Art News

7 Things To Know This Week In Art

Our recap of what’s happening this week at Saatchi Art, online, and around the world.

#1: RIP David Bowie

david bowie's penchant for art and art collection

(Image: “Art was, seriously, the only thing I’d ever wanted to own” David Bowie told the New York Times in 1998 [via ArtNet]

The world lost a true visionary artist this week when David Bowie, 69, lost his battle to cancer. Bowie was a hero to many, a unique artist who fearlessly forged a path for individuality, reaching across many mediums to do so. His love of art was known, advocating the risk-taking nature of artists paralleled in his own career. He owned single small works by Tintoretto and Ruben, and collected works by more obscure 20th century British artists.

Catch a glimpse of Bowie’s personal collection of artwork and learn more about his own artistic roots.

#2: Landscape Art Can Help Brighten Up a Room

find original contemporary landscape paintings and photography on saatchi art

(Image: Valentine Marian Ionescu’s original oil painting “#17” is featured in our collection of lush landscapes)

This week on Canvas we’ve got an artful solution for the dreary winter blues. Landscape art is transportive, immersing onlookers in the colors and textures of a world outside of their own, a quality that shines when looking to brighten up your space. From tiny to large, painting to photography, a landscape in any shape is sure to invite comfort into any room.

Discover our ideas for how to incorporate a landscape into your space and see a collection of lush landscapes available on Saatchi Art.

#3: Quarrel Over Picasso Bust Ownership Intensifies

picasso's sought after bust of a woman appears to have two owners

(Image: Currently on display at MoMA in New York, Picasso’s sough after sculpture sparks disagreement in who its rightful owner is [Image via Bloomberg])

Picasso’s foray into sculpture was a uniquely experimental and personal outlet for the artist, more so than painting, a medium he was formerly trained in. His “Bust of a Woman” sculpture, created after his muse muse Marie-Thérèse Walter, is currently the star of a dispute over the rightful owner, appearing to have been told to two people by Picasso’s daughter Maya Widmaier-Picasso.

Both Larry Gagosian and the royal family of Quatar claim to have purchased the piece, and plan to fight it out in court. Read the full story here.

#4: Saatchi Art’s New Pop Art Exhibition Explores L.A. Culture

fabio corruzi is featured in a new exhibition of pop and street art in los angeles

(Image: Fabio Corruzi’s “Looking Back to Venice Beach” is featured in From the Street, Saatchi Art’s forthcoming exhibition)

We’re pleased to announce a brand new exhibition opening next week in Santa Monica, featuring brand new works from 12 Los Angeles based artists. Entitled From the Street, the exhibition presents pop and street art works that explore the city, from its inhabitants to its architecture. From playful works to ones more serious, From the Street offers a stunning glimpse at the contemporary landscape of Los Angeles.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area, please join us for an opening reception on Thursday, January 21 from 6-9pm. RSVP here.

#5: Arrangements of Books Becomes Colorful Sculptures

artist uses recycled books to create large sculpture

(Image: Colorful recycled books are transformed into sculptures [Booooooom])

Artist Jonathan Callan challenges viewers to experience books as objects other than how they’re known, divorced from their content and highlighting only their form. He places them together into a new object entirely, turning them into colorful sculptures that appear almost painterly.

See more of his book sculptures here.

#6: Lumiere Festival Lights Up London

the garden of light shines during London's lumiere festival 2016

(Image: Situated in Leicester Square, TILT’s Garden of Light is part of London’s Lumiere Festival)

The city of London is illuminated this weekend as 30 breathtaking light installations are unveiled throughout the city. The festival will run each night from 6:30 – 9:30pm through January 17th, with installations stationed in King’s Cross, Piccadilly, Westminster, Trafalgar Square, and Mayfair. The pieces range from large scale to smaller neons. Check out the full program for locations and information.

#7: Saatchi Art’s 2015 Proves Itself in Numbers

saatchi art's 2015 year in review proves important for emerging artists

(Image: Looking back at 2015)

The numbers don’t lie: 2015 was a great year at Saatchi Art. We’ve compiled an impressive array of numbers that prove our support of emerging artists in connecting them with art lovers worldwide. Go here for a full breakdown, including a rough estimate of the amount of pastries the Saatchi Art staff consumed. Happy 2016!

What art happenings are on your radar this week?

About the Author

Chelsea is the Marketing Associate at Saatchi Art. She likes Neoclassical art, text messaging, and that's pretty much it. Find her Tweeting @saatchiart, and Instagramming @saatchiart