Today is Édouard Manet’s 180th birthday, so we’ve decided to pay homage to one of his most scandalous accomplishments — the presentation of Olympia at the 1865 Paris Salon. The controversy! The uproar! Oh, that “shocking,” “vulgar,” “immoral” reclining nude! It wasn’t as if society hadn’t seen a nude in art before; it was the way she was presented — not as some floaty goddess, but a real, confident, vampy naked gal, seemingly in the middle of a commanding crotch grab, perhaps even a high class prostitute. And so, let’s take a semi-random survey of the reclining nude in art history, from Manet’s Olympia inspirations — Titian’s 1538 Venus and Giorgione’s 1510 Sleeping Venus — to sleeping, lying, horizontally leaning nudes in contemporary visual culture. See all that flesh change along with aesthetic movements and trends and commercial motivations. Observe the body language. Naturally, we’ve left huge gaps, so feel free to fill in our jagged little timeline with your suggestions and favorites in the comment section.
We think it’s safe to say that it’s been another colorful and crazy year. In the past few weeks we’ve taken a look at all the things we loved most in 2011 — including some of the best movie moments, the year’s greatest book covers, and the most controversial art shows. Every positive has a negative, however, and this year was no different. From directors who can’t seem to keep themselves out of hot water, to celebubimbos that we can do without, and 1% of the population that really pisses us off, we bring you ten of the year’s most controversial cultural icons that made everyone’s naughty list. Leave your picks below. Read More »
When established artists decided to lend their talent to the music world, the creations that result from the collision of egos and imaginations are often mind blowing. From Pablo Picasso’s costumes for an avant garde ballet by Erik Satie to Andy Warhol’s management of the Velvet Underground, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite artist and musician collaborations. How did Salvador Dalí and Alice Cooper meet? How did the world survive? Read on to find out and drop us a comment if you think we missed any biggies. Read More »
‘Tis the season for gift guides a-plenty — and don’t worry, we’ll have no shortage of those. But let’s get real: we aren’t just thinking of others this holiday season. We’ve got needs and desires, too, dammit! With that in mind, we’ve compiled a cultural wish list of films and books we’d like to see, musical reinventions and comebacks we’ve been longing for, and TV shows we hope will make it next season (or hang it up at the end of this one). Like any such list, what we’ve come up with is massively subjective — so let us know what you’d add in the comments. Read More »
Marina Abramović — who recently completed her quiet The Artist is Present at the Museum of Modern Art — is once again embarking on a project of “sustained stillness and silence.” The Serbian performance artist has issued a casting call for dancers, yogis, and actors of all ages to participate in a gala event she’s orchestrating for MOCA on November 11 and 12. If you possess ” … excellent physical stamina, focus and discipline,” hit downtown L.A. for auditions November 7 to 10 to strut your stuff for the conceptual art maven. Did we mention public nudity might be required? ” … Only a small percentage of the female roles being cast require nudity,” Abramović reassures on her Facebook page — where you can head for more info. Will you be trying out for a role in the renowned artist’s latest?
Ah, Halloween preparation. It’s that time we make big plans and end up drunkenly donning cat ears or a witch hat or something because pffft. Why make it complicated? Who says you have to waste your beer tab allowance on something expensive and crappy that you’re probably only going to wear once? Because we care, Flavorpill is bringing you a set of easily DIY Pop Culture Halloween Costume Guides. We’ve already suggested some music-themed options, so here’s our attempts at art-related get-ups!
With the help of our latest installment, you can be “present” as Marina Abramović, raise yourself some hype with a Damien Hirst butterfly-tattooed-crotch, or do a classic Warhol with a new, shiny twist. Get creative, arty people!
By now you’ve probably heard the news that in the next few weeks artist Marni Kotak plans to give birth at Bushwick’s Microscope Gallery in front of a live audience. Whether you’re a fan of the unabashed concept or skeptical if the audience alone warrants this being called art, certainly it has grabbed your attention. Suddenly, this usually private, explicitly corporeal physical ordeal/bodily function/miracle has turned into a public spectacle. How could you look away? It’s not the first time that a performance artist has incorporated a shock element into their work. Sometimes, the results have been amazing and mind-freeing. Sometimes, not so much. Let’s take a look at some of the physically daring, sexually risque, disturbingly disgusting, and potentially deadly performances.
If you missed last year’s massively hyped MoMA exhibition, Marina Abramović’s The Artist Is Present, don’t fret — Copenhagen-based artist/game designer/professor Pippin Barr had created the perfect video game approximation of the experience. In this 8-bit adventure, gamers play the part of an art fan excited to face off with Abramović in the show’s title performance piece. But first, we have to pay $25, breeze by some Van Goghs and Warhols, and then stand in a line a couple of hundred people long in order to even get a glimpse of the artist. Although the MoMA looks almost nothing like Barr’s representation of it, his lo-fi summation of that frustrating line is eerily accurate. [via Kottke]
From subway ads to blog posts to TV shows, the average American must see hundreds of celebrity photos a week. But just when we think we can’t stomach even one more, Booooooom points us to the captivating work of Antony Crook, whose low-key photographs tend to find their artist subjects in introspective moments and poses that reveal much about their personalities. David Byrne, for example, seems almost angelic, wearing all white and posing against high, white-trimmed city windows, with a multicolored array of effects pedals at his feet. Click through for a gallery of our favorite Crook photos, including portraits of Marina Abramović, Malcolm McLaren, Rufus Wainwright, Tim Burton, and more. Then be sure to visit his website, where you should also check out his otherworldly landscapes.
Earlier this week the NYPD shut down a block of Little Italy because a massive swarm of bees decided to relocate from their overcrowded hive into a city mailbox, effectively swallowing it up in a matter of minutes in a visually stunning spectacle of nature. A local beekeeper was called to isolate the queen and scoop 15,000 of bees safely away. No one got hurt, but the story generated enough fascinated buzz for us to wonder… Are bees inspiring? Why, yes! Here are our ten favorite artworks made with real bees, beeswax and honey.
