Art

Australian artist Cj Hendry first rose to prominence through hyperrealistic depictions of sneakers and luxury objects, from the Nike Air MAG to the PUMA Clyde, boxing gloves to colorful iterations of Rorschach test. For her latest show, however, Hendry largely bypasses the paper to focus on an immersive playground entitled Plaid. Colorful beams line a two-storey 5,000 square foot space in Brooklyn, made to mimic the timeless plaid pattern in the exhibition's name. “I would love for each original artwork to only be able to be viewed as the entire experience, it brings such a greater depth to the genre of hyperrealism," noted Hendry in a statement. Centered around the theme of nostalgia and play, “Plaid encourages the viewer to connect with the inner child and experience the simplicity of jo...

Over the course of history, every culture has devised its own answer to the riddles posed by the universe. While literature unquestionably is one of the strongest records of human history, folk art too, continues to provide clues to the past and a platform to project into the future. Hong Kong-based publisher victionary has released a new book that celebrates folk art from around the world. Aptly titled NEW FOLK ART, the book features a vibrant collection of work, ranging ancient traditions to timeless practices — each telling the story of these unique communities and how their customs permeate to the present day. Centered at the cross-sections of art and design, the book examines these traditions in a contemporary lens — from Korean symbols of longevity, Day of the Dead-themed Tequila bra...

The Italian Culture Ministry proposed a new bill on Tuesday that would punish anyone between €10,000 and €60,000 EUR ($11,000 to $65,000 USD) for vandalizing monuments, buildings and public artwork. The efforts come in response to a series of protests by climate activists, such as last month's smearing of the Vittorio Emanuele II statue in Milan by Ultima Generazione (Last Generation), along with a similar incident at the Palazzo Madama (the Senate House) in Rome, the latter costing $44,000 USD in restoration fees. Led by culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, the bill would seek to address the “destruction, dispersion, deterioration, disfigurement, soiling, and illicit use” of the nation's cultural heritage, and allocate the funds raised for restoration efforts. “Attacks on monuments and a...

Somewhere between mythology and contemporaneity, childlike expression and meticulous execution, Kenny Scharf's art takes form. As a key figure of the legendary street art movement of the 1980s, Scharf hasn't missed a beat since and continues to create with the same energetic pace — whether on cars or surfboards, prints and canvases, to the white walls of his latest exhibition at Tennis Elbow at The Journal Gallery in New York. The exhibition is four years in the making and features a universe of characters airbrushed across large-scale canvases and the gallery walls. From some of his most iconic characters to entirely new creations, Scharf taps into the spontaneity that has shown to be a hallmark of his practice over the past 40 years. View this post on InstagramA post shared by HypeArt (@...

Most artists use paint, others prefer light, even coffee and bananas have been used as a tool of choice for creative expression. For Italian land artist Dario Gambarin, his tractor has become his go-to 'brush' in a number of monumental portraits across fields in Northern Italy. For his latest piece, Gambarin created a massive portrait of Pablo Picasso.Unofficially a part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the legendary Spanish artist's death, Gambarin created the portrait across 25,000 square meters on a plot of land owned by his parents and was notably inspired by a 1907 self-portrait of Picasso. “I wanted to dedicate this colossal portrait to Picasso because he is one of those masters from whom you never stop learning,” he told The Straits Times.Gambarin has previously created land a...

Not long ago, travel wasn't so easy and ubiquitous as it is today. Long reserved for the rich, the so called "golden age of travel", which lasted from the 1950s to 1970s, was defined by excess: from caviar and five course meals, to roomy cabins and world class service. By the '70s, however, mass tourism began to take place and droves of people began to rediscover the world after decades of war. As it was then, the promotional t-shirt has become a universal symbol of travel and mass tourism. French multidisciplinary artist Melchior Tersen tapped into this accessible souvenir as the theme of a new photo book which paints a portrait on the intersection of travel and commerce.Published by TOPSAFE, Voyage Voyage chronicles the Parisian artist's treasure trove of t-shirts and images he's taken o...

A 66-year-old crashed her Rolls-Royce into a Damien Hirst sculpture belonging to American hedge fund manager and prominent art collectors, Steven Tananbaum and his wife Lisa. The accident happened in Palm Beach, Florida on the evening of March 31, as the woman collided into the artwork, and subsequently plowed through an ornate fence where the luxury vehicle hurled five-feet below into the sand. According to Palm Beach Daily News, the woman was not intoxicated but "had no recollection of the hours leading up to the crash." The sculpture damaged, Sphinx, belongs to Hirst's 2017 series, "Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable", in which the British artist created a series of work and even a documentary recounting the stories behind these faux-artifacts — many of which were covered in c...

After holding his first major solo show in Kaikai Kiki Gallery back in 2022, Hong Kong illustrator and artist Kasing Lung returns to Japan with his latest exhibition “Cloud” at Hidari Zingaro.The “Cloud” exhibition is intended as a retrospective showcase of the various pieces Lung has produced over the years. Now on view at the Tokyo gallery, a total of 40 drawings from 2022 and 2021 are being displayed — the selection comprises recognizable pieces such as PIJL, 3T, CORP, and KOB. In addition, special edition stools featuring Lung’s iconic illustrations, as well as a whole-new acrylic painting serving as a key visual to the show are also being exhibited for the first time.As the exhibition name suggests, weather is a prominent theme in “Cloud” — according to Lung in a recent Instagram post...

For all the controversy that surrounded the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the performance on the pitch and the passion in the stands has set a new bar in the history of the competition. Independent design studio Peregrin has chronicled the latest chapter in football's crowing achievement in a new photo-book entitled, Chaos, Tears and Joy.Unlike previous competitions, much of the action was packed in the Qatari capital. "Doha was flooded with football shirts," recalled Peregrin co-founder Tom Watkins, "creating an incredible atmosphere, so documenting people was particularly easy and especially enjoyable, be that the energy from the South Americans or the noise from Moroccans, it was extremely intoxicating." While color is certainly the easiest way to distinguish a club or country, the desi...

Jaume Plensa has unveiled a new solo exhibition of drawings, sculptures and installations at Richard Gray Gallery (GRAY) in Chicago. Globally recognized for his signature portrait heads of young girls, the Spanish visual artist has travelled quite extensively over the years, having recently installed a monumental artwork along the Hudson River Waterfront. For his latest show, however, Plensa opts the viewer to travel within the limitless expanses of their own mind to unearth Forgotten Dreams.For the exhibition, GRAY has been transformed into a dimly lit stage where a row of heads entitled Where Are You? (2022) are surrounded by a series of 21 sculptural doors. On each of the latter, Plensa has inscribed all 30 articles of the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights", which was adopted by th...