Blog — Page 194 of 278

Francis Bacon: Studies for a Portrait 

Michael Peppiatt

YUP

Francis Bacon was one hell of a complex artist.

Contradictions.

Enigmas.

Affairs.

Debauchery.

The works.

Then there was his art.

Grand.

Deep.

Evocative.

Studies for a Portrait was penned by the man who not only was responsible for Bacon’s biography, but one that could call himself both, an art connoisseur and close associate of Bacon’s. Given the access the author Michael Peppiatt enjoyed, the book offers intimate and at times entertaining insights on the inner sanctum of Bacon’s oeuvre.

What Peppiatt accomplishes is that he takes a holistic approach and does not merely focus on specific singular facts of Francis Bacon’s emissions. He paints a portrait with subtle lines that strikes the balance between intricacy and clarity.

You could say that I am a Bacon aficionado and own quite a few books on the man. However, this tome with its collection of interviews and essays spanning from 1963 until long after Bacon shuffled off this mortal coil, offers new angles: Be it Bacon’s affliction with some painters, his techniques, approach to painting, his views on the art world, religious beliefs and his relationships.

The array of Bacon-centric elaborations is peppered with at times amusing anecdotes and little known facts about the trials and tribulations and most importantly the personality of one of the greats.

A must-have for anyone who would like to gain another level of access to the intriguing art of Francis Bacon. 

Real Bodies Exhibition

Byron Hall

Sydney, Australia

April 22, 2018

I bumped into Gunter von Hagens with his dog Bella, the pioneer of the technique of plastination that forms the basis of the Real Bodies Exhibition, in early 2012 on the top of the Emipre State Building in New York City of all places. An affable polite and soft-spoken chap - the man that impregnated corpses with plastic solution so individual body parts could be dissembled and put on show had earned himself the moniker of “Dr Death” and his endeavors, i.e. to make what was previously the realm of mortuaries and medical museums, have never been not uncontroversial – au contraire.

His exhibitions, which he sees following his primary goal of preventive healthcare, became a worldwide phenomenon that effectively had an impact on the perception of the dead with millions of visitors.

While press coverage implied something sinister and macabre, the exhibitions themselves exhibit immaculately prepared bodies that offered a view on the inner workings of humans.

A view made possible by removing all the fat and water out of the tissue and replacing it with a plastic polymer, whether that is a silicone, polyester resins or epoxy resins, i.e. plastination.

The Real Bodies exhibition follows von Hagens’ lead with the focus being on plastinated mortal remains.

The exhibition offers the opportunity to explore ten galleries of anatomical artifacts and twenty human plastinates alongside a bit of philosophy re: what it means to be homo sapiens aimed at aiding to explain how humans breathe, eat, think, grow more humans and ultimately die by displaying human cadavers in various forms of dissection to show respiratory, circulatory, digestive and reproductive functions of the body.

Controversy in the context of the Real Bodies exhibition evolved because questions were raised about the provenance of the bodies and if they belonged to Falun Gong prisoners and “body factories” in China, which motivated protesters gathering outside the exhibition to alert visitors, which illustrate the interdependencies between respiratory and circulatory systems, muscles, bone and skin.

The CEO of Imagine Exhibitions, the operators behind Real Bodies, deny any foul play and insist that the bodies were donated, however, there seem to be gaps when it comes to meticulous authentification of the sources, which leaves a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

An interesting exhibition that does not lack an artistic approach yet is mainly focused on education without unnecessary theatrics.

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Photo from Real Bodies Exhibition official website

Humanity 

Ai Weiwei

Princeton University Press

Ai Weiwei.

Chances are that you either are familiar with him and what he does or you would have heard of the impact of his oeuvre – be it within or outside the confines of China.

What Weiwei does is always political – sometimes more explicit than not.

As an artist Ai Weiwei does not limit himself to a single discipline: Writing, installations, photography, sculptures, films and documentaries are all part of his repertoire with freedom of speech, the abuse of human rights and the need to lend his voice to those who are not being heard being central topics – which is not further wondrous as he is a former refugee himself.

The title of this little book is a telling one: It comprises Weiwei’s musings on the history of humanity and mass migration from interviews, essays and extracts from conversations with the red thread that it can be condensed to being that at the end of the day we all are refugees and that the concept of artificial man-made demarcation lines is incompatible with the times we live in.

With the tendency of history to repeat itself over and over again and a climate of indifferences, the book raises fundamental question that everyone should consider before trumpeting his angle out into the word.

Humanity epitomizes Ai Weiwei’s mission, one of compassion and preservation of basic human rights and is testament to his unwavering focus on ensuring that those who come across him do not ignore their individual obligation.

Weathering the Elements

In the previous instalment of this series I touched on my recent hiking excursions in the neither regions of Norway.

At the region where according to Nick Cave the sun shines, i.e. Oceania, arduous hiking trails can be conveniently broken up by indulging in what the paddle-able bits of the ocean, local rivers and secluded beaches have to offer, e.g. employing a kayak or canoe.

With the risk of your previous belongings getting wet, a regular backpack will not really cut it. A durable, waterproof pack it must be for the travel on water, sturdy enough to weather the elements, which is when a Duluth Pack comes in handy.

A peculiar name?

Sure is, yet a telling one as it was named after the city Duluth in Minnesota, where French-Canadian Camille Poirier pioneered the style of the pack which traditionally was made of cordura nylon, leather or heavy canvas with square measurements to fit neatly inside your canoe and can accommodate large quantities of gear while still being compact.

As with many zweckentfremdete things these days, the rugged and leathery style of the traditional Duluth Packs has become fashionable and hip – not merely the backpack variant but all styles, shapes and forms, from computer bags via purses to other bags that one could use for the daily commute.

While the style might have become more urban, the basics and DNA still remained: Solid, practical continuously handcrafted construction that has mastered a number of tests of time and is built to last.

I travel and commute a lot.

Going the distance out in the territory – be it the great outdoors or more urban ones – means that one needs to lug around equipment and all kinds of belongings.

My preferred Duluth Pack has served me well in a variety of contexts: For daily commute with electronics, hikes, as a carry-on on international travel.

The heavy-duty design and Verarbeitung based on a burly eighteen-ounce canvas construction with adjustable leather shoulder straps.

In layman’s terms: Duluth’s emissions do not just look the part. The leather handle and heavy duty zippers mean business while attention to detail shows itself with the little compartments in and outside the backpack to accommodate storage space for the smaller everyday items. Should something happen to your gear along the way; it is backed by a lifetime warranty.

Specifically for laptops and computers, a specific compartment offers protection for your gadget.

The fact that Duluth Pack produces its outdoor gear in a variations of fourteen colours to mix things up ensures that the packs are not only functional but also have something to offer in the realm of aesthetics – be it for your hike, leisure activities or a corporate environment.

Principles of Archaeology

T. Douglas Price / Kelly Knudson

An introduction to archaeology that helps students think like archaeologists

Thames & Hudson

T. Douglas Price.

Professor and life-long learner.

An undisputed, distinguished Koryphäe and preeminent in the realm of archeology with a profound pedigree and academic background that could hardly by more profound.

Predestined to compile a tome about methods that can be difficult to teach in the classroom with the main objective to advise practical ways of gaining an understanding of how archaeologists work. 

Each chapter depicts clear coverage of how archeologist approach their projects, not leaving out scientific concepts and ethical considerations beautifully and opulently illustrated with over two hundred photos and over one hundred fifty line drawings.

Price manages to strike the right balance between factual guidelines and instilling a sense of scintillating excitement in a field that some might find tedious, dull and boring. He engages the reader and makes his points that focus, curiosity, a holistic worldview, wanderlust, willingness to be a team player, patience, perseverance and critical thinking skills are indispensable for anyone interested in working in the realm of archeology.

An engaging introduction into the peeping Tom of the sciences - a fascinating field that opens the gates to understanding who we are and where we come from, a realm that allows to unearth objects that help to reconstruct the past and emptying out time capsules.