JaZzArt en València

La abstracción es una de las vanguardias artísticas del Siglo XX. Segun la historia del arte Vassily Kandinsky había inventado el arte abstracto con su acuarela abstracta de 1910…

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Abstract art is one of the art vanguards of the XXth Century. According to art history, Vassily Kandinsky invented it when he created his 1910 watercolour…

Ahora algunos dicen que no fue asi que la pintora…una mujer…Hilma af Klint fue la primera en pintar un cuadro abstracto, digamos, uno como este…

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Now some say that it was not like that, that Hilma af Klint…a woman painter…had already been making abstract paintings, like this one:

Para estar claro, en el arte hay muchos diferentes estilos, muchas escuelas y muchas vanguardias, pero básicamente hay dos tipos de arte, el arte figurativo y el arte abstracto. ¿Como sabemos cual es cual? Yo te lo voy a decir y es simple. Si un cuadro, una pintura o un dibujo contiene elementos que fácilmente se identifican con cosas/personas de la vida real, el cuadro es figurativo, no importa lo distorsionado que estén las figuras ni lo surreal, ni lo cubista, ni expresionista que puedan ser. Si no tiene nada, ningún elemento de la vida real y esta compuesto por formas geométricas o por colores etcétera, el cuadro es abstracto. Simple, ¿No? Venga, no os vayáis a confundir porque por ahí, en algunos catálogos, ponen a Picasso como un artista abstracto y el tío jamás pinto una sola abstracción en su larga vida.

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To be clear, in art there are many different styles, many schools, and many vanguards, but basically there are only two types of art, figurative art and abstract art. How do we know which is which? I’m going to tell you, and it’s simple. If a painting or a drawing contains elements that are easily identified with things/human forms from real life the painting is figurative, no matter how distorted the figures may be, or how surreal, cubist, or expressionist they may be. If it has nothing, no element of real life, and is composed of geometric shapes or colours, etc., the painting is abstract. Simple, right? Come on, don’t get confused because some catalogues even place Picasso as an «abstract artist» and he never painted an abstract in his long, and very fruitful, life.

GRACIAS – CHEERS

Uno de las temáticas mas emblemáticas de la pintura, antigua y moderna, son los bodegones… Aquí los conoceréis mejor…

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One of the most popular recurring themes in art, throughout art history, are Still Life paintings/drawings… Here you will get to know them better…

Gracias…

Cheers…

Art schools come in many shapes and sizes, and even one size fits all. But are they all the same? What do you expect to learn at Art School? Are you thinking of the uni? Or are you thinking of a small, private academy? Or are you thinking about an apprenticeship with an established artist willing to accept students. All three of these ways of becoming a professional artist exist. It is the choice of the would-be student. Now, you may be asking yourself, what is this guy trying to tell me? And I will…

If you are thinking about going to a college or university, I would recommend that you think again. And I would also suggest that you ask yourself what kind of artist do you want to be. If you are fine with being led on, manipulated, had on, and misguided, go to uni. They will do all that there. They will tell you who you have to love and admire, who you have to emulate, who should be your major…and perhaps only…references. And they will ultimately guide you towards what is known as VIP. This means «V»= Video.»I»= Installation; «P»= Performance. This is what they love. Frankly speaking they are worth nothing to me. I do not even think these «subjects» belong in a university art school. Perhaps in the Theatre department? I do not know…

If you are thinking of a private (small) academy, or a large one, but independent of a college/university, I would say you are probably on the right path. I cannot, and will not recommend any as I have no idea what is out there, but if you look and check some of them out, I am sure you will find what you really need to begin to transform yourself into an artist. And do not be fooled, we are not all artists, nor can, or will anyone become an artist. An artist is a professional, like a pharmacist or an engineer. You must receive formal training and you must also want to be an artist. At least in a private academy you can explain to the professor/owner what you want to do…your specialty…and he or she will guide you in that direction without making you waste time with things you’ve no interest in. Bang on! I truly support this decision.

If you are thinking about becoming someone’s apprentice… Well, if you know the artist and you like his style and you sort things out and arrive at a mutual understanding and agreement, this may work out phenomenally. But be very careful with artists who say they are open to apprentices because there are those that will exploit you, use you as a model and perhaps only teach you about how great they are. So I would be careful with this option.

And one more option that I did not mention, but… The do it yourself (DIY) route so that you can say you are «self-taught». But you know, no one is self-taught. Knowledge comes from something or someone. So if you think that because you bought some «how-to» books or watch some videos you are self-taught you are deluding yourself. You learned from books and videos who were your teachers. In any event, use this method only after a real life, living, breathing teacher teaches you how to draw and how to paint (or how to model and sculpt if you want to be a sculptor).

An artist needs training just like any other professional. And he needs to enrich, re-invent himself continually and continue with his education. And please, do not neglect Art History. Without knowledge of Art History you will never be a complete, rounded out artist.

BEST OF LUCK!

CHEERS

Bueno L’Ultima Cena de Leonardo da Vinci no es un cuadro, es un fresco, pero que se va hacer… Aquí os traigo algunos cuadros muy famosos que hay que conocer.

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Ok, so Leonardo’s Last Supper is not a painting, it is a fresco, oh well… But here I bring to you some of the most famous paintings in art history that we all should be acquainted with.

Gracias…

Cheers…

Y no, no lo he pintado yo…

En si, no se sabe con entera certeza quien lo pintó, los expertos…mare meua…se lo han atribuido a Leonardo da Vinci, y piensan que es del 1500, mas o menos. Ahora pienso que después de todas las restauraciones que se le han hecho al cuadro ha de quedar muy poco de lo que pintó Leonardo, si es que es Leonardo el verdadero autor de la obra.

Pero para que te enteres, este cuadro estuvo perdido por muchos años y apareció en 2005 muy restaurado. Lo expusieron en una exposición de Leonardo da Vinci en el National Gallery de Londres, 2011-2012. Allí los sabios expertos lo atribuyeron a Leonardo. Pero como el cuadro no esta firmado…

Y ahora chúpate esta, ¡Salvator Mundi se vendió en subasta (Christie’s New York), en 2017 por 450.312.500,00 USD que ahora son 449.625.773,44 euros! ¡El cuadro mas caro del mundo! Si es de Leonardo, es la única pintura de ese autor que está en manos privadas. Después de la venta el Salvator Mundi no la hemos visto mas. Alguien dijo que en 2019 vio el cuadro en el yate Serene, propiedad de Mohamed bin Salmán, príncipe heredero de Arabia Saudita. Parece ser que fue él el que lo compró. También se dice que que le pidieron al presidente francés Emmanuel Macron, y al Museo del Louvre, exponer la obra junto a la Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) para legitimarla como obra de da Vinci, pero Macron se negó rotundamente.

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The most expensive painting in the world, and no, I did not paint it…

Nobody really know who did paint it, the painting is not signed. The experts…oh the experts…have attributed it to Leonardo da Vinci, supposedly painted in and around the year1500. However, after the many restorations it has undergone throughout the centuries, if da Vinci really painted it, by now there is little left of his work. That is if he really was the painter…

Now, for your information, this painting remained lost for many, many years. It surfaced in 2005, fully restored and was exhibited in a Leonardo exhibition at the National Gallery in London, (2011-12). It was there where these knowledgeable wise men said it was the work of Leonardo da Vinci. If so, it is the only da Vinci in a private collection.

And now get ready, Salvator Mundi sold at auction (Christie’s New York), in 2017 for 450.312.500,00 USD, which is now 449.625.773,44 Euros! The most expensive painting ever sold. After it was sold it has not been seen again, at least not by the public. Someone said, in 2019, that the painting is hanging in the luxury mega-yacht Serene, property of Mohamed bin Salmán, crown prince of Saudi Arabia. It looks like he bought it. It was also said that it was asked to the French president Macron and Le Louvre to exhibit the painting next to the Mona Lisa to legitimise it as an authentic da Vinci, but both rejected the request.

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Este cuadro, si es autentico o una copia, o quien realmente lo ha pintado, tiene una historia verazmente rocambolesca y os urjo a que la investiguéis que bastante interesante es. Aquí os dejo un link a un artículo muy bueno acerca del Salvator Mundi.

Gracias…

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This painting has an amazing history and I urge you to investigate further. Who knows if it is authentic or a copy or who really painted it, so it is a mystery to explore. Here is a link to an interesting article.

Cheers…

The greatest, by far. If you do not know Willie Nelson, well, I am here to make the introductions. This man is the greatest living American singer-songwriter, performer, history-making dude from Abbott, Texas! Wow! He is 91 years old, God bless him, and he is still «On the Road Again» like he has been for most of his phenomenal career. But he is a man of music, authentic US music, country, folk, in other words, good time music that speaks of the common man, trains, heartbreaks, love, rambling, drinking and all the good things in life, so let’s take a listen. Just so you know, I have been a fan since I first heard him and still am.

CHEERS

Venga, que no, que no he nacido en 1957, pero…

Mientras investigaba, y estudiaba la historia contemporánea, descubrí que en ese año pasaron muchas cosas muy interesantes, especialmente para un fan de los Beatles de toda la vida.

Dale, échale un vistazo al vídeo y dime lo que piensas de esas cosas…

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Well, no, I was not born in 1957, but upon researching history I discovered that a lot of interesting things happened that year, especially for me, being a life-long Beatles fan!

Take a look and tell me what you think…

GRACIAS – CHEERS

Cristina nació en Puertollano, Ciudad Real en 1949. Esta fotógrafa fenomenal pertenece al grupo de la Agencia Magnum Photos, de hecho la primera persona de nacionalidad española a pertenecer a ese grupo de fotógrafos elite… Se le conoce por sus fotografías de los ritos tradicionales y fiestas contemporáneas. Sus primeros trabajos se centraban en España, como lo refleja su libro España oculta de1989… Comenzó, en 1968, a estudiar pintura en la escuela de Bellas Artes de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Uno de sus profesores fue el gran pintor español Antonio López. Posteriormente hizo estudios de fotografía en la Escuela de Artes y Oficios… Más adelante fue profesora en ambas instituciones… Cristina es miembro de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, ha recibido el Premio Nacional de Fotografía (1996), la Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes (2005),​ y el Premio Ortega y Gasset a su trayectoria profesional en 2024. Además en 2018 se convirtió en la primera mujer nombrada doctora honoris causa en la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha… Por todo esto, y mucho mas que os urjo que busquéis de ella, Cristina tiene que ser parte de esta serie y tiene que ser conocida por sus méritos y su gran contribución a la historia de la fotografía.

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Cristina was born in Puertollano, Ciudad Real, Spain, in 1949. This phenomenal photographer is a member of the Magnum Photos agency. In fact she is the first person of Spanish nationality to belong to this elite group of photographers… She is known for her photographs of traditional rituals and contemporary festivals. Her early works focused on Spain, as reflected in her book España oculta from 1989, later she expanded to other countries and other continents… In 1968, she began studying painting at the School of Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid. One of her professors was the great Spanish painter Antonio López. She later studied photography at the School of Arts and Crafts… Subsequently, she became a professor at both institutions… Cristina is a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, has received the National Photography Award (1996), the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts (2005), and the Ortega y Gasset Award for her professional career in 2024. Additionally, in 2018 she became the first woman to be awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Castilla-La Mancha… For all these reasons, and much more that I urge you to look up about her, Cristina must be part of this series and should be recognized for her merits and her significant contribution to the history of photography.

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GRACIAS – CHEERS

“The Picasso Style”

It can be said that after the neo-classicist period, which mostly coincided with his relationship and marriage to Olga Khokhlova, Picasso went into his own. Some may say that the paintings of the years, say from about 1954, after the relationship with Françoise Gilot ended, to the end of his days in 1973, are expressionistic, surreal and some even said abstract. Of course any real art historian will tell you that Picasso never painted a single abstract painting. He never said a kind thing about abstract, a form he clearly did not like. However, without a doubt there is much abstract art within his figurative canvases. But, no matter what the «experts» say, the accepted name for this period in the painter’s life is the “Picasso Style”.

Picasso met Françoise Gilot in Paris during WWII while living in the Rue de Grands Augustins. She was twenty-one years old and had already started painting by then and was very much impressed with Picasso who, by that time was already a well established painter. I am not going to go into all the ins and outs of their relationship. After all it lasted for ten years (1943-1953) and it was rather stormy, to say the least. But during that time, like he always did, he painted his partner, family and surroundings.

Although they never married they did have two children, Claude (1947) and Paloma (1949). Françoise was the only woman who actually got up and left Picasso. He was astonished and could not believe it. He even said that no woman ever left him. After all he was the man who said that women were either goddesses or door-mats. But Gilot was not a door-mat, as he had thought of her, and left him and never came back.

Of course Françoise was the subject of many paintings. The most famous, of her many portraits was “La Femme Fleur” of 1946. As you may know, Picasso was an autobiographical painter. He once even alluded to the fact that his diary were his paintings. He painted his wives, companions, partners, dealers, children, his surroundings, the things of his time and everything and anything connected with his life. He truly captured the spirit of the times he lived in and the people and things that existed around him. I suppose he would have been an avid Instagrammer in these days.

To help him deal with the end days, which were certainly en route, although still quite distant, Jacqueline Roque, whom he met in 1953. And in 1955, after his first wife Olga Khokhlova, whom he refused to divorce for financial reasons, passed away, he was free to marry Jacqueline. Jacqueline took excellent care of him and posed for a surprising 400 portraits, some of them not very flattering. She remained with him until the end of his days.

Pablo Picasso died in Mougins on the 8th of April 1973 at the age of 91 years. Jacqueline was not allowed to bury him there, so she chose his last resting place to be the grounds of the Château of Vauvenargues.

Lamentably, in 1986, Jacqueline took her own life in Mougins where they had lived.

CHEERS