Viennese Actionism is an example of Austrian performance art that took place between 1960-1971 and is, to this day, considered controversial. Placing it into a historical context, the consequence which the so-called Victim Myth, propagated after WWII, had on its people. This myth is a theory that argues that Austria has essentially been the first victim of Nazi Germany, having been annexed in 1938 to be part of the Third Reich.
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An ocean, a desert, a night sky … Vija Celmins’ photorealistic paintings have impressed the art world for over forty years.
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On 24th February, 2017 the provocative and controversial Chinese photographer and poet, Ren Hang, aged 30, leapt from a building to his death. He had long been known to have clinical depression, partly being famous for his blog titled “My Depression” that he began in 2007. His work, which tended to place the naked body, both male and female, either within nature or modern urban landscapes, was dark, emotional and corporeal. In his work flesh was tangible, sensual and sordid. However, the photos also have a feeling of gentleness and intimacy, even innocence.
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Arles 1888: Vincent van Gogh paints sunflowers. He is obsessed with the colour yellow, seeing it as uplifting. Over and over he produces still lives of sunflowers, all in an attempt to lure Paul Gauguin into coming to Arles. Van Gogh dreams of an artistic colony, a place where artists could paint without any restrictions from bourgeois Paris, and sees Gaugin as the perfect partner.Paul Gauguin is not keen on moving in with the socially awkward and shy Van Gogh.
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Rashid Rana is considered Pakistan’s most influential contemporary artist. He was born in 1968 in Lahore and is the fifth son of a policeman. Despite pressure to pursue a more practical career, such as medicine, the army or the civil service, Rashid attended the National College of Art in Lahore. He later studied at the Massachusetts College of Fine Arts in Boston and is currently the head of the fine art department at Beaconhouse National University in Lahore. His significance was made concrete when he was made a solo exhibitionist for the Pakistan pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2015. In his art he explores concepts around the globalising modern world, its contradictions and society’s representation of particular groups.
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Arguably the most famous sculpture of a kissing couple, Rodin’s The Kiss radiates passion and tenderness. He renders beautifully their texture (notice his hand on her leg), and captures an intimate moment, enshrining for all time it as a paragon of affection.
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