Spotlight: Switzerland’s New Platform 10 Art District

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Every year in Basel, Switzerland, Art Basel presents an exhibition featuring high end works by local artists. This yearly exhibition has turned Switzerland into more than just a blip on the map in the world of contemporary art.

 

This event brings together hipsters with art curators and gallery owners to create a community of passionate and dedicated artists. Due to its overwhelming popularity, there are now two competing art shows held in Hong Kong and Miami Beach.

 

Art has always been a significant part of the culture in Switzerland. Since Art Basel was launched, the fine arts have been treasured throughout the country. As a result. Switzerland boasts world-famous art museums. Some of these museums include:

 

  • Bern’s Zentrum Paul Klee Museum
  • Zurich’s Kunsthaus
  • Lucerne’s Rosengart Collection

 

Currently, under construction, Plateforme 10, set to be the largest museum in Switzerland, will be the next-door neighbor of the Lausanne train station. As the center of the city, it will be a prime spot for tourists to visit.

 

Once it is open for business, the Plateforme 10 is poised to set the city’s definition of an art district. It will hold a total of three museums on its property. These three museums are currently spaced out around the city. The Plateforme 10 will be the new home of:

 

  • Musee Cantonal des Beaux-Arts
  • Musee de l’Elysee
  • Museum of Contemporary Design And Applied Arts

 

In total, the three museums will come together to cover a campus stretching 237,000 feet. As a result, all three museums will have more space in which to display their exhibits.

 

To many, Lausanne is the perfect place for this new museum to open. The city is known as the world’s most free-spirited. As the Canton of Vaud capital, Lausanne borders the French Alps and Switzerland’s famous Lake Geneva. The city exudes the vibes of a young generation. As an artistic hub, it embraces a generation that thrives on their creative spirit.

 

Any art lover owes it to him or herself to plan a trip to Switzerland The Platform 10 District is not to be missed. It is an experience that visitors will never forget.

Differences Between Amateur Artists and Professional Artists

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There are several differences between amateurs and professionals, but the main differences are how long an artist spends on their art and how they look at the process of it. Practicing and continuously working on their art will help them improve and perfect it. If someone desires to achieve something bad enough, they should begin dedicating themselves to it.

 

Professional artists create patterns and routines that work for them, and they do not give up until it is accomplished. A professional artist will create a scheduled time frame to have their work completed. They are committed to improving and flourishing even if their work failed or was rejected. It is a learning experience for them.

 

Amateurs have a hard time becoming inspired and do not begin working until they feel inspired. They focus on their goals instead of trying to accomplish something within a given time frame. An amateur may also give up if they feel they did not accomplish their goals. In addition, they are more likely to care what others think and may come to a standstill after failing. Improving their work is less of a worry than completing the work is.

 

An example of a professional artist is when someone creates a steady schedule, habits, and has decided to become a professional. A professional drawing artist may choose Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm to focus only on their drawings. They may have a small studio space to go to get away from any distractions, but that is their space to devote themselves only to their drawings. It is like working a job; the time that they are away drawing in their own space should be treated like going to their job. Eventually, a professional artist’s time, habits, and dedication will reflect in their work and others will begin to notice.

 

If an artist wishes to become a professional in their work, they should stick to a strict schedule. If an individual knows they are an amateur but aspire to become a professional, they should start believing and seeing themselves as a professional. The mindset is powerful when it comes to becoming a professional. However, actions must match thinking. It should no longer be only about getting the work done; it should be about true dedication, commitment, and setting aside time to concentrate only on their skill. Artists should push themselves to become a professional when it comes to mastering their talent, and if it is something they wish to have as a career, they should not settle for being an amateur.

The Most Famous Portrait Paintings

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Some of the world’s most famous artists are more commonly known for their detailed portraits of human subjects. Portrait paintings provide the artist with the opportunity to depict a story within the subject’s expressions. Although the meaning behind the portrait may not always be apparent, what makes most of them famous is the open interpretation of the emotions and inner thoughts of the subject. Here are some of history’s most recognizable faces. 

 

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

Not surprisingly, the Louvre’s invaluable portrait would make this list. Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait of a merchant’s wife, Lisa Gherardini, is perceived as the most famous piece of art in history. Originally commissioned by the merchant as a gift for his consort, da Vinci ended up keeping the Mona Lisa for the remainder of his life. When is passed away in 1519, the painting then fell into place in various French Palaces, including that of Napoleon Bonaparte, until finding it’s permanent resting place in the Louvre.  

 

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer

Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer was one of the most well-known artists of his time. The painting is often referred to as the “Dutch Mona Lisa” appearing a little more than 100 years after Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece. One of the most enticing aspects of the painting is that very little is known about the model that is depicted. Viewers are fascinated with the mystery and like to speculate a story behind Vermeer’s subject. Modern-day entertainment has since written novels and movies about the peculiar girl.    

 

Le Rêve (The Dream) by Pablo Picasso

Known for his modern cubism style of painting, Pablo Picasso has a unique style that has made him one of the most famous painters in history. Le Rêve is a portrait of his 22-year old mistress at the time, Marie-Thérèse Walter. Picasso often painted her using bright colors, evoking pleasant emotions in the interpretation of their relationship. Picasso was not one to shy away from expressing emotions in his work that others would not be inclined to. 

 

American Gothic by Grant Wood 

Since it was painted in 1930, the relationship of the subjects of Wood’s most famous work has been discussed by art lovers across the world. In fact, the man who modeled for the painting is Wood’s dentist, and the woman is his sister. The two had an unusual connection for portrait subjects in that they were strangers to one another. Grant Wood was intentional about choosing subjects that he could imagine living in the Dribble House in Iowa, which served as his inspiration for the painting. 

The Highest Selling Pieces of Art in 2018

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While 2017 was a blockbuster year for art auctions, with the $450.3 million sale of Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, 2018 was still an impressive year in its own right. Last year was the Rockefeller auction, which was the most valuable single-owner private sale in the history of America. Here are some of the most expensive pieces of art that were sold in 2018.

 

Nu Couché (Sur Le Côté Gauche) by Amedeo Modigliani

Last May, this piece sold for $157,159,000. Reclining nudes by Modigliani don’t come to auction very often, so it’s understandable that this piece sold for such a high price. Soethby’s assigned the piece the highest presale estimate in auction house history. This also made it the most expensive item ever sold at Sotheby’s, and the fourth most expensive artwork sold at an auction overall.

 

Chop Suey by Edward Hopper

Best known for Nighthawks, Edward Hopper made headlines last year with the sale of Chop Suey. Hopper mainly used oil paints to create his artwork and this piece is no exception. Originally estimated to sell for $70 million, the instantly recognizable painting went for $91,875,000 in November 2018 at Christie’s New York. The piece even inspired a bidding war between Loïc Gouzer, Christie’s co-chairman of postwar and contemporary art last month, and Eric Widing, a specialist at Christie’s who worked with Barney Ebsworth to build his art collection.

 

Suprematist Composition by Kasimir Malevich

A 2-foot by 3-foot painting, this piece of art cost $99,320 per square inch, for a total of $85,812,500. Sold at Christie’s in May of last year, the piece was purchased by Brett Gorvy, the current co-owner of Lévy Gorvy and the former post-war chairman of the house. Selling above the $70 million estimate, the piece set a new record for Malevich.

 

Femme au béret et à la robe quadrillée (Marie-Thérèse Walter) by Pablo Picasso

In late February of last year, a single advisor purchased 13 Picasso pieces in a span of two days for the price of $155.2 million. A large majority of that total was spent on this portrait of Picasso’s golden muse, Marie-Thérèse Walter. The painting came out to $55.9 million, much higher than the $40.6 estimated price. Sotheby’s London held the auction and Lord Mark Poltimore did the bidding for Harry Smith of Gurr Johns.

What Pieces of Art Survived the Notre Dame Fire and What was Lost

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On April 15, the roof of the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris caught on fire. The fire burned for 12 hours before firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze. While the roof of the Cathedral and the iconic spire collapsed, not everything is a loss. A lot of the precious relics and artwork were able to be saved from the building. First responders and firefighters formed a human chain to pass many of the artifacts to safety.

 

According to French Culture Minister Franck Riester, many of the most vital artwork and artifacts were able to be saved. Many of the pieces will be moved to the Louvre to be restored or repaired if needed. The Crown of Thorns thought to be worn by Jesus during his crucifixion, and a 13th-century tunic believed to be worn by St. Louis, the only French king that was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.

 

A number of other famed pieces of art survived the fire. The three large stained glass Rose Windows survived the fire and don’t seem to have suffered any significant damage. The Cathedral’s grand organ, made up of over 8,000 pipes with some dating back to the Medieval period, is also thought to be safe, although it may have experienced water damage while the fire was being extinguished. The copper statues of the 12 apostles are safe. The statues had been removed a few days before the fire to be cleaned and restored, as they were badly tarnished.

 

Four large-scale paintings of the apostles from the 17th and 18th century suffered at least part damage. A separate part of the Crown of Thorns is known to have been lost during the fire, in addition to relics from two other saints. The unofficial symbol of France, a Gallic depiction of a rooster, is in poor shape.

 

The status of many items inside the Cathedral is unknown. State employees have to wait 48 hours before being allowed to enter the building to be able to care for the artwork inside. The fate of a nail and piece of wood believed to have used in the crucifixion of Jesus are unknown.

 

Because the fire was mostly contained to the roof, it’s believed that the flames have not damaged most of the artwork inside. However, there may be smoke damage to the pieces. Starting Friday, some of the most significant pieces of art will start being removed.