Lady Gaga Morphs Into Classic Paintings Via Video - A Comparative Look.

A video installation by artist Robert Wilson inserts Pop music phenom Lady Gaga into such classic pieces of art as Andrew Solari’s The Head of John the Baptist on a Charger (1507), Jacques-Louis David’s The Death of Marat (1793) and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres' famous portrait of Mademoiselle Caroline Rivière (1793-1807).


above: a view of the installation at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac

Mademoiselle Caroline Rivière
Lady Gaga as the Portrait of Mademoiselle Caroline Rivière by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1793-1807):

The original painting:

Side by side:


The Death of Marat
Lady Gaga as the murdered Marat in Jacques-Louis David’s The Death of Marat (1793):

The original painting:

A still of the video:

Side by side:


The Head of John the Baptist
Lady Gaga as Andrew Solari’s The Head of John the Baptist on a Charger (1507):

Video stills showing the morphing of Gaga into the original painting:


The original painting:

Side by side:


The artist at work on the video portraits of Lady Gaga:


The video portraits are one part of a two part exhibit from artist Robert Wilson presently showing at The Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac. In the second part, he and Lady Gaga are seen in action during the shooting of the video "Flying" (a sort of "making of") , in which the musician can be seen hanging upside down naked while a rope cuts into her skin, bending her left leg, pinning her arms behind her back and deforming her breasts.

Flying:



The artist and Lady Gaga on the set of Flying:


The press release:
The Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac is pleased to present an exhibition of video portraits that Robert Wilson made in London in November 2013: Video Portraits of Lady Gaga.

American artist and stage director Wilson has based this series of slowly shifting video portraits on old masters like Ingres and Solario. Lady Gaga's face and body metamorphose into the features of Mademoiselle Rivière, for example, in a video inspired by the famous portrait of Mademoiselle Caroline Rivière by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1793-1807). Wilson also gives us a variation in eleven steps based on Andrea Solario's Head of John the Baptist on a charger (1507) in which the 16th century model and the transformed face of the pop star merge in and out of each other.

The second room is devoted to the making-of of the two artists' joint production. Robert Wilson and Lady Gaga are seen in action during the shooting of the video Flying. Robert Wilson dictates every movement, every item of scenery and every shade of lighting. His artistry as a stage director finds its highest fulfilment in Lady Gaga’s sheer power and determination. "She is capable of changing character at an alarming speed", says Wilson.

Video Portraits of Lady Gaga is Robert Wilson's fourth exhibition at the Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac. In 1993 the gallery presented drawings from his adaptation of Mozart's Magic Flute at the Opéra Bastille, and in 1996 the designs for the opera Erwartung at the Théâtre du Châtelet. In 2006 there was an exhibition at the gallery of his series of portraits, Faces of Mozart, in graphite, coloured inks and watercolour.

Check out Wallpaper Magazine's article on the exhibit here

About the artist:
Robert Wilson was born in Waco, Texas. He studied at the University of Texas and at the Pratt Institute, New York City. In the 1960s he was recognized as one of the leading lights of avant-garde theatre in Manhattan. With the performance company, the Byrd Hoffman School of Byrds, he created Deafman Glance (1970) and in 1976 his opera Einstein on the Beach with music by Philip Glass brought him worldwide renown and changed conventional perceptions of opera.

Since then, Robert Wilson has staged both original works and works from the traditional repertoire, notably: The CIVIL warS (1983-1985), Salome at la Scala, Milan (1987), Black Rider at the Théâtre du Châtelet (1990), Orlando with Isabelle Huppert at the Théâtre de l’Odéon (1993), Wagner's Ring at the Zurich Opera (2002), Lulu by Frank Wedekind with music by Lou Reed at the Théâtre de la Ville (2011), The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic in Manchester (2011) and at the Teatro Real, Madrid (2012). In November 2013, he presented The Old Woman by Daniils Kharms, with Willem Dafoe and Mikhaïl Barynchnikov at the Théâtre de la Ville and in December, at the same venue, Peter Pan with the Berliner Ensemble and music by CocoRosie. He will be staging another production of Einstein on the Beach in January 2014 at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Robert Wilson is currently featured in the Festival d’Automne à Paris, 2013 and he is guest artist at the Louvre.

images courtesy of the artist and the gallery -  their official sites, facebook pages and twitter feeds

It's A Hirschfeld Holiday At Henri Bendel. The Al Hirschfeld Spectacular Window And Store Decorations.

Carol Channing, Whoopi Goldberg, Jerry Stiller, Sarah Jessica Parker with Matthew Broderick, Liza Minnelli, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Woody Allen, and Bernadette Peters are appearing as three-dimensional Al Hirschfeld drawings enjoying a festive dinner party in the New York Flagship Henri Bendel store window this holiday.




Visitors will see the main window of the Henri Bendel flagship store transformed into the resplendent formal dining room of a classic New York townhouse in the midst of a holiday party.







The celebrated party guests — all Al Hirschfeld’s line drawings translated into three dimensions — include: Carol Channing, Whoopi Goldberg, Jerry Stiller, Sarah Jessica Parker with Matthew Broderick, Liza Minnelli, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Bernadette Peters, and Woody Allen.

I have placed all of the 3D sculptures in the window next to the original Hirschfeld drawings for you. Woody Allen is at the top of this post.

Carol Channing is as Hirschfeld drew her in “Hello Dolly!”:



Sarah Jessica Parker appears as she was drawn in “Sex And The City”by Hirschfeld:



Matthew Broderick, SJP's hubby, looks just as he did in Hirschfeld's drawing of him in his role in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying:



Audrey Hepburn steps out of Hirschfeld’s “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” right into Bendel’s window:



Bernadette Peters is executed as she appeared in Hirschfeld's drawing of her from Sunday In the Park With George:



Whoopie Goldberg is the likeness from Hirschfeld's 1992 drawing of the actress:



The one and only Liza Minelli looks just like Al's wonderful 1999 portrait of her:



Jerry Stiller is at the center of the table with the birthday cake, his image taken from Hirschfeld's drawing of him in King of Queens:



Marilyn Monroe is reproduced just like Hirschfeld's illustration, only without the parasol:



Woody Allen is the likeness from Hirschfeld's original drawing of the director:

At the right is the artist himself, Al Hirschfeld, brought into three dimensions from his most famous self-portrait. We see Hirschfeld working away at his drawing table, seated in his famed barber’s chair:




At the center of the window hangs a large gold-plated chandelier sparkling with Swarovski Elements:



The "Hirschfeld Spectacular" is a tribute to the late illustrator who is considered by many to be the greatest line artist of the modern era. In addition to the sculptures created from Hirschfeld drawings for the window scene, Al Hirschfeld’s original line art is featured throughout Henri Bendel, including a two-story-high presentation of illustrations.





Framed drawings by Hirshfeld are found throughout the store as well:



The centerpiece of the atrium is Henri Bendel’s iconic two-story tree, covered in malachite and punctuated with 15 Swarovski Crystal Chandeliers:



Atop the tree is Al Hirschfeld’s Charlie Chaplin, also sculpted in three dimensions, looking down at all who enter the store:




For more than 75 years Hirschfeld drew luminaries from Broadway and Hollywood for “The New York Times” and almost every other notable publication. Full of wit and verve, in distinctively bold and often intricate lines, Hirschfeld captured the greats with his pen. Actors, singers, dancers, producers, directors, and playwrights, classical musicians and rock bands-from the 1920’s on, being “Hirschfelded” signified that you had arrived. Famously, Hirschfeld drew while seated in a barber’s chair in his New York City studio. Hirschfeld continued to work daily until his death in 2003.

Henri Bendel has worked hand-in-hand with Hirschfeld’s exclusive gallery, the Margo Feiden Galleries Ltd., New York, to create a truly unique presentation of the late illustrator’s work for their holiday windows.

The displays in the window and throughout the store were hand sculpted by Tom Carroll Scenery, with the art direction and assistance of Henri Bendel Assistant VP of Visual, Gilberto Santana.



 above: The HIRSCHFELD SPECTACULAR! Poster (Size: 37"h x 28"w) is available for purchase. Until January 2, 2014, the price is $135 (includes shipping, packed flat). OR, Collect the Poster with our Compliments, our Gift to you with the purchase of a Hirschfeld Drawing, Lithograph, or Etching. Purchase by calling the MARGO FEIDEN GALLERIES LTD at 212.677.5330

Where: Henri Bendel, 712 Fifth Avenue at 56th Street

When: The Hirschfeld Spectacular will be on display throughout the Henri Bendel flagship store until January 2, 2014.

Why: Until January 2, 2014, when you collect a Hirschfeld Spectacular Poster at the Henri Bendel flagship store, 20% of your purchase will support The Actors Fund’s Al Hirschfeld Free Clinic and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

images courtesy of Zimbio

Henri Bendel

Body Painting Artist Emma Hack Goes "Pop!"

This is my third post on the jaw-dropping work of Australian body artist, Emma Hack because I continue to be amazed at her seamless combining of the human body with backgrounds. Emma is the artist behind the famous Goyte music video and the Car Crash image made of 17 painted bodies for South Australia's Motor Accident Commission.


above: a still from the Gotye video and the car crash image of painted bodies by Emma Hack

POP! explores Emma's fascination with the pop art genre - a fun, modern day approach into the comic-inspired work of Roy Lichtenstein. Emma's heroines are not helpless however, they are strong women.

There are 3 collections within this theme. All shown below.

'The Optimists', offering a wider crop - looking at the positive side of life:

Paint The Town:

So Dangerous:

When The Dust Settles:

Enjoy The View:


'Lessons of Love', features messages to get over that bad break-up:

Big City of Hearts:

Hit Him In The Heart:

No Use Crying Over A Drop In The Ocean:

Revenge:


'.com' is based on a social media theme, drawing the girls into todays .com culture:

Sexy Babe:

Tag Me:

Text Me:

Google It:


Purchase prints of these:
Each image is mounted on glossy perspex and is an edition of 50. A fun, affordable-art line addition to Emma's current collections, you can purchase these in two sizes: 100 x 100cm or 45 x 45cm.

To purchase art works please select your region from the pull-down list on this page to be directed to your nearest Gallery.

Upcoming Gallery Show:
Emma's “Pop” collection – The Optimists opens at Seaview Gallery January 12th and runs through January 28th.

all images © and courtesy of Emma Hack