In the shade of a few trees and set against the backdrop of Indiana University Kokomo’s Kelly Center, a modest crowd admired a newly installed sculpture.
Three rotating art exhibits were refreshed this year
Hong Kong show for French photographer who found beauty in the mundane
Industrial is the best way to describe The Loft in Hong Kong’s Wong Chuk Hang neighbourhood.
But step out of the bright yellow doors of a rattling lift and into Boogie Woogie Photography and you are met with an elegant slice of France.
Scattered around the eighth-floor space are pieces of 18th century furniture and decorative art from Kraemer Gallery, the oldest family-owned gallery in Paris. But it is the black-and-white images by French photographer Willy Ronis (1910-2009) that grab the most attention.
Ronis was a pioneer of humanist photography, a French movement that emerged after World War II and focused on the everyday human experience.
Many of his iconic images feature in “Capturing Life: The Photography of Willy Ronis”, on show at Boogie Woogie Photography until October 21, the photos selected from the private collection of Stephane Kovalsky, Ronis’ grandson.
“Seeing these stunning silver gelatin prints that beautifully capture his talent for composition and storytelling is very special,” says Vanessa Franklin, who co-founded the Hong Kong studio in 2016 to promote photography in Asia.
A photographer herself, Franklin was lucky enough to be photographed by Ronis after they met in 1999 while she was on assignment.
“We met in Paris several times and he would cook me lunch and give me so much advice – you can see the images of me in here,” she says, opening a chunky art book by Taschen showcasing Ronis’ works.
Walking around the studio, Franklin waxes lyrical about the artist who was able to see something magical in the mundane and who had an uncanny ability to capture spontaneous moments of daily life.
What I love about Ronis’ images is they invite us to reflect on the universal themes of love, joy and resilience
No better is this evidenced than in Le Nu Provençal, arguably Ronis’ most famous photograph.
Taken in Gordes, Provence, in the summer of 1949, it shows Ronis’ wife, Marie-Anne Lansiaux – herself an artist – naked and washing her face after a nap.
“There’s so much grace in this photo – it looks like a painting,” says Franklin.
In The Little Parisian (1952) a young boy, baguette under his arm, smile on his face, runs along a street, while another, The Lovers of the Bastille (1957), shows a couple at the top of the Colonne de Juillet looking out over Paris.
“What I love about Ronis’ images is they invite us to reflect on the universal themes of love, joy and resilience,” says Franklin.
Another image shows two small children playing on gigantic barges on the Seine.
‘A loving spirit and energy’: Hong Kong domestic helpers on their day off
‘A loving spirit and energy’: Hong Kong domestic helpers on their day off
“He was such a generous man and I think his sincerity is reflected in this image,” she says of the photo The Children’s Barge, taken in 1959.
“You can feel the emotion and that’s why people are still touched by it today […] His work is timeless.”
“Capturing Life: The Photography of Willy Ronis”, Boogie Woogie Photography, The Loft, 8/F, E Wah Factory Building, 56-60 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang. To book a private visit, WhatsApp Vanessa Franklin on 5239 3730.
Market Street mural project approved by Lockport Common Council
Coming down Market Street from Main Street there’s sign of a past art project along a retaining wall on the eastern side of the hill that did not stand the test of time.
However, upon an unanimous vote by Lockport’s Common Council, Wednesday night, that wall is due to become the site of a new mural in the city, to be completed by Lockportian Austin Hinton.
“My whole life I’ve always been drawing and painting. Ever since I was 10 or 11,” Hinton said in a brief interview before the city’s meeting.
Hinton didn’t go to school for art, instead focusing on business administration, but did start to paint murals in 2020 as part of a New Year’s resolution.
“From that it just snowballed to painting murals here and there,” Hinton continued.
The wall is approximately “80 paces” Hinton said. His design incorporates a “Lockport pride” aesthetic in blue and gold. It includes a top-side view of the Flight of Five Locks and the Lockport skyline and horizon.
The project was spearheaded by Alderman at-large Lisa Swanson-Gellerson who’d seen Hinton’s work in the past.
“I think that art murals can tell us a story and Lockport has a lot of stories to tell, that I think will help bring us together,” Swanson-Gellerson said. “We come together when we share our stories. Community art can do that. It can educate and unite us.”
Questions from the rest of the Common Council were laced with encouragement for the artist and future projects.
“Do you know the one (mural) that’s all faded is of (the late Gord Downie) from the Tragically Hip?” 4th Ward Alderman Kitty Fogle asked Hinton. “We need to redo that one!”
While Hinton will be accepting private donations for the artwork, no taxpayer funds will spent on the project.
‘It gave such comfort’ – loss of Sycamore Gap tree touches lives
EPA/EFECopyright: EPA/EFE
“It’s so grim, I felt sick, as so many people did, when I saw
it,” says writer and environmentalist Prof Robert McFarlane.
“It was a film star, it was a tree that ashes
were scattered under, marriages were made under it, it was a shelter for tired
walkers.”
He points out that it was chopped down on the eve
of the State
of Nature report‘s publication – an audit of how things are faring
for the living world in the UK.
“Nature is under attack and has been for a long time in these
islands,” he said, adding: “We have not looked after our woods well.”
But he added: “When you lose something like this, what a response
it’s pulled out – grief, poems, paintings, drawings, photographs, stories and
memories.
“The question is how do we now use that strength of feeling and
turn it to the good?”
Eiteljorg Museum provides updates on upcoming exhibits
More than $1 million in Western American art was recently sold at the 18th annual Eiteljorg Quest for the West Art Show and Sale that ran Sept. 8-9. About 200 artworks from the recent sale, including paintings and sculptures by the Quest for the West artists, remain on view at the Eiteljorg Museum for the public to see.
The Quest for the West public exhibition runs through Oct. 8, and is included with regular museum admission. A curator-led gallery tour of the Quest for the West exhibit takes place at noon Oct. 6 and is included with regular admission; museum members get in for free.
The Eiteljorg Museum will host the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Community Celebration with artists, storytelling and cultural presentations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 7, with regular admission. Then on Oct. 9, admission will be free for Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Looking ahead to the fall, the Eiteljorg, in partnership with Arte Mexicano en Indiana, has a series of exhibits and events related to Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead).
From Oct. 14 to Nov. 19, the museum will host an exhibition by Vincennes-based artist Fernando Lozano, We Remember / Nostotros Recordamos, that reflects upon the lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic to date in all 50 states and U.S. territories. It is included with regular museum admission.
From Oct. 10 to Nov. 3, the museum and its partners will host a Community Altar and Ofrenda Exhibit. Community groups create ofrendas, or altars, in honor of loved ones who have passed. This exhibit has free admission.
From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 21, the museum will host the Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Community Celebration, featuring music and dance performances, cultural presentations, a Mercado (marketplace) and the popular Catrina parade. Admission to the event and the museum is free that day.
For details, visit the website at eiteljorg.org/diademuertos.
A fascinating exhibition of contemporary Native American art opens at the Eiteljorg on Nov. 11 and continues through Feb. 25, 2024. UNSETTLE / Converge: The 2023 Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship will feature the works of five Native artists from the U.S. and Canada who create multi-media, ceramic sculpture, assemblage, beadwork and photography. The exhibition will be included with regular museum admission.
For more about these and other events, visit the Eiteljorg Museum’s website at Eiteljorg.org.
The Eiteljorg is at 500 W. Washington St., Indianapolis.
ArtDependence | Gauri Gill wins Tenth Prix Pictet, World’s Leading Photography and Sustainability Award
Indian photographer Gauri Gill was announced as the winner of the tenth cycle of the Prix Pictet, the global award for photography and sustainability receiving the prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs. Gauri Gill was selected from a shortlist of 12 photographers by an independent jury.
Gill’s work emphasises her belief in working with and through community, in what she calls ‘active listening’. For more than two decades, she has been engaged closely with marginalised communities in the desert of western Rajasthan, and for the last decade with Indigenous artists in Maharashtra.
Her winning series ‘Notes from the Desert’ looks at whole spectrum of life: drought years and the year of a great monsoon – when Barmer became Kashmir
Hepworth, Moore and more: an arty weekend in Wakefield, West Yorkshire
With Europe’s largest sculpture park and galleries showcasing modern and contemporary British art, this former industrial powerhouse has a lot to feast your eyes on
Family Affair: Q&A with Cherokee artist Kindra Swafford on Cherokee Art Market
Over 150 Indigenous artists will take part in the 18th annual Cherokee Art Market, Oct. 14-15, inside Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa. Among them is Cherokee Nation artist Kindra Swafford, of Tahlequah, who is participating for the fourth year.
“My favorite thing about CAM is that from the moment you walk in, to the moment you break down your booth, there is an incredible environment,” Swafford says. “We are all helping each other, checking in with others to see if they need anything. We cheer each other on in sales and with awards. You feel like a big family and you can hear the laughter echoing down the halls of the ballroom area.”
Swafford took part in a Q&A to discuss their work and more.
Quantum Yona by Kindra Swafford
How do you describe your art?
My work consists of a variety of mediums, but I lean toward watercolor as my primary medium. I try to keep learning and pushing my art to new heights. I want to continuously change and grow — who doesn’t? I love creating fun compositions from my personal experiences or adventures in nature. My art is described as saturated subjects over-imposed to create a glitch. A glitch is made by duplicating the same image with overly saturated hues. It’s unique and jarring at first and I love it. You can find some of my watercolors to be 3-inches across and others that are almost 8-foot-tall. I am known for creating large watercolors. I also love doing pop art from shows, games and comics.
What is the price range of your work?
My artwork ranges from $60 to $10,000. I want to be sure anyone that walks into the market has a choice between my large-framed watercolors or limited prints of those works. I hear a lot, “Not everyone can afford an original, but people can afford limited prints.” I offer unframed originals priced as low as $60. As artists, we put so much time and care into what we create for the show and we want people to enjoy our work. You will find quality work from booth to booth at CAM and a lot of us have worked hard to ensure there is something for every buyer.
Who are some artists that inspire you through their work?
It’s the people that are utilizing their native language in their art, that have picked up traditional pottery or weaving and have taught others in the community. Those are the super stars. I’m inspired by the playful color compositions of Jerry Sutton’s pieces, the positive impressions Roy Boney’s daily sketches bring to social media, the emboldening images of women in Keli Gonzales’ work, the intricate but delicate line work of Kristin Gentry’s ink/watercolors, and the beautiful abstracts of Dean Wyatt.
Family Affair: Q&A with Cherokee artist Kindra Swafford on Cherokee Art Market
Over 150 Indigenous artists will take part in the 18th annual Cherokee Art Market, Oct. 14-15, inside Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa. Among them is Cherokee Nation artist Kindra Swafford, of Tahlequah, who is participating for the fourth year.
“My favorite thing about CAM is that from the moment you walk in, to the moment you break down your booth, there is an incredible environment,” Swafford says. “We are all helping each other, checking in with others to see if they need anything. We cheer each other on in sales and with awards. You feel like a big family and you can hear the laughter echoing down the halls of the ballroom area.”
Swafford took part in a Q&A to discuss their work and more.
![IMAGE THREE Quantum Yona[66] copy.jpg](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/tulsapeople.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/4c/c4c4aca8-5c7a-11ee-b545-b77381640ae4/6512ed9532775.image.jpg?resize=750%2C747)
Quantum Yona by Kindra Swafford
How do you describe your art?
My work consists of a variety of mediums, but I lean toward watercolor as my primary medium. I try to keep learning and pushing my art to new heights. I want to continuously change and grow — who doesn’t? I love creating fun compositions from my personal experiences or adventures in nature. My art is described as saturated subjects over-imposed to create a glitch. A glitch is made by duplicating the same image with overly saturated hues. It’s unique and jarring at first and I love it. You can find some of my watercolors to be 3-inches across and others that are almost 8-foot-tall. I am known for creating large watercolors. I also love doing pop art from shows, games and comics.
What is the price range of your work?
My artwork ranges from $60 to $10,000. I want to be sure anyone that walks into the market has a choice between my large-framed watercolors or limited prints of those works. I hear a lot, “Not everyone can afford an original, but people can afford limited prints.” I offer unframed originals priced as low as $60. As artists, we put so much time and care into what we create for the show and we want people to enjoy our work. You will find quality work from booth to booth at CAM and a lot of us have worked hard to ensure there is something for every buyer.
Who are some artists that inspire you through their work?
It’s the people that are utilizing their native language in their art, that have picked up traditional pottery or weaving and have taught others in the community. Those are the super stars. I’m inspired by the playful color compositions of Jerry Sutton’s pieces, the positive impressions Roy Boney’s daily sketches bring to social media, the emboldening images of women in Keli Gonzales’ work, the intricate but delicate line work of Kristin Gentry’s ink/watercolors, and the beautiful abstracts of Dean Wyatt.
For One and All: Prints from The Block’s Collection 9/29/2023
In its foundational years, The Block Museum of Art gained a reputation for presenting groundbreaking exhibitions that considered the unique roles prints and printmaking have…
