Prolific artist George W. Bush has opened up about his paintings, which first surfaced earlier this year when hacker Guccifer released emails containing W.’s nude portraits. Since then, the world has been blessed with the former president’s paintings of dogs, shells, cats, dogs, landscapes and more dogs.In an exclusive interview with the The Dallas Morning News this weekend, Bush opened up about his new hobby. “People are surprised,” he said. “Of course, some people are surprised I can even read.”Continue Reading… … Read More
George W. Bush addresses those dog paintings
George W. Bush, former President and prolific painter of dogs, gave a rare interview to the Dallas Morning News, in which he addressed the question that’s been gripping the nation: What’s the deal with those dog paintings?“People are surprised,” Bush said. “Of course, some people are surprised I can even read.”He noted that he takes “great delight in busting stereotypes,” but didn’t really have an explanation for why he decided to take up the hobby, along with other activities such as mountain biking and golf. “You’ll have to call all the people who’ve written these books about me, who claim they know me, the psycho-babblers,” he said.“I like challenges,” Bush continued. “I find that charging up the hill is very rewarding — and frustrating. It’s important to set goals in life and have purpose.”Continue Reading… … Read More
James Franco: I’m obsessed with “My Own Private Idaho”
I recently created a film called “My Own Private River,” which was shown at the Gagosian in Los Angeles alongside paintings done by Gus Van Sant, the director of the original “My Own Private Idaho.”It was a very unusual project. I’d loved “My Own Private Idaho” when I was growing up. Before I even started acting, I used to watch it repeatedly: there was something about the emotion of it, its aesthetic, and the makeshift family that the characters create which spoke to my teenage self. There is Bob Pigeon, played by William Richert, who can be traced back to Shakespeare’s Falstaff; Scott Favor, played by Keanu Reeves, who can be traced back to Prince Hal; and Mike Waters, played by River Phoenix, who can be traced back to the character of Poins. They find each other on the margins of society, and help each other through that time in their lives with an intricate combination of humor, aggression, and understanding.Continue Reading… … Read More
“Flickering Light” illuminates the history of neon
“What, in the end, makes advertisements so superior to criticism? Not what the moving red neon sign says — but the fiery pool reflecting it in the asphalt.” — Walter BenjaminBEHIND A PLYWOOD PARTITION in Clifton’s Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles, a neon light has flickered unseen since the Great Depression. Purchased by Clifford Clinton in 1935, the cafeteria is governed by “Clifton’s Golden Rule,” a precept that ensures that everyone who enters can eat, even those unable to pay in full. Clinton transformed what was formerly Boos Brothers’ Cafeteria into a space that reflects time he spent in the Santa Cruz mountains as a child. A cascade of water spills into a handmade stream that winds its way through plastic redwood trees; on the walls, numerous paintings of forest scenes lit by neon emphasize the idea and its artifice. Continue Reading… … Read More
FBI: Boston art thieves identified but immune from prosecution
The FBI said Monday that they finally know who conducted a daring art heist in Boston exactly 23 years ago — but the thieves can no longer be prosecuted. For two decades, the 1990 theft of 13 works of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, including rare paintings by Rembrandt and…
Uranium threat to 15,000yo Australian rock art
The Wellington Range in the northeastern state of Queensland hasbeen under surveillance from uranium mining companies for manyyears. Cameco, a Canadian mining company, recently reported thediscovery of a large uranium deposit in this range, according to aGlobal Mail report.However, this region is also home to an area dubbed one of thegreat rock-art precincts of the globe by United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), andregular guided tours are organized to the areas.The secret wall paintings display ancient aboriginal scenes andsymbols, such as “bullymen” – police-type troopers, thepaintings of which were thought to be able to vanquish enemiesthrough sorcery. Other pictures are more nature-related.The aboriginal paintings are thought to be thousands of yearsold, with the earliest discovered dating more than 10,000 yearsback.Despite the fact that much of the rock art is contained in‘Designated Landscape Areas’, which means the site ofaboriginal heritage is entry is limited to some, state permissionfor mineral exploration has still been granted.On Friday, the Global Mail published a report drawing onsix-month-long research by Noelene Cole, an assistant researchfellow in archaeology with James Cook University, and associatearchaeologist Alice Buhrich. Their research discovered thatapplications for coal and mineral exploration cover what isbasically an entire art-covered ‘precinct’ on the Cape YorkPeninsula.“It is astounding, internationally speaking, that a regionlike this would be considered for mining,” said Cole.Cameco located the deposit in remote northern hills thatcontained so much of the art, that one mere complex contained amassive 3,000 images. The oldest piece of art here was dated asbeing approximately 15,000 years old.“It would be like the French mining the Lascaux Caves and theDordogne, which is World Heritage listed,” Tony Burke,Australia’s environment minister said.His office went on to point out that although Cameco has not yetsubmitted a proposal for a uranium project in the Wellingtonregion, because it is such a sizeable discovery, it is likely thecompany will pursue it further.Cameco Australia’s managing director, Brian Reilly, has saidthat his company would work alongside stakeholders to ensure theprotection of the area’s environment, culture and heritage,strongly suggesting that further exploration is on thecards. Australian mining magnate and billionaire Gina Rinehart, theworld’s second-richest woman, began to create a stir in the lastweek, when it emerged that she had also sought permission to lookfor minerals over some of the countries older art on Cape York.At the time, traditional aboriginal owners asked Australia’sFederal Environment Minister, Tony Burke, to place the area on theWorld Heritage List to protect the site of their ancestors’ art.One of Rinehart’s companies later announced that it would withdrawtwo applications to excavate for minerals.Cole and Buhrich found that the Queensland Government hasalready granted some mineral and coal exploration permits in areasmeant to be protected as special Aboriginal places, according tothe Global Mail. Australia is home to around a third of the planet’s uraniumresources and exports roughly 7,000 tonnes per annum. … Read More
Swedish artist to continue painting Prophet Mohammed even after death threats
A Swedish artist who received death threats after depicting the Prophet Mohammed as a dog said Wednesday he would display new paintings of the prophet at an exhibition in the immigrant-heavy city of Malmoe later this year. “It’s important to continue because if you yield to the threats…
