Almost a year has passed since my latest post so I guess it’s about time to breathe some life into this blog of mine. From now on, I promise to post more frequently. After all, these are interesting times and the amount of fantastic music, amazing books and wonderful movies keeps increasing constantly. On the left hand I hope to update my concert list so friends can see what’s going on as far as live shows go. Today, I would like to recommend three inspiring documentaries of late about contemporary artists.
PINA is a feature-length dance film with the ensemble of
the Tanztheater Wuppertal, featuring the unique and inspiring art of the great
German choreographer PINA BAUSCH, who died in the summer of 2009. The
documentary exists of many bewildering dance scenes and is beautifully shot by
Wim Wenders. Even if you haven’t seen many dance ensembles in real life (I only
saw a couple – Meg Stuart, Wim Vandekeybus, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker) the
magic of Pina Bausch’s choreography even works on film. I saw this documentary
in 3D but the annoying glasses spoiled some fun and I don’t think the result
was worth the effort. Just watch it on DVD or online and be amazed! Here’s the
trailer that should wet your appetite:
Another fabulous documentary is Marina Abramovic The Artist is Present. Abramovíc was
born in 1946 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia and pioneered the use of performances as a
visual art form. She lives and works in New York where she was the subject of a
major retrospective at the MoMA – The Artist is Present – from March 14 through
May 31, 2010. This documentary follows the artist as she prepares for this
major retrospective of her work. The centerpiece of this film and the MoMA
retrospective is a stupefying performance by Marina herself: all day, every
day, from early March until the end of May, 2010, she sits at a table in the
museum's atrium, in what she describes as a "square of light."
Members of the audience are invited to join her, one at a time, at the opposite
end of the table. There is no talking, no touching, no overt communication of
any kind. Her objective is to achieve a luminous state of being and then
transmit it to engage in what she calls "an energy dialogue" with
the audience. Sounds boring? Watch this film, it’s one the most gripping ones you
are likely to see! Believe me, even just watching it is a riveting experience!
The third and final documentary of this post that I highly recommend is called Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry. Ai WeiWei is
China’s leading contemporary artist who is known for his activism against China’s
opressive laws as much as his art. Alison Klayman's film
gives a fascinating insight into this man’s life and work. Ai Weiwei is an agent
provocateur who twitters things like “There are no outdoor sports as graceful
as throwing stones at a dictatorship.” At the same time however, his art can be
very subtle and touching for example when he bypasses the silent government and
formed a team to gather 5,212 names and birthdates of children who had died in
shoddily constructed schools during the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
According to Ai Weiwei, life is much more interesting when you make a little bit of effort. I can only agree and bow deep to these 3 amazing artists!
According to Ai Weiwei, life is much more interesting when you make a little bit of effort. I can only agree and bow deep to these 3 amazing artists!
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