Franz West dies at the age of 55

Franz WestThe artist Franz West has died. For those familiar with the artist or keen on sculpture, this must feel like the art world has lost one of its valuable creative thinker. The trademark of Franz West’s work was largescale bursting with colours sculptures often querky in their shapes and defintely surrealist.

West’s artwork would be made out of plaster, papier-mâché, wire, polyester, aluminium and other, ordinary materials. He had a go at paintings first but rapidly turned his interest to collages, sculptures and in particular portable sculptures called “Adaptives” or “Fitting Pieces”, environments and furniture.

It doesn’t matter what the art looks like but how it’s used” Franz West.

As a tribute, we have included picture of his most iconic sculptures. Franz West was definitely original with hus approach to sculpture and our pavements and park will be more sad now.

The Ego and the Id by Franz West | Art-Pie
The Ego and the Id by Franz West

Untitled by Franz West | Art-PieEidolon by Franz West | Art-Pie

Fiac by Franz West | Art-Pie

Smears by Franz West | Art-Pie

The striking bar of the Prahran hotel in Melbourne

I am lucky to live in London where it must be said, you can find striking looking bars. And let’s face it, it is much better if you sit in some settings which wow you or which makes you happy to be there. After all, I (usually) go to bars to enjoy the moment, to relax or spend time with friends.

Have a look at this. We are now in Melbourne looking at this amazing piece of architecture – the Prahran Hotel, where massive concrete water pipes are used to make the bar stand out of anything nearby we hear (I have never been in Melbourne)

One might say that there are some sort of pigeon holes for humans but I would simply look at the inviting leather seated booths that the 17 tubed offer and grab my pencil and add this place to my “must-go” list.

Pictures of this place below

Prahran hotel in Melbourne | Art-Pie

Prahran hotel in Melbourne | Art-Pie

prahran-3

First seen on Design Taxi

8-bitscapes prints now available: want one, defo.

I just love the concept and even more the outcome: a unique series of prints now available to purchase at Prescription Art

8-bitscapes is a collaboration between designer Jamie Sneddon and photographer Kevin Rozario-Johnson. The concept is simple: they use well-known classic video game characters such as pac-man or invaders and intricate them into real-life scenarios. The results is just ace. Continue reading 8-bitscapes prints now available: want one, defo.

This is how elephants are treated in Mathura during winter

Elephants in Mathura gets wrapped up in jumpers | Art-PieWe all know that Winter can be a cold one.

Some of you may also know that there are nice people out there, so nice that after having been notified about a possible freeze overnight, a few good people in Mathura (India) made jumbo jackets and woollen jumpers for elephants in the region.

This is how elephants are treated in Mathura during winter.

The Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center helps

The Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center is actually supporting this and has committed itself to help the women in surrounding villages make these jackets and jumpers to counter attack the freezing winter and its possible damages to the elephants.

Elephants in Mathura gets wrapped up in jumpers | Art-Pie

Here is what Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO of theThe Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center says about the project –

It is important to keep our elephants protected from the bitter cold during this extreme winter, as they are weak and vulnerable having suffered so much abuse, making them susceptible to ailments such as pneumonia. The cold also aggravates their arthritis which is a common issue that our rescued elephants have to deal with.

We included below some of the colourful garments. We think they are awesome!

Elephants in Mathura gets wrapped up in jumpers | Art-Pie Elephants in Mathura gets wrapped up in jumpers | Art-Pie Elephants in Mathura gets wrapped up in jumpers | Art-Pie

First seen on The Independent

Copyright at London Westbank gallery

We managed to get down to the London Westbank gallery to attend the opening of “Thirteen”, the new Copyright solo show. We arrived quite early which was nice as people were still quite scarce so this enables us to take a good look at the impressive amount of pieces that got hung on the walls of the two level gallery.

Let’s face it, quite a few pieces weren’t new at all and were taken from past show and while some may argue that Copyright’s style stagnate (read The Art Collector full comment,), we still enjoyed the pin-up girls which often appear in Copyright pieces and are even some sort of signature.

One thing worth pointing out was the use of the actual stencils as pieces itself. Quite a few of the stencils the artist used for his works were indeed hung around the gallery and could be recognised by a sticky tape that sometimes said “Fragile” clumsily wrapping the cut out paper piece.

The show is now over

More pictures after the fold

Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie
Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie
Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie
Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie
Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie
Copyright at London Westbank | Art-PieCopyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie

Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie
Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie
Copyright at London Westbank | Art-Pie

Hibernate winter show at Hang Up gallery

Hibernate is an amazing selection of works from some of Hang-Up‘s favourite urban and contemporary artists.

With brand new limited edition prints and original artworks from the likes of Mark Powell, Pure Evil, Delphine Lebourgeois and Joe Webb as well as sought after collectors pieces from Takashi Murakami, Banksy and Invader.

We included below some of the pieces from the show

WHAT – Hibernate
WHERE – 81 Stoke Newington Road, Stoke Newington, London N16 8AD
WHEN – until 31/12/2015

Banksy - Christ With Shopping Bags | ART-PIE
Banksy – Christ With Shopping Bags – Signed Limited Edition Screenprint of 82
Delphine Lebourgeois | ART-PIE
Delphine Lebourgeois – Superhero I – Limited Edition Screenprint of 35

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