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Showing posts from August, 2021

Laugh Now - Banksy at the MOCO

Girl with Balloon, 2003, spray paint on metal shelf, 60x90 cm We know Banksy for his iconic street art and the overt political and social commentaries of his artworks. But who knows for certain his true identity? Banksy has carefully guarded his anonymity perhaps because revealing himself will open a Pandora box of legal entanglements.  We’ve seen or are aware of a few of Banksy’s street art in and around his hometown in Bristol. And we’ve heard of the spectacular partial shredding of his painting Girl with a Balloon that was on auction at Sotheby's in 2018. But did you know that Banksy has quite a few indoor works of art? The MOCO in Amsterdam has gathered several of these works on canvas, wood, metal and paper for the  Laugh Now  exhibition which is not authorized by the artist. The artworks on display were loaned to the museum by private collectors and have been certified by Pest Control, the official body that authenticates all works by Banksy.  Girl with Balloon The original,

State Hall of the National Bibliothek of Austria

Prunksaal or State Hall of the Austrian National Library In the 18th century, Emperor Charles VI commissioned the construction of the court library in the Hofburg. It was built between 1723-1726 from the design of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, the court architect. This Baroque library has 200,000 volumes which date from 1501-1850. The 15,000 volume collection of Prince Eugene of Savoy is part of this collection. It includes valuable manuscripts and books from France and Italy. They are bound in red, blue and yellow Moroccan leather and can be found in the central oval of the library. Together with Google, this historic and copyright-free collection was digitized by the Austrian National Library and is available at www.onb.ac.at. The statue in the center of the oval is of Charles VI portrayed as Hercules Musarum. It was “allegedly” sculpted by Antonio Corradini in 1735.  Behind him are statues of Spanish and Austrian Habsburg rulers sculpted by the Strudel brothers, Peter, Paul an

The Museum of Broken Relationships

Broken light bulb We love, we lose, we hurt, we struggle, we heal, we move on. Here are some stories from the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb, Croatia. Broken light bulb Sent from Cape Town, South Africa He loved doing things for her. He mowed her lawn, installed a shelf at her house, changed her tires. She was sweet and helpless. Then on June 25th she called him to replace a light bulb. As he was unscrewing the old light bulb, she said to him, “By the way, I’m calling this whole thing between us off. We’re just not working”.  He walked out with the light bulb as she shouted after him, “Aren't you going to put the new one in? Don’t I deserve that much?” He replied, “Hell no, you don’t deserve anything from me.” Number 2 Sent from Manila, Philippines.  Summer 2007 “He had another woman and couldn’t make me his number 1. I couldn’t stand being his number 2.” I can’t make you thin by Paul McKenna Sent from Horncastle, England This book was a present from her ex-fiancé. It’s o

Vienna Revisited

   My carriage awaits  Sky Restaurant A local friend invited me to this rooftop terrace in the heart of Vienna’s shopping district. Great place to have lunch or stop for cake and coffee. There’s also a bar if you prefer to have drinks with friends. Note: proof of vaccination required to enter restaurants in Vienna. St. Stephen’s Cathedral This impressive Romanesque/Gothic cathedral is the iconic symbol of Vienna. The colorful patterned roof is made of 230,000 glazed tiles while a mosaic of double-headed eagle graces the south roof and the coats of arms of Vienna and the Republic of Austria are emblazoned on the north side roof. The two front towers are Romanesque in origin. The interior of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Café Central This elegant café has been around since 1876. It was the meeting place of famous people like Sigmund Freud, Leon Trotsky, Peter Altenberg (poet) and a host of others. The café is in the Palais Ferstel on the corner of Herrengasse and Strauchgasse. They’re open fo

MOCO - In Art We Trust

The more of you, The more I love you, Tracey Emin, Neon text "There should be something revelatory about art. It should be totally creative and open doors for new thoughts and experiences." Tracey Emin I am drawn to Emin’s poignant neon messages created from her own handwriting. It's as if she's telling us something of herself.  The Battle of the Beanfield, Banksy On June 1, 1985, Wiltshire Police Officers stopped about 600 people on their way to attend the Stonehenge Summer Festival. What was to be a cultural celebration turned into a bloody confrontation that sent 8 police officers and 16 travelers to the hospital. 537 travelers were later arrested in the largest mass arrest since World War II. Why? There are several reasons claimed by both sides. One is the view held by police that these attendees were a direct threat because of their hippie lifestyle. Laugh Now is an art exhibition of Banksy’s indoor pieces on canvas, wood and paper. It is not authorized by the a