JaZzArt en València

Adding nothing to the narrative or to the conversation about art is what they are doing when they bring up the «fact» that a painting by Piet Mondrian was hung, supposedly «upside down» in a German museum. And I say that this narrative/conversation means nothing because abstract art does not necessarily have to be hung «right side up» for it to be valid or for it to make sense. And in any event, to not risk damaging the painting, it will remain «upside down».

Abstract art removes itself from the metaphor of life, therefore it does not require the same rules as figurative art, which is making a realistic statement of life. Therefore, it makes no difference which way it is hung. Think of Jackson Pollock, he painted on the floor without caring, one way or another, where the top is and where the bottom is. Many times I have hung my abstract paintings in different ways just to bring out a different feel or emotion. Changing the perspective does not detract anything from the value of abstract art.

«New York City I 1941» was exhibited for the first time at the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) in Manhattan in 1945. Since 1980 it hangs in the art collection of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf. Susanne Meyer-Büser, curator for a new Mondrian exhibition, investigated and discovered the error. Her research led her to a photograph of Mondrian’s studio that was taken before his death and which was published in Town and Country magazine in June 1944. The photo shows the painting on the easel the right way. The painting is not signed and has no indication as to where the top is. Mondrian died without finishing this piece.

I wonder, if this is all a way to generate propaganda for the exhibition.

I invite you to delve deeper into abstract art… This video features, among others, work by Piet Mondrian.

Cheers…

España 2 – Bélgica 1

Jazz is America’s Classical Music, as it rightfully should be called… And I love the idea that is why I adopted it…from the very beginnings…to my work here at OCS València.

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El Jazz es la música clásica estadounidense, y así se le debe denominar… I a mi me encanta la idea por eso la incorporé a mi trabajo desde que commence en OCS València…

Gracias…

Cheers…

El expresionismo, especialmente el expresionismo alemán y austriaco, fue un gran movimiento vanguardista del S. XX y todavía tiene mucha vigencia, especialmente aquí en OCS Valencia…

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Expressionism, especially German and Austrian Expressionism, was one of the great vanguards of the XX C. that still is quite relevant today, particularly here, at OCS Valencia…

Gracias…

Cheers…

Este cuadro es de 2008, pintado durante mi época de Omnia Caelum Studios Miami. Está hecho al óleo y también con acrílicos sobre lienzo y mide 50 x 70 cm. y es parte de Jazz-Art. Aunque tenga algunos aspectos parecidos al «pop-art» no lo es por su significado, por su arcana y por sus rasgos expresionistas. Solo por que tenga colores brillantes no se convierte un cuadro en pop-art…

Aquí os dejo los detalles del cuadro…

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This painting is from 2008, from the days of Omnia Caelum Studios Miami. It is painted with a mix of oils and acrylics on canvas and measures 20″x30″ (in US inches) and it is part of Jazz Art. Although it may have some aspects that may resemble it to pop-art, it is not, basically because of its symbolism, its arcana and its expressionistic traits. Bright colours alone do not make a painting pop art…

Here are some of the details of the painting…

Ahora aquí si vamos a explorar el pop-art que si he hecho en OCS València, pero os recuerdo que yo, aunque me ciño a las normas, me apaño a mi manera:

Now here we will explore some of the pop-art that I have made in OCS València, but I will remind you that although I stick to the rules, I like to figure out my own way:

Gracias…

Cheers…

Ok, I will start with my top 10 and then I’ll tell you why…

1) Jimmy Page

2) Duane Allman

3) Terry Kath

4) David Gilmore

5) Jerry Garcia

6) Eric Clapton

7) Mark Knopfler

8) Charlie Daniels

9) John Fogerty

10) Jimi Jendrix.

Reference Terry Kath (1946-1978): Jimi Hendrix once said that Kath was a much better guitarist than he was. Hendrix was so impressed (and totally intimidated) by Kath’s solo on «25 or 6 to 4«, where he did not repeat himself in a tour de force of rock-and-psychedelic jazz, that Jimi did not want to come onstage. Chicago Transit Authority was opening at that time for the Jimi Hendrix Experience in Philadelphia in 1968. Terry died too soon and soon forgotten to history (mostly) because of Chicago’s turn towards soft-rock in the 1980’s.

Jerry Garcia (1942-1995): Was the master of improvisation. He listened to the band and created solos that were in keeping with the structure of the music. He had the necessary knowledge of harmony and could work scales in any time signature with ease. Therefore, one of the greatest guitarists in rock.

Charlie Daniels (1936-2020): A master studio musician in Nashville who played not only the guitar as a master, but the bass and the fiddle. He played in many studio albums including one for Bob Dylan, and for Leonard Cohen, before he put on his cowboy hat and ventured out on his own.

Mark Knopfler (1949): Delicate finger-picking, a master of tone and control giving texture and emotion to his solos rather than just a bunch of distorted notes.

John Fogerty (1945): The undisputed king of «swamp rock». Fogerty is the master of musical economy. He created direct riffs, playing masterfully with three chords. He didn’t do eight minute solos but he did compose classics like «Green River», «Lodi» and «Proud Mary». To me Fogerty (and CCR) represented the proletariat class of rock.

Duane Allman (1946-1971): For sure the god of the slide guitar. His guitar duel with Clapton on «Layla«, and his performance at the Fillmore East, is legendary and created rock history. Duane’s lyrical phrasing, sounding almost like a blues singer would, has not been replicated by any guitarists in rock.

And if you notice that there are many representatives here of Southern Rock and Country. I’ll tell you why:

Today, the best musicians (onstage or as studio/session musicians) on Earth are in Nashville. While pop. mainstream rock and urban music depend on the Auto-Tune, and programmed bases that producers arrange in computers, Country music continues to make pure and real music created by talented musicians.

There is not trick recording allowed. If a musician wants to succeed in the Country music circuit (e.g. Chris Stapleton, Billy Strings with his acoustic guitar, or the studio musicians recording in studios in Nashville), you have to be a virtuoso. These musicians can play as easily onstage as in the recording studio and they can create a song on the first take perfectly. Their sense of rhythm, dynamics, harmony and meter is wild, and perfect. They are able to handle their instruments, i.e. guitars, fiddles, mandolins, keyboards, to professional perfection. Anywhere and any time.

Now, you tell me, who would you put in your top 10 guitarists of rock.

CHEERS

Spillwords.com presents: Free As A Bird, poetry by Francisco Bravo Cabrera, a poet that uses words, music and paints on a canvas …

Origen: Free As A Bird