Saturday, May 16, 2009

meditative juncture

photo by kat 2009-05-14

It was one of my new year's resolutions to start a jigsaw puzzle, finish it, and frame it.
I've been procrastinating, until one day, a random stop-by at midoco..
I found it

Klimt's Kiss
- my favourite, inspiration, mentor... basically everything -
was first on the docket, but out of luck.
I figured..
why not complete a puzzle worth $135mil?


Gustav Klimt - Mrs. Adele Bloch-Bauer I, 1907

In 2006, Ronald Lauder purchased the most valuable painting of the 20th century for $135 million,
from Maria Altmann, the niece of Ferdinand Bloch, Adele's husband.
It is now living at Neue Galerie in New York.
At the time, it was the most expensive painting ever sold.
Now it sits at 3rd place, which I find ridiculous.

Jackson Pollock - No.5, 1948 / Willem de Kooning - Woman III, 1953

Pollock's I have thrown paint all over the canvas and now I call it art was sold at whopping $140mil to apparently David Martinez, a Mexican Financier, though it is not clear if he actually purchased it or not.
De Kooning's deformed woman, oops I mean abstract figure of a woman, was sold at $137.5mil to Steven A. Cohen, an American billionaire hedge fund manager.


David Geffen, the philanthropist record executive and the previous owner of both of the paintings, sold the paintings to raise money to bid for Los Angeles Times, though he was outbidden by Sam Zell who now owns the paper.

Compared to both No.5 and Woman III, Adele seems much more meticulous and sophisticated.
As I encountered the realm of Klimt, it took me only one glance of The Kiss to fall in love.
It is his spontaneity that I admire.

Many, and I mean too many, are saying 'I don't like contemporary art.'
During Klimt's time, this is probably what he had to deal with too.
His work was breaking the traditional allegory and symbolisms, turning them into a disturbing sexual forms.
Yes, his subjects are overtly sexual women, often nude, lecherous, stimulating....
but he cleverly disguised these erotic features by utilizing mythology.

As I have learned working at an art gallery,
art is not for everyone.
True..
It can appeal differently to different people,
but it's only for people who can appreciate art.

"If you cannot please everyone with your deeds and your art, please a few. To please many is bad."
- Friedrich Schiller


Strange, but Klimt does not have a self-portrait.
For he does not believe himself as an interesting subject.
He eulogized women above all.

"Whoever wants to know something about me - as an artist which alone is significant - they should look attentively at my pictures and there seek to recognize what I am and what I want."
- Gustav Klimt

Thinking of Klimt, I intend to finish this puzzle by June 12.
I've given myself a month.
1000pieces? should be able to manage... right?


photo by kat 2009-05-14

The lilac was a present from Carly from her lovely garden.
It filled my room with the scent of spring.
Seeing Carly's lovely garden, made me want one too.
some day...
probably when I am much older tho..
but for now,
puzzle will do..



help me relieve my stress
:-S



1 comment:

C^2 said...

Don't get frustrated, you can do itttttt! ;)