Art for Advent, Second Sunday

For the second Sunday of Advent, art historian Dr. James Romaine discusses Jan van Eyck's exquisite painting titled The Annunciation (c. 1434-1436) for his YouTube series Seeing Art History. Part of the Andrew Mellon Collection at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.,  the early Netherlandish painting is thought to have been part of a triptych, a larger, three-part altarpiece. As Romaine points out, it is both visually stunning and replete with religious symbolism.

Thought for the Day

What sort of sorrow will, when gathered up, become a force

depends on your love.

~ Duo Yu

Trans. by Steve Riep

_________________________________

Quoted from "Gathering Up",  Push Open the Window: Contemporary Poetry from China (Ed. Qingping Wang), Copper Canyon Press, 2011; page 267

Duo Yu, Chinese Scholar, Poet, Writer; Editor, Poem Time

Art for Advent, First Sunday

For this first Sunday of Advent, the channel Seeing Art History on YouTube presents Quaker preacher and artist Edward Hicks's The Peaceable Kingdom. Victoria Emily Jones, who writes the blog Art & Theology, narrates. This year, art historian James Romaine concentrates on art of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Edward Hicks, 1780-1849

Additional Commentary on The Peaceable Kingdom by Victoria Emily Jones

Thought for the Day

Poverty is black ice. . .

~ Naomi Ayala

_________________________

Quoted from Naomi Ayala, "Poverty" at Beltway Poetry Quarterly

Naomi Ayala, Poet, Educator, Arts Administrator, Community Activist

Thought for the Day

Pain marks you, but too deep to see.

~ Margaret Atwood

____________________________

Quoted from Margaret Atwood, "Sunbeams" (Quotations) in Sun, September 2012, Issue 441, page 48

Margaret Atwood, Canadian Novelist, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic, Inventor, Teacher, and Environmental Activist; Winner, Giller Prize, Premio Mondello, Man Booker Prize, and Los Angeles Times Innovator's Award

Thought for the Day

If another world is possible, what is

your role in making it happen?

~ Cynthia Cherrey

______________________________

Quoted in Mark Nepo, "If Another World Is Possible" in More Together Than Alone (Atria Books, 2018), page 257

Cynthia Cherrey, President and CEO, International Leadership Association; Board Member, ILA; Fellow, James McGregor Burns Academy of Leadership; Recipient, Fulbright Scholarship

New Artist Watch Feature at Escape Into Life

Lebohang Kganye, The nameless ones in the graves, 2018

Inkjet Print on Cotton Rag Paper

(Inspired by Athol Fugard's The Train Driver)

Copyright © 2018 Lebohang Kganye

PLEASE DO NOT COPY IMAGES

This month's Artist Watch column at the international online arts magazine Escape Into Life showcases a series of photographs from South African photographer Lebohang Kganye, who has been described by Aperture magazine's Michael Famighetti as "a distinguished new voice in contemporary photography."

Lebohang, a relative newcomer to photography — her initial introduction to the medium was in 2009 — lives and works in Johannesburg. Since completing an Advanced Photography Programme in 2011 and university studies in fine arts in 2016, Lebohang has participated in many photography masterclasses and exhibited both locally and internationally in numerous group exhibitions. She also has received considerable attention in the arts press and a number of prestigious photography awards.

You will find in today's Artist Watch column images from Lebohang's series Tell Tale, which draws its inspiration not only from the work of South African playwright Athol Fugard but also from the stories told to her by the villagers of Nieu Bethesda, where Lebohang undertook a residency; you also will find there Lebohang's Artist Statement about the series and biographical information. A remarkably talented photographer, Lebohang is definitely an artist to watch.

Below you will find an additional selection of images from Ke sale teng (Reconstruction of a Family), that Lebohang kindly provided and that I am privileged to share. Much like Tell Tale, the images were made from silhouette cutouts of family members and other props arranged in a diorama, and explore the meaning of "family" and the histories and memories connected with family albums.

Re palame tereneng e fosahetseng, 2016

Inkjet Print on Cotton Rag Paper

64 cm x 90 cm

O robetse a ntse a bala Bona, 2016

Inkjet Print on Cotton Rag Paper

64 cm x 90 cm

Ke ile ka tswela pele ka ho tereka a ntse a bua, 2016

Inkjet Print on Cotton Rag Paper

64 cm x 90 cm

O emetse mohala, 2016

Inkjet Print on Cotton Rag Paper

64 cm  x 90 cm

All of the above have been produced in an edition of 5, plus 2 Artist Proofs. Go here for context by the artist.

Thought for the Day

[. . .] And as soon as a thing is said

it becomes true

if it is a poem

if it does not become true

it was not a poem

~ Alice Ostriker

_____________________________

Quoted from Alice Ostriker, "Reading Dan Beachy-Quick, Wonderful Investigations" in Image, Fall 2018, No. 98, page 22

Alice Ostriker, Poet, Critic, and Activist; Winner, National Jewish Book Award

Alice Ostriker at Academy of American Poets, Blueflower Arts, and Poetry Foundation

Thought for the Day

Years do odd things to identity.

~ Ursula K. Le Guin

____________________________

Quoted from Ursula K. Le Guin, "Leaves" in So Far So Good: Final Poems: 2014-2018 (Copper Canyon Press, 2018)

Ursula K. Le Guin, October 21, 1929 - January 22, 2018

Obituary at The New York Times

Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin (Documentary)

May Their Memory (Poem)

Gerhard Richter, Kerze ("Candle"), 1983

Oil on Canvas

95 cm x 90 cm

~

Joyce Fienberg, 75

Richard Gottfried, 65

Rose Mallinger, 97

Jerry Rabinowitz, 66

Cecil Rosenthal, 59

David Rosenthal, 54

Bernice Simon, 84

Sylvan Simon, 86

Daniel Stein, 71

Melvin Wax, 88

Irving Younger, 69

Tree of Life, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 27, 2018

May their memory be for a blessing.

~

May Their Memory

May they go on

dreaming, these

faithful eleven —

"the regulars"

who opened doors

to one and all,

whose voices stilled

before Shabbat

began. O Tree of Life,

your Star of David

shattered, your limbs

rent in the peril

of prayers unheard.

Let us name them

and remember

the front-door greeters,

the first-to-arrive,

the synagogue-goers

bear-hugging in aisles,

the ones who helped

with everything.

May their memory

be our blessing.

Having seen their tears,

Your sorrow I saw.