The curators of Artmajeur, despite the summer heat, continue to work with great zeal for their most important cause: spreading art around the world! By examining sales results and clicks on the website, they have created three extraordinary collections, gathering the works of the trendiest, best-selling, and most sought-after artists of the moment. This selection inspired a story that celebrates the ten most popular artists of July, analyzing each work from a historical-artistic perspective to offer readers a deep understanding of why it is so appealing to the general public. So, are you ready to start with the top 10? Don't be lazy, there's room for art even under the beach umbrella. Enjoy reading and relaxing!
LADY BLUR (2019) Digital art by Andrea Pisano
GEEK GAME (2017) Photography by Mathilde Oscar
The 10 Must-See Artists of the Month!
From Digital Art to Photography: Andrea Pisano and Mathilde Oscar
"Lady blur" (2019) by Andrea Pisano is a digital artwork that portrays a subject in period clothing, presented in a blurred format, likely to evoke a sense of mystery and intangibility. In fact, the portrait seems to aim not at capturing the physical details of the subject, but rather the essence and atmosphere surrounding them. It is highly probable that the intentional blur was conceived to challenge the viewer to look beyond appearances, encouraging a deeper search for meaning, inviting reflection on identity and visual perception.
From a technical perspective, the artist used a combination of digital painting tools and photomontage, where the presence of widespread blur allowed for experimentation with visual memory and image recomposition. Pisano plays with signs and traces, deconstructing and reassembling visual fragments to generate new forms of expression. This approach reflects his inclination not to settle for the known but to continually explore multiple visions and meanings, showcasing an ironic and experimental vein.
Furthermore, it is possible to reference photographic art, as the aforementioned blur can recall the older technique of out-of-focus photography, as well as the movement of the lens, intended to evoke a sense of nostalgia, dream, or introspection. Similarly, "Lady blur" uses blur to transcend simple visual representation and communicate a more complex and nuanced reality. Finally, comparing the work to pictorial art, it is possible to liken the immortalized subject of the Artmajeur artist to that of the famous portrait of "Margaretha de Geer" by Rembrandt, celebrated for its rich attire with a ruff collar.
At this point, I introduce a second Artmajeur artist, Mathilde Oscar, the creator of the photograph "Geek game," which appears as a revealed version of the mysterious and blurred figure in "Lady blur," and akin to Rembrandt's celebrated masterpiece. Oscar's subject, however, is portrayed frontally, wearing clothing that recalls the 17th-century style, albeit with the addition of modern accessories. The scene is enriched with decorative objects inspired by pixel art and 1980s video games, creating a bridge between the celebrated past and a more relatable, yet highly understandable and close-to-home reality.
ALTER EGO ERMELLINO (2020) Artistic print by Alessandro Piano
ALTER EGO FRIDA (2020) Art print by Alessandro Piano
Pop art and street art: art prints by Alessandro Piano and Alessio B
As far as art prints are concerned, one of July's popular artists is Alessandro Piano, the creator of the sympathetic interpretation of two decisive women in the art world: a muse-model and an artist. In fact, the first work, 'Alter ego ermine', presents a contemporary reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinci's famous portrait of 'Lady with an Ermine', while 'Alter ego Frida' is a homage to the photographic portrait of Frida Kahlo by Nickolas Muray.
In both cases, the subjects' faces have been replaced by a transparent cube, inspired by the famous LEGO bricks. The artist's intention is to evoke a leap back in time, immortalising the toys of his childhood throughout the 1980s. Combining nostalgic and innovative visions, and fusing past and present, the artist emphasises the enduring cultural relevance of toys from when he was still just a child.
GROW LOVE (2022) Art print by Alessio B
BANKSYWOOD XXL LUXE (2022) Sculpture by Ravi
Popular culture also emerges in the prints of Alessio B, albeit in a different manner, through references to the celebrity status achieved by the language of Street Art, borrowing from the iconic and widespread style of Banksy. Indeed, Alessio B's work "Grow Love" presents elements reminiscent of the technique and themes dear to the aforementioned master, primarily involving the subject of a child, executed in black and white, watering a field from which red hearts sprout, details that convey a clear message of love and growth.
Additionally, much like Banksy, Alessio B employs the stencil technique to create his works, a choice that allows for both precision and high reproducibility. Both artists focus on social and humanitarian themes, using art as a tool to spread messages of peace, love, and social critique.
A similar masterpiece by Banksy in this sense is "There Is Always Hope": a mural depicting a girl letting a heart-shaped balloon float away, symbolizing hope and love. At this point, it is possible to reveal a fundamental difference between the two artists, as Alessio B is known for infusing his works with a distinctly Italian touch, achieved by incorporating references to Italian culture and pop icons into his compositions.
Lastly, in the sculptural realm, a more faithful allusion to Banksy's work "There Is Always Hope" is represented by the Artmajeur artist Ravi's "Banksywood XXL Luxe." This similarity is evident in both the subjects and themes depicted: Ravi's work portrays a female figure releasing a red heart, much like in Banksy's mural, where there is also a strong contrast between black and white and red. Entirely handmade from wood, using acrylic, vinyl, and gloss paint, Ravi's sculpture adds a tactile dimension to the famous image by the renowned Bristol master.
LA NENA XS (2021) Sculpture by Idan Zareski
TARGET (2019) Sculpture by Karen Axikyan
Sculptural Acrobatics: Idan Zareski and Karen Axikyan
The two sculptures, one by Idan Zareski and the other by Karen Axikyan, immortalize similar subjects: both represent figures balancing on two hands, or even just one, achieving highly acrobatic and dynamic positions. "La Nena XS" depicts a female figure, likely a child, made of resin and part of the "Bigfoot Family" series. This series is characterized by characters with large feet, symbolizing humanity and its connection to the Earth. Regarding dynamism, Zareski's works are known for combining movement and stability, capturing the energy and vitality of being in a specific moment, accentuated by the glossy material.
On the other hand, Karen Axikyan's sculpture "Target" portrays an acrobatic figure in a precarious balance on one hand, while the body is wrapped in spirals of metal wire, emphasizing the idea of movement and instability of the subject. The metal wire typically used by the artist creates an effect of lightness and transparency, despite its distinctive solidity. This aims to allude to the two complementary natures of being, where fragility and movement, dynamic energy and precarious balance are eternally challenged.
A similar narrative in art history can be seen in the "Balancing Sculptures" by Jerzy Kędziora, which similarly capture the essence of instability, depicting figures that seem to defy gravity while balancing in impossible positions. Additionally, Antony Gormley's sculptures, such as "Suspended Figure," explore the relationship between the body and space, with subjects that appear to float, frozen in dynamic poses, always evoking a sense of suspension and precariousness.
BREAKFAST IN AMERICA (2021) Painting by Federika Di Maggio
NATURE MORTE À LA CAFETIÈRE ET AUX COINGS OU LE HOLLANDAIS (2024) Painting by Stéphane Mouton
SPAGHETTI Painting by Joanra Canosa
Painting and Life Moments: Federika Di Maggio, Stéphane Mouton, and Joanra Canosa
It was a sunny noon in a quiet American town. The café "Breakfast in America" was empty, the deserted tables reflecting a surreal calm. Light filtered through the large windows, illuminating the corners of the room and creating a play of soft shadows on the brown leather seats. Tiffany lamps, with their characteristic stained glass, hung from the ceiling, adding a vintage touch to the environment. Outside, the world seemed very silent, almost nonexistent, as if time had perhaps stopped.
Passing through the back door of the café, one could enter a room little known to patrons. Here, on an antique table, were placed a shiny metal coffee pot and two large quinces, while in the background, a dark blue drape opened to reveal the painted image of a man in armor with a penetrating gaze.
Continuing down the corridor that connects the small room with the described still life, one arrived at a rustic kitchen, where a sixty-year-old Italian-American man was enjoying, as he did every day, yet another plate of spaghetti. After all, it was a Sunday in July, with the aroma of fresh tomato and basil, flavors that filled the air and that the character could inhale with an expression of pure enjoyment on his face.
The narrated scene combines the imaginative description of three distinct works, united by the common thread of intimacy and nostalgia: I'm talking about the interior by Federika Di Maggio, the still life by Stéphane Mouton, and the genre scene by Joanra Canosa.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli
