Your eyes and ears on the world of art and culture. We remind you that 16 years of back issues of eMusings can be found on our archives page.
An International Space Station for the oceans has been designed by Yves Behar for ocean conservationist Fabien Cousteau. Called Proteus, it will allow scientists to live and study underwater and not have to decompress until they emerge. The Swiss designer explains that Proteus can hold as many as 12 people at a time, and has been designed to combat issues like social isolation, lack of light, need for exercise and humidity control. It will use renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion), a system that that creates electricity by maximizing the temperature differences between the cold ocean water and the warm water on the surface.
We have followed the outstanding digital paintings of Susan Kaprov for years. Now look at her instagram page to see how her work has evolved. You will recall that Kaprov was an early recipient of our Woman of the Month Award. Her stellar career marks her as a leader in the field.
"Lost in Motion" brings you a vimeo of a gold figure dancing on a runway against a background of previous positions. It appears to be a digital production but is actually analog, with the process shown at the end of the vimeo. You can also see another stop-motion music video composed of thousands of bits of paper and foam core, and one created for the band Tunng.
A site called Dyscorpia is featuring some off-beat and innovative work you might want to explore. Look, for exampla, at Solastalgia, EpiGeneScapes, and Growth 1. Note: you may have to scroll down on these pages to find the referenced work.
A ball-point pen is not often the tool of choice for contemporary artists, but Patrick Onyekwere has used it to create some compelling portraits. At the same site, you can explore whimsical paintings by Monica Rohan, a spherical sculpture called "Shorter Than the Day" by Sarah Sze, and some deeply patterned portraits by Tawny Chatmon, inspired by the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt.
Anne Hieronymus is a multi-media artist based in Los Angeles, California. She has produced complex depictions of reality and fantasy cohabitating in imaginative landscapes that challenge the eye and the mind.
Christie's Auction House introduces us to a pastellist named Rosalba Carriera. Carriera was a specialist in the "dry brush" technique, using the flat side of chalk on top of a contrasting color to depict diaphanous material. Sadly she became blind in the last years of her life but her works were much sought-after during her productive career during the early 1700's.
The work of Suchitra Mattai can best be explored by starting with her installation Exodus, 2020, composed of saris and rope net. A similar and equally compelling work called Axis Mundi, is made of braided vintage saris.
Ronald Jackson takes the concept of masks and invisibility to create his portraits. Jackson states that he is not a portrait painter, nor is he an urban artist. His mission, he says, is to "seek to capture intimate settings to use as a gateway to ponder the complexities of the human experience, as well as the society that influences them."
The Guardian newspaper brings us "12 Up and Coming Black-owned Fashion Labels". There are some stunning outfits here. To me these are talented designers, with the Black designation neither necessary nor appropriate. They stand on their own in the fashion world, although I understand that this is a way to call attention to the BLM movement and perhaps to right historical wrongs. Hopefully the next step will be to acknowledge their expertise in a broader context.
Watch Latin samba as it is expertly choreographed and danced by two Korean performers. The lack of good lighting can not detract from the superb motions of these two dancers.
There have been many interpretations of this 2017 music video from China, but the bottom line is that the musicians are excellent, and the piece appears to be a metaphor for rebellion/resistance/change/conflict expressed musically. Or, don't over-think and just enjoy the terrific kids.
c. Corinne Whitaker 2020