JaZzArt en València

Sofonisba Anguissola is considered the first «successful» woman artist (painter) of the Renaissance… She served in the court of Phillip II of Spain, the most powerful monarch of the times… She is known for her portraits and for establishing new rules of painting feminine portraits… I think you will enjoy her paintings…

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CHEERS

From the earliest forms of democracy in Ancient Greece, the people spoke and those who were poets, writers, and the philosophers spoke loudly. They lifted their pens and their voices in defence of the democracy they were building and protecting. I do not think we are any different. I truly believe that artists, musicians, actors, poets and anyone else that knows how to think, should speak out against injustices. And I think that many are doing that now in these extremely turbulent and dangerous times.

Artists like Bruce Springsteen, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Lady Gaga and many more have all taken a stand and have said wonderful things in defence of democracy. The democracy that is being eroded, maligned and destroyed.

So my voice also rises, not to defend illegal entry into the US, and not to defend those who have committed crimes while living in a land that has allowed them the formula for a new life. I think those that do not know how to be good guests do not deserve the generosity they have been granted and should be deported ipso facto from the country.

But, but, BUT, in a lawful and civilised manner. They should be arrested and charged, then given due process to defend themselves and then only be deported by the orders of an immigration judge, not by the sitting president. And not by being kidnapped from their homes by masked thugs pretending to be ICE agents. AND I say that those are «pretending» to be ICE officers because having been a law enforcement officer for many years in the US I know that we, whether we were local police, sheriffs, state, or federal agents, had a duty, and an obligation, to identify ourselves, show our face and explain why we were arresting someone, citizen or not. And Habeas Corpus was never denied. However, some in the current administration do not even know the definition of Habeas Corpus…

So my voice rises to denounce tyranny, abuse and unnecessary violence against human beings. No one is «illegal». Some folks might be undocumented, but a human being on planet Earth is not illegal anywhere.

I invite one and all to also unite against injustice and to post, blog, write poetry, songs, or speeches to make their voice heard against the barbarities of having armed, active duty fighting troops deployed in the streets of an American city to fight Americans exercising their Constitutional right to protest. And know for sure that EVERYONE in the US has rights. At least they did before the 21st of January 2025.

I know God is in charge, and peace and justice will prevail.

AMEN

CHEERS

Something that has never happened… first a US president by-passes a state governor and deploys the National Guard, then active duty US Marines… then the Secretary of Homeland Security says they are going to liberate Los Angeles from the elected officials of the city and the state. This is an attack on democracy and a very irresponsible way to instigate more violence… We need peace, tranquillity, coexistence and for the US government to stop persecuting Americans.

CHEERS

THIS IS HOW TRUMP IS MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, with brutality, racism, hatred and a total disregard for the rule of law, and by deploying active duty military to the streets of US cities to combat the citizens.

We should all pray for peace, and for an end to tyranny…

Buen consejo para los políticos corruptos y para los abusadores… ¿No?

We proceed with Art History in one minute (videos). In this part 2 I have jumped ahead a few years to a German artist who is a master of one of the art vanguards of the 20th Century, abstract art…

CHEERS

DIGNITY HAS FINALLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE

Like a slugger whose slump has passed by

city dwellers in a summer whose temperatures fry

have took to the streets to defend their democracy

have taken initiative to protect sacred life

have shown that dignity is well and alive

and that tyranny will never be welcome

neither racism, hatred, offenses or insults

and that the colour of one’s skin is not a crime…

Peaceful and calm,

though angry,

feet march,

voices chant

flags fly,

not foreign

and with a right to be here…

Then greeted with violence,

Gas, batons, rubber bullets,

Marines deployed against civilians,

Soldiers…

Police in riot gear…

For what?

Power cannot stop the dream

Democracy will not be forsaken,

peace arrives when justice rules,

people’s lives will not be ruined

by a soldier’s boots or bayonet,

or by the orders of a tyrant alone in bed

munching on chips,

alone, unwanted and bitter,

deep inside knowing that

those who struggle for justice

will never be quitters…

C.2025 Francisco Bravo Cabrera – 13 JUN 2025 – Valencia, España

I am very happy to announce the start of the mini-series «Art History in One Minute (videos). So far I have published on VALENCIARTIST part 1, which was dedicated to a great painter from the art vanguards of the 20th Century, Gustav Klimt. Part 2 will air soon and it is about a contemporary artist, Gerhard Richter. Part 3 will venture back to the 16th Century to feature Sofonisba Anguissola and that will air soon as well. I am trying to produce one for every day until we reach our conclusion. At the moment I am thinking about 10 artists from different times in the history of the world and the history of art. If you would like to suggest favourite artists, I would gladly consider creating a video for them. Let me know…

CHEERS

One of my favourite artists and a cat lover! Welcome to the new series of Art History where we will explore artists from different times and what, if anything, they actually contributed to Art History. We begin with a minute long video on Gustav Klimt…

CHEERS

DIGNITY HAS FINALLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE

Like a slugger whose slump has passed by

city dwellers in a summer whose temperatures fry

have took to the streets to defend their democracy

have taken initiative to protect sacred life

have shown that dignity is well and alive

and that tyranny will never be welcome

neither racism, hatred, offenses or insults

and that the colour of one’s skin is not a crime…

Peaceful and calm,

though angry,

feet march,

voices chant

flags fly,

not foreign

and with a right to be here…

Then greeted with violence,

Gas, batons, rubber bullets,

Marines deployed against civilians,

Soldiers…

Police in riot gear…

For what?

Power cannot stop the dream

Democracy will not be forsaken,

peace arrives when justice rules,

people’s lives will not be ruined

by a soldier’s boots or bayonet,

or by the orders of a tyrant alone in bed

munching on chips,

alone, unwanted and bitter,

deep inside knowing that

those who struggle for justice

will never be quitters…

C.2025 Francisco Bravo Cabrera – 13 JUN 2025 – Valencia, España