​Human creativity is a mere reflection in the pool of what the universe does all the time. From the days of the beginning, when the laws of physics were put into action, to the modern day with stars and galaxies stretching out as far as the eye can see, creation itself shows us what is possible from just a few raw ingredients. The entire visible universe is made of protons, neutrons, electrons, and photons. The relationship between these things is well-defined and in knowing the rules, scientists have been able to look deep into the night sky and figure out what is going on.
 
From these basic raw ingredients and the laws that govern their behaviour, the universe is able to create all manner of complex and enormous constructions. Stars and planets have formed in every possible way that we can think of and more, plumes of dust span huge distances that mean we see them over a period of millions of years in one view because of the finite speed of light, with the furthest side being so far away that the light we receive is much older than the light we see from the near side.
 
Galaxies are completely extraordinary in their diversity. Spirals with varying arms and colours, globular forms, ellipses, and clusters all take on differing forms based on a few set rules. The different colours and effects of material, light, and gravity produce a spectacular array of shapes, colours, densities, and behaviours. Each one can be studied in so much depth that you can uncover an almost infinite amount of information about its contents and how it moves through space.
 
From the very big to the very small, living creatures have been able to use these same basic ingredients to allow the universe to perceive itself through its own material. The laws of the universe have allowed its contents to assemble in such a way that a conscious understanding of what it is can be achieved. It’s completely remarkable how this has been achieved from what is believed to be nothing. Where did these laws come from that allows such things to happen? Who knows, but what we do know has been put down in video lecture form for us all to learn from and enjoy.
 
When we learn about one artist, we can decipher their work through an understanding of their life story. We can learn about their motivations, circumstances, history, and achievements in order to appreciate what they produced, why they decided on it, and what makes it so unique. Space is like this, the universe is like an artist with a huge story behind it. By learning the story and by deciphering the encoded wisdom, it’s possible to look way into the distance and figure out what is going on. A complete course that is suitable for people who know very little about the subject and for people who want to refresh their memory, An Introduction To Astronomy is on YouTube from Professor Jason Kendal.
 
A more advanced selection of material is also available, for those of you who want to get a more in-depth understanding of the most up-to-date thinking on the subject.  Enjoy this full-length and free introduction to graduate level astronomy from Jason Kendal. 
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​​From just four dollars to an approximate quarter of a million, an antique painting has been determined as by one of the master painters of the early 20th Century. N.C. Wyeth is responsible for some of the most dramatic and imaginative evocations that accompanied literature and stood on their own merit. With over 3000 paintings to his name, the prolific artist was an unending fountain of inspiration. Over 100 books were illustrated by him, and the works remain as poignant today as they were at the time. The most famous of his published works is probably Scribner’s Treasure Island, the proceeds from which funded his budding career.
 
Originally bought in 2017 for the fact it had a nice frame, the genuine Wyeth was taken home by an art enthusiast without an inkling of its provenance. However, in a moment of clarity, the new owner decided to do some research before assigning the unknown work to the wastepaper bin. Thankfully the sleuthing paid off and within a few weeks the painting had gained attention on social media from several art experts. Lauren Lewis, from Maine, was so intrigued by the painting that she dropped everything and went in person to the New Hampshire residence where it was being kept.
 
An expert with a career’s worth of experience with Wyeth paintings, Lauren Lewis was able to clarify that the work really is 99% a Wyeth. Clearly, unless we see the work created by the artist, there is always a little doubt. However, with replica works, one or two of the key elements of individuality can be copied however the whole range of talent and micro elements that build the artist’s personality are rarely imitated in one item. The painting in question is believed to be the missing illustration for Ramona from 1939. Due to be sold at auction in just a few days, the painting is valued around $250,000 and is already gaining lots of attention from collectors.
 
One for the tabletop: ​Great Illustrations by N. C. Wyeth (Dover Fine Art, History of Art)
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​When we re asked to think about the origins of modern art, our minds are often drawn to names such as Picasso and Matisse. Talented male artists are rightfully taught and talked about as instrumental figures in the evolution of today’s flourishing art scene. With big characters such as Vincent Van Gogh and Salvador Dali strutting their works in the major consciousness, the women of the time are often over-looked. A historical chauvinism and male-centred storytelling style has caused the imbalance in our understanding of the history behind our favourite movements and collections.
 
“Matisse, Derain, and Friends” is a new exhibition that aims to disrupt this half-blind public image. The Fauvist art style was made popular in the early 20th Century and involved the use of vivid colour and emotionally charged, expressive images. Often obscure, and with a casual twist of the abstract, fauvist images are easy to remember and usually become amplified talking points. On display at the Kunstmuseum in Basel, Switzerland, the exhibition opened on September 2nd and will remain open until January next year.
 
Women painters and female subjects often made their mark on this movement at the time, and many were highly influential on the style. The public memory is being challenged with the show as the display concentrates on these elements rather than the more famous male works. What is also sometimes misunderstood is that the artists often employed sex workers to be the model in their paintings. These people had stories of their own and brought a darker and more dangerous side to the culture.
 
Emilie Charmy is perhaps the most well-known example of a female fauvist. Her tumultuous upbringing saw the orphaned child taken in and given lessons in art. She was a headstrong individual and shunned many of the socially expected learning on offer for young women of the day. Choosing to take up an occupation normally associated with men, her contributions to the style gave a unique and priceless aspect to the larger body of work.
 
Also on display are works by the mythologically inspired Marie Laurencin. She moved in the same circles as greats such as Georges Braques and Guillaume Apollinaire. Having studied her craft at the world-renowned Academie Humbert, Laurencin quickly gained the nickname, “The doe among the wild beasts”. Like her stylistic counterpart, Emilie Charmy, her works were often compared to her male compatriots of the scene. Charmy was once described as “The woman who paints like a man”.
 
Making it clear that these female artists held as much talent and were just as instrumental in the evolution of the style is the aim of this latest exhibition. The celebration of female fauvists is clearly necessary as their works were highly influential in the progression of trends that led to today’s eclectic and varied market. The public consciousness is rich with images of the style and when we look at works made by these lesser-known heroes we can quickly see how much of their influence we already recognise. Rebalancing the books and putting women artists of the past in their rightful place next to the men on equal footing is a noble and necessary activity, and with the quality and adventurousness of the works on offer, it’s also a rewarding one.   

The iconic Welsh designer Laura Ashley is being celebrated with a curated exhibition this summer. The free to enter museum at Llanidloes is showcasing some of the designers most significant objects and images. Within the display, visitors can find an extremely rare 1960s version dress alongside many other accessories and interior furnishings. A highly-successful business woman, Laura Ashley brought hundreds of jobs to the local economy and employed many more all over the world at the outlets.
 
The Powys location is the home of the designer, where Laura Ashley lived and designed her iconic fashion. The museum pays particular attention to the effects the artist had on the local area with influence and benefits rising from her extensive reach. Born in Merthyr Tydfil and living close-by in affluent Rhayader, the fashion icon is still well-loved and admired by her community nearly 40 years since her death in 1985.
 
You’ll need to visit the exhibition before the end of September, when the space is renewed for something else. The temporary showcasing will be open to all 10am to 1pm on Mondays, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm on Wednesdays, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm on Fridays, and 9.30am to 1pm on Saturdays.
 
The work of Laura Ashley is still a much-loved aspect for designers and retro-feel clothing fans. With a thriving interior design business and a fan-favourite dress-sense, eBay is choc-full of hand-me-downs and brand-new items that carry the sought-after name. See what you can find and support Alternative Fruit with any purchase. 
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Featured at the New Museum, and with international acclaim from an expo at the Venice Biennial, Mire Lee is captivating art lovers with her gut-wrenching installations. A fully kinetic and tactile form allows for explorations of the disgusting and the morbidly fascinating.
 
Born in Seoul and living in Amsterdam, Mire Lee stood out from the crowd with her 2022 ceramic entrails. The Endless House: Holes and Drips installation received a range of reviews, with being unable to look away the common denominator. Now displaying in New York’s the New Museum, a fresh batch of creepy creativity is available to admire.
 
The walls have been layered with fabric and wet clay that’s been allowed to flow and expand with the help of a steam machine. A muddy red paint was then applied to give the material a sense of organic origin. Then, to fill the space, a variety of moving sculptures have been placed that are representations of the natural world. Metal and plastic objects are used to build the shapes with fabric and paint to finish the job.
 
The imagination can be left to run free while standing among the grotesque and horror-film-like setting. Walking among the moving sculptures can help bring a nightmarish scene to life as visitors explore and make conscious all the chilling ideas. If you like your thrills to be over the top and designed to disgust, then you’ll be right at home at Mire Lee’s Black Sun exhibition.

Roblox is a multiplayer and multi-world game that is played all over the world. It’s available on PC and games machine. Users can play in many worlds that all have different objectives and rules.  Each mini game contains the options to explore and play with several online members, players can chat, make friends, and meet up in different levels. Bringing people to the game is all about creating new experiences and fun games for people to play.
 
Recently unveiled was the new exhibition, Replica. The entire 5th Avenue façade and the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum has been recreated and uploaded to the popular gaming forum. Known for holding onto cultural and art creations that span the entirety of human history, gamers and culture fans can join forces to make this experience worthwhile.
 
A complete copy of the art is waiting in the digital realm. To encourage visitors to the museum, visitors can scan the artefacts to place them in their own Roblox museum. The objects have been given codes that correspond to digital versions that become collectable items in the game. Bringing augmented and virtual reality functions to museums became popular during the pandemic. When it was impossible to visit in person, the institutions often made their work available online. Roblox is the latest venue to be given the magic ingredients.
 
Roblox is a poplar gaming platform for the fact that it is completely customisable. Gamers and programmers can learn how to build their own worlds and implement their own working rules. Many people like working in Minecraft for this ability however in Roblox the options are far wider because of the available variations. It could be seen as a level up from the crafting and building game, where you become an architect of the digital world.  

​On display in the prominent Regina Gallery in Seoul, South Korea, a vibrant and inventively charming display of colour and shape is currently immersing visitors. Underwater spectra dominate the colour palette chosen by painter and installation artist Jan Kalab. The Czech born artist, who began in the late 80s working with graffiti and street art murals, has created a modern and fascinating array of images that reflect what he glimpses from underwater scenes.
 
Jan Kalab has progressed in his style from the early days, traversing murals and lettering over to 3D images and into sculpture. Now with his paintings on canvas as installation pieces, the whole skillset is lending a lever to his outreach with expressivity. His work has been exhibited as displayed in many high-brow galleries including those in Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Paris, London, Miami, and New York. Now once again in the East, the capital of South Korea has been waiting patiently for the work to be displayed with them.
 
Since agreeing to exhibit at the Regina Gallery, Jan Kalab endured the lockdown like the rest of us and any immediate plans were put on hold. Thankfully this has enabled the artist to create this brilliant arrangement of vivid colour and shape work that we can now enjoy in person or online. An enchanting and dream-like amalgam of forms and shades brings an inspired and underwater sense of diving shallow depths and admiring the flora and fauna.
 
Via World Art News
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​Creative people often have more than one level to their ability, and John Squire of The Stone Roses is a key example of inventiveness in action. A series of oil paintings titled Disinformation is set to be displayed at Damien Hurst’s Newport Street Gallery in Vauxhall from September 11th to November 10th. A good two-month slot will mean that plenty of people can go and see the images.
 
John Squire is known for using photographs for his art, he enlarges them and then paints over the scene with his own style and direction. The finished product differs from the original in many subtle ways and the choices of image send a specific energetic message to the viewer. John also uses an art software app to digitally enhance and manipulate the images introducing glitches and repeating patterns where the need arises.
 
Having designed the album covers for the band and created the promotional images, it’s no surprise that his unrelated work is equally as kinetic in the art world. Since leaving The Stone Roses in 1996, John Squire has continued to express himself musically and artistically with admirable results. The exhibition is accompanied by a great full-colour book that contains more than just the images on display.
 
Find Stone Roses merchandise on eBay, support Alternative Fruit with this link on any purchase!
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Celebrating the one hundredth birthday of the late Ellsworth Kelly, the world-famous minimalist who rose to fame in the 1960s is being honoured with a selection of key exhibitions. Known for stripped down and cut back art productions, in which shape, line, and form were used in such sparing and loosely translated mannerisms, a deep and subconscious element seemed to leap out from the simplicity.
 
Never one to throw anything away that related to his work, the paradox of his spartan style reveals a plethora of keepsakes and memorabilia that draw perfect lines from piece to piece. The massive collection has been curated since his death in 2015 and is now being used to celebrate his decades-long career in art and design. A keen use of colour and minimalism gave Kelly a distinctive style that has become instrumental inspiration for many future generations since his time.
 
A range of items are being exhibited this year that focus on individual aspects of the artist’s work. A series of sketchbooks that show scribblings and the formulation of ideas can be seen at The Museum Of Modern Art. According to those who knew him, Ellsworth Kelly would usually have a sketchbook on his person and would often resort to delving in to jot down his observations and concepts as they arose.
 
During his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, during the 1950s, Ellsworth Kelly began a lifelong love of photography. His ability to capture oddities of angle and contrasts of direction is a keystone element in modern composition. His photographic works are on display at the Santa Barbra Museum of Art from October 15th to January. Kelly also produced free standing sculpture. His choices reflected the aesthetic with shape and form taking real space in various precious and well-known materials. A selection of these works can be seen at the Lever House office building until the end of April next year.

​via ArtNews
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