About Art and Stuff...

There is no doubt that our world is changing in many ways. Internet and virtual reality has a tremendous influence on our day-to-day experience, as well as on other creative fields, such as art. Merging between digitally created vision with our usual objective environment is just a matter of time; in fact, this process has started long time ago. New devices, such as google glasses, are on their way of interlacing the material world with the endless virtual reality; video games are getting better and better in reсonstructing the details of our surroundings. There are even studies of the architecture and social relations withing the game world. 3-D technologies are offering a huge variety of ways to turn our vision of the environment upside down. And some artists are very much into it.

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Meet Vernon James Manlapaz , 3-D artist and animator who took Instagram by storm with his realistic interventions into the usual cityscapes. Starting with simple animation, he quickly grew into a cartoon creator and visual storyteller.

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"Being able to animate characters is exciting for me. I am inspired to go to work every day. Animating characters to punch, blast, fly, and spew fire—it's awesome."

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Henry Hargreaves is a living proof that you can turn almost anything into a form of art, you just need some inspiration and desire to create. New Zealand based photographer started his career path not in the art industry, but in the food industry. He was amused with the connection between peoples choice of meal and their personalities, and that's how he started his obsession with food-related topics. And for the record, some of them are quite scary. 

But let's start with a more pleasant "first course" and, actually, it involves James Bond. "Dying to eat" is a collaboration between Henry Hargreaves and Charlotte Omnes and is based on Ian Fleming's famous spy series. In a postwar period these books were a great fit with their adventurous nature and luxury lifestyle. Well, we all have seen Bond movies, at least some of them. However, what we haven't seen are the exotic meals Fleming described in his novels while the main character consumed them all around the world. 

And we are sure you wouldn't mind joining Bond in this adventure! Although, this can hardly be true for our next "course".

This one is peculiar all around, but suitable only for the strong gourmets. "No Seconds" is a project that tells a story of the prisoner's last meals before the death sentence. 

Hargreaves became interested in a topic and started his research after realizing that this basic request for a meal can create a convict's portrait in a way. In addition, food and dining has been a universal sign of connection between people, even among the primal tribes dinner is a social event and a sign of acceptance. So the viewer cannot help but relate on the basis of the universal need of provision. We see people that have committed terrible crimes, yet we perceive them not as monstrous caricatures, but as fellow human beings who went along horribly wrong path. Moreover, the perspective which photographer uses puts us in the shoes of those criminals, as if we were looking at the last meal from the fist person's view, which makes the whole experience even more disturbing. Surprisingly humane, yet frightening photo project. So it is high time to move to the dessert, and we promise it won't involve any crimes. 

It will only deal with cakes."Celebrated For You", a collaboration with set designer Nicole Heffron, is a year-long project dedicated to the iconic filmmakers and their birthdays. This series is a fantasy of a presumable obsessive fan that would bake a birthday treat for his favorite director, leaving clues to his works and general oeuvre at the scene. Humorous and atmospheric, we cannot ask for more. 

If you are an art lover, you are always welcomу at our blog! But today we have something special prepared for all of the music fans. Something so exciting, that will satisfy both! We'll give you a hint. Have you ever wondered who makes some of the amazing album cover designs for singers and music bands? First thing that comes in mind is Pink Floyd with their amazing and conceptual album art. Well, that's your answer! We know who did it! 

Meet Storm Thorgerson, the man behind some of the greatest pieces of album cover art ever. While one of his main areas of interest is design, in 1968 together with Aubrey Powell, Thorgerson started the graphic art group named Hipgnosis. Along with the growing team and various contributors, Hipgnosis will be one of the main influences in the design and art of the 20th century. 

Storm Thorgerson had an interesting educational background, which can probably explain his focus on the surreal elements, fascination with photography and conceptual underlying of his designs. He majored in English and Philosophy at the University of Leicester where he had received the bachelor degree; for his master degree he studied Film and Television at the Royal College of Art. So he had this unique perspective of philosophical studies combined with newest medias and pop-culture; not to mention his long-time friendship with Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, the relationships that seemed to fuel each other with creativity and inspiration. 

"I like photography because it is a reality medium, unlike drawing which is unreal. I like to mess with reality ... to bend reality", quoting Thorgerson is the best way to describe his notions. Cover design with the help from him and his team became a notable part of the whole art process and evolved greatly. It represents the idea of the whole album, artist's aesthetics, it sets the tone to the mood of the product as it is the first thing you see. Creating such artwork is a complicated and responsible process, it is a combination between art, music and design with a pinch of marketing. 

This simple recipe can easily be the basis for some iconic art pieces, and that is exactly what'd happened. Pink Ployd cover of the album The Dark Side of the Moon has been widely praised over the years and claimed to be one of the greatest covers in history. Designed by Thorgerson and Hipgnosis, the artwork itself was drawn by George Hardie.

The band wanted something bold and simple, something different from the typical album designs of the time. The cover reflected the concept of the album, where each side had a continuous piece of music with five tracks that contemplated various stages of life, exploring the experiences of human existence, feelings, fears, love, death and infinity. It also featured one of the most important "signature" elements of Pink Floyd oeuvre - stage lightening that created a sensational shows and surreal environment during live performances. Profound, mythical, yet simple cover art has proven to be one of the biggest influences in visual design ever. Storm Thorgerson had been collaborating with Pink Floyed for numerous project, creating the distinguishing and conceptual visual aesthetics, that played major role in their oeuvre.

So you think you cannot build a house? You assume you must go through years of learning and get some degree? Well, you are completely wrong. You can even build a city, trust us! Or better trust this guy, Charles Young, Edinburgh-based artist who has built (and still building) a whole city with a help of mere scissors, paper, and glue.

It all begun in the summer of 2014, when Young decided to give it a go and take on the paper modeling. He was already fluent in this field, but wanted to set a bit of a challenge and practice each single day. So he decided to make a structure on a daily basis.

His skills had improved drastically and we can observe the progress of his first steps. On Young’s Tumblr archive you can follow artist’s improvement month by month. “Why first steps?”, you might ask. Well, because he didn’t exactly stop there.

Charles Young prolonged his project for a year. He came from the simple buildings and shapes to the complex cityscapes that create a whole new narrative! Some of his works are moving and he animated them into GIFs. It is almost impossible to get your eyes of this amazing paper architecture!

And the best part is – he is still doing it! None the less, he continued to build his paper city for almost three years! Now his megapolis totals in 635 structures; some of them are even moving! With precision and persistence worthy of respect, Young has created his own little world with a big heart to it. Every little detail is well thought of, structures evolved in a most sophisticated manner.

The moral of this story is very simple. You do not need much to achieve your goals; just dedication and a lot of practice. While people think big, sometimes it is really useful to think small.  

If you are looking for something rather enigmatic in the search for the spring time, you came to the right place. Herbert List’s vision of Paris in 1930’s is as mesmerizing, as puzzling. There are no smiling couples and streets full of velvet verdure; only an empty, foggy city that seems to enjoy its solitude.

Half-Jewish photographer was born in Germany and was not hiding his orientation and bourgeois lifestyle.  Of course, it was just a matter of time for the Nazi party and the Gestapo to take notice. Lots of his friends had already left the Germany and eventually, he decided to do the same. With his friend and partner, Heinz Rittmeister, List escaped to the Switzerland and then to Italy. His trip was filled with sun and an excitement for the upcoming new life. Herbert List followed advice of his friends and decided to settle down in Paris. And exactly at this place the reality had overtaken him; being an immigrant at such uneasy times was defiantly not some dolce vita. Though he was close with a great deal of Parisian artistic elite, the financial situation was not a beneficial one; List tried to do some commissioned fashion shoots but was not satisfied with the outcome.

This personal journey definitely gained a reflection in his Parisian works. One of the most romantic cities of the world seems cold and uninviting; monumental architecture sharpens the feeling of individual insignificance. Gloomy atmosphere rather refers to the times of Hugo’s Notre-Dame de Paris and Gothic aesthetics.

Dark undertones and emptiness reflected not only List’s personal experiences. These were the years of Nazi’s rise in Germany and the whole Europe seemed to be taken by a silent premonition of danger. The collective unconsciousness was aware of the upcoming disaster that would change humanity forever. The cities were awaiting for the future to come, including Paris, the city of light, the city of love.      

Although Herbert List’s oeuvre is quite complex structure; he succeeded in many different styles and spheres of photography. But particularly this Parisian series opened up a path for a darker visual language in the art of photography. A bit surreal, these images are so convincing in their simplicity, that there is only one thing left to do – to quote the master himself “…Photography the art of leaving out, the one is made to stand for the many, right detail for the whole, clear, concentrated form for profusion… Less is almost invariably more.”

If you are as inspired by the moving images as we are, you will certainly love this article! GIF-art has its strong feeling of magic, of the picture that came alive, just like in the newspapers from Harry Potter cinematic universe. If we think this way now, can you imagine what people felt 100 years ago? And yes, there were some animated images back then.

In 1832 Belgian physicist Joseph Plateau created a device called phenakistoscope. Though the notions of this mechanism’s work principles were available earlier, Plateau is large associated with the popularization and finishing touches of the phenakistoscope. A fluent illusion of motion was achieved with a spinning cardboard disk vertically attached to a handle and images of different phases of animation concentrated around the center. These were the first steps towards a movie production, tiny steps. But can you imagine the impact of these retro GIF images? Now we can observe digitized versions of the old phenakistoscopes thanks to The Richard Balzer Collection on Tumblr. The blog is a mini research on the tastes of the 19th century audience. And we must tell you, they are pretty silly.

Speaking about retro, would you like to see some of the old photographs coming to live? Nicolas Monterrat likes it too and he shares his vision on Tumblr. Typical imagery from the past gets a new life with a bit of a surreal aftertaste. If you are looking for the vintage inspiration with a postmodern sense of humor – you came to a right place.

However, if you are more of a contemporary art and design lover, you will not regret visiting David Szakaly’s blog. 

His GIFs have a modern Technicolor scheme and semi-organic futuristic shapes. They resemble living computer cells a bit, if they had ones. But we must warn you, that mind-blowing effect might occur due to the optical illusions that are seasoned with a perfect pinch of digital manipulations. See for yourself and don’t blame us for any psychedelic effects, we have warned you. Enjoy!  

If you think that in our completely technocratic society there is no room left for fairy tales and wild folklore, Charles Fréger will prove you wrong. With his photographic series Wilder Mann, Fréger explores the mythical traditions at carnivals and festivals across the Europe. As it turns out, there are much more demons, monsters, and wild beasts.

Though most of these festive events have Christian roots, the rituals itself go way deeper in the pagan times. The dual nature of life was depicted back than with the help of celebrations and various rites, costumes and masks were usually used to embody spirits, gods and forces of nature. They are frightening and mysterious, but at the same time they symbolize circles of live and vitality.

 Charles Fréger was trying to capture those unique symbols and traveled to 19 European countries over two winters. He photographed people in the traditional costumes during the celebrations; some of them stood for the hunting rituals and sacrifices, some meant to entertain and imply morals. Whatever concept is, the one thing can be stated for sure – despite all changes in our modern world, there is still a need for wilderness. Primal traditions are meant to interact some dangerous or unexplainable situations, to face the demons, to pray upon the better future; they have a sacred meaning as well as a psychological power. As men were always afraid of the unknown, it is better to have a little rehearsal before meeting the danger face to face. 

Traditionally the festivals are the places to burst out your energy, good one as well as bad. In the past they were considered to be religious ceremonies, but nowadays they resemble a kind of psychoanalytical therapy. They offer an opportunity to fulfill the need to have a spiritual experiences and a feeling of togetherness.

Feminism is one of the most relevant issues on the contemporary art scene; combined with actionism and performance, which are quite daring art forms themselves, it can create quite a resonance. And it does, with a help of Swiss conceptual artist Milo Moiré. Her art is a controversial topic not only to the viewers, but also to the art critics, and we will see why.

According to the artist, her biggest influence is Marina Abramović, after seeing some performances of the latter, Moiré realized that the body is a powerful expressive tool able to make art. Since that she has decided to use only her naked body in the variation of art actions.

During the Script System Moiré traveled in the public transport completely naked with the names of the clothing peaces written over her body.

Many parts of our lives are so mechanical, they turn into almost scripts that we follow unconsciously. Especially the morning routine of getting to work; so the artists tried to break this circle. Milo Moiré says that naked body regains its ability to truly communicate without the attachment to financial status, fashion, etc. Though, she is frequently arrested for her art, Moiré continues to appear naked in her  performances since 2007.

A lot of attention was drawn to her 2016 performance in Cologne protesting the 2015 New Year Eve sexual attacks in Cologne. Her latest piece called Mirror Box is particularly controversial and took place in Dusseldorf, Amsterdam, and London (in the latter she was arrested and fined £750). The artist was wearing mirror box, offering the public to touch her genitals or breasts (that were inside the box).

She claimed to advocate for women's rights and the freedom of choice in terms of sexual partners and behavior. While this is her strongest piece that made quite a fuzz, the idea of performance is not knew and was executed in 1968 by the feminist artist Valie Export. 

Before we come closer to the main question, there are few things that have to be mentioned. Milo Moiré is often criticized for turning her works into something rather pornographic, than feminist. At the times her allusions are a bit straightforward and blunt; this might not be a bad point if it helps to create a powerful work. She frequently participates in the erotic photo shoots, that aesthetically are very close to the pornography. The doubtful part is that the imagery is for sale, as well as some videos and "uncensored" versions of her performances that can be viewed for a fee at her website. As the artists states herself, she thinks that there should be no restrictions and limits to art, apart from death. She has a point, but death is a limit to everything, so the phrase is relevant in many cases. 

Shia LaBeouf is widely known for his roles in the major blockbusters like transformers and Indiana Jones, as well as for his occasional eccentric behavior. Lesser audience know him as a metamodernist artist and performer frequently collaborating with fellow art-lovers with Luke Turner and Nastja Säde Rönkkö. What exactly metamodernism stands for and what makes Shia into a great voice of millennial contemporary art scene we will find out in the following article. Metamodernism is a young art trend that emerged from the postmodernist era and referrers to the post-postmodernist times. If this explanation seems a bit vast, we can offer some explanation. Basically, metamodernism is a philosophy of the millennials generation who grew up among the postmodern realities; sarcasm, mass culture, appropriation, self-reflection surrounded them since childhood. But researches of metamodernism also point out that it builds a bridge between modernism and postmodernism with the contemporary perspective. It distances itself from deconstruction, cynicism, nihilism and decadent attitudes and moves towards sincerity, romanticism, returning to storytelling traditions and trying to restore strive for meaningfulness taking into account modernist's experience. According to cultural theorists Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker this new art trend "can be conceived of as a kind of informed naivety, a pragmatic idealism", it constantly aspires to creative self-expression and immediate response to various changes and events. It's high time we come back to the main focus of our article - Shiah LaBeouf. So what is so metamodernist about him? The first endeavor of LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner took place back in 2014, when Shia appeared at the red carpet of the Berlin Film Festival wearing the paper bag over his head that said "I am not famous anymore". 

Two days later, a performance #IAMSORRY was held at a Los Angeles gallery during which Labeouf was sitting in his tuxedo and a paper bag in the room with various object and the visitors could approach him in whatever manner they want, reminiscent of the famous Marina Abramovich performance.The objects in the room were all connected with the actor's past performances and habits. In 2015 their next project named #INTRODUCTIONS took place and we are sure you have seen some parts of it. Collaborating with Central Saint Martins Fine Art students, the trio released a video based on student's short scripts with LaBeouf as a narrator. It had been released under a free license, so the public could manipulate and appropriate it freely. "Just do it" part of the video meant as an exaggerated motivational parody went viral and created thousands of memes across the internet.

Another peculiar performance, #ALLMYMOVIES, included Shia LaBeouf watching his own retrospective in reverse order. His facial expressions and reactions were live streamed and the public was invited to join LaBeouf at New York's Angelika Film Center. Honest reactions to ones past mistakes as well as achievements, reinvention of sincerity and self-reflection of a cinematic reflection of oneself - that's the essence of the performance.

#TAKEMEANYWHERE is another project executed by the trio and it is definitely a graceful nod to the beatniks and Jack Kerouac. Artists went on a road trip and would post their GPS coordinates on their website and wait for strangers to pick them up and take anywhere fellow travelers want. This route's coordinates were also live-tracked and displayed at their website. Exploration of the collective mind, trust and technology-based fate are the leitmotivs of this interactive adventure.

With Donald's Trump election as a president of the United States, the whole world turned political with LaBeouf as no exception. The trio launched a protest action/performance that is meant to last for 4 years (till the next elections). Anyone is welcomed to join! HEWILLNOTDIVIDE.US consists of a camera setting outside of the Museum of the Moving Image in New York, with the words "He Will Not Divide Us" written on the wall that is being filmed. The camera is streaming the spot for 24/7 and everyone can speak up and say the phrase as much as they want to. This is a place of "anti-division" and total acceptance, along with a protest against the Trumps's controversial policies. 

While we become very used to the idea of art being something rather shocking, unsettling and disturbing, it is not necessarily true. Though in the past couple of decades art scene became increasingly interested in the controversial topics, there is still room for something a bit more dazzling and lightweight. Today we are going to talk about artist that meets all of the mentioned requires. He is moving, he is dazzling, he is bright. Let's dive in the world of Nick Cave's art! 

His most cherished works are “Soundsuits”, and the name is the best description of its concept. As a child, Cave was raised by a single mother along with his six older brothers. With a very limited budgets, the artist would show an early interest in the found objects and its concept. While studying in Kansas City Art Institute, he expressed an interest in dancing program and begun his training. 

Cave's first sculptural suit was created in 1992 with just small branches and sticks that made specific sounds while the person in costume was moving. Although costumes are exhibited in the various manner, in the forms of static sculptures or documented on video, this kind of art is better observed in motion.

In artist's performances music is playing a huge part, as well as rhythm and dynamics. It creates hypnotic atmosphere, similar to the ritual dances of African tribes. Indeed, Cave is very much inspired by the attires involved in different cultures, such as The Dogon costumes of Mali in Western Africa or Chinese carnival costumes and European ball traditions. 

Cave himself says that he is very much interested in all kinds of apparel that accompanies cultural rituals and events in various countries. Similar to them, Cave's costumes has wide emotional range and symbolize different emotions, from sadness and grief to joy and humorous spirits. 

Good day to all our readers! If you do not have any plans for the weekends, we can suggest you some very nice movies choices. They are not only beautifully directed, but also have an educational message. The relationships of an artist with his creations are complicated, but they are even more complicated when it comes to muses. In addition, we have a little bonus advice, that you, as an art-lover, will surely enjoy!

La Belle Noiseuse This 1991 feature film tells us a story of a acknowledged painter that now lives quietly with his family afar from the crowds and cities. His settled life is disturbed by the arrival of his young colleague and his girlfriend, beautiful Marianne. After meeting her, master decides to accomplish his once started masterpiece. But, of course, it is not that simple, and the story develops into a study of art limits, authority, jealousy, and passions. The motion picture received positive reviews from critics and two Cannes Film Festival prices! Not to mention a stunning Emmanuele Beart in the leading role.

Factory Girl World just can't get enough of Andy Warhol! The name of the movie is referring his famous studio in New York, the Factory. The film revolves around one of Warhol's muses and "it girls" Edie Sedgwick. Her style, her energy was moving and quite fresh. She was considered to be a very big star, but life decided differently. To see the whole story you have to watch the movie! Lots of pop-art and 60s outfits included!

Klimt Gustav Klimt is a legendary figure not only because of his perplexing art. He was known for his frequent encounters with numerous women, who were or became soon his models. He was fascinated with women's beauty, with their sensuality. In this biographical fantasy Klimt, played by the exceptional John Malkovich, not only reflects on his previous romantic interests, but also on his struggles for artistic freedom and search for self-expression. In this movie you can distinctly see a cinematic style that matches Klimt's oeuvre, especially his gold works.

Surviving Picasso 

Picasso is a legend. From Many points of view. He had this incredible ability to forecast trends and to execute them with a supreme talent. Nobody knows how he did it. How he managed to stay on top for so mane years. Some say he stole ideas, some say he is simply a genius, other think he was inspired by his lovers. With this film starring Antony Hopkins we have a chance to view life with Picasso through the eyes of his muse and lover Françoise Gilot. Movie also has some famous people in its sleeve, and tells rather a contradictory version of perks of sharing life with a genius. 

Camille Claudel Award nominated movie starring iconic French actors Isabelle Adjani and Gérard Depardieu. If you know the name in the tittle of the movie you are probably familiar with the whole story. But no worries, we will not give away any spoilers! This is a story about great sculptor Auguste Rodin and his muse/lover/fellow colleague Camille Claudel. They begun their relationships when Camille was only 19, and it was a rise of the carriers for both artists. But life always has its perks, so let's see where these two passionate souls will go.

Today we are starting with a new type of material. Once in a while we are going to make interviews with young (or not very) artists and ask them a bunch of questions about life in the virtual and real world, about their art, inspirations and struggles. And our first guest is Andy Spiess, collage artist based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

Poison Leaf: Hi, Andy! So how have you grown to arts? 

Andi Spiess: Hello there) Well, like almost everything in this life, it came to me quite suddenly.This summer, the two people who raised me both passed. My aunt passed suddenly while my grandmother passed very slowly. I stayed in her home for three months to be her sole caretaker and to do all I can for her. While I was there I found collage as a way to express my feelings and to just get through. I used the scissors and magazines that were in the house.

PL: So you are using only actual materials, no digital arranging?

A.S: Exactly. I am a (proud) analog artist, meaning I create all of my images with my scissors, blazes, and clue, and I spent lots of time and effort on finding my source materials. I try to focus on analog photography, but I also use modern images. In general I am drawn to the simplicity.

PL: How did you decide to share your works? 

A.S: I started my Instagram account in 2014 as a personal account. In July of 2016 I started to post my works there. Later on I was asked to sell my works and to keep creating, so I changed my profile to a business account and never looked back. But the whole thing was a bit of surprise for me, actually. I had no expectations when I had just started.

PL: Why collage?

A.S: I reached out to collage because I love the concept of not just gluing materials together, but combining deeply rooted remix of cultures that was born from collage. I think collage is a way to change popular culture and advertising from the inside.

PL: Do you have any kind of background related to arts?

A.S: Actually, I have never wanted to be an artists. After my grandmother passed, I studied collage under Cecil Touchon at the International Museum of Collage, Assembly and Construction in my hometown of Santa Fe.

PL: What inspires you in terms of fellow artists and ideas?

A.S: My greatest visual influences are Ron English, Hannah Höch, and Ru Paul. I found the billboard liberation movement after high-school and I have always loved the concept of subvertising. 

PL: What do you want to tell with your art?

A.S:I have experienced many miracles and unexplainable phenomenon, and I stopped questioning what is possible long ago. All of my work is a product of my emergence from the loss of my two best friends, my aunt and my grandmother. And I try to show what is really there, not just what can be seen.

For decades the relationships between art and fashion has been a source of controversy and debates. There are dozens of prejudices involved in this discourse: the question of "high art", consumption, fashion as a mere product manufacture, commercializing etc. Amid all these obstacles, fashion and art has been interfering with one another over time; sometimes more  successfully, while other times - not so much. Today we are going to have a loo at some of the most interesting and controversial collaborations between these two fields.

Yves Saint Laurent & Piet Mondrian While we are familiar with the oeuvre by the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian, not everyone knows about his contribution to the fashion world. His works were very much about rhythm, musical as well as the dynamics of nature around us. This is the perfect pursuit for swinging 60s and its experimenting fashion. Yves Saint Laurent created an a-silhouette dress with the complex seamlessness structure - each peace was sewed separately to create this illusion. The dress turned into an iconic symbol of the era, just as the artwork that inspired it.

Zaha Hadid & Chanel Yes, the collaboration between an architect and a famous fashion brand is possible. Though it might not deal with garments directly.In 2008 Zaha Hadid, who was names as  'Queen of the curve' by The Guardian, cooperated with Chanel in order to create a mobile pavilion for the famous fashion house. The structure of the pavilion's surface played with the design of iconic Chanel purse and was designed in a way to be put together in less than a week. Though the project gained a lot of criticism due to its neglect of the surrounding architectural environment (well, just as some other Hadid's daring buildings), it became a significant point in the Chanel promotion campaign.

Cindy Sherman & Comme des Garcons Cindy Sherman who is famous for her series Untitled Film Stills where she had created an enigmatic and collective image of a movie-and-media influenced woman had a collaboration with Japanese brand Comme des Garcons and its designer Rei Kawakubo. The Kawakubo's style is not traditional in any kind of way, so the final product of the cooperation was quite unique. Sherman created an image of a peculiar model, rather going for decadence that the glamorous perfection typical for the fashion campaigns. As an outcome we have a perfectly surreal and daring photos that expressed style and manner of the designer and a photographer in a most flattering way for both of them.

Today we are going to talk about women in art. For ages women have been rather a subject of admiration and inspiration than a real participants of the process. In the 18th - 19th century painting was the part of young girl's education, but it was primarily a means of a good tone and a social attire. Girls with nice education was placed in a good position in the community so they have better chances of marrying well. So actually this fact had nothing to do with involvement in the art process. With all of the changes in 20th century the situation has evolved, and women became just as essential to art scene as men. Let us get acquainted with some of the important figures who had established women’s representation in art.

Diane Arbus 

Arbus represents a very strong, consistent voice in the world of photography. Her oeuvre is deeply psychological, with clear surrealistic tones to it. Indeed, her photography was the way to deal with chaotic reality, to get through the depression. 

Her vision is strong and unique. She became the first American photographer to be represented at the Venice Biennale, and her photobook has been one of the best selling  photo monographs ever.  Her approach and the choice of subjects, emotional, sometimes melancholic, outcasted, witty, grotesque, but always humane had made an impact on the upcoming generation of visual artists.

Marina Abramović Without this iconic lady it would be really hard to imagine the emerging of the performance art. She challenged the audience by pushing the limits of the allowable behavior in society and between the viewer and the artist. People call her "grandmother" of performances and in many ways she was a pioneer in terms of raised topics and audacity. Being quite daring, Abramović was studying the limits of human body while, actually, putting her life at danger sometimes. "Once you enter into the performance state you can push your body to do things you absolutely could never normally do." In her 1974 performance Rhythm 0 she placed 72 object on the table in front of her, taking a passive role. Audience could do whatever they want. During this performance Abramović was stripped, cut, hurt in many ways, and at some point a guest aimed a gun at her head; after 6 hours she regained her active role and started walking towards the public, but people run away in fear of the consequences of their actions. The point of the performance was to explore what people could do when not facing social restrictions and punishment. Rhythm 0 is a vivid example of the artist's oeuvre: Marina Abramović always dares people, dares herself, and the whole world. She raises question that everybody is too afraid to ask, because the answer might be not pleasurable at all.  

Frida Kahlo When you think of Mexico - you think of Frida Kahlo. When you think of vivid lively colors - you think of Frida Kahlo. When you think about buoyant personality and incredible stamina - you think of Frida Kahlo. This amazing woman had been through a lot in her life - at the age of eighteen she survived a traffic accident, but it coasted her lifelong health problems accompanied with pain issues. Despite that misfortune Frida had an outgoing and lively character, she had rather rebellious nature and was very keen to everything unconventional.

There are a lot of worth seeing places in the world. Today we are going to talk about buildings; particularly those one that were meant to astonish, serve and be useful. But the history had a different plan for these unconventional structures. We are talking about soviet constructivism and its creations - fantastic geometric buildings, that were meant to replace old traditional architecture.  But let's start from the beginning and get the glimpse at the essence of this fascinating movement.

It all begun in the beginning of 20th century. During 20-30, at the time of establishing the new-born USSR, the October Revolution changed not only the political and social structure, but also the directions of art and culture in the country. With the new era and all the technical advances came the new notion in art, that crossed out the historical and decorative values of architecture and art. In the constructivist reality buildings were supposed to be functional and useful, have mathematically calculated forms and serve to the convenience of the people. During that period the idea of very functional art was among the most popular and innovative ones. Art should not be conceived in the name of visual satisfaction, but to serve city dwellers and productions, to have practical applications. For instance, one of the theorists of this kind of art, Boris Arvatov, wrote: "artists will not depict beautiful bodies, but nourish real harmonious people; will not paint a forest, but plant parks and gardens; will not decorate walls with paintings, but paint  those walls instead." So the architecture of that period was built under the influence of such ideas. Initially, all of these buildings seemed like miracles of the bright future and technical progress. 

They were bold, daring and unusual. As time went by, these architecture became less and less advanced in the terms of creativeness and design and moved towards more typical, simple, yet still geometrical forms. 

Yes, we know that there is plenty of time left for the Christmas shopping. But you know how it goes: one thing leads to another and it is already two days left! So you better get started on your gift ideas today, and we will certainly help you with that. Especially if you are looking for something special for people who are irresistible and inevitably in love with books and art like we are. So let's get down to the five ideas of the smart Christmas gifts we have in mind.

1. A bit of Hitchcock for everybody 

Alfred Hitchcock's influence on the contemporary visual culture is undeniable! Take for instance Xavier Dolan's fascination with his cinematography. What could be better than a book about maestro? Well, a book of interviews with maestro taken by another iconic persona in the world of movies -  French new wave guru François Truffaut. He interviewed Hitchcock during the eight days in 1962 and offered to issue a book. 

In 2015 a documentary based on the book had been released; it contains a numerous reflections on the book's influence on the course of cinematography from the most famous directors such as Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Wes Anderson, David Fincher, Arnaud Desplechin, and Olivier Assayas. The significance of this possible gift idea is obvious. Moreover, it has numerous photographs and movie stills - a real treat for all cinema lovers! 

2. Urban vibes 

If you are looking for a present for the rebellious art lovers type, such as street art and graffiti fans, this book is just perfect for you! Training days covers the story of train bombing told from the perspective of 12 subway artists. 

The uniqueness of this book is not only in over the hundred images of subway graffiti, but also in the lengthy overview of the development of this movement. We can observe different stages of subway art; what it was like in its infancy, and how it is doing now. And let's not forget that everything is told firsthand.

3. In Museums We Trust 

Museums are great. Let's just state it one more time. But they appear to have another wonderful feature - gift shops. And we must say that you can find absolutely amazing present over there. It all depends on the tastes. For example, for all Van Gogh admirers this book from the Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum would be just perfect! it analyzes artist's oeuvre and has a great deal of images inside. 

So the best decision you can make for the Christmas shopping is to go to the museum's gift shop and find a right present for a right person. The good thing is the variety of choices, you can buy there books, posters, mugs, even action figures! (even Sigmund Freud action figure - you would like that for yourself, don't deny it!)

4. Fancy notebooks 

This is a gift suitable for everyone. You just need to pick the right motive. We have a bit of everything here - from floral pattern to the Wes Anderson enthusiast. The range of handmade or customized notebooks is enormous and you can always find them online. You may also want to check out fancy sketch books if you have somebody who draws in your gift list. 

5. Art Prints

Well, if people love art - give them art! We are talking about quality prints and canvases. Pick the favorable style, wrap it, ship it, give it! And we certainly know the place to do so - at Poisonleaf online shop! There are all kinds of art over there, but every single piece is filled with weirdness and fierceness! Check it out!

"The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone". This saying by famous German poet and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is highly relevant to the hero of the following article. Today we are going to talk about Alberto Giacometti and his sculptures that transformed into a symbol of a post-war period and a visualization of the existential philosophy. His figurative works stood out from the total domination of an abstract art during the 50s and made quite an impact not only on the art scene, but also on the philosophical field. Giacometti started as the Surrealist and experimented with the popular at that time Freudian theories and resembled almost toy-like objects, that aroused the notion to interact with them. It was also influenced by primitive art, just as many other modernist works. But after the Second World War, the world had changed drastically, as well as the sculptor himself. Alberto Giacometti focused on the image of a human in the nearly post-apocalyptic Europe that had survived so much horrors and pain. Let's take a look at some of his most famous works and pick up main motives of his oeuvre.

As we have mentioned, his first works were quite surreal. This particular sculpture was immediately noticed by the Surrealists and made quite an impression even on Salvador Dali. This enigmatic sculpture has an erotic nature to it, the objects are both floating and trapped at the same time.

Later on Giacometti was struggling to find his own language; he didn't want to be categorized as solely surreal artist. In his search he came to the human figure and with the time it took the form he would be famous for. Very thin, shadow-like figures usually appear as notable, but always lonely objects. His figures have some special melancholic feeling to them; they almost do not exist, they seem to fade away or to appear at the distance. This correlated with the sentiments of the post-war society and existential philosophy. "Man - and man alone - reduced to a thread - in the dilapidation and misery of the world - who searches for himself - starting from nothing... Man on a pavement like burning iron; who cannot lift his heavy feet." Francis Ponge wrote in his article.

Giacometti brought up one of the most basic questions of humanity - the meaning of an existence of a men, the relation between a person and the surrounding world, between himself and "the other". What is our place in the universe? What should we be heading towards? These might be just the questions Giacometti's sculptured people ask themselves.