Norman Rockwell

Though Norman Rockwell relied heavily on photographs to create his artworks he was loath to take them himself, instead employing a photographer and taking on the role of cinematographer. See more of the photographs behind the artist's famous works here.

Marriage Counselor, 1963

Art and the Pleasures of Knowing

A selection of images from artist Richard Wentworth, showing at Turner Contemporary's current exhibition 'Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of Knowing' until 15 September.

 

HAPPY EASTER!

 
An apt time to share these super cheery Easter rabbits we spotted in South Ken. Enjoy the long weekend!

Eugenio Recuenco

Photographer Eugenio Recuenco's update of Picasso's Cubist women.

Images c/o Eugenio Recuenco and Trendland

Black Maria

Gruppe and Richard Wentworth's collaboration is not quite as permanent as the Pergamon Altar, but still a good place for gods and fallen angels to congregate and celebrate their differences. 

Read more here.

Monday Portrait: Richard Artschwager

This week sculptor and painter Richard Artschwager who died this weekend. 

Table With Pink Tablecloth, 1964

Sculpture is for the touch, painting is for the eye. I wanted to make a sculpture for the eye and a painting for the touch. 

Richard Wentworth at the Lisson Gallery

A Room Full of Lovers, 2013 (detail) 

Richard Wentworth's latest exhibition is now on at the Lisson Gallery. Open until 9 March, we highly recommend a visit. See products we have made with the artist in the past here.

A Room Full of Lovers, 2013 (installation view)

What Kit had to say -

This latest work by Richard Wentworth is something between a drawing and a sculpture, very chicken and egg, I don't know which comes first. The chains flirt with the floor like a line does the edge of a page. These pictures don't do it justice - just go, settle in, and let it work its message.

A Room Full of Lovers, 2013 (installation view) 

The Square Holes, 2013 

Apologies for Magritte's appearance in the reflection of this photo, a set of four, but sort of a good accident: you can list all the individual elements in the photos but together they are rather unsettling - I have been thinking about them for two weeks.

Monday portrait: Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama with her 1963 work 'Compulsion Furniture'. Above image c/o the Saatchi Gallery.

Helen Marten at the Chisenhale Gallery

Peanuts, 2012

For those planning their weekend of cultural activities, we highly recommend Helen Marten's exhibition at the Chisenhale Gallery. Read Adrian Searle's rave review here.

Kit Grover Christmas Gift Guide: Part 1 of 3

KIT GROVER CHRISTMAS GIFTS:

Damien Hirst
For the Love of God, 2007
Anamorphic cup and saucer £15
Available at Other Criteria / Tate











Anthea Hamilton
Limited edition, 2012
Fan for House of Voltaire £60
Culture Label



















Kit Grover
A1 bag £29.99
Kit Grover / Culture Label





















Grayson Perry
Table mat set £360
Yoox

Damien Hirst
I am Become Death, Shatterer of Worlds, 2006
Bone china plate £22.50
Other Criteria

EVOL tower blocks

On friday Kit discovered the work of German stencil artist EVOL minutes from our office. We can't quite believe these mini tower blocks have been at Smithfield for over a year without us noticing.

Interested? Read more about EVOL and London street art at Hooked blog and see an earlier post about the Barbican area's more famous tower blocks.

 

Monday portrait: Portrait of a Man, Barthel Bruyn the Elder

Image c/o the Wellcome Collection

Portrait of a Man, Barthel Bruyn the Elder (1493-1555, Germany), oil on panel, 1533-1555.

This belated monday (thursday) portrait was inspired by a weekend trip to the Wellcome Collection's current exhibition Death: A Self-Portrait. A visit is highly recommended for the morbidly curious. 

House of Voltaire pop up shop

We went to the House of Voltaire launch yesterday afternoon and the shop is looking great.

We couldn't resist a beautiful tea towel made by Art House Meath and are seriously considering the Stefania Pramma x House of Voltaire leather bag... Well worth checking out.

Grayson Perry reliquaries

A box of smashed pottery has arrived! While strongly resisting the urge to try and put the pots back together, we are starting to make some more Grayson Perry reliquaries.


Grayson Perry: "I think that the way we look at art comes from religion. We go to special buildings to stare at significant and precious things. We feel it is good for us. Tate Modern is a 21st century cathedral. Artists are its saints and holy fools. Here is a relic of one of them to take home from your pilgrimage."

The Clocks

Are going back! Here are some clock-related facts to fill your extra hour.

1.) A tattoo of a clock with no hands represents time served in prison.

2.) According to superstitious souls it is a sign of death if a clock strikes when it has stopped running.

3.) Christian Marclay's award-winning work 'The Clock', 2010 is co-owned by the Tate, the Pompidou Centre and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and is composed of over ten thousand clips of clocks. 

Monday portrait: Dirty White Trash

This creepy crawly projection we found on Barbican's pinterest reminded us of artistic duo Tim Noble and Sue Webster's self portrait. 'Dirty White Trash', top.

Monday portrait: Ernest Hemingway

...in the bath. Photographer unknown.

Monday portrait: Sarah Bonetta Forbes

As it is the beginning of Black History Month, this week's portrait is of the fascinating Sarah Bonetta Forbes who was given as a 'present' to Queen Victoria aged 8.

Monday portrait: Lee Miller by Man Ray

War photographer, artist's muse and adventurer Lee Miller photographed by Man Ray in 1930.

Detroit x2

Photographer and Detroit local Kevin Bauman has spent years documenting the city's abandoned homes. In contrast to Bauman's poignant images, fellow Detroit artist Tyree Guyton reinvigorates the city's deserted homes with blasts of colour and kitsch. Guyton's weird and wonderful Heidelberg Project stretches across two blocks, transforming them into a community art space. 

See more here.



Kusama eat your heart out.

Kevin Bauman images courtesy 100 Abandoned Houses 

Heidelberg Project images courtesy Flickr: jbcurio