Photography & Art

Arguably, the most haunting work is Deer Dancer for Hyacinth (2001) by Rick Bartow.  (1946-2016).  A Pacific Northwest artist, he fought with addiction and post-traumatic stress that emerges in his dark compositions.  Here, his distorted male figure appears to be in a state of transformation, his head sprouting antlers.  The power of this large pastel, charcoal, and pencil drawing suggests the raw intensity of Austrian painter Egon Schiele’s naked portraits.

Participating artist from Italy, Nunzio Paci, shares his inspiration: "I watched Juliet of the Spirits many times. The artwork in the group show reflects my current exploration of the natural world and its connections with the dream sphere, nostalgia and memory, all themes in common with Fellini's oeuvre." Missouri-based artist Lauren Marx sees a connection between her work and Fellini’s artistic eye and cinematography: "I see similarities with the use of religious imagery, earthy imagery, baroque and fantastical themes. I can also see a slight connection between the composition of my piece and some of the beautiful compositions he created.”

Censorship could occur in several intensifying degrees. In France, censorship of images was always more severe than censorship of text because images were thought to have a more direct appeal to the lower classes whose literacy was limited. It was customarily exerted in one of two ways: normally, censorship was post-publication, meaning that if a text or image was judged offensive, it would be seized and the author, artist, and publisher tried, fined, and imprisoned. In periods of great instability, however, the more severe measure of prior censorship was instituted.

Sean Kush has been creating sociopolitical paintings and illustrations since 2015, touching on a wide range of modern topics and often featuring God and Jesus reacting. Sober since 2007, Sean used to be a homeless drug addict. After cleaning up, he began working in the rehabilitation field, helping drug addicts and mental patients professionally. Much of his crude and trippy subject matter comes from personal experience during and after his drug addiction, and his own sense of social consciousness. 

Art Basel/Miami art fairs are global platforms for people’s imaginations. It’s astonishing how many hundreds of galleries show up every year to exhibit artworks that they think will catch the attention of collectors who will pay their asking prices. It’s like walking into a fantasyland where there are no rules and regulations. Just roll the dice and maybe you will get lucky to buy or sell. Either way, Art Basel is an extraordinary experience.According to the Art Basel website, more than 200 of the world's leading international modern and contemporary art galleries feature their artworks.

You have to have guts to mount an exhibition like the ones that the Argentine artists Pool & Marianela (Marianela Perelli and Emiliano Paolini) exhibit these days across the globe. The Plastic Religion plays with religious iconography, with special emphasis on the Christian religion, disguising the popular Barbie and her boyfriend Ken as virgins, saints and Christs. Past shows have faced staunch criticism and controversy from right-wing factions who have applied their own agendas onto the artwork

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Kirchner’s move to Berlin in 1911 allows his signature style full play and is never more evident than in his Berlin Street Scene (1913-14).  The placement of his prostitutes with their plumed hats and furs shows a mastery of perspective.  The artist has thrust the women and their male partners in a rhythmic march towards the foreground, creating an inescapable tension. The action comes to an abrupt stop with a male subject front and center with his back to the viewer.  This painting was co-acquired in 2006 and Director Renee Price sees it as a work of “pointed social critique,” one that’s central to their mission.

Paul Luikart is a writer and artist living in Chattanooga. He is fascinated by the role that paint plays and what it can do in the process of making a painting. Characteristic of Luikart’s work is the thick application of paint, sometimes applied with palette knives and brushes, and sometimes with old baseball cards and scrap mat board. Bold colors, long drips down the canvas, and layers upon layers give the paint its own say, so to speak, in his creations.