Friday, September 14, 2012

Vicki's image


A recent light painting by Seeing With Photography Collective artist Victorine Floyd Fludd.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Story

I heard this story once. During World War 2, in Saint Petersburg Russia, the Hermitage Museum had safely evacuated their collection of masterpieces, and the walls then were devoid of canvases . Only the frames remained, like book marks calling attention to an absence.  Some soldiers wandered in from the cold,  thinking to spend time looking at art, but they found instead empty walls, and a custodian guarding the halls. The custodian, not wanting to disappoint them, decided to describe each composition, each painting to the...viewers...who simply stared at the minimal and bare wall imagining in their minds, a painting no longer before them. Soon a following of visitors grew, and each day they'd gather to ...listen...to words alone, the custodian's verbal translations which detailed and evoked some resemblance to imagery. Two worlds, of two senses, each nested within another. 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Ancient Painting

T


Two assemblages of fresco fragments from Pompeii Italy recoverd under the ashes of the volcano Mount Vesuvius. Both come from a home perched near the seashore, and date from around 30 B.C.E. The upper image shows a globe, very modern looking and just a stunning example of what ancient painters were capable of, even when decorating the walls in some obscure, commercial town like Pompeii. The other, portrays a winged figure holding a garland. Possibly its a personification of "Victory". Look closely at her face,  the vivid and unique features, her delicately shaded wings. When I first saw this exquisite fresco I thought it had to be a forgery-its not- it fell off a wall during the earthquakes that accompined the terrible volcanic eruption. From the home of Fabius Rufus.  A TV commercial is visually rich too . How do they differ then? How these ancient paintings are visually rich is another matter. These two examples of painting remain apart from the illustrative and goal driven.  Meaningful art is, I think, nuanced, and has a formal and intellectual conception and is skilfully crafted. Its those qualities that we respond to in these ancient works, what freezes us in our day-to-day tracks, quieting all the noise, listining to the inner "wow".

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Mexico series , by Anton Akimov


Please take a look at Anton Akimov's wonderful and subtle series taken in Mexico this summer. The images display as you scroll at the bottom of the page. Above, Mexico #20 by Anton

http://wander.so/travel/mexico/

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Not a lot of posting lately. There are chores I have to get done quickly. A major one is transcribing written notes, poems, journals, essays and stories to text files. There they can be heard by the unseeing using a screen reader, and Ill retain access to my writing after I cannot see the words, I think of it as "packing for a journey". Its a good feeling to know that some parts of my world- my creations and work- won't be lost to blinding darkness.
ideas for making art never cease though, and I keep them in my head for the time, when I'll have time.
I've recently spoken with Sonia Soberats. A documentary about Sonia has been finished. Called "Labyrinto de los Possibles"  it depcits Sonia- her work and life. Filmed in Venezuela and the US too , it awaites sound dubbing, and will be released soon. The New York Times is planning to run an online portfolio of her work and the reporter asked to use my portrait of Sonia also,  she may run this in the series. I'll let you know when it s up and running.
In late September the Light Painting World Alliance will have its first exhibition in Moscow Russia.  Sergey Churkin is a very energetic and engaged artist who is serious in developing the potential of light painting, and broadening it's influence and drawing new viewers to this luminous style.  Thanks to Sergey for Organizing this new Light Painting  group.