SOULAGES MUSEUM IN RODEZ

This year we decided to spend Christmas in France, to be more specific in town called Rodez. This town is located 2 hours by car up to the north from Toulouse and it's a capital town of Aveyron department. History of this town starts in 5th century BC and is also famous for the cathedrale Notre-Dame. Even if the history of this lovely town is of course very interesting (I am sure you will easily find more information in wiki) I would like to more focus on the moment which also will become very soon a Rodez history. 

Close to the centre down from the cathedral use to be a big parking place. Until the year 2013 there should be build and open the brand new museum of Pierre Soulages - famous painter and currently one of the most expensive worlds painter (one of the compositions he created in 1959 was sold for 1.200.000 euros at Sotherby's in 2006) It is not a coinsidence that the museum will be build in Rodez because Pierre Soulages was born here in 1919. This painter, sculptor and engraver is well known for his love and interest in black color. During this summer I had an opportunity so see vitrage he designed for The Sainte-Foy abbey-church in Conques.



sketch of Soulages museum



 sketch of Soulages museum with Cathedral on the horizon





Pierre Soulages



Vitrage detail



window in Conque's church

COCOON XMAS ANIMATION

I finished a new Christmas animation for Cocoon.
this short movie represents the new visual Cocoon identity together with touch of Christmas mood.The music is from Petr Iljič Čajkovskij and flash was done by Vincent Reist.


you can watch movie here 

XMAS

I am sick of lovely Christmas! I am sick of lovely pictures from wishing cards!
People smile, behave nicely to each other... outside lovely Christmas landscape with snow....this is the picture how Christmas should be...?

I went to Tesco yesterday...

If I pass the fact that snow has not anymore white color in Prague and shops from my street where I live could even create competition who has more kitschy shopwindow.
In my 40 minutes trip I met a few people and for sure they were not addicted by Christmas mood at all. During the paying in beauty department I was explained in detail by shop assistant that this week people stole goods for 2000 euros (an answer for the fact why I could not buy the lipstick in Parisian red for xmas party). I could not anymore buy fresh potatoes, because of czech traditional Christmas potato salad, there are no potatoes in Czech republic anymore. But I could buy lovely Christmas cake, which was available only in one kilo family size...so If I want to finish this bloody piece of cake until spring I have start with Christmas overeating. (Trendy activity of 60% of Czech population according the radio which I was listening). Full of these impressions I created presents for my colleagues. Black notebooks for sketching with wishing cards and lovely pictures.

AMADEO MODIGLIANI

I just finished the book about Modigliani (French called him Modi and his mum Dodo) Italian artist, the author of famous Nudes.  Modigianis sculpture period is also very interesting, most of the sculptures were made during the time when he was living in Paris- Montparnasse. In short time of his life he had created a few sculptures which haven't been very well appreciated during his life. This year in June (almost 90 years after his death) one of the sculptures was sold in auction for 43,2 million euros. The sculptures are created in typical Modilianis style, which is also clearly visible in his paintings - long faces and long slim neck (inspiration in primitive African art). From his childhood Modiglianis health was very delicate and he developed tuberculosis. His lungs were not strong enough and gave him lot of difficulties in dusty atelier. So unfortunately dust and tuberculosis stopped him to create new amazing sculptures.

Currently you can see his exhibition in Obecní dům in Prague until February 28.

auction pictures

auction pictures

auction pictures - clearly visible that head is not finished

Amedeo Modigliani 

Woman's Head /1912 /Limestone

68.6 x 23.5 x 24.8 cm Sculpture

The Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls Collection, 1997

Amedeo Modigliani

Reclining Female Nude, 1917

Oil on canvas. 60 x 92 cm

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart

Amedeo Modigliani

Nude, 1917

Oil on canvas. 73 x 116.7 cm

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York

Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection

Gift, Solomon R. Guggenheim

© The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York