were not mere displays of nostalgia but were masterfully curated assemblages that…
Donald Wass, an American artist, found himself grounded in a more traditional art education at Hartford Art School. Trained in portrait, figure, and still life painting, Wass recognized the importance of this foundation but also sensed its limitations in a rapidly evolving artistic landscape. The era was marked by a clash of conventions and innovations. After graduating, Wass embarked on a quest for artistic self-discovery, seeking a thematic approach that would allow him to delve deeply into a narrowing set of ideas. Concurrently, he pursued a career in art instruction across various levels, enriching his own practice while nurturing the…
At the heart of Lilian Muheim’s art lies an enchanting universe where nature’s delicate intricacies are magnified into bold strokes of oil paint. Stepping into her studio is akin to entering a vibrant garden; pink blossoms gracefully emerge from easels, wooden panels sprout buds, and sprawling gardens are captured in their drying splendor. A lily, bold and unabashed in its purple, gazes serenely from the wall. Muheim’s artistry is a celebration of the vitality and tenderness found in plants and flowers. She takes the fragile beauty of blossoms and transforms them into monumental canvases. Buds burst forth from her paintings,…
Meet Libuša Němcová, a multifaceted artist whose journey is as inspiring as her art. Born in the picturesque city of Košice, Slovakia, Libuša’s early years were marked by a passion for drawing that, unfortunately, took a backseat due to life’s responsibilities. Like many adults, she found herself immersed in the daily grind, working as a 24-hour home help abroad to make ends meet. But life had more in store for her. Libuša’s artistic spirit couldn’t be contained for long. Even as she juggled her job, she continued to express herself through dance, singing in the church, and creating in various…
New York’s Museum of Modern Art has apologized for denying entry to two visitors who said museum security told them they could not enter the institution wearing a kefiyeh, a headscarf that has traditionally served as a symbol of Palestinian liberation. In a statement shared with ARTnewsand first published in part by Hyperallergica museum spokesperson said: “Following a visitor’s social media post, we implemented our established process for reviewing incidents on site. After gathering all available information, we determined that a kefiyeh carried inside a visitor’s bag was misidentified as a banner during bag selection. We made a mistake and…