TravelswithCharie

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,

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

  Vondel Park The Netherlands is open to US travelers and flights to Amsterdam from the US have been full. But despite the new arrivals, Amsterdam is still a sleepy town compared to past summers. You can really enjoy the city without crowds jostling for space and attention. It’s the best time to take it slow and appreciate the many attractions Amsterdam has to offer.  Tourists from green listed countries including the U.S. may enter the Netherlands if they have proof of full vaccination or a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of their flight. The vaccine must be one of approved vaccines by the European Medicine Agency (EMA) and the last dose must have been administered 14 days prior to arrival. There is also a health declaration form to be submitted to Immigration Control at the airport but the officer who handled my documents at Schiphol International Airport didn't bother to check my form. Face masks are required in public transportation, at airports, in the aircraft,

Marc Chagall, Self Portrait with 7 Fingers, 1912-1913. Oil on canvas.      The Stedelijk Museum is one of the leading modern and contemporary art museums in the world. Since its inception in 1874, the Stedelijk’s collection has steadily grown and evolved. A new wing completed in 2012 added another 10,000 square meters of space which the museum needed to display its vast and distinguished collection.      The museum also has an impressive number of forty Marc Chagall paintings, six of which it owns and three are on extended loan from the State. These nine paintings span a period of 35 years and provides a comprehensive look at Chagall’s works over three and a half decades. The Marc Chagall Research Project was undertaken by the museum to study the technique and materials used by the artist and the state of conservation of the paintings. The research found, among other things, that Chagall painted with tiny brushes at a fast pace, used pigments like cadmium yellow and cobalt blue wh