Art

Coinciding with the ongoing Salone del Mobile, Triennale di Milano is hosting one of the largest retrospective exhibitions to date on the late artist, designer, architect and editor, Alessandro Mendini. Produced in collaboration with Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Io sono un drago (I am a Dragon) is a self-portrait of the many faces of one of Italy's preeminent creative forces of the past century, featuring over 400 works, spanning painting, sculpture, installation, film, drawings, as well as architectural and interior design work and his impact across publications Modo, Casabella and Domus. The term creative polymath has become somewhat overused in the present, but Mendini, alongside fellow Italian giants, such as Ettore Sottsass, defied categorization as they produced some of...

Marquis Lewis, better known by his artist alias RETNA, has worked with Print Them All to release a new one-color screen print that draws on his quixotic signature script. Entitled Even The Heart Skips A Beat, the Los Angeles-based artist's practice is largely inspired by various calligraphic styles around the world, from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and cuneiform to Hebrew, Arabic and his own background in graffiti. Mysterious but instantly recognizable, RETNA's imprint can be seen plastered on walls around the world. He quickly ascended on art radars for first tagging over popular high fashion labels to the point where he ironically started collaborating with the very entities he covered over — Louis Vuitton and Chanel being some of the many brands that have tapped RETNA to imbue his p...

Hong Kong will host Art021 Hong Kong, a new art fair affiliated with Shanghai's Art021 and Beijing's JingArt. David Chau, a co-founder of Art021, cites support from Hong Kong's Mega Ace Fund for this endeavor. Chau aims to redefine the traditional fair model burdening galleries and collectors by emphasizing art itself through public installations and city-wide exhibitions as per a report by The Art Newspaper.This year's fair will spotlight Silk Road art, particularly from West and Central Asia, with small galleries presenting curated selling shows in subsidized booths. While local and mainland Chinese galleries dominate participation, Chau seeks to diversify by inviting Southeast Asian and Belt and Road country galleries.Unlike mainland fairs, Art021 Hong Kong won't conduct pre-exhibition ...

Amid the 2024 Venice Art Biennale, JR has converted the interiors of Sleeping Car 3553 within Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express into a moving art installation titled L’Observatoire. This project turns the train into a captivating treasure hunt, with hidden compartments and cryptic messages intricately embedded in the marquetry. Curated by JR, L’Observatoire transforms a sleeper carriage within the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express into a luxurious haven. Featuring a double bed, ensuite bathroom, wardrobe, reclining daybed, lounge area, and a library stocked with books from French publisher Gallimard, along with a hidden tea room complete with a fireplace, every detail is meticulously crafted. As guests relax, the rounded windows and skylight ceiling allow glimpses of Europe's landscapes ...

A remarkably preserved banquet hall of frescoes was recently excavated in the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii. Dating back nearly 2,000 years, the 50 foot long by 19 foot wide room was once used as an entertainment space, where cordial gatherings and conversations were believed to have taken place. Dubbed "The Black Room", due to the black walls that were meant to prevent the smoke of the burning candle light from being seen, the room featured elaborately painted depictions of mythological figures from the Trojan War, from Spartan princess Helen to Paris, prince of Troy."The mythological couples provided ideas for conversations about the past and life, only seemingly of a merely romantic nature," said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the Director of the Archaeological park of Pompeii. "In reality, they ...

VILLAZAN is presenting Yang Hyun Jun’s solo exhibition, titled Ordinary People, showcasing a series of artworks that transcend the personal mother figure to delve into the theme of everyday life among ordinary individuals, blending elements of reality and imagination. In his "Adult Child" series, the artist explores his relationship with his mother and the emotions evoked through the symbol of a girl, emphasizing the depth of emotions and sentiments. The presence of the girl in the artwork establishes a direct connection to the artist's mother while embodying the ever-changing representations that transcend temporal and spatial boundaries.Through fragmented images and playful forms, Hyun Jun's works joyfully convey the aesthetic aspects of the differences and similarities found in ordinary...

Kevin Christy's work has been described as humorous, absurd, contemplative and effervescent. Part painter, part comedian, the Los Angeles-based artist magnifies thoughts and observations into surrealist paintings that emphasize the strangeness of daily life. His work has previously featured in a number of esteemed publications around the world, such as The Atlantic and The New York Times, as well as his latest solo exhibition at The Hole in New York.Entitled Ghost Ladder, Christy is featuring 19 new oil paintings that ruminate on the human response to loss and the overlooked experiences that, in hindsight, form some of the most fondest memories. Playing in line with The Hole's previous exhibitions, Christy had the walls of the gallery's Tribeca location in an '80s theme through pastel pink...

German artist and designer Eike König has released a series of new knitted blankets that draw on his juxtapositions between pop cultural icons and whimsical wordplay. The studio HORT founder flipped his popular spin on Homer Simpson (and his Greek counterpart) through a pastel blue background accentuated with pink stenciling. Drawing from his INTERIM SOLUTION exhibition, which went on view at HVW8 Berlin last June, FUTURE RAVER (2023) and TRUE KINDNESS (2023) reappear as soft blanket iterations that can be enjoyed while lounging around the house or equally displayed as a wall work. VATHER RESIST (2024) is another standout in the collection, featuring Star Wars' chief villain in a sun-kissed color palette with the words 'WHAT YOU RESIST PERSISTS' overlaid on the image. "Feeels like spring i...

Artist Ruth Patir, who represents Israel in the 2024 Venice Biennale, is refusing to open her exhibit until a ceasefire and hostage release deal is reached between Israel and Hamas.Patir and curators Mira Lapidot and Tamar Margalit are behind (M)otherland, a video exhibit centered on fertility, one of the 88 countries represented in the international art show. The organizers, however, say they won’t be opening the doors to the public until their terms are met.“The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a cease-fire and hostage release agreement is reached,” reads a sign on the window of the Israel national pavilion, where (M)otherland is housed.Journalists were among the first to witness Patir, Lapidot and Margalit’s protest on Tuesday during a limited pr...

The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair recently announced its 2024 edition, held at The Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea, New York, from May 1 to May 4. Featuring a press preview on May 1 and a VIP Preview on May 2, the fair showcases 32 galleries from Europe, Africa, and the United States, including eight debut participants. The Starrett-Lehigh Building, renowned for its creative environment, hosts this year's event, highlighting the commitment to promoting contemporary African art globally. Founded in 2013, 1-54 aims to raise awareness of African modern and contemporary art, fostering market interest and hosting panel events dedicated to the continent's creative richness. Participating galleries include 193 Gallery (Paris), Berman Contemporary (Johannesburg), and Spinello Projects (Mi...

In a show at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, renowned photographer Ari Marcopoulos is the subject of an exhibition entitled 'Beware.' Skateboarding moves from the streets to the museum's interiors, featuring photographs and a rediscovered video by Marcopoulos. The exhibition also includes 24 works from the museum's vast collection, personally selected by the artist.Born in Amsterdam in 1957, Marcopoulos began his journey in photography as a printing assistant to Andy Warhol and later as a photo assistant to Irving Penn. His work reflects an early fascination with cameras, motion, and urban architecture, notably capturing the dynamics of New York City's landscape. This show features a spread of his iconic works spanning from the 1980s to recent times, including portraits of legendary skat...

Lévy Gorvy Dayan announces the opening of Yves Klein and the Tangible World. The exhibition focuses on the human body in Yves Klein's art, featuring nearly 30 pieces including his Anthropométries and Fire Paintings. Klein's work emphasizes the connection between spirit, matter, and energy, capturing vitality through direct physical contact. Notably, the exhibition presents Klein's use of nude models as "living brushes" to create art, highlighting his fusion of choreographed motion and pigment. Among the showcased works is the monumental Anthropométrie sans titre (ANT 101, 1960) and the transformative Peintures de feu, which embody creation through destruction. The exhibition also features Klein's tactile sculpture and a sculptural floor installation of Pure Blue Pigment, showcasing his bel...