Category Archives: Museum

Public-Domain

24 Wednesday May 2017

Posted by in Art Appreciation, Artist, Fine Art, Met, Museum, NYC, Old Masters, Rembrandt, Social Media

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If you, like me, are in e-commerce, one of our main concern is “public-domain” when using work of art images.  ALL of the paintings by the old Renaissance Masters are in the public domain; however, if you are using a photo of a painting, that photo may not be in public domain, even if it is in the internet, and sometimes those photos are protected by a copyright.

Thankfully, in the beginning of this year the Metropolitan Museum of art made its images freely available through New Open Access policy, making our lives a little easier, here is about the policy, and how to obtain those images: Images of Artworks in the Public Domain

 

Work of Art: The Next Great Artist – Training our eyes

12 Friday May 2017

Posted by in Art Appreciation, Artist, Books, Fine Art, Impressionism, Museum, Old Masters, Social Media

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Hi everyone,

There is something I would like to share with you all: I started watching this series called “Work of Art: The next Great Artist” by Bravo, and it’s become evident to me that most of the artists competing have not trained their eyes to good art.

I always tell artists the importance to train their eyes to good art, especially the classical (well-skilled) movements like: Baroque, Renaissance, also Impressionism.  Even if you are an urbanist artist, futurist artist, abstract artist go to the museums of classical art, read books about the great masters, contemplate their work, learn their process, study their techniques; this way you can train your eyes to high skilled art, developing a critical sense of aesthetics,  helping to bring their greatness to your movement, improving your style, and becoming indeed a Great Artist.

 

Smartify

24 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by in Art Appreciation, Artist, Fine Art, Museum, Social Media

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Smartify is a new app which allows you to take a picture of an actual painting in an art gallery, and then via imaging recognition the software is capable of finding out information about it.

In The Guardian, Jonathan Jones is not impressed:[…] in reality, Smartify and all similar attempts to provide instant on-screen art history, including those by museums themselves, just encourage people to gawp at phones instead of looking at paintings. As if we needed any more encouragement.

I’m all for new, easy, cheap and fun ideas of educating the audience, especially if it would help to engage the young, which I believe this app is doing. However, I kind of understand Mr. Jones’ point of view,  every time I visit a museum I witness some people peeking at the paintings, rushing around the galleries, taking as much pictures as possible (the famous “selfies”) they all seem so oblivious of the magnitude opportunity they are given (and sadly passing) to experience.

For better or worse, things like smartphones are just too integral to people’s way of living these days. It’s better that museums and art lovers harness their potential rather than harrumph about it.

 

3 minutes and 40 seconds for 2 Van Gogh

24 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by in Art Appreciation, Artist, Fine Art, Impressionism, Museum, Van Gogh

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“Some people are born teachers. Some people are born footballers. I’m a born burglar.”

Says Octave Durham confessing to have stolen two priceless Vincent Van Gogh paintings, feat which only took him 3 minutes and 40 seconds. For someone who brags for being born with burglar’s natural skills, he doesn’t seem very wonted of thinking it through.

What bothers me the most with these “art crimes” is the fact that they (the burglars) are putting in risk something they have no idea how to properly handle (sometimes causing some serious damages to it); and the saddest part is that the stolen art works, if not recovered, can never be replaced.  They not only steal the art, they also steal our cultural heritage, our past and future, our identity. Read more:As Stolen Van Goghs Return to View, a Thief Tells All

 

Thomas Campbell (Met) Resigns

01 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by in Art Appreciation, Artist, Fine Art, Met, Museum, NYC

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Thomas Campbell, the met director, has resigned his post after 8 years.  There are rumours he was forced to do so after so many failures attempts and projects to improve met’s unstable financial condition.  In my opinion his plan to construct a $600 million wing for Modern and contemporary art was unnecessary, especially after Met Breuer was built.  I will miss him and his friendly smile, wish him the best!. Read more: Metropolitan Museum’s Director Resigns Under Pressure