The Art Journal
Are Fine Art Prints Collectible?
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Buildings on Water 4 90 x 190cm View artwork [/caption] It is difficult to describe my artworks using commonly understood art definitions. When viewers discover the artworks are not paintings, rather they are photographic prints created using a water based inkjet printer on cotton etching rag, often referred to as a Giclee print or museum quality fine art paper, they seem to be uncertain of their validity as original artworks and their value. If these are photographic prints they can be produced endlessly, can’t they - and - if they are not paintings, what can we call them and thus how can we value the artwork - are often questions I am asked. Over the years I have sort answers from peers, academics and art gallery owners to try and create some degree of certainty around the way to describe the artwork and its artistic and commercial merits in the unregulated world of the art market and have not always been satisfied myself with the responses until recently. In October, The Artling, a Singaporean online art gallery, published an article entitled “A Beginners Guide To Collecting Prints” by Stella Botes, an art writer and critic based in London, who works for Cristea Roberts Gallery, one of the foremost print galleries in Europe. This is the most authoritative article I have read on this topic, offering an historic perspective from the development of print making to the contemporary emergence of the digital print. Importantly the author develops a good case for fine art print collection as an emergent affordable trend in the art world. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Evolutionary Curve 150 x 200cm View artwork [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Morning in Orange Heaven 10 x 160 View Artwork [/caption] Botes writes “ Prints are becoming ever more popular as a category for collectors, as auction houses see yearly rises in their prints and multiples categories. The medium offers a through-line in art history, from the early woodcuts of the 1500s to the digital prints of the 21st century, it is a category in which collectors can trace artistic movements and technique. There is an astonishing variety of work available in the printmaking category and, importantly, it often comes at a more accessible price point than unique works since it is part of a series. As such, a growing body of young or first-time collectors are making their first forays into collecting via printmaking. “ My work comes in limited editions depending on size. Works of 110cm wide are generally offered in editions of 5; any works less than 110cm in editions of 50. I do offer unique works on commission. Unique works, or monotypes as they are known, are prints created from an original edition print altered to satisfy a specific design element, in the process making a new unique artwork . Alterations can include changes in original artwork size and dimension, for example moving the image from landscape to portraiture in dimension or vice versa, increasing the size of the image in a way that alters the original artwork, even removing a part of the image. Importantly, I only create monotypes on request. I hope this might give you some precise insights about how to think about fine art prints generally as collectibles. The article has certainly assisted me in viewing my work from a more historical perspective whilst opening up my creative thinking about it.
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Announcing Sydney Eye Hospital Foundation Sponsor Partnership
I am delighted to announce I am now an official sponsor partner of the Sydney Eye Hospital Foundation. The Sydney Eye Hospital along with the Melbourne Eye Hospital have been world leading eye and patient care institutions for a long long time. Indeed the Australian eye health system is considered world leading and it is at these hospitals where the research, scientific development and practice is put into place at the front line.I can't tell you how much the doctors at the Sydney Eye Hospital have been there for me when I have needed their help! In the 1980s, they gave me back my sight. I am discussing various ways with Linda Fagan, the CEO of the Foundation about how I might be able to assist in raising general public awareness about this wonderful institution and its services so please stay tuned. in the meantime,, I have elected to donate a percentage of every sale made through my auctions.
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Van Gogh Live, His Street and His House
A photo essay from Van Gogh Live Experience (c) Ralph Kerle As a former creator of immersive experiences in the early 1980s, when large scale non site-specific installations were beginning to emerge; it was an absolute delight to experience installation arts’ 40 year evolution, at the Van Gogh Alive Experience, currently on exhibit at the Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park, Sydney, ‘Immersive live experiences’ or, ‘happening’s’ as they were called in the 1960s and 70s, attempted to break away from the restrictions of traditional galleries, museums or theatres, with their ongoing overheads of permanent programming and marketing required to keep these institutions operating. Now without these constraints and the advent of affordable high end portable technology, live experience designers and curators can dream big, with individual concepts on a low risk, one off basis. Events of this nature can be designed for global portability so all that is temporarily needed is a big open shed – a modern day conference centre or marquee. These types of experiences are the future of cultural events in 21st Century. The Van Gogh Alive Experience takes you into the life and art of Vincent Van Gogh, the Dutch painter some consider the greatest painter of the modern era. The 45 minute narrative is constructed around 7 periods in his life’s journey – called movements. Each movement involves large scale projections of his artworks, some are collaged and interspersed with close up sections of individual works. Selected writings from his famous collection of letters appear throughout the experience, acting as though Van Gogh is narrating the experience himself. The whole visual experience is underpinned by a musical soundtrack of classical pieces composed during his life, and lit with faint smells of spices, fresh gardens and sandalwood. You can’t help but feel dwarfed by the sights and sounds of the experience. The immersion is profound on many levels – Van Gogh’s technique, colour palette and his self-portraits reveal his inner struggle in a way that is pure emotion and a cerebral delight. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500"] Vincent’s Street,110 x 300cm Created 2nd April, 2019, Aveiro Portugal. [/caption] Perhaps the best way to sum up the presentation is to use Van Gogh’s own words; “As a suffering creature, a painter, I cannot do without something greater than I – something that is my life – the power to create….” I sensed I was in the living presence of a creative genius. Van Gogh’s creational power drives this exhibition, and I cannot help but feel I am a guest in his presence. On my 2018 trip to Aveiro, Portugal, I was walking down a windy alley in Cais dos Mercanteis, which led to the local fish market. My eye was immediately caught by a yellow house perched within a row of houses on the side of the canal. The house invoked the spirit of Van Gogh and his work whilst he lived in Arles. I knew that if the surface remained still on the water in the canal, I might be able to capture a shot that paid proper homage to Van Gogh’s creative influence on my thinking and work. The weather held, the camera spoke and when I downloaded the shots to view them, there was no doubt in my mind what the titles had to be: “Vincent’s Street” and “Vincent’s House”. Van Gogh focused on colour, nature and form to build his understanding of the world around him. His work has an immense impact on the way I conceive my artwork. Clearly, the creators of Van Gogh Alive. were similarly inspired. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Vincent’s House in situ [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500"] Vincent’s House 94 x 140 cm Aveiro Portugal [/caption]
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Announcing the Opening of the Ralph Kerle Gallery
Ralph Kerle GalleryThe Cosmopolitan22 Knox Street, Double Bay.New South Wales, Australia 2068 With travel in and out of Australia banned, the Australian art world is benefiting. Anecdotally through networks, it seems money spent on travel is being reallocated in particular to home decor - the living space - to make it more aesthetically and environmentally appealing as the pandemic curtails public entertainment and safe socializing occurs in a domestic setting.Against this backdrop, I was offered the opportunity to open an exhibition art gallery in the iconic Cosmopolitan Centre, 22 Knox Street, Double Bay, Sydney as part of its refurbishment plan.It may be considered foolhardy to open a new business in this economic environment. However, artists need their works to be seen in situ, to allow the works to reveal their full impact and this location is perfect for that purpose and Covid safe.When in Sydney, pop in and say hullo, 7 days after midday until 8.00pm. There is a red or white on the table for those so inclined.
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Across the Great Divide inspires a new poem by renowned Australian poet Christopher Barnett
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Across the Great Divide [/caption] souvenirs speak to shadowveinto veinbleedover bayabyssabasedsilhouettes slithead to toein stained sandssandman's shelterto keep winterwinds outwalingwith wraithsdissonant alphabetslurch from larynxstone'splace in mouthso it bleedssoonwe woundyes wewoundtell by tearsepsisshinesin darksunwashwalls with shit you stolefrom mouths of other omenssalute salvationbrotherssisters ofmurderer of moonyou meantto goover dividebitethroughbone beforefatigue failsstillas nightnight still as deathsilent as birds breakinginto heavenc b - septemre 11 - nantes
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New International Representation for Ralph Kerle's Art
Good news emerged during the pandemic in June 2020 with two new business collaborations confirmed. SultanDelon Fine Arts agreed to represent Ralph Kerle’s Art in Florida USA. Really worth having a look at the Sultan Delon web site. They currently have an excellent exhibition of four women artists on-line. An added benefit of this representation is my work is now listed on Artsy, the leading high end on-line art platform for art collectors, leading art galleries and museums in America. The Artling, Singapore’s leading contemporary on-line art gallery, has chosen to represent my art as part of their curated on-line platform and under the heading “artists to watch out for” featured my work the Yellow Masked Mast in their July 3 Global newsletter.
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The Stranger Artist
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500"] Desert Water Dreaming [/caption] Buried under the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter issue that has garnered global media attention was the launch of a new book “The Stranger Artist – Life at the edge of Kimberley painting” by Quentin Sprague.The book focuses on Tony Oliver, the son of a Gippsland dairy farmer and a wonderful old mate of mine, and his decade long immersion in the East Kimberley art movement establishing Jirrawun Arts, one of the most successful and yet controversial centre’s of the Australian Aboriginal art movement. The telling of Oliver’s collaboration with the Gija people and his extraordinary creative relationship working with Aboriginal painters such as Paddy Bedford, Freddie Timms, Rusty Peters and their emergence into the main stream of the global art world is compelling, brutal and often tragic.The book offers insight into the tensions between the white government bureaucrats' attempts to continue the colonization of Australia Aboriginal culture to shore up their own careers and the art entrepreneurs in their rush to curry favour in order to capitalize on the underlying greed of the art world. Both sides saw Tony Oliver as an enemy thwarting their goals and visions.The reality in my view is that Tony Oliver was seeking to work with the original inhabitants in a search to surface a post colonial Australian cultural identity.This is a must read for those interested in contemporary Australian culture.In my new work Desert Water Dreaming I am paying homage to the first nations people of Australia and the wonderment their culture offers in my search for my own Australian identity
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Conversations We Don't Have
Alan Pentland is a long time friend and colleague from Melbourne, Australia. He qualified as an architect but ended up a prize winning writer, comedian, poet and performer. Many Australians will recall one of Australia's most memorable comedy characters Ferret from the ground-breaking 90's TV comedy show "Fast Forward". That was my mate, Alan and he created the character! Alan is a Melbourne Spoken Word poetry champion. When I asked him whether he might be interested in collaborating with me on a book, putting some words in a poetic form to my artworks, he kindly agreed if I would buy his idea - "poetry to stimulate realistic and positive discussions, on topics we often avoid". I loved the idea and immediately provided him with 10 artworks designed to stimulate his creative poetry juices. Under a tentative book title "Conversations We Don't Have" we offer our first collaboration. The artwork is Sea Dunes, for Alan Pentland the poet, it transformed into Memory Machine Memory Machine My mind runs on memories it’s a memory machine second-guessing the future based on things that have been. All that is certain all that has last all that we know comes from the past. It’s all about memory inside my head knowledge, talent, family and friends old and the new jumbled and sorted sometimes it’s chaos sometimes it’s ordered. Sometimes it’s love where memory gets set. I’d love to love more but sometimes forget.
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Rumi's Poetess and the Poet
I'm never sure when I create a piece whether it has worked until it finds a home. Even more flattering is a totally unexpected response from a new owner. Derek Rescei, who recently bought edition number 1 of Rumi's Poetess, penned this most elegant poem to accompany the artwork and I have to share it. The full story associated with the artwork can be found here Beneath the scimitar moon Dark dervishes flail across The ship-stern dunes Piecing the sands of eternity From whence slotted eyes With black masks stare Cradle of ecstatic beliefs We return, as pilgrims But to our hearts Into which you enter on a full tide Safe harbour for your dhow Fluked to my soul Derek Rescei (c)
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Art Palm Beach 2020
A short film on Art Palm Beach, Florida, USA 2020, its 23rd year of art exhibitions highlighting Ralph Kerle's art. The forerunner of Art Miami, Art Palm Beach's new Director and Co-Owner Corey Hampson talks about the 2020 fair and his plans for the future of this famous art fair.
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Auctioning Burning Outback for Bushfire Relief Funds
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Burning Outback Artist’s Proof 1 [/caption] Like many others, I want to make a contribution to show my gratitude for the extraordinary work and bravery shown by Australia's volunteer firefighters and to those affected by the catastrophe upon us. I have created a new piece "Burning Outback" as a reflection on these events and am offering the signed, original number 1 artist's proof, a Giclee print 110 x 75cm in an on-line auction with the funds raised from the auction to go directly to the Trustee for NSW Rural Fire Service & Brigades Donations Fund for distribution in accordance with their priorities and needs. As someone who is interest in my work, I thought you might like to participate in this on-line auction with the potential of owning the highly valued number 1 artists's proof of this new work whilst contributing to and assisting those Australians so badly affected by these events. A story of kindness to go with the artwork! The artwork will be featured in my upcoming Art Palm Beach Florida USA exhibition from January 28 through February 3 2020. The most successful bidder will be announced on February 10, 2019 and I will cover freight costs to anyone in the world.
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Louis Vuitton commissions Ralph Kerle
Delighted to receive an email in October 2019 from Evelyne Baeten, Director, Visual Merchandising, Oceania Louis Vuitton to say the visual merchandising team had viewed my web site and would like to commission some artworks from me to theme their new outlets in David Jones new Australian flagship high end retail store. View this short film to see the outcome.
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