Böcklinesque Beginnings (1909-1910)

13 March 2016

Having undergone several years of formal artistic training –first frequenting Athens’ Ethnikò Metsòbion Polytechneìo (1900-1906) followed by Munich’s prestigious Königlichen Akademie der Bildenden Künste (1906-1909)– de Chirico’s early Böcklinesque paintings mark his debut as a free-thinking artist, liberated from daily institutional constraints. The work of Swiss symbolist painter  Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901), which de Chirico came into close contact with during his time in Munich, proved seminal in this post-academic phase, an artist whom de Chirico championed for executing works of mythological and fantastical subject matter that convey a disquieting sense of surprise, revelation and déjà vu. Inspired by Böcklin’s choice of subject matter and timeless atmosphere (Stimmung), clear parallels can be found in a number of the artists’ work, including the exhibited Battle with the Centaurs (1909. The metaphysical intensity of the work of German symbolist Max Klinger (1857-1920) also inspired de Chirico’s early phase of 1909-1910.

Highlighting his various periods with examples from his earliest works to last ones, Giorgio de Chirico: The Enigma of the World exhibition took place at the Pera Museum between 24 February - 08 May 2016.

At the Order of the Padishah

At the Order of the Padishah

In this piece, Żmurko presents an exotic image of a harem chamber, replete with gleaming fabrics and scattered jewels, as a setting for the statuesquely beautiful body of an odalisque murdered “at the order of the padishah”. 

Dancing on Architecture

Dancing on Architecture

I think it was Frank Zappa – though others claim it was Laurie Anderson – who said in an interview that ‘writing on music is much like dancing on architecture’. 

Soothsayer Serenades I Beautiful People by Sarp Dakni

Soothsayer Serenades I Beautiful People by Sarp Dakni

Today we are thrilled to present the second playlist of Amrita Hepi’s Soothsayer Serenades series as part of the Notes for Tomorrow exhibition.