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Why the Soul of Surrealism is in India
If all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players, then where do the Surrealists sit? According to my imagined global map of where art movements should be located, the Impressionists are based in the South of France, the Blaue Reiter in Germany, the Nabis in Stockholm, Cubism in Iceland, the Old Masters (da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, etc.) in Italy, Aestheticism in Decorative Arts in Shanghai, Digital Art in Oslo, and Lyrical Abstraction in Tokyo. Of course, this is entirely subjective, but I think that certain countries, or cities, really do go hand in hand with the style or ideals that various art movements represent.
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A Byzantine Secret worth Billions
There is no doubt that the Byzantines have bequeathed us a culturally rich, and, at times, mysterious, legacy. Emperors came and went, but tradition and culture were passed down, leaving aspects of Byzantine history which yet linger, in legend or Eastern Orthodoxy, even to this day. Legend, you may ask? Certainly! Greek fire: a Byzantine invention (despite the misnomer). What proved to be a fearful weapon against their enemies also served as hazardous for Byzantium’s own forces, so it was eventually disregarded, and the secrets of its alchemy have been lost to us.
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Der Anfang aller Kunst ist die Liebe (Hermann Hesse)
Rote Rosen, teure Pralinen, Parfüm oder Teddybären? Der Valentinstag ist der Tag, an dem wir uns darauf besinnen, dass kleine Geschenke die Freundschaft und vor allem die Liebe erhalten. Doch mal ehrlich, wer auf dem Heimweg schnell mal an der Tankstelle anhält, um Rosen oder Schokolade zu kaufen, der hat vermutlich etwas missverstanden. Bereits im alten Rom wurden im Gedenken an Juno, der Schutzgöttin der Ehe und Familie, am 14. Februar die Frauen in der Familie mit Blumen überrascht. Christlichen Überlieferungen zufolge geht der Tag der Liebenden allerdings auf eine sehr tragische Geschichte zurück: Der italienische Priester Valentin von Rom (in anderen Überlieferungen der Bischof Valentin von Terni) hatte im…
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A Letter A Day Keeps The Divorce Lawyer At Bay?
Let’s forget about art for a second, and let’s talk about letters. Perhaps you might think it’s an odd subject choice, but bear with me here. Back in the days of yesteryear (yep, your grandparents’, great-grandparents’…perhaps even as recently as your parents’), how did people communicate when they weren’t directly next-door neighbours? Sure phones were around, and eventually even email. However, the letter was the method of communication which could truly enchant. There is a reason why it’s called a ‘love letter’ after all. As I write this in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, the cynic inside me cannot help but think of the number of failed relationships that haunt…
This is an interactive art blog in multi languages, you will find new articles on artists, art history, exhibitions, etc. Contributions welcome.
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