The Story of The Elgin Marbles At The British Museum

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,


Around 490 BCE, on the peak of the Acropolis, Athenians began building a temple to Athena Parthenos. It was unfinished when the Persians sacked Athens soon after, and then in 438 BCE was completed by Pericles as a temple to the goddess Athena. No expense was spared — even the roof was covered in the finest white marble rather than the usual terra cotta tiles.

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The Watch List: Tim's Vermeer (or, how Vermeer created photo-realistic paintings before photography was invented)

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,


Believe it or not, I am not usually a fan of documentaries. I tend to read non-fiction and watch fiction, so when I do sit on the couch in front of the TV, it's usually for a drama, rom-com, or hilarious sitcom.

But, recently, I have jumped on the documentary train, and have discovered some pretty fascinating stuff.

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10 Photos That Will Make You Want To Visit The Tate Modern In London

by Lindsay Shapka in , , ,


Located on the south bank of The River Thames in London, the Tate Modern is the world's most popular contemporary art gallery (more than five million visitors stroll through its doors every year!), and one of the top sights in London.

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Eight Photos Showcasing 90 Years Of Art In Alberta, Canada

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,


The Art Gallery of Alberta is one of the oldest art galleries in Canada and celebrated its 90th birthday with the exhibit 90x90 featuring 90 pieces by 90 different Albertan artists created between 1924-2014.

I was lucky enough to preview the exhibit and was completely blown away by the work on display.

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Against All Odds: Artists Tarzan and Arab Creating Art on the Gaza Strip

by Lindsay Shapka in ,


If you think you've met a struggling artist before, think again.

Tarzan and Arab (real names Ahmed and Mohamed Abu Nasser) are 25-year-old twins who were born and raised in Gaza City where theatres don't exist (the last one was destroyed a year before they were born), and artistic expression (of ANY kind) is considered to be pornographic.

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Creative Personality: An Interview With Artist Malorie Shmyr

by Lindsay Shapka in ,


After just one visit to malorieshmyr.com it is obvious that this talented creative director, fine artist and 3D modeler is something special.

The last couple of years have brought a world of success for this Edmonton, Alberta-based talent whose whimsical view of the world has been translated in movies, on the runway, on canvas, in print, and in photographs. I have had the honour of knowing Malorie for many years now and have had the pleasure of interviewing her to get some insight into the life and mind of a working artist.

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The Readymade World of Marcel Duchamp

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,


When I was studying Art History, the most fascinating artists to me were the ones that made an effort to do something entirely different — the men and women that stuck their tongue out at the norm and refused to make the highbrow art world happy.

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