London, May 30 (ANI): A new controversial artwork, which shows Silvio Berlusconi lying in a casket on a velvet carpet and gives the impression that he is dead, pokes fun at the beleaguered former Italian premier and hints at his sins.
The very realistic waxwork, entitled Il Sogno degli Italiani' or 'The Dream of the Italians', has been created by artists Antonio Garullo and Mario Ottocento, the first ever married gay couple who tied the knot in Amsterdam in 2002.
The name of the installation refers to what Berlusconi apparently called himself on the phone to one of his girlfriends, according to Italian media.
The former prime minister, who is still very much alive at 75, is seen smiling as he lies in a glass coffin with his eyes closed.
Bizarrely he is wearing giant Mickey Mouse slippers as he lies on a satin pillow in a double-breasted blue jacket.
There is also one hand inside his unzipped trousers while the other hand rests on the History of Italy.
Positioned in a shrine at the Ferrajoli Palace, the shocking installation is available for all Italians to see and is just yards from Berlusconi's former stomping ground, the Palazzo Chigi, the official residence of Italian prime ministers.
"We put Berlusconi's body into a glass case to emphasise the personality cult that he has been creating for all these years and which will possibly remain for years to come," the Daily Mail quoted Garullo and Ottocento as saying.
"At the same time we put a screen between the contingent reality and historical judgment.
"If Italians are ultimately "a people of saints, poets, seafarers" then the arch-Italian Silvio is a worthy simulacrum of this people," they said.
Berlusconi stepped down as premier last November after failing to come up with convincing reforms to help Italy exit from the sovereign debt crisis.
The last part of his term in office was marred with a constant stream of lurid revelations about his private life.
The sleazy politician is currently embroiled in a high-profile court case after being accused of paying for sex with underage minor Karima El Mahroug, also known as Ruby the Heartbreaker, in February 2010 when she was just 17-years-old. (ANI)
Source: in.news.yahoo.com
Ramsgate artist to take on painting challenge - Kent News
Anthony Giles' oil painting of 'Reflections at Margate Harbour'
Dean Kilpatrick, Reporter
Friday, June 15, 2012
10:41 AM
Anthony Giles hopes to raise money for a Kent charity by painting 20 pictures in 12 hours
A Thanet artist is planning to take on an artistic challenge by producing 20 oil paintings in 12 hours.
Anthony Giles, a contemporary landscape artist from Ramsgate, is taking up the challenge in the hopes of raising money for Pilgrims Hospices on Friday, June 29.
The public are invited to watch the masterpieces being created at the Pie Factory in Margate, and once Mr Giles completes all of the paintings, they will then be exhibited for sale to raise money for the charity.
Mr Giles said: “I have lost five close friends and family over the last two years to cancer and Pilgrims Hospices provides wonderful care not only for the patient but also the family.”
The artist, who also provides paintings for London exhibitions, is also displaying 30 pieces of work at the Belgian Cafe in Ramsgate between Saturday, June 23 and Thursday, July 12 to raise funds for the Kent charity.
Regional Fundraising Manager Karen Kenward at Pilgrims Hospice said: “We are so grateful to Anthony for giving his time to raise money for Pilgrims Hospices.”
Source: www.kentnews.co.uk
Artwork will go under the hammer at Beach Road Hotel to raise money for homeless - Wentworth Courier
ARTWORK will go under the hammer this month to raise money for the area’s homeless.
More than 50 original photos will be on display from tomorrow as part of the Love Is A Four Letter Word exhibition at the Beach Rd Hotel.
Bidding will be by silent auction on June 30, with all money going to Bondi Youth Accommodation. More than 32,000 young people sleep on the streets every night.
This number and the 21 Challenge which is raising money in June for homeless people inspired Mel Dymott and Julie Jenkins.
“It has been a great response,” Miss Dymott said.
The silent auction is part of the final event on June 30, Winter Warmers.
From 6pm to midnight the hotel will also feature live bands, raffles, live graffiti and night food markets.
For more visit facebook.com/loveisbeachroad.
Source: wentworth-courier.whereilive.com.au
Restored Caravaggio's Lazarus is shown in Rome - BBC News
Caravaggio's Resurrection of Lazarus has gone on display in Rome, after seven months of restoration work.
The painting, also known as The Raising of Lazarus, is believed to have been painted in 1609, one year before the artist's death at the age of 38.
It depicts the story in the Gospel of St John in which Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.
It marks the first time the painting has been restored in 60 years. It will remain in Rome until 15 July.
The painting was housed for centuries in the church of the Crociferi fathers in Messina, Sicily, before it was moved to the city's museum.
It shows the instant that Christ points to the dead Lazarus - who is being held in the arms of those who exhumed him - and brings his friend back to life.
The background of the painting is mostly dark, which art historians say was probably because Caravaggio was in a hurry to complete the commission.
"During this period of his life, Caravaggio was forced to finish his paintings very quickly, and therefore he refined his technique in order to achieve this objective," said restorer Anna Maria Marcone.
"He used local materials and used the dark background in order to quickly realise the figures," she told a news conference.
The painting was done on six pieces of canvas - five vertical and one horizontal - that were sewn together to reach the desired size.
Marcone said the most difficult part of the restoration was repairing some of the damage done by what was believed to have been the first restoration on the painting, in 1670.
The painting was unscathed in the great Messina earthquake of 1908, which killed some 200,000 people and destroyed thousands of buildings in Sicily and Calabria.
It will be on display in Rome's Palazzo Braschi, overlooking Piazza Navona, until mid July, when it will be returned to Sicily.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Painters' Table: Top 10 Best Posts: May 2012 - Huffington Post
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com
Restaurant Furniture Supplier, Affordable Seating, and Mesa, Arizona’s Mad Dog Saloon Team Up to Create the Perfect Sports Bar - YAHOO!
The experts at Affordable Seating help Mad Dog Saloon find just the right bar stools and commercial outdoor patio furniture.
(PRWEB) June 15, 2012
Leading restaurant furniture manufacturer and distributor Affordable Seating recently helped Mesa, Arizona's number one sports bar, the Mad Dog Saloon become an even better place to relax, watch a game and enjoy some good, old-fashioned American comfort food.The Mad Dog Saloon features 100 high-definition televisions on which patrons can view their favorite sports while they enjoy affordable beers and cocktails during happy hour and listen to live DJs spinning almost nightly. Patrons can enjoy sandwiches, burgers and salads for lunch or dinner, in addition to classic appetizers and wings.
Affordable Seating salesman David M. helped Mad Dog Saloon's Dominic Lalicata find the right bar stools and outdoor furniture to help properly outfit the sports bar in the highly populous East Valley section of the Phoenix Metropolitan area.
"Dominic wanted durable bar stools that would last a long time. His is definitely a high volume business that draws in a good crowd with happy hour specials, as well as offering a place to hear DJs and watch all the sports they want at no cover charge. That's a lot of wear and tear that your bar stools have to be able to withstand," David said, adding that comfort is also a main priority for a sports bar like the Mad Dog Saloon. "Dominic made it clear that his patrons come to have a good time and want seating that will make them feel as comfortable as if they were in their own homes. Unlike a restaurant in which customers sit for a meal and leave after an hour-and-a-half at the most, sports bar patrons eat and order drinks for up to three hours while they watch a game or just have a good time."
The management of the Mad Dog Saloon was debating between Affordable Seating's Vertical Slat Wood Bar Stool, which sells for $70, and the Elongated Vertical Back Metal Bar Stool, which sells for $49.99. "They weren't sure whether the metal bar stool with the wood seat or the full wood bar stool was better for their venue. We sent them samples of each and let them check which stool went better with the decor and would be preferred by their clientele. It's important to know you're getting exactly what you want when you make a purchase that is so important to your business and is actually a long-term investment," David said.
Dominic and the team at the Mad Dog Saloon opted to go with the Vertical Slat Wood Bar Stoo l. "They knew that their clientele expects a very particular look and feel, so they decided to go with the wood stool even though it cost more than the metal stool. They still got a great deal and they are set for years, as far as bar stools go, even with the heavy stress that a business like that puts on its furniture," David noted. Affordable Seating's Vertical Slat Wood Bar Stool offers a traditional but attractive look, while remaining exceptionally durable. The stool's solid saddle wood seat is comprised of solid wood, rather than the plywood that many manufacturers offer. The bar stool ships fully assembled and ready for immediate use, as all of Affordable Seating's chairs and bar stools do. It is available in a variety of wood finishes and seat options.
One of the Mad Dog Saloon's central features is a 4,000 square foot climate controlled patio. In addition to offering restaurant chairs, bar stools, booths, table tops and table bottoms for standard indoor use, Affordable Seating also carries a full line of commercial outdoor patio furniture. The Mad Dog Saloon decided to go with the matching Brushed Aluminum Patio Chairs and the Brushed Aluminum Patio Bar Stools to complete their outdoor area. The brush finish on the easily stackable and storable aluminum commercial patio chairs and bar stools offers a clean look, perfect for the sports bar’s patio.
“Dominic and the guys at the Mad Dog Saloon were thrilled to take care of the seating needs of a venue of that size for roughly $25,000. The place looks great and it’s wildly popular. I was really pleased to be able to send them samples to make sure they were getting just what they wanted,” David said.
For more information visit affordableseating.net to browse its selection of restaurant chairs, bar stools, table tops, table bases, booths, patio furniture and sale items.
Check out the Mad Dog Saloon on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maddogsaloon
Nick Warren
Affordable Seating
(888) 495-8884
Email Information
Source: news.yahoo.com
Budding young painters at Notre Dame Preparatory School are inspired by the Norwich School of Artists - EDP 24
Children at the Notre Dame Preparatory School put their hand to painting a landscape in the style of the Norwich School of Artists. From left, Faith Fulcher, 7; Noah Kingston, 8; and Harriet Hathway, 9. Picture: Denise Bradley
Emma Knights
Friday, June 15, 2012
10:20 AM
Schoolchildren have been creating their own landscapes after being inspired by the works of master painters.
Year three and four students from Notre Dame Preparatory School in Dereham Road, Norwich, spent yesterday taking part in an Open Skies workshop that focused on the work of the Norwich School of Artists, and then gave the budding young artists the chance to create their own masterpieces based on the John Crome painting Road with Pollards.
Roxanne Matthews, of LivingNorwich, who organised the event, said: “At the beginning we were inspired by the Norwich School of Artists, particularly John Crome and John Cotman, and we also had an original John Thirtle painting from the Art 18/21 gallery to look at.
“We then did sketching and talked about perspective and then created paintings based on a Crome painting.
“The children all created some really fantastic pieces – some of the paintings really were masterpieces.”
Kimberley Wragg, year three teacher and the school’s art and design and technology coordinator, said: “The children were so engrossed in everything, so enthusiatic and excited, and every single one of them has achieved a really good painting.”
After the art session, yesterday the children also enjoyed hearing some Norwich Tudor Storytelling by the Yarnsmith of Norwich.
Any other schools interested in taking part in a LivingNorwich project should email hello@livingnorwich.co.uk or visit www.livingnorwich.co.uk
Also see the LivingNorwich website for details of events open to the public.
Are you involved in a new arts event? Call reporter Emma Knights on 01603 772428 or email emma.knights@archant.co.uk
Source: www.edp24.co.uk
'A fantastic field of visual ecstasy' – the art of Tim Rollins and Kos - The Guardian
In 1981 I was recruited by a really rough public junior high school on Kelly Street in the South Bronx to teach art classes for students with special needs. It wasn't long after I started this work that a band of the most dedicated and enthusiastic kids would hang out in the art classroom after school to make things. Soon, it became obvious that we needed a space of our own outside of the school system. We found a large space in a nearby abandoned public school that had been converted into a neighborhood community centre. We called the space The Art and Knowledge Workshop and we called our team "KOS" ( for "Kids of Survival"). We met almost every day after school and on weekends to create collaborative paintings inspired by classic works of literature and music that many outsiders assumed would be beyond our ability to comprehend or appreciate.
Thirty-one years later, our paintings are in the permanent collections of over 95 museums worldwide including the Tate Modern in London.
KOS and I continue to conduct art making workshops with young people throughout the world. Several of the team's original members still work with the group.
Artwork by Tim Rollins and KOS. A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2011. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York Our participation in Wide Open School will engage with Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. We always paint on a grid of book or music score pages that are carefully glued in a grid on canvas. This time, we will be painting on the music score for the incidental music for A Midsummer Night's Dream, written by Felix Mendelssohn (who began composing the work in 1826 when he was a teenager).
For us, the central character of Shakespeare's comedy is Puck. Puck is a creature who loves to create transformations just for the sheer, mischievous joy of it. Puck is our role model – the ultimate artist. In our workshops at Wide Open School we'll ask the participants to invent magic flowers in pencil and watercolor – hundreds of them. These bizarre but beautiful blossoms should look like they possess a juice, a nectar that when squeezed on the eyelids of someone sleeping causes that person to fall madly in love with the first living creature they see upon awakening. All the flower elements will then be collaged onto pages from Mendelssohn's score for A Midsummer Night's Dream, conjuring a quick, bright, confusing and fantastic field of visual ecstasy.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Furniture in Fashion Expands its Social Media Presence - YAHOO!
FurnitureInFashion is expanding in terms of its social media presence to reap the maximum advantages of online marketing.
(PRWEB UK) 15 June 2012
Social media platform has become a very critical element of an online business as it has opened the door for business owners to develop a sustainable base of communication with their customers. This is helping the businesses to strengthen their relationship with customers and reach out for potential customers. FurnitureInFashion in order to grow business online and conquer traffic has expanded its social presence as well by joining Twitter and Facebook.Among the many social media platforms, Twitter and Facebook have taken the world by storm, spreading information, news, opinions and advice. Taking advantage of their potential, FurnitureInFashin has allocated a special team and marketing plan for Twitter and Facebook. The company now has a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Furniture-in-Fashion/145615265460821 and a Twitter account.
These two platforms are being used to provide news, new items, service, discount and everything else about the company. Both these platforms have helped FurnitureInfashion to communicate directly with their customers and design products as per the demand of customers. Twitter has been a successful venture for FurnitureInFashion as it has helped the company to develop daily interaction with the customers. The company has been able to address critical issues immediately rather than having meet clients or send emails. The company has benefited from Twitter by using it to announcing the new arrivals, several different offers, discounts and other details about the company.
This has helped the word to spread from one set of people to the other along with bringing bright business prospects. Twitter has turned out to be a very effective way to advertise the unique product lines of FurnitureInFashion at almost a negligible cost. FurnitureInFashion has improved the customer service and products overtime by using the services of Twitter as it has provided the company with the most appropriate feedback hence making the company to rectify the problems and mistakes. Twitter has helped the company to reach out for potential customers in different regions hence expanding the business. The enormous benefits that FurnitureInFashion has reaped from Twitter can be seen with the ever increasing number of followers their Twitter account has.
Facebook on the other hand through its business page has helped FurnitureInFashion develop long lasting relationships with customers because it provides a center point where all visitors can discuss and argue over one common thing. The Facebook business page of FurnitureInFashion is a very active medium to communicate with customers. It has helped the company to arrange special online events, offers and discounts. With one status update, the company alerts all its fans about its new product, service, discount offer and other company news. FurnitureInFashion has been able to create new products and improve the current services by managing campaigns on Facebook page.
In addition to this, the company has been able to drive a lot of traffic on their website as well through the Facebook. The major benefit of Facebook is that FurnitureInFashion has been able to retain fans that could be potential clients as well. This has helped FunritureInFashion to expand its business globally as the word has gone viral through the Facebook page.
The polling feature of Facebook page has allowed the company to get the feedback of its customers over the range of products that have been launched and those which are still to be launched aggressively. In addition to this, the company is using different custom tabs on its Facebook page which has helped develop a business brand and credibility among the online furniture market.
FurnitureInFashion is expanding in terms of its social media presence to reap the maximum advantages of online marketing. With the increase of fans on Twitter and Facebook, FurnitureInFashion has been able to convert potential clients into regular clients. The ultimate accessibility with these social media tools has given the company a much needed exposure and profit.
Luke Patel
FurnitureinFashion
01204 792700
Email Information
Source: news.yahoo.com
Sign in to leave your comment
0 comments