art agenda

Rembrandt the Draftsman/Prints and Drawings

Paris, France 20th October 2006 – 8th January 2007

For the 400th anniversary of the birth of Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (1606-1669), the Louvre presents a unique collection of drawings by the Dutch genius, along with fourteen etchings, and a painted self-portrait.

Curator(s) : Peter Schatborn, conservateur émérite du Cabinet des dessins du Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, et Carel van Tuyll van Serooskerken, chef au département des Arts graphiques du musée du Louvre, assistés d'Hélène Grollemund.

art agenda

ARTE FIERA Discovering the Latest Trends in International Art

Bologna, Italy 26th-29th 2007

ARTEFIERA ART FIRST is a unique event where visitors can explore the latest trends in the world of modern and contemporary art through the proposals of more than 200 leading international galleries. At the same time it is a major opportunity to directly experience art in the exhibition centre and in the city of Bologna, which is hosting a wide range of initiatives specially for the more than 40,000 visitors to the show.

 Organised by BolognaFiere, the 31st edition of the pre-eminent Italian exhibition of contemporary and modern art will be held in Bologna from 26 to 29 January 2007 and will feature an increasing number of events and initiatives.

The participating Galleries from all over the world will be selected by the International Committee and will provide a preview of the most innovative trends alongside the works of the leading Italian artists, who are also prominent figures at a world level.

Most importantly, however, ARTEFIERA ART FIRST is a meeting point between Italian and international art, a role that lends much to its appeal and makes it of great interest to collectors.

Participants include LONGSTANDING AND FIRST-TIME EXHIBITORS
ARTEFIERA ART FIRST 2007 will see the participation of both longstanding and first-time exhibitors. One prestigious new entry is the JAMES COHAN GALLERY from New York, which will exhibit an installation by Bill Viola, an artist who garnered enormous success at the last Venice Biennale.

art agenda

Jacopo Tintoretto (1518-1594)

Madrid, Spain 29th January – 13rd May

The Museo Nacional del Prado is organising the exhibition "Jacopo Tintoretto (1518-1594)" which will include around 60 paintings and drawings loaned from European and American museums and institutions. The exhibition will be the first monographic exhibition devoted to the artist since the one held in Venice in 1937, as well as the first on this subject to be held in Spain. It will aim to offer a comprehensive and detailed survey of Tintoretto's extensive career and is the result of lengthy research and investigation on the artist.

During his lifetime Jacopo Tintoretto was regarded as a remarkably prolific and daring painter even by his fiercest critics such as Giorgio Vasari. In the early seventeenth century, a few years after his death, his name was linked with those of Titian and Paolo Veronese as the three greatest representatives of Venetian painting. Tintoretto shared their use of a new pictorial language characterised by the “bravura” of the brushstroke and a pronounced chiaroscuro, both deployed in the service of a new type of narrative painting. In addition, he went further and created a style that fused the Tuscan with the Venetian, combining Titian’s loose handling with Michelangelo’s draughtsmanship. At the same time he perfected a highly efficient working method that allowed him to produce a large body of work. This explains the exceptionally large number of works that have survived to the present day and which are often confused with those of his pupils and imitators.

The subsequent shift in taste towards classicising academic painting resulted in the artist’s neglect and disregard. In the nineteenth century, however, Tintoretto once more enjoyed the appreciation of critics and intellectuals such as Ruskin. From then on his status as one of the great Renaissance painters has remained unchallenged. Nonetheless, Tintoretto has only been the subject of one major retrospective, held at the Ca’Pesaro in Venice in 1937, and a partial one devoted to his activities as a portraitist (Vienna and Venice, 1994). The general tendency has been to include his work in major survey exhibitions on Venetian Renaissance painting.

The present exhibition aims to fill this gap. A selection of around 60 paintings and drawings will focus in particular on his work as a painter of religious narratives – the genre in which he produced his greatest paintings. It will also include some of his most important mythological compositions and examples of his portraiture. In addition, Tintoretto was an excellent draughtsman who frequently used paper as a medium to explore his interest in effects of light as well as for compositional studies and drawings of the human body in movement. The exhibition features some of his superb studies of masterpieces of classical and contemporary sculpture, as well as preparatory drawings for a number of the paintings to be seen on display. Finally, the exhibition also aims to look at the challenging problems of attribution which the artist’s work still presents.

The accompanying catalogue will be published in Spanish and English and will include texts by the leading experts on Tintoretto and on Italian Renaissance painting. The rigour and scope of the publication will make it an essential scholarly reference point in the study of the artist and his work.

art agenda

The Seventh Annual Seattle Print Fair

Seattle, USA 13th&14th January 2007

Once again in Seattle, eighteen select fine art dealers from around the country will come together in one location to exhibit original prints and other works on paper. The seventh annual Seattle Print Fair will provide the opportunity to meet knowledgeable print experts and to discuss original prints from the 15th century to the present. From miniature bookplates by contemporary artists to museum quality drawings by modern masters, all works displayed at the fair will be for sale.

With the Seattle Print Fair, Seattle joins the great art centers of the world -- New York City, Los Angeles, London -- which each have long traditions of exhibiting prints at annual fairs. The Seattle Print Fair promises to offer a friendly and inviting atmosphere for both beginning print enthusiasts and seasoned collectors to see an extensive variety of antique, modern and contemporary prints. The fair is free and open to the public.

art agenda

"Genghis Khan and his Heirs - The Great Mongolian Empire"

İstanbul, Turkey 7th December 2006 – 8th April 2007

Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum will be hosting the "Genghis Khan and his Heirs - The Great Mongolian Empire" exhibition between December 7, 2006 and April 8, 2007.

The exhibition, jointly organized by the Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland-Bonn, the Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde-Munich, the Kunsthistorisches Museum-Vienna, the federal state of lower Austria, the BMBWK and Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum and sponsored by Garanti Bank, will bring together 600 pieces, some of which will be seen by the public for the first time, from major museums in Europe, Mongolia and Turkey. In conjunction with the exhibition there will be a programme of lectures, gallery talks, and workshops for children and adults. span class="imgBox"

art agenda

Venice-Istanbul

İstanbul, Turkey 8th October 2006 – 2nd February 2007

The İstanbul Museum of Modern art is happy to announce its second international exhibition, "Venice-İstanbul," a selection of works from the 51st Venice Biennial which will take place between October 18, 2006 and January 28, 2007, and is made possible through the support of Türk Telekom. The Venice Biennial, which sets the agenda for the art world, will move to our country for the first time in its 110-year history.

For the first time, the 51st Venice Biennial was curated by two women. Maria de Corral and Rosa Martinez, who is also chief curator at İstanbul Modern, realized two separate exhibitions. While Maria de Corral provided a historical and classical selection of works in her exhibit entitled, "The Experience of Art," Rosa Martinez used an experimental exhibit style to emphasize new developments in art in "Always a Little Further."

The exhibition "Venice-İstanbul," including works selected from the biennial by its co-curator and İstanbul Modern’s chief curator Rosa Martinez, brings together exciting works carrying traces of the past and seeds of the future from these two exhibits. The exhibition, which considers numerous issues, brings together leading contemporary artists and will enable Turkish audiences to see their fascinating works at an İstanbul venue.

Coinciding with the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Italy and the subsequent declaration of İstanbul and Venice as sister cities, the exhibit will bring out the strong interaction between these two cities with rich historical pasts. Explaining that the exhibition reflects the erasure of boundaries and how art can be a vehicle to strenghthen the historical, institutional, and educational ties between two cities, curator Rosa Martinez says, "the Venice-İstanbul project shows how art can move from biennials towards museums and how it can gain new meanings through this transition."

The exhibit includes works by Semiha Berksoy, Donna Conlon, Bruna Esposito, Regina Jose Galindo, Guerilla Girls, Subodh Gupta, Mona Hatoum, Emily Jacir, William Kentridge, Rem Koolhaas, Juan Munoz, Bülent Şangar, Berni Searle, Valeska Soares, Pascale Marthine Tayou, the Centre of Attention, Joana Vasconselos, Robin Rhode, and Antoni Tapies.

The works by the artists contributing to "Venice-İstanbul" generally carry messages of rebellion, and examine the place of individuals, particularly of women, in a globalizing society. These works will hopefully enable İstanbul Modern to play a leading role in providing a platform for the open discussion of contemporary art and women’s issues.

art agenda

The National Museum of Bosnia And Herzegovina

Sarajevo, BIH

Founding of the Museum:

The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina was founded in 1888 and is the oldest among the modern cultural and scientific institutions of Western type in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A line of historical events influenced its establishment. A number of individuals and groups had for a long time prior to its founding emphasized the need for such an institution. The first idea of founding of the museum dates back to 1850. However, nearly four decades passed from the idea to its realization. Two empires ruled over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the meantime - the Ottoman rule gave way to the Austro-Hungarian one.

The political, strategic and economic goals set by the Austro-Hungarian administration required the European level of literacy and a more widespread education. As one of the still unexplored countries of the Balkans, Bosnia and Herzegovina was a source of curiosity for many scientists, especially those from Austria-Hungary. At the same time, it also attracted the attention of quasi-scientists, which in the very first years of occupation resulted in their taking away of the monuments of culture from the region. This all contributed to the decision to take more concrete measures with a view to realizing of the long existing idea to found a museum. Thus, the Museum Society was formed and thereupon the National Government founded the National Museum for Bosnia and Herzegovina on February 1st 1888. The adviser to the Government, Mr. Kosta Hörmann, was appointed as director of the Museum.

Since the premises that originally hosted the Museum soon became too small and inconvenient, construction of a new building was initiated in 1908. It was decided that the new museum facilities would comprise of a complex of buildings housing all the existing collections in separate sections. The construction was completed in 1913 and the Museum was open for public on October 4th of the same year. It is in this museum complex that had for a long time been the only such specified-purpose museum building constructed on the territory of former Yugoslavia that the National Museum still works today.

Development of the Museum:

Since the very beginning of its work, the National Museum has developed as a complex cultural and scientific institution nourishing a number of scientific and scholarly disciplines, i.e. history, geography, archeology (prehistoric, ancient and medieval), ethnology, history of art and natural history (biology, geology and mineralogy), partly language, literature, statistics and bibliography. Studies of these disciplines have with time taken the shape of the three present departments, namely the Department of Archeology, Department of Ethnology and Department of Natural History. A lot of attention has always, since the beginning of work, been given to the educational and culturological function of the Museum. Museological activities have also created a basis for acquiring of all the existing collections through research work in the field, purchase, exchange or gifts to the Museum.

Scientific research activity was during the period of Austro-Hungarian occupation under the strong influence of development and orientation of European 19th century science and culture, focusing thus its attention on archeology and natural history in particular.

Following after a break in work caused by the exhausting four-year-long war (1914 - 1918) is the period of the first union of South Slavic peoples, that is the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, or Yugoslavia (1918 - 1945). As a result of building of a hegemonic and centralized administration system dictated by the Court and Great-Serbian bourgeoisie, this period is characterized by a noticeable decrease of activity in all of the basic work areas of the National Museum. It is at this time that Bosnia and Herzegovina suddenly comes to the margin of the socio-economic, political and cultural mainstream. However, the agony of the National Museum did not end there. The World War II (1941 - 1945) again deprived the National Museum of possibilities to work and develop and the Museum therein experiences the phase of poorest level of its activity.

The initial period of stabilization of the National Museum after the end of the World War II made but a slow progress lasting all through to the beginning of the sixties. In the framework of general progress made in socio-economic relations, the area of culture was declared to be of special importance for the society. This is the period when the National Museum achieves extraordinary results in all of its activities, surpassing in many ways what was done during the Austro-Hungarian period. This especially applies to scientific research and publishing activities and exhibitions.

The aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the long war that followed (1992 - 1995) caused not only a break in development of the Museum, but direct devastation and damage to the four buildings of the Museum complex and the Botanical Garden, too. The Museum's artifacts, including a rich library fund, were saved owing above all to people that did not leave the Museum even in the most difficult of circumstances.

In the same way that the Museum had in prior epochs shared the destiny of Bosnia and Herzegovina, now that the war is over (period 1996 - 2000) it again, through its life and work, reflects the life of the Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina. Owing to numerous donations and its employees, the Museum gradually recovers from the devastation of the war. Help for rehabilitation of this cultural institution was provided by the Institute for Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNESCO, Federal Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Ministry of Science, Culture and Sport of the Canton of Sarajevo, Institute for Planning and Construction of the City of Sarajevo, International Center for Peace in Sarajevo, Swiss museums, Swiss ICOM and Swiss National Museum in Zurich, BHHR, Norks Folkesmuseum from Oslo, Foundation for Cultural Heritage without Borders from Sweden, Museum of Natural History, Museum of Ethnography, Museum of Islamic Art and other Swedish museums, as well as many others.

art agenda

Art Miami

Miami, USA 5th-8th January 2007

Art Miami enters its 17th year with renewed vitality after a rigorous selection process that has refined the overall participation base this year, including many new galleries from Europe, Asia and the United States. Although Art Miami will continue to feature some of the most important modern and contemporary Latin artists, only 14 galleries represent Latin America this year, which presents strong evidence for the fair’s evolution from a local Latin showcase to an international artworld destination.

Many discoveries will be unveiled to Art Miami enthusiasts from a broad spectrum of contemporary painting, sculpture, prints, photography and multi-media works by both well-established and emerging artists,” says Ilana Vardy, Show Director. “We are very excited by the changes in the fair in recent years as we are now better poised to service a growing market in which collectors are interested in a wide variety of genres and nationalities. The expanded programs, including the annual special exhibitions and lecture series that explore international trends, enable Art Miami to compete on a higher level in the increasingly complex art market.”

Last year's show counted 24,000 visitors—a 10% increase over the previous year—proof that Art Miami’s international strategy has continued to provide its patrons with a solid platform for discovering new trends, new artists, and new galleries. Art Miami participants consistently exhibit an impressive range of museum-quality paintings, sculptures, photographs and works in glass, among other media—all for sale to Miami’s growing arts-aware community.

art agenda

The National Fine Art & Antiques Fair

Birmingham, UK 18th - 22nd January 2006

The National Fine Art & Antiques Fair is to be staged at the NEC, 18th - 22nd January 2006 and will accommodate approximately 100 Exhibitors offering for sale the very best in Fine Art, Antiques and Contemporary Art.

This prestigious Fair will once again be staged in the ever popular Forum, stylishly presented with dramatic lighting effects and lavish floral displays. The Forum lends itself happily to the display of the splendid furniture, fine porcelain, paintings, sculpture and exquisite objets d’art on sale.

The Fair is datelined and a panel of experts will examine exhibits to ensure that they meet the relevant datelines, are correctly labelled and of a high enough quality to be shown at the National Fine Art & Antiques Fair. Specialist Dealers will be invited at the discretion of the Organiser whereby the criteria of excellence is not dependant upon age alone. Reproductions will not be allowed.

art agenda

London Art Fair

London, UK 17th–21st January 2007

London Art Fair will take place from 17th–21st January 2007 featuring100 leading UK galleries showing museum-quality Modern British work alongside the best of Contemporary art.

The Fair encompasses Modern British masters such as Ben Nicholson, William Scott, LS Lowry, Patrick Heron, Terry Frost, and Barbara Hepworth alongside exceptional contemporary work from Keith Coventry, Paula Rego, John Hoyland, Lucian Freud, Gavin Turk, Peter Blake, Damien Hirst and Howard Hodgkin – among others.