Latest news with #fineart
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Glasgow School of Art honours two former students including Turner Prize winner
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) has recognised two illustrious former students with honorary doctorates. Jasleen Kaur and Hiroaki Kimura were celebrated for their "outstanding contributions" to the fields of fine art, design, and architecture. Jasleen, a 2008 GSA graduate known for her interdisciplinary work centred on cultural memory, diasporic identity, and colonial histories, was awarded the honorary Doctor of Letters. Read more: Glasgow student who lost brother and cared for mum wins award for resilience Hailing from Pollokshields, Jasleen's work is informed by her Sikh upbringing and spans various media including sculpture, installation, and video. The artist and winner of the 2024 Turner Prize expressed her gratitude for the award. She said: "It was unexpected, but a total honour to be awarded the Honorary Doctorate this year, especially as Glasgow and The Glasgow School of Art are such significant places to me. "They are both places that have shaped me, and I think often of how fortunate I am to have had access to free education, which was totally life-changing." Japanese architect and researcher Hiroaki Kimura was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters. Hiroaki, who began his studies of Charles Rennie Mackintosh while studying in Glasgow, has dedicated over four decades to documenting and promoting Mackintosh's work globally. Professor Sally Stewart, head of the Mackintosh School of Architecture, said: "While practising and teaching over the last 40 years, first in Kobe and subsequently at the Kyoto Institute of Technology, Hiroaki has never ceased to be interested in the studies he began as a student here at The Glasgow School of Art, or the opportunities that those studies opened to him." The GSA also celebrated the talents of its students, with Anna Lewis, a graduate of sculpture and environmental art, awarded the 2025 Newbery Medal for her work. Martin Newth, head of the School of Fine Art, said: "Anna creates extraordinary objects that are beautifully and precisely crafted. "She brings the same careful attention to detail to arranging the varied pieces in her evocative and deeply enigmatic installations. "Anna is a wonderful artist whose work is hard to categorise and offers exactly the kind of challenge that makes it so compelling." Other finalists for the Newbery Medal, who each received a Chair's Medal, were Iestyn Howorth from the product design programme, Emelie Christina Fraser from architecture, and Duoduo Lin from the silversmithing and jewellery department. Read more: Brothers graduate together from the same course at UWS Paisley with first-class degrees Professor Penny Macbeth, director and principal of GSA, said: "Today marks a key moment for our graduates as they move forward into the next stage of their creative careers, equipped with skills they have learned during their time here at The Glasgow School of Art and applying them in new roles across the creative sector. 'This year's honorary doctorates are exemplars of the impact and legacy that our global creative network of graduates can make, demonstrating the value of creative education and the importance that creative people can make in setting the pace, in asking challenging questions, and in offering positive solutions. "We are proud to award the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters in recognition of the outstanding success they have each achieved in their respective fields, expanding their research and creative practices to international significance and acclaim. "Jasleen Kaur is the seventh GSA graduate to win the prestigious Turner Prize. "Her interdisciplinary practice explores how we define ourselves and preserve and challenge our traditions. "Architect and teacher Hiroaki Kimura has made a significant global contribution to research and knowledge related to Mackintosh, through a long and remarkable relationship with the institution that has spanned over 40 years."
New York Times
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
How Lionel Messi's favorite goal became immortalized in art
NEW YORK – The towering 20-by-12-foot structure rises like a digital monolith inside Christie's Woods Room, just steps from the historic auction house's marble-clad lobby at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, a space that has previously showcased icons such as Louise Bourgeois, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. Advertisement If this is a place where artwork comes to life, its latest inhabitant functions as a digital portal, an immersive gateway that collapses time, fusing past and future in a cascade of visuals that feel ripped from The Matrix movies. This work bridges two worlds that have long existed apart: the tribal passion of soccer and the cerebral, curated realm of fine art. The artist involved, Refik Anadol, will tell you plainly he wasn't a fan of the sport that draws billions of people together around the globe. As a boy growing up in Istanbul, he watched an occasional Beşiktaş derby against Galatasaray with his uncle, a diehard fan, but for the world-renowned media artist behind some of the most ambitious AI-driven installations of the last decade, football was always a backdrop rather than an obsession. Until Lionel Messi. Anadol knew who Messi was, but his interest was less in the global football icon who has won eight Ballons d'Or, the annual award given to the sport's best player over the previous 12 months, but more in his impact on the world. 'Messi the maestro', as Anadol calls him. A once-in-a-generation talent whose brilliance on the pitch transcends sport and bleeds into something more elemental. So when the charitable foundation of Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer club Messi now plays for, and Christie's approached him – via curator Ximena Caminos – with an proposal to reimagine the Argentine's choice as the most meaningful goal of his long and glittering career as a generative data sculpture, Anadol saw an opportunity. 'Art has always been an incredible catalyst to amplify messages that are relevant to this moment,' Caminos told The Athletic. Anadol knew from the beginning that his job was not to document a goal from a sporting perspective, but to transform it into a living memory of a moment from thousands of different angles. 'This wasn't about replaying the moment,' Anadol told The Athletic. 'It was about reconstructing a memory, in this case his memory, through data, emotion and space.' The result is a first-of-its-kind artwork titled 'Living Memory Messi — A Goal in Life', which will be auctioned at Christie's New York at the end of this month for charity. The installation reimagines Messi's header against Manchester United in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final, a moment the player himself selected as the most meaningful of his 800-plus goals. Advertisement 'It's hard to choose just one, there have been so many,' Messi told the crew who interviewed him a few months ago in an interview that has not been shared with the public until now. Out of all his goals, that second-half header which sealed Barcelona's third European Cup/Champions League title stands out as a defining moment in his 21-year professional career. 'That goal is my favorite,' he smiled. 'It was the most beautiful and unique, because it was a header (Messi, famously, is only 5ft 7in/170cm tall). I jumped really high, which is rare for me.' Played on a balmy May evening in Rome's Stadio Olimpico, the match was billed as a clash of titans: Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, a team that was reshaping modern football with their slick, possession-based style, up against Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, one of the most successful and valuable clubs in the world, the defending European champions and still brimming with attacking firepower. Messi was already a star in 2009. Then 22, he was fast and unmistakably gifted. But he was still in the process of evolving from prodigy to legend. The pressure was immense. He not only had to dazzle, but to deliver. The world was watching to see if La Pulga (The Flea, a reference to his size), the boy wonder, could rise under the spotlight and cement his name among the game's immortals. And he delivered. In the 70th minute of the final, with Barcelona already leading 1–0, Xavi Hernández floated a precise, looping cross into United's penalty area. What happened next stunned even Messi's most faithful fans. The diminutive Argentine ghosted between defenders, leapt high behind 6ft 2in center back Rio Ferdinand and met the ball with a perfect header, looping it past goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar into the far corner of the net. It was Messi's first headed goal of the season in his 51st appearance. He ran toward the corner flag, arms outstretched, grinning in disbelief. Advertisement 'I did not overthink it, it just came to me naturally,' Messi explained. 'I simply jumped, connected with the ball the way I always do and it turned into a goal.' Messi's feelings for this goal come across as a mixture of pride, fondness and perhaps a bit of disbelief. He does not dramatize it, but you can tell it holds deep personal meaning. It's not just a beautiful goal, it is a rare moment that defied his usual style yet captured everything great about him: instinct, timing, precision and execution under pressure. 'I never thought it was the hardest goal I scored, it certainly was the most important and most memorable one,' he said. That goal sealed Barcelona's 2–0 victory, completing a historic first treble for the Catalan club, to go with winning the title and domestic cup back in Spain, and marking Messi's arrival as a player who would go on to define an era. 'To me, that header is not just a goal,' Anadol said. 'It's a portal. A moment where a boy became a maestro.' Over two decades, Messi has authored one of the most storied careers in the history of sport. With Barcelona, he lifted four Champions League titles and 10 La Liga trophies, and broke the record for most Ballons d'Or wins. His rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo of Barca's biggest domestic competitors Real Madrid dominated global headlines for more than 10 years, while his singular style, low center of gravity and surgical left foot redefined what it meant to be a No 10 in this sport. When Messi left Barcelona in 2021, due to financial constraints at the club, it marked the end of an era. Joining Paris Saint-Germain, he added more silverware, but it was his World Cup win with Argentina in 2022 that delivered the final validation for many, especially those in his homeland – a crowning achievement that elevated him beyond greatness. Anadol's challenge wasn't simply to recreate Messi's header, it was to transform it into something never seen before. 'Memory means something very different in this context,' he explained. 'Every goal is a memory for him. But for Messi to choose the most meaningful one feels deeply significant.' For Anadol, that's Messi's gift to this project: offering up this moment from his life to raise awareness and hopefully generate funding for something good. Advertisement 'That connection really matters to me,' Anadol said. 'And I think, in his mind, it does too.' With his team of engineers and researchers, Anadol reconstructed the goal using footage from UEFA, European football's governing body (which he points out is only two-dimensional), player tracking data and machine learning algorithms. From there, his team used machine learning and AI to reconstruct the moment in 3D, essentially bringing a 16-year-old memory into the present with technology that didn't exist in 2009. Every frame and every movement was rebuilt mathematically: the speed and trajectory of the ball, the positions and motions of every player, the fluid coordination of the team. It's not just watching the goal, it's AI rewatching it, filling in the gaps and analyzing the physics and decision-making embedded in those few seconds. Beyond the data, Messi's eight-minute interview reflecting on the goal, what he felt and why it mattered, was used to create the soundtrack. 'We analyzed his voice, facial expressions, and emotional cues to layer those feelings into the project,' Anadol explained. 'The result isn't just a digital artwork, it's a data sculpture. Not bronze or marble, but a fully immersive, architectural-scale installation.' Inside the installation — a mirrored, immersive room — the lines between viewer, data and memory blur. Visitors become part of the piece, surrounded by a living, breathing sculpture of movement, light and sound. Stadium noise echoes. Commentary loops. Messi's own heartbeat mixes with ambient audio to create what Anadol calls a 'memory soundscape'. 'When you walk in, it feels like stepping into Messi's memory — part sculpture, part science-fiction,' he said. 'The space becomes a canvas, and the architecture itself transforms into a living painting, textured with Messi's emotions and layered with data. It's a completely new kind of storytelling.' For Anadol, whose past works have ranged from Alzheimer's awareness installations to partnerships with NASA and SpaceX, the project marks a fresh kind of collaboration — one between two masters of completely different mediums. 'I don't see Messi as an artist,' he said. 'I see him as a maestro. He orchestrates space and time in ways that defy logic. I paint with data. He paints with motion.' As the first edition of FIFA's expanded version of the Club World Cup wraps up in the New York area with the final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, 'The Greatest Goal' has arrived at the perfect time. A year from now, the World Cup final will be played there at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, too. Advertisement Until July 22, the artwork will be up for auction online by Christie's, with 100 per cent of proceeds benefitting the Inter Miami Foundation over a range of charitable initiatives, including its partnership with UNICEF, which supports access to quality education programs in Argentina, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti. The bids were to start at $1.5million (£1.1m), but Anadol hopes the sculpture won't disappear into private hands. 'This isn't just a collaboration between two people, it's a dialogue between two disciplines,' he said. 'It's not artist meets artist; it's sport meets art. And that's what makes it so fresh and powerful.'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Miho Sato Wins AXA Art Prize UK 2025
LONDON, July 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AXA XL is pleased to announce Miho Sato as the winner of the AXA Art Prize UK 2025. Ms. Sato's striking artwork, titled "Windy Day 2," was chosen from the esteemed Royal Academy of Arts (RA) 2025 Summer Exhibition, earning her the £10,000 prize. Ms. Sato's work captivated the judges with its dynamic portrayal of movement and a unique interpretation of the interplay between nature and human experience. It is currently on view as part of the RA's Summer Exhibition in London, where it will remain until August 17th. The judging panel for this year's prize featured Jennifer Schipf, Global Chief Underwriting Officer for Fine Art & Specie at AXA XL; Oona Grimes, Royal Academician; and Richard Kirwan, Artist and Senior Lecturer at the RA Schools. Ms. Schipf remarked, "It has been a rewarding experience to witness the incredible talent within the UK's figurative art scene. Miho's piece resonated deeply with us, showcasing not just artistic skill but an astute understanding of the human figure. We are proud to support and uplift such gifted artists, enabling their work to reach a global audience." Sean McGovern, CEO of UK & Lloyds Market, AXA XL, stated, "Our partnership with the Royal Academy of Arts to celebrate exceptional artistic talent in the UK continues to be a source of pride for us. As a leading fine art insurer, we understand the importance of art in enriching our lives, and we are committed to supporting artists who inspire us and institutions that preserve our cultural heritage." The AXA Art Prize UK builds on AXA XL's decades-long legacy of recognizing artists in the UK, extending the reach of the prestigious Catlin Art Prize and complementing the AXA Art Prize US student art competition. AXA XL, a division of AXA, stands as one of the largest fine art insurers globally. Our dedicated fine arts professionals bring years of experience to the table, ensuring the protection of valuable works of art, jewelry, and specie. With a global presence that includes over 1,200 skilled claims professionals managing covered claims in more than 200 countries and territories, we are committed to being there for you—wherever and whenever you need us. To learn more, please visit Follow AXA XL on LinkedIn ABOUT AXA XL AXA XL, the property & casualty and specialty risk division of AXA, provides insurance and risk management products and services for mid-sized companies through to large multinationals, and reinsurance solutions to insurance companies globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit ABOUT AXA XL INSURANCE AXA XL Insurance offers property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty insurance solutions to mid-sized companies through to large multinationals globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit About The Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition The Summer Exhibition is the world's largest open submission contemporary art show which has taken place every year without interruption since 1769. It provides a unique platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their works to an international audience, comprising a range of media from painting and printmaking to photography, sculpture, architecture and film. About the Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts was founded by King George III in 1768. It has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to be a clear, strong voice for art and artists. Its public programme promotes the creation, enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate. The Royal Academy is an independent charity. It does not receive revenue funding from the government so is reliant upon the support of its visitors, donors, sponsors, patrons and loyal Friends. View original content: SOURCE AXA XL Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Times of Oman
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times of Oman
Diverse Omani environment is a source of inspiration for artists
Muscat: The Omani environment and topography represent the first incubator of fine arts and visual expression of thoughts and feelings, on which the artists rely for conveying their messages or stories to the public. Artist Fahd bin Salim Al Mamari said that his experience with fine art has emerged in the community where he grew up. The cultural memory, topography and the features of the people and the day to day activities have all contributed to shaping his awareness as an artist, he said, adding that his relation with art gave his artworks credibility and real communication with the recipients/public as his artworks depict the customs, traditions, costumes, details of the daily life, social events and the colours of the surrounding as Omani visual elements. He said that the diverse topography and the different environments of Oman made him much more aware of the significance of loyalty. Al Mamari said that he believes that the real art does not only relate to the tools but to the vision as well. He said, ' Technology today provides us with new expressive tools, and if the artist employs them well, he can reproduce his visual identity with a modern spirit without losing his authenticity. What I always strive for in my works, whether handmade or digital, carry that Omani touch, and that sense emanates from the geography, the environment, and the people.' He emphasised that digital art is not the opposite of traditional art, but rather an extension of it. If approached with awareness and taste, it can be a bridge to transfer local culture to a wider global space, without stripping it of its uniqueness, he added. Al-Maamari believes that when an artist paints a scene from a popular market, documents a moment from village life, or depicts a traditional dress or a lost craft, he is not content with beautifying reality, rather he is recording, documenting, and bringing life to the memory of the place and the people. 'These silent messages carried by the artwork enter the recipient's conscience without resorting to language or interpretation. They penetrate directly to the depth of feeling, creating an emotional connection between the past and the present. Here, the importance of integration between the artist's desire for expression and the recipient's desire to receive is highlighted. The artist searches for truth, depth, and identity in what he produces, and the recipient—especially the local—searches for himself, for an image in which he sees his features, values, and history, he added. 'When this ambition meets between the two parties, art is transformed into a profound means of communication and a bridge that extends between generations,' he said. Regarding the dominance imposed by artificial intelligence, Al-Maamari said : 'Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic technology. It has become a present and accelerating reality, penetrating various areas of life, including the arts. At first, it may seem that these technologies threaten the essence of the creative process, as they mimic the artist's tools and produce images that appear stunning in their precision and composition. However, I see them as a call to redefine art and affirm the humanity of artistic practice. For me, art is not measured by the mastery of line or the precision of shadow and light alone, but by honesty, emotion, and the human experience behind it. A work of art is a reflection of the artist's spirit, their reflections, their personal history, and their place in the world. What the machine lacks, no matter how advanced it is, is that it can be a helpful tool—not a substitute—if the artist employs it well. Artificial intelligence can provide visual ideas, help envision new compositions, or be used in some stages of design.' Regarding the impact of internal and external participations, he explained: 'Every artistic experience I have had has been like a new page added to my visual memory. I do not view artistic participation as a temporary, passing event, but rather as a space for interaction, exchange of experiences, and openness to different visions, schools, and styles that leave their impact—no matter how simple—on the artist's formation. In international exhibitions, I have seen how artistic visions emerge from different environments, yet converge in their passion for expressing humanity. I have seen works that speak the language of geography, and others that engage the world in abstraction. I have learned that when art is honest, it is understood regardless of the different languages. 'These participations have given me the opportunity to introduce the world to Omani features, not only through form, but also through spirit. I have always been keen for my works to be ambassadors for my country, showcasing its aesthetics and embodying its environmental and cultural vocabulary.' Al-Maamari addressed art criticism, believing that the Omani art scene suffers from a clear absence of serious and sustainable critical practice. 'Art criticism has not yet risen to become an active player in the artistic equation. Rather, it has often remained confined to general impressions, cultural compliments, or even a heavy silence that neither explains nor illuminates. An artist, by nature, is in a state of constant development. He needs someone to read his experience from the outside, someone to point out his strengths and weaknesses, someone to stimulate him to rethink, and push him towards transcending himself. Herein lies the importance of the true critic: not as a judge, but as a visual and intellectual companion who analyses, compares, and poses fundamental questions." 'Conversely, the presence of an honest, scientific, and specialised critical movement is likely to raise the level of aesthetic awareness in society and produce a healthy dialogue between the artist and the public, and between the artist and the cultural institution. True criticism does not stop at the boundaries of the visual text, but rather transcends it to its intellectual and social contexts, linking art to its movement in time.' The artist explains that the philosophy he adopts as an artist does not aim to amaze the recipient as much as it seeks to create a shared emotional space with them and to see themselves, their memories, and their emotions in the artworks, saying, 'That is why I aspire for my works to be not just paintings, but visual emotional states that open the door for the recipient to contemplate, or stimulate nostalgia, or make them pause for a moment to think. I want my works to remain in the memory of those who see them.' He explained, 'Visual art is not a luxury or marginal, but rather part of the psychological and social makeup of the nation. We have seen how the major art schools worldwide have contributed to shaping the awareness of their peoples, defending their causes, and narrating their history from an unofficial but more humane and honest perspective. We in Oman possess the cultural and visual heritage that enables us to build a unique visual school that is based on the environment, people, and local experience, but that addresses the world in the universal language of art.' He pointed out that achieving this balance between the desires of the artist and the recipient begins with sincerity, with the artwork stemming from a true reality, and with the artwork conveying a real question, not just a garish answer. When the recipient finds themselves, their past, or even their dreams in the artwork, they become connected to it, and it becomes part of their memory as well.
South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet the artists remoulding the rules of working with clay
In Hong Kong, no studio bends the rules of clay quite like the one Julie Progin and Jesse Mc Lin have built in Chai Wan. Inside the 3,500 sq ft industrial warehouse, some vases appear to ooze frozen liquid; others erupt in otherworldly forms – futuristic landscapes in shades of blue, grey and violet. Elsewhere, perforated surfaces mimic coral or scholar rocks, emerging from a sea of porcelain. Advertisement Progin and Mc Lin met in New York and launched their first ceramics brand, Latitude 22N, in Brooklyn. By 2007, they'd relocated it to Hong Kong, where Progin grew up, and in 2008 opened a second studio in Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China , in Jiangxi province. What began as a pragmatic design practice soon shifted to something less easily defined, as the couple discovered while preparing for their first solo exhibition, 'Fragment(s), The Poetics of Decay'. Since a piece from that collection was acquired by M+ in 2013, the duo's work has continued to edge towards fine art, blurring the line between craft, object and sculpture, most recently in 'Metamorphism', a show presented during Milan Design Week 2025 in April. A piece from Julie Progin and Jesse Mc Lin Homonyms series. Photo: Jocelyn Tam 'To survive creatively in Hong Kong, which can be difficult, the more flexible you are, the better,' says Mc Lin. We're standing in what he calls their 'hang test space', a white-walled enclave within the studio where pieces are pulled out of the visual chaos and held to the light. 'You need to take the work out of a distracting space and ask: could it change? Could it develop? Could it be better?' Behind a set of wide sliding doors, the studio opens into the heart of their practice: a space where much of the experimenting and creation happens. Two kilns anchor one corner. A large table is strewn with moulds and tools. Off to the side, fragments of ceramics, minerals and rocks they've collected over the years form a kind of private reference library. It became about creating a kind of memory Julie Progin They are known for experimenting with porcelain's intrinsic qualities in ways that aren't typically visible in the mainstream, challenging conventional depictions. In 'Fragments', Progin and Mc Lin use broken and eroded moulds to craft large, distorted vases that explore how uniqueness can be achieved through mass production. In their 'Clay Bodies' series, they use high temperatures, encouraging the clay to collapse in the kiln, emphasising its tendency towards instability and transformation. Advertisement
