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Artist squirts dye from his eyes to paint canvas
05:27
AP Archive

Artist squirts dye from his eyes to paint canvas

(30 Jun 2014) LEAD IN: Taking modern art to eye-catching new levels is Argentine painter Leandro Granato. The artist uses his tears to create colourful works of art. STORYLINE: It's the type of art you have to see with your very own eyes to believe. Argentine painter Leandro Granato is raising a few eyebrows, to say the least, with a radical method that he says has never been done before by another artist. He begins by inhaling paint through his nose and then either crying or squirting out the liquid through his tear ducts. Showing his work for the first time in the artistic hub of Buenos Aires, the artist is managing to make a few of his guests' eyes water. While it might be a bit of a liberal spin on modern art, Granato says he formulated this expertise originally as a form of therapy: "When my grandfather passed away I was in charge of arranging his funeral, but I couldn't ever express my pain, I couldn't cry. When I began to paint, after about two years of doing body painting, I thought to myself, why not paint through my tears? Then I began to do my own research on painting in this form and after about two years of perfecting this technique, I painted my first painting." Granato's paintings are definitely tearjerkers, but how much are they worth? Alejandro Zarate is a director of a local art auction house in Buenos Aires and has more than 20 years experience selling and curating artworks and shows. While he has never seen Granato's unusual style or designs in person, he values the portraits at around $600 US dollars. A slight decrease to the average asking price of one thousand US dollars listed on the eye artist's website. Nonetheless, Zarate believes Granato's unique methodology is a plus and if promoted correctly, could have legitimate success on the art market. "I think the way he paints is interesting and I think that a lot of people are going to be very curious; it's essentially this extra bonus that comes with all of his paintings. There are clear advantages and disadvantages though, I mean on one hand you've got those who paint with their hands and will have it easier, while he's going to have a harder time because it's obviously more difficult to paint with your eyes, so he needs to use this to his benefit because it does add this novelty factor. I think that if he markets himself properly, explains and presents his technique well, then maybe his paintings have a good chance of selling," he says. Back at the gallery, the evening marks only the second time Granato has painted for a live audience and his first exposition of this size. The emerging painter is still new on the art scene and while he refined this technique back in 2009, he has only been promoting the craft for the past year. With a significant crowd consisting of curious onlookers, Granato hopes the spectacle will build an established clientele. And if a potential buyer isn't able to watch his or her painting being created, it can be viewed on video to prove its authenticity. Preferring to paint alongside the emotional melody of tango music, the maestro weeps his colours onto a blank canvas. A fusion of art and spectacle that Granato wants expressed in every piece. Garanto says the watercolour paint is specially formulated to be harmless to his eyes. But since his artworks can take between 15 minutes to one month to be fully completed, Granato prefers to perform only once every two weeks due to the sensitive nature of his method. Granato says for him, painting through the eyes is no different than an illustrator using pencil - both eye and pencil simply being tools for conveying art. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/5d47b4d476e1606f20b694de829f3e85
Cafe brings 3D printing to customers in Buenos Aires
04:49
AP Archive

Cafe brings 3D printing to customers in Buenos Aires

(31 Jan 2014) In the streets of Buenos Aires, one locale is looking to add a new dimension to the cosmopolitan scene, in fact three dimensions to be exact, at the self proclaimed "world's first cafe in 3D." Since 3D printing hit the world a few years ago the ability to construct solid objects by building them up, in plastic or metal a layer at a time, has begun to transform manufacturing and spawn new industry. With access to 10 different printers and a body scanner, Customers of 3D Lab Fab & Cafe have the marvel of this third dimensional world at their disposal while enjoying a pastry and a coffee. In a geeky twist to the traditional coffee shop experience everyday users are able to choose, create and print their own fully functional 3D device. For owner Rodrigo Perez Weiss, his shop, which opened last summer, is more than just a place to admire the wonders of this 3D technology, it's an opportunity to be a part of something bigger. However with this innovative tool ranging in price from thousands to millions of US dollars, Weiss says his cafe offers a more economic route for those wanting the 3D experience. "I realised that 3D printers could change my life and not just mine but change humanity in general because I think it is a tool that is very beneficial and in the coming years it will change how we do everything: how we purchase, how we design, how we produce and how we create things." This lure has drawn in a number of professionals from Greater Buenos Aires, like industrial designer Gonzalo Sanchez who uses the fab lab as his primary office for printing various prototypes and to work closer with clients. Once restricted to niche manufacturers, 3D printing is now a component in an array of industries from fashion, to space science. This offering has lead entrepreneurs like Sanchez to pack up their office cubicle and clock-in at the lab-cafe. Sanchez says this is because the cafe embodies not only a workplace but a space where invention and ideas are fused and developed. He credits this comradeship in the 3D lab for helping his new company gain more clientele. "One of the most interesting projects we have worked on was when a group of brain surgeons brought in X-rays of their patients' skulls whom had had accidents, and once we had printed the 3D version of the skull they could use the model to practice and analyse how they would perform their surgery before they opened up the patients." explains Sanchez. While weekly seminars are also offered to those interested in mastering this technical art, the 3D lab is not all work and no play. From glasses, to dinosaurs, to bobble heads of your favourite television or movie characters, the assortment of fun printing options in 3D is endless. However the area of copyright in relation to 3D printing has yet to be widely tested in the courts. Norma Felix is lawyer specialising in a copyright issues in Buenos Aires. She says that Argentina is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organisation and abides by all their laws which are set out by a monitoring body called DAT (Designs Appeal Tribunal). The laws set out by them override national law in Argentina. In order to protect themselves from prosecution Felix suggests that the owners of 3D printers in cafes should display a disclaimer explaining copyright laws and saying he/she does not bear responsibility for what is printed in the caf�. As the professionals retire from their work day and retreat from the 3D lab, the hobbyists emerge to fuel their passion. Weiss provides direction and guidance throughout the entire design process. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/b7721aff7d9756fb9092c2c4cdcb42ae
Gaucho breaks horses with no more than a whisper
05:47
AP Archive

Gaucho breaks horses with no more than a whisper

(17 Jun 2014) LEAD IN: The deep bond between a cowboy and his horse has been romanticised in old Hollywood westerns for decades. But Argentine, Martin Tatta is taking that union to new levels. From handstands on the horse's back, to resting on the animal's stomach, the rancher showcases his distinct talent - all with just a soft stroke and a whisper. STORYLINE: There is no whip in sight nor a firm hand on the rein, no loud shouting or sharp jabs. Yet ranchman, Martin Tatta has a horse on its back completely still, with its hooves curled inward as he performs a type of handstand on the animal's chest. Merely through soft touches, gentle coaxing and a few tender nuzzles, Tatta seems to sway his horses to do just about anything. It's through acts like this that the 33-year-old has come to be known as the horse whisperer. Tatta was born and raised on a ranch in the small town of San Antonio de Areco, a 100 kilometres (62 mile) outside of the capital Buenos Aires. Tatta is self-taught and claims he has shared this bond with his childhood companions for as long as he can remember. "What I do, for me it's something natural, no one taught me. I taught myself. The truth is I never had a professor or someone saying, 'Martin, go and do this.' Or, 'Martin put the horses leg like this, now put it upright.' No, all of these things came from me, I thought them up," he says. It was this innate ability that drew the attention of a local farm owner. Soon after, Tatta was asked to showcase his finesse in a performance for the hundreds of tourists that visit ranches each year. That was 11 years ago. Now Tatta has travelled throughout Argentina, Latin America and overseas to perform in shows. Yet, the gaucho turned showman mainly stays in his hometown where here he performs with his beloved Milonga, one of his most experienced horses. Behaving more like a dog, than a horse, the animal gently falls to its knees and rolls over on its side, seemingly all on its own. Tatta is then able to lie flatly on top of the horse with his arms outstretched. Keeping his horse calm using gentle strokes, Tatta's soft hums never rise over a whisper. It is because of these intimate aspects of his performance that Tatta jokes he gets along better with his horses than with women. The cowboy says the majority of his standard 20-minute performances are often times improvised, but for Tatta, the act itself isn't even half the workload. The real "whispering" begins in taming the animals. While his horses are not are not completely wild, taming is an almost two-year process that begins while they are still a young buck. The key, he says, is in building mutual trust. An obvious element as Tatta walks confidently behind his companion, and then crawls and lies underneath her when all the while she idly chews on a piece of grass. It is this deep-rooted assurance in one another that Tatta says is the reason he will not use any horses in his shows that he has not personally trained. While the cattleman has trouble in specifically explaining his technique, he insists there are no secrets. He says anyone is capable of producing the same effects and that the best way to learn is by watching. Yet for Veteran gaucho, Alberto Nally, it is not that simple. At 70 years, Nally is one of the most experienced gauchos in his community and has known Tatta, and his particular craft, since he was born. In his experience he has seen others produce similar results with their horses, but he says always through force, where as Tatta is subtle and composed. This culture runs deep in the gaucho heartland of San Antonio de Areco. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/3791236cb8ba5af5f9c39a46545c9fd1
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