Artists were invited to interpret the theme "Second Nature" as they create their sculptures.
Two ways to sculpt :
1. Work along the form of the tree.
2. Carve something new from the wood.
Physical workout :
Wood sculpting can be strenuous because of the the constant hammering and chiseling needed. Strength is also needed to wield heavy tools such as chain saws.
Sculpting tools :
Bigger tools such as chain saws are used to create the general shape of the sculpture quickly. Smaller tools like chisels are then used to fine-tune the sculpture.
• Chisel
• Sander
• Mallet
• Brush
Type of wood used :
Hardwood is commonly used for sculpting and can be obtained from the Dalbergia, Yellow Flame and rain tress.
The word "museum" is often associated with art, but the truth is, there are plenty of indie and quirky collections around the world of more than just artworks.
One such example is a museum in Japan that revolves around...bricks. Located in northern Kyoto, in the city of Maizuru, is the World Brick Museum. This museum does not just specialise in bricks - but bricks from around the world. Even its location is highly appropriate, as Maizuru is a city filled with many military buildings, warehouses and tunnels made from red brick, including the museum itself.
Built in 1903 (then the Meiji era) and then named the old Maizuru Naval Forces Arsenal Torpedo Warehouse, the building was originally constructed for torpedo storage. It is now Japan's oldest existing steel-frame brick establishment, now a fairly rare type of building. It is hence considered important cultural property.
As the name of the museum suggests, it is a venue where you will find bricks from all over the world in its exhibit rooms. In fact, bricks from the four great civilisations of the world, namely China, Egypt, Greece and ancient Mesopotamia, are up on display. A history of bricks and materials pertaining to brick buildings from the world over is also available.
You will learn interesting anecdotes too, like when bricks from the island city of Portsmouth in England were donated to the museum in 1993. These originate from Portsmouth's Historic Dockyards, and since then the two cities have now become twin cities. The second level of the museum focuses specifically on red bricks found in Japan itself.
Even if you don't understand the Japanese explanation of the exhibits, you can still have a fun time checking out the displays to learn more about the different types of red bricks found in Japan. While you're at it, you can learn more about Japanese history, like how the country adopted brick-building techniques from the West during the Meiji and Taisho periods. Even the iconic Tokyo Station is made from red brick!
Alternatively, you can grab a map that indicates where Maizuru's red brick building are, and go hunting for them! There are more than 100 of them in total - including four red-brick warehouses just round the corner from the museum that have since turned into cultural community centres.
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Anonymous2014-01-29 13:32
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Anonymous2014-02-05 10:57
Art advocate Joan Mondale, 83, dies
NEW YORK - Mrs Joan Mondale, whose promotion and advocacy of painting, sculpture and other fine arts earned her the nickname Joan of Art in Washington during the vice-presidency of her husband Walter F. Mondale, in the late 1970s, died on Monday in Minneapolis.
She was 83.
NEW YORK TIMES
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Anonymous2014-02-06 11:29
So bad it's good
It's not unusual for art lovers to include famous art museums around the world as part of their travel itinerary, but would you make a special trip to see something "bad"?
Depending on your taste and who you speak to, art usually produces polarised opinions. There are people who love all types of art... even "bad" art. In fact, there is a museum in Somerville, Middlesex County in Massachusetts, the United States, that celebrates the glorious notion of bad art, or as their slogan puts it, "art too bad to be ignored".
Dedicated to the "collection, preservation, exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its forms", the Museum of Bad Art (or MOBA for short - not to be confused with the similar-sounding MOMA, or Museum of Modern Art) is a community-based, private institution run by volunteers founded in 1993.
Its first show was presented in March 1994 - to overwhelming response. The collection has since grown by leaps and bounds. The founders were forced to find alternative venues to house the burgeoning collection. The first gallery, in Massachusetts, Dedham, is at the basement of the Dedham Community Theatre, and is being renovated. The second outlet is located in the basement of Somerville Theatre and the third is in Brookline, also in Massachusetts.
The pieces range from portraitures, landscapes and still lifes, to abstract works. Each is accompanied by a hilarious title and caption, and viewers decide how "bad" each piece is - after all, art is largely subjective. While the museum receives its share of well-meaning donations from the public, not just any piece of art is accepted. The staff must first see a "special quality" in the pieces that sets them apart from merely terrible works.
The one thing they all have in common? The displayed works seem to show some vague promise, but then something unfortunately went wrong, "making one wonder why the artist continued down the path to produce what he or she did", in the words of curator-in-chief Michael Frank. Think poorly rendered hands, feet and noses, skies painted in weird colours, inconsistent perspectives, and a strange use of mixed media.