Renée Pfister Art & Gallery Consultancy

19/02/2021

THE POWER OF ART #34 THE TOMB OF THE DIVER !!

In today’s Power of Art blog, I would like to share an experience I had some time ago in Italy.
The Diver’s tomb – La Tomba del Tuffatore was discovered near Paestum in 1968 by the archaeologist Mario Napoli. This crypt is well-known for its stunning painterly features, dating around 480 - 470 BC.

The stone grave is made of five limestone slabs, comprising four horizontal walls and a roof. The most superb of all is the covering section presenting the painting of the diver. This scene shows the young man diving from a column into the water – symbolising the transition of the soul from life to death -. The wall panels depict a symposium scene, a banquet featuring ten men in different poses, sitting together as affectionate couples, drinking wine and waiting for the diver to join them in the afterlife.

Although the style of the frescos is Greek, as it shares many characteristics with painting techniques used in Greek pottery, this is also the only Greek tomb to have been decorated with frescoes of human subjects, an evident influence of the Etruscan tradition from central Italy.
The Diver still resonates with me today; it is one of the images from antiquity I admired for its visual endurance through the passage of time.

Image: Courtesy ©Carole Raddato CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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#thetombdiver #paestum #thepowerofart #theafterlife #reneepfisterartconsultancy #archaeology #greekart #etruscanart #funeralpainting #funeraryart

16/02/2021

OUR NEXT ARTIST IN FOCUS!!
GEOMETRIC FORMATIONS – JIM GRUNDY – ARTIST IN FOCUS – FEBRUARY 2021 !!


https://vimeo.com/512633121

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Courtesy and ©Jim Grundy, Ben Sound (music)
https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music/track/straight
and Renée Pfister (text), with the assistance of Eleonora Guidi, 2021. All rights reserved

#jimgrundy #geometricstructures #February2021 #contemporaryart #artconsultancy #reneepfister #artcollection

15/02/2021

THE JOY OF WHAT WE DO #20 !!

A day at work can be full of surprises. You may wonder about the story of this insignificant looking item in the photograph. During my time at the Science Museum, I had to arrange for the return of various objects from the Apollo 11 mission to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington.

Several fine art transport agents were invited to tender for the return of loans. During the examination, we came across the item depicted in the photograph. Believe it or not, this pair of underpants belonged to the American astronaut Neil Armstrong, worn during a moon walk. Whilst inspecting the underwear, we discovered crystallised urine pearls in the tissue paper. At first we were slightly perplexed, but then the coin dropped. Unsurprisingly, whilst Armstrong was exploring the lunar surface, he needed to use the bathroom, and there was only one option! We actually found proof of that in the tissue paper in which the undie was wrapped.

As a child, I watched the moon landing and saw when Armstrong set his left foot on the moon and stated the famous words: “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” I never anticipated that years later I would handle and examine his underpants, as well as other important objects of human space travel, it made my day - a day I never will forget.

As usual, all the objects were condition checked and appropriately packed, and the necessary customs documents were prepared for the return of the items to the USA.

Neil Armstrong’s underwear. ©Renée Pfister Art & Gallery Consultancy, 2021.

#apollomission11 #neilarmstrong #sciencemuseum #elonmusk #jeffbezos #richardbranson #virgingalactic #blueorigin #spaceX #reneepfisterartconsultancy
#lifeonmars

12/02/2021

THE POWER OF ART #33 VELVET ZOE RAMOS !!

We are delighted to introduce Velvet Zoe Ramos, an artist living and working in Aruba. Her practice includes working in installations, printmaking, drawing, video, performance, and happenings. Ramos deliberately utilises objects from domestic environments to create casual and homely impressions. To amplify their significance, she engages in performances where she becomes the narrator, setting a visual stage. The scenarios often present daily survival and socioeconomic and ecological issues, where audiences become either onlookers or participants. Their action or non-action refers to the human behaviour of the witness and bystander.

Her latest work, What many don't know what many don't see……, addresses the survival of people during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a sterile and lifeless room, we come across moulded bread plates hung at various levels, indicating the inequality and accessibility to food. These bread plates are to be served to individuals at an imaginary table. Both chairs are occupied by overturned withered roots, preventing the invitees from taking a seat. Some of the connected bread plates have crumbled and collapsed under their weight, representing those that were failed by the system. - We are all connected in this worldwide crisis, but many communities are not supported and sustained -.

Special thanks to Ateliers 89, Irvin Aguilar, Elvis Lopes, Lupita Bernabella, petit Greens Aruba and all my fellow artists in the 3D installation workshop.

What many don't know, what many don't see……, 2020
Installation
Bread in the shape of plates, nylon wire, wicker chairs, plant roots and soil
Dimensions variable

Courtesy and ©Velvet Zoe Ramos and Renée Pfister, 2021.

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#velvetzoeramos #thepowerofart #thelifeofothers
#reneepfisterartconsultancy #survivalpandemic

08/02/2021

THE JOY OF WHAT WE DO #19 !!

Our first February blog 'Joy Of What We Do' focuses on artists who work with perishable materials.

What does working with artists entail? The paramount issues are - understanding their processes and intentions, how their work relates within the art historical canon, along with display, conservation and technical requirements. Over the past decades, art making has changed considerably; media, materials, techniques and technologies, therefore, play a crucial role.

Sometime ago I was involved in a Dieter Roth exhibition abroad. The Swiss-German artist has always been strongly occupied by the transience of life, and as a result he worked with perishable materials such as chocolate and cheese. It was inevitable that over time certain artworks would deteriorate, a nightmare par excellence for the conservation department, as the decay cannot be controlled and stopped. In fact, new elements for specific artworks presented in the exhibition had to be cast by one of Roth’s sons, replacing the crumbled pieces. One may think this would have resolved the problem, to the contrary, now we were faced with a different issue, that of the artworks’ authenticity. The remaking and replacement of those pieces or constituents was carefully documented and authorised by Roth’s son to confirm the artworks’ validity. Without this official approval, the significance and the worth of the artworks would have been deemed worthless.

©Renée Pfister Art & Gallery Consultancy, 2021.

#artforever #thepowerofart #thejoyofwhatwedo #impermanence #perishablematerials


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05/02/2021

#ARTISTSUPPORT – DANIELA WHITE!!

#ARTISTSUPPORT – DANIELA WHITE!!

Daniela White’s photographs reflect her interest in finding abstraction of forms, rhythms and patterns and movements through space. Editing further amplifies her vision, offering a reinterpretation of the architectural landscape. In this video, the artist presents her work and practice.

More on: bit.ly/DanielaWhite

For further information contact [email protected]

Courtesy and ©Daniela White and Renée Pfister, 2021.

#danielawhite #contemporaryart #reneepfisterartconsultancy #londonarchitecturephotography

01/02/2021

THE JOY OF WHAT WE DO #18 !

Our first 2021 blog from the series The Joy Of What We Do returns to my early vocation as an assistant curator at the British Museum. I have always been interested in the study of mankind's history and legacy, since it provides important evidence and connections.

Last year during a hike in the Southwest of England, I came across a barrow burial mound. These ancient cairns have been constructed on the British Isle since the Neolithic era and come in various shapes and sizes. A tumulus can be found either isolated or occur in groups. Earth or stones are accumulated and erected over a grave that contains several skeletons. There is not much data of burial practices during the early Iron Age; they included cremations and inhumations. Some sites in Dorset and Hampshire contained dead bodies with parts missing, whereas individual bones and skulls were discovered at the bottom of pits in hillforts. Burial practices changed during the Iron Age, but the crouched position was widespread during this period. Later burials included grave goods, ranging from food, swords, daggers, shields, and spearheads for men and mirrors to bronze bowls, buckets, and beads for women.

When I worked with these remains, I often pondered the life and family of the deceased. What they may have looked like, what they did, how they died, and perhaps what we would have shared; it was indeed a moving experience.

Human remains provide crucial facts about the past, and the research can focus on demography, health, diet, genetics, disease, burial practices, attitudes, beliefs, a special group or communities, and more. It also is an aide-memoire about the fragility of life and our own mortality.

©Renée Pfister Art & Gallery Consultancy, 2021.

#artforever #thepowerofart #thejoyofwhatwedo #livinghistory #ironage #archaeology

29/01/2021

POWER OF ART #32 AARON SCHEER !!

Aaron Scheer joins our Power of Art blog in January 2021.

Scheer, himself a child of ‘Generation Y’ or a ‘Digital Native’ which describes the population who grew up in the digital age in contrast to 'Digital Immigrants' – people who had to become accustomed and have had adapted to the latest technologies.

His innovative paintings and installations explore analogue and digital technologies. The primary representations are developed on the screen where he mimics different brush strokes and paint effects which he reassigns onto traditional art materials. His artistic practice involves deconstructing well-known information technology applications, detaching them from their original meaning and function. He layers familiar software icons, screen shots, files and folders onto vibrant colourful painted surfaces, crafting inventive aesthetic statements. This procedure often involves rigid and time-consuming experimentation and is fused with his imagination. He may have some starting points in mind, but his style remains fluid. To him, the process of pioneering ways to transfer data and new media information into painterly progression are of utmost importance.

'Abstract Wall Decal Clock ', 2020, pigment ink on archival paper, H500 mm x W370 mm, edition 1/1, 1 AP.

Courtesy and ©Aaron Scheer and Renée Pfister, 2021.

#aaronscheer #digitalnomade #technoapplications #thepowerofart
#reneepfisterartconsultancy

For information about our services contact [email protected]

28/01/2021

THANK YOU LONDON ART FAIR !!

We would like to thank LAF for hosting our panel discussion “Approaching our past: tackling an uncomfortable truth”, our speakers Frances Coles, Gillian Smithson, Marenka Thompson-Odlum, Renée Pfister, moderator, and all the attendees who joined our conversation.

Courtesy and ©Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, image: former display labels from the Pitt Rivers Museum.
#LAFEdit #LAF21 #reneepfister #LondonArtFair #francescoles ##gilliansmithson #marenkathompsonodlum #reneepfisterartconsultancy #decolonisation #repatriation

22/01/2021

“APPROACHING OUR PAST: TACKLING AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH” – LAF TALKS PROGRAMME !!

The subjects of repatriation, restitution and exploitation in the arts feel more urgent than ever. In this panel discussion, moderated by Renée Pfister and hosted by London Art Fair, we will examine how two museums and a city have dealt with these extremely sensitive issues, and how acknowledging our history can lead us to a more fair and inclusive future.

Join Renée and our panellists Frances Coles, Gillian Smithson and Marenka Thompson-Odlum, on Tuesday 26 January, 4 - 5PM (GMT).

Talk by invitation only, contact: [email protected]

Courtesy and ©London Art Fair (image) and Renée Pfister Art & Gallery Consultancy (text) London, 2021.

#LAFEdit #LAF21 #reneepfister #LondonArtFair #ArtFair #TalksProgramme #repatriation #francescoles #gilliansmithson #marenkathompsonodlum #reneepfisterartconsultancy

20/01/2021

#ARTISTSUPPORT – EMMA WITTER !!

#ARTISTSUPPORT – EMMA WITTER !!

Today's post presents the eight selection of artworks that can be purchased through the online platform Artsper. After each introduction, a link allows you to explore their works with an opportunity of making a purchase. Feel free to browse!

Emma Witter

The British artist Emma Witter utilises intricate bone structures to create fragile, flower-patterned forms. To her, this organic material conveys beauty and spirituality rather than mortality.

Emma will participate to the panel discussion “Material Culture” presented by podcast host and writer, Grant Gibson at London Art Fair on Saturday, 23 January 2021 from 16:00 to 17:00 (GMT). DM us for more information!

More on: http://bit.ly/EmmaWitter

For further information contact [email protected]

Courtesy and ©Emma Witter and Renée Pfister, 2021.

#emmawitter #contemporaryart #reneepfisterartconsultancy #sculpture #bonesculpture #design #londonartfair

15/01/2021

#ARTISTSUPPORT #BeatKuert – To Look in Faces

#ARTISTSUPPORT #BeatKuert – To Look in Faces

‘I do not depict what I see, but what I feel.’
Beat Kuert guides us through his creative process: the transition from wanting - to letting it happen, as in a dream.

More on: http://bit.ly/B3atKuert

For further information contact [email protected]
Courtesy and ©Beat Kuert and Renée Pfister, 2021.

12/01/2021

WINTER HIGHLIGHTS - JANUARY 2021 !!

Our first consultancy video in 2021. Discover our services, exciting artists and more. Subscribe to our newsletter.
Our first consultancy video in 2021. Discover our services, exciting artists and more. Subscribe to our newsletter.
bit.ly/SignUpRPSign-up to our newsletter.

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Courtesy and ©Alexandra Carr, Beat Kuert, London Art Fair, Vera Schuhmacher, images and Bensound, Acoustic Breeze, https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music/track/acoustic-breeze, with the assistance of Eleonora Guidi, 2021.

08/01/2021

THE POWER OF ART #31 - NEIL DOUGLAS !!

After an enjoyable holiday season our first January blog “The Power Of Art”, introduces a cityscape by Neil Douglas.

New York, a city filled with contradictions that can overwhelm and fascinate. Its historic and sleek modern skyline has grown to its proportions from its early Dutch and British settlements to an international capital of finance, commerce and culture.

The city’s urban environment is an ongoing stimulus for Douglas’ paintings. Grids of New York’s midtown skyscrapers, water towers and streets lined with vehicles and a few inhabitants, seem to be frozen in time. These distinctive realist paintings succeed in contemplating scenes of solitude and stillness, capturing the characteristic architecture of the Big Apple.

Delicate harmonies of paint express the lonely mood of his subject matter. Douglas’ cityscapes focus primarily on quiet moments, employing a form of realism that expresses his sensibility for the city’s monumental structures.

Midtown Night, 2020, Oil on canvas, H1250 mm x W1250 mm

Courtesy and ©Neil Douglas and Renée Pfister, 2021.

#neildouglas #cityscape #newyork #thepowerofart #reneepfisterartconsultancy #americanness

For information about our services contact [email protected]

08/01/2021

THE POWER OF ART #31 - NEIL DOUGLAS !!

After an enjoyable holiday season our first January blog “The Power Of Art”, introduces a cityscape by Neil Douglas.

New York, a city filled with contradictions that can overwhelm and fascinate. Its historic and sleek modern skyline has grown to its proportions from its early Dutch and British settlements to an international capital of finance, commerce and culture.

The city’s urban environment is an ongoing stimulus for Douglas’ paintings. Grids of New York’s midtown skyscrapers, water towers and streets lined with vehicles and a few inhabitants, seem to be frozen in time. These distinctive realist paintings succeed in contemplating scenes of solitude and stillness, capturing the characteristic architecture of the Big Apple.

Delicate harmonies of paint express the lonely mood of his subject matter. Douglas’ cityscapes focus primarily on quiet moments, employing a form of realism that expresses his sensibility for the city’s monumental structures.

Midtown Night, 2020, Oil on canvas, H1250 mm x W1250 mm

Courtesy and ©Neil Douglas and Renée Pfister, 2021.

#neildouglas #cityscape #newyork #thepowerofart #reneepfisterartconsultancy #americanness

For information about our services contact [email protected]