Author: Sam Art

The friendship between Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat was a captivating fusion of artistic brilliance, cultural diversity, and the dynamic intersection of two iconic figures in the world of contemporary art. Their relationship, marked by a unique blend of mentorship, collaboration, and mutual admiration, left an indelible mark on the art world, challenging traditional boundaries and redefining the concept of artistic collaboration. Andy Warhol, the legendary figure of the Pop Art movement, was already an established artist in the 1980s when he encountered the young and rising star, Jean-Michel Basquiat. Warhol, known for his fascination with celebrity culture and consumerism,…

Finland’s largest art museum, the Ateneo, has changed artist Ilya Repin’s nationality from Russian to Ukrainian following a campaign by Ukrainians for the institution to recognize his true heritage. As first reported by Finnish news site Suomen Kuvalehti, Repin, a 19th-century realist painter, was first cataloged by the museum in 2021 as Russian. The decision sparked protest from some Ukrainians, most notably Ukrainian journalist Anna Lodygina, who wrote a thorough investigation for Pravda of Ukraine in which he proved that he was born in territory belonging to the current Ukraine. Related Articles According to museum records, Repin’s parents were Russian…

Tate Modern has continued to expand the reach of its curatorial team with the announcement of two new curators specializing in Asia-Pacific art. Alvin Li and Hera Chan will join as curator, international art and deputy curator, Asia-Pacific, respectively.The appointments are supported as part of a partnership with the Asymmetry Art Foundation, a London-based non-profit organization focused on promoting the work of curators with experience in Asian art.Both Chan and Li arrive with substantial and divergent sets of experience under their belts. Chan is currently a deputy curator at the Tate as well as a visiting professor at the Korea…

ArtTara DalbowPortrait of Jessie Homer French by Ryan Schude. Courtesy of Various Small Fires. Stealth bombers, wind farms, controlled burns and cemeteries – these are some of the things self-taught artist Jessie Homer French, 83, finds beautiful. She said it bluntly before the opening act of her solo exhibition at Various Small Fires in Los Angeles, and is surprised to learn that not everyone would describe them that way. “Surely other people find stealth bombers beautiful, and shoot? Fire is absolutely beautiful.” Coming from someone else, the sentiment might register as fake or intentionally polemical, but looking at Homer French’s…

Tatooine in Star Wars It may not be real, but this dome house in Joshua Tree, California certainly brings the spirit of the fictional planet down to earth. Called Bonita Domes, the unique property recently hit the market for $1.3 million.The home’s owner and builder, Lisa Starr, a holistic healer known as the medicine woman of the drum, began working on the site in 2014. “She was trained by CalEarth to build in the superadobe style, a form of Earthbag architecture developed by architect CalEarth founder Nader Khalili,” says Jeffrey Weiss, the home’s current owner. “She sold me the property…

Despite recent speculation that Hong Kong’s primacy as a major player in the art world has waned in recent years, mainly due to domestic political protests and Covid-19 restrictions, global mega galleries and auction houses continue to double down on city This week, Hauser & Wirth opened a new street-level gallery space in Hong Kong’s central business district with an inaugural exhibition featuring stunning new works by Chinese artist Zhang Enli. The blue-chip gallery, which first opened in the city in 2018, has moved from its original premises on the 15th and 16th floors in the famous art gallery cluster…

On Saturday, the iconic Pace Gallery building in New York was closed to the public a day after the space was spray-painted with pro-Palestinian messages. Pace is the latest New York gallery tagged with phrases related to the conflict in Gaza. The Lévy Gorvy Dayan gallery has been plastered more than once with posters protesting its owners’ views on the conflict, and several galleries in Chinatown were plastered this month with messages calling on dealers to address Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza, where they have been killed more than 26,000 Palestinians. since the October 7 Hamas attack, according to the local…

Lauren Litwa, an artist hailing from Rockville, Maryland, and Trout Run, Pennsylvania, has carved a niche for herself in the world of fine arts. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Lauren’s artistic journey is as diverse and vibrant as the strokes on her canvas. The Cresson Scholarship Award bestowed upon her became a passport to three months of artistic exploration across Europe. Lauren immersed herself in the cultural richness of the Louvre, the Prado, and the Van Gogh Museum. These experiences not only broadened her artistic horizons but also left an indelible mark on…

The fine lines between art and life have long been a point of attention for Artangel, the body in charge known for staging the recreation of the famous Jeremy Deller. Battle of Orgreave (2001), the concrete distribution of an East End house by Rachel Whiteread (1993-94) and the testament of pain by Taryn Simon. A losing occupation (2018). Now, the organization is pushing the envelope in a radically different way with an open call to enter the UK’s biggest ever hobby exhibition.The Hobby Cave, created in collaboration with London-based artist and filmmaker Hetain Patel, asks the public across the country…

For over five decades, Tony Blue has been a steadfast artist, often referred to as the Warren Zevon of contemporary painters. In a career that spans half a century, Blue has navigated the world of art with a dedication that mirrors the legendary musician he’s compared to. “I’m an artist, that’s all I’ve ever been for 50+ years,” he declares, encapsulating a lifetime committed to the pursuit of creative expression. Blue’s artistic journey is a testament to the power of imagination and the liberating force of expressionism. His work, primarily described as expressionistic, captures the essence of letting his imagination…