Art Under Fire - The Charlie Hebdo Assault.

I awoke to the news this morning that artists and creators were under attack... in a very real way.

Charlie Hebdo is a weekly satirical newspaper published in Paris, France. It is globally known for its cartoons and humorous articles which poke fun at the absurdity of religion, ultra-conservatism, politics and ideological extremists. Within the art and comic world, Charlie Hebdo is well respected for their integrity and sense of fairness in criticism. In the past, members of their staff have been attacked by Islamic militants over their cartoons and articles which have depicted various Muslim subjects, including but not limited to their prophet Muhammad. In a 2011 incident, their office building was even firebombed and totally destroyed.

Two of the three gunmen just moments before they murdered a wounded policeman outside the Charlie Hebdo offices. Taken from public security camera footage captured live during the assault.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck their organization again this morning. Twelve French citizens were left dead, of which ten were Charlie Hebdo staff members. Two police officers standing guard outside the building were also slaughtered in cold blood. Another eleven individuals were injured. Eye-witness reports state that the three gunmen whom facilitated the attack were shouting "Allahu Akbar" in Arabic, but also spoke French and said they were "avenging their prophet". As they stormed the offices and took control of the staff, eye-witnesses inside the building provided further gruesome details. Apparently, the gunmen had a specific hit-list of individuals they wanted to eliminate. The barbarians called them out by name one at a time to deliver their wrath. Five of the ten staffers assassinated were artists.

The attackers were swift in their actions. They were masked and carried Kalashnikov AK-47 rifles. As they left the scene of the crime, they exchanged further gunfire with the local police before hi-jacking a new vehicle and fleeing north from the city of Paris. As of this writing, the gunmen have not been apprehended. I will update this article as news develops.

Myself and all artists around the globe take this attack on personal expression and artistic creativity personally. Cartoons are one of the last great bastions of free speech. They convey love, compassion, wisdom, humor, sadness and triumph in a way that anyone can understand, no matter their native tongue. Artists and writers whom create this type of work do so for the love of the medium. The artists and other staff members at Charlie Hebdo did not deserve to die for their craft. I convey my deepest condolences to the families of the dead and injured.

One of Charlie Hebdo's most notorious covers, which depicts a generic staffer of the publication kissing a Muslim man.

We live in a world where individuals do insane acts in the name of their holy deity. Whether Muslim, Jewish, Christian or of any other religion, no one has the right to take the life of another human being because of their beliefs. Much less, to slay someone because of their art work is beyond preposterous... it's disgusting. This type of activity says a lot about the Muslim world. Though the majority of Muslims would not enact such outlandish behavior, their continued adherence to the Islamic cult of death is nearly as shameful.

All I know is this... If I were a member of a group or organization that held other members whom regularly carried out acts of violence, then I would leave said organization. To remain a member is to silently condone such activity, in my opinion.

Religion, no matter the specific faith, is at the heart of this attack and others like it. I won't dance around the facts of the matter. Outdated theology and superstition has repeatedly lead to the death of innocents. We see it over and over again. When will it stop? Most likely, only when humanity has cast aside such childish notions and evolved for the betterment of mankind.

The Magnetic Warmth of Art Nouveau.

One of my favorite artistic styles is Art Nouveau. I thought I would share some of my favorite pieces with you. Perhaps you'll see something you recognize. If not, then hopefully I can open your eyes to this wonderfully charming manner of creative expression.

Art Nouveau is totally encompassing -- it can be seen in drawings, paintings, sculpture, architecture and functional design. In essence, Art Nouveau is about natural elegance. Curves and corporeal shapes are drawn upon to give the impression of authenticity. Works are filled with an alluring magnetic warmth, with some subjects appearing as if they will suddenly spring to life.

Most prevalent during the late 1800's through the turn of the Twentieth Century, Art Nouveau has maintained its stature and importance amongst appreciators of art. It's ability to capture the natural grace of the world, especially in the portrayal of the human form, is second to none.

Easily one of the most recognizable examples of Art Nouveau is this Absinthe Robette advertisment by Henri Privat-Livemont. And to think, this gorgeous image was produced just to sell an alcoholic beverage! A large print of this masterful work hangs in my home office. It's haunting green glow and ghostly maiden give it a strange, but exhilarating radiance.

This work by the famed Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha is entitled "The Seasons". It captures the four seasons of our world in human form. From left to right, we have Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Mucha actually produced multiple versions of "The Seasons" over the course of his career, but this one from 1895 is my most favorite. The ethereal quality of the four subjects hooks me every time I gaze upon it. For more information about the amazing career of Mucha and a large gallery of his works, visit this comprehensive page at Artsy!

Photo Credit - laurent.bardin

Jules Lavirotte is probably my favorite Art Nouveau architect. His work is scattered throughout Paris and was highly acclaimed in his lifetime. Seen above is what's known as the Lavirotte Building, located at 29 Avenue Rapp, 7th arrondissement in Paris, France. It features one of the most famous of all doorways in the entirety of Europe. Check this out!

This lush and sensational facade won Lavirotte the prestigious Concours de facades de la ville de Paris award in 1901. He designed it with Jean-Baptiste Larrive, whom is another champion of the Art Nouveau style in his own right. The content of the sculpting is risque and erotic in places, with the biblical Adam and Eve stationed on either side. A wolf appears to leap from the face of a haunted visage at the peek of the doorway. If you look closely at the door, you'll notice it contains some rather blunt anatomical imagery. With wispy curvatures and intricate webs of detail, you can see why it won such praise.

Illustrator N.C. Wyeth captures glowing imagery in his masterpieces like few artists since. Shown above is the front cover to the 1924 first edition of Thomas Bulfinch's "Legends of Charlemagne" (which was originally written in 1863). Wyeth provided full illustrations throughout for this edition, which has become quite rare and sought after. I'm very lucky to own a copy. This scene depicts the heroic St. George attacking the mythical dragon. Wyeth was not only influenced by the Art Nouveau style, but also the Art Deco style (which I aim to discuss in a future article).

I hope you've enjoyed this very brief journey through the Art Nouveau style. Let's visit it again at a future date!