OAKLAND, CA.- When Claremont Rug Company announced an exhibit of a recent acquisition of 175 art-level, 19th century Oriental rugs, not even Gallery president Jan David Winitz was prepared for the response. “We know that art connoisseurs are increasingly turning their attention to the finest 19th century Oriental carpets,” said Winitz, “but we did not expect that we would sell more than 15 per cent of the rugs, including the one that we featured in our announcement on the first day. Word of the caliber of the rugs being offered spread very rapidly among our ongoing clientele the art and collecting community.” Rugs in the exhibit are valued between $20,000 and $500,000 per carpet. “In the past decade, only our Hudson River Valley Collection has attracted this level of interest,” he said. “Clients are very serious about making sure that they are investing in tangible assets of superb artistic merit. They know, as a recent article in the Financ
Tattoos in Japanese Prints at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
BOSTON, MA.- The first tattoo-themed exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), Under the Skin: Tattoos in Japanese Prints, explores the social significance, iconography, and intricacy of Japanese tattoos. The exhibition, which runs April 3, 2010, through January 2, 2011, includes approximately 70 objects, ranging from prints and postcards to manuscripts and printed books, depicting figures with tattoos in diverse contexts. These images were captured by artists of Edo-period (1615–1868) Japan, who reproduced distinctive tattoo motifs and bold designs of the day, designs which are still used in 21st -century tattoo shops all over the world. Under the Skin showcases the popular print medium of the day, ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”), featuring works by more than 16 artists that show the spectacular imagery of Japanese tattoos, as worn by a variety of people. The exhibition explores themes of mythi
Getty Trust Names Ambassador Ronald P. Spogli to Board of Trustees
LOS ANGELES, CA.- The Board of Trustees of the J. Paul Getty Trust today announced it has elected former Ambassador Ronald P. Spogli as a member of the board. The former United States Ambassador to the Italian Republic and to the Republic of San Marino, Ambassador Spogli is president and CEO of Freeman Spogli & Co., Inc., one of the leading private equity investors in the United States. “We are delighted to welcome Ron Spogli to the Getty,” said Louise Bryson, chair, on behalf of the entire Getty Board of Trustees. “Ron brings substantial experience in global affairs, recognized leadership in Italy where we look forward to strengthening particularly meaningful partnerships, a distinguished record of financial acumen and strong support for research and higher education.” Ambassador Spogli served as U.S. Ambassador to Italy from 2005 to 2009. He lived in Italy years earlier, when he was a student at Stanford’s Florence campu
New World Auction Record for a Number Sculpture by Robert Indiana
HONG KONG.- Seoul Auction, Korea’s leading auction house, held its Modern and Contemporary Art sale in Hong Kong today (4 April 2010) and realized a total of HK$42.8 million (US$5.53 million). Untitled, an important mixed media work by Donald Judd (1928-1994) achieved HK$14,812,000 (US$1,913,695). Works by Robert Indiana, Gerhard Richter and Ron Arad sold for strong prices. Two World Auction Records were set today: a new World Auction Record for a Number Sculpture by Robert Indiana and a new World Auction Record for a Sculpture by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Misung Shim, Managing Director, Seoul Auction Hong Kong Ltd, commented: “This evening’s sale was a landmark event in the history of the
Studio Museum in Harlem Opens Three New Exhibitions
NEW YORK, NY.- Collected. Reflections on the Permanent Collection offers a series of meditations on artworks entrusted to The Studio Museum in Harlem. Envisioned as eight exhibitions within an exhibition and featuring approximately 100 works that span the mid-century to today, Reflections investigates shared thematic concerns between the works on view. These include media and materials; traditional art historical genres like portraiture and landscape; and cultural notions of history and memory. The distinct viewpoints of the exhibition’s sections aim to provide fresh modes of visual reflection by reinterpreting, reexamining and resituating these pieces into critical conversation with one another. Reflections is the second in the “Collected” exhibition series, continuing the exploration begun in Collected. Propositions
Major Painting by American Artist Philip Evergood is Acquired by VMFA
RICHMOND, VA.- American artist Philip Evergood’s 1936 oil on canvas “Street Corner” is among many significant works acquired recently by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in preparation for its grand opening May 1. The painting is the first major Depression-era Urban Realist canvas to enter the collection and was painted in the same year VMFA opened its doors. Also added to the collection is Italian artist Pio Fedi’s plaster study for “The Sacrifice of Polyxena,” circa 1885; “Mirror with Three-light Sconce,” an American work dating from circa 1800-1820; and an array of additional American, European, Asian and African works. “Street Corner,” 1936, by Philip Evergood (American, 1901-1973); oil on canvas mounted to board; 30 by 55 inches; acquired through VMFA’s J. Harwood
Lee Man Fong’s Bali Life Sells for US$3.24 Million at Sotheby’s
HONG KONG.- Today at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings Spring Sale 2010, Lee Man Fong’s seminal work Bali Life commanded HK$25,300,000/ US$3,243,590, setting the World Record for any Southeast Asian Painting and for the Artist at Auction. The entire Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings Spring Sale 2010 totalled HK$69,292,000, comfortably surpassing the pre-sale high estimate (HK$34.5 million). Bidding of Bali Life opened at HK$4 million and the heated competition continued for a tension-filled ten minutes. After a total of 31 furious bids, Bali Life eventually sold for an astonishing HK$25.3 million (including buyer’s premium) to an Asian collector over the telephone, more than tripling the previous record for the artist. (The previous record for Lee Man Fong was also achieved by Sotheby’s Hong Kong when his Magnificent Horses sold for HK$8,180,000/
Gettysburg Building by Richard Neutra Wins Round vs. War Buffs
GETTYSBURG, PA (AP).- Lovers of modern architecture have won a round in their fight to preserve a half-century-old building at Gettysburg despite efforts by the Civil War purists to demolish the structure to restore the battlefield to its original appearance. The National Park Service has been seeking for a decade to demolish the Cyclorama Building, built in 1958 by famed modernist architect Richard Neutra to house a massive circular painting of the famous 1863 battle which has been relocated. The building is near one of the highest points on Cemetery Ridge, a key defensive position where nearly 1,000 Union soldiers were killed or wounded during Pickett’s Charge. The National Parks Service would like to remove the building to preserve the battlesite, but an architectural preservation group says the building is also historically important. A federal judge in
Fine Art Registry vs. Park West Gallery Lawsuit Begins its Fourth Week
PORT HURON, MI (OPENPRESS).- Fine Art Registry begins presentation of its case against Park West Gallery after the Michigan art gallery has spent three weeks presenting its case, claiming defamation, etc. The case is clearly a classic SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) lawsuit by the world’s self-proclaimed “largest art gallery” against web-based company, Fine Art Registry, which has been outspoken in its criticism of the Michigan gallery’s sale of inauthentic and vastly overpriced art at “auctions” primarily aboard cruise ships, and has provided advocacy and other assistance to victims of Park West Gallery’s broadly questioned art and sales practices. Park West Gallery claims that Fine Art Registry has harmed its sales and reputation by publishing reports about its art and its sales methods and by assisting individuals who were unable to obtain assistance from P
Evidence Ordered Released in Shepard Fairey ‘HOPE’ Case
NEW YORK (AP).- Lawyers for artist Shepard Fairey must disclose the identities of anyone who deleted or destroyed records related to a copyright dispute over the Barack Obama “HOPE” image, a judge said Monday. U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein ruled in favor of The Associated Press in most of its requests for evidence, including when Fairey’s lawyers first knew the AP had asserted that it holds the copyright to a photograph the image was based on. He said lawyers must disclose relevant documents that were deleted or destroyed from Fairey’s files and when the deletions or destruction occurred. Hellerstein further said the lawyers must disclose the identities of anyone who tampered with or destroyed records, commanded and supervised the acts or was told about them. An attorney for Fairey did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling. Dale Cendali, a lawyer for