Goran Hamsic

I Paint Because I Am not a Painter

Artist from Elsewhere

” Painting is the tip of the iceberg that inhabits me. “ – Dali

At time of writing, Paris is besieged by deadly attacks. Bombs explode. Drive-by shootings are aimed at patrons of an outdoor café. Then, rounds of bullets are shot at an entire audience held hostage in a performance hall. Hundreds are dead. This, while no-one understands why. Goran Hamsic has known war. Every day, the pain of three bullets shot into his body is a constant reminder of the incomprehension and of the urgency of living the present moment. The man claims to have lost all illusions as to the meaning of life. He has seen people die all around him. Massacres. He says he’s not afraid to die. His only real outlet is painting. A time to feel alive again. Encounter with a man that has emerged from the depths of night.

Text by Michel Bois

The artist is represented by Galerie Douce Passion, 42 Notre Dame Street,
Québec.

Valerie Kent

Her Art is Her Silk Road to Everywhere

Contemporary realism

“Painting is my vocation and my avocation. It is a love of my life. It has never really been work to me. It is my most sincere pleasure and challenge, a series of puzzles to solve. I believe that there are no Painting Police and I can experiment, improvise and create and, no matter the result, it is the process that really counts, so I am always and forever, very, very fine. I also believe there are no bad paintings: they are just not yet finished.” – Valerie Kent

Rosa Serra

and Xavier Carbonell

Forms, Volume and Space

THUIR (Catalonia, France), Winter 2011

The tramontana, that gale force wind from the Pyrénées, is fiercely blowing on the old town. In a corner of the city square, I am waiting for my husband, somewhat protected from the wind behind a bronze sculpture that is round, warm and maternal, next to a palm tree.

A little further on this same grassed area, next to an olive tree; a second bronze sculpture faces the first, powerful and imposing, representing Saint George overcoming the Dragon. Sant Jordi, the illustrious patron saint of Catalonia from South to North. I look for a signature to no avail, finding only initials. After investigation, I finally learn the name of the creator of these two superb bronze sculptures: Rosa Serra. As days go by, the intensity of the moment I experienced between these two sculptures fades away.

Text by Christiane Frenay

BIBLIOGRAPHY (Besides numerous articles in the press and magazines)

“Rosa Serra, Una visió monumental” (Art book, 238 pages) Author: Antoni Garrido, author, editor, art critique and founder of the “Fundació de la Premsa Comarcal de Catalunya”. Editor: Edicions el Bassegoda, Olot, 2008.

“Rosa Serra” (Art book, 238 pages) Introduction: Arcadi Calzada, editor. Texts: Josep Valls, philologist, author, art critique. Editor: Galeria d’Art Arcadi Calzada, Olot, 2008.

“Suite Olympique Rosa Serra” (Art book, 128 pages) Texts: Andreu Mercé Varela, sports journalist (Barcelona 1918-2011). Editor: Olympic Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland.

“Xavier Carbonell MANHATTAN” (Art book, 216 pages) Author: Ed McCormack, writing collaborator for Editors of Andy Warhol’s, who has written various articles on art and popular culture for Rolling Stone and The Village Voice, among others. Presently, with his wife Jeannie McCormack he publishes The New York Art Journal Gallery & Studio. Editor: Jadite Gallery, New York, 2010.

“Xavier Carbonell STILL LIFE” (Art book, 200 pages) Author: K. Mitchell Snow, author and art critique, essays and literature. Editor: Jacqueline Rothschild Fine Art, New York, 2001.

“Xavier Carbonell VIATGE I PINTURA” (Art book, 224 pages) Author: Josep Valls, author, biographer, art critique. Editor: Jadite Gallery, New York, 2014.

MONTREAL

As the art world moved from representational to abstract, no small part of the intellectual motivation for this development came from the realization that colour provided a much larger design element than previously thought.

This can be vividly seen in Marvels and Mirages of Orientalism: From Spain to Morocco, Benjamin Constant in his time which runs at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts from January 31, 2015 to May 31, 2015.

Benjamin Constant lived from 1845 to 1902 and was well known and successful in his time. His work was influenced by the Moorish palaces of Spain and Morocco. His ability as a colourist is remarkable and it is to that use of rich colours that I have alluded to above.

Winter 2015