Art of Elysium's PIECES OF HEAVEN Auction

Chris Heads, UNTITLED 11, 2011

The Art of Elysium, which bridges philanthropy with contemporary art, will be holding an auction, in partnership with Christies, on February 23 entitled Pieces of Heaven, featuring an amazing array of artists from Andy Warhol to Pas Un Autre's very own Adarsha Benjamin. February 23, Smashbox Studios, 1011 N. Fuller Avenue Hollywood, California 90046

Her New Religion

Wearing Larry Gagosian and billionaire art patron Eli Broad's credit cards as charms from a rosary like Chanel necklace, and decked out in other shiny designer accessories, the subject in the painting, entitled Her New Religion, by artist Anna Halldin Maule, is a brilliant psychological statement on the blatant and shocking materialism of the art world. The subject, wearing nothing save for a pair of tiny pink lace panties, in a pose similar to the praying saints of classical paintings, almost denounces the art world as a religion where money is god and billionaire patrons are like sugar-daddy saints. Anna Halldin Maule, a painter who originally hails from Sweden and now lives in Hawaii with her husband and creative partner, uses techniques of the the old masters to paint incredibly life like portraits that explore the themes of materialism and money with glossy, erotic overtones.  After the jump watch the whole process of her working with the model, capturing the perfect pose, and the meticulous brushstroke by brushstroke process of her amazing painting technique. www.halldinmaule.com

Made For Love

All I Need, 2011, oil on linen, 14” x 20”

Allegra LaViola Gallery in New York presents Sarah Kurz: Made For Love. In her first solo exhibition, Sarah Kurz turns her attention to a traditional subject: the portrait. Much as John Singer Sargent painted beautiful women and scenery of his day while exploring the ability of paint to convey light and texture, Kurz also chooses these as her focus. The women of Kurz’s paintings are a combination of myth and reality—they close their eyes to us and seem to dream of someone else, or gaze into a distance beyond our field of vision. When they do confront us, as in Tight Fit, their look reveals only more mystery. Sarah Kurz: Made For Love is on view until March 11.

Warhol: Fame & Misfortune

Andy Warhol: Fame and Misfortune -an exhibition exclusive to the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio - assembles over 150 objects in all media, drawn from the rich collections of the Andy Warhol Museum in the artist’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Looking at Warhol’s lifelong obsession with both fame and disaster, the works included in this broad survey juxtapose icons of popular culture, legendary entertainers, art world luminaries, and world leaders, with images of suicides, automobile accidents, skulls, and an electric chair. This diverse range of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and films spans the three prolific decades of Warhol’s career, beginning in the mid-1950s and continuing through 1986, the year prior to his death. Andy Warhol: Fame and Misfortune is on view until May 20.

Rare Rothko

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The Academy Art Museum in Easton , MD , in collaboration with the National Gallery of Art, opened Mark Rothko: Selections from the National Gallery of Art. This groundbreaking exhibition, on display through April 22, 2012, features graphic artwork and paintings of Mark Rothko, including seven works which have never been on public view before.

Making Faces

Portland, Maine – On view at the Portland Museum of Art, two newly acquired portfolios by Berenice Abbott and Robert Doisneau, filled with portraits of famous artists and actors of the mid-20th century, prompted this look at the art of photographic portraiture. Drawn from the Museum’s growing collection of celebrity portraits, the exhibition of 35 works will examine the way in which appearance, poses, and props help to define the public perception of an artist’s work, whether it be on the stage or in a museum. Making Faces: Photographic Portraits of Actors and Artists is on view until April 8 at the Portland Museum of Art, Seven Congress Square, Portland, Maine.

Laura Owens: Fruits and Nuts

Published by Ooga Booga, Fruits and Nuts is a handmade board book by Laura Owens that takes its title from a play on the joke about California being full of fruits and nuts. The pages of each book are hand-glued with actual newsprint from different Californian 1960s newspapers such as the San Francisco Chronicle, Berkeley Barb, and Los Angeles Times, and then silkscreened, making each book truly unique. Inside pages are screenprinted with an illustrated alphabet of fruits and nuts. Covers are hand-painted by the artist, and vary in color. Each copy is entirely handmade and features different original newsprint on each page.  Wednesday night, Feb 8th, 7-9pm, at the Ooga Booga store on Tu Bishvat (the Jewish holiday of fruits and nuts) will be a celebration of the  publication of Fruits & Nuts. Copies of the book will be available for viewing and purchase, the artist will be present, and refreshments (champagne, California-grown fruits and nuts, etc.) will be provided. Ooga Booga, 943 N. Broadway #203, Los Angeles CA 90012