Artica Gallery

I ventured into this art gallery here because a couple paintings in the window caught my eye — nice cityscapes built around that allure of glowing lights juxtaposed with the more rough and harsh dark outlines of streets and buildings — I like that sort of thing.
They also had some interesting pieces inside… a couple of small sculptures, and other pictures reminiscent of the ones in their window display, but to be honest, I didn’t pay too much attention, because shortly after entering in the store, I looked at the little card next to a picture and realized it was a giclee — that nouveau form of printmaking where paint is sprayed onto canvas to make it look as if it’s an original — when actually there are usually thousands more out there exactly like it.
So I admit, I’m something of an art snob, but what can I say, I like *originals* — and especially since one of these claptrap giclees is going to run you well into the thousands of pounds anyway… unless you’re absolutely madly in love with a particular image, I say, let the galleries keep their giclees, and use the money you would have spent to invest in a piece of original art that may actually hold or increase in value down the road.

This gallery sells contemporary art that is very commercial. They usually have mini shows done by artist from London and all over the world. Right now they have a mini show on Marilyn Monroe. All of them photos with the diva in her different stages, and moods. They are really keen on doing this mini shows on well-​known celebrities, right now its Marilyn, but they have done The Rolling Stones exhibit, and even Bob Dylan. Some of the photos are really good, I don’t know about the paintings though… I guess it’s a matter of taste.