Roller coaster

pLeased, delighted, cOntent, contented, thrilled, glad, blessed, blest, sunny, cheerful, jolly, merry, ecstatic, gratified, jubilant, joyous, eLated, OVErjoyed, blissful, rapt, blithe, contented, blessed, blest, joyful, blissful

LOw, sad, depressed, sorry, grieVEd, unhappy, miserable, gloomy, discontented, sombre, forLOrn, displeased, mournful, despondent, sorrowful, joyless, down, low, blue, gLOomy, dismal, melancholic, sombre, glum, wistful, mournful, dejected, downcast, grief-stricken, tearful, LugubriOus, pensiVE, disconsoLate, dOleful, heaVy-hEarted, cheerless, lachrymose, woebegone

uneasy, conceRnEd, worried, JittEry, troubled, upset, Careful, wired, nervous, disTurbed, dIstressed, uncOmfortable, teNse, fearful, unsettled, restless, neurotic, agitated, taut, disquieted, apprehensive, edgy, watchful, perturbed, twitchy, overwrought, fretful, unquiet

And back to the start again.

Saturation

How does one turn the feeling of being fed-up into something more positive?

How does one turn inertia into forward moving?

And why should I care?

 

Bravery & Cowardice

I had to break the window

It just had to be, it was in my way

Better that I break the window

Than miss what I should see

Words by Fiona Apple, works by Baptiste Debombourg

Softening toughness

Understanding, demanding, exigent, easy-going

Burdensome, tiresome, reckless, indifferent

Hopeful, expectant, bouyant, optimistic

A dream of combining to be realistic

Crocheted works by remarkable Nathan Vincent.

 

 

Alertness

Ingenious revenge: an illusion

Disquiet trust: the threat

Discomforting thinking: an outcome

All sculptures by Kate Macdowell.

Out and Within

Things I found out while I was in the Amazon:

1. I am most definitely and quite thouroughly a city person.

2. Resting and doing nothing is a crucial part of any of my vacations.

3. Eating very unusual food because it had been recommended isn’t the wisest thing to do.

4. Being kind, polite and nice to be around always pays back.

Time off is always time gained;

Alter

Slowing entering a world that isn’t mine.

So now I can almost say; instead of scared, I’m fascinated.

The impact of a single change is as strong as it is necessary.

New seas to be sailed, new expressions to be shown.

The magic of a soft distortion in a positive direction.

Detracted symbols, weakened fortresses.

Wisely twisting something that should be bent.

Between two selves.

All works by American artist Matthew Ronay

Challenge

I dare you

To take me on

I dare you

To show me your palms

What’s so scary?

Not a threat in sight!

You just can’t handle

You can’t handle love.

Words by Björk.

Images from selected sources.

Creating art, crushing cars

A seemingly vague idea or impression engraved in one’s mind which only surfaces long after it was first seen or caused is never to be neglected.

Upon seeing John Chamberlain‘s sculptures at a gallery in New York, my first thought was one of curiosity: were the pieces welded together or simply placed one against the other?

But then, as I return home and am faced with the difficulties of moving about, the images of his sculptures rose in my mind, bringing about the question: how outdated really are cars?

Cars cause pollution, create stress and foster vanity, besides being an undeniable token of social difference. Many are those who have come to detest automobiles in favor of the more environmentally friendly and democratic public transportation systems.

In an era when cars have become as disposable as plastic tableware, it is really delightful that Chamberlain chooses to bend them and use their (cheap) metal as if they were simple sticks.

It is as if by crushing one of the modern days’ most controversial yet apparently innocent icon, a new road is being built and shown to us.

Brilliant.

Lively

Whenever the time, wherever I am, whichever art means chosen, I am always drawn to art which derives from biological shapes.

The reason is simple: life takes soft and cohesive forms, for the most part. The subtlety of biology is always present in the harmony of even the strangest looking beasts.

Take the work of Russian artist Naum Gabo.

The mellow shapes of jelly fish and marine animals are reflected upon the subtle shapes and dazzling forms of his sculptures.

Just like transparent medusae, his art work lets light in and out creating the most diverse perspectives for the eye of the excited beholder.

Cutting edge

One of the main benefits of Art is that it mirrors our inner selves in various surprising ways.

The more multiple the interpretations, the richer a piece is.

When I first saw the Brazilian sculptress Eliane Prolik‘s work, I just thought it was an intriguing way of using everyday objects, but I’m now thinking there is much more to it.

Another artist I was lucky to see at this museum in Curitiba:

One of my most pleasant afternoons this year.

Organic Ovalle

Curitiba’s Museu Oscar Niemeyer is as delightful a visit as it is a must-see attraction.

The remarkable architecture is home not only to interesting exhibitions (though a bit cramped and random at times) but it is also a meeting point for Curitiba’s creative youth and other busy minds.

It was there that I first came in contact with Chilean sculpturer Pilar Ovalle‘s outstanding work:

Pilar’s motherly approach to wood shapes, combined with an ability to work roughness makes for breath-taking artistic impression.

The use of natural elements and an organic take on art is most welcome on our technology-obsessed world.

PS: Curitiba is one of my favorite cities in Brazil, a true gem and and a captivating destination. I love it.

On usefulness

Sometimes I can’t help but wonder – how many of the visitors of this blog actually read what is stated here?

Then, on a second thought, it seems much more interesting to leave this question unanswered – it means the game of seducing the reader can take place.

It also means a post can be as ephemeral as one’s moods.

Thinking about these issues, I came across James Nizam‘s enticing collection of sculptures and pictures entitled Memorandoms:

Using material which is about to be rejected, Nizam’s sculptures are built on the the meaning of a thought of future uselessness.

Which makes one ponder; what use is there to the things we want so much to be permanent but which are so often ever-changing?

I cannot know, though a Buddhist might say: Well, nothing stays forever.

Not even feelings of inadequacy.

Paths

If you follow this blog, you know that I my mindset has been deeply influenced by the landscape that surrounds me. If you know very little about Brazil, you would normally think I live in the middle of the rain forest, amidst wild exotic animals and rain-loving giant plants.

It could not be farther from reality. For starters, I live in the mountains, which have their own particular set of characteristics. Secondly, the vegetation and animals which are native to this area are those of the cerrado (a tropical kind of savanna), thus they are not as green or large as one might imagine. In order to enlighten or maybe even inspire those who are eager for novelty – thus tired of clichés, I have prepared a series on my favorite animals and plants from the region I grew up in and am currently living.

My favorite tree (which is blossoming as we speak/read/write)

Ipês roxos. Pic by Gianfranco Briceño*

Trees in the cerrado are usually of smaller size, are not very leafy and have crooked branches:

African-like cerrado. Advertising for K9 by Gianfranco Briceño

instead of vibrant greens, in the cerrado color palette beiges, browns, yellow and occasional purples reign.

Advertising for Cosh, by Briceño

As a rule, truth, warmth and passion lie most comfortably underneath the surface. The iron-rich underground of the cerrado dies its earth with various shades of red, which so often colors the art of Minas Gerais-born sculptors like the master of metal Amílcar de Castro:

Untitled, picture by Daniel Coury

There is no escape from nature. Even when one is least aware of it, its presence has an undeniable impact in our subconscious and the way we learn to categorize the world.

Knowing whence you came can is the quickest way to find out where to go.

*Gianfranco Briceño is a Peruvian photographer living and working in Belo Horizonte.

Smooth surfaces, hidden interiors

Rachel Whiteread is a master of sculpture.

The combination of solid, often house-shaped forms with soft and light materials beautifully balances the two opposite forces in many of her stunning sculptures.

The apparent fragility of the exterior together with the massiveness of the pieces raises all sorts of questions about surfaces, appearances and inner worlds.

One can never know how much is hidden behind a surface, especially those which seem incredibly pleasant to look at.

My favorite piece by Whitehead:

I simply adore simple shapes and smooth materials put together.

Smooth and soothing.