Yup, definitely! Since your comment on the Valley Curtain, about perceiving it as performative, I've been thinking a lot about different forms of performance art and ephemeral art as performance.
Loved reading this, and absolutely delighted to see you showcasing a piece from South Africa (where I am from), that I have never heard of. Thank you for continually opening my eyes to new art, Safar.
Didn't realise that, Debs! How cool! I really love his work, it was like his own commentary made me deeply understand ephemeral artists and what they are doing. Powerful stuff.
Ephemeral art. I like the combination of these two words. Even though it does create a feeling of angst in me. Unease and sadness. But also relief, even joy. Safar, I appreciate the part in your post around the mourning that happens with ephemeral art. How it touches in on our own mortality. I have been on an internal journey with death lately. Which has been quite profound. Ephemeral art touching in deeply to our human existence. Thanks for this post.
During writing this, I experienced the loss of a family member and the theme seemed more poignant. I wondered if I lingered because of the experience or that it helped give meaning in an unbalanced phase. Mostly I've loved the beauty of the ephemeral.
Oh Safar, my heartfelt condolences! Yes, it does "seem more poignant." I would add that it feels like you did all of it. Not either/or, for I agree there is a deep mystical beauty in the ephemeral. Wishing you the best! ❤
Ephemeral art, to me has always been a gentle way of seeking a higher understanding of understanding and even acceptance, whether that be to place, person or object. It can be taken in its most basic, the Valentines rose for example or in a far more complex and ritualistic fashion as of deeply moving work of Ana Mendieta (I didn’t know this artists Safar - thank you) For which ever reason, the meaning and artistic license either meant (by the artist) or taken (by the viewer) will be remembered differently… or perhaps not at all and this may be even be intended, either way I think all who take the time to see and really understand the reasoning cannot fail to be touched.
This made me smile. I went to Spain for my father's 85th the week before last, and a teenage girl who lives next door to him brought all the 'chefs' (including me) a freshly picked bunch of amazing wild flowers, stems wrapped in foil, prettily wrapped in a ribbon. At the time I thought, the aesthetics of transience wrapped in foil. Your Valentine's rose example brought it back to mind :)
Ana's work is so powerfully dark, I just adore it. Very strong in message.
"the use of non-traditional materials lack durability" Something like dance.
Yup, definitely! Since your comment on the Valley Curtain, about perceiving it as performative, I've been thinking a lot about different forms of performance art and ephemeral art as performance.
Nothing is permanent or immortal, Safar. Well, maybe something whacked out of granite
: ) How is art to be judged? Durability? Popularity? Rodin wins the durability contest. Pink Floyd the popularity.
Yes, and as art changes so do the criteria for judgement.
Loved reading this, and absolutely delighted to see you showcasing a piece from South Africa (where I am from), that I have never heard of. Thank you for continually opening my eyes to new art, Safar.
Didn't realise that, Debs! How cool! I really love his work, it was like his own commentary made me deeply understand ephemeral artists and what they are doing. Powerful stuff.
Ephemeral art. I like the combination of these two words. Even though it does create a feeling of angst in me. Unease and sadness. But also relief, even joy. Safar, I appreciate the part in your post around the mourning that happens with ephemeral art. How it touches in on our own mortality. I have been on an internal journey with death lately. Which has been quite profound. Ephemeral art touching in deeply to our human existence. Thanks for this post.
During writing this, I experienced the loss of a family member and the theme seemed more poignant. I wondered if I lingered because of the experience or that it helped give meaning in an unbalanced phase. Mostly I've loved the beauty of the ephemeral.
Oh Safar, my heartfelt condolences! Yes, it does "seem more poignant." I would add that it feels like you did all of it. Not either/or, for I agree there is a deep mystical beauty in the ephemeral. Wishing you the best! ❤
Thank you so much Julie. 🙏
I’m so sorry to read this Safar, I hope you found a little peace in the lingering and poignancy of your words here… 🤍
I’m catching up… slowly!
Ephemeral art, to me has always been a gentle way of seeking a higher understanding of understanding and even acceptance, whether that be to place, person or object. It can be taken in its most basic, the Valentines rose for example or in a far more complex and ritualistic fashion as of deeply moving work of Ana Mendieta (I didn’t know this artists Safar - thank you) For which ever reason, the meaning and artistic license either meant (by the artist) or taken (by the viewer) will be remembered differently… or perhaps not at all and this may be even be intended, either way I think all who take the time to see and really understand the reasoning cannot fail to be touched.
This made me smile. I went to Spain for my father's 85th the week before last, and a teenage girl who lives next door to him brought all the 'chefs' (including me) a freshly picked bunch of amazing wild flowers, stems wrapped in foil, prettily wrapped in a ribbon. At the time I thought, the aesthetics of transience wrapped in foil. Your Valentine's rose example brought it back to mind :)
Ana's work is so powerfully dark, I just adore it. Very strong in message.