We Look at it So You Don’t Have To

Art Detectives: Unraveling Benjamin West’s “Helen Brought to Paris”

In this episode, Sarah and Sarah put on their detective hats to unravel the mysterious meanings behind Benjamin West’s painting, Helen Brought to Paris. [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/helen_brought_to_paris_1776_by_benjamin_west_-_saam_-_dsc00875.jpg?w=490&h=368] https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/west-final.mp3 [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/west-final.mp3] Our References: Raphael [http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg20/gg20-main1.html], John Adams [http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnadams], Charles Willson Peale [http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/peale/index-papers.htm], Gilbert Stuart [http://www.gilbertstuartmuseum.com/gilbertstuart.htm] Music: Allegro by Zimbalista

Flesh and Stone: Barbara Hepworth’s “Merryn”

After a considerable “summer” hiatus, the Art Attack is back! We kick off the new season with a gorgeous piece by Barbara Hepworth [http://barbarahepworth.org.uk/]. Hepworth is considered to have been one of the first truly abstract sculptors and the piece, entitled Merryn [http://www.nmwa.org/works/merryn], is a great example of her work. But more importantly, this little sculpture has us all hot and bothered. Listen to the episode to find out why! You can visit Merryn in the flesh at the National Museum of Women in the Arts [http://www.nmwa.org/]. [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/imag0064.jpg?w=303&h=534] [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/imag0062.jpg?w=306&h=530] https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/hepworth-final.mp3 [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/hepworth-final.mp3] Our References: Anish Kapoor [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/at-the-hub-of-things-by-anish-kapoor/] Andy Goldsworthy [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/up-on-the-roof-andy-goldsworthy/] Fertility Goddesses [http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/fertile_goddess/] Music by Hammurapi and Braids.

Art Attack at the Movies

After visiting Ai WeiWei’s sculpture Fragments, the Sarahs keep the conversation going with a trip to the E Street Cinema for a viewing of the film Never Sorry [http://aiweiweineversorry.com/index.html], by Alison Klayman. The documentary paints a fascinating portrait of the dissident chinese artist, exploring his life, his artistic process, and his activism. The Boston Globe calls Never Sorry “one of the most engagingly powerful movies of the year” and we agree!! [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tumblr_m920alrhpf1qzulp6o1_500.jpg?w=490&h=288] https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/never-sorry-final.mp3 [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/never-sorry-final.mp3]

Ai WeiWei’s “Fragments”

In this episode, the Sarahs visit Ai Weiwei’s sculpture Fragments [http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2012/05/past-and-present-clash-in-ai-weiweis-fragments/], at the Sackler Gallery [http://www.asia.si.edu/]. The sculpture is constructed of pieces of ironwood salvaged from Qing dynasty temples that have been razed in recent years to make way for new development. Fragments, and Ai’s Zodiac Heads [http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2012/04/ai-weiwei%E2%80%99s-giant-animal-heads-at-the-hirshhorn-fountain/] at the Hirshhorn, are on display in advance of a retrospective of the outspoken artist’s works slated to appear at the Hirshhorn museum [http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/collection/home/#collection=home] in October. [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/fragments1.jpg?w=490&h=317] [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aiweiwei31.jpg?w=216&h=141] © Courtesy of the Sigg Collection [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/aiweiwei_fragments1.jpg?w=216&h=144] https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ai-final.mp3 [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ai-final.mp3] Our References: * Lincoln Logs [http://www.knex.com/Lincoln-Logs/] * Yoko Ono [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/tag/yoko-ono/] * Chinese temples [http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/architecture/styles/chinese-temples.htm] * Henrique Oliveria [http://www.henriqueoliveira.com/default2.asp] * Bird’s Nest [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_National_Stadium] * Rudzani Nemasetoni [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/building-a-bridge-rudzani-nemasetonis-urban-testaments/] – Music Credits: Air by SaReGaMa [http://saregamatheartist.blogspot.com/] Photo Credits: Smithsonian Magazine, http://everythinghapa.com/archives/5428 [http://everythinghapa.com/archives/5428]

We Look at it So You Don’t Have To

In which a bird lands on a statue. Also, the Sarahs take one for the team, getting to the bottom of exactly why we are so “meh” about this sculpture [http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/search-results/?edan_search_value=Marino Marini#detail=http%3A//www.hirshhorn.si.edu/search-results/search-result-details/%3Fedan_search_value%3Dhmsg_66.3345]by Marino Marini [http://www.museomarinomarini.it/home.php?lang=eng]. (Or, in Sarah C’s Italian translation, Marino! Marini!) Listen to this episode so that the next time you see a sculpture you don’t like, you can ignore it with a clear conscience. This, and lots of other very excellent art works, can be seen at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden [http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/collection/home/]. [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/imag0051.jpg?w=490&h=869] https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/marini-final-cut.mp3 [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/marini-final-cut.mp3]       [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/imag0053.jpg?w=169&h=300] [https://theartattack.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/imag0054.jpg?w=169&h=300]                       Our References: Dada [http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/dada.htm], Equestrian Statues [http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/capitalcomment/washingtoniana/washingtoniana-whats-up-with-those-horse-statues.php], Etruscan Art [http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/etru/hd_etru.htm] Music: Bliss by SaReGaMa [http://saregamatheartist.blogspot.com/]