Oh, Alex, this is one of your best posts yet! So many references to draw from in these dark days (esp. today). I will “adopt” all of your references, but add one that this time in January is especially meaningful to me as a musician: 27January, 1756 is Mozart’s birthday in Salzburg. I’ve celebrated it every year since I was a child, but this year listening to his symphonies and piano concerti brings light into my life. I’m hoping it will last to give me strength and some comfort for the next month (at the very least)! If that doesn’t do it, I’ll re-read
Thank you, Anne, that is so nice to hear. I remember Mozart’s house in Salzburg; so good to celebrate his birthday. Yes to celebrating art even more these days. Oh and in the years that I lived in Vienna, I passed the Mozart statue several times a day.
On this Blue Monday when darkness feels heavy and ominous, you are using the gift of your art. Your words born of memories and experience distilled in deeply felt emotion summon the lightness of hope. Like Dr King, Vincent Van Gogh, Anne Frank and many others who have braved darkness, pain and despair call out for beauty and light. Imagining it, creating it breathes new life.
We shall overcome.
Thank you for this inspiring piece. It’s a soothing balm.
I love this post so much. I've spent a lot of time researching Gernika. Franco concocted the lie that the Basques perpetrated this on themselves (because that's what fascists do, create outlandish lies), and even though Germany has apologized for it several times (the planes were the Luftwaffe), Spain has never admitted fault.
Fascists never apologize. Like white swans, this remains true until its debunked by Trump apologizing for separating children from their parents at the border, by Trump apologizing for lying more than 30,000 times while in office (as counted by the WP), by apologizing for … etc. Oh, and while we’re at it, fascists don’t smile unless it’s about other peoples misery, there is no humor, and no art reaches above the level of the Village People; art deco sculptures are sacrificed to a sledgehammer.
As billionaire tech giants jostled for the best seats in the crowded Capitol Rotunda taking selfies and patting each other on the back, I wonder if they even noticed the exquisite oil paintings on the wall by Trumbull depicting scenes before, during and after the Revolutionary War speaking to the fight for American independence against an expansionist monarchy. Sound familiar? I think they did not.
Art in our nation's Capital was born out of conflict. Rosa Parks in Statuary Hall; Maya Lin's Viet Nam Wall; the magnificent Lincoln Memorial & stunning MLK Statue. When visiting DC I am struck by the beauty of these symbols of our country. Beauty that was forged through dark times. As these monuments light up the DC night, they always give me hope. They will stand the test of time; their granite and marble strength will hold.
The oligarchs in power now will not stand. We will not let them. It is not who we are. We will protect the vulnerable and as FDR says: "provide enough for those who have too little." As Rena says: We are ready.
What a wonderful way to speak to these times through art, Alex. It is a way to reach for the sun in the darkest of days.
Saving this post as best of all especially on this day of horror protested all over the world. In creativity we find light, courage to resist oligarchy and beauty to sustain us through all. Thank you for this! 😘
Everything is already so well said in these previous comments...
It’s an very interesting and so much sensitive reflection on art and its impact on our society and on each of us... Thanks much Alex !🙏
Art is intended to be lived together, to be shared in the community … Everyone can find in art lot of sources of deep reflection, of criticism, or wonder.
Appreciated or not, he never leaves indifferent. It causes reactions and can leave imperishable memories, because it often touches us deep inside us.
A quote that summarizes well, I think, the essential effect of art in our lives...:
« Taking into account the ideologies and upheavals specific to each era (either by representing or embodying them, or by reacting to them through criticism), art imposes itself as a key witness to the history of humanity, of which it delivers a great visual and sensory narrative. ”
Thank you, Daniele. I'm rereading your quote and wonder what it means for those who are powerful and rich but for whom art has no significance in their lives. Historically, they will never be remembered for greatness; maybe for greed, military acomplisments, or for cruelty, but not for greatness. It can make or break the reputation of a dicator in the history books: I still have empire-style ornaments at home 200 years after the death of a dictator, but any art produced by the thousand-year-reich was crumbled and forgotten after 12 years. In the year 2225, no museum will display, and no individual will wear, a MAGA cap - the single cultural contribution of the present cult.
Alex, how you are able to connect persons, places, historical events so clearly and so beautifully, I stay amazed. Thank you for this beautiful essay.
Thank you, Ricardo.
Oh, Alex, this is one of your best posts yet! So many references to draw from in these dark days (esp. today). I will “adopt” all of your references, but add one that this time in January is especially meaningful to me as a musician: 27January, 1756 is Mozart’s birthday in Salzburg. I’ve celebrated it every year since I was a child, but this year listening to his symphonies and piano concerti brings light into my life. I’m hoping it will last to give me strength and some comfort for the next month (at the very least)! If that doesn’t do it, I’ll re-read
your beautiful post. 😊
Thank you, Anne, that is so nice to hear. I remember Mozart’s house in Salzburg; so good to celebrate his birthday. Yes to celebrating art even more these days. Oh and in the years that I lived in Vienna, I passed the Mozart statue several times a day.
"Creativity emerges not despite darkness but because of it - as witness, as protest, as hope."
Truth. Thank you for this inspiring piece.
Perfect 😘
On this Blue Monday when darkness feels heavy and ominous, you are using the gift of your art. Your words born of memories and experience distilled in deeply felt emotion summon the lightness of hope. Like Dr King, Vincent Van Gogh, Anne Frank and many others who have braved darkness, pain and despair call out for beauty and light. Imagining it, creating it breathes new life.
We shall overcome.
Thank you for this inspiring piece. It’s a soothing balm.
Thank you, Lizzie
I love this post so much. I've spent a lot of time researching Gernika. Franco concocted the lie that the Basques perpetrated this on themselves (because that's what fascists do, create outlandish lies), and even though Germany has apologized for it several times (the planes were the Luftwaffe), Spain has never admitted fault.
Fascists never apologize. Like white swans, this remains true until its debunked by Trump apologizing for separating children from their parents at the border, by Trump apologizing for lying more than 30,000 times while in office (as counted by the WP), by apologizing for … etc. Oh, and while we’re at it, fascists don’t smile unless it’s about other peoples misery, there is no humor, and no art reaches above the level of the Village People; art deco sculptures are sacrificed to a sledgehammer.
A beautiful heart felt essay, thank you.
As billionaire tech giants jostled for the best seats in the crowded Capitol Rotunda taking selfies and patting each other on the back, I wonder if they even noticed the exquisite oil paintings on the wall by Trumbull depicting scenes before, during and after the Revolutionary War speaking to the fight for American independence against an expansionist monarchy. Sound familiar? I think they did not.
Art in our nation's Capital was born out of conflict. Rosa Parks in Statuary Hall; Maya Lin's Viet Nam Wall; the magnificent Lincoln Memorial & stunning MLK Statue. When visiting DC I am struck by the beauty of these symbols of our country. Beauty that was forged through dark times. As these monuments light up the DC night, they always give me hope. They will stand the test of time; their granite and marble strength will hold.
The oligarchs in power now will not stand. We will not let them. It is not who we are. We will protect the vulnerable and as FDR says: "provide enough for those who have too little." As Rena says: We are ready.
What a wonderful way to speak to these times through art, Alex. It is a way to reach for the sun in the darkest of days.
Thank you, Sharon. See also what I just replied to Amanda Royal.
Saving this post as best of all especially on this day of horror protested all over the world. In creativity we find light, courage to resist oligarchy and beauty to sustain us through all. Thank you for this! 😘
Everything is already so well said in these previous comments...
It’s an very interesting and so much sensitive reflection on art and its impact on our society and on each of us... Thanks much Alex !🙏
Art is intended to be lived together, to be shared in the community … Everyone can find in art lot of sources of deep reflection, of criticism, or wonder.
Appreciated or not, he never leaves indifferent. It causes reactions and can leave imperishable memories, because it often touches us deep inside us.
A quote that summarizes well, I think, the essential effect of art in our lives...:
« Taking into account the ideologies and upheavals specific to each era (either by representing or embodying them, or by reacting to them through criticism), art imposes itself as a key witness to the history of humanity, of which it delivers a great visual and sensory narrative. ”
Thank you, Daniele. I'm rereading your quote and wonder what it means for those who are powerful and rich but for whom art has no significance in their lives. Historically, they will never be remembered for greatness; maybe for greed, military acomplisments, or for cruelty, but not for greatness. It can make or break the reputation of a dicator in the history books: I still have empire-style ornaments at home 200 years after the death of a dictator, but any art produced by the thousand-year-reich was crumbled and forgotten after 12 years. In the year 2225, no museum will display, and no individual will wear, a MAGA cap - the single cultural contribution of the present cult.
Loved this...
and it mirrors also my own feelings so well.
I tried to put them into words today also, here on substack.