Thursday, August 12, 2010

Art Found Out - World Arts Observed





Tonight home late after a peaceful session in the new studio I chanced upon an interesting blog called Art Found Out via the delightful La Vie est Belle.

both images from La Vie est Belle.



ART FOUND OUT  is a fascinating blog "committed to artists who are informed by the world around them or driven by highly personal artistic vision". The statement in the right hand sidebar is most illuminating - comprehensively put together by Scott Rothstein over the last 4 years.

The range of artists presented is extraordinary - the accompanying text excellent - so much so that there is a rich archive here to trawl through and appreciate the diversity of art forms and individual expression.
One artist featured from Cuba is Jose Garcia Montebravo whose work is extensively archived at www.indigoarts.com - a site that contains a vast wealth of artists from many cultural backgrounds.


Montebravo was born in 1953 on the south coast of Cuba, about 4 hours from Havana where he still lives. A prolific artist who has shown many times in Cuba and abroad.



'Infanta con Pez', 2004


From India artist Lalitha Lajmi


images from Saffron Art - site for contemporary Indian Art.



Saffron Art Profile:

Coming from a family involved in the arts, Lalitha Lajmi was very fond of classical dance even as a child. "But we were from a middle class background and my family couldn't afford my joining a classical dance class," recalls Lajmi. She had the urge to paint too, and her uncle, B.B. Benegal, a commercial artist from Kolkata, (where Lajmi grew up), brought her a box of paints. "I am a self taught artist and have received no formal art training," she says. "I began painting seriously in 1961, and in those days one couldn't sell one's work. I had to teach art in school to earn a living." 

Artist Image
One of the best watercolorists in India, for Lajmi, nurturing her passion for art and cinema was a constant struggle. Indian films have been the biggest influence on my work, especially the ones made by my brother (Guru Dutt), Satyajit Ray and Raj Kapoor." 

Even though she read art books regularly and constantly experimented, Lajmi says, "there was no sense of direction in my work until the late 70's. I felt I had to evolve." By mid-80's, she was doing etchings, oils and watercolors. She held several exhibitions at international art galleries in Paris, London and Holland. In Lajmi's works, one finds a strong autobiographical element. In some of her later works, particularly the ones from late 80's and early 90's, one can find a reflection of hidden tensions that exist between men and women, captured in the different roles they play. Yet, her women are not meek individuals, but assertive and aggressive. "I use the images of Durga or Kali on the top of emaciated men who are kneeling, almost as if they were in the middle of some form of classical corporal punishment," laughs Lajmi. 

Lajmi has also depicted the natural bonding that exists between women, between mother and daughter figures, perhaps drawing from her own relationship with her filmmaker daughter, Kalpana. 


And from London....  a most curious one called The Museum of Everything: a space for artists and creators outside modern society. 



Go to the museum site and click on 'Some of our artists' ...then on an individual name to read these obscure yet fascinating bios.... I had a look at a number of the artist's brief bios then googled for more info.
One of many featured was Hector Hippolyte: 1894 -1948 - House painter and voodoo priest collected by Andre Breton who created his works with chicken feathers and furniture enamel spread by his own fingers.



Erzulie Auf Einem Delphin


Also at Art Found Out this link to a website:  Through the Sketchbook


 featuring many artists - click here.

below: From the sketchbooks of Beatrix Potter





From the Victoria and Albert Museum: At the age of 8 Beatrix Potter was already studying and recording the characteristics of a wide variety of animals, birds and insects in a home made sketchbook.





12 comments:

Mlle Paradis said...

wonderful post sophie! (as always!) i posted about something related to the museum of everything earlier this year and i'd completely forgotten about it. i love outsider art. must track this down next time in london.

Sophie Munns said...

Aha! I knew I had read about the Museum of everything... but when I came across it the website was so mysterious... did you find this?
hope you have not long to go on the jury!
best,
S

Anonymous said...

Wow - I LOVE those pages from Beatrix Potter's sketchbooks! Particularly the fuzzy caterpillars :)

(P.S. Thanks so much for your recent comments on my blog - much appreciated! I responded to your query on the pigeon 'animation' over there :)

Sophie Munns said...

Now that you point it out Suzanne ....those fuzzy caterpillars are pretty amazing.
Loved my visit to your blog the other day... you look very busy indeed.
...nice to hear from you!
Sophie

Dominique said...

J'ai été heureuse de découvrir mon cactus ... et que vous ayiez trouvé ma page puzzle ....
Merci ! redécouverte par vos choix de Art found out.

Sophie Munns said...

Hi Dom,
this is your photo at the top I think.... and I found this blog on art from around the world at your wonderful blog! So a big thank you!
Sophie

roz said...

love this work
fabulous collection

Sophie Munns said...

Hi R,
Lovely to hear from you... great finds at both blogs mentioned.
S

em said...

what interesting collecting you have done here... you know i love that cactus... i also like the watercolors and the way the women's necks are bent... that's how i feel i have to be at work... maybe many women feel that way.

Sophie Munns said...

Interesting comments Em...the neck bent... its quite an extraordinary image and i wonder how many women feel that way as you say!
I liked that cactus shot too.
S

Sanne said...

thank you for sharing Beatrix Potter's work, she was studying so young already! these pages are beautiful.

Sophie Munns said...

Aren't they just fabulous Sanne?
And so young... inspiring stuf!
S