“Blue Monkey No. 8”
Limited-Edition: 200
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(matted print)
Matted
Print Only
14.625" x 13.5"
$230
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(frame sample)
Framed Matted Print
15.5" x 14.375"
$340
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Remarque
What are Remarques?
Remarques are personal illustrations drawn by hand directly onto the
limited
edition print, in which the artist highlights a detail of the print. Each
remarque is a custom drawing, and can dramatically increase the visual impact of
your print, as well as its value, due to this unique feature.
Description of this Artwork
THE MONKEYS OF THERA
The Aegean island of Thera, which is now known as Santorini, contained a
Bronze
Age settlement called Akrotiri. In 1500 B.C., the settlement was destroyed by an
immense volcano eruption. In the early 1900s, archaeologists discovered the
buried settlement and digging ensued. They uncovered a palace room, which they
later tagged as Room B6 (shrine) of sector B. Much of the remnants found in the
shrine portray a family of blue monkeys climbing on the rocks of the island's
volcano. Also found at the site was a portion of a wall-painting with what
appears to be the head of a dog. It is believed that the scene depicts the
canine chasing the group of fleeing monkeys.
The monkey theme is popular in frescoes throughout Crete and on Thera. It is
believed that the monkey motif originated in Crete and was later incorporated in
art found at Akrotiri. Artists from both locales used blue coloring to represent
the monkey's coat and skin. The monkeys almost have a human-like quality. It is
understood that the monkeys were looked upon by the Minoans and the inhabitants
of Thera as sacred animals and servants to the gods.
Bogdanoff's blue, red and green monkey frescoes are inspired by these fascinating
ancient images. In creating his compositions, he incorporates movements used in
ballet and interpretive dance to project fluidity and grace through the monkeys'
torsos, arms and legs. His tails are designed to convey the monkeys' actions and
moods. He works in abstract shapes and designs to enhance the scene and interact
with the monkeys. His backgrounds have a subtle shift in color midway between
the top and bottom, to give the impression of landscape and sky or, in some
instances, the illusion of dusk. Bogdanoff's goal is to provide the viewer with
an animal unlike any seen in captivity or imagined by anthropologists or
zoologists, neither primate nor human, evoking a presence that is mysterious,
sensuous and timeless.
