Author: Iris
art marketVictoria BenzeneVanessa Raw, installation view at Rubell Museum, Miami, 2024. Photography: Chi Lam. Courtesy of the Rubell Museum.Contemporary art collectors Don and Mera Rubell made Miami history when they opened their namesake museum in 1993, several years after moving to the city from New York. While living in Chelsea, they began visiting the studios of local artists such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, purchasing many of the final pieces on modest payment plans. The early work that made him a superstar. Today, the Rubell family’s collection is one of the most impressive of its kind, with more than…
Creo, the London-based organizer of the ten-year-old Photofairs contemporary art event, has canceled the event due to be held in Hong Kong in March 2025 due to logistical issues. The event was first announced in July and is expected to add another commercial element to the city’s art market, despite a recent lull in activity. Focusing on photo and video art, Photofairs was launched in Shanghai in 2014 to tap into an emerging niche market accessible to Asian collectors. In a statement about canceling the Hong Kong premiere, Creo said the decision came after the British company attracted strong interest…
Organizers of the India Art Fair, held annually in New Delhi since 2008, have announced that the first Mumbai Art Fair, originally planned for 2025, has been cancelled. Dubbed the India Contemporary Art Fair, the event will be held from November 13 to 16 at the Jio World Garden in the Bandra Kurla complex in Mumbai, with around 60 Indian and international galleries participating. “India Art Fair’s mission continues to be to prioritize the needs of galleries and artists in the region,” fair director Jaya Asokan said in a statement first published by India Art Fair. The Art Newspaper. “As…
As the year 2024 is almost over, it’s exciting to take a moment to reflect on some of the creative minds of the year. Among them is Athens-based artist Vicky Tsalamata, whose work delves deeply into the human experience. With a sharp and thoughtful perspective on life’s complexities, she draws inspiration from Honoré de Balzac’s La Comédie Humaine, blending past and present to craft narratives that encourage us to pause and reflect on the fleeting nature of existence and the forces that shape our world. With a career as Professor Emeritus of Printmaking at the Athens School of Fine Arts, Tsalamata…
Art, for David Echt, has always been more than a skill—it’s a manifestation of passion, a deeply personal journey of expression. Based in California, Echt’s creative path began in his childhood, where his parents nurtured his love for art. With a steady supply of materials, he spent hours exploring his creativity, setting the foundation for his lifelong connection to the craft. Echt’s twenties marked a significant chapter: airbrush art. He traveled through California’s arts and crafts fairs, a phase that honed his artistic techniques while teaching him the realities of bringing art into the world. Yet, this chapter was just…
Bea Last, a Scottish artist, weaves a narrative of raw beauty and profound meaning through her unique creative practice. Currently based in the picturesque landscapes of Scotland, Last’s work is a testament to her dedication to the process and her ability to turn recycled, repurposed, found, salvaged, or gifted materials into what she eloquently refers to as “sculptural drawing.” Her creations, abstract in form, serve as windows into both inner and outer landscapes, challenging prevailing perceptions and sparking dialogues on topics as weighty as conflict, humanitarianism, and the looming climate crises. Last’s art is a silent rebellion, a visual exploration…
Clint Imboden, born in 1953 in St. Louis, Missouri, is a Bay Area artist known for his blend of nostalgia, cultural reflection, and social critique. Based in Oakland, California, Imboden’s 3D works give new life to familiar objects—tools, toys, and relics of Americana—transforming them into visual statements on social and political topics. His approach to art encourages us to look at everyday items differently, uncovering stories embedded in the objects we often dismiss. Through a fusion of the familiar and the reflective, his work makes us question what these items really represent. Collecting became second nature to Imboden from a…
Judy Widener’s artistic path started when she was only five, the age when she first held a paintbrush and began exploring the world through art. For her, painting isn’t just about making images—it’s about infusing them with life. Over the years, her work has spanned a wide range of subjects and styles. Rather than sticking to one particular focus, she allows her imagination to guide her, leading to pieces that feature everything from animals and people to landscapes and abstract reflections. One area where Widener’s talent shines is in her equine portraits. Her fascination with horses comes through in how…
Randa Hijazi, a Syrian-born artist now living in Laval, Quebec, began her creative journey in Damascus. She completed her degree in Painting at the University of Damascus in 2000, laying the foundation for her career. Eager to expand her perspective, she pursued additional studies in Mass Communication and Science of Media, graduating in 2008. This combination of disciplines provided her with a fresh and multifaceted way of seeing the world, blending the precision of a photojournalist with the expressive depth of a painter. In 2017, after relocating to Canada, Hijazi pursued new educational opportunities, earning a diploma in business from…
Arie Otten (born in 1954) is a self-taught artist from Apeldoorn, Netherlands, whose work spans a vast array of abstract disciplines. Known for his bold, experimental spirit, Otten blends various techniques and materials, including acrylics, oils, and organic pigments, to create his unique pieces. His process is rooted in spontaneity, often starting with a blank canvas or panel and allowing the artwork to unfold through exploration. Human experiences often serve as inspiration, with recurring depictions of faces and abstract landscapes. Otten’s work reveals a rich imagination, filled with enigmatic and thought-provoking impressions. In November 2024, Otten will be showcasing a…