My Favorite Painters – Modigliani

A beautiful painting… the artist lived in Paris didn’t he?

He was a beautiful looking man too….

Thanks for showing me this.

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Yesterday I visited an exhibit titled “The Charming Devil” by Texan native artist, Andy Ledesma, who has recently moved from L.A. back into our area. The region where I live is not exactly a “hot spot” for the arts, unfortunately, but rather a place where one has literally “to seek to find.” I was so excited by the exhibit, as well as the gallery that presented it, I came home almost glowing with joy. One of the paintings, I absolutely adored, and would have bought it on the spot, the moment I saw it, if only I had had the money.

At any rate, I was glad to see Paulo’s post this morning titled “My Favorite Painters,” and I wanted to share with all of you some pics of the works by this artist I just discovered yesterday. I think it is so important that we pay homage to and recognize the brilliance of, not just well-known and famous artists of old, but those who are here and now – who are, in this very moment, struggling to capture the culture and the life of our times. I see that in Andy Ledesma’s work, and wanted to share it with you, but unfortunately, I could locate no pics of his work online and am hesitant to upload the photos I took with my own camera, as this seems to me a violation of the artist’s work, in absence of his permission.

So, I suppose the point I wanted to make is this: It is wonderful to visit museums – The National Gallery, The Louvre, The Met – these can hardly be beat. But, at the same time, it is a thrilling experience to go out into your own neighborhood, peer through the cracks, and discover for yourself the enthusiasm and vibrance of local artists, especially those emerging and not yet fully discovered on the national or international scene. It isn’t necessary to have someone, perhaps some critic or “expert,” tell you: this is a “great work of art.” Just go out with open eyes and an open mind and see and feel with your heart.

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Dear Marielle,
Hearing of your difficulty troubles me a great deal. Just last night I reported a Facebook user for using an “obscene” photo as his profile pic. This was the first time I have ever done that, and hopefully the last time I will ever feel the need to do so. However, I felt it was necessary. The photo was not just suggestive, but explicit – his private parts in full living color and up close, for all the world to see, including my 6-year-old daughter who happened to be standing right beside me when I accidentally ran across it. I was searching for a friend on Facebook, and, of course, numerous users came up with the same name. One of them was this guy, and here was his thing right in front of us, all of a sudden, on the screen.

Now, morally, I have nothing against his picture. It is his body, and I figure he has a full right to share it if he wishes to do so, but that photo should have been made accessible only to his friends, otherwise, it should have been posted on a site where users are aware that they may run across such explicit content.

What really troubles me now, even more than the photo I reported last night, is your account, Mariella, of how you have been banned from posting a work of art, simply because it was of a nude. I realize that Facebook and MySpace are two different sites, but it makes me question: Is there no standard, no consistency, no accountablity whatsoever as to what is deemed “obscene” or “pornographic” or “unsuitable” content on these sites? In one place a man gets away with posting a close-up of his privates. In another, a woman can’t even post a photo of her artwork?!

If I were you. Mariella, I would do some online research and get in touch with some of the larger arts organizations who specialize in, or at least have a branch specializing in, the defense of artists and their rights. Do you recall the huge battles waged in the U.S. a number of years back over the refusal of the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) to fund artists whose works included homosexual content? Someone had to be involved in that battle. I am sure there are organizations out there who would be willing and even eager to help you. My fear is, if they did this to your painting – banned it from the site due to nudity – how often is this occurring on a daily basis, and we are not even aware of it. You should not just accept this, but fight it – and not just with a blog post, but directly, because in doing so, you may help other artists in the future.

I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,
Savita

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“Geisha” Wedding Dress.

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