China Girl

A year ago the art world was buzzing over one of the pearl treasures of China. The Emperor's Eastern Pearl Court Necklace (Chaozhu), incorporating 108 flawless natural freshwater pearls, gold, coral, and other gemstones, was sold for a staggering price of US$ 8.7 million at Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. 134 cm long and with pearls measuring from 9.6 to 10.65 mm, this necklace belonged to the emperor Yongzheng from the 18th century Qing Dynasty. 

 

© Sotheby's 

The pearl court necklace, incorporating a Buddhist rosary design, had been introduced as a part of the official ceremonial dress by the Qing Dynasty in 1636.

The portrait of the Yongzheng emperor wearing formal court attire depicts him wearing almost identical, if not the same necklace as the one that has been auctioned. There are only five other known Eastern pearl chaozhu in China, all located in the Palace Museum in Beijing. The Eastern pearl necklace is considered to be of the highest cultural significance. 

  

Inspired by the rare beauty I checked my collection of gemstones. See, I smuggle bring the colourful bits from all over the world: pearls, jade, lapis lazuli, turquoise from Asia, malachite from Ural, amber from Latvia, corals from the Dominican Republic, crystals are available in abundance here in Switzerland. One must have a hobby, n’est pas? 

The idea of making a Yongzheng-inspired piece was sitting in my head for a long while rather quietly. Until a few days ago Ralph Lauren presented his Fall 2011 ready-to-wear collection in New York (no, unfortunately I didn’t watch it from the front row or backstage, I did it online, eating chips on the sofa; a nice option too: no need to splurge on a flight ticket and new boots).

Can you even believe it?...when everybody else is desperately waiting for spring, fashion designers are already looking forward to next winter, brrrr. Although I wouldn’t mind a three month winter extension if I got to wear one of  Lauren’s pieces… 

 Photo: Gianni Pucci / GoRunway.com

 

Like Oscar de la Renta in his last collection and Marc Jacobs last season at Louis Vuitton, Lauren looked to the Orient for inspiration - China specifically. The models wore jade earrings and coral lips, red lacquered heels on the equally glossy runway. I can empathise :-). And I finally made my version of the Emperor’s pearl necklace and a pair of matching earrings. Thank you, Ralph. 

Sara

Inspired by a photo event yesterday (later more on that one) I picked up my camera and snapped a few shots of a friend who passed by the showroom. Portrait photography is my second dream slash plan, and Sara is my favorite subject so far… I photographed this stunning young woman on several occasions, but the soft diffused light of a February afternoon was just perfect…

Sara’s face makes me think of poems of Anna Akhmatova and Russian aristocrats in exile for some reason… 

The bird began to sing the song of light and pleasure
To us, who fears to lift looks from the earth,
Who are so lofty, bitter and intense,
About days when we were saved together. 

(Anna Akhmatova)

Catching Up

Ten more days to go till the end of my exposition and it’s time for a little mid-term update. Guess what? I got recognized on the street yesterday. “Nice article!” someone said. Palms of my hands sweating, I run walk briskly  to the nearest newspaper stand and buy 5 copies of Aargauer Zeitung - utterly failing to look nonchalant. :-) Frantically leafing through I get to the page 32 and tah-dah! – here I am. 

 

Aargauer Zeitung from 16. Feb 2011. Click to enlarge.

Ursula Burgherr (www.ursulaburgherr.ch), a journalist from the Aargauer Zeitung, did a great job translating my chaotic, mosaic-like bits of thoughts into smooth romantic impressions on life, people and Swiss culture. 

Quite a few visitors passed by the showroom after reading the article, and thank you for all the nice emails and sms :-).  Next Saturday, Feb 26^th I am making a little closing event at Unikat (Obere Halde 32, Baden) from 17h to 21h. I am looking forward to see more of you there, to share a glass of something, and to cheer for the coming spring.

Have a warm weekend.

Love,

AB

Happy Valentine's!

I think I am seriously in love! Her name is Annie and she is 11 months young, a little “Fish” just like me. She came with her parents to my Showroom a few days ago, well not exactly came, rather she has been carried in – like a little princess :-) 

 Annie's parents married on Feb 14^th, it was the only available date, they explain, but we know better, don’t we? So hearty congratulations to all couples who celebrate Valentine’s Day!!!

And a Happy Birthday to my blog. I started to put my thoughts and feelings on the blue screen on a sunny St.Valentine’s Sunday morning one year ago, and it turned out to be a true adventure. I made new friends and have discovered a lot of things about myself along the way.   

I wish you all a lovely Valentine’s Monday!

Your AB

Thank you

It is kind of strange, really: I can’t find the right words to share my impressions and thoughts about my vernissage in the showroom UNIKAT last Friday evening… Perhaps because all I wanted to express, I said in my paintings, or because photographs are so vivid, they can speak for themselves…

Looking for quotes about art, I found and liked very much this one of Friedrich Nietzsche: “There is one thing one has to have: either a soul that is cheerful by nature or a soul made cheerful by work, love, art, and knowledge.”  It made me think about the atmosphere at the opening: if it was not cheerful, it was certainly very warm. An intensive exchange of impressions and ideas, and thoughts. Challenging and stimulating at the same time.

So all I want to say is Thank you. To those who came and shared this event with me, and to those who encourage my artistic search from afar. It really means a lot to me.

Last preparations...

 Culture journalist and actress Verena Hoehne kindly agreed to do a reading and share her thoughts about art.

Stella  (left) with a friend

Thank you and have a great week.

Love,

AB

Material Girl

If I had a chance to start it all over, I might have become a material girl , i.e. textile designer.  Fabrics fascinate me since I can remember. My mom used to have this beautiful midnight blue dress with elaborate and dimensional black motifs. It was from 1976 and if I hadn’t chopped it, I might as well show off in it right now…But of course I chopped it. Chopping was a definition of the first decade of my life. Mentally rolling back time (you can’t do it otherwise, can you?) I wonder and admire my mother, her flexibility and her support of all our “creative attempts”. Or perhaps it was the only way for a full-time-working mom to keep us busy and happy, I don’t know. 

 Image ETRO

  Anyway, my every visit back home ends bringing back a suitcase of sparkly, rainbow-bright and totally unusable fabrics. Once in a while a new exotic pillow appears on the sofa, but mostly they sit among proudly pale linens (shocked and sniggering) looking a little outlandish. But I can’t help, it. The textile bazar in Khojent is a miraculous place. My sister inevitably starts rolling her eyes if I mention the imminent trip to the market… I don’t mind, I let myself enjoy the surrealistic beauty. I am playing Alice in wonderland:

`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.' 

For Christmas among the other beautiful presents I got this book. A tiny dream come true. I love to use textile designs in my works. They allow a painting to be figurative and abstract at the same time. Fabric designs - just like mosaïque – offer endless variations of colors and defy dimensions. 

In the painting I am working on now, fabric designs are not just a way to depict a subject, they ARE  the subject. Stunning dresses women wear in the South of Tajikistan take months to decorate. All stitching is made by hand and natural dyes are used to give fabrics this vibrant look.  “Kulobi Dancer” is still in progress, it measures 150 cm x 50 cm and is acryl on canvas.   

And if you are as mad (or mildly interested)  about textiles as I am, and you are located in Switzerland, do go and visit «Soie Pirate. Textile Archive Abraham Zurich» in Zurich National Museum. "The Abraham Archive with its vast array of textile treasures sheds light on the most diverse aspects of fabrics and fashion in the second half of the 20th century. The charismatic personality of Gustav Zumsteg, the innumerable fabric patterns, swatch books, and photographs on show, as well as a printing table and glimpse into the future of the archive will transport visitors into a fascinating world of exquisite craftsmanship, innovative artistry, and glamour".

I wish you a colourful week.

Love, 

AB

And This Too Shall Pass

My latest painting is titled “This too shall pass”.

When my big sister and I were kids and something tragic happened (we got a B in  Geography or boys we had crashes on didn’t pay us any attention) our mother would console us and say: “And that too shall pass”. It didn’t make much sense back than, but it came with the hair stroking, so it did make us feel better.

For many years I thought the saying belonged to king Solomon, but lately I found this story and I would like to share.

130 cm x 130 cm, acryllic on canvas. 2011

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it."

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?"

"It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of he poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the old man take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.

That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. "Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!" As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: gimel, zayin, yud, which began the words "Gam zeh ya'avor"— "This too shall pass."

Have a good week and enjoy it, because after all it too shall pass.

Love,
AB

It’s time!

Well, ok, it’s ALMOST time! Three weeks left until my exhibition and I feel like I am running out of time. Contradictory enough ideas start to arrive in batches, which reminds me of a dialog of Calvin and Hobbes (a great cartoon I’ve discovered lately. I know. I KNOW. But better late than never.):

“-You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.
-What mood is that?
-Last-minute panic.”

I did try to find a theme for my next event. I can’t. I really can’t. Inspiration comes from all over the place: childhood memories, short winter days, old black and white photos, pin up models, books, a view outside the window. How can one paint it in the same style? It is like to say: OK, I really like spinach (I do) and I am going to eat spinach every day for the rest of my life. Or: I am happy today, so I am going to stay happy to the end of days. Perhaps some are consequent like this, but not me. I am the Queen of Inconsistency.

The only consistent aspect is RED. I can’t help it. A friend told me lately: “Why don’t you paint blue?” Good question. Honestly. I had a clear picture in mind recently. It was definitely blue. It stayed blue for two days, but when I finished it, it came out red…with a skull. 

I don’t try too much to analyse what I do. But people often ask questions like: “What are you painting?” , “In which style do you paint?”. And obviously one (me) has to come up with some sort of a smart answer: “Landscapes of memories” or “Portraits of souls”, that kind of thing. Ask a six year old in which style he/she paints. Most likely you’ll get: “In MY style, duh!”. It’s much more complicated with adults. We (yes, I am slowly accepting the fact of being an adult) need categories, logical frameworks, precise definitions, don’t we?

That makes me think of the Little Prince: “If you were to say to the grown-ups:

“I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof,” they would not be able to get any idea of that house at all. You would have to say to them: “I saw a house that cost $20,000.” Then they would exclaim: “Oh, what a pretty house that is!”

Just so, you might say to them: "The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep.

If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists.”

And what good would it do to tell them that?”

But I am sure you know better. If you have read this till the end and didn’t feel a bit bored. I hope I see you in February.

Love,
AB

If love is the answer could you please rephrase the question?

At the end of each year and well into the beginning of a new one we tend to look back at the last 365 days of our lives. We retrospect and make all kinds of lists: best books, worst films, failed resolutions, kept promises, etc, etc.

According to Yahoo! the most popular questions of 2010 were:

1. How to Tie a Tie
2. How to Lose Weight
3. How to Kiss
4. How to Write a Resume
5. What’s the World’s Only Immortal Animal?
6. Which City Has the Best Tap Water?
7. Which Natural Disaster Shortened Earth’s Days?
8. What Is Love?
9. What Causes Lightning?
10. How to Boil an Egg

Striking range, isn’t it? From practical tips to purely philosophical topics. "What Is Love" is a good one to ask Yahoo!... Is there a definition of love? Sure. Thousands of them. And we still don’t know. Century after century creative minds try to unearth the essence of love. Look for Love quotes – it will take years to read. 

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love." - Sophocles

"Love is like quicksilver in the hand. Leave the fingers open and it stays. Clutch it, and it darts away." - Dorothy Parker

"Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it...It really is worth fighting for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk everything, you risk even more." - Erica Jong

“Do not seek the because - in love there is no because, no reason, no explanation, no solutions.” – Anais Nin

Or how about: “If love is the answer could you please rephrase the question?” It’s a video created by Bettina Disler, an artist from Canton Aargau, one of the local artists of the year, chosen by the Aargauer Kunsthaus and the Aargauer Kuratorium for Auswahl 10. This traditional annual exhibition of Aargau artists offers a review of the various current art practices in the Canton of Aargau. 

Image courtesy of www.aargauerkunsthaus.ch

To be completely frank I always feel somewhat lost after visiting this yearly event. Many works seem very conceptual, although the concepts are not always understandable. Probably for this reason Bettina's video was my favorite exhibit this year, because after all love needs no explanation. Naturally one can join a group and the guide will elaborate (as far as interpretation goes) on artist's ideas and intentions, but I prefer wild guessing. 

And when I run out of wild guesses I go to the 1^st floor to see the permanent collection of the museum.  As site description puts it, “the Aargauer Kunsthaus is home to one of the most beautiful and comprehensive public collections of recent Swiss art. It is an ideal venue for encountering the great diversity of Swiss art – from the 18th century to today.” Comprehensive and beautiful - a truly precious combination...

Max Pechstein Liegendes Mädchen, 1910

The annual exhibition will last till Sunday, January 9, 2011. More information about Auswahl and other events you can find here: http://www.aargauerkunsthaus.ch/en. 

I hope you had a lovely start in 2011.

Love,

AB

Year of the White Rabbit

From the depths of earth to heights of Saturn
We’ve solved all riddles, turn after turn
Break every chain, our ignorance burn
Except the riddle that fills the urn.

  Omar Khayyam

Growing up in the Orient I never noticed how much it influenced me. Everything I’ve learned or practised seemed logical, ordinary and universal…until I moved away – to the West. Suddenly the names of the favourite poets and foods sound exotic to my own ear (Rubaiyat or Domloma, anyone?...), some of daily habits acquired a quirky flair…

My quirkiness peaks around New Year, when I bury myself in Chinese astrology prognoses. See, I am not superstitious at all; I don’t mind black cats, empty buckets or spilled out salt. Does believing in horoscopes equal being superstitious? Chinese astrology looks pretty scientific to me: it is based on the traditional astronomy and calendars.

According to Chinese astrology, a person's destiny can be determined by the position of the major planets at the person's birth along with the positions of the Sun, Moon and comets and the person's time of birth and Zodiac Sign. The most commonly known signs of Chinese astrology are the 12 signs of the Animal Zodiac.  They originated outside of china, supposedly in the northern central Asia.  These 12 signs derive not from the 12 months of the year, but from the 12 years of the Jupiter cycle (Jupiter takes approximately a dozen years to complete one orbit of the sun):

Rat (1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996)  Positive: Influential, sociable, imaginative, and charismatic. Rat people will always stay loyal to their friends.  Negative: Power-hungry, gossiping, indiscreet, and meddling. These individuals don't always plan for the future.

Ox (1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997).  Positive: Diligent, stable, and possesses a strong sense of purpose. These people build long-lasting friendships. Negative: Stubborn and bigoted. Ox people aren't often flexible.

Tiger (1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998).  Positive: Brave, strong, charismatic, and benevolent. Tigers are risk-takers and true adventurers.  Negative: Impetuous and hot-headed. These people aren't good at taking orders from others.

Rabbit (1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999)  Positive: Tactful, intelligent, caring, considerate, and virtuous. Rabbit people don't like conflict.  Negative: Pedantic and secretive. These people can appear a little cold and distant at times.

Dragon (1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000) Positive: Successful, proud, lucky, and enthusiastic. Dragons are determined people and able to inspire others. Negative: Rigid and easily infatuated. Dragon people don't like routine.

Snake (1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001) Positive: Intuitive, wise, perceptive, and compassionate. Snakes prefer the finer things in life. Negative: Lazy and extravagant. These people may have a problem with depending on others.

Horse (1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002)  Positive: Popular, engaging, refined, and persuasive. Horse people are hardworking and independent. Negative: Selfish and unscrupulous. These individuals may be rebellious and shun the advice of others.

Goat (or Sheep or Ram) (1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003) Positive: Sensitive, imaginative, and well-mannered. Goats are peace lovers who don't like disagreements. Negative: Pessimistic and tardy. These people can let others take advantage of them too easily.

Monkey (1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004)  Positive: Very inquisitive, curious, and witty with leadership qualities. Monkeys are popular people. Negative: Deceitful and self-absorbed. These individuals can be childish and drawn to mischief.

Rooster (1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005) Positive: Enthusiastic, dignified, and resilient. Roosters are well-organized and good time-keepers. Negative: Bossy and pedantic. These people are often a little too outspoken and hate being criticized.

Dog (1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006) Positive: Intelligent, loyal, fair, and constant. Dogs are always willing to listen to others' problems, and to fight for a good cause. Negative: Cynical and tactless. These people don't always forgive easily, especially those who cross them.

Pig (1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007)   Positive: Gallant, kind-hearted, and sincere. Pigs rarely lose their temper and always try to avoid arguing. Negative: Materialistic and pig-headed. These individuals have a problem saying "no" -- to people, and to food!

Aha! You looked yourself up, didnt you? So what is your sign? I am a Goat, plus a Piscean, plus a Pine (in druid horoscope).  Usually I forget a few days later all the smart suggestions made by the stars, but the process of discovery is quite fun, I tell you. 


2010 is passing under the sign of a Tiger - a Yang Metal year, and it's a year of much activity, drama, changefulness, crisis, and unpredictability. Tiger years are associated with political and social instability or upheaval, and thus 2010 was expected to be challenging and turbulent overall. So, wasnt it challenging and turbulent overall? You betcha! 

 Moon rabbit No.8 by Randi Antonsen

2011 year is the year of the white metal Rabbit. It symbolizes diplomacy and is actually starting February 3.  After a rather difficult year, the coming 2011 year of the White Rabbit promises to be very interesting in all aspects of our life: less changes will take over our real world and mass changes will happen in every sphere of life that stand on an inner level. In other words a lot is going on behind the scenes (no news here, I suppose).

To me stars predict a mixture of good and bad luck in 2011 (sure, good luck alone would be too much to ask, heh?) Stagnation at work, law suits, turbulences in personal life, and bad health. Ehhhh, thanks a lot! Did I mention I am not superstitious? So, everything will be fine. 

Lets see what 2011 has in store for us. I wish you all good health and good luck! Happy New Year, everybody!

Love, 
AB 

Art of Dressing up an Oligarch

Being an artist often means being skint… The artist has to eat and buy nice shoes… Family members are supportive and generous, waiting patiently for the Muse to strike; but they really do need an occasional help.

So, when I am asked to do some work I am pretty happy.  Not having a career but various temporary jobs with no particular direction has its plusses (yes, it does); it means trying out different roles and learning diverse skills and information. I can narrate about the history of Swiss cheese-making for hours or tell you the depths of Swiss lakes by heart…

Where was I?.. Ah, work.  So last night I get a phone call with a proposal to assist one Russian oligarch in finding a suitable coat while he is visiting Zurich.  I agreed with an easy heart: how difficult can it be, right? Wrong! I was phoned by 4 (four!) different people to tell me how IMPORTANT this man was… so at the end of the evening I begun to imagine it was Putin himself  roaming wintry streets of Zurich - coatless and incognito.

What does a professional anyone do before jumping into business? Right, he investigates. So I decided to make a check of the best shops of men’s fashion in the city. Getting up early and pulling the best clothes on I am wondering if they let me in the shop in MY coat… They did, all right, and they have been so polite and caring, I might go back there again just to get that special treatment…

My first destination is Tom Ford house. When an exceptionally well groomed Adonis hurriedly opened the door for me, I forgot the purpose of my visit, I swear. All I could say was “May I come in?” (Duh, it’s a shop, you fool…) I pull myself together for the next boutique (PRADA was it) and at the end I am actually having a kick of it. By the early afternoon - armed with a nice list of nice shops with nice coats - I head for a café at Zum Storchen to get some rest: shopping is a tiring business (shopping for the others that is…)

I order a cappuccino and start planning the upcoming meeting. Ten minutes before the appointed time I become nervous and unsure of my ability to advise to Putin… Twenty minutes AFTER the appointed time I order a glass of prosecco and become a little suspicious.

The oligarch cancelled. Telephone calls followed, apologies were made and costs covered….Surely, there are more important things to do than buying a coat (pfffffff….). The sun slowly starts to lean behind the Alps, and the lights of Zurich get ready to twinkle and I am contemplating the idea of ordering another prosecco…  

And that is how my career of a personal stylist has died without producing a single blossom. It is not a very Christmassy story, but I hope it made you smile…what else matters?

Merry Christmas to all.

Love,

AB

P.S. If you want to know who the Rolls-Royce of the world of coats is, give me a shout. :-)

Pablo, Pablo, What's your secret?

Of course, Picasso had more secrets than just one: secret affairs, secret wives, secret ingredients… The most famous artist of the world remains largely…a mystery.  A retrospective of three decades of his work is now held in Kunsthaus Zürich, where in 1932 Pablo Picasso had his first museum exposition. 

 ´The Painter and his Model´ (1927). Image courtesy of Focus Magazin

Last sunny Saturday afternoon was perfect for wandering the narrow streets of Niederdorf, Zürich, stopping at cafés for a cup of Glühwein or hot chocolate, observing the sun go down; and stepping into the Kunsthaus to marvel at Picasso’s work. And wonder. And whisper: “Pablo, Pablo, What’s your secret?” Only the asymmetrical heroines of his paintings looked laughingly at me and remained silent. Oh, they knew the secret, I am certain…

 

Installation view, photo © jpg-factory.com

Pablo Picasso
The Yellow Belt: Marie-Thérèse, 1932
Courtesy Nahmad Collection, Switzerland
© 2009 ProLitteris, Zurich

 Pablo Picasso, Bathers with Beach Ball (Baigneuses au ballon), 1928, Oil on canvas, 15,9 x 21,9 cm

Private collection © 2010 ProLitteris, Zurich

Installation view, photo © FBM Studio Zürich

More information on the retrospective of Picasso's work in Zürich you can find at www.kunsthaus.ch  

Picasso
Until January 30, 2011

Kunsthaus Zürich
Heimplatz 1
CH–8001 Zurich

Opening times:
Sat/Sun/Tues 10am–6pm
Wed–Fri 10am–8pm
Closed Mondays

Here is a fragmend of a documentery film Le Mystère Picasso by Henri-Georges Clouzot , made in 1955 . (You might want to switch off the music - scroll a little lower and on the right side - to hear the masters comments while he is working).

So, what is your secret?..

Love,
AB

Eureka!

Are you inspired? Do you have to be? Does being inventive make a part of your job description? How do you do it?!..

Ancient Greeks didn’t see much mystery in creativity. From their perspective all ideas came from the single source: the gods. Each of Zeus’e nine daughters, the Muses, were curators of  art departments: poetry, song, dance, and so on.

Convenient, non? Where can one get their phone numbers?...Ummm?... It was also common to attribute inspiration to “madness”; creativity was an act outside our control.  In fact the phrase “You must be out of your mind” did not equate to insanity, it referred to the notion that creative ideas are originally conceived outside the human body.  

In the Middle Ages Italians, like the Greeks, explored the idea of madness (pazzia) as a key to creativity. It wasn’t pure insanity, rather a melancholic temperament.

Freud believed that creative acts are fed and shaped by the unfulfilled needs of the creator. Childhood experiences and unresolved conflicts were the focal point of his thesis on creativity.

For me inspiration has two branches: rational creativity and pure artistic creativity. I learned to deal with the first one. Brainstorming with a notepad and a pencil, defining framework, add a deadline et Voila!, the solution comes. Pure artistic inspiration is a tricky one. The harder you look, the better it hides. And then it jumps out on you when you least expect it.  

Sometimes being stuck is a source of inspiration itself!  I raised a couple of eyebrows speaking about inspiration. People expect something outstanding, highly dramatic or turbulent…How about Hungarians as a creativity catalyst? (I can’t explain it, it would take a book!) Or how about a book? Or even a book cover? One of my last paintings was inspired by an art book about Paris. I saw its bald cover, and I saw a painting in my head. Another question is whether I managed to transport the idea onto a canvas. Talent is a topic for another time :-). 

Be inspired!

Love,

AB

Today is different

Whose morning doesn’t start with sorting out junk mail? What about those Fw: Fwd: FW: Fwd: Fw: mass e-mails? I don’t like them either: on one hand they normally come from someone you know, on the other hand it is always some teary or banal impersonal message and a request to resend the letter to 15 (make it 100) your best friends. I never do. Unless today. I'll skip the text and post these photos. The message? You'll figure it out.

Have a great day and don’t forget to tell your loved ones you love them.

Love,

AB

On January 15, 2005, twenty-one-year-old Katie—the girl “with a contagious smile and unrelenting optimism” who had been battling cancer for three years—married twenty-three-year-old Lapeer County sheriff’s deputy Nick Goodwin, her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, at Church of Christ in Hazel Park, Michigan.

Photos were taken by Romain Blanquart.

Katie Kirkpatrick and her fiance, Nick, rest prior to their wedding. Katie has terminal cancer and spends hours in chemotherapy. Here Nick waits while she finishes one of the sessions.

Even in pain and dealing with her organs shutting down, with the help of morphine, Katie took care of every single wedding plan. Her dress had to be adjusted several times due to her constant weight loss.

An expected guest was her oxygen tank. Katie had to use it during the ceremony and reception. Katie's parents look on.

Katie, in a wheelchair, listening to her husband and friends serenading her

In the middle of the party Katie had to rest for a bit and catch her breath. The pain doesn't allow her to stand for long periods of time.

Katie passed away just five days after her wedding at the McLaren Regional Medical Center in Flint, Michigan

Nick said of the wedding and Katie’s passing:

It was wonderful. It was a dream come true. She was the most beautiful angel ever—just caring and selfless, and such an inspiration to everyone. She was always smiling no matter what happened, no matter what news she got. She was as close to perfect as they come.

Cloud 8 (Wolke 8)

This weekend is all snowflakes and glowing fireplaces, and friends gathered in a warm bar with a romantique name Je t'aime. Hmmmm, feels good, almost like on a cloud number nine. It is Cloud 8, actually, a new humorous theater piece of Simona Hoffman and Tobias R. Pingler, two young artists from Aargau. She is a movement actress, and a graduate of Dimitri school. This year Simona (www.simonahofmann.ch) debuted with her first one woman show "Night explodes your dreams".  He is a passionate voice artist (RAP), author and actor (www.tobias-pingler.net).

Couple in real life, they make a wonderful creative tandem "Schweiss & Geist", showing  contrasting approaches and bringing different experiences on stage, which this time looks like one giant bed, piled with fluffy blankets and pillows. The plot? A love story, of course. All fairy tales end with "they got married and lived happily ever after". The question is "HOW do they live happily ever after?"

Image courtesy of www.simonahofmann.ch

The couple dressed in their pyjamas leads us through a labyrinth of their romance. Black and white setting is deluded with soft color fields of spotlights, as if allowing us to sneak into this couple's life, or is it a reflection of our own?.. The play is abstract and surrealistic, and easy to try on. I couldn’t hold myself laughing out loud throughout the show. If you happen to be in Switzerland, dont miss a chance to find yourself on Cloud 8.   Next performances are at Theater Marie in Suhr (Aargau), Dec 1, 3, 4 at 20h15. 

And speaking of artistic tandems I cannot bypass another creative couple: Maren et Yannick Coléoptère, whose performance "Chronik der Gefühle" (Chronicle of the Feeling) I saw last week in Tearto Palino, Baden. Maren Gamper is a talanted piano player; Yannick Longet is a genious mime actor. They tell their tragic story through movement and music. Currently they work and live in Dijon, France, but I will make sure to follow their productions in the future. 

Image courtesy of www.facebook.com

Alors, I hope you had a good weekend and I wish you a great start tomorrow. Monday is no day to have your head in the clouds, unless it’s a Cloud 8. ;-)

Love, 
AB      

Days of Culture in Baden

It is a little understatement, really. Art life of Baden doesn’t know days off, this town is never tired to surprise and stimulate your (art) senses.

An event not to miss this weekend: “Kulturtage in der Stanzerei Baden”.  Alain Schartner, an artist from Wettingen, who makes fascinating and playful installations out of metal wire, managed to organize another wonderful event and bring together artists, musicians, and old friends under the roof of Stanzerei.  I met Alain last year, when he kindly proposed to make and exhibition together. It was my first show in Switzerland and he was great help and fun to work with.

 Alain Schartner and myself are "posing" for Konrad Richter, who did a great job photodocumenting this event. Nov 2009. 

This year Alain collaborates with five artists: Claude Luethi, David Monllor, Ezra Pirk, Thomas Bestina, and Benjamin Solt. All of them are members of "We love kicks", an art project with a focus on the topic of sneaker culture. 

 Image courtesy of www.welovekicks.ch

Young artists bring young audience: the vernissage yesterday was buzzing with lively youth wearing (guess what?) sneakers, of course. 

The concert program at the Stanzerei these days is:

FRIDAY // 19.11.2010 // 20:30 UHR // LOUFONQ
"An explosive mix of driving beats and deep grooves which brings the band any party started".

SATURDAY // 20.11.2010 // 20:30 UHR // HAUSQUARTETT

Image courtesy of www.baumannhaemmerli.ch

HAUSQUARTETT - a work in progress.  Christoph Baumann pno - Isa Wiss voice - Tony Renold drs - Hämi Hämmerli b 

SUNDAY // 21.11.2010 // 20:00 UHR // DUO
Two creative musicians from Bern: Rachel Thierstein at the piano, and Dominik Alig on vibraphone.

I wish you an eventful weekend.

Love,
AB

Ohhh... Alright...

Rephrasing an English proverb “If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain”, I am getting: “If I won’t go to Liechtenstein on Saturday, Liechtenstein comes to me”. Not strictly to me, and not the same Liechtenstein, but still (confusing, I know).

So here is the thing: I had nothing to read in the train today, so I bought a weekend edition of the International Herald Tribune (the ONLY periodical in English at that little train station, if it matters…)  Not to raise your expectations here, I usuallly skip the Business, Politics (vastly), and Sports (completely) sections, and go strait to Art pages. That’s were Lichtenstein kicks in (for those who expected some logic in the post). 

“Ohhh ... Alright,” a 1964 painting by Roy Lichtenstein, sold for a record $42.6 million at the Christie’s postwar and contemporary art sale in New York on Wednesday. Image courtesy of NYT.  

Two Pop masters, Warhol and Lichtenstein, competed for a sale record at Christie’s auction of postwar and contemporary art on Wednesday night. Roy Lichtenstein managed to take the prize. His 1964 painting “Ohhh ... Alright ...,” a comic book image of a frowning young woman gripping on a telephone, won $38 million, or $42.6 million including Christie’s fees, a record for the artist at auction.

Andy Warhol, “Big Campbell’s Soup Can With Can Opener (Vegetable)”

Coming second was Warhol’s “Big Campbell’s Soup Can With Can Opener (Vegetable),” a 1962 painting with a can opener cutting into the signature can.   

The author of the article, Souren Melikian, managed a perfect the tongue-in-a-cheek attitude, while reporting on $750 million sales: “…These issues are acute for the two 40 watt light bulbs also sold (for $506,500) as a work of art by Gonzales-Torres. Cryptically titled “Untitled (March 5th) #2,” the bulbs were assembled in 1991 as part of an edition of 20, plus two artist’s proofs. A certificate of authenticity accompanied the two bulbs. What happens when they burn out is uncertain…”

So, we are living in an uncertain world and a funny one too. I wish you a sunny Sunday and only good news tomorrow.

Love,

AB

Close My Dress, Thank You

Let’s be honest (we always are, aren’t we?): some art events and places can be intimidating, very even. But others make you feel right at home. Like Villa Langmatt in Baden (Switzerland).  Built by Karl Moser, between 1900 and 1901, Villa Langmatt became the home of the Brown-Sulzer family, known in Switzerland for their impressive art collection.

Renoir, Pierre-Auguste. The Braid. (aka Suzanne Valadon) 1884-1886

Villa Langmatt was first opened to the public as a museum in 1990 and today is Baden’s museum of Impressionism and Lifestyle, hosting a remarkable French Impressionist painting collection of Renoir, Cezanne, and Monet.

 

To celebrate it’s 20^th anniversary, video installation “Close My Dress, Thank You,” (Schliessen Sie mir das Kleid, danke) by Pipilotti Rist, the Swiss video artist and filmmaker, is currently presented in the museum (It is open till 14^th of November, so hurry, hurry!).  

,

Pipilotti Rist, Video Instillation, 2010, Langmatt Museum, Baden image courtesy of Museum Publicity.

 I was just a little bit worried going to this event, the truth is I am not very big on video art. Someone bright said once: “Art is anything you can get away with”, and video art is the easiest way to escape, I suspect. But not if your projector shines on Renoir paintings… 

 

Pipilotti Rist, Video Instillation in the Gallery of Villa Langmatt, 2010, Langmatt Museum, Baden image courtesy of Like You.
In “Close My Dress, Thank You,” Rist points the visitor’s attention to the servant life that once existed in the mansion. The exhibition’s title does not only relate to the Brown-Sulzer family, as this was a regular luxury for every household in the family’s social class at this era. 

And even if you are not very concerned with the historical socio-economic controversies, it is worth to visit Villa Langmatt before the14th of November.  Artfully hidden cameras project images of simple activities, like gardening or sewing, onto interior objects: a vase, a table, a painting, creating an illusion of human presence, breathing life into a hundred-year-old family picture, making you feel right at home.