Author: Sam Art
ArtMaxwell RabbPortrait of Sayre Gomez. Photo by Sam Ramirez. Courtesy of Xavier Hufkens. As a young man, Sayre Gomez worked in a photo lab. This work offered Gómez—who was studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago—a rare vantage point from which to observe the city. There, he witnessed city life through the eyes of strangers, and these unfiltered images stayed with Gómez, sparking his love for scenes of urban decay. Over the years, he began to collect photographs, found and taken by himself, to compile an archive that would later lay the foundations for his approach to…
Helena Kotnik, a Barcelona University and Akademie der bildende Künste, Vienna graduate, is a unique artist whose works are often described as “psychological human landscapes.” Her paintings, characterized by their colorful and somewhat naïve style, delve into the complexities of human society and the world we live in. Influenced by a variety of artists from different periods in art history, Kotnik’s paintings serve as a commentary on contemporary issues. Kotnik’s works have been recently selected by The Other Art Fair Dallas, USA. Her work often explores historical events and their impact on society. For instance, her painting inspired by the…
Aliza Thomas, an artist based in the Netherlands but hailing from Israel, brings a unique blend of cultural influences to her work. Beyond her identity as an artist and papermaker, Thomas is also an art teacher, sharing her knowledge and passion with others. But her talents extend beyond the realm of visual art; she is also a teacher of Qigong and Taijiquan, embodying a holistic approach to creativity and well-being. Adding another layer to her identity, Thomas proudly describes herself as a mother of three children and three grandchildren, highlighting the multifaceted nature of her life and art. Thomas’s work…
Florence’s newly renovated Orsanmichele, a church and former barn that houses some of the world’s most important Renaissance sculptures, had more than half the number of visitors in the first three weeks after reopening than in all of 2022.The landmark, which was closed for 14 months for a €1.1m refurbishment, had 8,000 visitors through its doors in the first 21 days after it reopened to the public on January 19, compared to 13,000 in all of 2022, the last complete year was open. Increasing the number of visitors, and putting the Renaissance structure back at the top of the Florentine…
Reagan’s home in Pacific Palisades, California, was his primary residence until 1981, when the family moved to the White House. In a feature film from April 2000, he told his wife, Nancy Reagan ADVERTISEMENT that the actor and 40th president was in the shower when the news came of his election victory in 1980. “It was just after five o’clock, so it was night on the East Coast,” Nancy said. “I took a bath and Ronnie got in the shower. In the background I was listening to John Chancellor on the TV in the bedroom and all of a sudden…
Fariba Safai is an abstract figurative artist born in Tehran, Iran. Her work is a reflection of her childhood experiences, witnessing the revolution in Iran and her escape from there, as well as her love of nature growing up as a child in California. She earned a bachelor’s degree in design from SFSU and received a BFA in sculpture from California College of the Arts in 2004. Fariba is an artist activist who has performed in front of thousands of people at women’s rallies including “No Borders No Walls” and “Freedom for Iran” rallies. She has exhibited her paintings at…
Alexandra Jicol, a Romanian artist, was born and raised in Bucharest during a time of political oppression and deprivation of basic rights. Her childhood was a blend of two starkly contrasting worlds: the serene mountains, where she spent half her time, and the bustling city of Bucharest, where she roamed the halls of the Romanian television studios where her mother worked. This duality of experiences instilled in her a deep curiosity and a keen sense of observation, which continue to inspire her work to this day. In her own words, Jicol describes herself as a simple observer and a traveler…
Among the surprises in the Van Gogh Museum collection is a group of brothel sketches by Emile Bernard, a young colleague of the Dutch artist. These drawings and watercolors provide an unusual insight into what today might seem like a curious choice of subject matter.by Emile Bernard Brothel scene and poem on reverse (June 1888)Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)The two artists became friends in Paris in 1886 and after Van Gogh left for Arles in February 1888 they corresponded regularly and exchanged works of art. Of the 27 drawings that Bernard published in Van Gogh, 17 present…
Lauren Naomi is a fourth-generation floral crafter whose artistic language is predominantly made up of hand-sculpted clay petals. With a background in psychology and art, she holds degrees in both fields, which she skillfully combines in her work. Her creations, which include sculptures, paintings, and arrangements of thousands of clay petals, are often wall-hung, suspended, or free-standing structure Naomi’s work seeks to marry art, education, imagination, and social change, abstractly illustrating various facets of self and self-in-world. She is particularly interested in how individuals react and respond internally and externally to stimuli. Her recent pieces have focused on sculpting out…
The Portland Museum of Art (PMA) in Maine is cutting 13 positions due to the lingering financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, local media reports. The layoffs will include salaried and part-time employees, as museum management seeks to reduce the nearly 70 percent of its operating budget devoted to salaries. “The museum has been fortunate to receive ERC credits and PPP loans to sustain staff and programmatic growth for unprecedented times, but the multi-year positive impact of this support will soon expire,” the WFP said in a statement. “As costs remain high and unpredictable, the real and lingering negative effects…