I have posted Audrey Kawasaki – Oiran before but I liked it so much that i thought id dedicate another post just to this illustration.
Jul 192008
Jul 152008
“Olympia is an oil on canvas painting by Édouard Manet in the Realism style. Painted in 1863, it measures 130.5 by 190 centimetres (51 x 74.8 in). The nation of France acquired the painting in 1890 with a public subscription organised by Claude Monet. It is now in the Musée d’Orsay, Paris.”
and
“What shocked contemporary audiences was not Olympia’s nudity, nor even the presence of her fully clothed maid, but her confrontational gaze and a number of details identifying her as a demi-mondaine or courtesan. These include the orchid in her hair, her bracelet, pearl earrings and the oriental shawl on which she lies, symbols of wealth and sensuality. The black ribbon around her neck, in stark contrast with her pale flesh, and her cast-off slipper underline the voluptuous atmosphere. Whereas Titian’s Venus delicately covers her sex, Olympia’s hand firmly protects hers, as if to emphasize her independence and sexual dominance over men. Manet replaced the little dog (symbol of fidelity) in Titian’s painting with a black cat, which symbolized prostitution. Olympia disdainfully ignores the flowers presented to her by her servant, probably a gift from a client. Some have suggested that she is looking in the direction of the door, as her client barges in unannounced.” Read More…
This post was partly made as reference for: Mark Ryden
Jul 142008
Shepard Fairey has a whole range of subject but I posted these portraits because I think they work wonderfully together. There is something very prolific about them – Perhaps the colors (red and black) and/or the strong cultural and social references which gives these art works such weight.
Shepard Fairey – Malcolm X
Shepard Fairey – Mujer Fatal
Shepard Fairey – Arab Woman
Shepard Fairey – Peace Goddess
Shepard Fairey – Peace Mujer
Jul 102008
Computer games often produce some amazing illustrations. Blizzard games have just released Diablo 3. I remember when they brought out Diablo 1 – I was glued for hours as I explored the labyrinths looking for new weapons and spells. You have to find and kill Diablo. Here are some illustrations from the game. Check Out The Website – pretty impressive.
Click on them:
Jun 262008
Jun 252008
“Mark Ryden came to preeminence in the 1990’s during a time when many artists, critics and collectors were quietly championing a return to the art of painting. With his masterful technique and disquieting content, Ryden quickly became one of the leaders of this movement on the West Coast.
Upon first glance Ryden’s work seems to mirror the Surrealists’ fascination with the subconscious and collective memories. However, Ryden transcends the initial Surrealists’ strategies by consciously choosing subject matter loaded with cultural connotation. His dewy vixens, cuddly plush pets, alchemical symbols, religious emblems, primordial landscapes and slabs of meat challenge his audience not necessarily with their own oddity but with the introduction of their soothing cultural familiarity into unsettling circumstances.” Read More…
Here are some more of Mark Ryder’s Artworks:
Mark Ryden – Allegory of the four elements
Mark Ryden – Allegory of the four elements
Mark Ryden – Little boy blue
Mark Ryden – Little boy blue
Mark Ryden – Goodbye Bear
Mark Ryden – Goodbye Bear
Mark Ryden – Nursesue
Mark Ryden – Nursesue