Kitsch Biennale 2010, Venice

T he Palazzo Cini Gallery

On the Grand Canal
17th September - 15th October

KB is an international exhibition for representational painting.
Venues are sought in Europe and North America.

KB is for painters who focus on:
• the archetypical, human condition
• handcraft, narrative and composition
• drama, pathos and sentimentality

KB is organized by WorldWideKitsch. WWK is a Norway based, non-profit organization established in 2005. Application forms for KB participation are posted on worldwidekitsch.com.
A new jury is chosen each year.

The Kitsch Biennale: A Brief History
Our predecessor, The Kitsch Annuale, opened in Norway in 2004. However, with the establishment of worldwidekitsch.com, the amount of applicants grew swiftly. Receiving submissions from all over the world, it was decided to establish the exhibition abroad. Simultaneously, the Kitsch Annuale was turned into a biennale, giving us time to locate venues.
The inaugural Kitsch Biennale was held at Munich`s Pasinger Fabrik in 2008. KB 08 welcomed 42 painters from 12 countries and exhibited 73 works. Guest Exhibitor, Patricia Traub teaches at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Finally, over five-thousand visitors attended KB08, further underscoring its success.

The KB 2010 will be held on the first floor of The Palazzo Cini Gallery. Situated 100 yards from the renowned Accademia Museum, the Palazzo Cini Gallery houses the Cini foundation’s collection of paintings, such as the work of Botticelli and Pontormo. During the KB 2010, some of the accepted work will be exhibited among these renowned renaissance masters. A real ‘paragone’ (comparison), between contemporary and past masters - in true renaissance manner!

The Giorgio Cini Foundation is a non-profit cultural institution located in the heart of Venice. It was constituted by Count Vittorio Cini, in memory of his son Giorgio, with the aim of restoring the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore and of creating an international cultural centre that would re-integrate the Island into the life of Venice."

We welcome you to the opening Friday the 17th of September.

The 2010 Kitsch cruise
Arrive in Venice with splendor and style!

On the Kitsch Cruise, we offer you a unique travel experience…
Organizing KB10 presupposes the effort of volunteers and WWKmembers. But as great as our volunteers are, we are still dependent upon benefactors! The Cini Foundation has graciously opened their doors to us, but of course, many other expenses remain. Our goal is to achieve the growth of the Kitsch Biennale as a supportive institution and spotlight for the careers of figurative painters and sculptors. Therefore, we invite individuals and corporations supportive of cultural activity to sponsor our cause.

Sun Yachting Navigare has over 25 years experience in Mediterranean sailing cruises and maintains a superb fleet of modern 50 foot yachts from Jeanneau, Beneteau, Hanse and Bavaria.

Sun Yachting Navigare and WorldWideKitsch are pleased to present the Kitsch Cruise 2010. Departing on the 11th of September from Sibenik (central Croatia), this 10- day voyage will take us along the Croatian coast from Sibenik, over the Northern Adriatic sea.

Once at sea, you will experience some of the most beautiful sailing destinations in the world, like the Kornati Islands (pictured to the left) and the town of Pula. Just like Rome, Pula lies on seven hills and boasts a famous amphitheater. Here, you can enjoy a guided tour. Our last stop before Venice is the historic city of Rovinj. Famed as one ofthe most beautiful towns on the Adriatic coast, it is the home to the lost language of Istriot and boasts both a vibrant cultural and night life. Spend time on board the elegant ship with one of the painters, and arrive to an exclusive pre-opening cocktail party where you can meet many of the exhibitors.

Our return voyage ends in Novigrad (Croatia) Tuesday the 21st September.
1. Sibenik, Croatia
2. Rovinj, Croatia
3. Pula, Croatia

Accommodations
Exclusive Patron Boats
The 50 foot yachts will arrive in Venice on The Kitsch Biennale vernissage day – Friday the 17th of September. Two nights will be spent in magnificent Venice, using the yachts as hotels. For the sake of your comfort, the number of guest double cabins are reduced to three. This amounts to six patrons (normally, all four cabins are used for guests). All cabins have separate bathrooms.

Included:
• Experienced skipper and staff
• Food (including exclusive menu) and drinks. Exclusive and Main Sponsors will get a glass of
champagne when they board the boat. Dinners will be paid for individually on land.
• The possibility of arranging business meetings underway
• Mobile internet modems are available for purchase in Croatia.
• Transport to Croatia is arranged individually

Patron boats
The 50 foot yachts will arrive in Venice on The Kitsch Biennale vernissage day – Friday the 17th of September. Two nights are spent in Venice, using the yachts as hotels. All four double cabins are in use. Number of guests: eight.

Included:
• Experienced skipper and staff
• Food and drinks (dinners will be paid for individually on land)
• Transport to Croatia is arranged individually

Sponsorship Opportunities
In most countries, donations to non-profit organizations will be tax-deductable.

KITSCH BIENNALE 2010 Sponsor Levels

150.000 NOK & above:
- V.I.P cabins for six onboard a separate Kitsch Cruise 2010 “Exclusive Patron Boat”.
- V.I.P invitations for six persons to the exclusive vernissage, with exhibitors present.
- Three private curatorial tours of The Kitsch Biennale 2010 (for groups of up to 50 persons), including lecture on kitsch.
- Listing as “Exclusive Sponsor” on all printed material (invitations, posters, catalogues, e-mail invitations, etc) and your name noted in the opening speech.
- Ad / listing as sponsor on worldwidekitsch.com.
- Listing on museum donor wall.
- One guided tour of Venice.
- 100 catalogues.

100.000 NOK & above:
- V.I.P cabins for four onboard a separate Kitsch Cruise 2010 “Exclusive Patron Boat”.
- V.I.P invitations for four persons to the exclusive vernissage, with exhibitors present.
- Two private curatorial tours of The Kitsch Biennale 2010 (for groups of up to 40 persons), including lecture on kitsch.
- Listing as “Main Sponsor” on all printed material (invitations, posters, catalogues, e-mail invitations, etc) and your name noted in the opening speech.
- Ad / listing as sponsor on worldwidekitsch.com.
- Listing on museum donor wall.
- One guided tour of Venice.
- 50 catalogues.

50.000 NOK & above:
- V.I.P cabins for two onboard a separate Kitsch Cruise 2010 “Exclusive Patron Boat”.
- V.I.P invitations for two persons to the exclusive vernissage, with exhibitors present.
- One private curatorial tour of The Kitsch Biennale 2010 (for groups of up to 30 persons).
- Listing as sponsor on all printed material (invitations, posters, catalogues, e-mail invitations, etc) and your name noted in the opening speech.
- Ad / listing as sponsor on worldwidekitsch.com.
- Listing on museum donor wall.
- 30 catalogues.

25.000 NOK & above:
- V.I.P invitations for two people to the exclusive vernissage, with exhibitors present.
- One private curatorial tour of The Kitsch Biennale 2010 (for groups of up to 20 persons).
- Listing as sponsor on all printed material (invitations, posters, catalogues, e-mail invitations, etc). Mentioning in opening speech.
- Listing as sponsor on worldwidekitsch.com.
- Listing on museum donor wall.
- 15 catalogues.

10.000 NOK & above:

- Listing as sponsor on worldwidekitsch.com. - 10 catalogues.

5.000 NO K & above:

- Listing as sponsor on worldwidekitsch.com. - 5 catalogues.

If you would like more information on becoming a sponsor, or would like to make a donation, please contact WorldWideKitsch.

We welcome you to attend The Kitsch Biennale 2010 in Venice!

WorldWideKitsch
E-mail: desk@worldwidekitsch.com
Tel: +47 97753550 (Helene Knoop) www.heleneknoop.com
Tel: +47 90059179 ( Jan-Ove Tuv) http://www.janovetuv.com/

Sun Yachting Navigare A/S
www.sunyachting.no
Tel: +47 64988770 (Frode Borge)
E-mail: frode@sunyachting.no

Appendix: Why “kitsch”?
In the mid 18th century, the values of the modern art concept
were established:
• Pathos and intimacy were replaced by “aesthetical indifference”.
• Reflecting one’s time became paramount.
• Originality became an unconditional good.
Disobedient painters were derided as “kitsch”.

In 1996, however, Odd Nerdrum discovered the potential in “kitsch”.
According to the positive view of kitsch:
• The eternal perspective is preferable to a contemporary, limited horizon.
• A “sentimental” or “pathetic” image is no cause of shame (unless badly painted…).
• Quality is more important than originality.
Kitsch represents a return to craft and narrative without irony.

Roger Scruton on the Importance of Beauty

The Great Nude Invitational

Allow me to introduce the first art fair dedicated to the nude.

The Great Nude Invitational, will take place in the Roger Smith hotel in New York City May 13-16, 2010. Founded by Robert Curcio, co-founder of Scope International Art Fair, and Jeffrey Weiner, publisher of The Great Nude.tv. This fair/exhibition features rooms booked by galleries as well as curated, themed exhibitions of contemporary art and a whole host of other events such as discussion forums and a figure drawing.

So there's bound to be lots of T & A!

(Taste and Art, I mean. Some people can't keep their minds out of the gutter.)

As a member of the host committee, I cordially invite all to attend.

P.S The Invitational has been pushed back to May 13 - 16th due to the requests of many galleries who otherwise wouldn't have been able to participate.

Carnival

Carnival at Gitana Rosa Gallery

Willamsburg, Brooklyn, New York

Oct 9th, 2009 - Nov. 9th, 2009

Apples and Oranges

The Art Prize is coming to Grand Rapids, MI. It is here, really. A 30,000 Pound Chair that will have a matching table is being installed atop of a downtown bridge.
This competition is being hailed as a great competition. It will bring art from around the world to west Michigan. It is judge by the public. It has a non-traditional method of admission. There is no jury or submission of slides. The artist has to get in touch with a local businesses within the perimeters set downtown .
This seems good. Anyone can enter. It frees the artist from the system of critics and the art elite.
I think that the art prize is what the art world doesn't need. ( I don't think it is harmful, but it doesn't help the situation.) The problem with art today is that there is no clear distinction placed on what is made. I have read art criticism books that speak of judging art by one context or another. But very few people care to take the time to find out what is behind different forms of art. I have heard phrases like, "I just don't get it", or "I don't see how that's art".
If one goes to an art museum a 3,000 year old artifact is just down the hall from 50 year old oil paintings. These things are divided by period but it lacks true distinction. It is all termed art.
In Grand Rapids at the Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, the roughly 2 story Da Vinci horse is just down the path from welded I-beams. There is no attention given to the motives, intentions, or general context that these radically different objects have been created with.
Art doesn't need less distinction but more. Painting and sculpture needs something other than being thrown together with dancing, and music in a category labeled "The Arts". I would like a distinction between splatter painting, technical realism, and 30,000 pound chairs, not because I think that some art should be excluded or discouraged but rather that these things that people are making should be set into context. How can the megalithic sculpture, the still life painting or the installation be judged in the same contest for a very large sum of money?
Perhaps critics, professors and artist do give distinction, but I'm not sure that the general public (who will be judging this contest) does much thinking, if any, about art. Perhaps in freeing the contest from the critics and art elite, one is taking the art out of the hands of the people who care about art and into the laps of people who don't.
I am critiquing this contest but the issue seems bigger than one contest. It encompasses terms like "The Arts" and institutions that tear artwork out of it's context with little clue for the viewer what the work is all about.
My name is Braden Williams. I am an artist living outside Grand Rapids, Michigan. These views do not necessarily reflect those of other Art Babel contributors. To read more of my views check out my blog at williamsroller.blogspot.com.

Upcoming Exhibitions

Fall Kitsch

“Sonata” av Hege Elisabeth Haugen, olje på lerret

Galleri Pan

Oslo, Norway

September 17th 2009

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Take Home a Nude

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

For inquiries about sponsorship, tickets and artwork donation please contact Katie Albert (katie@nyaa.edu / 212-842-5966)

If you happen to be in Oslo or New York, check out my work at these two events!

"You're US" An Artists American Cencus.

Using a historically important medium--portraiture--to hold up a mirror to the diverse American spirit.

Driven by the belief that each American deserves recognition and appreciation for his or her active role in forming the character of the United States, Emile B. Klein embarks on the first of his fifty chapter saga in Massachusetts. From now through August, Mr. Klein will travel throughout the state by bicycle, acting as a literal “artist in residence,” living with fellow Americans who will provide room and board in exchange for a portrait by the artist. Meanwhile, Mr. Klein will document the lives of his sitters in writing as well as video and audio recording. The culmination of the project will be an exhibition of the portraits from all states, each accompanied by recorded conversations and a short biography.

Given the chance to live with his subjects, the artist can deepen his perspective into each of their characters while forming a vision of the collective spirit of the nation. The project proposes to touch Americans across all lines of income, race and locale to present a modern living portrait of the country’s glorious diversity in the classic medium of formal portraiture.

Why Representational Painting?

A painting is a hand-crafted object of art. It is the result of a contemplative artistic process, one in which a special relationship between artist and subject is created along with the work on the canvas. The representational style is accessible to a wide range of people.

Why Cycling?

Mr. Klein was inspired by reading of the German carpenters known as the Zimmerman, who even in the modern day and age serve an apprenticeship by traveling the country exchanging their craft for room and board. Cycling also places the artist in direct physical contact with the country he wishes to paint. To boot, cycling has the added benefit of improving one’s health.

Capturing American Diversity to Find its Similarity

Why is it that a foreigner can spot an American in a crowd? What is that character that crosses the boundaries of age, class and education to make us all particularly American, whether we are Internet-savvy teenagers, butchers or Wall Street businessmen? Through interaction with diverse people an understanding can be found out.

Emile's Background

From his beginnings in California Emile B. Klein has immersed himself in the arts. Through the great generosity of his parents he has pursued study both in the US and abroad. In 2004 Emile moved to Florence, Italy, to study in the methods of Old Masters. Subsequently, he has sold paintings, taught and lectured in the US and Europe. Emile has recently finished Massachusetts and is looking for applicants for Chapter two, California.


You too can participate!
You're US is currently scouting for participants; writers for creative biographies, musician's to feature with interviews, US bicycle makers, and most importantly, people to paint. Any person living in the USA is eligible.

Emile B Klein, 646-248-2979, emilebklein@gmail.com

Become a Fan of the Metamorphosis Project

Now you can become a fan of the Metamorphosis project on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Metamorphosis-Project/97716855473?ref=ts

DOWNLOAD THE METAMORPHOSIS PROJECT EXHIBITION ART CATALOGUE!

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/the-metamorphosis-project/6945420

Concept to Composition Part 2: Odd Nerdrum's Materials

First off, I have to say that there is no sure fire formula for making a masterpiece. There is no one method, magic medium, palette, ground, or brushes that will replace good old fashioned study, practice, patience, and passion.

That being said, no one has to be lost and wandering in the wilderness, so to speak, there are trails laid down before us: systems and tools that can help you along your path. Painting is difficult enough without tripping yourself up all the time. So, if you have a goal in mind, you can find a great deal of value in the methods of the masters and use them as is, or adapt them to your own specific needs.

In this vein I would like to share with you Odd's materials, including one palette that he often uses for developing flesh.

1. The Canvas:

Odd uses a very heavy herringbone weave linen. This is not the secret to his texture, but it is incredibly durable and invaluable for his technique.

2. The Ground:

You can see the color and value in this image. This is very important, as this ground is like nothing I've ever painted on before. We mix the Blanc de Meudon with refined linseed oil (until it's the consistency of thick cake batter) and of course any pigment you like. Odd uses trans red oxide (or burnt sienna) and a little mars black to neutralize the color. But he also sometimes mixes mars black and yellow ochre to produce a nice green ground. You apply it straight to the canvas that has been sized with rabbit skin glue (or PVA sizing for an alternative) with a large palette knife. Scraping it smooth. Let that dry for two or three days and repeat. 2 or 3 layers should be fine. Essentially, gesso is a cheaper replacement for this. Gesso is chalk suspended in oil, but the stuff that you buy in the stores is not ground as finely, nor is it as absorbent as blanc de Meudon. I got it in Paris. I'll look into it and see if it's called by another name in the states. I'm sure someone has it.

It is composed of a very fine chalk and refined linseed oil. He, of course, uses the finest of both. But I have found that the chalk is more important than the linseed oil, so since I'm on a budget, I go for the good chalk and use merely decent refined linseed oil as opposed to the stuff that he uses, which he has specially made for him.

Blanc de meudon is composed of particles of calcium carbonate, also called Spanish white. It is the main component of limestone and chalk.

3. Brushes:

Odd uses anything and everything can find. So, there's little I can tell you here. He tends to like cheap brushes, but keeps a few nicer ones around.

4. The Palette:

Take note of the pre-mixed colors. He has chosen these specific values and tubed the mixtures in order to make modeling flesh faster and easier. This is one thing (as well as great skill and years of experience) that enables him to mix color right on the canvas as he goes without mixing on his palette.

The palette alone is also not the trick to great flesh tones. It has to do with nuances created in the process of painting between the palette, application of broken color, textural variations, and subtle layers of semi-opaques, glazes, velaturas, semi-transparents, etc... which makes the flesh look luminous, semi-transparent, and thus: lifelike and beautiful.

Here's an old posting I did on technique that will be quite helpful. Oil Painting Techniques: Glazing. The part about light temperature and form at the end is particularly relevant to this discussion.

Odd, like all masters old and new, understands two different modes of temperature in painting flesh: local temperature and form temperature. Form temperature, I've detailed in the above link. As far as local temperature is concerned, a great example are the ear lobes, nostrils, hands, toes, and cheeks. The color of the flesh in these places tends to be warmer as blood vessels approach the surface of the skin. Conversely, in areas such as the forehead, where there is very little between the skin and bone, the color tends to be cooler in temperature. Take note of these while painting and you will notice a tremendous difference.

As if that wasn't enough to keep track of, Odd also uses another means of color shift on a large scale for both compositional, and illuminatory purposes. This is loosely based on optics, but is greatly exaggerated to exquisite effect. It's quite an interesting and beautiful concept: as light gets farther from the source it scales through the spectrum from yellow, closest to the light source, to orange, red, violet, and all the way to blue or sometimes green. You can see this particularly in his void paintings.

Now this is a general rule of thumb. If you look closely, he breaks and bends it all the time. Also, he takes into account local shifts in color and temperature as well as form shifts in color and temperature. Furthermore, there are changes in chroma related to the light, the angle of the planes of the form, local temperature and chromatic shifts in the skin, and some changes made purely for compositional purposes. As he moves into the shadow the color becomes cooler and more neutral.



Moving on past the palette and its application we come to....

5. The Medium:
It's actually quite simple. Like Rembrandt did, Odd uses primarily refined linseed oil which he lets stand in a jar... so it becomes essentially stand oil. That, mixed in various percentages with turpentine (he tends not to be particular about it), becomes a versatile medium.

Here's a great resource for mediums: Table of Mediums .

The Value of a Teaching Studio / Why Atelier Training is a Worthwhile Education

The Value of a Teaching Studio / Why Atelier Training is Worthwhile Education...

Atelier-style training is a worthwhile and practical education. In the teaching studio of a qualified artist (one whose techniques are desirable to learn and possible to market) students receive a combination of careful critiques, personal career-oriented attention, and time-tested technical advice.

In an atelier or teaching studio, a working artist (usually an artist who is established enough to make a good living through the sale of their work) sees to the education of a small, select group of students. In this environment, there is a significant level or commitment on the teacher's part towards the students' future careers which is rarely matched in other environments.

In my teaching studio, students progress from the making of copies of masterworks (to learn how other painters solve problems) to painting from life. These exercises continue and repeat, giving students an opportunity to dramatically improve their technique and observation from nature. My teaching relies heavily on the practice of outdoor (plein-air) painting during all seasons. In this way, students develop a keen ability for observation along with an appreciation of the myriad beauty and transcendent significance of nature.

An appreciation for art history is integral to learning about various modes of realist, impressionist, naturalist, and classical art. I discuss painting with both a reverence for its history as an aesthetic experience (connoisseurship) and also as a proponent of traditional methods.

I am an advocate of art students studying in various ateliers during the course of their careers. The methods of study I use with my students are not subject-specific to landscape painting, although American Impressionist and Tonalist landscape painting remains my current interest and area of focus. My teaching studio runs on a two-year schedule, as opposed to the four or five years necessary in a figurative-based atelier. I encourage my students to seek out figure and portrait painters they admire (including my close friends Dan Hemgemo, Henry Wingate, etc.) if their interest so dictates. I am also a supporter of university education based on its own merits. I believe that the opportunity I offer is ideally undertaken before or after a college education.

I pride myself on talking frankly with students about the business of art and about its viability as a full-time career. After helping refine their portfolios through years of study and attention, I am happy to help students approach galleries to exhibit their work. I have helped to found two exhibiting groups of significant contemporary realism, aided in securing commissions and exhibitions for other artists, and organized a variety of solo and collaborative exhibitions. As painter-in-residence at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences I take an active and practical interest in the creative life of the community.

I have been privileged to have this type of education. I am committed to offering/ sharing a similar course of study. In fact, I consider it as a vital part of my career as a painter.

Charles Philip Brooks

Venice Biennale "New Worlds": checking for a pulse

After reading several reviews of this years "greatest show on earth" it seems that the Venice Biennale has seen better days. According to Michael Kimmelman in the New York Times, it's almost dead on arrival.

"the Biennale is meant to be a survey of new art, and while conscientious young artists now dutifully seem to raise all the right questions about urbanism, polyglot society and political activism, their answers look domesticated and already familiar."

Jerry Saltz, formerly of the village voice and now opining and whining for New York Magazine, has been a vocal critic of the biennale and most art fairs for some time. However, his most recent review was perhaps his most effective, though far from is most acerbic. He seems less eager to attack, as if he senses, like a wolf circling an old moose, that his long hunted prey is finally helpless. Moreover he doesn't miss the opportunity to eagerly gloat, though I agree with much of what he says. Far from adroit, his contrived similes (accompanied by the obligatory slightly offensive and counter-culture verbiage from spoken discourse: "fuck", "crap", and "dude" used for some kind of emphatic purpose) transparently reveal the juvenile 'raspberry' on the tip of his woolly tongue.

"A text plaintively asks, “Are the black flags quivering in the distance the rising image of a radical hope of a possible other world?” No, they’re flags of surrender — the pavilion wants to kill itself for housing such bad art. I have four words for Lévêque: Get a job, dude."

Saltz does parrot the critical acclaim of Bruce Nauman's installation in the U.S Pavilion. Perhaps this is due to a fear of taking on a foe far too great for his pointy little teeth. The universally held "truth" of this elephant in the field is, (and I'm not afraid to declaim this with yet another cliche) more of the same.

Neon lights! Shock value! Irony! Text! It's sooo NEW!

I haven't looked at my watch in a while, but last time I checked it wasn't 1972.

Wikipedia (admittedly, not a critical source) says:
"He seems to be fascinated by the nature of communication and language's inherent problems, as well as the role of the artist as supposed communicator and manipulator of visual symbols."

Isn't Noam Chomsky also? But wait, he's only a linguist, philosopher, and cognitive scientist, we're talking about art here... one couldn't possibly judge Nauman in relation to 'actual philosophers' or 'actual scientists'. Well then, to be fair, let's compare him to other artists concerned with the same ideas. How about: Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rubens, Rembrandt, Goya, Rodin,... what's that? We can only compare him to "contemporary" or post-war artists. Ok, how about: Andy Warhol, Vincent Desiderio, Eric Fischl, Mark Tansey, etc.... actually, isn't every artist concerned with the manipulation of visual symbols and the artists niche as such in the context of greater society? By the nature of being a visual artist, doesn't every artist realize "language's inherent problems"?

All of that aside, the miniature biennale this year certainly is a factor of the economy. Yet, had the art bubble continued its inflated expansion, that would not have changed the fact that something about the contemporary art world is dead. Last years decadence reeks of the decaying odor of the extravagant cocktail parties in The Great Gatsby, on the eve of black Tuesday. But of course, hindsight is 20-20, but not everyone was blind while it was happening. To his credit Saltz did see it coming and more often than not, and has often discussed the brand of "eighth generation conceptualism" vended at these events. The inflation of the art market is very much akin to the sub-prime mortgage debacle. Many saw that these mortgages had no value, yet investment banks thought that with a little slight of hand, a little trickery, they could repackage them as triple A mortgage backed securities. No one thought that the bottom would fall out as long as the illusion of value persisted and real estate kept climbing. But as with the real estate bubble, the art bubble popped as well. Like those vastly over-valued McMansions, the mirage of the value of eighth generation conceptualism has vanished in the desert and everyone has been left groping. There is, in fact, no water there, only another grain of sand like many millions of others slipping through their fingers.

And everyone seems to be asking "What's next?", further proving that the only value in this "Art" was illusory and simply market hype. If you want to ask me, and I'm assuming you do as you've read this far, the only value is real value, not perceived value. Obscure? Well, I could enumerate many reasons for my position, just as philosophical and theoretical as the conceptualist. I could opine about the psychological need for catharsis, the need to connect and communicate, to understand and be understood. I could talk about the natural human response to the image of other humans, but I really only need a quantitative measurement to make my point, as that's as close as we can objectively come to real value. The market for "contemporary" art has fluctuated vastly in the past as has the art market in general. As Charles Saatchi pointed out in a response to the latest Top 200 Artists of the 20th Century list, it only takes a few years for someone with even the calibre of Mathew Barney (one of the very few performance artists that I actually respect) to vanish like a shooting star. But there's one sector that always grows at a steady pace: The Old Masters. Not only do they hold their value, but the market for contemporary classical, realist, or figurative art also follows suit.

So, what does the Venice Biennale tell us about the art world? No pulse? Instead of calling the time of death, perhaps we should prescribe an antidote. After decades of inebriated delusions of grandeur and aesthetic cirrhosis, I think what we need now is a healthy dose of reality.

Imperial Centre Painting Studio / Plein-Air Workshops

Arts Center Opens Painting School

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Jennifer Rankin, Arts Education Coordinator

252-972-1632, Email: jennifer.rankin@rockymountnc.gov.

Beginning in February 2009, the Rocky Mount Arts Center will open its new atelier-style painting school. This two year course of study with noted North Carolina painter Charles Philip Brooks concentrates on preparing students for professional careers as artists. Emphasis is placed on traditional methods of oil painting, including making copies, and plein-air landscape painting. Students receive instruction in traditional 19^th century techniques as well as practical advice for careers in fine art. Weekly lectures and critiques provide a continual context for student development, allowing each student to pursue his or her interests in the light of their appropriate art historical contexts.

The program is unique, relying heavily on the practice of plein-air painting. Students develop stamina and discipline, painting many on-site studies from nature. Unlike seasonal schools or single workshops, our school emphasizes outdoor painting year round, encouraging students to study nature during each season. Demonstrations and discussions explore the works of painters of the classical, realist, romantic, and naturalist schools. Students will become familiar with the various movements and styles of landscape painting as they relate to the practices of working contemporary painters. Studio space is included to allow students the opportunity to work anytime the facilities are open.

The cost is $1,200 per 3 month session. Sessions include studio space, weekly lectures, and critiques. The studio is housed in the landmark Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences. For an information packet please contact Jennifer Rankin at the Rocky Mount Arts Center.

Rocky Mount Department of Parks & Recreation.

Now Offering -- Outdoor Landscape Painting Workshops

Students will paint landscape or seascape subjects on location in oils, carefully studying light, color, form, and atmosphere. Impressionist and Tonalist oil painting techniques will be addressed. A highly-regarded and enthusiastic teacher, Charles Philip Brooks is artist-in-residence at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences. Students of any skill level are warmly welcomed. Materials and Book lists are available.

Charles Philip Brooks, born in North Carolina, studied in New England in the studio of highly respected Boston School authority Paul Ingbretson and with the renowned American Barbizon painter Dennis Sheehan. He is primarily a landscape painter, focusing on the landscape of the southeastern United States. His work incorporates elements of impressionism and is firmly rooted in the American Barbizon / Tonalist tradition of landscape painting. He works out of the tradition established by such artists as George Inness, Alexander Wyant, Bruce Crane, John Francis Murphy, Dwight William Tryon, and North Carolina’s own Elliott Daingerfield. Further influences include the painters Eugene Boudin and Charles-Francois Daubigny , as well as the many other masters of the French Barbizon School. As artist in residence at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, he teaches a select group of students in the Imperial Centre Painting Studio.

Teaching Studio for Impressionist and Tonalist Painting

Quick Facts

1. The Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences hosts the teaching studio of theAmerican Tonalist / Impressionist painter Charles Philip Brooks. Students receive instruction in traditional 19^th century techniques as well as practical advice in preparation for contemporary careers in the fine arts.

2. Full-time enrollment at the school is limited to eight students. In this environment, students develop long-lasting relationships with their future professional colleagues. The principle instructor takes an active interest in the progress of each student.

3. The program is unique, relying heavily on the practice of plein-air painting. Students develop stamina and discipline, painting many on site studies from nature. Unlike seasonal schools or single workshops, our studio emphasizes outdoor painting year round, encouraging its students to study nature during each season.

4. Located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the studio is housed in the landmark Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, the hub of eastern North Carolina art.

5. Weekly lectures and critiques provide a continual context for student development, allowing each student to pursue his or her interests in the light of their appropriate art historical contexts. Topics include the American Impressionists and American Tonalist painters.

6. Demonstrations and discussions explore the works of painters of the classical, realist, romantic, and naturalist schools. Students will become familiar with the various movements and styles of landscape painting as they relate to the practices of working contemporary painters.

7. During this two-year concentrated program, students learn to paint directly from nature, preparing them for productive careers as professionals.

8. Students are encouraged to plan and organize a yearly exhibition. Senior students will assist with the staging of yearly exhibitions.

9. Senior students are encouraged to begin developing a professional portfolio. These portfolios will highlight the strengths of each student's work and prepare them for approaching galleries and exhibition venues.

10. The mild climate and clear blue skies of eastern North Carolina are ideal for the study of landscape painting.

For additional information, email Jennifer Rankin at (252) 972-1163 or email:jennifer.rankin@rockymountnc.gov