art

Artsmart Roundtable: Frescoes, Wall Art, and the Test of Time

by kelly on 01/30/2012

Many people, when they first stand in front of a fresco, think that they're looking at a work straight from the hand of the artist. While there is some truth to that though, what many don't realize is that there are many other hands that have worked, manipulated, and restored the painting over the years. The next time you're standing in front of a fresco, admire the genius of the artist, but also think about the many ways that the painting has survived throughout the years.

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Artsmart Roundtable: Ceilings and the Art of Looking Up

by kelly on 12/26/2011

Art Smart

Looking up is uncomfortable, as any visitor to the Sistine Chapel can attest. (Heck, even Michelangelo complained about it when he had to paint the thing.) Try it. Tilt your head back and look at the ceiling for awhile. It hurts after awhile and as humans, we avoid things that cause discomfort.

Sometimes we are motivated to look up. Whether it's the sun in the sky or a well-designed building, something may encourage us to draw our eyes upwards. More often than not, especially when we travel, we forget to look above us. We're more concerned with what's in front and or what's coming from behind. (Or glued to our damn cell phones.) We're barraged with information, and sometimes discerning where we are is challenging enough. We often forget to peer up and see what's hovering just above us.

Artists and architects, however, have been inventing reasons for us to look up for centuries. Here are a few ceilings (both real and virtual) that prove that forgetting to look up is a bad idea.

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Artsmart Roundtable: Five American Artists Worthy of a Second Look

by kelly on 11/28/2011

Art Smart

Image: andybrannan.

To the uninitiated, art after 1950 can be tough to wrap your head around. Artists moved away from just a pretty picture and expanded their repertoire to include the likes of dripped paint, text on walls, boxes made of plywood or dropped the visual entirely and went conceptual. I've often overheard museum goers scoff at these works and mutter "I don't get it." or "That's not art." or, my favorite, "I could have done that." (My reply to this is criticism, by the way, is "but, you didn't.")

I appreciate that the desire to understand or "get it" is innate or perhaps pounded into our heads as schoolchildren. However, as an adult, I find pleasure in not understanding everything around me. There's a joy in looking at a work of art whose meaning is not immediately grasped or deplete of meaning entirely. I love that the artist gives us, the viewer, some of the control to allow the meaning to be what we make of it, depending on the attention we chose to give. And, I'll admit, I often let myself stop worrying about what it all means and just take pleasure in its beauty.

If you're one of these skeptics, I encourage you to not skip the modern wing on your next museum visit and take some time to acquaint yourself with some great American artists. Stop worrying about what it all means and just give yourself an afternoon of pure, unadulterated experience. But, don't take my word for it, let these five artists change your mind about the value of that art that you don't quite understand.

Artsmart Roundtable: Jaume Plensa's Outdoor Sculpture

by kelly on 10/31/2011

Art Smart

jaume plensa overflow sculpture new orleans

I didn't go out in search of Jaume Plensa's sculpture, but instead it kept finding me. In my travels lately, I keep bumping into the work of the Spanish sculptor. In New Orleans, I became enthralled by this work made of a lattice of letters in the sculpture park at the New Orleans Museum of Art. A month later, I was confronting with him again. This time walking along Sunset Beach in Vancouver, BC as he called to me from the hillside.

By the time I got home I couldn't get this sculptor out of my head. Why did he keep showing up everywhere I went? Who is he?

Artsmart Roundtable: Looking at the Abstract Paintings of Mark Rothko

by kelly on 08/29/2011

Art Smart

National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

We're art museum fiends here at Travellious, but I remember the days when I couldn't tell a Rothko from a Rembrandt. The photo above is of my former art history professor who taught me the subtleties of looking at art and the first to make me fully appreciate the beauty of Mark Rothko's paintings. I'm hoping that this new series will help you become a bit more "art smart."

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Art Outside the Box: Corozal Mural

by kelly on 01/25/2011

I love catching art outside of a museum. This mural depicts the history of Belize, from the Maya through colonialism to the first prime minister George Price. Wander past the government workers and take a peek at this peeling fresco by the Belizean artist, Manuel Villamor Reyes. I've captured a few of my favorite elements below.

Art Outside the Box: The New York Earth Room

by kelly on 06/21/2010

Museums aren't the only place where you can check out the masterpieces. Here's our series guide to seeing the arts....for free.

Image: iandolphin24.

SoHo may have once a been haven for artists in the 1960s and 70s, but today you're more likely to see Calvin Klein and Chanel, rather than Chuck Close. The next time you're wandering the streets of SoHo, past the big box stores and galleries, be sure to pause for a moment at 141 Wooster Street. It's not a gallery or a collection of works, but a single art installation that has been in this exact location since 1977. Even if you're not a fan of modern or contemporary art, this is definitely a memory you'll take home with you.

Inspiration: Kenny Random

by kelly on 07/01/2009

Image: austin.

The next time you head to Padova, someone might suggest for you to see the Scrovegni Chapel to see the frescos of the 14th century master, Giotto. But don't overlook the works of a modern day master, Kenny Random, whose art can be found throughout the streets of Padova. Here's one we spotted while wandering through town one day.

Quick Tip: Plan Your Art Itinerary with the Web Gallery of Art

by kelly on 04/22/2009

I'm an art historian by training and spent much my undergraduate and grad school days trolling sites like the Web Gallery of Art to study for exams or for a quick reference to remind me what a painting actually looked like. Sites like the Web Gallery of Art (particularly it's search capabilities) are great for the traveler, as well. Their expansive catalogue of art from all over the world (categorized by artist, time period, and location) offers the traveler a great resource for planning their art itinerary.

Art Outside the Box: Sculpture Gardens

by kelly on 02/23/2009

Museums aren't the only place where you can check out the masterpieces. Here's our series guide to seeing the arts outside of the box.

Image: jstudts.

Storm King Art Center, Mountainville, NY

Who says you have to appreciate art indoors? Many of the great museums across the world have taken their sculptures outside to be appreciated. The next time you head out of town, be sure to look out for a local sculpture garden where you can appreciate art and nature. Featured above is Storm King Art Center, an hour's drive from New York City, and home to many great modern masters situated in 500 acres of lawns, fields, and woodlands.