Judith Beheading Holofernes

Judith Beheading Holofernes is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1620. Also known by the name Giuditta che decapita Oloferne. The Italian artist depicts one of the episodes of the Old Testament and this episode is narrated in the Book of Judgment. This painting can be viewed at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Judith Slaying Holofernes

Judith Slaying Holofernes is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi between 1614 and 1620. The scene depicts Judith beheading Holofernes which also represents women triumphing over powerful men. This painting can be viewed at National Museum of Capodimonte, Naples.

Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting

Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi between 1638 and 1639. This painting depicts Gentileschi painting herself, who is in turn represented as the “Allegory of Painting” illustrated by Cesare Ripa. The dimension of this painting is 96.5 cm × 73.7 cm.

Venus and Cupid

Venus and Cupid is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1625. The Italian artist depicts sleeping Venus who is wearing nothing except a thin wisp of transparent linen around her thigh. This painting can be viewed at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, US.

Susanna and the Elders

Susanna and the Elders is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi between 1610 and 1611. The Italian artist depicts the story of Susanna who was watched by the elders when she was bathing. This painting can be viewed at Schloss Weißenstein collection, in Pommersfelden, Germany.

The Martyrdom of St Januarius in the Amphitheatre at Pozzuoli

The Martyrdom of St Januarius in the Amphitheatre at Pozzuoli is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi between 1636 and 1637. This painting depicts St. Januarius, Naples’s popular patron saint who protected the city from volcanic eruptions of Mt. Vesuvius. This painting can be viewed at Cathedral in Pozzuoli, Naples, Italy.

Judith and her Maidservant

Judith and her Maidservant is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1618. It depicts Judith holding a dagger and her servant who was carrying a head of man. This painting can be viewed at Pitti Palace, Florence.

Esther before Ahasuerus

Esther before Ahasuerus is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi between 1628 and 1635. This painting depicts Jewish heroine Esther, who appeared before King Ahasuerus to plead for her people. This painting can be viewed at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Danae

Danae is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1612. It depicts Danae who is sleeping on the bed with no clothing on and a servant is gathering flowers from above. This painting can be viewed at Saint Louis Art Museum, USA.

Madonna and Child

Madonna and Child is a painting produced by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1613. The Italian artist completed this painting when she was only 20 years old. This painting can be viewed at Galleria Spada in Rome.

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Born in Catalonia, Spain in 1904, he was a true surrealistic artist, drawing often from his own childhood sexual desires, mostly freakish and quite disturbing.

Dali always stated that he didn’t do drugs, although many would look at his art and disagree, but Dali claimed he was drugs.   That through his work he could influence many an open mind, whether for the good or bad.

If we take a look at a few of his famous pieces, we can see that his obsession with the unconscious mind was obvious.

The Persistence of Memory shows us a few seemingly soft or melted pocket watches lying about in an open land.  Dali’s message was to show that time and space are relative and that we, in fact, live in a universe of complete disorder.

Another of his most recognizable artworks is ‘The Great Mastrubator’, which at first glance seems more like fellatio being performed that masturbating.  It is clear though that Dali had real issues with sex and the sexual act itself, stemming from his youth.  He claims that as a young boy his father had accidentally (or not) left out a book of sufferers of untreated venereal diseases.  The disturbing photos must have left a deep mark on Dali and in turn, he brought these into his paintings.

People are strange creatures and while they may hesitate at the idea of expression like this, they are secretly fascinated.  This is the main reason why Dali’s works are so popular.  With his surrealism style, he takes everyday activities and combines them with fantasy, yet managing to connect and communicate his thoughts through a truly theatrical medium.

Not all of Dali’s works are so sexual.  Take The Elephants for example.  While still a surrealist view and one to debate for hours, there doesn’t seem to be a sexual connotation to this painting, or is there?  You decide.

One can never mistake Dali’s works for realism; however there is a potent aspect to the out-there paintings, that cries out the reality of everyday life.  But unlike true realism, which examines the conventional outward appearances at close quarters, surrealism takes those outward appearances and merges it with imaginative idealism.  Dali captured this with perfection and sometimes downright absurdity.

Always one to provoke the self-righteous and conceited, Dali drove his messages home with black comedy and often grotesque graphics.  Never to veer near conventionality, he thrived on the shock factor, which gave him many an undesirable name in the art fraternity.

To show you how unconventional he was, when instructed to have his art examined for his degree, he refused, stating that none of the Professors were competent enough to judge his works.  He pompously declared he had retired.

The Spectre of Sex Appeal painting, exhibited in 1932, is most disconcerting, and shows us, once again, Dali’s mixed up mind on all that is sexual.  The little boy in the right-hand corner represents Dali himself as a boy and we can only imagine the broken, half body of Sex Appeal is another reflection of his left view on all that is sex.

Dali expressed that because his works were mysterious they were loved by most.  Love may not be the word to describe the reaction his paintings ensue, but art lovers across the world are quite obsessed and intrigued.

Dali compelled and forced us to look at life from a lateral perspective, to always question the normality of everything.  He lived a life of craziness.  He expressed his craziness or as he may have viewed it, his normality, through his paranoia and cranky imagination.

Whether we completely dislike his form of expression or undeniably love it for it is abnormal, thought-provoking style, his works will always have us guessing, questioning and mulling over their diversity.

It remains, without question, that to have one of Salvador Dali’s works of art up on your wall, will bring about questions of your own sanity and mindset, but unfailingly it will always instigate interesting conversations.  As you stand debating the ins and outs, the possibilities as well as the meaning behind his macabre graphics, you will never have to worry about those uncomfortable silences.  Unless, the uncomfortable silence is because of an unwillingness to discuss masturbation, sexual appetite or any other controversial subject that Dali’s art brings about.

Courage is possibly the most important aspect of any creative work. It breeds authenticity and is not there to please the audience, but to show them the way the artist sees the world. It’s there to make people ponder questions and think about their own reality. If you don’t do that, if your art doesn’t bring people to new heights, then what’s the point?

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When we think of graffiti, the words slanderous, defiling and rubbish may come to mind.  A lot of street art has an obvious, or sometimes very subtle, anti-establishment hint in it. Street Art from the Islamic Republic of Iran is by no means different, it has become part of city’s landscape, delivering strong messages symbolically to everyone around.

The powerful messages of peace, love, and hope in a country torn apart by internal conflicts are represented by Iranian street artists through their art, and mostly these works grow in all endless direction, both metaphorically, conceptually and physically.

Filmmakers Zeinab Tabrizy and Paliz Khoshdel decided to start the initiative through their film Mutiny of Colours, to give the world the perspective from the Street Artists view.

Street Art in Iran is viewed very much the same way the rest of the world views Graffiti Artists.  The public and government believe that they are out to destroy property and make a nuisance of themselves, that their works reflect a Satanic and evil expression.

Iranians are not spinsters on expressing their feelings on all aspects of political, social and cultural aspects of their life.  The Iran Islamic Revolution in 1979, as well as the Iran Green Movement of 2009, saw many Iranians marching the streets, voicing their opinions and plastering the walls of Iran with their effectual messages.  This, according to the Street Artists, is similar to how they are communicating their thoughts and vision while maintaining their way less violent and more influential.

By using the medium of art they feel they can reach a greater audience and influence a wider band of people.

Through the movie, the Directors have approached various Street Artists, who has stronger reasoning behind their beautiful and powerful depiction of their messages.

Five artists were identified as the main contributors to the film and while they hide their faces behind masks, when being interviewed, in fear of being arrested, they are resolute in bringing their compelling messages alive through their skill. Each of these five artists has a very different message and a manner in which they express it on the walls and buildings of Iran.

One of the main contributors is CK1, who, by using Iranian literature shows his anti-war stance.  Omet draws on his childhood, stating that because he was born in the time of Iranian upheaval, he wants to reach out to the youth in the community.  Brothers, Icy and Sot, are all about peace and friendship.  And finally Lady Green reveals the synergy between government-sanctioned murals, over times of war and discord, to her graffiti-style work.

Many famous artists have supported the film’s passion and purposes, such as Faith47, Isaac Cordal and Blu, to name but a few.

The Mutiny of Colours documentary relies heavily on public contributions and while it is an on-going work, starting off in 2012, they are still looking for more funding.

Street art has proven itself to be a true expressive art form. It is not an inferior form of political outcry nor is it the indifferent rebellion of a disaffected youth. Street art thinks, feels, and evokes thought and emotions in the people that view it with an open mind.

Take a look at their compelling trailer and consider a small donation.  The cause and consequences could be huge for the Iranian population.

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When an artist comes along to challenge these notions, they often bring with them perspectives that stand out from the norm. One such artist is Philippe Perrin, one who is known for his short temper, right down to the incorrigible and boastful attitude

[quote_colored name=”” icon_quote=”no”]A former boxer turned artist, Philippe Perrin has something of the bad boy; rock star looks, an explosive temperament and a shady past which he likes to allude to when talking to journalists. He cultivates his subversive image by creating provocative artworks revolving around the subjects of evil and crime[/quote_colored]

His subjects tend to revolve around violence and crime, subjects with which he has suggested in interviews with an intimate familiarity. What we know with certainty is that he dresses the part and has the résumé to back it up—before turning to art, Perrin cut in his teeth in the grueling world of professional boxing.

One of Perrin’s most famous fascinations should come as no surprise: his appreciation for and subsequent tribute to controversial French criminal Jacques Mesrine. Mesrine gained fame and a particular form of adoration in the 1960s and 1970s as an anti-establishment figure, despite his penchant for murder that accompanied his robberies and theft.

After being captured by law enforcement, Mesrine and his crew became the first men to escape from the allegedly inescapable La Santé in Paris before he was finally gunned down in late 1979. Perrin paid tribute to the legendary criminal by reconstructing and photographing the gold BMW in which Mesrine was killed.

Most of his other works focus less on direct historical references and more on basic, visceral symbols of crime given the same overblown treatment as Perrin’s own personality.

[quote_colored name=”” icon_quote=”no”]It has been said of Perrin that he “has always been addicted to overstatement, and so the millimeters became meters.”[/quote_colored]

Such is the case with GUN, a piece consisting of a three-meter handgun accompanied by bullets over two meters themselves. Knives and handcuffs, among other items whose mere silhouettes are enough to evoke a gut reaction of fear and caution, are other items to have received the signature colossal Perrin treatment.

Another of Perrin’s famous works, Bloodymary, blends the line between theatre, sculpture, and performance art through the lens of murder. A living actress sits on a couch, photographs and magazines scattered to one side and a book hastily dropped to the floor on the other, with a bullet hole through her forehead and blood splattered on the wall behind. It is an example of an installation that truly must be viewed in person, as a photograph eliminates the intent of placing the viewer in direct contact with gruesome violence.

Among his more modern works is Heaven, a 2006 installation at the Church of St. Eustace in Paris.

The work follows Perrin’s penchant for stark, oversized images of violence by placing a massive crown of thorns under a spotlight on the floor, depicting the iconic image from the crucifixion of Jesus in a cold, metallic form.

Perrin subverts the holiness of the crown by placing it on the floor, closest to Hell, and treating it as a symbol of violence. The underlying message will naturally vary based on one’s religious convictions, but what remains is the striking image created by Perrin.

This is the signature of Phillipe Perrin—to place the viewer face to face with images inexorably tied to modern violence, subtly aestheticizing the violence in art

Their disproportionate power is reflected in their size and sturdy build, restoring the horror to images that have lost their impact due to desensitization over a lifetime of repeated exposure and acceptance of violence as the norm. He chooses subjects that have the power to instill immediate shock and presents them in a bold way that ensures they do.

It is very true that great art comes from the heart, doesn’t come from doing what you’re told. Real art is alive. It is given power by the artists who see a different world and show us exactly what they perceive.

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