Today we feature our first post with cool facts about art, to share with your friends on vernissage' small talk. A good excuse to chat about something other than the weather...

- In 1978, Cindy Sherman (USA, 1954) started her series of photographs of herself performing different roles. Those pictures, which wanted to express the habits and attitudes of society in general, required a detailed mis-en-scène and an intense psychological component. For such productions, the artist used different elements that helped her get into the role, such as, for example, a large collection of 158 wigs.

Cindy Sherman's wig collection (photo by Leanne Shapton).

- Jeff Koons (USA, 1955), in his large Chelsea studio in New York, has several rooms, one after another, where his team of expert assistants work in absolute silence. Koons walks through each sections, correcting when necessary but without personally interfering in the making of the pieces. For such thing he has 128 full-time assistants, 64 of which work at the painting department, 44 in the sculpture section, 10 in digital media and 10 in administrative tasks. Koons also hires temporary experts should a special pieces require so. Thus, Koons is the one with the idea. His assistants are the ones to make it happen. 

Jeff Koons' studio - Photo: Vanity Fair

(Click on the image to enlarge)

- In 1913, artist Kasimir Malevich (Ukraine, 1879-Russia, 1935) painted a black square on a white background. With such a simple work he began a new Era in art: Abstraction. 

Black Square, by Kasimir Malevich (1913)

State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

For Malevich, art was pure plastic sensitivity and he would not admit contents of our life to become subjects of art. Many, many artists were influences by his work, such as Jesús Rafael Soto and Victor Vasarely, among others.

Nadiezda Udalzova (Russia, 1886-1961) wanted art to express a revolutionary commitment and be vehicle to the ideas the Russian Revolution had promoted.

Study for Restaurant, by Nadiezda Udalzova (1915)

State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Although she had ideas totally opposed to Malevich's, she would become his wife. Years later, however, Nadiezda changes her mind and supports Malevich's Suprematism.

Keep reading... Las vanguardias artísticas del siglo XX, de Mario De Micheli, Alianza Forma, 2006.