How to earn a living finger painting on the Costa del 'Soul' at Benalmadena

"Fingers, oils on glass" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

My Brit buddy John Barrett turns out to be a “Northern Soulie,” a Motown music madman joined by thousands of other addicts of rhythm and blues—Detroit, Chicago, Las Angles, and now Birmingham (and next weekend, Blackpool beginning Thursday).

John teaches 2D art as senior full-time lecturer at Birmingham City University´s Institute of Art and Design.

A seasonal resident of my village, Canillas de Albaida, John flew to Malaga from the land of Brommies for a couple days of heavy Motown and R & B DJ-driven music and dancing, also a reunion with other "northern soulies."

Benalmadena finger painter attracts crowd Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

As a Yank, I had no idea so many Brits had gone cult crazy over this great black music of America.

No clue.

John´s soul belongs to Motown and the synergistic energies of hundreds, often thousands of soulies happening to together.

It´s true pints of beer also play a role along with raucous costumes producing sometimes outrageous photo opportunities.

"Finger Dipping in Oils" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

After a weekend of soaking up the Motown tunes from my high school and college years, John and I escaped the soulies for a photo excursion along the Med at Benalmadena, Andalusia. 

It had rained for three days but 5 November turned out to be sunny, bright, and warm.

John, also a photographer, and I wandered along the Med, stopping here and there, each of us composing, being captured by a moment in time to freeze-frame.

Finger painter at Balmadena, Andalusia

At the marina, I saw a man finger painting in oils on small glass panels, selling three of his works for only €10.

He attracted buyers.

Each he created in no more than a minute.

He was too busy painting and wowing the Brit onlookers for an interview. This was his livlihood in action.

His niche proved excellent: seascapes, landscapes.....mental escapes, Ryanair-sized vacation icons.

"Manual Labor" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

The artist would finish the work then affix another plate of glass against it. It was a done deal, ready to buy.

You see the product created start to finish.

You interact with the artist.

You intently study his skills and techniques and in the end many—spellbound by this performance of 2D art—buy his works.

Only €10 for three.

Rock on and practice peace and love.

Stefan, the ArtTraveler ™

ArtTraveler notes:

After living at the Hotel Queen Mary in Budapest (3.5 stars), I heartily recommend it: old on the outside, otherwise totally modern (23 rooms); 

The owner and staff are affable and speak English and German. Tel: 0036-1-413-3510; www.hotelqueenmary.hu; info@hotelqueenmary.hu.

Visit Andalusia for a walking holiday or week-long sculpture or mosaics workshop. 

See: www.spanjeanders.nl and www.competafinearts.com.

Free Ai Weiwei improv interactive performance art happens in Malaga

The www.freeaiweiwei.com banner draped over the entrance to Malaga´s contemporary art museum (CAC) served as backdrop for an organic and spontaneous happening as two children experienced art as their own interactive performance.

"Art is Freedom" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

"Art is Freedom II" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

"Art is Freedom III" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

"Art is Freedom IV" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

"Art is Freedom V" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

"Art is Freedom VI" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

"Art is Freedom VII" Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

Rock on and practice peace and love.

Stefan, the ArtTraveler ™

ArtTraveler notes:

After living at the Hotel Queen Mary in Budapest (3.5 stars), I heartily recommend it: old on the outside, otherwise totally modern (23 rooms); 

The owner and staff are affable and speak English and German. Tel: 0036-1-413-3510; www.hotelqueenmary.hu; info@hotelqueenmary.hu.

Visit Andalusia for a walking holiday or week-long sculpture or mosaics workshop. 

See: www.spanjeanders.nl and www.competafinearts.com.

Malaga CAC hosts Monica Bonvicini´s first solo show in Spain--'Satisfy Me'

"Satisfy Me" by Monica Bonvicini (2010) Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

There´s nothing better than experiencing art in the flesh.

Monica Bonvicini (b. 1965 Venice) in her first solo show in Spain—Satisfy Me—provides not only a 3D visual journey but also one seething with sensuality.

The CACMALAGA (Centro de Arte Contemporaneo de Malaga) hosts her conceptual work she defines as, “A Black Hole of Needs, Hopes and Ambitions.”

It opened 9 September and closes 13 November. Admission is free.

Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

In its ownTate-like space, Bonvicini´s large scale installation (350 x 1750 x350) Satisfy Me also offered a tactile adventure, from touching the edges of her aluminum letters to even gripping the scaffolding, which seems to fold into the work.

Depending where you stand, you cannot escape reflections.

"I´m Satisfied" self-portrait by Stefan van Drake (2011) at "Satisfy Me" by Monica Bonvicini

Your mind spirits away along her mammoth “S” if standing to the left of the installation whose perspective narrows.

Stand in front of it, you see yourself, a blurred and fragmented figure, a “Black Hole of Needs, Hope and Ambitions.”

"Satisfy Me" by Monica Bonvicini at CAC Malaga Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

“I like works with no tricks, no mystery, no fakery, no mythology, no sublimation,” Bonvicini is quoted as saying in CAC´s printed description of the artist and her works.

Satisfy Me, circa 2010, first appeared in the German town of Herne in the Ruhr atop a grassy knoll over an old landfill in an industrial zone, facing the sun, alone, one of her conceptual, textual beacons.

I invite you to share Satisfy Me through these ArtTraveler images shot on 3 November in Malaga.

"Satisfy Me" by Monica Bonvicini at CAC Malaga Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011)

Rock on and practice peace and love.

Stefan, the ArtTraveler ™

ArtTraveler notes:

After living at the Hotel Queen Mary in Budapest (3.5 stars), I heartily recommend it: old on the outside, otherwise totally modern (23 rooms); 

The owner and staff are affable and speak English and German. Tel: 0036-1-413-3510; www.hotelqueenmary.hu; info@hotelqueenmary.hu.

Visit Andalusia for a walking holiday or week-long sculpture or mosaics workshop. 

See: www.spanjeanders.nl and www.competafinearts.com.

Organizers, curators call Art Market Budapest 2011 'unexpected success'

"Lenin" by Sam Havadtoy B55 Galeria

Art Market Budapest´s  (AMB 2011) first international art fair's organizers and art professionals said the four-day contemporary art fair (27 - 30 October) at the city´s Millenaris Park was an "unexpected success."

More than 10,000 viewers saw works from scores of Hungarian and international artists from 42 galleries.

“We are very happy and satisfied...it´s an unexpected success in every aspect,” said international relations manager Dr. Zoltan Somhegyi, an independent curator and PhD university lecturer-art historian, also AMB 2011's international relations manager.

Most galleries sold at least one or two works. "It´s really difficult when you consider the financial crisis, especially in Eastern Europe," Somhegyi said this week in a phone interview.

"From the organizer´s point of view this is a long-term investment," he added. 

But most galleries offered excellent value.

Curator, museum director and art editor Peter Fitz, a foremost expert on Hungarian contemporary art, saw the show on Saturday. He said the quality of works displayed was consistently high. 

"It was a good show."

"There weren´t any Hungarian buyers there, though," he added, again stressing the financial crisis in Hungary and elsewhere.

Fitz, however, said he was disapointed that the Hungarian Varfok Galeria was not represented. "It´s one of the oldest contemporary galleries."

Also missing--Kisterem Gallery  of Budapest (which means "Little Room".

When asked about these galleries, Somhegyi agreed it was unfortunate they were not in the show, but perhaps next year, he said, hinting there may have been some backstage difficulties. 

One of the highlights of the show for Fitz and Somhegyi: two Dutch-Hungarian galleries: one is Pleureka Gallery, owned by Johan van Dam, a Dutch art consultant and collector living in Szentendre for more than 20 years, showing primarily works by Hungarian artists. 

The other gallery--Eurart Project--run by a young Hungarian woman living in Rotterdam offered moderately priced limited edition signed prints by well-known Hungarian and Dutch artists. 

"This is a good idea for getting people involved in collecting," Somhegyi said.

Another feature of AMB 2011 that Fitz appreciated, the Videospace Gallery with "three very good video installations on large screens, works from Hungary and Bulgaria."

 

The Videospace Gallery at AMB 2011

Fitz also said The Gaudens Pedit Collection made a positive impact on the art fair.

The collection contains 300 Hungarian works dating from the beginning of the 1980s up until the middle of the 1990s.

Christoph Achammer, Michael Neubauer, Gaudens Pedit, Kurt Sailer and Alexander Svoboda built the collection between 1988 and 1994.

Millenaris Park, Budapest

AMB 2011´s primary mission, to gain international recognition, appears accomplished.

"I am particularly happy with a huge 25 percent gallery representation from outside Hungary,” Somhegyi emphasized.

Galleries from London, Austria, Romania, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia joined the Hungarian galleries, all but three from Budapest.

Another feature: The Hungarian Museum of Photography displayed part of its vast collection along with fine art photography from participating galleries and the Moholy-Nagy University of Art & Design.

The Art Market Budapest 2011 jury included: Soraya von Studenberg, advisor to Sotheby´s and Uniqua; Flash Art Magazine editor and Prague Biennale curator, Nicola Trezzi; Lorand Hegyi, director of Sant Étienne´s Museum of Modern Art, and Gabor Gulyas, director of Budapest´s Mucsarnok-Kunsthalle.

A work by Tamas Dobos of Erdesz Galeria & Design, Szentendre

Rock on and practice peace and love.

Stefan, the ArtTraveler ™

ArtTraveler notes:

After living at the Hotel Queen Mary in Budapest (3.5 stars), I heartily recommend it: old on the outside, otherwise totally modern (23 rooms); 

The owner and staff are affable and speak English and German. Tel: 0036-1-413-3510; www.hotelqueenmary.hu; info@hotelqueenmary.hu.

Visit Andalusia for a walking holiday or week-long sculpture or mosaics workshop. 

See: www.spanjeanders.nl and www.competafinearts.com.

Nancy G. Brinker, former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, AMB 2011's patron, who collects contemporary Hungarian art

UFO lands at Perth marina during outdoor aboriginal art-stargate show

"The Alien" contemporary aboriginal art from Andrew Noble´s private collection

“We waited for the wind to drop off, and then mounted our alien landing multi-media display while the Didgeridoo players set up to play directly under the Orgone Pyramid. The earth spoke back up through the Didgi and the star gate opened for the craft to descend.”—Andrew Noble, Perth, Australia

Watch UFO land at Aussie art show: 

http://www.youtube.com/australianshaman

  

1 Star Gate 1 invoked the heavens and stars to shine brightly upon its contemporary aboriginal outside art exhibit on 28 and 29 October at Perth´s marina.

Perth businessman and aboriginal art collector Andrew Noble hatched the idea for this spaced out show, more a happening of galactic dimensions.

“Could the Wandjina have had some influence over me and moved me to carry out the event? If you ever get to meet the strange beings that have no mouths with which to talk, you can ask them,” Noble told me this week.

Andrew Noble´s Orgone Pyramid he built for 1Star Gate1 at Perth, Australia Photograph by Juan Vazquez (2011)

Noble´s partner in Noble & Associates, Juan Vazquez, did most the heavy lifting and coordinating, Noble said.

Did UFO´s show up as planned to commemorate not only the show but the unusual grouping of Venus, Mercury and the moon in the night Western Australia sky?

At least one did appear and land right on cue, as Noble described earlier in this post.

“The entire event was an unforgettable experience with a mix of emotions plus visual and auditory stimuli as well as a lot of sun and outdoor elements [think wind],” added Noble.

1Star Gate 1 contemporary aboriginal art show

Noble and Vazquez—professional accountants and business planners—carefully executed this art happening.

“Five of us sweated as we dragged the display boxes into place with the paintings in them,” Noble said.

The wind prevented their creating the semi-circle installation around the large compass where the Orgone Pyramid stood and where later, a virtual UFO would abruptly drop to earth.

Noble bolted the installations together so they would withstand the wind.

1Star Gate 1 Photograph by Juan Vazquez (2011)

“Next time I will take the display deep into the desert where the wind does not blow for another attempt at opening a star gate,” he said.

The 1Star Gate 1 display of contemporary aboriginal art Photograph by Juan Vazquez (2011)

Rock on and practice peace and love.

Stefan, the ArtTraveler ™

ArtTraveler notes:

After living at the Hotel Queen Mary in Budapest (3.5 stars), I heartily recommend it: old on the outside, otherwise totally modern (23 rooms); 

The owner and staff are affable and speak English and German. Tel: 0036-1-413-3510; www.hotelqueenmary.hu; info@hotelqueenmary.hu.

Visit Andalusia for a walking holiday or week-long sculpture or mosaics workshop. 

See: www.spanjeanders.nl and www.competafinearts.com.

Little Havana and its artists rejoice as stolen 70-pound rooster returns home

Miami Herald journalists staged replica rooster scarifice to stave off the mothership´s cutting 250 newsroom jobs

 

Rooster in foreground stolen and returned to Little Havana, Miami restaurant

Thieves recently returned a stolen 70-pound sculpted fiberglass hand-painted Cuban rooster to Little Havana minus its patriotic, red, white and blue feathers.

It flew back to Calle Ocho in front of El Pub on Calle Ocho as suddenly as it had vanished in mid-September.

You could hear a collective Cuban sigh of relief in Miami, especially among Cuban artists and more particularly, those who sculpt and paint birds, big birds.

The rooster is a traditional symbol of Cuban manhood, strength, nobility, courage and cockfights.  It´s also an integral feature of blood sacrifice in the Afro-Christian Cuban Santeria religion.

The proud sculpture and symbol of Cuban manhood stood firmly (and proudly) bolted and superglued to the sidewalk outside El Pub in Miami´s Little Havana. 

He had a good mate a few meters away, painted red, black, yellow and white.

A Santeria priest had even blessed the pair of plastic strut-abouts.

El Pub became an instant Little Havana icon thanks to the two studly birds.

But suddenly, mysteriously the rooster wrapped in the US and Cuban flags as palette and pattern, went missing.

This is no ordinary fiberglass rooster.

Juan Ma´s version of my Fred, 2009

Stolen, unglued and unbolted. Think Free Willie or is it Free Willy? This rooster, incidentally, has no name as far I could discern.

I will call him Fred.

The freed Fred created frenetic fears in the Cuban-American enclave in Miami, which is most of the city.

Who could have ripped off or ripped out of the sidewalk Big Bird? Had Fred become someone´s pulverized poultry?

Fred is very, very special and very, very Cuban.

He´s home-grown, sculpted and painted by Tony Lopez, who died lin August, Ramon Lagos, Lazaro Valdez and Pedro Damien. These artists specialize in roosters, well, birds anyway.

In one dramatic account, Damien lamented  Fred´s newfound freedom, calling the thieves "predators." I told you Damien was into birds.

Pablo Canton of the Little Havana Neighborhood Enhancement Team (NET) is quoted by local media saying: "Maybe they wanted to make arroz con pollo ... I'm glad it's back."

Canton, who also had a primary role in painting the rooster, said he had been in mourning since discovering Fred´s flight from his moorings. 

NET owns the pair of Big Birds.

The Cuban Rooster

On 22 September, bruised, a bit battered and painted all white by the pair of Florida International University (FIU) student pranksters, Fred re-appeared as it had vanished--suddenly and mysteriously.

The two pranksters who absconded with the proud symbol of Cuban manhood (think cockfight) vandalized the art by spray painting it white, obliterating the United States and Cuban flags on this proud piece of plastic poultry.

Apparently  overwhelmed with guilt and consummate remorse and fearing harsh retribution Cuban style, the two FIU students surreptitiously returned the Little Havana icon (Fred), agreeing to pay for all restoration and repair.

Canton, who pulled off the swap, made it sound like an event played out in a spy vs. spy on a midnight misty bridge exchange of prisoners near Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin.

Canton refuses to identify the students;in fact, he says he doesn´t know who they are and is simply happy to see Fred home again.

Fred faces Canton´s tender artististic and patriotic makeover before being superglued and re-bolted to Calle Ocho again.

Santero prepares two roosters for sacrifice

Canton considers the whole thing a not-so-innocent fraternity stunt. Case closed.

The college students, however, should keep their mouths shut, which is most unlikley, since the cops say this remains "an open investigation." 

(When these students become investment bankers, that´s the time to reveal their wicked crime against Miami´s Cuban population.)

Fred´s travails became an instant media hit. 

Where´s Fred? Who stole Fred?

The journos at the Miami Herald, many Cuban of course, and who knows how many practioners of Santeria among them, decided in a separate rooster incident to create their own version of  Fred.

The replica would be sacrificed for good luck in and for the newsroom staff, who were then under seige by their bosses.

A blood sacrifice, metaphorically speaking, seemed the right thing at the right time.

A handful of resourceful journos created a Fred look-a-like for a ritualized Santeria sacrifice, sending a message to the Herald´s mothership to halt plans cutting 250 jobs from editorial.

Desperate times call for desperate acts even by presumably well educated and intelligent people.

Animal sacrifices are a traditional part of Cuban Santeria religion

Rock on and practice peace and love.

Stefan, the ArtTraveler ™

ArtTraveler notes:

After living at the Hotel Queen Mary in Budapest (3.5 stars), I heartily recommend it: old on the outside, otherwise totally modern (23 rooms); 

The owner and staff are affable and speak English and German. Tel: 0036-1-413-3510; www.hotelqueenmary.hu; info@hotelqueenmary.hu.

Visit Andalusia for a walking holiday or week-long sculpture or mosaics workshop. 

See: www.spanjeanders.nl and www.competafinearts.com.