Pablo Picasso said, "Everything you can imagine is real." As if to prove the truth of those words, the artistic duo Praxis (ie. husband-and-wife team Brainard and Delia Carey) and actor James Franco created the Museum of Non-Visible Art in New York City in 2011. The artwork in the museum is neither tangible nor visible; it exists in one's imagination and nowhere else. Museum visitors are treated to simple paper cards mounted on walls, each of which contains a written description of the "non-visible" artwork. They are then expected to use those words to create a specific image or scenario in their imagination. If all of that sounds pretty abstract -- even for abstract art -- consider this: One buyer paid $10,000 USD for Fresh Air, which promises the imaginer an indescribably perfect breath of oxygen-rich air at any time and an accompanying sense of endless serenity. Who says art is overpriced?
For the love of art:
- Between 1912 and 1948, Olympic medals were awarded for sports-inspired paintings and sculptures, as well as for architecture, literature, and music.
- The Mona Lisa is so popular that the Louvre has a separate mailbox to hold all of the love letters she receives.
- Pablo Picasso's father quit painting when he realized his 13-year-old son was already a better artist.