In a stunning moment for history and collectors alike, the oldest inscribed tablet of the Ten Commandments has achieved an extraordinary $5 million price tag at Sothebyโs New York, far exceeding its pre-auction estimate of $1-2 million. The artifact, a singular treasure from the Late Roman-Byzantine era (ca. 300-800 CE), is believed to be the only complete stone inscription of the commandments surviving from antiquity.
In the realm of art history, Mark Rothko stands as an enigmatic figure, his canvases pulsating with emotion and energy, each stroke a testament to the complexities of the human experience. Yet, behind the vibrant colors and seemingly boundless creativity lies a narrative woven with peculiarities and mysteries that are as fascinating as they are tragic. Seeking to evoke profound emotional responses in viewers, Rothko lost himself in the internal storm of his own thoughts. From his chaotic life and unexplained death to record-breaking sales and scandals that followed, the enduring enigma of Mark Rothko has captivated art lovers and researchers from all over the world.
The Jewish Museum in Vienna has disinvited the father-son artist duo, Elias and Gideon Mendel, from participating in the planned exhibition titled “I Am My Family: The Generations after the Holocaust” due to their criticism of the Israeli government. Despite the artists’ subsequent publication of an open letter on Instagram questioning the integrity of the museum’s leadership in determining the exhibition’s participants, the museum’s management has yet to issue a public statement on the matter. In an effort to address this regrettable turn of events, Elias Mendel, a London-born multidisciplinary Jewish artist, provided an exclusive interview to offer clarity on the situation.
One of the most notable sales in the art world occurred in 2014 when Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev purchased Rothko’s renowned 1951 masterpiece, “No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red),” from Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier for a staggering $186 million. While this record-breaking sale brought significant media attention, it also entangled the artwork in the notorious Bouvier Affair, a scandal that reverberated throughout the art world shortly after.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one of the worldโs most enduring disputes, has left deep scars on communities on both sides. Yet, amidst the political turbulence and historical grievances, a beacon of hope emerges in the form of art. Human creativity has the remarkable ability to transcend borders, cultures, and political ideologies, offering a unique path toward understanding and reconciliation. Despite the presence of war, hatred, and violence, artistic expression provides a lens through which individuals from diverse backgrounds can peer into the lives and narratives of the ‘other,’ fostering empathy and breaking down stereotypes. Art serves as a catalyst for dialogue, encouraging conversations that are often difficult within the rigid frameworks of modern political discourse. By engaging with art, people are encouraged to see beyond surface-level differences and recognize the shared humanity that unites them, potentially paving the way for mutual respect and coexistence.
On Thursday, 3 November 2022, the Grammy-nominated British composer, artist and co-founder of production company Sisters Grimm, Ella Spira MBE, will launch her latest art project, โGlobal Landscapes Singaporeโ at Art Now gallery, in the Raffles Hotel Arcade, unveiling her work as a visual artist. The exhibition will be opened to the public with no tickets required on the 4th and 5th of November.
Spiraโs Singapore work has already proved popular with collectors. Singapore-based and Chinese investor Jack Tao fell under the spell of Ella Spiraโs Banyan Tree painting and recently acquired it for ยฃ250,000. He went on to commission Spira to create the Global Landscape Singapore.
Founder of the ‘Pura’ art movement, Jewish-American artist DovBer Marchette has explored unique ideas in the creative process for over 50 years.
Trained as a professional sculptor, his body of work actually represents a wide range of materials and concepts from the modern art world.
Currently DovBer works mainly with wood sculpture as well as painting, drawing, and photography.
“I continually explore the idea of unlimited creative possibilities within strong boundaries. I limit certain factors such as my color palette and working with resources that are available in the moment.”
Leonid is one of the most skilled and imaginative precisionism artists in Europe. He he is also a hopeless romantic who uses his talent to paint spectacular fantasy scenes, often with oil on large canvases. Leonid’s artworks take time and anyone who had the pleasure to see them up-close was undoubtedly amazed by his attention to detail.
While Leonid’s favorite genre is seascapes, there are no limits to his imagination. If in real life he is a very modest man, in his art Leonid ventures into far corners of distant galaxies, sails over oceans and seas, and goes into wild winter forest of the north, not to mention the female beauty that occasionally comes to life on his canvas. A true romantic, Leonid paints romance like no one else.
