Digital Palette Local Artist Will Unveil ‘New Modem Arts’ at Corcoran Some art purists may initially cringe at the idea, but artist Flora Iacchia is pioneering a new art form that she believes may revolutionize the way we all appreciate painting. A French-Italian-American artist who now resides in Fairfax, Va., Iacchia plans to unveil to Washingtonians an art concept she calls "the new modem arts" at a lecture at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Sept. 12. In particular, Iacchia will disclose her interpretation of why Picasso said on his deathbed: "Painting remains to be invented." She will explain how modem arts allow artists and the public to answer the Picasso challenge and to reinvent painting. She will divulge the concept that she pioneered: How a digital painting is a software product, allowing the production of multiple versions, the reuse of components to create new derivatives, the customization and enhancements of colors and other features, and the management of changes to these paintings. "At the core of this new capability for the artist is the Internet, which acts as an enabling mechanism, allowing global audiences to shape the content of a given digital painting and of its subsequent versions while furthering the personal vision of the artist," said Iacchia. While this represents the current definition of modem arts, which are made possible by state-of-the-art software advances, Iacchia expects that this definition will broaden as new breakthroughs are incorporated into the production of modem arts. What’s more, "such an approach can transform the production of a digital painting from a solitary endeavor into a participatory act, which can be repeated across the lifecycles of a particular painting and of its subsequent derivatives," said Iacchia. "Flora is a pioneer in modem arts who has a transforming vision," said Larry Kinder, Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President at Cendant. Iacchia will illustrate her talk by showcasing selected pieces from her collection of modem arts digital paintings, expected to be viewed by 60,000 visitors this year on the popular travel Web site, http://www.infobel.com, with more than 20 million visitors a year. The Infobel Web site, which was created in 1995, is an international telephone directory tool for those who seek to plan their trip overseas and to make new contacts in many parts of Europe. Iacchia believes her collection of modem arts digital paintings will appeal to adults and children alike. The digital works are cast in rich bold colors and are made up of fragments of other paintings, which the artist calls "components." What is particularly interesting is that she has reused many of these fragments to produce new derivatives and to change the moods of her paintings, thereby enriching the viewer’s experience. Ultimately, Iacchia believes that digital, modem art will be a new milestone in painting because it will provide "unprecedented artistic freedom to painters, enrich the experiences of viewers, and enable audiences to influence the contents of such digital paintings." To register for the event at the Corcoran, contact the Program Registrar Office at the Corcoran Gallery of Art at (202) 639-1770. The prices are $10 per ticket for Corcoran members and $15 per ticket for non-members.