It must be said I grew up on that parallel universe, with very clear examples of both on each side of my family and I guess I am a product of that. And I too learned to navigate between my free minded spirit (one of a dreamer....) and strong raw personality (one of a realist). Constantly dwelling to abandon 'limbo' and pick a side; but funny enough my experience with CONNECT in the end thought me otherwise. You gotta have both, and if naturally you don't than instinctively you will look for it on someone else, whether they become a mentor, your business partner, an inspiration or that push you secretly need.
To let you know one of the most honest reasons why I chose Art as my University path, was (and still is) because I have always loved to learn about all the different artists throughout history, try to understand their cultures, mixed influences and different interpretations of dreams and realities that so many of us seem to take for granted.
See, artists make dreams real. - As simple as this. And whoever tries to over analyse it, is totally missing the point. My mother is a Museologist and she never so much as tried to lecture me about Art per say. She did point out directions, opened roads and shared some of her favourites over our family trips, but in the end, she always says: "like what you like; just because." That might also be a reason why I relate with people who are sensitive to Art; (the ones who like it for what it truly is), they are less cynical, they are 'dreamers' taking it all in, enjoying the ride, and not trying to make a point out of a white canvas with a dot. They do it, they like it, "jut because".
I guess you can say that is the case of Japanese acclaimed artist, Yayoi Kusama - she too, had her own dream, but the (too many) realists around her made it quite impossible for it to become true. - Perhaps, "just because". Born in Matsumoto, the forth child of a traditional family, a mother who used to hide her brushes, saying she could not be an artist, Kusama struggled to make sure her dreams turned into reality. After long contradicting the rash 'realists' around her she studied painting in Kyoto during the 50's and later on moved to New York, after being frustrated with the 'squared' Japanese style, where she started painting under the influence of abstract expressionism, switching to sculpture and installation, before becoming associated with the pop movement during the 60's. Although 'forgotten' by some, Kusama served as great inspiration for icons such as Andy Warhol himself and is considered one of the most important artists of our times. In 2008 Christie's sold one of her works for $5.1 million, a record for a living female artist.
She is known for the polka dots works by a larger audience, most precisely since covering the facade of Louis Vuitton Fifth Avenue store, a fashion collaboration of merchandise being sold now with her signature. But after exhibiting at the Tate in London, its time for the Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art in New York to welcome her retrospective, to which I went this weekend and highly recommend all local 'Clippers' to go.
Although Kusama has proven quite unique as far as experimenting with different media, her work (despite very varied) is nevertheless consistent, and that becomes clear when looking at the micromanaged intricacy of her drawings: veins that look like flowers turned into feelings expressed multidimensionally. Real hallucinations....or simply dreams? No one is really sure, but what matters is that she followed what she liked. "Just because". And you know what? From where I stand she did great.
CLIP-IT: Kusama's "Fireflies on the Water" is also being shown at the Musuem's lobby in conjunction with her retrospective, but you must get there early in the morning as they become sold out by the first hour.
I guess you can say that is the case of Japanese acclaimed artist, Yayoi Kusama - she too, had her own dream, but the (too many) realists around her made it quite impossible for it to become true. - Perhaps, "just because". Born in Matsumoto, the forth child of a traditional family, a mother who used to hide her brushes, saying she could not be an artist, Kusama struggled to make sure her dreams turned into reality. After long contradicting the rash 'realists' around her she studied painting in Kyoto during the 50's and later on moved to New York, after being frustrated with the 'squared' Japanese style, where she started painting under the influence of abstract expressionism, switching to sculpture and installation, before becoming associated with the pop movement during the 60's. Although 'forgotten' by some, Kusama served as great inspiration for icons such as Andy Warhol himself and is considered one of the most important artists of our times. In 2008 Christie's sold one of her works for $5.1 million, a record for a living female artist.
She is known for the polka dots works by a larger audience, most precisely since covering the facade of Louis Vuitton Fifth Avenue store, a fashion collaboration of merchandise being sold now with her signature. But after exhibiting at the Tate in London, its time for the Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art in New York to welcome her retrospective, to which I went this weekend and highly recommend all local 'Clippers' to go.
Although Kusama has proven quite unique as far as experimenting with different media, her work (despite very varied) is nevertheless consistent, and that becomes clear when looking at the micromanaged intricacy of her drawings: veins that look like flowers turned into feelings expressed multidimensionally. Real hallucinations....or simply dreams? No one is really sure, but what matters is that she followed what she liked. "Just because". And you know what? From where I stand she did great.
CLIP-IT: Kusama's "Fireflies on the Water" is also being shown at the Musuem's lobby in conjunction with her retrospective, but you must get there early in the morning as they become sold out by the first hour.
ReplyDeleteWow, loved it, well done ini
Lindo querida. Adorei o que você escreveu. Do what you love and be true to your heart. That's where it all begins. Everything else is just pretending.
ReplyDeleteBeijao e saudades.
XXMa