Archive for the ‘Arts’ Category
Epoch: Gerhard Richter
While walking into Leicester city centre after a helpful strategy meeting (and excellent lunch) at the University of Leicester Chaplaincy, I popped into the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery to revisit the exhibition in the title of this post. German artist Gerhard Richter is considered to be one of the most important living painters in the world. Much of his work has been an exploration of how photography has changed the nature of painting, and this is reflected in the exhibition. His work asks questions about the relationship between the subjects of the work and the paint or photography through which they are presented to the audience. Click on the links in the text for more information and click here for Gerhard Richter’s website. The exhibition continues until Sunday 27 February 2011.
Music, Money and Hip Hop Honeys!
I was shocked while watching the X Factor last year at some of the sexualized dancing that was on prime time television for children to see, but I feel there’s a deeper issue here. Recently a friend pointed out a BBC programme, and I’ve just watched it on iPlayer.
It’s about the girls who dream of being in music videos, but there’s a dark side to the industry. The trend in hip-hop music videos has now moved into the main stream, and some girls see appearing in a video shoot as a way of making a big break. Some will spend a fortune on enhancing their bodies, but may not get work or (if they do) not get paid. They may suffer in other ways or even be abused.
One of the most telling comments in the programme came from a man who said you could have a rubbish song, but get it noticed with a sexy and provocative video – shooting himself in the foot comes to mind! Some women believe it empowers them; but, for many, it seems to be an issue of low self-esteem (amongst other things) that drives them. It’s the men who are calling the shots!
When you look at the videos, the women are shown in fragmented ways; like fast-food, a commodity to be used and discarded. Men are represented differently, in positions of power over the women. There are also explicit echoes of pornography. The danger seems to be the cumulative effect, so that the attitudes in the videos become the norm! In today’s world, young people are bombarded with this stuff! It raises issues of equality and attitudes to sexuality. Maybe we should give more attention to the atmosphere in which young people are growing up? What do you think?
Commitment Sunday 2011
Today is Commitment Sunday in the Salvation Army UK, and in the Christian calendar it’s the celebration of the Baptism of Christ. This gives me an opportunity to share one of my favourite paintings (to be found in the National Gallery, London) and a hymn which brings both events together.
Christ, when for us You were baptized,
God’s Spirit on You came,
as peaceful as a dove and yet
as urgent as a flame.
God called you his belovèd Son,
called you his servant too;
his kingdom you were called to preach,
his holy will to do.
Straightway and steadfast until death
you then obeyed his call
freely as Son of Man to serve
and give your life for all.
Baptize us with your Spirit, Lord,
your cross on us be signed,
that, likewise in God’s service, we
may perfect freedom find.
Don’t Give Up
Following my previous post, here’s a beautiful duet by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush which I loved the first time I heard it. I post it here to help anyone who’s going through a difficult time at the moment.
Eclectic Music Taste
Music plays a very important part of my life, and I have a very eclectic taste in what I listen to. I like music for a variety of reasons: it may be the melody and/or lyrics, because it’s challenging and intellectually demanding, maybe it’s a soundscape that creates/reinforces a particular mood, or simply because it’s a perfect song (that nothing could improve) that gives you goosebumps everytime you hear it. The reasons could go on!
The screenshot above shows my top artists on Last.fm at the the time this post was published. If you click on it you will be taken to my Last.fm top artists page and be able to see up-to-date data. Why not join me on Last.fm? To see all my music posts click here! There’s also more about Last.fm on my Favourite Websites page.
Everyone is Important!
Following on from my last post about Doctor Who, I thought this would be a good image for the New Year! The line struck me at the time, and so I share it with you. Happy New Year!
Doctor Who Christmas 2010
It seems that Doctor Who has always been with me! Hardly surprising since I watched the first ever episode when I was nine! The Christmas specials are always a tasty treat, and this one didn’t disappoint! It was a wonderful retelling of the classic Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol. Guest stars were Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins. The episode was perfectly realised, with an alien world looking Victorian, yet sufficiently different. The whole special remained true to the spirit of Christmas and Dickens, with some wonderful stylistic touches. It was crafted with love, well done!
Christmas 2010
It’s almost impossible to say something new about Christmas, and to speak of the true meaning of Christmas is something of a cliché. So I thought I’d go down a different avenue and allow two pieces of art speak to you, I hope you will find reflecting on them helpful. One is a piece of visual art, the other is a poem (set to music in the Salvation Army Song Book). I’ve always appreciated the artwork of Banksy, and the above piece was pointed out to me by my online friend Alex, @aldakila on Twitter. The poem is by Catherine Baird:
When Jesus looked o’er Galilee,
So blue and calm and fair,
Upon her bosom, could he see
A cross reflected there?
When sunrise dyed the lovely deeps,
And sparkled in his hair,
O did the light rays seem to say:
A crown of thorns he’ll wear?
When in the hush of eventide,
Cool waters touched his feet,
Was it a hymn of Calvary’s road
He heard the waves repeat?
But when the winds triumphantly
Swept from the open plain,
The Master surely heard the song:
The Lord shall live again!
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14 NLT
Have a very Happy Christmas as you celebrate the coming of Jesus as the Light of the World.
Biffy Clyro – Many of Horror (When We Collide)
On the day Matt Cardle‘s (winner of the X Factor) cover of a Biffy Clyro song reaches number one in the UK charts, I thought it would be good to share the original with you.
Open University Result!
At the beginning of October I finished my final Open University course towards a BA (Honours) Humanities Degree, and I received the good news today that I had passed! I’ve been studying with the Open University for a long time, deliberately spreading it out and having already obtained a BA. It’s been a long hard road, but ultimately worth it! I would like to thank the Salvation Army for their financial and practical support, as well Marta and my family for sacrifices made. The picture is my final essay ready for the post. All my other essays were sent electronically, but this one had to go the old-fashioned way!
