Google Art Project | As an Artist

I think this is brilliant, wonderful.

Who ever gets to see these works of art this up close?

Very few people are allowed to study these collections in this way. And rightly so. Too many visitors getting as close as Google Art Project does would destroy a work of art in no time. Yet it’s one of those many things I want to do in museums that’s not allowed; getting up close and studying the hand of the artist.

I learn a lot from being up close. I used to look at engraving stones and etching plates with a magnifying glass. But that was my own work. I love that I can now see these in this works of art way.

But I’m interested to hear what the museums and galleries have to say. There will never be a replacement for the original, but when the original isn’t avalible and certainly can’t be examined this closely by a million people all the time. [that would surely destroy it]   A certain distance is important for the life and health of the work and the viewer. In a way, the fragility of the piece, the unique nature of it being a one of a kind, gives it a life we must protect. There will never be another van Gogh’s The Bedroom and I may never be able to get it.

If museums get really desperate, they could sell personal viewings to a few people to help them pay the rent. But a few other people might get angry over that, maybe the people who couldn’t afford it.

Seems to me a double edged sword. A museum’s greatest competition can be the wealthy elite. They drive and sustain the price of art; they are who the museums bid against.  At the same time, they provide free labor, funding and donate entire collections to museums. Tricky, tricky. I understand that I’m oversimplifying a complex problem, but I think it has a simple relevance here. Who gets what kind of access?

And, what’s in the best interest of the work?  Should everyone, no one, only a few people a year, be allowed to get breath on Rembrandt’s Self Portrait. Whatever the right answer, Google says it’s everyone.

For now the following museums are included in the project:

• Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin – Germany
• Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian, Washington DC – USA
• The Frick Collection, NYC – USA
• Gemäldegalerie, Berlin – Germany
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC – USA
• MoMA, The Museum of Modern Art, NYC – USA
• Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid – Spain
• Museo Thyssen – Bornemisza, Madrid – Spain
• Museum Kampa, Prague – Czech Republic
• National Gallery, London – UK
• Palace of Versailles – France
• Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam – The Netherlands
• The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg – Russia
• State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow – Russia
• Tate Britain, London – UK
• Uffizi Gallery, Florence – Italy
• Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam – The Netherlands

Here’s a little more about it in Google’s own words:

What is the ‘Art Project’?

A unique collaboration with some of the world’s most acclaimed art museums to enable people to discover and view more than a thousand artworks online in extraordinary detail.

• Explore museums with Street View technology:virtually move around the museum’s galleries, selecting works of art that interest you, navigate though interactive floor plans and learn more about the museum and you explore.
• Artwork View: discover featured artworks at high resolution and use the custom viewer to zoom into paintings. Expanding the info panel allows you to read more about an artwork, find more works by that artist and watch related YouTube videos.
• Create your own collection: the ‘Create an Artwork Collection’ feature allows you to save specific views of any of the 1000+ artworks and build your own personalised collection. Comments can be added to each painting and the whole collection can then be shared with friends and family.

Are the images on the Art Project site copyright protected?

The high resolution imagery of artworks featured on the art project site are owned by the museums, and these images may be subject to copyright laws around the world. The Street View imagery is owned by Google. All of the imagery on this site is provided for the sole purpose of enabling you to use and enjoy the benefit of the art project site, in the manner permitted by Google’s Terms of Service.The normal Google Terms of Service apply to your use of the entire site.

The Hyrtl Simulacrum on Kick It!

A few days ago I started getting a few more hits and pledges on the Kickstarter page and was wondering what was going on.  Whatever was happening, I liked it and wanted to make sure it kept happening. So I did a little digging. I found out that a collaborative group had picked up my project and was helping to promote it on their website.  Alright. {!} The group is really a creative conference called Kick It! and is associated with Lab 24/7, an “underground space and incubator for creative projects and events” operating from the cellar of an old brownstone in BedStuy. They have the project prominently featured on their front page under “Projects We Like.”   Wow!   A very humble Thank You to you folks.

But let me let them tell you about the conference in their own words …

“KICK IT! is an afternoon of presentations, performances and exercises focused on getting projects off the ground. KICK IT! is about motivating and connecting people who want to get things done.  If that sounds like you, then keep reading… At the heart of KICK IT! is a series of demo’s by individuals and groups that are actively starting up a project, business or community effort.  The projects could be an album release, a cookbook, the invention of a new water gun, or a conference around a cause.  Based on the demo’s, the audience will vote for their favorite project, who’ll receive a cash prize. Getting things done requires learning from the mistakes, and successes, of others. So you’ll also hear advice from people who’ve hit the nail on the head, and others who miscalculated. And if you have an idea, we’ll give you an opportunity to pitch it, and match you up with other people who may want to help *you* KICK IT! That will take the form of concept lightening pitches, followed by team matchmaking. So if you have an idea that you want support on, bring your one minute schpiel. Get ready for a collaborative experience that will inspire you to cross that chasm between procrastination and action.  Because the time is now for entrepreneurs, artists, and creatives to take hold of the 21st century.  The time is now to Kick It!”

I’d received a comment/compliment from one of the folks from a group a few days ago but the link to the site wasn’t working at that time. I tried to fine it myself on the interwebs, but I had no luck and it kind of got placed on the back burner.  But not anymore!  I applied to present on March 19th, so we’ll see how it goes.  Until then: Thanks Jonathan Landau for the props. 🙂

A Recent Show I Entered

“Digital art defines the contemporary. The Los Angeles Center For Digital Art is dedicated to the propagation of all forms of digital art, new media, digital video art, net art, digital sculpture, interactive multimedia, and the vast panorama of hybrid forms of art and technology that constitute our moment in culture. We are committed to supporting local, international, emerging and established artists through exposure in our gallery.”

LACDA 2011 INTERNATIONAL JURIED COMPETITION

Jurors:
Edward Robinson, L.A. County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Rex Bruce, L.A. Center for Digital Art

All styles of artwork and photography where digital processes of any kind were integral to the creation of the images are acceptable. The competition is international, open to all geographical locations.

The winner of this competition will be the inaugural exhibit for the new 4,000 square foot gallery at 102 West Fifth, directly across from our current location! The selected winner receives 10 prints up to 44×60 inches on canvas or museum quality paper (approximately a $2,500-$3,000 value) to be shown in a solo exhibition in the main gallery from March 10-April 2, 2011. The show will be widely promoted and will include a reception for the artist.

Second place prizes: Ten second place winners will receive one print of their work up to 24×36 inches ($150-$200 in value) to be included in upcoming group exhibits. Second place winners will be scheduled into a group shows within twelve months of announcement of winners. Consideration is given to placing these works in shows appropriate to their style, genre and/or content. These shows will be widely promoted and will include a reception for the artists.

Artist’s Reception: March 10, 7-9pm. The artist’s reception will be the opening gala at our new expanded location in conjunction with the Downtown Art Walk which is attended by up to 20,000 gallery goers.

Deadline for entries: February 15, 2011
Winners Announced: February 21, 2011
Exhibit Dates: March 10-April 2, 2011

I entered The Rope Walker and Our Child Murderer: