Sunday, September 4, 2016

Sunday reflection, one year ago, and lessons in art + life



Sunday. Starting with some final hours of sun, and with a memory: a year ago, the 3rd of September was the day when my cure stay in Bad Waldsee started, and when I met the first of the others who would later would turn to friends. A good day to remember, and the others thought of it, too, and sent a message that said: "Here's to our One-Year-Day of Friendship."

After some first drops of rain, the skies cleared again, and we could sit ouside. Just some minutes later, a surprise visitor arrived: the red cat. I read in my new art book, and the combination of all was so sweet: after the mountain trips, the terrace time with a purring cat and with a really good book.



About the book: the title of it is "Akademie X - Lessons in Art + Life". It's a different kind of book, an inspirational and practical guide on how to live a creative life, with notes, reflections, advice and insights by 36 thought-provoking artists.

It's from the museum bookshop in Cologne, and I almost hadn't bought it, as it was rather large and heavy - but then I couldn't resist. And I like the way it now connects to Cologne physically.

Plus, if features the "Sun" installation of Olafur Eliasson - which was up in the Tate Turbin Hall. I hadn't seen this one, but I visited the Tate Turbin Hall several times, so there's a cross-connection to London.



And more: the publisher of the book is Phaidon Books. I know them from the Frankfurt Bookfair, they have amazing books. So now I finally have a Phaidon book myself.... and now as the rain is starting to fall, and I am inside and blogging, I just looked for their website and a feature on the book, and there actually is a video that gives an idea.



There also are 3 videos with artists:

Akademie X - Shirley Tse,  Sanford Biggers, Richard Wentworth


*

Flashback: The power of culture

It's still raining - and I just did a dive into old photo files, this is from 2009 - visiting the Frankfurt Bookfair, and the first hall I went to included the Phaidon stall, which gave the visit a different, more artistic/poetic spin. Here are two photos: the entry hall and phaidon books. Plus, the note I wrote after the visit, in a form of a poem:




Cathedrals of glass for all those words written
7000 publishers meeting in one place
the number of their books: uncountable

Police guards at the entry, checking bags -
- But who would bring a bomb to a book fair?
- Well...


I dive into hall after hall, into lakes of words and sound
Chinese poetry live, textcontext, forum book,
Prix nobel 2009, du monde entier a-z

Outside, a circusstyle reading tent, cup of coffee for 1.50,
Live words for free: Anthony McCarten: Show of Hands,
Leon de Winter: Recht auf Rückkehr.

In between halls, gateways of thought, words on a poster:
Der Kultur der Macht / die Macht der Kultur entgegensetzen
Contradict the Culture of Power / With the Power of Culture.

I move on, into other worlds, into installations of ink on paper,
Try to trace the line between fiction and fact,
And reach the fine hall of art,

So many different
Keys to this world
In lines on paper

----

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