Faith saved us from the savages that we were, losing faith makes us savages again
El retrato, el autorretrato, algo que se viene haciendo en la historia del arte toda la vida. Hay que conocerlo bien…
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The portrait, the self-portrait, something that has been happening in art history always. We must get to know it well…
Gracias…
Cheers…
Now I must confess that I do not know too much…or barely anything…about this artist. He was born in Brasilia, Brasil in 1982 and graduated from Goias Federal University Aparecida de Goiania Campus.
What I do find interesting is that Dalton Paula is an artist after my own heart because he recognises his significance as a viable, well educated and prepared member of the «polis», who has a voice and who speaks. He has criss-crossed his country of Brasil and has studied and expounded upon the relationship between art and the problems, sociologically and politically that exist as a result of his country’s history, formation and development. I have always advocated that artists should speak out because they represent a class that not only has a right, but has the training and the expertise to do so.
Here are some of his works exhibited now at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) of Manhattan.
Dalton Paula studied visual arts and has dedicated his work to the exploration of the Afro-Brasilian culture. Interestingly, he actually worked as a fire-fighter for ten years…
His first exhibition was at the Sé Galeria in 2014. Then in 2016 he participated in the 32ª Bienal Internacional de Arte de São Paulo. In 2020 six of his portraits were exhibited at the MoMa, Manhattan.
I have included this artist in the series because he is, in my humble opinion, a good contemporary artist who is engaged in an activity that I truly value, social activism. However, he is not a revolutionary nor a street fighter, he approaches the complex problems of his history and society from an intellectual and affirmative point of view which teaches and visually explains so many things. Hope you like it.
Tell me what you think…
Cheers…
Para mi un pintor extraordinario, un surrealista increíble y uno de los que debes conocer…
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For me an extraordinary painter, an incredible surrealist and one of the ones you should get to know…
Gracias…
Cheers…
Uno de los grandes de España, definitivamente…
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One of great ones from Spain, definitely…
Gracias…
Cheers…
I usually do not feature «performance» or «conceptual» artists as I prefer artists that actually create something out of materials, like a painting out of paints or a sculpture out of either marble, bronze or other hard…or soft…material. However, I know and understand that since the brilliant start of Marina Abramović (Serbian,1946), performance art has become rather mainstream. And this artist, coming from a country like Afghanistan, grabbed my eye. So I want to share her with you and I would like to know what you think.
Lida Abdul was born in 1973. Her family fled Afghanistan when the Soviets invaded. She lived as a refugee in India and in Germany before relocating to the United States (Los Angeles). Her work is a sort of documentary, in an artistic, perhaps even poetic manner, the terrible things that have happened to her country. First the Russians, then the Taliban, then the US and their war on terrorism. All of these traumatic events guide her work and inspire Abdul to create very emotional pieces that make you reflect, think, meditate on what life is like after a major devastation.
Lida holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and one in philosophy from California State University, Fullerton and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, granted in 2000.
I am attracted to artists that dare to talk, express opinions and voice their complaints. I think that those things are a requirement for artists. Therefore my appreciation of Lida’s work, although I am not a fan of performance art…
Now it is your turn to tell me what you think…
Cheers…
Las tres cosas y más, tocar instrumentos de percusión, molan…
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The there things, plus playing percusión instruments is cool…
OMNIA CAELUM STUDIOS VALÈNCIA
Gracias…
Cheers…
Las brujas, tema que ha fascinado a los pintores…
Witches, a topic that has fascinated painters…
Gracias…
Cheers…
LA VIDA ES UN SALÓN DE BAILE
(Comenzada el 14 de diciembre 2022; escuchando a Joni Mitchell “Shadows and Light”)
La vida es un baile… Quizá… ¡No! La vida es un salón de bailes
donde te encuentras solo, parado en una esquina, en silencio
murmurando la canción que está tocando la banda, y estratégicamente te pasas la mano por el pelo, engomado, y brillante,
que te da un look de rock and roll,
un aspecto de macarra amable,
el adonis de la sala
en la esquina
sin bailar,
solo…
¿Quién me sacará del abismo?
¿Quién me liberará?
¿Quién me hará vivir?
Soy el hombre que ha abierto los ojos, porque ha caído y se le ha roto el vidrio oscuro que los cubría.
Y ya soy hierba junto a un cedro y un rio, cuya corriente fluye y mueve las aguas…
Aunque me acueste llorando, amaneceré cantando,
y la tristeza la cambiaré por cantos porque no soy una caña sacudida por el viento,
el viento del salón de baile, el viento del look rock and roll, el viento que me despeina…
Y la vida es un baile… ¡No! ¿Es un salón de baile?
No seas hierático ni tonto. Sabrás que la vida es un oasis en el desierto,
y no te avergüences si no bailas hoy pues bailaras mañana…
(17 de diciembre de 2022, Francisco Bravo Cabrera,València, España)
I look beneath the clouds that form the vaulty, mystic ceiling, La Giralda built with fire in the sky.
My eyes burn with the smoke, the grey-white line that forms an arabesque upon your smile.
My steps lead me to light, a sun encrusted on a flower, supernatural, sublime and yellow talks to me of love.
C.2023, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, 06 JAN 2023, València, España.
Las brujas, esas mujeres que usaban la magia y poderes sobrenaturales para hacer el mal a la gente…quizá en bien también, pero eso nunca se sabe…son parte de la historia del arte, definitivamente. A través de las épocas los artistas las han pintado de mil maneras y aquí exploraremos algunas, las que considero más interesantes. Ojalá que lo sean para ti también y si lo son o no, me lo dejas en comentarios.
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Witches. Women who used magic and supernatural powers to do harm to others…or perhaps good, but we’ll never know…are definitely part of art history. Throughout the ages painters have painted them in a million different ways. Here we will explore a few of them, the ones I think are the most interesting. I hope they are to you as well, and please, whether they are or not, let me know what you think in the comments below.
JOHN WILLIAM WATERHOUSE
Es interesante notar los símbolos presentes en este gran cuadro. Por ejemplo, tenemos al cuervo…que hay varios…que representa la muerte; el sapo, que representa el amor; la serpiente mordiéndose la cola que es el símbolo de Uróboros, usado en el gnosticismo y en el misticismo. Además vemos que la bruja no es una vieja fea, arrugada, sin dientes y con verrugas, sino que es una chica guapa…
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It is interesting to note the symbols present in this great work. For example the crow…there are several…who represents death; the bullfrog representing love; the serpent biting its tail, the symbol of Ouroboros frequently used in Gnosticism and mysticism. Additionally we see that the witch is not an old, ugly, old woman with a long nose, warts and green teeth. She is young and beautiful…
MUCHO MAS EN EL VIDEO QUE VIENE – MUCH MORE IN THE COMING VIDEO
Gracias…
Cheers…
JaZzArt en València