Michail Pirgelis' First Solo Show in Berlin

German-born artist Michail Pirgelis, who grew up in Greece, is currently exhibiting his first solo exhibition in Berlin at Sprüth Magers Berlin. The exhibition, called ‘Ακρόπολης – Acropolis,’ includes sculptures and objects based on (and made from) original airplane parts.

Pirgelis collects airplane parts, salvaging them from scrap yards around the world. His Berlin exhibition displays seven new objects – plus two sculptures from his 2009 “Airsaddles” series. Some of his new works include brightly polished outer fuselage sections, which casually hang from the gallery wall and a series of baggage storage compartments, which have been transformed into loudspeaker towers.

Through cutting, collaging, highlighting, covering and polishing, the artist transforms his rescued pieces, which have escaped their ill-fated destiny of ending up as scrap metal, into elaborate sculptures. Upon completion, each piece’s rejuvenation represents the once-evident prominence of aviation (which has seemed to disappear due to today’s mass air transportation).

Likewise, Pirgelis’ creations surpass issues plaguing the airline industry and airplanes today – those of safety, terrorism, and ecological effects – and touch on themes of technology and how humanity works with and transforms materials, turning them into masterful marvels, like airplanes.

This powerfully intriguing exhibition is on display through April 1, 2010.

Read more about the artist, his exhibition and artwork.

See what else is going on in Berlin's Art Scene

"Six Decades" of Kazuo Shiraga at McCaffrey Fine Art

McCaffrey Fine Art is currently displaying Japanese artist Kazuo Shiraga's first ever solo show in the US. The exhibition, titled "Six Decades," shows paintings by the distinguished artist who uses the style of "foot painting" in his work.

A style often associated with artists who cannot use their hands (or whose hands have been amputated or otherwise destroyed), Shiraga says he first experimented with this method in order to go beyond (the already complex) style of Abstract Expressionism. He has used foot art since the 1950s (hence the title of the exhibition).

The avant-garde artist sought inspiration from Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly, Yves Klein and Jackson Pollock during the 50s - but developed his own unique methods of placing large sheets of paper on the floor, then sliding, spinning, and swirling his feet into heaps of boldly colored oil paint and letting his feet and mind create masterful paintings.

Although the artist's work has been included in various museums' surveys of Japanese Art throughout the United States in the past few decades, he has remained largely unknown in the American Art World until now. The current exhibition at McCaffrey Fine Art also accompanies the first in-depth publication on Shiraga's work in English.



To read more about the artist, his influences, and past exhibitions, click here.

Georgia O’Keeffe's Firsts

Hibiscus With Plumeria, Georgia O'Keeffe

Many people consider Georgia O’Keeffe the first female artist to gain recognition in America. The artist was also called the premier female artist of the 20th century, a title she considered sexist.

Born November 15, 1887, O’Keeffe became known for her signature style that fused abstract and realistic into bold still life compositions. She was an innovative artists who incorporated a modernist style with minimal aesthetic. She has become know for her large paintings of desert scenery, close up views of flowers and bones.

O'Keeffe had an ongoing relationship with the art dealer Alfred Stieglitz and she would often send work to him to exhibit. O'Keeffe had her first solo exhibition of charcoals, oils, and watercolors at his gallery in 1917.

Pollock's first break

Jackson Pollock was lucky enough to have Peggy Guggenheim visit his studio early on in his career. After a few studio visits Guggenheim invited him to have his first solo exhibition in November 1943.

The exhibition was held at Art of This Century and featured fifteen oil paintings and an unrecorded number of works on paper, all completed between 1941 and 1943. The exhibition included important works such as Guardians of the Secret, The Mad Moon-Woman, Male and Female, The Moon Woman, and The She-Wolf, plus gouaches and drawings. Prices ranged from $25 to $750. The show is the first solo exhibition by an American artist at Art of This Century gallery.

Guggenheim also gave Pollock his first commission, a mural for the entrance hall of her East 61st Street town house. Pollock had to tear down a wall in his apartment to accommodate the twenty-foot-large canvas. When it was installed in Guggenheim’s home, it was a hit.

First solo exhibition, first sale, first review, etc

This blog tracks a series of significant firsts for artists. Whether it be the first solo exhibition at a gallery or the first museum survey show of an artist, a breakthrough of any size can truly help an artist succeed.