Art Basel in Miami

In case you missed it, here's a small peak of what was on offer at Art Basel in Miami last December. It may not be London or New York but with warmer temperatures and shorter flights, Miami is an ideal winter getaway. This year the fair will run from December 1-4. While that may be some months away it would certainly be worth planning for.

1.  Adrian Paci, At sea, 2015, Galerie Peter Kilchmann

For the Love of France...FIAC Art Fair 2015

A long overdue recap of the 2015 FIAC art fair in Paris:

1. Alberto Burri, Cretto LA 1975, Tornabuoni Art

What's so special about Canadian art?

Simply put, Canadian art deserves more recognition and Art Toronto, which kicks off today, hopes to accomplish just that. Featuring a wide array of Canadian and international artists, the fair is just a small peak into what is arguably one of the most underrated art markets around. Forever eclipsed by its southern neighbour, Canadian art has struggled to find its way on the international scene. Perhaps for far too long it has been associated with the Group of Seven. While landscape painting might still feature heavily in Canada, the majority of its artists have moved beyond that stereotype.  It is now up to the rest of the world to catch up. Nonetheless, there is plenty to celebrate at Art Toronto. one only wishes there was more than just a fraction of what's available.

1.  Bruno Kurz, Bright Night 1, 2015, Odon Wagner Contemporary

Revisiting Frieze London 2015

With so many contemporary art fairs happening around the world it's difficult to know which ones to pay attention to. But Frieze London, which wrapped up its 13th edition this weekend, continues to remain a favourite and for good reason. If you're interested in finding out about emerging artists, new trends and who's selling what, Frieze will give you plenty to consider. While the installation pieces may have continued to draw the bulk of the attention this year there was no shortage of other works to keep you interested.

1. Alex Katz, Road 2015, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac

The Dark and Brooding Art of Wilhelm Sasnal

The art world certainly has their favourites and it's easy to see why Wilhelm Sasnal is one of them. Characterized by somber imagery slowly waiting for an impending doom, his work easily conjures up scenes from Don DeLillo's White Noise. As if the waiting game is bad enough Sasnal leaves us lingering in a static state of the unknown. But where there is mystery lurking beneath the surface there is usually great art and here it is almost overreaching. Perhaps that is why Sasnal has achieved such quick success so early on in his career. Whether the end result is gloomy or just plain sinister you decide.

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Murzynek Bambo, 2014 Sadie Coles

Doodles as Art: Maja Djordjevic

Who ever said doodles couldn't qualify as art. Well, let Maja Djordjevic show you the way. Playful and humorous, Maja Djordjevic's digital art oozes the sort of youthful spirit that would make just about anyone want to be an artist. Such is the restless quality of her work. Her recent collection entitled, Now I know you and I really love you, at Dio Horia in Mykonos showcases her impressions of the Greek island prior to her residency and following her stay there. Added to the collection is some bonus work from her website.

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My New Ride...and A Good Read

Photography by Luo Don - Galerie Laure Roynette, Paris

I have been searching for a good read all summer and I have finally found it: The Vacationers by Emma Straub. As a novel it doesn't demand too much of your time but it is strangely satisfying. A light and easy read, it's peppered with enough humour to sustain you for the rest of the summer. Maybe even fall. If you have a short attention span like me in this hot and humid weather you probably won't be disappointed. 



A Lisbon Retreat

I found this apartment in The Address Magazine recently and I couldn't resist posting it here. It's so serene and beautiful and with a view that can only truly be appreciated with floor to ceiling windows. Who wouldn't find this relaxing?  Portugal anyone?

The Address Magazine

New Music: Ala.ni and Asaf Avidan

Rarely do I feel compelled to write about music, largely because my tastes are still stuck in the 80's, but today I just couldn't help myself. The nostalgic sounds of Ala.ni and Asaf Avidan are difficult to ignore. Great thanks to France 24 for introducing these two artists, both of whom offer a nice respite from the usual cringe-worthy poptart lyrics we're so inundated with here in North America. Ala.ni, whose new album, You and I, Spring, was released this year is as visually arresting as it is poetic. Take a look; have a listen and you will see. Here is Cherry Blossom:



If you would like some more, here is Come to Me from You and I, Summer.

Equally talented and original is Asaf Avidan whose screechy voice might make you scratch your head just a little. No, he's not a woman but you'd hardly notice unless you saw one of his videos. Check out his latest hit with Over My Head:

Here is a song from his Different Pulses album:



And finally the unauthorized Wankelmut remix of One Day/Reckoning that unwittingly brought him closer to fame. 

And then the original:

Interview with Japanese artist Koji Kamoji

Tokyo-born and Warsaw-based artist Koji Kamoji has lived in Poland for over 50 years. His art, shaped by both his Japanese roots and his Polish upbringing, reveals a truly contemporary aesthetic. Combining his interest in sculpture, installation and painting Mr. Kamoji resists a direct narrative in his artwork and instead focuses on the relationship between nature and the objects imposing on its man-made environment. Mystical and contemplative it distracts our senses appearing almost suspended in time.   

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

Q. You have been living and working as an artist in Poland for close to 52 years. Tell us how did you end up in Warsaw?

Koji Kamoji: My maternal uncle Riotsu Umeda was a translator and historian of Polish poetry and literature. In 1923, he left Tokyo on a ship to Berlin to continue his studies in European philosophy. During his voyage he met a young Polish man, Stanisław Michowski, and quickly became friends. After my uncle's stay in Berlin he came to visit Stanisław in Warsaw and stayed until the war broke out in 1939. He was evacuated by the Japanese Embassy and sent to the Balkans and then to Japan. He kept in contact with his friends in Poland, read Polish newspapers and while in Tokyo he exerted a strong influence on me. It was under his influence that I came to Poland because he wanted me to continue his love of Poland.

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

And then what happened?

My uncle wanted me to study art history but I wanted to paint, so I painted and I paint still. I came to Poland in 1959 and studied Fine Arts at the University of Warsaw and spent almost my entire life here.

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

Did you ever think of going back to Japan at any point in time?

No. I met my wife really quickly and then our three kids were born. I set up my roots here and I had to work and earn a living, I had to study and and I had to paint.

Those were difficult times in Poland how did you manage?

Those were Socialist times but I met a good group of artists and after my studies, one of the founders of the Foksal Gallery, Zbigniew Gostomski, saw my abstract work and proposed to exhibit my work the following year at his gallery.

Photo: Tadeusz Rolke 

So, you achieved success rather quickly after your studies.

Yes, because right away I was discovered by one of the best galleries and here was the best environment for an artist. I was surrounded by Polish artists such as, Stażewski, Kantor, Lenica and many others. It was an ideal environment and I have been associated with the Foksal Gallery ever since.

Photo © Erazm Ciołek

Did you feel that you had the freedom to paint the type of work you wanted to paint in Poland when you began in the 70's?

Yes, because although Poland was a socialist country, there was still plenty of freedom and there were no barriers. There were also many artists coming to Poland from other countries at that time and there was an exchange between artists and their works through the gallery.

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

Do you have a Japanese community here in Poland?

When I first came I was the only one here, together with my Japanese friend but we didn't even speak Japanese to each other. There are now I think around 300 Japanese people here in Warsaw.

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

Do you keep up with your Japanese culture now and do you speak with Japanese?

Yes thanks to the internet, I read Japanese newspapers on a daily basis and I listen to the radio.

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

When was the last time you were in Japan?

Two years ago.

You are a practitioner of yoga, do you find that influences your current work?

In a sense yes, because I also look for solace in art as I do in yoga. It has the same goal, much like meditation, it is very zen. Hence the name for one of my exhibitions, “Portable Zen Garden.” I thought that a work of art is like a window overlooking a zen garden in here and the rock which lies in the center represents reality. And the paintings are the perceptions of the world and they blend together on a symbolic level as gardens.

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

Does that exhibition reflect a sort of nostalgia for Japan?

In a certain sense, there is something of that. One who paints is always searching for who they are, their roots. So there is a Japanese tradition in my work. I really like zen gardens and I often visited them in Japan, in Kyoto. And there is peace in there.

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

What do you want your audience to understand about you as an artist?

I want my paintings to convey peace, and happiness, because that is what I'm looking for myself, not drama, extreme emotions or controversy. 

Courtesy of Foksal Gallery

This interview originally appeared in Warsaw Business Journal.pl.

Artist: Koji Kamoji