Tag Archives: art

Travel

The Many Cultural Charms Of Buenos Aires Argentina

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Obelisk in Buenos Aires
George at the obelisk…

Feel Cooler Than You Really Are. If you want to learn to dance the tango the place to be is Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is a city that expresses its passion and national pride through their music, soccer, dancing, horses, and writing earning it the title of “City of Cool”.

Buenos Aires, (English meaning Fair Winds) Argentina.
With a population of 2.7 million people this capital city of Argentina is a place oozing with charm and things to do. From the moment you begin wandering downtown streets you know it’s going to be interesting. It’s a place to be cool even if you aren’t. Okay, let’s make it clear, I’m not cool, but for some unknown reason I started to feel this way when I mingled with the Argentineans. They spoke, what sounded like to me, an exotic language (Castilian Spanish), and looked and dressed like they were right out of the pages of Vogue magazine. It’s a city that never sleeps, populated by residents obsessed with fashion and image. Slim is beautiful is an established and largely uncontested fact.

Curvy architecture emphasizes the ‘tango’ speed and ‘coffee’ streamlining of Buenos Aires culture

Architecture
The downtown architecture is quite different from the rest of Latin America. It is strongly influenced by European styles with more than the half of the city buildings being French style. Countless museums, historical buildings, shopping centres, and hotels are yours to discover. And if you do get the urge to learn to tango there are plenty of tango-dancing schools (known as academias) throughout the city.

Bueons Aires is also known as a “city of buildings”

The Tango
Tango music was born in the suburbs, notably in the brothels of poorer suburbs. Its raw sensual dance moves were not seen as respectable until adopted by the Parisian high society in the 1920’s and then all over the world. There are loads of places with free tango shows in restaurant-bars such as Gitanos, where you can also try the national drink. I found it more like herbal tea than anything and its drunk out of a pot-like container through a metal straw. Even though it was foul-tasting, Argentineans say, it’s more addictive than coffee. To each their own.

Walking and Safety
When you walk in any largely populated area don’t be silly and carry an expensive camera slung over your shoulder and don’t ever wear an expensive watch that sets you apart from the crowd. It’s like saying rob-me, rob-me. Use common senses; err on the side of caution. I hid my camera in a plastic shopping bag. Always cross street at crosswalk. I’ll say it one more time to be sure it sinks in…Always walk at crosswalks and don’t begin until all vehicles have come to a stop.

Streets are busy but have marked crosswalks and are well laid out

Recoleta Cemetery
Don’t pass up the chance to visit to the Recoleta Cemetery established in 1822. It’s the final resting place for Argentina’s wealthiest and most famous families and people. The mausoleums are fairly small, befitting the size of the cemetery in an urban setting, and it’s common for many members, and generations even, of the same family occupying one mausoleum. One grave that I did seek out was that of Eva Peron who was the wife of Juan Peron, 3 time president of Argentina. Both are idolized for their efforts to eliminate poverty and to bring dignity to the labour movement. Because of this they were despised by the oligarchy of Argentina’s wealthy and powerful. I found it strange and a bit sad that her neighbours in death are those that despised her in life. Her husband is buried in another cemetery in the city.

Mausoleum at the Recoleta Cemetery

Art and Craft Museums
These museums are all the rage here, with the top attraction being the Malba, which is dedicated to Latin American modern art, the Museo National de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts) and Recoleta’s Cultural Centre.  You’ll find the general atmosphere in most of these places is more snooty than sincere. If art and crafts is not your thing, you’ll want to bypass all of these places and scout out somewhere to eat or sit on the grass in Plaza Francia. It’s easy to while away a few hours people-watching. I did both.

Where ever you travel, remember to take time to meet the local people. You will learn much about the culture of a place by watching and talking with citizenry.

The Obelisk
Another must see is to join the gaggle of tourists (and pigeons) that flock to the Plaza de Mayo. This is the site for some of the country’s most important historical occasions, including the revolution in 1810 which led Argentina gaining independence from Spain .If your legs are willing, take a stroll along Avenida Corrientes. When you get to the junction with Avenida 9 de Julio, which claims to be the world’s widest road where you can’t miss the famous Obelisk monument. For goodness’ sake use the pedestrian crossing if you don’t want to die! It’s the cities icon and the place the very spot where the Argentina flag was raised for the first time.       For the Silo, George Bailey. 

Fashion

What Keeps The Mona Lisa Smiling?

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This is the most famous painting in the history of art. It is titled the Mona Lisa but it’s original name was Monna Lisa- a short form of “Madonna” or “my lady” but thanks to a spelling error we know this work as the Mona Lisa. Painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in the years 1503-1507, there are actually three different versions painted beneath the visible version. In one hidden version (discovered using xrays) she is seen clutching the arms of a chair. image/info courtesy of prlog.org

Every year 8.5 million visitors see the renowned work of art that is the Mona Lisa. It is a vision that graces t-shirts, calendars, coffee mugs, and art history books worldwide. Still, among those millions, I would wager that few are those that have left Paris remarking on the wall on which Mona is placed. More on this later….

Did you know that the Mona Lisa is the only work of art to be stolen from the Louvre( in 1911) and recovered? Not only that, but in 1956, it was attacked with acid and, in that same year, cut open with a rock thrown at Mona’s elbow. It would seem that times haven’t changed much either. In 2009 a coffee mug was thrown at it by a gazing woman.

Art hygiene: the Mona Lisa is protected by bulletproof glass while on display at Paris’ Louvre photo: Gilli8888/flickr

Time has provided the foresight to maintain Mona’s beauty. With 2 centimeters of bullet proof glass and an inner casing protecting against heat and humidity the artwork seems safe. But what about the wall ‘holding’ the Mona for all of us to admire?

Take a look at these choppers…are they healthy enough to support a Mona Lisa smile? Pay attention because we’re about to switch gears and talk a little oral health.

As a dentist I am prone to notice the wall and that famous Mona Lisa smile. That smile, seen on TV and used in advertising everything from vacations to toothpaste, would be worth little without considering the healthy gums and bone that keep it in place. In other words, without noticing the wall. Years spent in my business have taught me, that if not protected properly, a smile can be stolen from us, chipped, and worn away with acid leading to very costly repairs. If you value your smile then the bullet proof glass is a worthy investment.

By focusing on in-office prevention and care the need for extensive intervention is often averted. It is more time and cost effective to put up and maintain a very impressive wall for your work of art than it is to meticulously rework the masterpiece. This analogy holds true for your teeth, gums and your smile. Maintenance is the greatest security from acid and coffee alike and with it, your smile can continue to break the ice… but I wouldn’t count on 8.5 million visitors. That may be a little more than any of us can chew. For the Silo by Dr. Peter Gunn. Dr. Gunn’s practice is in Port Rowan, Ontario. www.facebook.com/caredental

Supplemental– New Scientist article: Mona Lisa’s smile a mystery no more

Culture

Star Ancestors Extraterrestrial Contact In Native American Tradition

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Star Ancestors by Nancy Red StarNancy Redstar explores the long-standing contact between American Indian tribes and extraterrestrial visitors through interviews with the tribes’ spiritual leaders and shares the wisdom and ET experiences of Dawnland founder Dana Pictou, Mayan daykeeper Hunbatz Men, Choctaw wisdomkeeper Sequoyah Trueblood, and Creek healer and artist Shona Bear Clark.

Her book includes color photos of ET-inspired work by prominent Indian artists as well as traditional Indian art and petroglyphs depicting contact with “Sky Elders”

As humanity stands at the crossroads between the Fifth and the Sixth Worlds, American Indian wisdom keepers have recognized signs that they must now speak their closely held knowledge about extraterrestrial contact, their original instructions from the Sky Elders. These ET relationships have existed since the beginning of time. They have been depicted on ancient rocks and hides, embedded in creation stories, choreographed in sacred dances, beaded on wampum belts, and continued to this day through rituals and the tobacco blessing.

They show our planet back into balance with natural laws.

Exploring the unifying “Sky Elder” theme found in virtually every Indian culture, Nancy Red Star shares her profound interviews with wisdom keepers from several Native traditions and produced an exciting documentary film that offers their teachings on taking our rightful place among the peoples of the universe. http://www.nancyredstar.com/film.htm

Laying out a path for rebuilding our world, the Sky Elders’ original instructions initiate us into the possibility of a coming time of peace. Inviting all peoples to realize their Star ancestry, the women and men of proud lineage and inspiring wisdom who share their experiences here offer us a survival plan for walking into the next world. http://www.amazon.com/Star-Ancestors-Extraterrestrial-American-Tradition/dp/1591431433

For the Silo, George Filer. from Filer’s Files #23 http://tinyurl.com/ka82j4j

Sci-Tech

Acupuncture Found Everywhere In Nature

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Hoy Chi Master Mike Mah and the Developer of the Hoy Chi Technique has successfully used acupuncture to treat stroke recovery patients.

Acupuncture, a word that literally means, “puncture with needle”, has been practiced around the world for over 2500 years. The historical origins of acupuncture are rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and one of key fundamental is the intrinsic balance of energy or “qi” within the body. The best way to visualize this balance is by looking at the well-known yin yang symbol.

Yin [According to urbandictionary.com  ying-yang is an erroneous spelling CP] and yang are found everywhere in nature, as complementary opposites, neither exist without the other. Humans are always in a dynamic balance, and optimal health requires the body to be able to adapt to various internal and external changes. Illness arises when this balance is disrupted, and homeostasis is now longer intact.

Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners found they were able to access the vital energy of the body through the insertion of acupuncture needles into points along the 12 different energetic meridians within the body. These “points of insertion” or “where the needle goes” have been developed over many years of pattern recognition and diagnosis. The goal of acupuncture is to restore normal functions by stimulating certain points on the meridians to restore the body’s flow of energy.

There are more than one meaning offered for the symbol Yin-Yang but most meanings suggest this symbol represents the ancient Chinese understanding of ‘how things work’. fly.cc- “The outer circle represents everything while the black and white shapes within the circle represent the interaction of two energies, called ‘yin’ (black) and ‘yang’ (white), which cause everything to happen. They are not completely black or white, just as things in life are not completely black or white, and they cannot exist without each other.’ It goes on further to state that the shape of each section suggests a movement of these two contrasting energies, which models natural conditions such as the rising and falling of tempertature, the expansion and contraction of glaciers etc. Think of it as a visual model of the character of nature. CP

 

Contemporary evidence- based medicine looks to understand the acupuncture from the reductionist perspective focusing on determining the mechanism of the concern, and diagnosing a neurological dysfunction in the individual. This new type of clinical knowledge has made acupuncture increasingly popular within the western medicine.

Physiotherapists and chiropractors commonly use acupuncture for musculoskeletal problems. This type of acupunctures needling induce a chain of events that results in the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones resulting in widespread and measurable effects on pain, and tissue healing.

In addition, clinical studies have demonstrated efficacy [the capacity to produce an effect ] for treatment of irritable bowel disorder, insomnia, fertility and support with assisted conception.

While the use of acupuncture has been increasing in popularity, it is important to continue to respect the vast amount of clinical knowledge Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture point indications are based in.
Naturopathic Doctors are a wealth of knowledge regarding use of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. We are trained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine background, but embrace the modern scientific explanations of acupuncture to treat a variety of conditions. Training for Naturopathic Doctors incorporates understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine, clinical case taking, and hands on clinical practice utilizing various acupuncture needling techniques. For the Silo, Ashley Beeton ND.

 

 

 

 

Art

Award Winning Doc The Devil And Daniel Johnston

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Daniel Johnston is not a secret anymore. Thirteen years ago, in 2005, director Jeff Feuerzeig released the Sundance award-winning documentary on Johnston’s life “The Devil and Daniel Johnston,” his songs have been covered by renowned artists like Beck, Tom Waits and The Flaming Lips and he has also been featured in the 2006 Whitney Biennial of American Art. It seems that over the past few years the enigma that was Johnston has mutated into a proverbial “cult figure.” However this cliché is an inaccurate description. Where is the line between cult figure and pop culture icon drawn? The common theme found in essays and reviews on Johnston’s work is the examination of his mythology rather than the examination of his work. This type of analysis tends to do more harm than good: the myth swells while the work rusts.

The lack of critical texts on Johnston’s artwork is alarming considering that he has exhibited internationally and in his home country of the United States. Moreover, his work resides in numerous public and private art collections (including my own). Anyone even remotely familiar with Johnston’s work can recognize his assorted cast of unusual characters, symbols and motifs like Jeremiah the Frog (refer to images above and below), Vile Corrupt  and the Dead Dog’s Eyeball. The latter image surfaces in Johnston’s early work as a result of a traumatic encounter with exactly that, a dead dog’s eyeball. In the book The Life, Art, and Music of Daniel Johnston, Johnston himself describes a childhood incident where he witnessed a dead dog hanging from a swing set: “He got himself caught on the rope and got hanged. I asked this girl where was her dog and she pointed over at him and said right there.” As the authors of the book point out, the same incident was addressed in lyrics from Johnston’s song “Catie” on the album Fun (1994):

I saw the dog hanging on the swing set
I asked the girl
Where was your doggie at?
I walked on down to see my grandpa yeah!

Well I’ve had a lot of horrors
And I’ve had a lot of fears
But the worst of horror
Is when there’s nothing here

What is fascinating about the reproduction of the dead dog’s eyeball in lyrics and illustrations is that it may be connected to the trauma Johnston experienced when first encountering the dead dog on the swing set. Trauma is characterized by an affective shock that has the capacity to wound the body and the psyche, which in turn causes anxiety, stress and other forms of neurosis. Seeing the dead dog’s eyeball during childhood might have registered trauma in Johnston that affects him well into his adult life and it could have taken the form of an obsession (fig. 4). In one particular drawing from his early work Johnston asks himself in bold text, “WHY DO I KEEP DRAWINGS [sic] THESE SILLY LITTLE EYEBALLS?” Here and elsewhere, the artist is consumed by flashbacks of the dead dog’s eyeball to the extent of being overwhelmed.

While Johnston’s manic depression and schizophrenia have been well-documented—and largely contribute to his mythic status—his encounters with trauma and its relation to his artwork have not. Keeping this idea in mind will help to better understand and appreciate the construction and trajectory of his characters, symbols and motifs. It may be time for writers, critics and scholars to take a step back, allow Johnston’s myth to rust and the impact of his work to swell. He is not a secret anymore. For the Silo, Matthew Ryan Smith, P.H.D. 

Tarssa Yazdani and Don Goede, The Life, Art, and Music of Daniel Johnston (San Francisco and Colorado Springs: Smokemuse and Last Gasp, 2006). 33-34.

Click to view on I-tunes
Click to view on I-tunes

 

Culture

Leave Your Art Behind For Others To Carry Forward

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Random acts of kindness come in all shapes and sizes, something as simple as a smile to a stranger, or paying for the guy behind you in the cue at the coffee shop drive-thru counts. The idea is to leave someone, whether you know them or not, with a brightened day and a reminder that there are good people. There is an amazing movement happening in the artistic circles, created with the same purpose, it is called art abandonment and artists from all over are leaving behind their artworks anonymously.

 

All photos except for Iliad courtesy of the author. Iliad photo: J. Barker

Michael deMeng is credited as starting the Facebook Group, Art Abandonment  ttps://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtAbandonment/ , although he says the group created itself.

“It’s something that I’ve done for a number of years now, albeit infrequently, usually on beverage napkins and the like,” says deMeng in an introduction to Art Abandonment on his blog. “About ten or so years ago I would walk to the same place by a river and leave a little charcoal drawing. So recently I started this activity up again…leaving little sketches with a note on the back”

deMeng acknowledged that he did not create the idea of art abandonment, but perhaps discovered its use as a random act of kindness as opposed to a political message used by many urban guerilla artists.

In fact, Haldimand-Norfolk  artist Jarrod Barker created several guerilla art installations in Haldimand-Norfolk including one at Simcoe’s now demolished American Can property back in the summer of 2010.

Barker’s piece titled Iliad features an amoebic-like form that pays homage to the shields of the Trojan War, where an art piece in the form of a wooden horse was abandoned at the gates of Troy. The amoeba-like form lends reference to the “sleeping soldiers” within homemade preserves known as amoebic dysentery which was a serious cause of food related death prior to the canning industry boom. LW
ILIAD. J. Barker. Abandoned canned food factory Norfolk, Ontario.

deMeng outlined some of his theories behind the art of abandoning art and its purpose, including that its good for the heart and a little addictive once you begin and the simple fact that money is tight and giving a gift like this could encourage someone to continue to support the arts.

“I think it’s important to be able to let one’s art live beyond it’s creator, I love imagining what becomes of my art after it is gone…whether given or sold,” said deMeng.

 

“Some folks can’t seem to let go of their work, even when they sell it. This is a great way to learn to move on.”

The concept is very simple: 

1) Create a piece of art.

2) Write or attach a note explaining it is a free gift, purposely left behind including contact information if you so wish.

3) Take a photo of your art and its place of abandonment and then sneak away unnoticed.

abandonment 3 I myself am not an art abandoner, although if I had the time and resources I would, but I thought I could offer a unique opportunity for the abandoners I find so much joy in following on social media.

June 30, 2013 I will have departed to Peru for a ten day journey across a wide variety of landscapes including urban centers, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon rainforest.

I invited artists to send me their work in order to abandon on my journey, and I would share the photos of their abandonment locations with the artists as I continue my journey.

abandonment 2

“Machu Picchu is on my bucket list,” said Burlington artist Heather Kuzyk who sent three art trading cards (atc) to be abandoned.

“So if I never perchance to make it there in body at least a part of my soul has been. ”I was excited by the thought of the photos I could take of the abandoned art on the Machu Picchu ruins with the beautiful Peruvian mountains sprawling in the background. Although I sincerely hope some of the finders will share of their discovery, I’m pleased just to imagine how excited I would be if I found something like that in such a magical place. For The Silo, Lacie Williamson.

Post-script: Remember to never install or leave behind work that contains string, toxic or synthetic materials, small pieces of plastic etc. Anything that can harm or interfere with the natural environment or wildlife must never be used.

Art

My Road To VR Toronto Art

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 My name is Olga and I’m a Virtual Reality VR artist/sculptor  based in Toronto,Ontario.  In 2016 I was hired by Google to create VR experience for YouTube Plus event. This was my first introduction to Google Tiltbrush.  I live painted the Toronto skyline in front of hundreds of people. 

 
Since then I was involved in Google projects and many other events and conferences. My VR works were featured on national media chains such as the CBC and Space Channel. I would very much like to share them with you as well. Since Russian is my native language, I often prefer to speak through video and if a picture is worth a thousand words then a video must be worth even more. 
 
The presentation “ My road to VR art”  is  about  how my  traditional art skills and experiences translated into the Virtual Reality VR world.
 
I am very passionate about this new medium. I have talent and humor and would love to work on big VR / AR art project. Perhaps there are others like me, looking to collaborate? I would be happy to hear from you.

 

 

Art

Adult Coloring Books Inspired By Yves Saint Laurent & Jean Cocteau

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If you enjoy French fashion, art and film and coloring books, sharpen your pencil crayons and prepare to be inspired by two French icons of unparalleled creativity: fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and playwright and filmmaker Jean Cocteau in these two funky adult coloring books.

Adult coloring book
“The chicest stress reliever ever.” —Buzzfeed
This elegant, imaginative colouring book explores the dynamic, fanciful creations of iconic fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, who headed the House of Dior at age twenty-one before launching his own design house at age twenty-five.

The book’s line drawings for colouring are based on many of fashion designer’s original sketches for dresses over the years. In these pages, one can see the breadth and versatility of his creations with designs inspired by harlequins and the Carnival of Venice, Pop Art and Mondrian, and the cultures of Asia, Africa, and beyond. Colourists have much breadth and versatility to design creations of their own, with the accompaniment of full-colour photos of the dresses for reference.

This book is produced in conjunction with the Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent, dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of the House of Yves Saint Laurent.

Adult coloring book

JEAN COCTEAU COLOURING BOOK
The Jean Cocteau Coloring Book brings the fanciful, elegant world of artist, playwright, and filmmaker Jean Cocteau to life, serving as a primer on the work of this inspiring artist.

As a playwright, Cocteau is best known for The Human Voice (1930); as a filmmaker, he directed Beauty and the Beast (1946) and Orpheus (1948). A prominent member of the Paris avant-garde (1910s), he formed friendships and professional relationships with Picasso, Stravinsky, Gide, and more. His paintings and graphic art were playful, fantastical expressions exploring mythological themes and subjects, personal portraits, and domestic scenes.
Cocteau’s graphic drawings are ready to be coloured in, alongside original illustrations for reference. Also included are images from the original film poster for Beauty and the Beast, playful doodles that Cocteau included in letters to his lover Jean Marais, and drawings of Parisien women, cats, sleeping figures, circus performers, and other figures emanating from Cocteau’s imagination.  For the Silo, Cynara Geissler.

Yves Saint Laurent Coloring Book
ISBN: 978-1-551526-39-3
$12.95 list USD | CDN
US distribution by Consortium
Canadian distribution by UTP
Canadian sales by Ampersand Inc.

Jean Cocteau Coloring Book
ISBN:978-1-55156-40-9
$12.95 list USD | CDN
US distribution by Consortium
Canadian distribution by UTP
Canadian sales by Ampersand Inc.

YVES SAINT LAURENT COLORING BOOK

Culture

Novel Warns North Americans Of Corrupt Bankers And Valueless Dollar

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Back in 2012 The Silo reported on a dark novel titled Zurabia. That book held a plot that seems less like fiction with each passing year.  Corrupt bankers, a practically valueless dollar, hyper-unemployment and underemployment, home-grown terrorism, the uptick in natural disasters and the overall lack of trust in our most important institutions – these are some of the reasons all North Americans should be very, very concerned, according to author Peter Dash a world-traveled researcher for Harvard University’s Center for International Affairs.

Peter Dash and his novel

“I predict a brutal world ahead of us,” says Dash, author of “ZUrabia,” a book about rogue forces taking over the world’s most important institutions. “Unfortunately, I have been right since my research at Harvard in 1986, when I questioned the viability of government institutions to meet general needs and growing problems, both domestically and abroad.”

The pragmatic holiday shopper this year will purchase items to safeguard their families against these threats, which have been long in the making and won’t disappear quickly, he says.

From Dash’s homepage- a map of Zurabia complete with mountains and a mushroom cloud. Biblical ! CP

“Terrorism wasn’t inaugurated with 9-11; extremism in Muslim sects has been growing for decades, and Neo-Nazi groups are starting to flourish in failing states like Greece,” he says. “The dollar has been steadily losing its value since the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913; climate change has been on the radar for quite a while; and there have been greedy bankers since, well, banks have existed.”

“If you’re confident that everything is sure to be okay, then you’re not paying attention,” he says.

He offers a four-point survival strategy for holiday and everyday shopping:

• Gold is good: The dollar has lost 95 percent of its value in 100 years, and it will continue losing value. As
the Reserve continues to flood money into the system, thereby reducing current or potential value, more inflation is inevitable, acting as yet another tax on wages. So, collect and buy any gold that you can and consider spending federal notes while they’re still worth something to businesses. Think about your
jewelry, and buying more. Silver is a good option if gold is too expensive, and there are Exchange Traded Funds, or ETFs, that are backed by physical gold. A reputable banker or broker can help explain for those who are interested. “TD Ameritrade or Charles Schwab may be good places to start getting information on gold and silver ETF trading,” according to Dash.

• Inflation: Spend your money now or smartly invest it before you lose it. Remember, banks often give clients less than one percent on many accounts, but inflation on food and real items we use, like gasoline, are going up by much more. In essence, your banker is stealing your money through the assistance of the Fed, which is killing your savings rate by cheapening money. As if to pour salt on this wound, the bank,
in many cases, lends money at four percent or higher. Rerouting some bank savings/wages by investing in canned food, for example, may protect you against the scourge of food inflation, as well as other disasters.

• Worthy purchases: With food and water, a failed society puts a premium on additional goods. They include home insulation, gardening tools and materials, computer programs and language learning kits – perhaps Spanish or Chinese – because of the increasing prominence of other cultures. Guns, security systems and other measures to protect one’s home will likely prove extremely valuable should law enforcement be spread too thin, or fail as an institution.

• Buy in bulk: Places like Wal-Mart or Costco will help you get the most value with large purchases of food. It’s important to be well-stocked if something happens that results in the emptying of grocery markets, but remember to have adequate space in your house, apartment or cabin for a “safe” room, which is part of a sound strategy for protecting you and your family.

Peter Dash has been a teacher, professor and corporate trainer for the last 17 years, working in Saudi Arabia, the former Soviet Union and China. He has an applied science degree in forestry from the University of British Columbia and a Masters in applied teaching from Southern Queensland in Australia. He was a researcher in world (dis) order and youth groups at Harvard University’s Center for International Affairs, started by Henry Kissinger. He follows the investment field intensely, focusing on commodity funds and trends.
Fifteen percent of his book’s royalties will go to needy students consistent to the many years Dash has worked in assisting voluntary youth organizations. He lives on a small tropical island that is stocked with the finest well water, fish and food. Dash invests in Gold ETFs and commodity trading companies.

Supplemental– CBC radio interview with Dash on Zurabia

Reviews

The Big Year Is A Fun Comedy For Bird Enthusiasts

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I first took notice of this film because of where I live- which is not that far away from Long Point, Ontario, a mecca for birdwatchers. I find that it’s a more immersive experience to watch a movie that is connected thematically in some way to the sorts of activities that the area I live in has to offer. This reinforces the suspension of disbelief while watching and serves to supercharge the imagination.  If you live in a seaside community and you’ve ever watched Jaws followed by a bit of swimming you know exactly what I mean.

Back to the birds 

The main story arc of The Big Year goes a little like this:  A ready-to-retire-but-not-quite-sure-its-the-right-time-to-retire businessman and a mid-thirties-divorced-unemployed-savant (he can identify any bird just by hearing a few notes of its birdsong) aim for beating the current single year record of bird sightings. In the parlance of the ‘birding’ community, this is known as doing a ‘big year’. The current record holder, played by Owen Wilson, is the rock-star of the ‘birding’ community and is completely obsessed with stopping anyone else from beating his record- even if this means missing the birth of his child and ruining his second marriage.

Highly competitive obsession

Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson in the The Big Year.

I always believed that birding was a slowly paced albeit serious hobby but this movie turns the notion on its head. The story develops and moves quickly. The characters are highly  competitive and race against each other as the suspense and intensity builds.

The Big Year is satisfying, clever and funny . If you are a birder there is a good chance that you will love this movie (especially if you can relate to the obsessive compulsive behavior of the main characters) but then again you might end up blaming this movie- you might decide on doing a big year and to hell with anything and anyone in your path. For the Silo, Doug McKenzie.

Jack Black’s character feeling bad (but not that bad) about Steve Martin’s character picking up the dinner tab.

Supplemental- The Big Year:A Tale of Man,Nature and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik.  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june04/bird_04-12.html

Culture

Thoughts On Rejection And Concept Of Groundlessness

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Rejection. “We lived in Northern New Mexico. I was standing in front of our house drinking a cup of tea. I heard the car drive up and the door bang shut. Then he walked around the corner, and without warning, he told me he was having an affair and he wanted a divorce. I remember the sky and how huge it was. I remember the sound of the river and the steam rising up from my tea. There was no time, no thought, there was nothing–just the light and a profound, limitless stillness. Then I regrouped and picked up a stone and threw it at him.” -Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart

This quote, about the moment Pema Chodron’s life began to change, the moment she experienced true groundlessness, applies to so many circumstances in life. Whether we are experiencing the rejection of a lover or spouse, or rejection from a gallery, grant application, art school, the list goes on and on, it is not uncommon for it to feel like the ground has slipped from beneath your feet. When the floor opens up and swallows you whole, it is human instinct to close up, distract, do whatever it takes to make the feeling go away. These are the moments when we must strive the hardest to open up and soften, allow whatever we are feeling to wash over us, and let that be okay.

If you are an artist, you may have tried applying for a grant. You may have given up after a rejection letter or two. But do you know that for every twenty grant applications you complete, you might receive one or two. Might. There are absolutely no guarantees, and the grant writing field is highly competitive. It is important to understand this going in and to have not only a system to keep churning out applications (because, after all this is an important part of many artists’ income and should be treated as such) it is also absolutely critical that you have your head firmly on your shoulders prepared to deal with the pain of rejection.

Let’s face it, rejection always feels personal. You put a piece of yourself out into the world only to have someone tell you it isn’t what they’re looking for. This hurts. And again, that’s OK.

What is important is that you never let the hurt get the best of you. Do not internalize rejection. Remind yourself that you are one of many. You are relying on the subjectivity of a person or group of people, and just because you do not win favor does not mean your art isn’t any good. Rather, it means your art wasn’t what they were looking for on that day for that particular thing. Accept this and move along.

Often, rejection has nothing at all to do with you. This is very difficult to get the mind around. Very often rejection is about the unspoken details being sought that someone else might happen to present.

Buddhist thought teaches us to accept groundlessness, work with it, allow ourselves to sit with it. We are all in the habit of glossing difficult emotions. We self-medicate sometimes with substances, or by tuning out and not letting the hard stuff in. Begin to notice when you start to check out and see how it feels to just be still with the difficult stuff.

Learning to deal with rejection will serve you in many ways. You will find the strength to continue your mission no matter what happens, and you will do so with grace. You will learn that just because you are not chosen one time doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again. Often, grants and galleries invite those who are not chosen in one round to apply again. And again. The people who run things like this understand what you must begin to internalize–that it really isn’t about you.

If you begin to incorporate these things into your consciousness, eventually they will become part of the fabric. You will begin to live by the new way of thinking you have cultivated. A mindset that puts rejection into perspective and allows you to pursue your forward momentum no matter what.

Brainard Carey

Life is full of rejection, big and small. Hiding away won’t get you far. Choosing the path of least resistance may seem like the easy way but it is a road to nowhere. Remember, if you are an Artist choosing to make your art into a career, it means putting the most intimate pieces of yourself out into the world for all to see. It is a warrior’s path and requires a warrior spirit. For the Silo, Brainard Carey.

Brainard  is currently giving free webinars on how to write a better Artist bio and statement and how to get a show in a gallery – you can register for that live webinar and ask questions live by clicking here.

Featured image- entrepreneur.com

Culture

Government Of Belgium Battling Social Media Sites Blocking Nude Artwork

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Facebook and other social media sites are blocking masterpieces of “nude” art from Rubens, Bruegel, Van Eyck and others. In an open letter, several top European Museums are asking social networks to reconsider their policy. Facebook has been in the spotlight recently for blocking content including some parts of the United States Constitution and other historical documents and multimedia content.

Artistic censorship continues to pursue Peter Paul Rubens. In the 17th century, the Flemish Baroque painter was asked by the Catholic Church to paint camouflaging ‘loincloths’ over certain body parts of his Venus figures. Nowadays, social media networks, including Facebook, go one step further. All breasts, buttocks and cherubs painted by artists such as Rubens are banned on these platforms. ‘Bots’ on Facebook use artificial intelligence to screen for nudity, but do not make a distinction between pornographic images or nudity in art. Flanders – the perfect place to enjoy the Flemish Masters in all their glory – is denouncing this artistic censorship in a playful manner. At the Rubens House, ‘nudity viewers’ with a Facebook account were blocked from viewing nudity by a group of “social media police agents”.

Peter Paul Rubens Flemish Master Painter

The Flemish Masters are best experienced in Flanders, the number one destination for art lovers. After all, this is where Rubens, Bruegel and Van Eyck lived and worked. Their work can often be found still hanging in the very same places for which they were made. “We want to promote this unique experience,” says Peter De Wilde, CEO of VISITFLANDERS. “Our Flemish Masters attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Flanders each year and we are proud of this achievement.

Pieter Bruegel Flemish Master Painter

With our multi-year program focusing on Rubens, Bruegel and Van Eyck, which was launched in 2018, we are aiming for three million visitors by the end of 2020. At the moment it is not possible for us to promote our unique cultural heritage via one of the most popular social media networks. Our art is categorized as being indecent and sometimes even pornographic. This is such a shame as it restricts the promotion of our Flemish Masters.”

Eve detail Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck
Eve detail Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck

The agency in charge of promoting tourism in Flanders, Belgium explains that they have invested 30 million US dollars in 2018 to improve the experience of cultural travelers visiting that region, especially in cities like Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. Now they can’t promote some of those museums due to restrictive policies applied by some online social networks.

Jan van Eyck Flemish Master Painter

‘We are for it and not against it’ is what the people of Flanders say. Peter De Wilde explains, “Social media and art have a lot in common. Art brings people together. Social media brings people together, and our Flemish Masters too. This is why we want to enter into discussions with Facebook so that we can use this platform as one way in which to make our art visible. Surely it’s not that difficult to differentiate between cultural heritage and gratuitous nudity?”

VISITFLANDERS position is supported by several top museums in Belgium and around Europe. In an open letter, the institutions ask Mark Zuckerberg to revise Facebook’s policy related to art, culture and heritage. Click here to read the open letter.

“We tried various channels to bring this matter to Facebook’s attention. Unfortunately nobody listened,” De Wilde explains. Flanders hopes the comedy video produced in Rubens’s House will facilitate a discussion to solve the issue and allow users to view this content that is present in encyclopedias and elementary school grade text books. “Flanders is a unique art destination. But because we are naturally modest in Flanders, we do not shout out about it often enough. This stunt enables us to make our presence felt and also honor the spirit of Pieter Paul Rubens. He was an artistic rebel who was not afraid of engaging in social debate. There’s no finer tribute to honor our Flemish Master than by taking up the battle against unnecessary artistic censorship.”  For the Silo, Marcos Stupenengo.

About the Flemish Masters.
For over 250 years, from the 15th to long into the 17th century, Flanders was a figurehead for fine arts in Western Europe and the source of inspiration for well-known art movements of the time, such as the Flemish primitives, the Renaissance and the Baroque. Artists were known for their craftsmanship, creativity and technical innovations and they transformed the prosperous and urbanized Flanders into one of the most refined cultural regions with their impressive artistic and architectural creations.

About Peter Paul Rubens, master of female nudity.
Rubens is the best-known Flemish Master. This Baroque painter, illustrator and diplomat was one of the most celebrated artists of the 17th century. He exerted a particularly strong influence. He was a master of color, composition and painting techniques and also an expert in painting female nudity. His nude figures – which often refer to mythical beings – appear extremely lifelike, made from flesh and blood, with a fair amount of cellulite and with all kinds of body shapes visibly on display.

About Antwerp, the home of the Flemish Baroque movement.
Lonely Planet selected the best cities to visit in 2018 and included Antwerp in its top 10. According to the travel guide, Antwerp is one of Europe’s best kept secrets. And there is certainly plenty to see and do there in 2018. The “Antwerp Baroque 2018. Rubens inspires” festival shows you the finest places in Antwerp: www.antwerpbaroque2018.be

Fashion

Chelsea Taylor Jewelry Designed With Wild Animal Prints

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The brief: Wild animal prints have come roaring back onto the fashion scene for the past few years. From handbags and shoes to diaper bags and bed linens, this hot, fun and funky trend seems like it’s here to stay. This trend has also extended into the jewelry world with the dark colored prints and animal-shaped jewelry pieces.

This Chelsea Taylor ring is elegant,moody and made of semi-precious stones. #affordable

Chelsea Taylor leads the pack with a collections of rings, bracelets, and earrings, perfectly designed and crafted to complete your ensemble. How can you enjoy this fun trend and bring out your wild side? E-A-S-Y.  By incorporating Chelsea Taylor’s animal inspired pieces into your wardrobe.

Each jewelry piece is designed with perfectly placed Swarovski crystals in various sorts of colors, creating elaborate patterns and designs fit for every occasion. Chelsea Taylor Jewelry is being worn by celebrities such as Debra Messing, Miss Jay Alexander from Project Runway, Jill Zarin from Real Housewives of NY, Tinsley Mortimer and many more.

Inspired by the booming animal print designs showing up seemingly everywhere- another fine CT semi-precious ring. You might have seen Snookie wearing one like this on Jersey Shore.

 

More About Chelsea Taylor: Chelsea Taylor is all about big and bold, simple and sweet, statement and layering pieces, enamels, floral, retro 70’s and 80’s looks, animal motifs, and more. Everything is customizable and available in up to 19 different shades. Certain colors available, olivine, amethyst, blacks hematite, fuchsia, peach, topaz, smoky brown, and more, for particular pieces retail at about $200 usd. In addition to the website, the collection can be found in The Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas’ Bellagio, MGM, and retail jewelers / boutiques throughout the country.  For the Silo, Belagio Dubois. 

Art

Dance Healing Immigrant Victims Of War Prejudice And Sexual Exploitation

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Study after study has shown that arts education nurtures students’ creativity and problem-solving skills, competencies that are critical for success in a 21st Century world, but how does dance and movement facilitate healing and transform at-risk youth?

14 year old DTC dancing participants Richard Rutherford Danny Guerrero
14 year old DTC dancing participants Richard Rutherford Danny Guerrero

New York’s Battery Dance launched its Dancing to Connect programs in 2006. Since that time, the program has spread to 6 continents, 50 countries, 100 cities, and 1,000 schools. A powerful new documentary by Wilderness Films follows six dancers from the dance company from India to Eastern Europe to the Korean Peninsula to the Middle East as they support vulnerable youth helping them to express themselves through movement. The film focuses on the struggles, frustrations, resilience and ultimate transformation of the students and their dance teachers.

Producer Cornelia Ravenal says that as a trauma survivor she understood the power of art to “heal and transform.” Ravenal along with husband partner Mikael Södersten collaborated with Battery Dance Founder Jonathan Hollander to create the documentary because she believed this was a story that had to be told. As global populations continue to grow, migration and increasing social and cultural diversity are reshaping classrooms worldwide. Solutions for integrating and uniting peoples from diverse cultural backgrounds are now sought by schools and communities all over the globe. Hollander believes that “no divide has been too great for the art of dance, the primacy of movement, the common humanity, and expression, to span.”

Read the Full Article

Battery Dance performs on the world’s stages, teaches, presents, and advocates for the field of dance. The Company is dedicated to the pursuit of artistic excellence and the availability of the Arts to everyone. Battery Dance has produced over 100 original dance works choreographed by its founder and artistic director Jonathan Hollander, in collaboration with a diverse array of composers and designers, and its cast of outstanding dancers.

CMRubinWorld launched in 2010 to explore what kind of education would prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing globalized world. Its award-winning series, The Global Search for Education, is a celebrated trailblazer in the renaissance of the 21st century, and occupies a special place in the pulse of key issues facing every nation and the collective future of all children. It connects today’s top thought leaders with a diverse global audience of parents, students and educators. Its highly readable platform allows for discourse concerning our highest ideals and the sustainable solutions we must engineer to achieve them. C. M. Rubin has produced over 700 interviews and articles discussing an expansive array of topics under a singular vision: when it comes to the world of children, there is always more work to be done. For the Silo, David Wine. 

Art

Surreal Aspects Of All Expressed In Artwork

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Many have been humbled simply standing in a darkened field and looking to the stars. Indeed the great thinkers of the many generations that have come and gone are regarded as giants when in fact they were merely humans dropped to their knees by the wonder that is the universe all around us. There is as much wonder in a blade of grass as there is in a cosmic nebula, as much mystery in a drop of water as in the dark matter we yet fail to comprehend.

James Hart Dyke is based in Brighton, England nestled between the water and the south downs. In his studio he works largely on commissions. Last November Hart Dyke traveled to Patagonia and is now painting mountain landscapes from this trip for an exhibition in London at the end of the year. Landscapes are his life’s work and his love for the art form has infused his life and career with adventure and physicality as he climbs and hikes the places he later paints. “Enduring the landscape in some way, I find that combination of painting and physicality very exciting…it’s what my painting is about, really,” he says. Hart Dyke has been embedded with British forces in war zones on commission from the UK military. In Baghdad he painted while two soldiers stood guard. This tradition of bringing artists along to paint is long standing and important to the regiments of the UK. The work created is kept in the collections of the individual regiments and displayed in the mess hall, documenting the history of each for the soldiers to witness. The tradition dates back before photography when artists were the only window to a visual representation of the action of the battlefield.
Artists’ representations of war convey more than just the actual imagery of what is going on before them. The emotions of the situation are infused into the work, as well. Hart Dyke has had an unusual career. His work has led him to a position as artist in residence for the British Secret Intelligence Service as well as to work for the Royal Family. For the British Secret Intelligence Service, Hart Dyke helped to commemorate the centenary by documenting things in paint. As an artist he was able to venture where photographers could not go due to the highly sensitive nature of the work done there. His paintings from this series are quite surreal, a nod to the rather unusual nature of the work the British Secret Intelligence Service does. Hart Dyke studied architecture which he is still passionate about despite eventually moving to painting. His entrance into the painting world began with commissioned paintings of buildings. In reality, Hart Dyke began painting at the age of eight and despite his foray into architecture he never truly gave it up. There was inevitability to his career as a painter. Because of the physical nature of his process, art has become in a very real sense James Hart Dyke’s sport. To hear more about this, James Hart Dyke’s unusual career, and about the tradition of artists on the battlefield, listen to the complete interview.
Kambui Olujimi recently exhibited work titled Red Shift. The title refers to celestial bodies in space that cannot be seen because of shifts in the spectrum of light. Through this lens, Olujimi contemplated the mythology of whiteness as an unseen force. Olujimi describes how the mythological space of whiteness plays out in the physical world through policy, allocation of resources, and myriad other ways. He references descriptions of mass shooters as “lone shooters” in a way that removes them from the space of violence pervasive in the US. Presidential assassins are another example. These two groups of predominantly white men are somehow isolated, removed from the larger conversation about violence in the US creating a Red Shift that in a sense conceals them from the rest of the data.
For the exhibition, Olujimi created collages from news imagery of the alt-right coupled with drawings. Olujimi’s current project centers on fragmentation of identity. His love of films informs this work. In particular he references the accidental announcement of La La Land for Best Picture in 2017 when in fact the film Moonlight claimed that title. His concept deconstructs and reassembles that moment, elongating it and examining the feeling of elation followed by crushing deflation. “A lot of my work is around these things that I call inevitabilities…I’m interested in bringing those inevitabilities out of the space of the implicit. Once you give them shape and weight and gravity and start to manifest them in some way, the incongruities and absurdities, the surreal aspects all become very evident and we are able to become more critical of them in that space.” It is these gaps, these “moments of silence” that inform Olujimi’s work. To hear more about this powerful art, listen to the complete interview.  For the Silo, Brainard Carey. 
Featured image- Mercy Doesn’t Grow On Trees, 2016 Wood, glass, hair, gold leaf, ratchet straps 150 x 48 x 30 inches
Art

STRUTT Was Largest Wearable Art Show In Canada

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"Inflation". From the 2013 show. Eclectic. Radical. Awesome.
“Inflation”. From the 2013 show. Eclectic. Radical. Awesome.

The Niagara Artists Centre’s (NAC) 2014 STRUTT Wearable Art Show was outlandish, bizarre and like nothing you’d ever seen before. STRUTT took place on November 22, 2014 at the WS Tyler Factory in St. Catharines, ON. Doors opened at 8 p.m. for the first edition of the Niagara Exotic Bazaar and the runway show began at 9 p.m. The show showcased over 40 pieces of wearable art performed by acrobats, aerialists and break-dancers to a live musical score performed by Chiac hip-hopper sensations, Radio Radio. The runway show will also include the debut performance of the mini trip-hopera, Unstrung, featuring music by Paradise Animals, contemporary hip-hop dance troupe Bboyizm, and remarkable masks created by local artist, Clelia Scala. The event website is www.struttwearableartshow.ca.

“We pack a whack of WTF into this thing. We don’t care who you are, or where you’re from, you come to STRUTT and you’ll get your head spun,” says NAC’s Minister of Energy, Minds, and Resources, Stephen Remus. “The artists make fantastic work, the performers tear it up, and we turn the factory into a hedonist’s palace. I don’t think it can be doubted, STRUTT’s the single annual occasion where Niagara genuinely surprises itself.”

STRUTT was a surreal party scene where the absurd is commonplace. As Doug Herod of the St. Catharines Standard reflects, “STRUTT rocks! STRUTT is a wearable art show, but that description doesn’t do it justice. It’s music, it’s entertainment, it’s theatre — and a lot of fun.”

And a few more designs from last year.
And a few more designs from last year.

In addition to the runway show, STRUTT  included the Niagara Exotic Bazaar, a showcase of all that’s weird and wonderful and originating in Niagara, from wine to designer clothing to glassware. The Niagara Exotic Bazzar was sponsored by Shannon Passero and co-presented by NAC and the Garden City Food Co-op.

This one from 2013 is called: "What goes around".
This one from 2013 is called: “What goes around”.

 

Art

Finding Value In The Folk Art Of Maud Lewis

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Occasionally I will have a Maud Lewis painting displayed for sale in my shop, and it is sometimes interesting to get people’s reactions to a $6,000 painting that at first glance looks like their 12 year old niece painted it. “My goodness will you look at that,” and some covered up snickering, pretty well expresses their complete disbelief that something so simple could possibly be worth so much money.

Sometimes I give a brief description of the circumstances of her simple Nova Scotia life, and add fuel to the fire by informing them that while she was alive she sold paintings for 12 to 15 dollars from her tiny house by the side of the road. I then suggest it is probably simplest to think in terms of supply and demand. The supply of these paintings has stopped since her death in 1970, and there are many more people wanting them than there are paintings available. This of course skirts the main issue: how could anything like this be desirable in the first place? To find the answer you have to go a lot deeper.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and for some people—I include myself in this group—great value is placed on anything that manages to capture, or in some way manifest, beauty. I do not mean “pretty picture” beauty here. I mean creations that celebrate existence, or connect to a greater truth. I mean something that has energy.

This energy can be found in the works of trained and untrained artists alike. The real value in truly great works of art is in experiencing them, and in doing so being educated and transformed by them. Understanding beauty is our salvation. Money really just confuses the issue. Put in relative terms: $4 million for a Tom Thompson and $6,000 for a Maud Lewis—the Lewis is still cheap. For the Silo, Phil Ross.

 

 

Culture

Coco Avant Chanel Is An Outstanding French Bio Pic

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I used to watch more foreign films. In my idealistic twenties I guess. But lately I’ve gotten lazy, and when I sit down for a movie the last thing I want to do is read subtitles. I do make some exceptions however. This is fortunate, for there are some truly exceptional films out there not made in English. And really, after five or ten minutes I completely forget I’m reading anyway.

A few years ago, I caught two incredible French films on Netflix Canada that I still highly recommend. The first is 2010’s Les Emotifs Anonymes (Romantics Anonymous), a genuinely delightful romantic comedy that follows the formula to some extent, but also transcends it with the originality of its script and the utterly captivating performances of its leads.

The formula I’m referring to is this: two attractive people meet, there is instant chemistry, and then numerous obstacles appear to twist and turn the plot and thwart their progress in realizing their love. The difference here is that the male and female protagonists look like real people, and the principle obstacles at play are their near crippling anxiety disorders.

How refreshing it is to watch a female lead (the luminous Isabelle Carre) who is truly “pretty as a picture,” but with imperfect hair and very-little-to-no makeup, make sparks and then run away from a co-star (Benoit Poelvoorde), who looks like the quintessential everyman, and, simultaneously, like a quirky and charming French gentleman.

This is a laugh out loud comedy that may have you, by the end, falling in love with one or both of these marvelous, messed up characters and doing some deep, warm smiling in the process, something I value most highly.

The second film, Coco Avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel), goes back to 2009 and stars French beauty Audrey Tautou (Amelie, Dirty Pretty Things) as the now iconic Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

In this outstanding bio-pic we watch Chanel transform from a smart but bitter young woman in late 19th century France who must overcome obstacles of her own—in this case gender and poverty, two major impediments to success and independence at that time—to realize her dream of something greater. We watch that dream, vague at first, take greater definition and clarity until Chanel is revealed as the creative and business genius whose name would become a household word and whose designs would literally revolutionize women’s fashion in the west.

Gone are the restrictive corsets http://www.marquise.de/en/themes/korsett/korsett.shtml and meringue-y feathers and frills; Chanel was inspired to make clothes for women that were simple, elegant, modern and, perhaps most revolutionary of all, comfortable to wear. Tautou herself, as Chanel, becomes more compelling and beautiful as her character gradually realizes her destiny. And I would be remiss not to mention another dynamite performance by Benoit Poelvoorde, whose demeanor is so different in this film that I didn’t even recognize him as the same actor. Of course he has a mustache here as well—devious disguise.

This story solidifies Chanel’s stature as the woman who changed the direction of western fashion and created couture. How many artists have such a profound effect on their culture, let alone in their own lifetimes? Chanel continued to work until her death in 1971. Both films can be found by searching their English names on Netflix or, if you’re lucky, at your local video store. For the Silo, Alan Gibson.

Supplemental: If you enjoy foreign, kooky, and subtitled films, spend a few minutes at Backyard Asia. There’s some solid trailer action and a bunch of info stuff CP  http://backyard-asia.blogspot.ca/2011_01_01_archive.html

Culture

Roadside Memorials Of Loss Are On The Rise

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One of Toronto based photographer Erin Riley’s series of photographs depicting roadside memorials in and around the GTA

Indeed, the prevalence of roadside memorials has increased significantly over the past several decades and there is little doubt that each of us has encountered them at some point. Roadside memorials are essentially visual manifestations of profound suffering and loss. They mark the site where a motor vehicle accident has occurred and the death that resulted from it (however , many memorials, especially in major cities, have little to do with motor vehicle accidents and more to do with cycling accidents, innocent bystanders or anything else that faithfully marks the site of passing).

In areas where large gravestones or plaques cannot be placed, for a variety of reasons, makeshift memorials take their place. These sites grow with each flower, ribbon or object and deplete with the wind, rain or snow; they are in a continuous state of flux. The organic quality of roadside memorials may directly reference the very epehemerality of life itself. Moreover, in their various forms and inclinations, they challenge Western society’s visual seperation of the living from the dead; therefore, as they subsist, roadside memorials carry the spectre of mortality into the public sphere, a space where even speaking of death remains taboo.

Post-mortem/momento mori photography during the Victorian age is a fascinating though dark and unsettling movement.

Roadside markers are a rural and urban feature- this marker is located on Front Road, near St. Williams, Ontario, Canada image: www.thesilo.ca

Encountering the idea of death may be one of the reasons why people take issue with the appearance of roadside memorials. For them, they represent a veritable “distraction” while driving, are considered “unsightly” or a “vandalism of public property”. For the families of the deceased, roadside memorials allow the opportunity to mourn their loved one(s) at the very place of their passing. The level of emotion generated by being near the actual site where a loved one has died is different from standing beside their final resting place in segregated communities of loss that are the modern cemetery.

Not only are roadside memorials, as markers of loss, important to the families and groups that maintained a relationship to the deceased, but they powerfully address the living by acting as memento mori (reminders of death). It is through them that one may better appreciate the present.

Toronto-based photographer Erin Riley’s series of photographs depicting roadside memorials in and around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) specifically engages the publicization of loss and its visual manifestation. Riley’s images are strikingly beautiful and skillfully composed, yet they raise ethical questions precisely because they aestheticize markers of death sites by transforming them into visual objects to behold.  This theme was explored  in Jarrod Barker’s April 2010’s  Umwelt at the Norfolk Arts Center with a central piece depicting a virtual gallery memorial in conjunction with projected audio/video loop of a recently deceased Deer- struck down by a motorist, the piece becoming essentially a rural memento mori.

Happening upon a recently struck deer- Artist Jarrod Barker aestheticized the site by placing a white linen ‘shroud’ over the victim. This would later become a central piece in the installation of Umwelt April 2010 photo: J. Barker

Another question concerns the identification of deceased individuals and whether or not their names should be made public through the vehicle of art. That being said, Riley’s photographs do provide an eloquent record of roadside memorials within the GTA and speak to their social and cultural value. Ask yourself: where do you stand on this issue?

It would seem that, for the families of the deceased, roadside memorials serve the purpose of exactly that: the memorializatin of a life. [ “even” an animal life CP ] They also serve a function for the living, reminding us that life is fleeting and that the dangers of the road are real. Ultimately, rather than causing drivers to collide, roadside memorials may force drivers to more aware of the consequences of speed, negligence and drunk driving. May roadside memorials continue to stand where lives have fallen. For the Silo, Matthew Ryan Smith. 

Supplemental– http://www.rideofsilence.org/memoriam.php

 

 

Earth

Heritage Auction Combined Fluorite Specimen With Associated Painting

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Discovered at the Elmwood Mine, Carthage,Tennessee, USA
Discovered at the Elmwood Mine, Carthage,Tennessee, USA

Despite a production history spanning several decades, the number of exceptionally fine and large specimens that have been recovered at Elmwood is actually quite small. The mine is known for specimens combining Fluorite, Sphalerite and Baryte in aesthetic combinations which play off the different colors, forms and surface luster that each of these minerals brings to the mix.

Here, we have a significant Fluorite cluster of cubic form composed of pale yellow core material overlain with a thin veneer of violet color. Next to it is a radiating group of dark red Sphalerite crystals of pyramidal form and adamantine luster. To complete the ensemble, there are rounded Baryte aggregates of an off-white hue and granular texture, artfully arranged around the edges of the Fluorite, which is quite transparent, as any side or back lighting will prove, while the Sphalerite displays an almost metallic luster with glints of deep red that serves as a counterpoint to the two other minerals.

The Natural World has a long history of inspiring artists.

This museum quality specimen was hidden away in a private collection for many years and has just recently been cleaned with modern cleaning techniques to reveal the top level caliber of the piece. This is fresh to market, as it has never been offered to the public for sale. Condition is excellent with only minor nicks and chips. The specimen managed to captivate noted Dallas artist: J.D.Miller enough that he immortalized it via a acrylic painting reminiscent of the Impressionist works of Van Gogh and the like. The specimen is accompanied by this amazing painting, as well as a custom acrylic stand.

Opening bid with buyer’s premium was $125,000 (usd). 


Overall Measurements: 10 x 12 x 8.5 inches (25.4 x 30.48 x 21.59 cm)
Painting Measurements: 52 x 64 inches (132.08 x 162.56 cm)
Estimate: $200,000 – $250,000.

Art

Theft Of Artist Ideas May Not Be Theft At All

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Recently, one of my readers wrote that “there is another kind of generosity that comes much harder to me. I know I shouldn’t be stingy in this way, but I find myself stubbornly so. It’s the generosity of sharing my ideas, my connections, or giving a leg up to those who could benefit sometimes from my knowledge – whether that’s contacts, networks, tips, or the meat of my ideas themselves.”

This concern, of course, is not unique and strikes at the heart of something that all those in creative professions fear and must face. The ownership of ideas is difficult to prove. If you tell someone your plan in confidence and they, in turn, use it for their own purposes, there is very little you can do to show that you are the originator. Spreading this rumor is likely to make you look like the bad guy. It’s no wonder that this sort of generosity is cause for concern.

Arguably, no one would really offer up their original ideas before they have been fleshed out and no one would expect this from another artist. Talking about work in progress in general terms is one thing, but detailing the entire plan is another altogether. There is nothing wrong with being a little protective of your creative capital, it is the lifeblood of what you do.

Steve Jobs and Apple on stealing ideasBut what about sharing your networks or some trade secrets that helped you get to where you are today? While you may have worked tooth and nail for everything you’ve gained, there were surely people along the way who said yes at the right moment and assisted your progress. No one can ask more than this, and as an artist of a certain standing, there is nothing wrong with offering this sort of help.

It’s important to ask yourself what you may gain or lose by offering your assistance in any way. While this may not sound like a very altruistic way of thinking, remember that you are indeed running a business and there is nothing wrong with a bit of shrewd thinking. Further, though, when you stop and think about the outcome of sharing your network, it is unlikely that helping an emerging artist by introducing people who might be able to help will in any way affect your position as a more established artist.

No one exists in a vacuum. Even you, who may have scraped and fought your way to where you are today, benefited from the acceptance and help of others. Sure, you may have pounded the pavement endlessly in order to secure your position but that is no reason not to pay forward the success you have achieved. It is too easy to forget, once you have achieved a certain status, the myriad small moments that led you there. While it may seem as though hardly anyone was out to help you in the early days, surely there were some, otherwise you could not be where you are today. Even if it was just a few gallerists who were finally willing to take a chance, there are always rungs of assistance in the ladder to every success, no matter how small.

In our present times, we live in a world where community is very much at our fingertips. The rules of social engagement have definitely changed. This is both a benefit and a burden. While the new landscape of online social engagement can absolutely open up opportunities that didn’t exist prior to this revolution in social connection, the online community can also present a world of its own difficulties. It is impossible to know who you are actually dealing with and with virtually everyone in the entire art world present online, it can easily overwhelm a newcomer to the scene.

For these reasons, there is a lot to be said for good old-fashioned face-to-face interaction. Being the sort of artist who is willing to mentor in the real world sets you apart. Establishing this sort of reputation, for being the one who will gladly share the bounty you have created, seldom reverses one’s own success and frequently opens new doors you may never have considered.

Getting back to the idea of sharing artistic ideas and concepts, this is a bit trickier. As I said before, it may be unwise to give away your nascent, unfruited plans to just anyone. On the other hand, allowing others to view works in progress isn’t likely to cause too much harm.

Arguably, there is no such thing as original art. Even some of the most contemporary artists’ work is derivative of past creations. Marina Abramovic, in her unique style, has absolutely drawn from (and occasionally been accused of copying) works by other artists. Pablo Picasso (and perhaps more famously, Steve Jobs who quoted him) said, “good artists copy, great artists steal.” This doesn’t mean that you should open yourself up to idea theft, but it does mean that perhaps being stingy with your concepts, your network, your position as an established artist, doesn’t count for as much security as you might think. Be smart about things, but in general, it is always a good idea to reach down the ladder and help those coming up behind you find the next rung.  For the Silo, Brainard Carey.

Brainard  is currently giving free webinars on how to write a better Artist bio and statement and how to get a show in a gallery – you can register for that live webinar and ask questions live by clicking here.

Featured image: Jarrod Barker.

Art

Artwork That Reminds Us History Is Absolute

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Colorization processed G. Orwell photo- mensxp.com

“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” -George Orwell

The facts of the past cannot be objectively altered regardless of belief or opinion. They can, however, be tainted by those wishing to assume power. It is critical that we understand the past as it happened and do not allow the view to be obscured. Only in this way can we ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of our forebearers, only in this way do we as a society learn and move on from our past transgressions. Those who would revise the past must be confronted with resistance and overcome with the truth. We are bound by our ancestors to carry their truth along the banks of the future no matter how heavy the burden may be.

Golden Age Rorschach, 2014, 38” x 26”, Acrylic paint over inkjet print mounted on Dibond by Aura Goldenberg.

Aura Rosenberg is based in New York City and Berlin, Germany. Since 1993 she has worked on a project titled Berlin Childhood. Over the years the project has taken on many forms including a published book, souvenirs of Berlin’s Victory Column, photographs, and a film. The title comes from a series of texts by Walter Benjamin written during his exile from Berlin in the 1930s. Rosenberg began creating a photograph to correspond with each text which Benjamin wrote in order to combat his homesickness during exile. Chantal Benjamin, the granddaughter of Walter Benjamin moved to Berlin and contacted Rosenberg. The two became friends and Rosenberg began filming Benjamin and her daughter around the city also in correspondence with the original texts. Presently Rosenberg is editing her archive of footage and recording a narrative soundtrack of Walter Benjamin’s great-granddaughter reading his texts aloud. Rosenberg also creates work based on themes of sexuality. One of her current project is a continuation of an older work titled Porn Rock.

“145 Elm Ridge Drive Toronto”
Study Of Politics In Cell Tower Placement by Vid Ingelevics.

Vid Ingelevics is a Canadian artist. Much of his work examines representations of the past. His current long form project titled Freedom Rocks focuses on the history of the Berlin Wall since its removal in 1989. Ingelevics began researching what happened to the wall after it fell and discovered pieces of it across the world including in the United States and Canada. Initially, Ingelevics and his collaborator went to Washington, D.C. to learn about the movement of the remains of the wall. In the years following the removal of the wall there was a strong market for fragments. Pieces of the Berlin Wall now appear in the most unlikely corners of the world. Ingelevics work looks at why fragments of the Berlin Wall move around the world and who pays for this as well as putting the wall in the context of history rather than relegating it solely to the realm of political symbolism.  For the Silo, Brainard Carey.

Brainard  is currently giving free webinars on how to write a better Artist bio and statement and how to get a show in a gallery – you can register for that live webinar and ask questions live by clicking here.

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Featured image- “Touching the Wall”, Berlin, 2014. From the larger project, Freedom Rocks, a collaboration between Vid Ingelevics & Blake Fitzpatrick begun in 2004 that explores the post-1989 history of the Berlin Wall.

Supplemental- Digital Rorschach examples from 2012 / 2013 series by Canadian Artist Jarrod Barker.

Space Race by Jarrod Barker. 2013.
Blue Nude Torso In Plaid Design. Jarrod Barker. 2012.
Monarch. Jarrod Barker. 2013/16.

A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket

History is absolute. Endeavor to know it and to speak its truth.

Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android please click here. All weekly essay pieces in a shareable format are here. The full archive of interviews here.

Books to Read

What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Heather Hubbs has recently read On Tyranny, Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder and user Julia has been revisiting Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

Culture

More To Vast World Of Biennials Than Venice, Whitney and Documenta

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With the historic opening of Documenta 14 in Athens this month, now is a perfect time to take a look around the world at more of the biennials happening in every corner throughout the year. You may recall a previous post in which we discussed three of the brightest stars in the biennial universe (namely, Venice, Whitney, and Documenta) but there is more to the vast world of biennials than just those few. There are old and new festivals celebrating cultural and political stories from every part of the globe imaginable. In these times of increased global awareness and community, the biennial may be one of the best conduits to further difficult conversations. The four biennials here take place in nations where socio-political upheaval has been or is part of the nations’ recent past or present existence.

Documenta 13 – Thomas Bayrle. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Odessa Biennale
A relative newcomer to the biennial scene, Odessa Biennale was established in 2013 by The Museum of Modern Art, Odessa. The first biennale was titled Self-government: cultural evolution vs. revolution. Participants were asked to examine the relationship and contradiction between various forms of freedom (personal, social, small group) and the impositions and restrictions of self-government. The upcoming biennale, set for August 26-September 30 is titled Turbulence. This year’s exhibition is rooted in Alvin Toffler’s 1970 book, Future Shock. Toffler examined the idea of collective shock as a result of living during a time of extreme change. Spinning out from the ancient curse, “may you live in an era of change” this year’s biennale seeks to disrupt the notion that extreme change is outside the ordinary and instead posits that all of human existence has been based around rotating times of chaos and calm. Open call for the 2017 biennale ended in December, but for future events (the next is slated for 2019) artists are always welcome to contribute their work for consideration.

Istanbul Biennale
This year will mark the 15th Istanbul Biennial. Since its inception in 1987, Istanbul has made the move to become an artist curated biennial. This year curation is headed up by artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, Danish artists who explore the crossroads of art, architecture, and design. Istanbul has risen to a high place among the world’s biennial festivals, now being given similar footing to Venice, Sao Paolo, and Sydney. The event seeks to bring together Turkish artists as well as artists from the international community in order to further dialogue and exchange of cultural ideas. Past themes have included 2013’s Mom, am i barbarian? And in 2015 Saltwater: a theory of thought forms. The 2017 biennial is working in collaboration with the 2017 Istanbul film festival, both of which are exploring the title topic A Good Neighbor. In addition to the contemporary art program, the biennial will include ten feature and five short films all curated by Elmgreen and Dragset. The films (as well as the art) will look at the concept of home as a means of portraying identity and the intricacies of community and co-existence. The 2017 Istanbul Biennial runs from September 16-Novermber 12.

Beijing International Art Biennale
China is a nation with an ancient history of art as well as a finger on the developing pulse of the future. It is a burgeoning international economy as well as a land steeped in cultural tradition. The biennial was begun following China’s ascent to the WTO as well as their 2008 hosting of the Olympic Games. Through art, the Beijing Biennale seeks to further the notion of plurality as China continues to open its borders and join the world stage. The overall theme of each biennial is stated as demonstrating “the graceful bearing of opening up in an all-round way.”

photo: news.cn

A few of the tenets of the Beijing Biennale are, “building a grand path and bridge for international cultural exchanges” and “closely combining arts with international trends and national interests, developing the resource advantages in serving society and human beings.” The theme of the 2017 Biennale, set to run from September 24-October 15 at National Art Museum of China, encapsulates these basic principles. The Silk Road and World’s Civilizations considers the ancient tradition of China’s Silk Road and the new tradition of peaceful international development.

Karachi Biennale
In its first ever biennale, Pakistan will explore bold themes under the title Witness. According to the festival website, “Art as a testament of its time has always held significance, particularly in times when memory is heavily contested.

Czech born writer Milan Kundera

According to Milan Kundera, ‘The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memories against forgetting’. The theme Witness has been chosen for its strong relevance to politics of representation, erasure and selective documentation.” Pakistan has been a nation of political and social strife. Like much of the world today, upheaval has been a strong contributor to individual experience. Art has always been a medium that can reach beyond difficult times and continue a dialogue outside the socio-political arena. Karachi’s first Biennale will be curated by Amin Gulgee who grew up in Karachi.  For the Silo, Brainard Carey.

Brainard  is currently giving free webinars on how to write a better Artist bio and statement and how to get a show in a gallery – you can register for that live webinar and ask questions live by clicking here.

Banner image: Teaser Magazine 2015 Instanbul Biennale

 

Culture

A Cautionary Tale Of Picking Winners

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Think twice before picking. image courtesy of www.weddingunveils.com

It’s dangerous to pick winners. Everyone knows that and yet it’s difficult to not put your stamp, your intuition and your ego into choosing a winner. Heck, some folks even make a decent living out of it. They’re called critics and advertising executives and sometimes they’re known as a marketing committee.

But just for a moment let’s consider what it means to be in a position of influence- your very thoughts and words will ripple out and possibly affect opinion, access to resources and ultimately success or failure. Choosing winners should be done with the utmost caution. (Does anyone remember Dewey defeats Truman? Okay that is a bit obscure….what about the story of The Beatles being rejected by the first batch of record labels they approached? “Sorry, Lads- You’ll never make it in the music industry”).  This holds true for social media and the internet- no one and I repeat NO ONE should be promulgating  ‘accepted and preferred methods of blogging, tweeting, linking et al. After all, censorship is just another form of propaganda and that’s bad right?

The internet is perhaps the last true vestige of individuality, of a digital ‘Wild, Wild West’, of a digital ‘Gold Rush’. Choosing winners is not always a bad idea if it’s done without malintent. It’s a great form of entertainment (Dave’s Top10 list) and conversation and debate (Top 10 universities in Canada) but when a list is garnered based on subjective criteria (“Sorry, Lads- You’ll never make it in the music industry”)- one must question the motivation and prevent ‘cronyism’.

Culture

NARAL Hand Drawn Playing Cards Celebrate Trailblazing American Women

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In honor of Women’s History Month and coinciding with worldwide activities marking International Women’s Day, NARAL is relaunching The Gender Cards—a deck of illustrated playing cards that celebrate trailblazing American women. Each card is hand-drawn and unique, and recalls the incredible women—past and present—who have helped define the American spirit.

NARAL cards animation

These cards feature some of the strong leaders, brilliant thinkers, fierce competitors, brave risk takers, and trailblazing innovators who achieved great things while always moving the nation forward.

“Now more than ever, it’s time to celebrate the trailblazing women who have always made America great,” said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “One of my favorite things about The Gender Cards is seeing my friends and family post photos of their kids playing with the cards. These cards are not only beautiful to play with, they help us learn more about the women whose lives help tell the American Story. These really are the perfect gift.”

The Gender Cards make a great gift for friends and family, and are available only through NARAL. Get yours today at TheGenderCards.com.

Some of the amazing American women featured on the 54 hand-drawn cards include:

  • Rosa Parks
  • The Women of the Supreme Court
  • Black Lives Matter leaders
  • Hillary Clinton
  • Helen Keller
  • Rachel Carson
  • Gloria Steinem
  • Dolores Huerta
  • Sojourner Truth
  • The Suffragists
  • Sheryl Sandberg
  • Beyoncé
  • Michelle Obama
  • Sally Ride
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • Laverne Cox
  • Georgia O’Keeffe
  • and many more!
For the Silo, Bianca Rosales.
NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans. NARAL works to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”
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Art

In These Days Of Alternative Fact And Secrecy It Is Difficult To Hold On To Truth

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The shape of truth is often difficult to discern. It bends and shifts or is manipulated to suit a particular narrative. Facts become the object of debate when power is at stake. Corruption breeds untruths. While objective concepts do not require belief in order to exist, we can not grasp what we simply do not know. In these days of alternative fact and secrecy, it is difficult to hold on to what constitutes truth. We are told by those on high to avert our eyes and ears while purveyors of truth are silenced. John Dalberg-Acton bequeathed these words to the world, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

Richard Vine is the managing editor of Art in America.
Richard Vine is the managing editor of Art in America.

Richard Vine, art critic and managing editor of Art in America has recently penned his first novel. SoHo Sins follows the pulp tradition right down to the cover art created by Robert McGuire, one of the greats of noir cover art in the 1950s. The novel deals with the corruption of innocence by way of a murder mystery and harkens back to the 90s heyday for the art world in SoHo. Vine has also curated multiple exhibits including “Darkness Visible” in Beijing, China and “Golden Selections” in Iceland. Vine’s second novel will take on the political crimes enacted at Kent State when the National Guard opened fire on demonstrating students wounding nine and killing four. He was a student at Kent State at the time and witnessed this incident.

Installation View, Cynthia Greig's “Making Mischief” at Center Galleries, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI photo credit: Alex Gingrow
Installation View, Cynthia Greig’s “Making Mischief” at Center Galleries, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI photo credit: Alex Gingrow

Cynthia Greig is a native of Detroit. Her studio sits north of the famed 8 Mile. She says of her home city that while there is a great diversity of opinion, even in the midst of decay those who truly know the city could see the inherent beauty of the place. Her art takes on the topic of exhibitionism, investigating and deconstructing the concept of the white cube gallery space and breaking it down to its essential parts. She has watched the scale of galleries grow exponentially from white cube to international powerhouses and examined how this affects the value of the art within. Her art explores these themes often depicting interruptions in the pristine facade of the gallery space.

Additional interviews include: Nate Harrison, Christopher Richmond, and Melissa Stern.

tequila mockingbird bookWhile we can not ever know absolute reality, we can look at it from every angle and make informed decisions. What are you reading to shape your own reality? Tequila Mockingbird is a book written by Carter Ratcliffe, friend and colleague to Richard Vine, that bears witness to Russian oligarchy through the vapid eyes of a supermodel. Cynthia Greig balances intake of the barrage of political news with American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation by Erik Rutkow. Add your titles to our reading list here.

FIGMENT NYC invites artists to submit their proposals for an annual mini golf course. Artists create large, interactive installation pieces at Governor’s Island, New York to be enjoyed by the public. Deadline for submissions is March 10 and artists must be able to participate in installation during late May. All proposals must include an estimated budget.

For some, truth is malleable and to be used in order to bolster a particuclar need. We must always strive to stay awake, demanding transparent truths and examining from every angle. We must raise our eyes and our voices, crying out until the truth is spoken loud and clear. For the Silo, Brainard Carey.

Brainard  is currently giving free webinars on how to write a better Artist bio and statement and how to get a show in a gallery – you can register for that live webinar and ask questions live by clicking here.

Fashion

What Interior Design Is All About

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Maybe you watch all the TV shows, follow the blogs, and read all the magazines (or perhaps just look at the pretty pictures) and still wonder what Interior Design really is, what a Designer does, and if you would benefit from working with one?  If so, then read on because here’s the nitty gritty on Interior Design and the passionate Designers working within it.

Interior Design is about providing “creative design solutions for interior environments and its clients.  It is the combination of technical and analytical skills with an aesthetic vision to achieve spaces that are functional, support the health, safety and well-being of users, enhance the quality of life of the occupants, and are visually attractive” (www.idcanada.org ).

Interior Design can cover a variety of disciplines, including residential, corporate/workplace, retail, healthcare, hospitality, public, and institutional design.  Designers pay special attention to function, space planning, ergonomics, lighting, and of course the “pretty” surface elements such as colours and fabrics.  Interior Designers can be thought of as an “interior architect” and are skilled in the aspects of spatial planning, preparing technical drawings and documents, and can help design and renovate interiors from drawing up the initial floor plans to placing the last decorative accent.

How does an Interior Designer gets to be a certified professional?   It begins with 3-4 years of schooling, followed by a minimum of 2-3 years of work experience, and then certified by rigorous examinations facilitated by the professional bodies of ARIDO and IDC.  Designers are required to carry liability insurance, participate in ongoing professional development programs, and uphold a professional code of ethics and standards to maintain their credentials.

Interior Designers can be hired for remodels, renovations, redecorating, and new build projects.   They often work with architects, trades, and other design professionals to achieve the clients’ goals while following safety standards and building codes.  Designers are often involved with planning from the very beginning but can be brought in at any stage of the design and construction process.

The cost of hiring an Interior Designer may seem prohibitive for those on a tight budget, but the benefits are advantageous.

Those who don’t have the time or desire to plan, shop, select, and oversee their project will ultimately profit from hiring an expert.  An Interior Designer can prevent clients from making costly mistakes; whether it is with project management, decision-making, or providing savings on products and materials purchased.  Designers bring with them an array of professional contacts for trades, suppliers, custom fabricators, and favourite stores.  Regardless of the project size and needs, clients often have the option to choose from a variety of services to suit their budget.

interior design banner

If you are considering hiring an Interior Designer know what you want by determining your needs beforehand, and define your style through design and architecture magazine clippings.  You can find a Designer through word of mouth, web-based research, professional associations, or trade magazines.

Interview them to review their portfolio, determine that your personalities mesh, discuss your project scope as well as the designer’s fees and process.  Most important of all, have fun with the process – your interiors will thank you, and you will have made an investment into the enjoyment and functionality of your space. For the Silo, Ramee Cyr Principal, Ra-me Interior Design www.ramedesign.com

Originally published in print edn. of The Silo December 2013.

Spotlight image via- https://www.pinterest.com/source/cgarchitect.com

Art

US Premiere of Small Wonders: The VR Experience At Metropolitan Museum Of Art

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“Walking through 500-year-old art…Once I put the VR headset and headphones on, it truly felt like I was transported to another world. You could walk through the levels of sculpture and detail in the bead, which was a frieze of heaven on top, purgatory in the middle, and hell below it. There were easily 20 fully carved objects – humans, demons, and animals – in the five centimeter bead, with multiple layers of objects on top of one another to create a three-dimensional image. I was astounded to be able to see, as close as I wanted to get, the bead in all its detail.”— Stefan Palios,betakit

The Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab (CFC Media Lab), Seneca’s School of Creative Arts and Animation, and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) are pleased to announce their groundbreaking virtual reality (VR) collaboration, Small Wonders: The VR Experience. It will screen for a special four-day limited-run as part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new exhibition, Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures, February 22-27, 2017 at The Met Cloisters (99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park, New York, NY 10040).

From February 24 to 27 during public hours, visitors can don a VR headset and explore a 3D rendering of a miniature boxwood carving from the AGO’s collection. The experience is free with general admission, reservations required, and marks a significant first for The Met Cloisters—the integrated use of VR to enhance the exhibition experience.

The exhibition Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures, which runs through May 21st, brings together for the first time some 50 rare boxwood carvings from museums and private collections across Europe and North America. The exhibition offers new insight into the methods of production and cultural significance of these awe-inspiring works of art. Small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, these tiny masterpieces depict complex scenes with elegance and precision. Without fail, they inspire viewers to ask how a person could have possibly made them, a question that can only be answered today and a challenge perfect for VR technology.

“Much of the success of new VR will hinge upon the quality of experiences being created. Everyone is searching for that sublime encounter one can only have in VR. With the boxwood miniatures and their high-resolution scans, we have found the perfect, transcendent landscape to explore in this medium,” says Ana Serrano, Chief Digital Officer, CFC, and Producer, Small Wonders: The VR Experience.

The AGO, CFC Media Lab and Seneca’s School of Creative Arts and Animation partnered to create Small Wonders: The VR Experience. Using one of the AGO’s micro-computed topography (micro-CT) scans of the miniatures, the creative and technical team led by interactive artist and designer, Priam Givord, developed an experience specifically for the HTC Vive platform. Viewers can explore the intricate carvings of the prayer bead from various angles and in detail otherwise inaccessible to the human eye. The soundtrack, Treasures of Devotion: Spiritual Songs in Northern Europe 1500-1540, echoes the ambience of the wider show. The result: VR enriches the contemplative and immersive experience.

Barbara Drake Boehm, the Paul and Jill Ruddock Senior Curator for The Met Cloisters said: “At first glance, the VR experience might seem anomalous in the medieval ambiance of The Met Cloisters. But, thanks to the efforts of the CFC Media Lab, Seneca and the AGO, VR opens a portal through which our visitors can tumble into a tiny world, and sense the meditative power that these centuries-old works of art were intended to convey.”

Small Wonders: The VR Experience was created by Lisa Ellis, Conservator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts (AGO); VR Creative and Technical Director Priam Givord (Interactive Artist/Designer); VR Producers Ana Serrano (CFC Media Lab) and Mark Jones (Seneca College); VR Technical Team Craig Alguire, Morgan Young (Quantum Capture) and Tyrone Melkitoy (Mobius Interactive); Composer/Vocalist Anne Azema, Artistic Director (The Boston Camerata); Narrator Gillian McIntyre; and Micro-CT Scanner Andrew Nelson, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Sustainable Archaeology (Western University).

The exhibition continues at The Met Cloisters through May 21, 2017, but the VR experience will only run during public hours, February 24–27. To learn more about the Small Wonders exhibition and to plan your visit, go to: http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2017/small-wonders

At The Met Cloisters, Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures is made possible by the Michel David-Weill Fund. It was organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Social Media

Canadian Film Centre (CFC)
@cfccreates.com | facebook.com/cfccreates CFC Media Lab (CFC Media Lab)
@cfcmedialab | facebook.com/cfcmedialab		 Seneca College
@senecacomms | facebook.com/senecacollegeArt Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
@AGOToronto | facebook.com/AGOToronto

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
@metmuseum | facebook.com/metmuseum

About CFC

The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) is a charitable organization whose mission is to invest in and inspire the next generation of world-class Canadian content creators and entrepreneurs in the screen-based entertainment industry. A significant economic and cultural driver in Canada and beyond, CFC delivers a range of multi-disciplinary programs and initiatives in film, television, music, screen acting, and digital media, which provides industry collaborations, strategic partnerships, and business and marketplace opportunities for talent and participants. For more information, visit  cfccreates.com.

About CFC Media Lab

The Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab (CFC Media Lab) is an internationally acclaimed digital media think tank and award-winning production facility. It provides a unique research, training and production environment for digital media content developers and practitioners, as well as acceleration programs and services for digital entertainment start-ups and related SMEs. The Silo founder and Digital Editor Jarrod Barker and contributor Arthur Maughan are graduates and fellows of the CFC Media Lab. Program participants have emerged as leaders in the world of digital media, producing groundbreaking projects and innovative, sustainable companies for the digital and virtual age. CFC Media Lab is funded in part by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. For more information, visit  cfccreates.com.

About Seneca

With campuses in Toronto, York Region and Peterborough, Seneca offers degrees, diplomas, certificates and graduate programs renowned for their quality and respected by employers. It is one of the largest comprehensive colleges in Canada, offering nearly 300 full-time, part-time and online programs. Combining the highest academic standards with work-integrated and applied learning, expert teaching faculty and the latest technology ensure Seneca graduates are career-ready. Find out more at  senecacollege.ca.

About AGO

With a collection of more than 90,000 works of art, the Art Gallery of Ontario is among the most distinguished art museums in North America. From the vast body of Group of Seven and signature Canadian works to the African art gallery, from the cutting-edge contemporary art to Peter Paul Rubens’s masterpiece The Massacre of The Innocents, the AGO offers an incredible art experience with each visit. In 2002, Ken Thomson’s generous gift of 2,000 remarkable works of Canadian and European art inspired Transformation AGO, an innovative architectural expansion by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry that in 2008 resulted in one of the most critically acclaimed architectural achievements in North America. Highlights include Galleria Italia, a gleaming showcase of wood and glass running the length of an entire city block, and the often-photographed spiral staircase, beckoning visitors to explore. The AGO has an active membership program offering great value, and the AGO’s Weston Family Learning Centre offers engaging art and creative programs for children, families, youth and adults. Visit ago.net to learn more.

About The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in three iconic sites in New York City— The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in three iconic sites in New York City— The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.