Art & Its Suppression

This has been making the rounds recently:
"Andres Serrano’s ‘Piss Christ’ Destroyed in Avignon, France"

I recall the controversy when “Immersion Piss Christ” was first exhibited back in 1987, and discussions of it when I was working on my degree.

It is generally offensive to anyone who grew up in a culture that has reverence for Christian traditions, once the viewer understands the media used in creating this photographic image.

Viewed from another perspective, it's beautiful. Ghostly and shrouded in jewel-like amber, it resembles a heavily lacquered antique icon that might be discovered in an out-of-the-way tchotchke shop. For lovers of iconography, this would be a find, indeed. And, according to Serrano, it was created with reverence.

Among the many who might be offended by works such as this, there are those who feel justified in destroying an artist's work, especially when it comes to subject matter that is perceived as sacreligious. 

They, in the glory of their righteous indignation, are missing a finely-made point, which is:

The purity of the original message of this particular prophet has been polluted by ritual, idolatry, and myth-making in a highly successful effort to gain and hold power over those who believe. And, secondly, to gain control over the thoughts and behaviors of these same believers.


If the intention of the vandals was to stifle creative expression, then based on the amount of attention this act has engendered, I would have to conclude that the opposite effect has been attained. More views, more thought, and more discussion on freedom of artistic expression, religious and cultural tolerance, and the possibility that an image is just an image, with only the value that we human beings give to it. (Photo by BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images)

Destruction of art as a subject that can be approached from a number of directions, and begs the questions: What is art and who decides? Followed by: Is destruction of art ever justified? (After it's been decided that it is art, of course.)

I am remembering Diego Rivera's monumental labor-themed mural in Rockefeller Center that was destroyed in 1933. It held within it a portrait of Lenin and was labled “propaganda", to which Rivera shouted, “All art is propaganda!” *
* The Encyclopedia of Censorship, J. Green, Facts on File, pg. 254

I'm also reminded of the Taliban's destruction of the giant stone Buddhas in Afghanistan some years back. Different scale and disturbing on many levels, but primarily as cultural and historical losses, and as a cause for reflection on religious extremism and its consequences.

With some irony, this brings to mind the destruction of Saddam Hussein's arrogant and grossly over-sized (to my way of thinking) statue in Iraq. Was that justifiable destruction? Or, is it essentially the same as destroying the Buddhas?

Finally, I consider Ai Weiwei, dissident Chinese artist and internationally renowned architect, who was arrested when boarding an airplane in an attempt to leave Beijing.

He and his supporters, and others like Weiwei that the Chinese government perceive as threats to its control, have been arrested or detained. This appears to be a crack-down in an effort to suppress the rumors of a ‘Jasmine Revolution’, modeled after the uprisings in northern Africa.

Story of Ai Weiwei's arrest here:
Ai Weiwei arrest: Lawyer and designer disappear
A protester urges residents to sign their names to support release of detained artist and activist Ai Weiwei in Hong Kong on April 8. AP photo published in Mail & Guardian online
 
We live in a time when we can know in an instant what's happening on the other side of the planet. Let's hope, and even pray, that the future will bring more freedom and tolerance and less suppression and intimidation. It would be a lot easier on all of us if totalitarian regimes would just give it up.


Suppression does not work for long and has built within it, its opposite: the urge toward freedom. This drive, whether political or artistic, is universal and roars through civilization in response to oppression. I want to hear a roar for Ai Weiwei and people like him. And, I want to hear a roar in support of artistic expression.

Whether we like it or not doesn't matter. What does matter is an artist's right to create what is in his or her heart and mind.

 

Something Quite Out Of The Ordinary

                                                                                                  
Lora R Fisher Friday, March 18, 2011 

Each year is marked with four high points and four median points in the calendar. Winter Solstice signals the turning of the 6-month cycle preceding it when the effects of the sun are waning, and the beginning on the new cycle of increasing sunlight and warmth. In the Northern Hemisphere, at least.

If science and anciet wisdom are correct, these cycles are part of larger cycles, so vast as to be barely discernible by human reckoning, although a few cultures seem to have had the capability of seeing outside the generational cycles of humans. 

These have struck significant chords throughout the story of humankind and which resonate in Archaeology through symbols, writings, and architecture in every culture through the ages; from the Sumerian, Persian, Egyptian, Greek, Celtic, and Mesomerican: Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Mixtec and Zapotec; as well as the First Nations Peoples of North America, notably, the Hopi; to Taoism, the Vedas, and Zoroastrianism. 

And, we are all familiar with Stonehenge (‘hinge’, as in ‘gate’), the pyramids around the world, and the Medicine Wheel. What these cultures have in common, aside from their common humanity, is a foundational belief in cycles and the interconnectedness of all life, including the planets in our solar system and beyond. 

Springing from this awareness of planetary cycles, came celebration and ritual, most notably on the four cardinal seasons of the year, but also mid-cycle celebrations, giving us Groundhog Day (Imbolc), May Day (Beltane), August Eve (Harvest Festival of Lughnasadh or Lammas), and Hallowe'en (Samhain). As we all know by now, these high days of the year were usurped or borrowed by the Christian tradition, helping to make conversion to the new religion less distateful to the locals.

According to a number of calendars and cosmic precepts from a variety of religions, there will be an energy burst from the center of the galaxy coming our way, which, when it reaches Earth, will ‘reset’ Earth's systems.

A Fresh Start

Opening The Gate

Do-Over

Bottle-neck

The Launch

Particle Physics posits that this is a profound, multi-dimensional reality in which we reside, and The One Constant of this reality being repetition of pattern.

What happens once, happens again ... slightly altered.

---------------

Right around 1998, I experienced a moment of profound sadness for us as a species, which coincided with Pakistan’s detonation of an atomic bomb. The feeling in my gut and heart in that moment was that we had turned a corner, without the option to reverse direction.

I was also, at this time, connecting deeply with my Native American heritage and was experiencing a profound connection to Earth and her cycles. This was also around the same time that Hopi Elder Thomas Banyacya, came forward once again to warn the dominant culture that it was on a path that would culminate in species destruction at the end of our current age, The Fourth World. 

Now, if it was just one wise man from a tradition I feel an affinity for ... we might be skeptical. But, with multiple traditions pointing to this moment in our species' history, it's not so easy to dismiss. The Vedas, Zoroastrianism, Judeo, Christian, in addition to the Maya and the Hopi, point to this time as, at the very least, a time of adjustment.

According to the Maya, we are at the end-point of a 5,125-year cycle culminating in the Galactic Alignment, when the center of our solar system is in alignment with the center of our galaxy. Whether one ascribes to a belief in the influence of cycles upon our lives, or not, this is noteworthy, even if it’s only to acknowledge a cycle that dwarfs our mere 100-year life-spans.

To my way of thinking, it is beneficial to pay our respects and to be reminded that our species is not nearly as important as we tend to give credit.

Cycles come and go. Civilizations rise and fall. The secret is to see it as a gift and an opportunity to be a part of creating a new cycle for humankind.

If it is too late to save the current world, at least we can celebrate the new.

Forest Light, Silver Falls, Oregon

©2010 LoraRFisher

10 Ways (Make that 11) To Have A Happy Birthday

1) Sleep til noon

2) Brew fresh organic coffee with organic cream

3) Birthday cake with coffee for breakfast

4) Open Facebook

5) Read Happy Birthday wishes from friends, associates, and cohorts

6) Write "Thank You" 60 different times|60 different ways

7) Feel grateful

8) Organize your studio

9) Answer phone calls from beloved family members

10) Plant a tree

11) Smile the live-long day

Clematis, Hummingbird View
Fuchsia Abstraction 
Canna Deny It
All images ©2010 Lora R Fisher | flairCreativ

  

Separate, But Equally Convoluted

Facebook Has A Unique Capacity For Making Things Complicated.

Having just wrangled with Facebook's circuitous and often questionable 'Help', I've managed to import this blog onto my Consulting|Business Services page: FLAIRCreativ.

This makes me somewhat happy.

The caveat: since everything I post here will now show up there, I no longer feel quite so free in simply gabbing about my internal reality, even though it may be inextricably linked to my professional reality.

To complicate matters further, I also have an under-utilized professional services blog: flairCreativ.blogspot.com, which I use as a reference point, with contact information and for directing people to various sites. I've also begun an 'Artists To Watch' page on this site, which will feature artists that I either represent or admire greatly.

Top on my list is Michael Orwick. He's been a highlight in the Pacific Northwest regional arts scene for some time and is gaining ground on the national map, as well.

I'm currently developing publicity for his big spring exhibition where his work will be featured at three Willamette Valley wineries, plus a show at Art Elements Gallery in Newberg, Oregon.

I'm honored to be working with Michael. Not only is he one of the least pretentious people I've ever known, his work is brilliant and moving, and reflects his spiritual connection with the natural world. Michael also works in the realm of the 'fantastic' when the spirit moves him, with works that appeal to children and the child-within-the-adult.

His work is featured on Facebook: Michael Orwick Arts 
and on his site Michael Orwick 

with updates and interactions with his followers on Twitter. 

Golden Vines

Michael Orwick

30 x 40"

--------------
So now, I'm wondering: Will Facebook allow me to feature two blogs? 
That may be pushing my luck.

... On A Very Dark Brew

Woke up much earlier than my normal later-than-most hour, this morning. It's unheard of, most days, to be padding around before 9:00 a.m.

No matter what the time, my routine demands coffee. Taking note that I'm down to my last dollop of Trader Joe's soy creamer (the only one worth drinking), I brew a deep, strong, and mighty 12 ounces. That first sip is a pleasure of our contemporary life, with a long and romantic history. Tracing it back is a worthy exercise in Sunday morning appreciation.

Personal brewing styles aside, this cup came to me through the efforts of a large number of faceless strangers. From TJ's shelf-stockers to the truckers, growers, roasters, and packagers dependent upon international shipping regulations, organic certification, and a community of growers around the world. The simple act of enjoying your morning java is as complex as anything you can imagine: country of origin, growing practices, growers' co-ops, organic certification. There are also clean water and electricity to consider. See what I mean?

So, thanks everyone. I am now wide awake and grateful.

Here's an excerpt from an earlier meditation on the subject:

August 30, 2010

The Culture Of Coffee: A Short History

The mythology and culture of coffee drinking as we know it began in the bazaars of Turkey and the front stoops of Yemen and quickly spread throughout the Middle East, into Europe via Vienna, and to the English colonies in the 1600s.

An Ethiopian goatherd is credited with the discovery of coffee's stimulant effects, thanks to an especially frisky goat that piqued his curiosity. Romantic and unverifiable, the story is befitting of a subject steeped in mythos. The truth is: coffee drinking had to start somewhere, and since all of civilization begins in Africa, it seems right that coffee drinking should have begun there, too.

Leaping forward into the 1600s, coffeehouses became centers of commerce, intrigue, hobnobbing, and rabble-rousing. The open atmosphere of these gathering places played a significant role in leveling the extremes of social stratification prevalent at the time.

The coffeehouse, then as now,

 nurtured the appreciation of other addictive pleasures, such as sugar, tobacco, and chocolate. All of which became highly lucrative trade items for the Europeans, at the expense of indigenous populations of the New World and Africa.

The development of European coffeehouses as gathering places for people of all classes is credited with being the source of the French Enlightenment, as well as the French and American Revolutions. No longer drinking themselves into stupors from nonstop consumption of fermented grains and fruits, the only safe liquids to drink in those particular good old days, they needed something to do with their excess mental energies.

Not to be overlooked in this short treatise on coffee are the coffee-loving Italians, who gave us espresso and coffee houses in Greenwich Village and San Francisco's North Beach, which spawned the still-influential Beat Generation. This revolution in thought moved up the western flank of the U.S. to Portland and Seattle, seats of the Pacific Northwest's counterculture of the 60s.

Our contemporary reputation for great coffee and avid coffee drinkers is well known. Portland, as many may remember, had a thriving coffeehouse, folk music, and visual arts scene in the 50s and 60s. Too young for most of it, I recall longing to be part of it as an adolescent and have vivid recollections of its effects on American culture: folk music, Zen meditation, Jazz, obscure free-form poetry, Abstract Expressionism, and funky jug bands. (Does anyone remember The Holy Model Rounders?)

Today, aside from the staunchly independent purveyors of caffeine and culture that Portland is home to, we're stuck with the non-culture of a certain nameless coffee chain on nearly every corner. Pity.

These somewhat rare, independent roasters are the antidote to the numbing conformity that is served in every steaming paper cup. No matter where or how you get your morning jolt, a moment of reflection and a touch of gratitude will sweeten the bitter and addictive brew.

Not Coffee ...

Viburnum Berries ©2010 Lora R Fisher | flairCreativ

 Yew Glow ©2010 Lora R Fisher | flairCreativ

New Photo Series: Master Drummer Kerfala Fana Bangoura

Last Friday night's opening of the African Film Festival at Portland's Hollywood Theater is something I wish everyone in Portland could have seen.

Mounafanyi, Kerfala 'Fana' Bangoura's percussion and dance ensemble rocked the house.

I was invited to photograph the event, having seen, heard, and photographed Fana at last summer's Hawthorne Street Fair.

It was a stellar performance and a stellar experience for me as a photographer. I burned it up ... photographing as fast as my 8 mp Canon PowerShot S5 would allow. What a champ camera this has turned out to be.

Here are a few selections. For the complete series, please see my Facebook Album: 
Kerfala Fana Bangoura, February 8, 2011

For information on prints, please email me.
All photos ©LoraRFisher | flairCreativ

For more information on Fana and Mounafanyi, visit Fana's web site.

A Woman's Work Is Never Done.

Branding (and Rebranding) Makes The World Go 'Round

Reflecting on the process of 'branding' as I update the look of this blog and my professional site: flairCreativ. Hand-in-hand with developing a new public face is the required updating of followers and friends, alerting them to be on the look-out for my new avatar, name, blog, etc.

It's the dilemma of the designer: what works in one season, no longer works 3-4 months later as aesthetics and culture evolve. I admit to wanting to be 'ahead of the curve', at the same time that I understand the illusory nature of that particular goal.

I find myself with a strong preference for the dramatic, vivid colors of pumped up digital images, these days, rather than the cool, Japanese aesthetic that lead my subtle charge in years past. 

There are moments when I regret my ne'er-do-well history, even though I was doing well enough: raising a daughter, learning the intricacies of graphic design back in the day of paste-up and hand-lettering, as well as finally completing a degree in Fine Art. 

All the while having a camera close at hand. (Bless the camera.) 

The feedback I've gotten over the past few years validates my vision. The truth is that no-one sees the world in exactly the same way. And some of us see more clearly than others, from vast landscapes to minute lichens creating a landscape-in-miniature.

It's time to take my photography to the next level. The next step: securing a web site to market my catalog of images.

Fine Art America, a site configured specifically for art sales that recently came my way, offers low pricing, handles creating prints per order, and even shipping, for a percentage of sales. Looks like a deal to me and a good way to get started as a professional creator of images. 


I just may be staring in the face of my Retirement Plan.


A few images ... 

 

Blue Pool  
Blue Pool Edge Five
Blue Pool Reflections 
All images ©2010 Lora R Fisher

Are We Ever (Really) Done?

It occurred to me recently that my last post was almost a month ago and, if anyone is wondering, I'm still here. It was a scary week in December. When I figured out that the experience of intense discomfort in my chest, back, and left arm was from bursitis, and not from a failing heart, I felt much better.

That said, the next topic, relating to the title, has to do with the ongoing process of presenting myself to the webiverse. Has that term been coined, already? Likely. Little is truly original these days. The plaint of most creative people in a postmodern world: "It's all been done before."

How liberating that thought is, really. It frees us up to do whatever we damn-well please, without the fear of accusatory voices. For those who accuse: It's all been said, already, so go create something.

So, a new look and purpose to this blog takes shape. I will use this forum to vent, reflect, and post new developments in my life. Mostly personal stuff, with references to professional developments, occasionally, but clarifying the boundaries and keeping this primarily for me, my photography, and daily angst, triumphs, challenges. Hoping for a lot of triumphs, frankly. Squeaking by financially ... makes me want lots and lots of chocolate.

I will endeavor now, to make this a regular habit, since I've liberated myself from having to be 'professional'. I have lots of other arenas for that, believe me.

Ok. Ok. I'll list them now and get it out of my system. Really. Such a habit. Always feeling the need to promote myself. I apologize ahead of the fact.

Facebook Group Page: LORA R FISHER | CREATIVE CONSULTANT

Facebook Pro Page: Lora R Fisher | Creative Consultant

Twitter Pro: LRFisherCreativ

Twitter Fun: LoraRFisher

and then there's my professional blog with contact info: LR Fisher Creative Consultant

Am I done, yet?

Must be time for some photos ... 

Blue Pool, Santiam River, Oregon

All photos ©2010 Lora R Fisher

   

  All photos ©2010 Lora RiFisher

One's Heart On This Merry Little Christmas

As I was signing in, I noticed that my dear friend Celeste Bergin had posted this on her blog:

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas sung by Judy Garland.

So, of course I had to take a look. Strikes the right, if somewhat unwelcome, chord of melancholy this morning.

Feeling just a touch sorry for myself because I missed Christmas Eve with my daughter and her new family due to feeling unwell. The main symptom, aside from fatigue: chest pains.

I've been in denial for about 4 days and, so far, I'm not dead. 

I keep thinking, “I will be better tomorrow," and then I wake up tomorrow with that same fist in my chest. I went so far as to print out a map to my preferred urgent care facility, thinking that if I were still having discomfort today, I would chuck myself in the car and drive there. Turns out, they're closed on Christmas, which makes no kind of sense. If I'm having a heart attack, it's going to have to wait until tomorrow. 

I must not be too sick, If I can be picky about which hospital, right?

Considering Other Matters Of The Heart

I've got someone in my life with a broken one, figuratively speaking, of course. He just lost his love, which he had denied for a number of years, who finally gave up. Followed swiftly by the loss of his mom. 

Having lived through the loss of a mother (and the loss of a love), I know how difficult that is. It's doubly difficult when you have no significant person in your life to walk through it with you. Instead, you are faced with a severely dysfunctional set of siblings who are taking out their grief on each other.

I feel for him this morning, and that's good. At least one aspect of my heart is still functioning properly. The urge is there to run in and attempt a rescue of this long-time friend. I know how painful this is, after all. I also know that this could be the worst thing for both of us. I can not help him and, Lord knows, I have tried. I seem to finally be accepting that there is truth to the adage that “what does not kill us makes us strong”.

Neither would it help me to hop on my white horse and rush in with an armful of comfort. I've learned from painful experience that enmeshing myself in this friend's life only causes a downward spiral for yours truly. 

My own energy | life-force | chi ... my Spirit, if you will, requires careful tending. On an energetic level, I simply cannot afford it. My care and compassion will have to be long-distance, with myself at the top of the list.

So, in considering my heart and another song for this “merry little Christmas”, the first that popped into my head ...

Gonna Harden My Heart by Quarterflash.

Wherever you are, and whatever you do today, may this be a good day. May it be filled with love and compassion, even if it comes from 5° south or north of your particular latitude.

And may you understand the gift of separation and aching hearts. At least you know that you're still alive.

I wish you well and I wish me well, too.

Sweet Wet Apples

© Lora R Fisher, 2010

The Art & Artlessness of Collaboration

Signs that you & your team are collaborating successfully:

You have shared goals.

You validate your teammates’ input and they validate yours.

You are excited by the process, as well as the project.

You laugh together, often.

You welcome hearing your teammates’ contributions.

You listen with openness and curiosity.

You see positive outcomes and happy endings.

You feel respected.

You respect your teammates.

You know that if this particular idea doesn’t work, it’s likely that the next one will.

You do not take the rejection of an idea personally.

You believe in and trust the integrity of your team.

You and your team operate with openness and practice reciprocity.

You know that success grows exponentially.

You know that small successes lead to big success, and you celebrate each.

You know that the success of one reflects on the group and the entire project.

You understand that nothing is perfect, but strive for it as a team, nonetheless.

You give each other the room to make mistakes and make amends.

You look forward to the adventure.


All of the above create more of the same: good vibes, productive process, and success.


On the other hand ...

Small signs that this ‘collaborative project’ might not be working:

You already know how this is going to turn out.

You are not having fun and have no enthusiasm for the project.

You have to force yourself to smile and cooperate.

The sound of another person’s voice causes you to cringe.

You can’t wait for others to shut their yaps so you can open yours.

Your ego is getting a solid workout.

You find your teammates to be utterly boring or stupid, or both.

You anticipate being shot down … again.

You resist contributing.

Your first reaction is to belittle.

You feel diminished on a regular basis.

You’re fairly certain that ‘they’ are out to get you.

You know that the project would be an utter failure if you weren’t there to rescue it.

You know that the best way to get things done is your way.

The most important thing is that you get credit for your brilliant ideas.

Your contributions are regularly sabotaged.

You find yourself dwelling deliciously on thoughts of revenge.

You’re unwilling to confront out of fear of retaliation.

Others take credit for your ideas.

You’re unwilling to stick your neck into the noose..

You believe that there is no hope.

You want to tell them all to ‘stick it’.

There may be more, but this seems a good start. 


My advice: analyze the situation to discern if it is a salvageable and bring the issue up to the group to see if others want to do the work.


Alternately, run for the freedom of the hills.

Holding Back The Inevitable ©2010 Lora R Fisher

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