Autumn

Autumn is beautiful.

Autumn is a very feminine season, fertile and sensual, festive and melancholic.
I therefore would like to devote the issue on women artists. The path in the last 100 years has never been easy for a woman to establish herself in the art world. The situation today seems to be improved, but when we take a closer look, still, it’s applicable for those who are lucky. Louise Bourgeois insists that there is no discrimination against women artists, simply that most artists are ignored. For most of the time, women are taken lightly, that explains why women artists are ignored.

Does an issue without male artists make it light?
Women are heavy, just like Niki’s Nana, they are imposing!

Selina, 02 Oct 2009, Should I go ahead?

Birthday Present

14 October is my birthday. While I buried myself in the articles for the new issue of InitiArt Magazine, my lovely niece, Ming Ming, was preparing a birthday present for me. Here it is.

Should I ask an art critic to write two pages on this painting, all the classical rules of composition, balance, colour scheme, brushwork, etc. will be on the paper. Or perhaps one would like to start by the multi-cultural theory of combining Chinese painting and Occidental abstractionism? Oh, by the way, she lives in the States, so evidently she’s influenced by the Abstract Expressionism. What about Georgia O’Keeffe? Would one ask her if she loves O’Keeffe?

How does art criticism function?

Selina, 15 October 2009, Paris

Quotations

“The Onion, I’m very proud of the title as it is so simple, in relation to women. Do you know how many men come home and the woman is crying and they say I’m just cutting the onions. This is one level. I used the onion as a tool to show something else, the suffering. This is almost a religious piece.” – Marina Abramović

“Art comes from life. Art comes the problem you have in seducing birds, men, snakes – anything you want.” – Louise Bourgeois

“Men has nothing left to express, if not a profound jealous towards the women, towards their own creator. A woman can give life but not a man. Men are imprisoned in stupid things… money, power, medal, whereas me, as a woman, I enjoy a fantastic liberty to express my delirium, my own problems confronting the world today.” – Niki de Saint Phalle

 “…an artist would be truly happy when one is working solely for oneself. The feeling is very true and sincere.” -- Shen Yuan

My deepest gratitude to the artists without whom this magazine would never be realized. My sincere thanks also to all those who encourage, share and support me in this attempt. Enjoy reading!

Selina, 19 October 2009, Paris