Blog No. 243 : William Kentridge, Animal Telepath Sharon Loy, Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton Music

Artist William Kentridge

I'm still hitting myself that I missed this William Kentridge exhibition in NYC by one day...Painful... South African William Kentridge (born 1955) is, in my humble opinion, one of the most interesting artists alive today...a real artist's artist. Some people have even deemed him the Picasso of South Africa. Kentridge is most known for his large works in charcoal and his animation, although he does not limit himself to just that--with chalk, with film, with charcoal, with metal, he crafts his drawings, paintings, sculpture, operas and film.

His latest exhibition centered around the idea of studio as self portrait--how does one make sense of the world with the tools and techniques of the studio. According to his artist statement, "I have never been able to escape Johannesburg, and in the end, all my work is rooted in this rather desperate provincial city. I have never tried to make illustrations of apartheid, but the drawings and the films are certainly spawned by, and feed off, the brutalised society left in its wake."..."I am interested in a political art, that is to say an art of ambiguity, contradiction, uncompleted gestures and uncertain ending - an art (and a politics) in which optimism is kept in check, and nihilism at bay." And on his drawings: "The drawings don't start with 'a beautiful mark'. It has to be a mark of something out there in the world. It doesn't have to be an accurate drawing, but it has to stand for an observation, not something that is abstract, like an emotion."

The Hauser & Wirth Gallery website shows a big selection of the works in this show--have a look and let me know your thoughts in the comments...

Animal Telepath Sharon Loy

Do you ever have the impression that so much of what we have been taught is wrong...Take animals for example. So many of us have just accepted the paradigm that humans are superior beings, the only conscious ones, the only ones capable of evolving, the only ones with feelings, the only ones who are able to use tools... Animal telepath Sharon Loy knew all that was not true ever since she was a little girl--acutely aware that our spirits bloom when we are connected with animals.

I hope you will take the time to watch this inspiring mini documentary about Sharon Loy and the animals (and humans) whose lives she has touched...Guaranteed to cheer up your day, no matter what state you are in...Magic does exist in the world!

Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton Music

Click the image above to hear the album Live at the Legion

Spent the early morning hours lying in bed listening to Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton's relatively new album Live at the Legion, suggested by David Kowalski, aka vinyljunky by his own admission, owner of Deep Groove Records in Brunswick Maine. It's a great record store and the go to place if you are looking for absolutely anything vinyl. The red white and blue vinyl version of this album is one of their very many offerings.

William Lee Apostol aka Billy Strings (the name given to him for his prowess in that arena) and Bryan Sutton have put together their spin on a mix of traditional bluegrass and folk influences including the work of Doc Watson, Norman Blake and Tony Rice and have even included a number written by Bob Dylan. They have made these traditional tunes alive again, "innovating on and carrying their songs to new heights for a new generation of listeners."--Henry Carrigan of Folk Alley.

Rolling Stone wrote an interesting article on Strings a few years back if you want to take a deeper look at his tumultuous and wondrous life.

One of my all time favorite pieces of Gert Mathiesen (1951-2013) which if it hasn’t moved hangs in the home of a wonderful family in Berkeley, California.

Charity of the Week:
Unicef Aid to Gaza

Click image to donate


About The Author

New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.

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