Door kunstvlo op
September 14, 2009 15:02.
53 comments
Two weeks ago I had a meeting in Amsterdam and being in this wonderful city I made use of the situation to visit some museums. Impossible to go by one of my old time favorites, Foam.
The photography museum had several interesting exhibitions scheduled. Massimo Vitali’s ‘holiday’ pictures caught my eye because of their beauty on the one hand and their sense of awkwardness on the other. I was also very impressed by the work of young talent Kim Boske: she really swept me of my feet with her ‘tree-photographs’. Or how a simple idea can have so much meaning…
Maybe it is a bit exaggerated but I have the bad habit to visit exhibitions either on their opening or their closing day (or there about). When I am able to grasp expositions that are this wonderful, I feel extremely lucky to have made it just in time. ‘Spreading the word’ is rather useless though since people won’t be able to visit after me. This is especially annoying when you want to recommend an exhibition like Avenue Patrice Lumumba by South African photographer Guy Tillim (also in Foam). Pictures of everyday life in several African countries after periods of prosperity. The sense of passed splendour, of people trying to hold on to a life they once knew… This really is an exhibition that is worth seeing.
And what a pleasant surprise it is when luck is on your side and you find out that this particular exposition is travelling and is even landing in your hometown! Like mine! Please go to Extra City, one of Antwerp’s greatest Kunsthalle at this very moment and live Tillim’s photographs. It is really worth the trip.
tagged: the artist, foam, , amsterdam, antwerp, guy tillim, patrice lumumba
Door kunstvlo op
September 08, 2009 10:23.
14 comments
On EBSQ, Art Meets Blog. I read a blogpost that might interest you. Natasha Wescoat, a young artist and technology freak tries to explain what it takes to be a successful artist. I recommend you to read the whole article because it is clear and refreshing. Look in her 6 ways to free yourself for inspiration! By the way, interesting about Natasha Wescoat is that she is an expert in using new technologies (web 2.0.) to communicate and promote her work. Check out all these links to find out more:
http://natashasartcandy.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/natashawescoat/
http://www.natashawescoat.com/
http://www.vimeo.com/natashawescoat
http://blog.ebsqart.com/author/natashawescoat/
Natasja’s work on Etsy.com
http://twitter.com/natasha
http://www.facebook.com/natashawescoat
tagged: the artist, ebsq, natasha wescoat, tips, web 20, user generated content, flickr, vimeo, etsy, , facebook
Door kunstvlo op
September 07, 2009 11:29.
13 comments
What makes you an artist? Splendid ideas? Genius? Sure, but most of all you need guts and faith. This thought repeatedly crossed my mind the last few days. The immediate cause for my musing was the Sophie Calle exposition that I saw in Brussels, Bozar last week.
Sophie Calle (°1953) is a French artist, who uses a diversity of media in her work that is largely autobiographical. As a writer and a photographer she tries to capture sceneries from everyday life. Her work doesn’t merely consist of observations and interpretations. She manipulates and creates new realities of her own.
Like for example when she decides to be a private investigator and starts following someone in the street (ad random), writes down what he does and documents his moves with photographs. Or when she takes a job as a chambermaid and goes through the personal affairs of hotel guests, takes photos and tries to imagine what kind of people they are.
Calle’s ideas are not that world-shaking. On the contrary, to me (and you?) they even sound familiar: I guess once in a while we all wonder about how other people live their lives, how they succeed and fail.
The difference between Calle and a lot of us is that she takes her thinking one step further. When our rational minds tell us to ‘get real’, her artist mind tells her to begin her journey.
Joseph Beuys has said we’re all artists but we are not. You can only be one when you are capable of letting the mainstream interpretation of rational reality go. Can you do that? Are you willing to do this? Are you willing to make this kind of sacrifice? Probably not.
A real artist will and that’s why we should admire and cherish her or him. Sophie Calle has done it in an exceptional and fascinating way. Hurry up: go to Brussels this week and visit a wonderful exposition in Bozar. Until the 13th of September.
tagged: the artist, bozar, brussels, sophie calle, beuys, photography, writer
