tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23180966049846634682024-02-21T06:53:50.653+11:00Changeless FriendCelebrating the enduring power and beauty of ArtAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-14688169803204806712017-03-25T19:07:00.003+11:002017-03-25T19:07:46.024+11:00Convergence and new business models in the art world<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Article published in Lifeasahuman.com on <a href="http://lifeasahuman.com/2016/arts-culture/convergence-and-new-business-models-in-the-art-world/" target="_blank">convergence and new business models in the art world</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-17624760609460076612016-12-20T21:57:00.000+11:002016-12-20T21:57:04.499+11:00Musings on Art - 9<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xF2Bxko8dLERKqWPL9CCUBVdE5FzVP63NfNJUaI1tPFGIFWkdVuo0388DlIE1s8UumPhS_oIUae5DnquI34GfJ5reh5kDLeBq21mNc23klNwBjrFFxqISJCf7Xs99hn73AUtQzO8rhBx/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xF2Bxko8dLERKqWPL9CCUBVdE5FzVP63NfNJUaI1tPFGIFWkdVuo0388DlIE1s8UumPhS_oIUae5DnquI34GfJ5reh5kDLeBq21mNc23klNwBjrFFxqISJCf7Xs99hn73AUtQzO8rhBx/s400/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_9.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-13439736148034497732016-11-29T21:44:00.001+11:002016-11-29T21:44:33.222+11:00Musings on Art - 8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOglS9Jv2WrJw-76t3Sn7SoSILTrvaZgOydXfIbZrRBAsRjn4y2CUJBw-tUvg-zyPt-Nn1jQR_g7v8m2jbXKORAAZXCCo7vmoDpnrWPQ5_gPhmI0iHHN1Hl6PCzcMgbirpLix5Qa3JKpUL/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOglS9Jv2WrJw-76t3Sn7SoSILTrvaZgOydXfIbZrRBAsRjn4y2CUJBw-tUvg-zyPt-Nn1jQR_g7v8m2jbXKORAAZXCCo7vmoDpnrWPQ5_gPhmI0iHHN1Hl6PCzcMgbirpLix5Qa3JKpUL/s400/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_8.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-36583370074228692462016-10-26T22:29:00.003+11:002016-10-26T22:32:14.547+11:00Musings on Art - 7<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IJqV3T2UXAwgNC4l-qZK79qsTqbnOXP-cU2nv_lCsq3KMjQ43AWxz1GbC3EwDIlUgWuctTUXplgOu4RGynt5mng8aqIldAtX5TUvjqgXnt5_bl7TuYC48t24bWNEDE7D_UbAeGJ0eugs/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IJqV3T2UXAwgNC4l-qZK79qsTqbnOXP-cU2nv_lCsq3KMjQ43AWxz1GbC3EwDIlUgWuctTUXplgOu4RGynt5mng8aqIldAtX5TUvjqgXnt5_bl7TuYC48t24bWNEDE7D_UbAeGJ0eugs/s400/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_7.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px;">Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-7410920915031746102016-09-13T21:14:00.002+10:002016-09-13T21:14:43.305+10:00Musings on Art - 6<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QbLpFLVI0RYuGnCy2_mMThT_jP-e1bjy6i1sRsqenjM2ahMOdh5pKSeea0-h5t0IVe4i-jQglQtbjKBOZBW-yYfoln_oSp9K6Mmhy8AnHJcExqZLiCBf_0mSuSag-w1dezFL5zv3NbR9/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QbLpFLVI0RYuGnCy2_mMThT_jP-e1bjy6i1sRsqenjM2ahMOdh5pKSeea0-h5t0IVe4i-jQglQtbjKBOZBW-yYfoln_oSp9K6Mmhy8AnHJcExqZLiCBf_0mSuSag-w1dezFL5zv3NbR9/s400/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_6.png" width="310" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-19879709449146394142016-08-29T22:11:00.000+10:002016-08-29T22:11:33.693+10:00Musings on art - 5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlqCBaHEAfikL7CtYs4uiRx_azGRGNKLZ6BnmUW-EQ3J4NBt2zj2cBV5MF-WBGMLMd30Ms37zBr-Yu7tF1bNtkcP0gVqVP6LepgM03IbAgKu1pivU1ZkiyCf0AAgfsRR-TyG-Cj7Aeu3G/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlqCBaHEAfikL7CtYs4uiRx_azGRGNKLZ6BnmUW-EQ3J4NBt2zj2cBV5MF-WBGMLMd30Ms37zBr-Yu7tF1bNtkcP0gVqVP6LepgM03IbAgKu1pivU1ZkiyCf0AAgfsRR-TyG-Cj7Aeu3G/s400/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_5.png" width="298" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-6034107106636761032016-08-11T22:00:00.000+10:002016-08-11T22:00:24.569+10:00Musings on Art - 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIlUSu1BzrblmSx-U3aS8HMfgubN8_2vVNY4PW9SoCKa6xgvPLPXrovWEhZ40k8GK2cSW12xmAYijIwnAiSJLRILWgx68fvEwhvHMxajg54g3oytYczJ5HsNXHmMt23mbP5ale7WezmRt/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_4.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIlUSu1BzrblmSx-U3aS8HMfgubN8_2vVNY4PW9SoCKa6xgvPLPXrovWEhZ40k8GK2cSW12xmAYijIwnAiSJLRILWgx68fvEwhvHMxajg54g3oytYczJ5HsNXHmMt23mbP5ale7WezmRt/s400/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-83027172308083287142016-07-30T19:02:00.000+10:002016-07-30T20:08:01.779+10:00Musings on Art - 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpG5ur0G025EW3-EFG5Gwvr4XdjEqKd6Zmq9h_A1v90Xwv0b0IoLOltqcr1k1ld8JZeCDg4IepJ3Gv9WanwnHvNCpf1XI2dq6HNmuKOO0onSaxgnsQa2DNDlchnnqcnFjGDM5PSmJPiiGV/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpG5ur0G025EW3-EFG5Gwvr4XdjEqKd6Zmq9h_A1v90Xwv0b0IoLOltqcr1k1ld8JZeCDg4IepJ3Gv9WanwnHvNCpf1XI2dq6HNmuKOO0onSaxgnsQa2DNDlchnnqcnFjGDM5PSmJPiiGV/s400/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-48658697891084591582016-07-23T19:02:00.000+10:002016-07-29T18:40:14.228+10:00Musings on Art - 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJmQ0hn2p6WLYz4Dw2ii0Aoe3845sz0vRovLF-GxPbfMHhoGUlksq8oI4OuPr5OIGC34lFobICkAsDA-ju1VAdQQrscG3MH_qObK_qVBKaJOXotWiY0-RAm0P5g5uQYd8ztRdFubDw_jn/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJmQ0hn2p6WLYz4Dw2ii0Aoe3845sz0vRovLF-GxPbfMHhoGUlksq8oI4OuPr5OIGC34lFobICkAsDA-ju1VAdQQrscG3MH_qObK_qVBKaJOXotWiY0-RAm0P5g5uQYd8ztRdFubDw_jn/s400/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-29458396325841482902016-07-16T18:57:00.000+10:002016-07-16T18:57:08.690+10:00Musings on Art - 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGYjHvfpFJpi7ClW_vGOkVDfi5MUDASZUwyVMINRYzGAD90N5RpPytWeWWmd0cAumBgJGJXzdm-YAQBOxTG2aMjhfC5fyvWAFZg_ewUyNOHBijWdYWfxLMq6waZLNX2ICBuvrOYEMFtdr/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGYjHvfpFJpi7ClW_vGOkVDfi5MUDASZUwyVMINRYzGAD90N5RpPytWeWWmd0cAumBgJGJXzdm-YAQBOxTG2aMjhfC5fyvWAFZg_ewUyNOHBijWdYWfxLMq6waZLNX2ICBuvrOYEMFtdr/s1600/Photograph+Series_Ivan+Fernandez_1.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Photograph - Ivan Fernandez</i></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-18793056818935472272016-03-29T22:59:00.000+11:002016-03-29T22:59:13.747+11:005 reasons why classical music should be part of your music diet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Article in Lifehack - <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/372459/5-reasons-why-classical-music-should-part-your-music-diet" target="_blank">5 reasons why classical music should be part of your music diet</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-44274123012737202852016-03-12T17:48:00.000+11:002016-03-12T17:48:01.901+11:00Ode to a Cruiser<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKPiYiQ_Dzj-Tl_aNmfoEO83u4AsSnzthnw-3f7sMf46vXscWPzDT-cKtkfFo9FEpeOk8y0fyDHQOuTs7Gk1ptaVKBurIfMdJ4xBNnW5-e3THohqiCnmT-GQrAH04JRMD3g0cvyNBrZWs/s1600/PT+Cruiser.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKPiYiQ_Dzj-Tl_aNmfoEO83u4AsSnzthnw-3f7sMf46vXscWPzDT-cKtkfFo9FEpeOk8y0fyDHQOuTs7Gk1ptaVKBurIfMdJ4xBNnW5-e3THohqiCnmT-GQrAH04JRMD3g0cvyNBrZWs/s320/PT+Cruiser.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Driving my Chrysler PT Cruiser,
it is not uncommon for me to pass another PT Cruiser going the other way and
for the two of us drivers to wave to each other or nod with a smile. A silent
high five; one PT Cruiser fan to another!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Obviously, I do not have a
similar unspoken ritual going on when I am driving my other car, a Nissan
Pulsar. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So, why the difference?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A few facts first: The PT (personal
transport) Cruiser is a retro-styled compact car that was launched in 2000 by
Chrysler. After 1.35 million cars sold worldwide, production of the Cruiser
ended in 2010. While the 5-door hatchback was the original launch, a 2-door
convertible was also launched in 2005.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Designed by Bryan Nesbitt (who
was later behind the Chevrolet HHR), the car was manufactured primarily at the Toluca
Assembly plant in Mexico.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The iconic design of the PT
Cruiser is part of the rich heritage of unashamedly retro-styled cars like the
Volkswagen Beetle and Mini Cooper. The Cruiser is specifically a modern day
tribute to the bold hot rods of the American gangster era. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Some cars are personal statements
of power and wealth. Some are meant to underline sophistication and class. And
some others are just meant to put a smile on your face. The Cruiser does just that.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Yes, the turning radius of the
Cruiser is clearly an issue and the acceleration is not something to write home
about. But the individualistic, vintage look of the car made it something to
aspire for (and not many compact cars are designed with that objective in mind).
Affordable and contemporary, yet surrounded by an almost “collectable” aura,
the Cruiser became a runaway hit when launched, spawning a number of fan clubs
in many parts of the world (click here for the <a href="http://www.ptcruisers.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian PT Cruiser Community </a>website). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The first time I saw a picture of
the Cruiser in a newspaper article around the time of its launch, I said to
myself that I would someday own that vehicle. And years later when I did join
the PT Cruiser family, it was a quiet thrill to feel a sense of indulgence
without having to actually break the bank for it. It was not so much the fact
that the Cruiser looks like no other car on the road. And it certainly had
nothing to do with fuel efficiency or on-road performance (my Nissan Pulsar
does a much better job at that). It was just the visceral feeling of driving a
vehicle of amazing design that was clearly comfortable in its own vintage skin.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Perhaps, a psychologist will have
a field day analysing the hidden triggers that make one a PT Cruiser fan or
critic. It can be polarising. But, the one thing the car does not do is sit on
the fence. By exuding an unmistakable vintage vibe, the Cruiser is either loved
unconditionally or treated with derision by some. In the end, what it does is
challenge our conventional pathways to establishing taste.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Quite often, we feel a need to
follow every change in fashion to the point that we inevitably reach a boring
sameness in our tastes. It is often a subconscious and powerful process of
“mainstreaming”. But every once in a while, something comes along that is
unafraid to look and feel as if from another age. And as old and naive as that
age may have been, it refreshes our perspective today. A smart and simple way
of turning the seemingly ‘uncool’ into something really cool!<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-34491968407073033172016-03-05T17:47:00.000+11:002016-03-05T17:47:01.793+11:00Universal Treasures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Music is ubiquitous. It accompanies the celebration of a
baptism, a birthday, a wedding, an anniversary, a march into battle. It also
sustains us as we grieve at funerals. And beyond the decisive moments, music is
also with us in the everyday moments. It is part of worship in churches,
mosques and temples. It is the lifeblood of a carnival, it is that ‘very
personal’ song between lovers, it is the throbbing beat from spectators at a
sporting event, the anthem we sing, the background score to the films we watch,
the insidious, and sometimes, irritating ambient tracks in a lift or lobby, the
live music in a concert hall, at a party or from a busker on the street, the
bedtime song we sing our children, the whistling in the dark, the singing in
the shower, the aerobics accompaniment, on the car radio, on home stereos, on
personal headphones; in fact you can think of hundreds of different scenarios
where music is part of our lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Music is also universal
in that in some form or the other, it is created, performed and enjoyed across
races and cultures. Afro, bhangra, bel canto, boogie, bolero, calypso,
carnatic, celtic, cha-cha, flamenco, ghazal, hillybilly, hindustani, jazz,
polka, qawwali, rumba, salsa, samba, swing…the exercise of simply listing out
some music styles throws up a rainbow of impressions of each culture and
geography that gave birth to each of these genres.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Researchers from McGill University and University of
Montreal in Canada and Technische Universität Berlin in Germany played specific
musical compositions to two extremely different groups - first, to forty
Mebenzélé Pygmies in the Congolese rainforest and second to forty Canadians.
The <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01341/full" target="_blank">findings</a> (published in the journal 'Frontiers in Psychology', 07 January
2015) showed that the music (including both western pieces and Mbenzélé
melodies) elicited similar types of responses in both groups for key musical
characteristics such as tempo, pitch and timbre.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I were to briefly list a few of the memorable moments in
cinema that I recall involving some form of appreciation of music, it becomes
clear to me that art is indeed a universal language:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In <i>‘The Mission’</i>, Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) scales the
mighty Iguazu Falls in South America and, reaching the jungle above the Falls,
he sits down and plays his oboe. The fearsome Guarani warriors who emerge from
the jungle, ready to strike down the intruder, are instinctively captivated by
the music and let him live.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In <i>‘The Shawshank Redemption’</i>, prison inmate Andy Dufresne
(Tim Robbins) (wrongly convicted of murder and serving time at Shawshank State
Penitentiary, managed by a cold and brutal warden) does the unexpected when he
locks himself in the room in which the warden’s LP record player is located. He
then plays a recording of Mozart's ‘Le nozze di Figaro’ over the prison P.A.
system. In a prison where not even basic human rights are honoured, the divine
music wafting out to all the prisoners is a lifeline for many (although it
results in Andy being mercilessly beaten by the prison guards after they break
down the locked door).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In <i>'The Prince of Tides'</i>, football coach, Tom Wingo (Nick
Nolte) is saying his farewell to the young violinist and football beginner,
Bernard Woodruff (Jason Gould) at the train station. He makes a final request
to the boy before the train arrives. He asks him to play the violin for him.
The boy promptly opens his violin case, takes up his violin and plays with
astounding passion and artistry in the midst of the bustling station. The coach
is moved and says something to the effect that if he could play the violin like
that, he would never touch a football. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
In the end, when we respond instinctively to music, we are
giving ourselves the opportunity of shared experiences with people who we may
never have engaged with otherwise. This <a href="https://youtu.be/4I_NYya-WWg" target="_blank">video</a> of two strangers improvising
together on a piano at a train station in France reiterates this truth in a
disarmingly effective manner. Enjoy!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4I_NYya-WWg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4I_NYya-WWg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-72089212723437973202016-02-26T22:32:00.000+11:002016-02-26T22:32:03.285+11:00Why Art Matters: Dr. Linda F. Nathan at TEDx<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Odbcty42MaM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Odbcty42MaM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
Founding headmaster of Boston Arts Academy (Boston’s first public high school for the visual and performing arts), Dr. Linda F. Nathan speaks about Arts education as a foundation element in schooling. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-75088021184327702372016-02-05T23:04:00.000+11:002016-02-05T23:04:05.820+11:005 Inspiring Examples of Art for Real Social Change<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Much has been said about art being an indulgence that only the very rich can take advantage of. But here are five examples of artists leveraging their art to make a decisive difference in the lives of communities without the means.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Alejandro Aravena: My architectural philosophy? Bring the community into the process</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/o0I0Poe3qlg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o0I0Poe3qlg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The El Sistema music revolution - Jose Antonio Abreu</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rYXK8TZADws/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rYXK8TZADws?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Haas&</span><wbr style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></wbr><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hahn: How painting can transform communities</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iCXfJVCg1LA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iCXfJVCg1LA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Theaster Gates: How to revive a neighborhood: with imagination, beauty and art</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/S9ry1M7JlyE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S9ry1M7JlyE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">eL Seed: Street art with a message of hope and peace</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E0k4IQ8fDCY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E0k4IQ8fDCY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-32334214696563084362016-01-22T15:04:00.000+11:002016-01-22T15:04:06.977+11:00Taking imagination seriously<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Inspiring story of the genesis of a new type of sculpture.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/10dkp-N0iwU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/10dkp-N0iwU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-86991925983514201732016-01-16T17:45:00.000+11:002016-01-16T17:45:05.110+11:00Enjoying free visual art experiences<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
If at this point in time, I am only looking for ways in
which I can enjoy art without any costs involved, a number of compelling
options are available to me:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Obviously, I cannot go wrong with the <a href="http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/" target="_blank">Art Gallery of New South Wales</a>, the <a href="http://www.mca.com.au/" target="_blank">Museum of Contemporary Art</a> and the <a href="http://sydney.edu.au/museums/collections/art-gallery.shtml" target="_blank">University Art Gallery</a>. <b>Public galleries </b>not only house great artworks that
you can see in person, they are also hubs that provide the learner with the
means of engaging with the art world in a number of proactive ways; through
free celebrity talks, exhibition talks, guided tours, workshops and educational
projects. And free admission to shortlist exhibitions of some of the most high profile art prizes in the country (the <a href="http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/" target="_blank">Archibald</a> Portrait Prize, the <a href="http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/wynne/" target="_blank">Wynne Prize </a>for Landscape and the <a href="http://www.casulapowerhouse.com/exhibitions/the-64th-blake-prize.aspx" target="_blank">Blake Prize</a> to name a few). <o:p></o:p>In fact, I do not have to restrict myself to Sydney CBD; with a number of suburban arts centres that have year-round exhibition programmes; for example at <a href="http://www.casulapowerhouse.com/" target="_blank">Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/p4Vd-oAdAbQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p4Vd-oAdAbQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Of course, there is terrific work on display at any of the many <b>private galleries</b> in the city. Good listings and details on exhibitions at these galleries are at <a href="http://www.art-almanac.com.au/" target="_blank">Art Almanac</a>, <a href="http://artguide.com.au/" target="_blank">Art Guide</a>, <a href="http://www.artcollector.net.au/" target="_blank">Art Collector</a> and <a href="http://www.artmonthly.org.au/" target="_blank">Art Monthly</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I want to get up close and personal with <b>public artworks</b>
without any admission fee, there are a range of permanent (monuments /
memorials, sculptures / installations, fountains, street art / murals) and
temporary works across the city. In fact, if I used this <a href="http://www.cityartsydney.com.au/map/" target="_blank">map</a>, I could even
fashion my own art tour, for nothing but my time and a good long walk and a
quick commute. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I might also put the dates of <b>free outdoor festivals</b> into my
calendar; the biggest in Sydney being, <a href="http://sculpturebythesea.com/" target="_blank">Sculpture by the Sea</a> and <a href="http://www.vividsydney.com/" target="_blank">Vivid</a>. Even at festivals with paid programmes, there are often a range of free shows and activities; for example at the <a href="http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2016/free-events" target="_blank">Sydney Festival </a>in January.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zPJ1mbrDVXs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zPJ1mbrDVXs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I am not too keen on getting outdoors, I might just
decide to surf through the world art treasures online at any one of the massive
<b>open access art collections</b> on the Internet including those by <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/collection" target="_blank">The MetropolitanMuseum of Art</a>, <a href="https://images.nga.gov/en/page/openaccess.html" target="_blank">The National Gallery of Art</a>, <a href="http://www.getty.edu/about/opencontent.html" target="_blank">the Getty Museum</a> or the <a href="https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/project/art-project" target="_blank">Google ArtProject</a>. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4ZdCByYeNRU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4ZdCByYeNRU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Often art experiences without a price tag are available to
us in unexpected situations and locations. My local library, the well-appointed
lobby of a large corporate firm, the out-in-the-open work of a sidewalk painter; there are a multitude of scenarios that can provide an opportunity to
learn from and enjoy great art. It only takes openness and a spirit of adventure to take us down paths that can enrich our lives well beyond our most ambitious plans.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-59213068051805197212016-01-02T08:06:00.000+11:002016-01-06T23:19:18.060+11:00Seven Sources of Affordable Art<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Seven Sources of Affordable Art</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgO3y38jE0NH0ujJZTnsQkg6gvK0na_MEUoWwjOfwt6GliI8GhBqXExK6mK9MyicM64r75WYuQZWLMOncNEakIWSFkrwd4JCMDC8UXMf0vPaQm_lf8EuKlIbL11twnG3HtyhdmMEDHyCYE/s1600/Affordable+Art1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgO3y38jE0NH0ujJZTnsQkg6gvK0na_MEUoWwjOfwt6GliI8GhBqXExK6mK9MyicM64r75WYuQZWLMOncNEakIWSFkrwd4JCMDC8UXMf0vPaQm_lf8EuKlIbL11twnG3HtyhdmMEDHyCYE/s320/Affordable+Art1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If you thought that acquiring art was only for the very
rich, then here is why you might want to change your mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of best things to happen to art over the recent past has
been the rise of the affordable art sector. Yes, the media is terribly fond of
teasing a dumbfounded public by reporting the astronomical sums being paid for
some artworks (In February 2015, Paul Gauguin's 1892 oil painting 'When Will
You Marry?' sold privately for close to $300 million!). That is clearly an
inaccessible part of the art market to most people. What is now increasingly
easier to access though is a large and diverse range of affordable art.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So let us take the case of a person like me; based in
<b>Sydney</b>, with nothing significant by way of a budget for collecting original
art, but with an aspiration to start acquiring original art for my home. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first stop could be one of the number of <b>online galleries</b>
that offer original artworks by emerging and established artists at extremely
attractive prices. While these online companies have disrupted the business
model for brick-and-mortar galleries, they are providing potential customers
like me a hassle-free and easy way to browse art by price, size, style, medium
or artist, compare works and pay online (usually with a money back guarantee, monthly installments options and free shipping within the country). Names that come to mind include <a href="http://www.artpharmacy.com.au/" target="_blank">ArtPharmacy</a>, <a href="https://bluethumb.com.au/" target="_blank">Bluethumb</a>, <a href="http://www.stateoftheartgallery.com.au/" target="_blank">State of the Art Gallery</a>, <a href="http://www.artmegallery.com.au/" target="_blank">Art Me Gallery</a>, <a href="http://www.artgalleryaustralia.com.au/" target="_blank">Art GalleryAustralia</a>, <a href="http://www.theartbox.com.au/" target="_blank">The Art Box</a> and <a href="http://arttoart.com.au/" target="_blank">Art to Art</a>. This is by no means a list of the biggest or best or the most user-friendly; it is just a sprinkling of some of the names I have come across or checked out at some point (so please do your research before deciding which suits you best).<br />
<br />
If I believe in the <b>buy-local approach</b>, I may actually find reasonably priced artworks if I am patient and through in my research thorough local open studios and local art schools. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the price tag of even the lowest-priced paintings is
still too daunting, an increasingly popular way to make it work is to create
groups of like-minded would-be art collectors who pool in a fixed amount per
year, which is used to acquire a few artworks that are then circulated around
the group, so all get to enjoy the artworks in their homes through this process
of rotation. It is not a new model; <b>art-buying groups</b> are mushrooming all over
the world, building a shared collection while at the same time reducing individual
financial exposure.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If this community-model is not my thing, then I might just
decide to take advantage of a number of <b>interest-free loan offers from
financial institutions</b>. Here’s an example of one; <a href="http://www.beyondbank.com.au/your-community/support/the-arts/arts-card.html" target="_blank">Beyond Bank</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the original artwork I have become infatuated with is
beyond my budget’s stretch limit, I might also consider acquiring <b>limited
edition prints </b>by the same artist, if that is available.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, the good news is that Sydney is now home to more
<b>affordable art fairs and exhibitions</b> than ever before. For example, <a href="http://theotherartfair.com.au/" target="_blank">The OtherArt Fair</a> gives me a chance to start early with works by emerging and
undiscovered artists.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dBruJJsrjyM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dBruJJsrjyM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
If all else fails, I might just decide to spend an afternoon
in the garage with a couple of canvasses and some acrylic paints and make up
<b>DIY artworks</b>! No payment, no shipping delay, and most importantly the work of
an artist that I am likely to be enthusiastic and supportive of over the long
term!</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-39709458449206286722015-12-24T17:53:00.000+11:002015-12-29T09:31:51.103+11:00LP Album Cover Art – Images that spoke as eloquently as the music <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amongst the most cherished possessions I recall from my
childhood home is a superb collection of long playing (LP) records that my
father had. This collection of vinyls opened up the world of Bach, Beethoven
and Mozart to me. It also introduced me to ABBA, John Denver and Neil Diamond
amongst many others. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
To consider the music of this extremely diverse vinyl collection will require a book-length treatise. But in this article, I pay homage to the wonderful LP cover art that this collection had. Images of composers, instrumentalists, conductors, singers and bands that provided my young mind a visual reference point and launch pad into the music.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuDGrjZzTJsEAd2BmNzFAiXb04AJDPeJasjhwvU17d5yihDkgfxbHpinJRTG5RSqf8mC3Lz11ajjrC4PX2ywgmtFTWD-hzpoRF_4whntL-LLdDPudtn6ShuO45EeLZC97VBqHp2AmLk9c/s1600/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuDGrjZzTJsEAd2BmNzFAiXb04AJDPeJasjhwvU17d5yihDkgfxbHpinJRTG5RSqf8mC3Lz11ajjrC4PX2ywgmtFTWD-hzpoRF_4whntL-LLdDPudtn6ShuO45EeLZC97VBqHp2AmLk9c/s400/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
At the height of the LP format's popularity, great LP covers were art collectibles in themselves. The cover design and the liner notes for these vinyls were the focus of significant attention of the recording studios. This is understandable given the fact that the LP album packaging format provided the industry with 30 sq. cm. of real estate with which to entice and engage customers. In fact, the LP cover as a cultural symbol drew the interest and involvement of a number of serious painters, illustrators, graphic artists and photographers, leading to the creation of some of the most iconic examples of album cover art. And those musicians with visual art skills invested much of their own time and effort in making their LP album covers a unique visual commentary on their music. A classic example is the great Canadian singer-songwriter, Joni Mitchell, who being a painter herself, designed her own album cover art right through a long and illustrious career.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitY1sPcwa2rlk3AxqY5gQa-dNxURM4ILeBXks1PmA9ggGQHokWZLYnBFt-euIq50puUfTTyT3xL47oFjaPrxobK6k8117pQxx-XZJXOlVD_K5TgBK8NRC4xv-bNZBVejrzoOpfXVUa8Tax/s1600/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitY1sPcwa2rlk3AxqY5gQa-dNxURM4ILeBXks1PmA9ggGQHokWZLYnBFt-euIq50puUfTTyT3xL47oFjaPrxobK6k8117pQxx-XZJXOlVD_K5TgBK8NRC4xv-bNZBVejrzoOpfXVUa8Tax/s400/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flicking through the LP collection at home in my mind's eye now, I must admit that some LP cover art there was ordinary. But the great ones remain for me indelible visual signposts of a world of music that has been a ‘changeless friend’ to me all these years.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AltQDemL_vOIvKmMECf5LgYT4nc0_qoHqtFCwNeOOZESkQfBzvee1h5jHEBxvAS5MshUDJPV7CkE1l9GeV782bmDjEYb2YVuDA8tNwn-Y6rPv32y6F54HiHEeK4g40xquEqjmibTstIH/s1600/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AltQDemL_vOIvKmMECf5LgYT4nc0_qoHqtFCwNeOOZESkQfBzvee1h5jHEBxvAS5MshUDJPV7CkE1l9GeV782bmDjEYb2YVuDA8tNwn-Y6rPv32y6F54HiHEeK4g40xquEqjmibTstIH/s400/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The LP - as a recording format - died a slow death starting from the 1980s, by which time cassettes and later compact discs emerged as default formats for recorded music. The pleasant surprise though has been the resurgence of the LP in this age of digital downloads (even if the number of new vinyls released is negligible and mainly focused on catering to DJs and audiophiles).<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9Y5ND473x3IBx6tO-mCaxcTqZ8A25cskwmz-vWrf3EH-YIXdKsc5OQPlCjdJTF0cjtBPW4CeFEdoVjhXAL4XYKyrtrJ-SE0Sj9wSwS-7fV05PD8ezDlhOwDy1F6hdoouYgdwUiPwunZ4/s1600/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9Y5ND473x3IBx6tO-mCaxcTqZ8A25cskwmz-vWrf3EH-YIXdKsc5OQPlCjdJTF0cjtBPW4CeFEdoVjhXAL4XYKyrtrJ-SE0Sj9wSwS-7fV05PD8ezDlhOwDy1F6hdoouYgdwUiPwunZ4/s400/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+5.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fortunately for all fans of album cover art, the age of
digital music has not meant abandoning visual packaging entirely. Album covers
remain - only no longer on a physical product and certainly without the luxury
of the 30 sq. cm. canvass.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYiqxPKYaXyjp-JXaCV5vFTcaDymg74BIVLNuOP9oQ_uJTxxmQdeaQe0X6MvhBJMZM5VxFdJNAuR2hd51jKpop_Ozaihj-_OJPZmrjUsv_-LLtqRcd7N9t7E0-Za7CcA0a8yXNJST9kgO/s1600/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYiqxPKYaXyjp-JXaCV5vFTcaDymg74BIVLNuOP9oQ_uJTxxmQdeaQe0X6MvhBJMZM5VxFdJNAuR2hd51jKpop_Ozaihj-_OJPZmrjUsv_-LLtqRcd7N9t7E0-Za7CcA0a8yXNJST9kgO/s400/Karajan+LP+Cover+Art+2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a lot that excites and inspires in cover art across
genres – rock, pop, jazz, folk, country…virtually every type of music. Some
shock with their in-your-face bravado both in image content and design. Some astound
with the brilliance of their imagery. Some speak to us in subtle and hushed
tones. But to celebrate the amazing power of great LP cover art, I have selected
for this article a few examples from the catalogue of just one artist - Herbert
von Karajan. These are examples from LPs recorded by not only one of the
greatest conductors of all time, but an artist who instinctively understood the
power of the visual in the world of music and used it effectively on his way to
becoming the most successful recording artist in classical music history.</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-35464891615590490962015-12-13T10:23:00.002+11:002016-01-13T11:22:35.408+11:00Art underwater!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcz-teMROCbCRywu5BSHlc2fTbo0PzDSw1c9_xgxLD1n4l1lHGNZ_QMTTH_E41ox6VykQtV70zjdc-otpQhGMZTvBo6zwrJ-i5_f398ZmkzREYgQMyFhOXhpp7DwKhLuDuDC5PqpOX7WW4/s1600/Seaweed_I+Fernandez_Oct08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcz-teMROCbCRywu5BSHlc2fTbo0PzDSw1c9_xgxLD1n4l1lHGNZ_QMTTH_E41ox6VykQtV70zjdc-otpQhGMZTvBo6zwrJ-i5_f398ZmkzREYgQMyFhOXhpp7DwKhLuDuDC5PqpOX7WW4/s320/Seaweed_I+Fernandez_Oct08.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Have just returned from business trip to Hobart; a meeting with <a href="http://www.marinova.com.au/" target="_blank">Marinova</a>, a Tassie-based manufacturer of seaweed extracts used in medical, nutritional and dermatological products.<br />
<br />
Apart from the great hospitality of Paul Garrott, CEO & Managing Director and Kevin Krail, Business Development Manager, another pleasant surprise was a gift they gave me. A book by Tasmanian landscape photographer, <a href="http://www.ianwallace.com.au/" target="_blank">Ian Wallace</a> which is in fact a collection of images from the exhibition '<a href="http://www.seaweedartmeetsscience.com/" target="_blank">Seaweed - art meets science</a>'.<br />
<br />
The image above is not from that project (it is actually a photograph that I took some time in 2008 during a day out with family at one of Sydney's many beautiful south coast beaches). But do check out Ian's breathtaking <a href="http://www.seaweedartmeetsscience.com/" target="_blank">underwater images</a> and I'm sure you will agree that something as simple as seaweed does have this wondrous mystique that is so far removed from the depressing hard lines of most of our built environment. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
And finally, here's another 'underwater' artist - <a href="http://www.underwatersculpture.com/" target="_blank">Jason deCaires Taylor</a> - who is creating amazing sculpted forms deep in the ocean.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L099ZkfCiOQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L099ZkfCiOQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-61709999274125305402015-05-20T22:51:00.002+10:002016-01-21T17:45:54.611+11:00Beethoven<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TyITKJ9oJ2H0FUjUY-9EmRP9JnlQtlSQTcAVYFxS1b5A1DGuruzpThcs36JQZb6f8JSEjDBx5-J5H44A22foKVHS_P1pRVyeuQHH8Ot-4mU5s9i9Iy2Lf08vzJE0o2LnDHI4hu4I-z3Y/s1600/Beethoven+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TyITKJ9oJ2H0FUjUY-9EmRP9JnlQtlSQTcAVYFxS1b5A1DGuruzpThcs36JQZb6f8JSEjDBx5-J5H44A22foKVHS_P1pRVyeuQHH8Ot-4mU5s9i9Iy2Lf08vzJE0o2LnDHI4hu4I-z3Y/s320/Beethoven+%25282%2529.jpg" width="122" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Beethoven</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Acrylic on Canvass</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Beethoven on Music -</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Music is mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-82423041272746246282014-08-01T20:46:00.000+10:002015-12-25T19:42:35.955+11:00Taking risks in uncharted territory<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Article on the opportunity and challenge of the "road not taken" published in<b> <a href="http://livingnow.com.au/articles/personal-development/taking-risks-uncharted-territory" target="_blank">Living Now </a></b>magazine.<br />
<br />
The ‘road not taken’ can seem daunting for most; especially if our sights are set on some other destination, but nurturing new thought processes can help us step out of our comfort zone and make the detour count. <b><i><a href="http://www.livingnow.com.au/articles/personal-development/taking-risks-uncharted-territory" target="_blank">More...</a></i></b><br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-10797010369561252402014-05-08T19:01:00.001+10:002015-12-25T19:43:15.114+11:003D Printing and the dizzying new possibilities for art<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Article on 3D Printing's likely impact on art; published in <a href="http://arttimesjournal.com/speakout/may-14-3d-printing-Ivan-fernandez.html" target="_blank"><b>ART Times Journal</b></a><br />
<br />
3D Printers – once the domain of component and device manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, healthcare and consumer products space – is now revolutionizing the world of art. This should not come as a surprise given the fact that nearly every day new applications are being explored for this amazing technology. <b><i><a href="http://arttimesjournal.com/speakout/may-14-3d-printing-Ivan-fernandez.html" target="_blank">More</a>...</i></b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-50858357580457750692014-01-21T21:48:00.001+11:002015-12-25T19:43:44.207+11:00Recognizing and responding to the peak experience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Article published on <a href="https://ignitechannel.com/stories/recognizing-responding-peak-experience-2/" target="_blank"><b>Ignite Me</b></a><br />
<br />
Nirvana... the ‘aha!’ moment... the peak experience – different people use different ways to describe that summit of the aesthetic experience. What is common is that it can be character defining, soul nourishing and in many cases, life changing. <b><i><a href="https://ignitechannel.com/stories/recognizing-responding-peak-experience-2/" target="_blank">More...</a></i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2318096604984663468.post-23404635453297363282014-01-07T21:03:00.000+11:002015-12-25T19:44:01.352+11:00Beyond the here and now - The long term future of classical music<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Article to kick-start 2014 on <a href="http://www.artnewsportal.com/art-news/beyond-the-here-and-now-the-long-term-future-of-classical-music" target="_blank"><b>Art News Portal</b></a><br />
<br />
With the beginning of each new year, the art and entertainment media is hit by a surfeit of predictions detailing new challenges that will confront the classical music industry over the course of the year. While the near-term outlook is critical, sometimes it helps to pause and take a more long-term view of what is round the bend. <b><i><a href="http://www.artnewsportal.com/art-news/beyond-the-here-and-now-the-long-term-future-of-classical-music" target="_blank">More...</a></i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11203770694115182064noreply@blogger.com0