Author: Ray Monde

Australian-born, contemporary paper artist. View my work at: raymonde.com.au
Art

Matisse is not some holy relic, stop the divine reverence! @Tate

As an artist who works primarily in collage I was so excited to go see The Cut-Outs at the Tate Modern in London. I was anticipating the thrill of his colours, his mesmerising coral-like shapes and watching his dexterous skill, snipping and revealing beauty in simple shapes. But you know what, all the kow-towing and hushed voices, all the oohhs-and-ahhs and worshipping of his work … Continue reading Matisse is not some holy relic, stop the divine reverence! @Tate

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Art

WW1 horrors for all the world to see, repeated today #WW1

Looking at this photo of Over the Top by John Nash you see just how macabre war is. The slumped shoulders of B Company, the drudging effort to climb out of the trenches on December 30, 1917. It’s depressingly every day and horrific. Nick Clark wrote a beautiful piece about it for The Independent which you can read in it’s entirety here. The biggest shock for … Continue reading WW1 horrors for all the world to see, repeated today #WW1

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The most incredible archaelogical site that you’ve never heard of #art #archaeology

For anyone who’s been to Herculaneum, Italy and seen the amazingly preserved buildings, the beautiful frescoes, grafitti on the walls, you’d easily think ‘Nothing can get better than this’. Especially since it’s tied up with sudden massive diabolical destruction. It has history and drama wrapped up. This was 79AD. You can walk the streets almost like they were almost 2000 years ago. You’d only think … Continue reading The most incredible archaelogical site that you’ve never heard of #art #archaeology

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Warhol versus Hulusi: a tale of two struggling artists #art #popart #design

Here’s the thing. As an artist, you’ve got to start somewhere. Today, in Istanbul I came across an amazing juxtaposition of two artistic greats, whose artistic careers led two very different trajectories. And I had to ask myself, why? Why does one achieve international acclaim and become a household name, while the other is relegated to a small back room at a university gallery. Follow … Continue reading Warhol versus Hulusi: a tale of two struggling artists #art #popart #design

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Face of a miner at Instanbul Modern, #turkeyminedisaster on my mind

While there’s protests on the streets, water cannon and armoured riot police in back alleyways, Instanbul Modern proudly adorns its walls with this work, Miner, by Nedim Günsür. To me, it’s a protest in itself. More striking for me is how little I know about artists from this area. As an artist, my art worldview is wallpapered with American, British and Europeans artists, with small … Continue reading Face of a miner at Instanbul Modern, #turkeyminedisaster on my mind

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Art

These portraits made of #Lego are strangely compelling

Waking the streets of beautiful Bath on a family outing, we stepped from the sunlit streets into the Victoria Art Gallery where the Bath Society of Artists were holding their 109th Annual Exhibition. The walls were packed with art, sometimes three works high, like some great Victorian parlour. There were some expected works but the stand outs for me were these simple works by David … Continue reading These portraits made of #Lego are strangely compelling

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Art

A serendipitous encounter with Hassan Sharif in Al Quoz

There’s a dazzling brightness to Dubai that is almost too much to bear – a jammed brilliance that fills every corner of your periphery. An unfettered optimism comes with that brilliance that encouraged us to trek through the blazing heat past cement factories and industrial plants to the art oasis of Al Quoz. A cluster of factories that harbour incredible galleries and creative hangouts. There … Continue reading A serendipitous encounter with Hassan Sharif in Al Quoz

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Art

The Good and Evil of #Collage #19BOS #MCANow

Collage is a funny thing, you’re always appropriating someone else’s work. For me, I love cutting up and reworking high-end glossy magazines. It’s a way for me to destroy my past life in advertising to create something new and refreshing. But I also think there’s a propensity to get a little lazy by slapping something together and calling it art. The Biennale of Sydney 2014 … Continue reading The Good and Evil of #Collage #19BOS #MCANow

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LaserCat feeds on your art and he’s very hungry #art #bizarre #hungrycastle

“What did you do today, honey?” “Fed my art to LaserCat so he can project it on the moon.” This is the kind of conversation artists are having all over the world as LaserCat dominates the art scene in the lead up to he Art Directors Club Awards. It’s the kind of craziness we’ve come to expect from Hungry Castle and we’ve got to love … Continue reading LaserCat feeds on your art and he’s very hungry #art #bizarre #hungrycastle

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One of the best exhibitions in the world, ever: #darkheart at the Art Gallery of South Australia

It’s a big call I know but it’s true, Dark Heart at the Art Gallery of South Australia is magnificent. Sensation at the Royal Academy in London may have had shock and gore, but Dark Heart is all awe. It’s exceptionally well-curated, in way that Nick Mitzevich only knows how. Alex Seton’s Some died trying to have a life like mine is paired beautifully but … Continue reading One of the best exhibitions in the world, ever: #darkheart at the Art Gallery of South Australia

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