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Royal artist reveals King Charles' reaction to official portrait

<p>Jonathan Yeo, who is known for his portraits of royal family members, has revealed the King and Queen's reaction to the most recent <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/king-charles-unveils-first-post-coronation-portrait" target="_blank" rel="noopener">portrait of King Charles</a> which made headlines. </p> <p>The portrait, which was done in four sittings from 2020, featured the King in his crimson Welsh Guards uniform, with a butterfly hovering above his shoulder. </p> <p>"People don't know their own faces, so it's much more useful to see the reaction of someone who knows that person well because they know in a split second if you've captured them," he told <em>The Times</em>. </p> <p>"Sometimes they'll say it, but more often you see it in their face – amazement, pleasure or recognition."</p> <p>He recalled how during his and Charles' final sitting in November, Camilla told him: "Yes, you've got him," with a look of recognition across her face. </p> <p>Yeo also revealed that the King saw the portrait when it was half completed and despite the surprise at the intense colour, he smiled at the painting and said: "It is remarkable how it has turned out." </p> <p>The artist said that the King and Queen were prepared for the mixed reactions from the public. </p> <p>"They knew what to expect," he told the publication, before revealing that the King appeared in good health despite his recent cancer diagnosis. </p> <p>"[Our last sitting] was before his diagnosis. He didn't look remotely ill to me, and he looked amazingly well on Tuesday."</p> <p>"We already had a bit of a rapport and that definitely makes it easier," Yeo said of the painting process. </p> <p>"He was really relaxed and I think it helped that he is interested in the process. We spent a lot of time talking about art and artists, as well as the environment."</p> <p><em>Image: Aaron Chown-PA/POOL supplied by Splash News/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Art

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“I paint the world as I see it": Artist responds to Gina Rinehart's demand

<p>Acclaimed Aboriginal artist <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Vincent Namatjira </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">has found himself at the centre of controversy following criticism from mining magnate Gina Rinehart over his portrait of her displayed at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. Rinehart reportedly <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/gina-rinehart-demands-for-national-gallery-to-remove-her-portrait" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded the removal of the painting</a>, which she deemed unflattering, sparking a debate on artistic expression and the portrayal of power in contemporary art.</span></p> <p>Namatjira's artistic style is characterised by caricatures that border on the cartoonish, portraying influential figures such as Queen Elizabeth II, AFL player Adam Goodes and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. His work challenges viewers to question the societal constructs surrounding power and influence, inviting them to delve deeper into the underlying messages within his art.</p> <p>In response to the removal request from Rinehart, Namatjira released a statement saying:</p> <p>“I paint the world as I see it. People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’"</p> <p>"I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.”</p> <p>Through his art, Namatjira confronts the complexities of privilege, wealth and authority, presenting a perspective that may not always align with mainstream perceptions.</p> <p>Despite objections raised by some, the National Gallery of Australia has stood by its decision to retain the painting, reaffirming its commitment to fostering dialogue and engagement with art in all its forms.</p> <p>Reports of complaints, including accusations linking the portrayal to political agendas, underscore the broader societal divisions that art can sometimes expose. However, the NGA's refusal to yield to external pressure reaffirms the institution's role as a custodian of artistic expression, providing a platform for diverse voices to be heard and interpreted.</p> <p>Namatjira's exhibition, "Australia in Colour", serves as a testament to the power of art to provoke, challenge and inspire. Through his unique lens, he invites audiences to reconsider notions of power and influence, urging them to look beyond the surface and engage with the deeper narratives embedded within his work.</p> <p>In a world where influence is often wielded unequally, his paintings serve as a catalyst for reflection, inviting viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and embrace the diversity of perspectives that define our collective experience.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty \ X (Twitter) \ National Gallery of Australia</em> </p>

Art

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How Guy Sebastian was conned by a Telstra worker

<p>Guy Sebastian was allegedly duped into performing at a young girl's birthday party, when he thought the event was for a charity. </p> <p>The singer was one of many people who were scammed by former Telstra salesman Gerard Cecil Vamadevan, 56, who has been sentenced to a maximum two years jail after pleading guilty to making hundreds of harassing phone calls to 19 separate victims.</p> <p>On Monday, the NSW District Court heard how Vamadevan would tell victims he was either a “talent scout” or a “TV agent for Channel 7” to gain their phone numbers before making “sexually explicit” and “vulgar” anonymous phone calls to them.</p> <p>In addition to his 19 seperate victims, Guy Sebastian was also conned by Vamadevan, who he met over a decade ago, as his claims came to light following the conclusion of the case in court. </p> <p>At the beginning of their relationship, Sebastian was tricked into performing at Vamadevan's daughter's birthday party, although he told the singer it was a charity event for Telstra. </p> <p>The court heard how Vamadevan would use social media pictures with Sebastian, other celebrities and business leaders he had met through work to convince his victims of his “connections” to the entertainment industry. </p> <p>Sebastian’s manager said the pair knew each other about a decade ago and said the singer was used “for the convicted’s own personal benefit”.</p> <p>In a statement to news.com.au, a spokeswoman for Telstra said they were “very concerned” about allegations the former employee had “misrepresented his relationship” with the company, as Vamadevan long claimed he worked for the Telstra "charity arm". </p> <p>Vamadevan was sentenced to two years imprisonment, although will be eligible for release June 30th 2025 on good behaviour. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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Artist keeps craft alive with beautifully bound books

<p>In a world taken over by digitised forms of just about everything, book artist Liz Constable says her beautifully bound bohemian journals, handmade envelopes and painstakingly stitched self-help books still inspire the biggest shrieks of delight from total strangers.</p> <p>Journaling in cafés, Constable often feels eyes shrouding over her diary. "They say, oh that looks like a very old book," Constable says. "Oh yes, it's two weeks old," she laughs. </p> <p>Type 'book art' into online creative depository, Pinterest, and it will come up with 636 ways of turning old, clunky books into works of art. Likewise, Google images paints a pretty picture of the ways you can up-cycle unwanted novels.</p> <p>But unlike the art we relegate to a shelf or a picture hook, Constable's creations are usable. They're designed to be drawn on, hauled around in a tote and pulled out to illustrate ideas, and are made with any material she can get her hands on.  </p> <p>"It's that old worldy style," she says. "Everyone wants things to look old. You see people with laptops in bags that look like they're carrying old typewriters."</p> <p>What started off as a hobby 16 years ago turned into a full time business called Book Art Studios in 2007, when Constable, then a careers counsellor, says she counselled herself out of her former job and into where her heart truly lay- making books.</p> <p>It began with dying her journal papers with tea and coffee, then a friend introduced her to coloured dye. Now the "scavenger by nature" says her books are made with paper taken from the likes of old shipping maps, cloth and other recycled materials, before being stitched and bound in her own West Auckland studio.</p> <p>The UK migrant makes books for the likes of happy couples who need something special to keep track of wedding guests, to soda giant Coca Cola who commissioned Constable to make books for staff training, and Fonterra, whose Constable-made creations went all the way to a conference in China. </p> <p>Constable believes it's the nostalgia that inspires such gushing responses from people who frequently request to hug her when they see her creations. Not so long ago she hand delivered a job application written in a handmade book, nestled in a mail art envelope.</p> <p>She despairs walking into bookstores and seeing the rows and rows of identical book spines, prompting ever more thoughts about how she can make her work stand out.</p> <p>It's a thought at the forefront of her mind as Constable prepares to undertake something she's never done- producing her first book series en masse by enlisting the help of potential publishers at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October.  After years of ensuring each of her works is unique, Constable said the decision to take hand made to mass made came after reading a theory that it takes 10,000 hours to perfect a skill.</p> <p>Constable realised she'd clocked up more than enough over time, and enjoyed 'the simple life' long enough to begin relishing the fruits of her labour.</p> <p>She wants to produce a series of semi-autobiographical self-help books, whose roots can be traced back to the death of Constable's aunt many years ago. "Oh, I see a door," were her finals words on her death bed, prompting Constable to wonder just what exactly was behind that door. </p> <p>"I was so curious," Constable says. The words kept coming and before she knew it, nine books were conceived. The Martha series, she calls it. Stories for adults grappling with bigger issues.</p> <p>In March she published and began selling another self-help book, One Small Drop, in order to help fundraise for Frankfurt. Unlike the text heavy self help books of yester-year, you can hold One Small Drop in one hand. The pages are laser cut with small drops that turn into hearts with every page turn, the colours gradually turning from dark to light.</p> <p>More than 7,000 authors and book makers at the book fair will be vying for the attention of publishers who scout the exhibits for "innovate business models".</p> <p>After attending the fair some years ago Constable walked around searching for fellow book artists, disheartened to find they were "miles away from anywhere." Her exhibit, she promises, will be like walking into one of her storybooks. </p> <p>"I came back and I said I'm not going to stand in a queue trying to get someone to read it. I said I don't care how it happens, I'm going to get someone to pick up the Martha series."</p> <p><em>Written by Kelly Dennett. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Books

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106-year-old tattoo artist becomes Vogue’s oldest cover star

<p>Apo Maria ‘Whang-Od’ Oggay has made history as the oldest woman to have featured on the cover of <em>Vogue</em>. </p> <p>Regarded as the last mambabatok of her generation, Whang-Od was born in the remote village of Buscalan in the northern Philippines’ province of Kalinga in 1918, and entered the world of tattooing at just 16 years old. </p> <p>As <em>Vogue Philippines</em>’s editor-in-chief Bea Valdes explained of their decision to feature her on the cover, “we felt she represented our ideals of what is beautiful about our Filipino culture.</p> <p>"We believe that the concept of beauty needs to evolve, and include diverse and inclusive faces and forms. What we hope to speak about is the beauty of humanity.”</p> <p>And Whang-Od was the perfect choice. <em>Vogue Philippines</em>’ demonstrated as much when they wrote on Twitter that “the symbols of the Kalinga tribe signifying strength, bravery &amp; beauty” are imprinted on her skin, and that Whang-Od embodies the “strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Apo Maria “Whang-Od” Oggay symbolizes the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit. </p> <p>Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe signifying strength, bravery &amp; beauty on the skin. </p> <p>Read more on <a href="https://t.co/2F1mJ5iQWG">https://t.co/2F1mJ5iQWG</a>. <a href="https://t.co/urVcA3g2Ek">pic.twitter.com/urVcA3g2Ek</a></p> <p>— Vogue Philippines (@vogueph) <a href="https://twitter.com/vogueph/status/1641276503433572353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>As tattoo anthropologist Dr Lars Krutak found out for <em>Vogue</em>, it was through Whang-Od’s father’s mentorship that she launched her career in tattooing. She was the first - and only - mambabatok of her time, and would spend her time visiting neighbouring villages - and beyond - to “to imprint the sacred symbols of their ancestors on individuals who have crossed or about to cross a threshold in their lives.”</p> <p>Her own life story can be found on her skin - featuring everything from her accomplishments to her ailments, and even the names of past lovers - in a story of beauty, bravery, and the heritage of the Kalinga tribe. </p> <p>For men, tattoos reflected them as “a headhunting warrior”, while women were typically tattooed for “fertility and beautification”. As <em>Vogue</em> reported, the elder women of Kalinga say that “when they die, they can’t take their beads and gold with them to the afterlife. They only have the markings on their body.” </p> <p>As <em>Vogue</em> went on to cover, decades of colonial erasure had a significant impact on batok - in Kalinga, village girls had to cover their arms, while many others abandoned the art. </p> <p>But through Whang-Od and her descendants, the ancient art of batok will continue - both in Buscalan and the rest of the world. </p> <p>Batok itself, as explained by the <em>Vogue</em> team who had the honour of receiving a tattoo from Whang-Od, involves “an unused gisi, a bamboo stick with a thorn attached to one end” and a pattern traced “using a length of grass dipped in the soot and charcoal mixture”. </p> <p>The process then sees Whang-Od hold the inked gisi in one hand, while she “uses a larger stick to whack it with her right hand, driving it over a hundred times per minute into the flesh until the three dots are filled and oozing with blood and ink. She dabs at them with a wet wipe before deciding to go over the freshly wounded spots again for good measure.”</p> <p>And now, Whang-Od has been teaching her craft to her grand-niece, Grace Palicas. </p> <p>Under Whang-Od’s mentorship, the thousand-year-old tradition will live on, as the next generation of stick-and-thorn artists strive to preserve their craft, and share it with the world. </p> <p>As for Whang-Od herself? Her plans are quite simple, with the artist explaining that “when visitors come from far away, I will give them the tatak Buscalan, tatak Kalinga for as long as my eyes can see.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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From radical to reactionary: the achievements and legacy of the influential artist John Olsen

<p>After media outlets breathlessly described the late John Olsen as a “<a href="https://fb.watch/jSdCoR-2GN/">genius</a>”, I found myself humming The Chasers’ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXHleozgQ18">Eulogy Song</a>. </p> <p>This is perhaps a bit unfair, but the hyperbole surrounding Olsen’s death seems to have crowded out any assessment of his real and lasting achievements as an artist. There is a danger here. </p> <p>Hyperbole invites a reaction, which is not always kind. It is still hard to have a dispassionate discussion on the merits (and otherwise) of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/from-the-archives-1969-norman-lindsay-dies-20191112-p539sa.html">Norman Lindsay</a>, an artist often called a genius in his lifetime.</p> <h2>John Olsen and Australian art</h2> <p>To understand Olsen, and his importance to Australian art, it is important to give some context. He emerged from that generation of Australians whose childhood was coloured by the deprivations of the second world war, and whose adolescent experience was of an expanding, changing Australia. </p> <p>War meant that he finished school as a boarder at St Josephs Hunters Hill, while his father fought in the Middle East and New Guinea and his mother and sister moved to Yass in rural New South Wales.</p> <p>His ability to draw meant that he escaped the tedium of a clerical job by becoming a freelance cartoonist while moving between a number of different art schools, including Julian Ashtons, Dattilo Rubio, East Sydney Tech and <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/orban-desiderius-dezso-14658">Desiderius Orban</a>’s studio. As with other young artists of his generation, he was especially influenced by the experimental approach and intellectual rigour of <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/passmore-john-richard-15023">John Passmore</a>.</p> <p>He found visual stimulation in <a href="https://www.carlplate.com/">Carl Plate</a>’s Notanda Gallery in Rowe Street, a rare source of information on modern art at the time. Rowe Street was the creative hub for many artists, writers and serious drinkers who later became known as “The Push”. The informal exposure to new ideas on art, literature, food, wine and great conversation was more effective than a university. He learned about Kandinsky, Klee, the beauty of a wandering line, the poetry of Dylan Thomas and T.S. Eliot.</p> <p>Olsen’s first media exposure was as the spokesman for art students protesting at the rigid conservatism of the trustees judging the <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18514782?searchTerm=John%20Olsen%20art%20student%20National%20Art%20Gallery">Archibald Prize</a>. There were no complaints about the Wynne Prize, which had exhibited his work.</p> <h2>The ‘first’ Australian exhibition of Abstract Expressionism</h2> <p>The friendship between Olsen and fellow artists William Rose, Robert Klippel, Eric Smith and their mentor John Passmore, led to the exhibition <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/ARC409.1.147/">Direction 1</a> in December 1956. </p> <p>An art critic’s over enthusiasm led to it being proclaimed as the first Australian exhibition of Abstract Expressionism, and its artists as pioneers of modern art. As a consequence, Robert Shaw, a private collector, paid for Olsen to travel and study in Europe. This was a transformational gift, coming at a time before Australia Council Grants, when travel was expensive.</p> <p>He travelled first to Paris, then Spain where he based himself in Majorca and supported himself by working as an apprentice chef. The fluid approach to learning he had acquired in Sydney was enhanced in Spain. He saw, and appreciated the <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/t/tachisme">Tachiste</a>artists, but took his own path, remembering always Paul Klee’s dictum that a drawing is “taking a line for a walk”.</p> <p>That Spanish experience was distilled in the exuberant works he painted after his return to Sydney in 1960. <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/OA29.1960.a-c/">Spanish Encounter</a>paid tribute to the impact of this culture that continued to intrigue him, its energy and its apparent irrationality. </p> <p>But he also found himself enjoying the “honest vulgarity” he found in the Australian ethos, leading to a series of paintings which incorporated the words <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/6124/">you beaut country</a> in their title. Olsen’s confident paintings of the 1960s easily place him as the most influential Australian artist of that decade.</p> <h2>Five Bells and landscape</h2> <p>In 1972, Olsen was commissioned to paint a giant mural for the foyer of the concert hall at the Sydney Opera House. <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/archived/booksandarts/my-salute-to-five-bells:-john-olsen/6721222">Salute to Five Bells</a> takes its name from Kenneth Slessor’s poem of death on the Harbour, but is more about elements of subterranean harbour life. </p> <p>The heroic scale of the work meant that he worked with a number of assistants to paint the dominant blue ground. When the mural was unveiled in 1973, it received a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/archived/booksandarts/my-salute-to-five-bells:-john-olsen/6721222">mixed response</a>. It was too muted in tone to cope with the Opera House lighting, too sparse in content, too decorative.</p> <p>In the following years, Olsen turned towards painting the Australian landscape and the creatures that inhabited it. In 1974, he visited Lake Eyre as the once dry giant salt lake flooded to fill with abundant life. He made paintings, drawings and prints of the abundance – both intimate views and overviews from flying over. Lake Eyre and its environs was to be a recurring motif in the art of his later years.</p> <p>While these works were commercially successful, and many were acquired by public galleries, Olsen was no longer seen as being in the avant garde. He was, however, very much a part of the art establishment and his art was widely collected.</p> <h2>A man of his generation</h2> <p>The aerial perspective of many of his later decorative paintings could seem to have echoes of Aboriginal art. Indeed, when the young <a href="https://abdulabdullah.com/home.html">Abdul Abdullah</a> first saw Olsen’s paintings in 2009 he at first assumed Olsen was an Aboriginal artist. </p> <p>It was therefore a surprise to many when in 2017 Olsen mounted a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/john-olsen-says-archibald-prize-win-is-the-worst-decision-ive-ever-seen-20170728-gxl4ze.html">trenchant attack</a> on the Wynne Prize after it was awarded to Betty Kunitiwa Pumani for Antara, a painting of her mother’s country.</p> <p>Despite some visual similarities to his own approach to landscape he claimed her painting existed in “a cloud cuckoo land”. In the same interview, he attacked Mitch Cairns’ Archibald-winning portrait of his wife, Agatha Gothe-Snape, as “just so bad”.</p> <p>While it is not unusual for the radical young to become enthusiastic reactionaries in prosperous old age, there was a particular lack of grace in Olsen’s response to artists who were not a part of his social circle or cultural background. He was in this very much a man of his generation, with attitudes and prejudices that reflect the years of his youth. </p> <p>Looking at Olsen’s paintings of the 1950s and ‘60s is a reminder that there was a time in Australia when brash young men could prove their intellectual credentials by quoting Dylan Thomas while making a glorious multi-coloured paella in paint.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-radical-to-reactionary-the-achievements-and-legacy-of-the-influential-artist-john-olsen-203677" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Art

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Indigenous artist seeking white Australian to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation

<p dir="ltr">An Indigenous artist has put a call out for Australians of “British descent” to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation. </p> <p dir="ltr">Nathan Maynard, a well known Palawa artist and playwright, put an advertisement for the unusual request in the weekend edition of The Age newspaper.</p> <p dir="ltr">Maynard signed the bizarre request as a “palawa” artist: one of the terms First Nations people from Tasmania use when referring to themselves.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Palawa artist wanting to find an Australian of British descent who is willing to donate their future deceased body to an art installation,” the notice read. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The work will speak to sacrifice for past sins perpetrated against the palawa. Potential applicants should see this opportunity as an honour.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“The body and memory of the successful applicant will be treated with the utmost respect at all stages of the project.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The call-out was quick to spark backlash when it was reposted on social media, with one writing, “You can’t just obtain bodies for display in newspapers now. This is very bizarre on multiple levels.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Others questioned the legality of the request, with one person writing, “I dunno that this would be legal, tampering with a corpse is a crime! You can donate your body to medical science, but I don’t think this.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Another wrote, “Borderline psychotic, definitely completely illegal.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the criticism, Mr Maynard told Daily Mail Australia that since the notice went to print, he has received half a dozen applications for their body to be used in the installation in November. </p> <p dir="ltr">The artist said if white Australians are upset by the request, they should ask themselves why they didn't have the same reaction to the mass murder of Aboriginal people. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If you’re not an Aboriginal person and you’re upset by this, I think you should ask yourself why you’re not upset that there is still First Nations remains that have been stolen from their people, stolen from their country in institutions all around the world that are still not repatriated to their own communities,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nathan said the motivation behind his installation revolves around the fact that thousands of First Nations people were killed by colonists, with their remains being sent overseas to be displayed in institutions and museums without a proper ceremony. </p> <p dir="ltr">“So many Aboriginal people's remains are still overseas. People are trying to bring their ancestors home and they are being denied that right,” Mr Maynard said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Human bodies are very sacred and they should be treated with respect.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Whitefellas obviously don't know how to handle remains with respect, so I'm going to show them how,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">The artwork has already received support from the state-funded Tasmanian Museum and Gallery and the Hobart City Council, which has donated $15,000 to the unusual installation.</p> <p dir="ltr">The artwork has been commissioned to appear as part of an exhibition for the popular Hobart Current biennial exhibition in November 2023. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Facebook / The Age</em></p>

Art

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Artist puts the lid on rubbish rental prices

<p>In the age of soaring interest rates and a global housing crisis, one young man in the United Kingdom had a wheelie good idea for getting a roof over his head.</p> <p>His solution? Skipping the queues, and moving into a bin.</p> <p>British artist and architect Harrison Marshall was down in the dumpsters when he decided to seize the opportunity, to both raise awareness about those being forced from their homes due to extortionate rent prices in London - and give himself somewhere to stay in the process - by converting an old skip into a tiny home. </p> <p>The Skip House boasts a whole range of features that one might not expect to find in a place so small - 25 square metres, in fact - with the likes of insulted timber framing, a barrel roof capable of fitting a bed, a kitchen hob - the whole set up including a sink, a stove, and a tiny fridge - as well as a wardrobe. </p> <p>And although it took a month since Marshall moved himself in, the skip was eventually connected to the grid, allowing him to warm his tiny property. The home doesn’t have its own flushing toilet or even a shower, but it doesn’t phase Marshall, who makes use of such amenities at work or at the gym. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Co22dZwoxaQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Co22dZwoxaQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by SKIP House (@theskiphouse)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“With the cost of living at an all time high, and no end in sight, this project is about living for less,” Marshall said of the project on the Skip House’s Instagram, “in one of the most expensive cities in the world, London.</p> <p>“People across the country are changing the way they live to compensate for the rising cost of basic necessities,” he continued. “Living in a skip isn’t the solution, but rather an exploration and a statement.”</p> <p>As Marshall, who now pays approximately $90 a week in rent, told <em>Southwark News</em>, “it seems crazy that people work in the city and can’t afford to live here. Or [that] people who have lived here their whole lives can’t afford to stay here, so they’re having to move out.”</p> <p>He explained that constructing the tiny home was “the only way” for him to continue to live there, and that he hoped to spark a conversation around housing, particularly when it came to unused urban wasteland spots, and how more creative solutions had to be out there. </p> <p>“It also gave quite a good juxtaposition between what you don’t typically think of as a house and almost the polar opposite of that, which is a bin or dumpster,” Marshall told <em>Business Insider</em>, “and how actually that could be turned into something which is relatively cosy and homely.”</p> <p>And as for what his neighbours think about his unusual housing venture, he told<em> Southwark News </em>that he had between 20 and 25 of them show up to his skip-warming, “they’re all super supportive.</p> <p>“People have even seen me doing stuff in the garden and gone to get their tools and come to help out and people around have filled up my hot water bottle.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Iconic artist and broadcast pioneer John Pickup passes away at 91

<p>John Pickup OAM passed away on Tuesday at home in Murwillumbah.</p> <p>The broadcast pioneer, who spent over 40 years working at the ABC, enjoyed a varied career across Australian TV and radio.</p> <p>As well as his broadcast work, John found success with the Brushmen of the Bush - a group consisting of five Broken Hill artists. They dedicated their time to depicting the outback and garnered international recognition during the '60s and '70s.</p> <p>The group - John Pickup, Erin Minchin, Pro Hart, Hugh Schulz, and Jack Absalom - came together when artist Erin Minchin needed help with a charity fundraising exhibition. They went on to showcase their work around the world, raising thousands for charity along the way.</p> <p>"They donated a lot of paintings to charities all over the country," fellow Broken Hill artist Howard Steer said of their generosity.</p> <p>Pro Hart’s wife, Raylee Hart, told the ABC that “there was a great sense of community” around them while reflecting on time spent with the Brushmen.</p> <p>John was the last surviving member of the Brushmen of the Bush after Jack Absalom’s death in March 2019.</p> <p>Despite John’s skill with a brush, it was not his painting that saw him awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2020, but instead his 57 years of service to broadcasting.</p> <p>Opening up to AnArt4Life about the honour, John said, “while I am extremely proud to receive an OAM, I was also honoured to receive numerous messages from people thanking me for training them in broadcasting as that training sent them on their present career path: to receive these messages of congratulations was very gratifying".</p> <p>John launched his media career in 1947, and moved to the ABC in 1950, where he remained for more than 40 years. He spent time in the sound effects department, as a manager, and as a broadcaster for the company.</p> <p>But his most unique role comes from his time with sound, when his right hand secured itself a place in the history books by becoming the first “animated object” ever seen on Australian TV in 1956.</p> <p>John was a floor manager at the time, tasked with opening a book set to feature in the broadcast’s opening shot.</p> <p>"I took my right hand up to makeup, had it satisfactorily made up," he told ABC Radio National's Late Night Live of the incident.</p> <p>“Come eight o'clock, I get the cue from the floor manager. I pick up the book, I open to the first page,” John went on, “it just so happens that … my right hand is the first animated object seen on national television."</p> <p>Raylee Hart, while speaking of John, noted that Pickup’s death marked the end of an era, but shared her hope for the future in knowing that “there’s always something else for another era.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

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Female artists earn less than men. Coming from a diverse cultural background incurs even more of a penalty – but there is good news, too

<p>Artists all over the world, regardless of their gender, earn <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/handbook/handbook-of-the-economics-of-art-and-culture">considerably less</a> than professionals in occupations requiring similar levels of education and qualifications. </p> <p>But there’s an additional income penalty for artists who are female. </p> <p>In an analysis of gender differences in the incomes of professional artists in Australia that <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/the-gender-pay-gap-among-australian-artists/">we undertook in 2020</a>, we found the creative incomes of women were 30% less than those of men. </p> <p>This is true even after allowing for differences in such things as hours worked, education and training, time spent in childcare and so on. This income penalty on women artists was greater than the gender pay gap of 16% experienced in the overall Australian workforce at the time.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/screen-australia-celebrates-its-work-in-gender-equality-but-things-are-far-from-equal-122266">Some sectors</a> of the arts have tried to redress this problem. However, women continue to suffer serious and unexplained gender-based discrimination in the artistic workplace.</p> <p>Cultural differences are <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w27725">also known</a> to influence pay gaps in many countries. </p> <p>In new research <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/culture-and-the-gender-pay-gap-for-australian-artists">out today</a>, we considered whether cultural factors might also affect the gender pay gap of artists in Australia. In addition, we analysed the gender pay gap for remote Indigenous artists for the first time.</p> <h2>A larger gap for women from a non-English speaking background</h2> <p>In our <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/making-art-work/">2016 survey of 826 professional artists</a> working in metropolitan, regional and rural Australia, we asked participants if they came from a non-English speaking background. </p> <p>Only a relatively small proportion of artists – 10% – came from a non-English-speaking background, compared to 18% for the Australian labour force as a whole. </p> <p>A non-English-speaking background appears to carry an income penalty only for women artists, not for men. </p> <p>We found the annual creative earnings of female artists from a non-English-speaking background are about 71% of the creative incomes of female artists whose first language is English. But there is little difference between the corresponding incomes of male artists.</p> <p>Within the group of artists from language backgrounds other than English, the annual creative earnings of female artists are about half (53%) those of their male counterparts. </p> <p>By contrast, the ratio of female to male creative earnings among English-speaking background artists is 73%. </p> <p>These results suggest that women artists from a non-English-speaking background suffer a triple earnings penalty – from being an artist (and hence as a group earning less than comparable professionals), from their gender, and from their cultural background.</p> <p>Despite this earnings disadvantage, 63% of artists who identified as having a first language other than English thought their background had a positive impact on their artistic practice. Only 16% thought it had a negative impact.</p> <p>When artists were asked whether being from a non-English speaking background was a restricting factor in their professional artistic development, 17% of women answered “yes”, compared to only 5% of men from a similar background. </p> <p>Nevertheless, like their male colleagues, these women artists continue to celebrate their cultural background in their art. They contribute to the increasingly multicultural content of the arts in Australia, holding up a mirror to trends in Australian society at large.</p> <h2>No gender gap in remote Indigenous communities</h2> <p>For First Nations artists working in remote communities, a different picture emerges. </p> <p>For this research, we used results for remote communities in three regions of northern Australia drawn from our <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/257301">National Survey of Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artists</a>.</p> <p>The gender gap is not replicated among remotely practising First Nations artists. </p> <p>There are some minor variations in this finding for subgroups in different regions, depending in part on differences in the mix of visual and performing artists in the population. But whatever other differentials may exist between female and male earnings, they do not appear to be attributable to the sorts of systemic gender-based discrimination that affects the residual gender gap for other Australian artists.</p> <p>A possible reason relates to fundamental differences between the cultural norms, values and inherited traditions that apply in remote and very remote First Nations communities. </p> <p>Gender roles in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been <a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/can.1992.7.2.02a00020">described</a> by researchers as distinctively different, rather than superior or inferior. The importance of both women and men as bearers of culture has been clearly articulated. </p> <p>The unique cultural content of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music, dance, visual art and literature is an essential feature of the work of these artists. These characteristics pass through to the marketplace, and there does not appear to be any obvious gender gap in the way the art from these remote communities is received. </p> <p>There is always differentiation between the art produced in different remote regions of Australia which varies depending on the complexities of different inherited cultural traditions. But there is no indication of any gender-based discrimination associated with these regional differences.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/female-artists-earn-less-than-men-coming-from-a-diverse-cultural-background-incurs-even-more-of-a-penalty-but-there-is-good-news-too-195646" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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Four ways in which Leonardo da Vinci was ahead of his time

<p>Leonardo da Vinci is generally recognised as one of the great figures of the Renaissance and one of the greatest ever polymaths. As the world marks the 500th anniversary of his death, it’s important to look at some of the ways in which he showed that – as well as being a painter, sculptor and engineer – he was a thinker who was way ahead of his time.</p> <h2>Engineering – Dr Hywel Jones</h2> <p>Leonardo da Vinci is renowned as much for his inventions as his works of art, studies of architecture and anatomical drawings. The documents that survive show us his ideas for a wide range of devices. They include some of the first concepts for gliders, helicopters, parachutes, diving suits, cranes, gearboxes and many types of weapons of war. Many of these may be seen in use today, having taken the best part of 400 years to become practical realities.</p> <p>He combined an imagination ahead of his time, an understanding of the emerging principles of science and engineering, and his superlative draftsmanship to devise new uses for levers, gears, pulleys, bearings and springs. His creations were designed to be useful but also to be appealing to his patrons: the warring dukes and kings of late 15th- and early 16th-century France and Italy.</p> <p>Although he apparently despised war, he was employed for much of the time as a military engineer, devising new defences and concepts for terrifying weapons. His sketches show a prototype “tank” circa 1485, with armour plating and the ability to fire in any direction.</p> <p>We now know that Leonardo’s “tank”, as drawn, <a href="https://leonardodavinci.stanford.edu/submissions/ghoe/leonardo.htm">was not practical</a> – it had mistakes in its gearing and would have been so heavy that it could not have manoeuvred. Other weapons, designed to impress and intimidate as much as actually work, included the giant (27-metre) cross-bow, a gun with 33 barrels, ammunition which resembles today’s “cluster bombs”, and the first example of aerodynamically stabilised artillery shells.</p> <p>His sketches for an “aerial screw” (1486-90) anticipate the idea of the helicopter, although it was not the first demonstration of vertical flight – a <a href="http://www.aerospaceweb.org/design/helicopter/history.shtml">Chinese toy with rotors</a> predates this by 1,800 years.</p> <p>Ornithopters, human powered flying machines which mimicked bird flight, were a fascination for him – and he drew many beautiful and innovative designs. However, bird flight was not fully understood at this time and he was unaware that a human being could never generate the required power to operate such devices.</p> <p>Most of Leonardo’s designs were never built or tested, although modern-day attempts to recreate them have met with mixed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C2YKrSxsWc&amp;list=PL7Gl77owRvTswswcbrhnAYKRnv53z14Vn&amp;index=5">success</a>, including <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmfmUGTfZjs&amp;list=PL7Gl77owRvTswswcbrhnAYKRnv53z14Vn&amp;index=7">some spectacular failures</a>. His imagination was so far ahead of its time that it would take four centuries before ideas such as the tank became practical through the development of light and strong materials, such as steel and aluminium, and new sources of power in the form of engines powered by fossil fuels. He would no doubt recognise – and be fascinated by – much of the machinery of modern life that we take for granted.</p> <h2>Mathematics – Dr Jeff Waldock</h2> <p>Although da Vinci is best known for his artistic works, he considered himself <a href="https://www.engineering.com/Blogs/tabid/3207/ArticleID/34/Leonardo-da-Vinci.aspx">more of a scientist than an artist</a>. <a href="http://monalisa.org/2012/09/12/leonardo-and-mathematics-in-his-paintings/">Mathematics</a> – in particular, perspective, symmetry, proportions and geometry – had a significant influence over his drawings and paintings, and he was most certainly ahead of his time in making use of it.</p> <p>Da Vinci used the mathematical principles of linear perspective – parallel lines, the horizon line, and a vanishing point – to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface. In The Annunciation, for example, he uses perspective to emphasise the corner of a building, a walled garden and a path.</p> <p>Leonardo’s Last Supper is a prime example of the use of the mathematics of perspective. The architecture of the building around Jesus and the 12 apostles, as well as lines on the floor beneath the table, create a “vanishing point”, providing a subconscious focal point for the painting.</p> <p>Leonardo knew of Vitruvius’s work – that with the navel as the centre, a perfect circle could be drawn around a body with outstretched arms and legs. He realised that if arm span and height are related, the person would fit perfectly inside a square. His Vitruvian Man took these observations and attempted to solve the problem of “squaring” a circle. It’s not, in fact, possible to do this exactly (squaring the circle is a metaphor for the impossible), but he managed to come very close.</p> <p>There exists in mathematics a number, called the “<a href="https://www.canva.com/learn/what-is-the-golden-ratio/">Golden Ratio</a>”, which appears in some patterns in nature – such as the spiral arrangement of leaves. It was first recognised by <a href="https://famous-mathematicians.com/luca-pacioli/">Luca Pacoli in 1509</a> that the use of the Golden Ratio led to aesthetically-pleasing images. Da Vinci believed it was critical in providing accurate proportionality, and it underpins the structure of the Mona Lisa.</p> <p>The importance of mathematics cannot be understated when discussing Leonardo’s later work, and he seems obsessed with these issues; while working on Mona Lisa, for example, Leonardo was reported to be concentrating on geometry, stating: “Let no one read me who is not a mathematician.”</p> <h2>Water – Dr Rebecca Sharpe</h2> <p>Leonardo da Vinci described water as “the vehicle of nature” (vetturale di natura), water being to the world what blood is to our bodies. From his earliest landscape drawings of a river cascading over rocks (1473), to the famous Mona Lisa (1503) and to his final deluge sketches (1517-18), a lot of Leonardo’s paintings featured water.</p> <p>He was not, however, just fascinated by water’s artistic features. He wanted to understand the fluid dynamics of water: the eddies and vortices under and on water surfaces. As a polymath, he was able to combine his knowledge and ability in art, design, science, philosophy and engineering to design projects, ideas and instruments to <a href="http://hydrologie.org/bluebooks/SP009.pdf">test his hypotheses</a>.</p> <p>In a compilation of writings – the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/look-inside-the-codex-leicester-which-bill-gates-bought-for-30-million-2015-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">Codex Leicester</a> (1510) – Leonardo made 730 conclusions about water alone. Through this work and others, da Vinci made <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=oL2cBAAAQBAJ&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PT5&amp;dq=Jha,+2015+da+vinci&amp;ots=2y7j8TMLbi&amp;sig=pDTYnx3OK46RcdFYcCFhpmsgGB4#v=onepage&amp;q=Jha%2C%202015%20da%20vinci&amp;f=false">many contributions to modern water engineering and science</a> including accurately describing the hydrological cycle, understanding the impact of flow speed on pressure, and engineering canals and reservoirs for flood management and irrigation.</p> <p>Not all of his long list of water ideas and creations were as influential or as accurate, such as his water walking device, but collectively, his uniqueness and overriding contribution to water science and engineering is the development of a scientific approach. He is arguably the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hyp.6207">first hydrologist who formulated hypotheses</a> on the basis of empirical evidence.</p> <p>The ramifications of his rigour live on today in a much wider sphere. As water is the vehicle of nature, Leonardo da Vinci is the driving force behind the foundations of water science and engineering.</p> <h2>Visual illusions – Dr Alessandro Soranzo</h2> <p>Leonardo da Vinci pioneered the study of physiognomy by introducing the concepts of “moti mentali” contained in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Codex-Urbinas-Latinus-1270">Codex Urbinae</a>, written between 1452 and 1519 and printed by Raffaelo du Fresne as Trattato della Pittura in 1651. Moti mentali can be translated as the representation of transient, dynamic mental states, thoughts and emotions. For da Vinci, the goal of portraitists should be representing the inner thoughts of their sitters, not just the external appearance.</p> <p>For this reason, Leonardo created “ambiguous” facial expression. In ambiguous expressions there is a constant “change: of appearance, hence dynamicity. Leonardo developed the technique of "sfumato” (from the Italian word for vanishing like smoke) for this purpose. In sfumato, the transitions from bright to dark, or from one colour to another, are subtle to soften or obscure sharp edges.</p> <p>This technique was not invented by Leonardo, but he further developed it and his use is unique. I agree with <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/i20166872">Alexander Nagel’s idea</a> that Leonardo’s use of sfumato is different from any other painter/s – including from that of Andrea del Verrocchio, who was Leonardo’s teacher.</p> <p>In particular, in many of Leonardo’s portraits, it is almost impossible to say when one colour ends and another starts – and this is evident in some crucial parts of his paintings, such as the mouths of his sitters. For example, the Laboratoire du Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France, in collaboration with the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, <a href="https://www.csmonitor.com/From-the-news-wires/2010/0716/Mona-Lisa-examination-reveals-layers-of-paint-for-dreamy-quality">reported that</a> Leonardo used up to 30 layers of varnish to achieve the subtle shading around the mouth of the La Bella Principessa (a portrait attributed to Leonardo <a href="https://books.google.it/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=i2osO3TsTXQC&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PP2&amp;ots=lVCXPANimQ&amp;sig=XoylZ5Qo8AhjVksY4g6T3RP6Z1Y&amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">by Martin Kemp</a> as recently as 2011). Each of these layers was <a href="http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Leonardoin-%20a-new-light/21415">half the thickness of a human hair</a>. The area around the mouth of the Mona Lisa has a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/466694a">similar level of detail</a>.</p> <p>My colleague, Michelle Newberry, and I <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698915002163">suggested in 2015</a> that Leonardo created a sort of illusion around the mouth area in some of his portraits (for example, Mona Lisa and Bella Principessa) – from some vantage points, the sitters look content and cheerful but at other times they appear pensive or melancholic.</p> <p>It is remarkable that Leonardo, creating visual illusions, played with the disagreement between the eyes and the brain centuries before scientists understood the mechanisms behind it.</p> <p>Taking each discipline separately, there have undoubtedly been better artists, more important engineers or greater mathematicians. But as an individual, da Vinci was unprecedented and remains without peer – in art or science.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/four-ways-in-which-leonardo-da-vinci-was-ahead-of-his-time-115338" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

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French Dispatch: four artists whose work was shaped by mental illness

<p>Wes Anderson’s film The French Dispatch is about the final issue of a magazine that specialises in long-form articles about the goings-on in the fictional town of Ennui-sur-Blasé. The film is an anthology of shorts representing three of the articles. </p> <p>A piece by the magazine’s art critic (Tilda Swinton) explores the life and late success of the abstract artist Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio Del Toro). Talented from a young age, Rosenthaler pursued art with a dogged determination that drove him to slowly lose his mind. In a fit of rage he commits a triple homicide that lands him in jail, where, after a long time away from art, he creates his best work aided by his prison guard and muse Simone (Léa Seydoux).</p> <p>Artists, like Rosenthaler, burdened with too great a <a href="https://youtu.be/WRjKDxdmdU0">lust for life</a>, or a <a href="https://youtu.be/4MUZ_UHJZGo">tragic taste for alcohol</a>, or even intense and murderous desires, are familiar figures in film and fiction. In some films <a href="https://youtu.be/XdAR-lK43YU">art itself is demonic</a>. </p> <p>Like everything else, mental illness is understood within the context of its time. In their study of melancholy and genius <a href="https://www.nyrb.com/products/born-under-saturn?variant=1094929357">Born Under Saturn</a>, the art historians Margot and Rudolf Wittkower show how Renaissance artists embraced mental alienation. This was shown by a <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/336228">withdrawn, slothful gloom</a>. Such heavy sadness was considered both the symptom and the price of divine inspiration. It was a means to distinguish their inspiration from the mere “know-how” of craft. A brush with madness was good PR.</p> <p>So well established did this association become, that if you look up “artist” in the index of writer Robert Burton’s 1620 compendium <a href="https://www.nyrb.com/products/the-anatomy-of-melancholy?_pos=1&amp;_sid=ffbb60c34&amp;_ss=r&amp;variant=1094931585">The Anatomy of Melancholy</a>, you will find one entry. It reads: “ARTISTS: madmen”. </p> <p>Today, the association of creativity and mental illness often implies regression from an adult and orderly state of mind to one that is primal, impulsive, or infantile. The artist in Anderson’s film is such an example: he is noisy, impetuous, and extravagantly mad. And it is while he is at his “maddest” that he paints his best work.</p> <p>Here I explore the work of four painters whose work has been shaped by various mental illnesses, highlighting how the idea of the “mad artist” need not be tied up with a loss of control but rather a bid to gain it. It is not always loud. It can be quiet, highly detailed or restrained – as the work of these artists shows.</p> <p><strong>Richard Dadd</strong></p> <p>One parallel to Rosenthaler is the Victorian painter <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/richard-dadd-130/richard-dadd-artist-and-asylum">Richard Dadd</a>. The career of this brilliant young artist was destroyed by a mental breakdown that today would probably be diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia. </p> <p>Dadd killed his father, imagining him to be the devil incarnate. He was incarcerated in the criminal lunatic department of Bethlem Hospital. It was as a patient that he painted many of his obsessively detailed masterpieces, such as <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/dadd-the-fairy-fellers-master-stroke-t00598">The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke</a>, (1855-64). The painting contains hidden details that not everyone can see. For instance, in the middle of the painting, I see a figure with a pallid face, wearing a purple cloak, and standing at right angles to the rest of the painting.</p> <p>It is the work of this period that Dadd is remembered for.</p> <p><strong>Edvard Munch</strong></p> <p>A less painful example can be found in the Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch.</p> <p>Munch’s famous work The Scream (1893) depicts a vision the artist had of “blood and tongues of fire” rising over a fjord. In the foreground, a cadaverous figure clasps his cheeks in agonised shock. A handwritten message on the top left-hand corner of this painting was recently shown to be in the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56127530">artist’s hand</a>. It reads: “Can only have been painted by a madman.” </p> <p>Munch saw it as a sign of health that he could express sickness and anxiety in art, and he embraced the idea that madness was a gift that granted him insights denied to others.</p> <p><strong>Mary Barnes</strong></p> <p>A striking example of “creative regression” can be found in the artist and poet <a href="https://spacestudios.org.uk/events/mary-barnes/">Mary Barnes</a>. Diagnosed with schizophrenia and refusing to take basic care of herself, Barnes was the first resident of Kingsley Hall, an experimental therapeutic community founded by the psychiatrist RD Laing. She started making images when she was there, initially using her excrement. As one of her <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/260398.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Af2d35a75183622c49dcd9c2746bcd14d">psychotherapists described, "</a>Mary smeared s**t with the skill of a Zen calligrapher. She liberated more energies in one of her many natural, spontaneous and unself-conscious strokes than most artists express in a lifetime of work. I marvelled at the elegance and eloquence of her imagery, while others saw only her smells."</p> <p>Barnes went on to have a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jul/13/guardianobituaries.books">successful career</a> as an artist.</p> <p>The phrase “natural, spontaneous and unself-conscious” is a window into the belief that expressive creativity lies in primal regression. As the last example shows, this is certainly not necessarily the case.</p> <p><strong>Agnes Martin</strong></p> <p>The American painter Agnes Martin went through <a href="https://youtu.be/902YXjchQsk">two decades of experimentation</a> to achieve the lucid abstraction that she is known for. In her notes for a talk at the University of Pennsylvania in 1973, <a href="http://thecheapestuniversity.org/en/ressource/on-the-perfection-underlying-life/">she wrote, "</a>The work is so far from perfection because we ourselves are so far from perfection. The oftener we glimpse perfection or the more conscious we are in our awareness of it the farther away it seems to be."</p> <p>Martin suffered from auditory hallucinations and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Her calm and methodical paintings, such as <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/martin-faraway-love-ar00178">Faraway Love</a> (1999), depict abstract states of existence: innocence, happiness, and the sublime. They are as much meditations as visual experiences. </p> <p>“Sometimes”, she continued, “through hard work the dragon is weakened.”</p> <p>The example of Martin’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/may/22/agnes-martin-the-artist-mystic-who-disappeared-into-the-desert">thoughtful and devoted life</a> is in stark contrast to the noisy stereotype of the impulsive and primal genius. </p> <p>While the paintings of the fictional Rosenthaler and the real Martin are both highly abstract, they sit in stark contrast to each other. Martin’s has a reserved, ordered quality while Rosenthaler’s is bold and unrestrained, splashing across whatever he is using as his canvas. Away from the romantic notions of the great artist expounded in film, as these artists show, most art is about gaining rather than losing control.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/french-dispatch-four-artists-whose-work-was-shaped-by-mental-illness-170302" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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How a man used a cancer diagnosis to explore his artistic talents

<p dir="ltr">A 70-year-old has spent seven years discovering his artistic talents, after a shock cancer diagnosis forced him into early retirement. </p> <p dir="ltr">Michael Kiely, from the NSW central west, found his love of painting when he was 63, despite struggling to keep the brush steady after living with Parkinson’s disease for 20 years. </p> <p dir="ltr">He didn’t let his ailments stop him, instead using art as a form of therapy to come to terms with his health issues. </p> <p dir="ltr">After a second cancer diagnosis in which he was given just three months to live, the former farmer decided he needed to host an art exhibition. </p> <p dir="ltr">The exhibition, which has been cheekily called <a href="https://www.mykidscoulddothat.com/shop">My Kids Could Do That</a>, will be held in Sydney’s Circular Quay on October 30th. </p> <p dir="ltr">He told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/real-life/article-11334375/Artist-reveals-turned-art-stage-four-cancer-diagnosis.html">Daily Mail Australia</a>, “I paint every day - if I stop it feels like I am going to explode, but I still feel like a fraud.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am amazed when regular people come up to me and tell me they like my paintings. It means more than when they say it, because regular people can't afford to buy them unless they do like them,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">As Michael came to terms with his illness, by spending time on his artworks, he was able to embrace his life-long love of creativity.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“I hadn't painted since I was nine years old. But when I got cancer (the first time) and my wife and I decided I should retire I started again,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When it is working for you then painting is like breathing. When it isn't, it is frustrating - but I find you can only come back to a work a few times before you lose it, then it is for the bin,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now fulfilling his dream of putting on an exhibition, Michael is focusing on how lucky he feels to be alive to see it. </p> <p dir="ltr">Thanks to experimental immunology, it's been three years since his devastating three-month diagnosis.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He spent two years doing the treatments, and saw his oncologist recently who is really impressed with how things are,” Michael’s daughter Jessica said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While Michael admits he doesn’t understand much about art, including what makes artists popular, he hopes his unique style will strike a chord. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Do yourself and an old man a favour, buy my art before I die. I want to see these pieces going home with people. And just think, as soon as I cark it, they all become limited editions,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Supplied</em></p>

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Why a renowned artist is burning his own masterpieces

<p dir="ltr">Artist Damien Hirst has begun burning hundreds of his own artworks after his latest collection prompted the buyer to either choose the physical work or the NFT representing it. </p> <p dir="ltr">Those who chose to buy the NFT, or virtual version, of the artwork were told their corresponding physical piece would be destroyed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Asked how he felt about burning the works, Hirst said, "It feels good, better than I expected."</p> <p dir="ltr">The artist himself burned each work individually, with the estimated cost of the works being burned equated to almost $18 million (AUD). </p> <p dir="ltr">Live-streaming the event, the Turner Prize winner and assistants used tongs to deposit individual pieces stacked in piles into fireplaces in the gallery as onlookers watched.</p> <p dir="ltr">"A lot of people think I'm burning millions of dollars of art but I'm not," Hirst said. "I'm completing the transformation of these physical artworks into NFTs by burning the physical versions.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The value of art, digital or physical, which is hard to define at the best of times will not be lost; it will be transferred to the NFT as soon as they are burnt."</p> <p dir="ltr">Hirst launched his first NFT collection last year, called <em>The Currency</em>, which was made up of 10,000 NFTs, corresponding to 10,000 original pieces of art, forcing buyers to choose what medium they would receive. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to London’s Newport Street Gallery, 5,149 buyers opted for the physical works while 4,851 chose the NFTs. </p> <p dir="ltr">Hirst’s works will continue to be burned until <em>The Currency</em> exhibition closes on October 30th. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Artist spends two years covering his home in doodles

<p>A UK artist has spent two years covering his multi-million dollar mansion in his distinctive style of drawings. </p> <p>Sam Cox, who is lovingly known as Mr Doodle, worked his way through 900 litres of emulsion, 401 cans of spray paint, 286 bottles of drawing paint, and 2,296 pens to transform his home into a work of art.</p> <p>Sam has spent the last two years plastering the walls of his six-bedroom, neo-Georgian mansion that he bought for $2.3million (AUD) in Kent, England, with the signature black-and-white drawings that earned him his name. </p> <p>The 28-year-old artist said it has always been his lifelong dream to buy a house to transform into a "doodle-verse".</p> <p>Sam's adventurous project began in the main bedroom - which he decorated with "dream" themed drawings - and the 2,000-tile en-suite bathroom, which has a sea theme.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjLla7wA0zI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjLla7wA0zI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mr Doodle (@mrdoodle)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The first stage took a gruelling two months to complete, but Mr Cox was determined to finish it on his own.</p> <p>He said, "It's the longest project I've done. I wanted to say I'd done it all myself."</p> <p>Sam has left no surface untouched, with every wall and ceiling and all amenities, including the television, stovetop and bath, covered in monochromatic doodles.</p> <p>Despite admitting he did not plan any of his drawings, Mr Cox has given every room its own theme.</p> <p>For example, the hallway is covered with Noah's Ark creations, while the stairs are decorated with Heaven and Hell drawings.</p> <p>He said, "I had a rough idea of the theme but the individual doodles are spontaneous."</p> <p>"My main inspiration still goes back to when I was kid watching Tom and Jerry, Wacky Races and SpongeBob SquarePants, and video games like Crash Bandicoot. I always wanted to draw characters for video games."</p> <p>While already thinking about his next project, Sam said he would be hesitant to let go of the doodle mansion. </p> <p>He said, "I'm unlikely to be persuaded to move, even if it was amazing money."</p> <p>"I'd feel sad leaving this house, because it's my first one."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Dora Maar and Françoise Gilot were much more than Picasso’s muses or lovers. They are important artists in their own right

<p>Among Picasso’s partners were two formidable female artists: Dora Maar (1907–97) and Françoise Gilot (1921-).</p> <p>For a long time, these women were known primarily as his muse or lover, but further scrutiny of their extensive careers reveals that they were also his collaborators and innovative artists in their own right.</p> <p>Both women profoundly influenced Picasso, and both were exceptional talents.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/the-picasso-century/">The Picasso Century</a>, currently at the National Gallery of Victoria, offers a rare opportunity to see their work in Australia.</p> <h2>Charismatic and unconventional Dora Maar</h2> <p>In <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Dora_Maar_with_Without_Picasso.html?id=NR10QgAACAAJ&amp;redir_esc=y">Dora Maar, with and without Picasso: a biography</a> (2000), Mary Ann Caws writes that Picasso first saw Dora Maar in Cafe les Deux Magots. Sitting alone, she was using a penknife to stab the tabletop between her gloved fingers, staining the white flowers of her gloves with blood.</p> <p>The pair were later introduced when Maar worked as the set photographer on Jean Renoir’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crime_of_Monsieur_Lange">The Crime of Monsieur Lange</a> (1936). They soon began a relationship.</p> <p>By all accounts, Maar was intelligent, charismatic and unconventional. When she met Picasso she had a successful and established career as a photographer.</p> <p>Surrealists had been dismissive of photography until Maar demonstrated its potential, creating some of the movement’s most powerful and important works.</p> <p>According to NGV’s Meg Slater, Gilot’s centrality to Surrealism arose through experimentation in her commercial photography, as well as her commitment to radical left-wing politics. She was remarkable for a woman at that time.</p> <p>Maar has been identified with the nine “<a href="https://useum.org/artwork/Weeping-Woman-Femme-en-pleurs-Pablo-Picasso-1937">Weeping Woman</a>” canvases, which depict how Picasso saw her, profoundly impacted by Guernica’s bombing during the Spanish Civil War.</p> <p>But these portraits have reductively characterised her as a volatile and emotional woman. Maar <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/nov/15/dora-maar-picassos-weeping-woman">said</a> “all [of Picasso’s] portraits of me are lies”.</p> <p>Maar often photographed Picasso during their relationship, most notably in creating his 1937 anti-war work Guernica. She was represented within the painting as a figure holding a light.</p> <p><a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/dora-maar-revealed-picassos-muse-guernica-show-1244849">According to</a> Musée Picasso-Paris’ curator Emilie Bouvard, Maar “did not simply document Picasso painting the great mural. In fact, her Surrealist photography influenced the work itself”.</p> <p>Renowned for moving from one lover to another, Picasso left Maar for Françoise Gilot – notoriously the only woman to leave him.</p> <h2>Critically reflective Françoise Gilot</h2> <p>Gilot had an extraordinary life. <a href="https://www.scrippscollege.edu/news/arts-and-culture/an-artist-in-her-own-right-francoise-gilot-turns-99">Before 25</a> she had lived through the Nazi occupation of Paris, studied dance under Isadora Duncan’s protégée and taken “morning walks with Gertrude Stein”.</p> <p>She achieved expertise in ceramics well before she met Picasso. It was during their almost 10-year relationship that he took an interest in ceramics, eventually producing <a href="http://ceramic-studio.net/ceramic/pottery/francoise-gilot/">3,500</a> works.</p> <p>Gilot was physically and psychologically abused by Picasso and lived with very little autonomy throughout their relationship. Many of her works testify to this.</p> <p><a href="https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/519039925785327682/">The Earthenware</a> (1951) shows a window with bars. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/11/t-magazine/francoise-gilot-picasso.html">Paloma asleep in her crib</a> (1950) depicts windows without views. <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/impressionist-and-modern-art-online-2/francoise-gilot-adam-forcing-eve-to-eat-an-apple-i">Adam forcing Eve to Eat an Apple</a> (1946) is an image of coercion with a disturbing likeness to Picasso and Gilot.</p> <p>In 1953 she left with their children, Claude and Paloma. Outraged, Picasso began to sabotage her artistic career. In 1964 she published a memoir, <a href="https://www.nyrb.com/products/life-with-picasso?variant=9511301382196">Life with Picasso</a>, following his three legal challenges to stop it.</p> <p>She is unusual for writing critically reflective pieces on her own work, situating her as well ahead of her time.</p> <h2>The female gaze</h2> <p>The “<a href="http://femalegaze.com.au/reviews-2/">female gaze</a>” refers to the way female artists express their own unique experience of living in the world as women. Gendered experiences are only one influence among many, but they profoundly impact any creative work.</p> <p>My first impression of Gilot’s female gaze is that she takes a micro view of the world around her.</p> <p>Her 1940s still life works take the domestic and emphasise her seclusion at that time (Picasso had isolated her from family and friends).</p> <p> </p> <p>She finds inspiration in the small things, the domestic, rather than racing to the monumental or heroic.</p> <p>According to Gilot in an interview in <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/life-after-picasso-franoise-gilot">Vogue</a>, she met Picasso in 1943 when he brought a bowl of cherries to her table.</p> <p>This may be referenced in Plate of cherries and a Spanish knife (1948). Gilot described this painting as “the most ordinary, mundane and non-poetic of things” and offers that she chose the domestic deliberately in an act of resistance to expectations that she be a housewife.</p> <p>From this painting we can glimpse her her feminism and her female perspective.</p> <p>Maar’s portraits and advertising images resist objectifying the female figure, directing viewers with the subject’s gaze to something just out of sight.</p> <p>While often erotic, they don’t present women as objects. The shadow in <a href="https://artblart.com/tag/dora-maar-assia/">Assia</a> (1934) emphasises and celebrates both her form and power.</p> <p>Maar’s iconography emphasises the female. She incorporates wavy locks of hair, spiders and manicured nails in hair oil advertising images such as <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/the-voraciousness-and-oddity-of-dora-maars-pictures">Publicity Study</a> (Pétrole Hahn) (1934-1935), face cream advertisement Les années vous guettent (The Years are Waiting for You) (1932) and surrealist images such as Untitled (Hand-Shell) (1934).</p> <p>Maar and Gilot were creative collaborators, not just muses of Picasso.</p> <p>Before and after him, their artistic achievements – and exceptional volumes of creative work – locate them as important artists. These include Maar’s retrospective at the <a href="https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Les-annees-vous-guettent/FD4C9067B246F7CF">Tate</a> (2019-20), and Gilot’s many <a href="https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Francoise-Gilot/BE82663B3D59B3C5/Exhibitions">exhibitions</a>.</p> <p>Across their long careers their output straddled a variety of media and styles, each with her own female gaze.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/dora-maar-and-francoise-gilot-were-much-more-than-picassos-muses-or-lovers-they-are-important-artists-in-their-own-right-190750" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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Artist reworks the classics to include Aboriginal women

<p dir="ltr">An Indigenous artist is reclaiming her heritage by reworking famous artworks to include Aboriginal women. </p> <p dir="ltr">Brandi Salmon, a Wiradjuri artist from Hobart, was first inspired to attempt these reimaginings after viewing numerous artworks about Aboriginal people that were created by non-Indigenous artists and that portrayed Aboriginal people in a negative light – in particular a 19th-century painting that depicts an Aboriginal person as a servant waiting in the presence of Captain James Cook. </p> <p dir="ltr">These negative depictions then led to the creation of a series of works celebrating Aboriginal people titled The Aunty Collection, which includes five famous paintings that feature Aboriginal women, often in regal positions and as the focal point of the artwork.</p> <p dir="ltr">After discovering her love of art as a child, Aboriginal presence in art became a focus when Ms Salmon attended university, where she studied creative arts.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSJTBTkh32W/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSJTBTkh32W/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brandi Salmon (@brandisalmon.artist)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“A lot of the paintings I came across were paintings of Aboriginal people as servants," she told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-13/artist-appropriates-famous-paintings-to-include-aboriginal-women/101394128">ABC</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">“What you see in a lot of paintings from those periods is a style of art which depicts Aboriginal people in such a way that justifies the colonial project," said Tiriki Onus, head of the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the University of Melbourne.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You will see Aboriginal people depicted in this almost animal-like, grotesque fashion that is indicative of a certain time period and romanticises invasion.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When Brandi first started The Aunty Collection for a university assignment, it evolved further than she ever imagined it would. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I wasn't taught how to do the traditional painting and I felt like I couldn't do it. I felt a need to create my own style," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Aunty Collection now features paintings such as Botticelli's <em>The Birth of Venus</em> and Leonardo da Vinci's <em>Mona Lisa</em> re-imagined as strong and proud Aboriginal women.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN42p4fhxAH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN42p4fhxAH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brandi Salmon (@brandisalmon.artist)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUH0MSIh2vC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUH0MSIh2vC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brandi Salmon (@brandisalmon.artist)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Brandi said, "If you think about the classical works, they often depict people and their everyday world to some extent."</p> <p dir="ltr">"A couple of hundred years ago we were being depicted as servants, and now we have the freedom to do The Aunty Collection."</p> <p dir="ltr">"I don't think I realised how much of an impact that would have."</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-92d6872c-7fff-0194-caca-a9d72f7ea119"></span></p>

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Artists furious after AI-generated art wins contest

<p dir="ltr">A stunning artwork generated by artificial intelligence has claimed first prize at an art competition, enraging the art world and calling into question what it means to be an artist. </p> <p dir="ltr">The work was “created” by Jason M Allen, a game designer from Colorado, who won first place in the emerging artist division's "digital arts/digitally manipulated photography" category at the Colorado State Fair Fine Arts Competition.</p> <p dir="ltr">His winning image, titled <em>Théâtre D'opéra Spatial</em> (French for Space Opera Theatre), was made with Midjourney — an artificial intelligence system that can produce detailed images when fed written prompts by the user. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm fascinated by this imagery. I love it. And I think everyone should see it," Allen, 39, told CNN Business.</p> <p dir="ltr">Allen's winning image looks like a bright, surreal cross between a Renaissance and steampunk painting.</p> <p dir="ltr">As per the category Allen competed in, he told officials that Midjourney was used to create his image when he entered the contest, as the category dictated entrants use "digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process".</p> <p dir="ltr">Midjourney is one of a growing number of such AI image generators, joining the likes of Imagen and DALL-E to give the artistically-challenged the means to create stunning images. </p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the parameters of the category, many artists were angered by Allen’s win due to his reliance on technology to create the artwork. </p> <p dir="ltr">"This sucks for the exact same reason we don't let robots participate in the Olympics," one Twitter user wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is the literal definition of 'pressed a few buttons to make a digital art piece'," another Tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">"AI artwork is the 'banana taped to the wall' of the digital world now."</p> <p dir="ltr">Yet while Allen didn't use a paintbrush to create his winning piece, he assured people there was plenty of work involved.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's not like you're just smashing words together and winning competitions," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Rather than hating on the technology or the people behind it, we need to recognise that it's a powerful tool and use it for good so we can all move forward rather than sulking about it," Allen said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Jason M Allen - Midjourney</em></p>

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Male artists dominate galleries. Our research explored if it’s because ‘women don’t paint very well’ – or just discrimination

<p>In the art world, there is a gaping gender imbalance when it comes to male and female artists.</p> <p>In the National Gallery of Australia, <a href="https://nga.gov.au/knowmyname/about/">only 25%</a> of the Australian art collection is work by women. </p> <p>This is far better than the international standard where <a href="https://nmwa.org/support/advocacy/get-facts/">roughly 90%</a> of all artworks exhibited in major collections are by men. The <a href="https://www.artsy.net/artwork/georgia-okeeffe-jimson-weed-slash-white-flower-no-1">most expensive</a> painting by a female artist – Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 – does not even rank among the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_paintings#List_of_highest_prices_paid">100 most expensive paintings</a> ever sold. </p> <p>Why is women’s art valued so much less than art by men?</p> <p>Some economists <a href="https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2005/02/why_do_women_su.html">have suggested</a> the greater burden of child rearing and other domestic duties means women have had fewer opportunities to succeed in the art world.</p> <p>Others have blamed the “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/report-names-laggers-as-women-artists-win-parity-20191029-p534vy.html">quality</a>” of women’s art. In 2013, German painter <a href="https://observer.com/2013/01/georg-baselitz-says-women-dont-paint-very-well/">Georg Baselitz said</a> “Women don’t paint very well. It’s a fact. The market doesn’t lie.”</p> <p>We wanted to know: is work by women generally valued differently to work by men because it is of a lower artistic quality, or is it just discrimination?</p> <h2>Which painting do you like better?</h2> <p>In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268122002669?dgcid=author">our new research</a> we showed average Americans pairs of paintings, painted between 1625 and 1979, side by side. Each of the pairs are similar in style, motif and period, but one work was by a male artist and the other by a female artist.</p> <p>Participants were in two groups. One group saw the artists’ names and the other didn’t. We wanted to see whether more people among those who saw artist names preferred the male painting.</p> <p>If seeing the names – and thereby inferring artist gender – causes more people to prefer male paintings, then there is gender discrimination.</p> <p>Before we tell you the results, think about what you would have expected. And <a href="https://rmit.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4JBs0wxKeftYF0">take a look</a> at our actual painting pairs and see if you can guess which is the male one (hint: you can’t).</p> <p>We were pleasantly surprised to find our participants did not give a hoot about artist gender. In both groups, 54% preferred the painting from a woman.</p> <p>We repeated this experiment, this time rewarding participants if they could accurately guess the preferences of others – the people in the first experiment. </p> <p>Again, 54% of the people in each group picked the female paintings.</p> <h2>Which painting do you think is worth more?</h2> <p>Next we wanted to find out if people picked male paintings for reasons other than personal taste. Art isn’t just bought and sold on aesthetic value: it is a speculative market, where art is treated as an investment.</p> <p>We conducted two more experiments. In one, participants were rewarded if they picked the more expensive painting. In the other, they were rewarded to pick the one painted by the more famous artist.</p> <p>Gender discrimination emerged in both these experiments. When asked to predict the value of and creator fame of paintings, people suddenly swung towards picking male artists. Preference for female paintings fell by 10% and 9% in these two new experiments.</p> <p>Gender discrimination in art comes not from personal aesthetic preference – Baselitz’ argument that women “don’t paint very well” – but people thinking paintings are more valuable and famous when painted by male artists.</p> <h2>A question of fame</h2> <p>In our fifth experiment, we again rewarded participants who could correctly guess which painting would be preferred by others. This time everyone saw the names of the artists. But only one group was told which of the two artists was objectively more famous – the male artist in 90% of cases.</p> <p>The group with that information was 14% more likely to pick male paintings. People used fame information to predict the painting others liked better.</p> <p>If women artists were discriminated against just because of their gender we would have seen a higher premium put on the male artists even in questions of aesthetics.</p> <p>Here, discrimination only occured when our participants were asked to assign a monetary value to the art works, or when they were given information about the level of fame of the painter. </p> <p>This means our art appreciators discriminated not on gender, but on something closely associated with gender: fame.</p> <p>And because male artists have, historically, been given <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1574067606010234">more opportunities</a> to become artists – and therefore become famous – artwork by men is perceived as having a higher value.</p> <p>Policy is slowly starting to recognise and target institutional factors that perpetuate male dominance because of historical notions of fame, like the National Gallery of Australia’s <a href="https://knowmyname.nga.gov.au/">Know my Name</a> initiative. </p> <p>Discrimination in the arts exists, but it often comes from people’s beliefs about what others care to discriminate about. The task ahead is to change perceptions of people and institutions who do not discriminate – but merely conform to others’ discrimination.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/male-artists-dominate-galleries-our-research-explored-if-its-because-women-dont-paint-very-well-or-just-discrimination-189221" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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