The 1st day of summer – one-off artwork
Status: sold
Category: painting Subject: woman Mediums: acrylic paints, own technique
Materials: canvas Style: art deco, contemporary, cubism, abstract, realism
Size: 120 H x 80 W x 2,5 [cm] / 47,2 H x 31,5 W x 1 [in] Year: 2018
Painting art deco – The 1st day of summer
‘The 1st day of summer’ is a one-off painting by Ania Luk. Original, sensual composition referring to the art deco painting, maintained in the current artist style, which combines cubism, abstraction and realism. It presents a woman with dark hair in a swimsuit. Warm, subdued colors create a sensual and elegant image in the form.
As the famous Polish artist of the Art Deco era, Tamara Lempicka once said:
“My goal is never to copy. Create a new style, clear luminous colors and feel the elegance of the models”
Painted on linen canvas with a slightly visible texture, own technique with the use of acrylic paints. There is no need to embed in a decorative frame, because the edges are linen, not covered with any color.
The painting ‘The 1st day of summer’ was painted by the painter graduated at the Academy of Fine Arts – Ania Luk. Signed at the front and back, with a certificate of authenticity, protected by a varnish in half-matte. This painting fits perfectly with modern interiors. The leading colors – red, platinum, gold and bronze.
The first painting from the series “Summer days”. One of my favorite artworks. Completed in June 2018. In January 2020, it become part of a private collection in Zurich together with Vibrant 1 and The 1st day of summer.
Inspiration
Summer of 1928 or summer of 2018? Feminine beauty is timeless…
Honors, Awards
The painting was shortlisted for the international exhibition of a contemporary art at the CICA Museum in South Korea in January.
Exhibitions
The painting took part in a contemporary art exhibition organized by the UK gallery Broadway Luxury.
Art Deco
Firstly, the term “art deco” was created in 1968 by an English art historian Bevis Hillier in reference to the resurgent interest in art decoratif – characteristic trend that prevailed in the years 1909-1939, cultivating luxury and wealth. Manifested itself in many ways: in painting, graphics, fashion, jewelry, sculpture, textiles, interior design and architecture. It represented many design concepts that appeared approx. 1909 in Paris and developed over the next thirty years.
Secondly, what distinguishes art deco style is combination of modern styles with artistic finish and richness of the materials used. In addition, art deco is a pastiche of many different styles, sometimes dissonant, which are united by the desire for modernity. In fine arts, nothing better brings out the language of art deco, than paintings of Tamara Lempicka.
Moreover, art deco paintings are characterized by geometric shapes, elegant cuts and straight forward sophistication of clear cut, sleek, straight lines and boldness. Consequently, art from that period was characterized by a monumental, symmetrical (often simplified) composition with clear contours. Coloring is the predominance of bright, sometimes flashy colors. Above all artists working in this style returned to traditional themes – such as portraits, genre scenes (topics from everyday life), still life or landscapes. Most importantly, in these art deco paintings the female form is not a shy, rosy cheeked maiden lost in frills and ribbons but a bold and strong figure that is in command and control.
Certainly, art deco items are often characterized by simple shapes, usually simplified in appearance. In addition, they are decorated with geometric or stylized ornaments referring to flowers, animals and sunlight.
TOP ART DECO ARTISTS ARE:
Polish painter Tamara Lempicka (1898-1980), who spent most of her life in France and the United States
English painter – Matthew Charles Meere (1890-1961)
French painter, designer, poster artist and interior decorator – Jean Dupas (1882-1964)
French sculptor – Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929)
American painter and photographer – Charles Sheeler (1883-1965)
French furniture designer and interior decorator – Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann (1879-1933)
French painter, designer of advertising posters and designer of typefaces – Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron (1901-1968)
one of the great French illustrators of the beginning of the 20th century – George Barbier (1882–1932)
American artist and graphic artist born in Germany – F. Winold Reiss (1886-1953)
French painter, sculptor, engraver, fashion illustrator and interior decorator – Bernard Boutet de Monvel (1884-1949)
French designer best known for his jewelry and works made of glass – René Jules Lalique (1860-1945)
“Art Deco Exhibition in Paris in 1925…
I was the first woman to paint cleanly, and that was the basis of my success. From a hundred pictures, mine will always stand out. And so the galleries began to hang my work in their best rooms, always in the middle, because my painting was attractive. It was precise. It was ‘finished.’ ” Tamara Lempicka
Cubism
Above all, cubism is an early 20th century avant-garde art movement that revolutionized European painting and sculpture. In addition, some people say that it’s the most influential art movement of the 20th century.
Noteworthy in cubist artworks, objects are rather analyzed, broken up and reassembled in an abstracted form. Instead of depicting objects from a single viewpoint, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context. The most famous painters associated with the cubism movement are especially Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso.
“On Cubism…
Let them eat their fill of their square pears on their triangular tables!” Marc Chagall
Abstract Art
Most of all abstract art creates a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. It was caused by the need of creation a new kind of art which would encompass the fundamental changes taking place in technology, science and philosophy going through the end of the 19th.
Finally abstraction indicates a departure from reality in depiction of imagery in art. Furthermore this departure from accurate representation can be slight, partial, or complete.
The precursors of abstractionism were: Wassily Kandinsky, Edward Munch.
“As there is not the least trace of abstraction in this art, we will call it concrete art.” Hans Jean Arp
Contemporary art
It has set on in 1945, after the II World War and lasts till today. The foundation for the contemporary art was prepared by the Dadaists, who perceived the artist as the creator of the idea. New trends were born, such as abstract expressionism (in Europe- informel), action painting, color field painting, pop-art, op art, conceptual painting, street art, calligraphic painting and others.
The most famous artist are: Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein, Francis Bacon , Victor Vasarely.
In contemporary art there isn’t one aim or a point of view. It gives a heterogeneous and ambiguous glance at the contemporary world. Furthermore, there has always been a huge tendency to experiment and search for innovative language which would be consistent with the changing reality (photomontage, collage, manifesto, object, installation, happenings, video installation, performance). Sadly, today it seems that there are virtually no aesthetic or moral bounds in artistic expression.
“Somewhere a portion of contemporary art has to exist as an example of what the art and its context were meant to be.” Donald Judd
Realism
Firstly, realism in the arts is the effort to represent subject matter truly, without artificiality. Secondly, it has been prevalent in the arts at many periods. It is in large part a matter of technique and training, and the avoidance of stylization. Thirdly, realistic paintings are mostly scenes from the life of ordinary people, painted with a simplified means of expression, of peaceful palette and composition.
Finally, the realism art movement in painting began in France in the 1850s. The realism painters rejected Romanticism, which had come to dominate literature and art, with roots in the late 18th century.
The most important artist of realism came from France – Gustave Courbet, Jean-François Millet, Honoré Daumier.
“Art Education is as important for a realist artist as an Alphabet is to learn a language.” Igor Babailov
Acrylic painting
Painting technique using acrylic paints, which have a similar characteristic to oil paints. Acrylic paintings are as durable as oil paints.
The most important practical difference between acrylic paints and oil paints is the drying time. Acrylic paints are ideal for painters using sharp and firm brush movements. Mixing acrylic is more difficult than mixing oils just because acrylics are starting to dry quickly. With oils you can mix colors for many days. Resulting in a variety of color variations on which acrylics will not give you enough time. This slow process of drying oil can be seen as an advantage for some technicians. On the other hand, this lengthens the process of image formation.
Another advantage of acrylic is that it can be rinsed with water during work, no solvent to clean brushes. When dry, the paint layer is waterproof and can quickly overlap both hides and lacquers. Acrylic paint is durable, elastic, resistant to aging, does not turn yellow, does not crumble.
Certainly, all these advantages contribute to the growing popularity of this painting medium among contemporary artists.
Note: Using images of Ania Luk’s paintings can only be done with the written agreement of the artist.