Classical Music, Poetry and stuff

[Prospero]

It is sometimes hard to see the power of some vary familiar works of art because they are so familiar - i.e. the melting clocks. They're now a cliche. But that landscape is nice Trish.

[Prospero]

But I still prefer Max Ernst

[Prospero]

The key thing about the surrealist movement was their potential to cause disquiet - and for the most part familiarity has made that impossible.

[trish]

But I still prefer Max Ernst

They truly are astounding paintings. Is it true he used sponges for those instead of brushes?

The key thing about the surrealist movement was their potential to cause disquiet - and for the most part familiarity has made that impossible.

Sad, if true. Not only does familiarity evaporate the disquiet of older surrealist tropes, it makes newer ones more difficult to invent. Either we spiral into the grotesque or new surrealistic creations become impossible. Still, the Ernsts seem to remain fresh. Why? Underexposure? Or are they just that good?

(Here's Dorthea Tanning's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. One of my faves)

[Stavros]

The core of Orwell's criticism is that Dali was a fine draughtsman and stylist, but that the content of his work reveals a nihilist with anti-social attitudes, but that is obviously way beyond the values Orwell espoused. I find that art that needs to 'shock' to make its point has already lost it. Mutilated bodies, juxtapositions of innocent elements made to look perverse -its no different from Lady GaGa and her meat dress or the masks, and so on. The shock value of many renaissance works emerges when you realise that the content of a work of lush colours and beautiful forms is a dreadful act of violence, it is the act that is shocking that registers, enhanced by the form.

Anyway I like John Richardson's essay Dali's Gala in Sacred Monsters, Sacred Masters; he points out that before marrying Gala he had only been in love once before, and that was with the poet Lorca. Apparently, when Lorca was told Dali was going marry a woman, he said: It's impossible, he can only get an erection when someone sticks a finger up his ass...
Richardson goes on to explain that he enjoyed Gala's affairs with young men while for himself, Hating to be touched, he became a compulsive onanist...

[iamdrgonzo]

A little Pablo:


Guernica:





Massacare in Korea:





Les Demoiselles d'Avignon:

[runningdownthatdream]

I like this site and have spent hours browsing, hopefully it has some value for those who can't get to see the actual works;

http://www.abcgallery.com/

[European21]

Some from Dalí

[Paige]

Prospero-Yes there are bears here. If you stay on the main highways, you see a pleasant, mostly pastoral scene,with cattle farms, corn fields, wheat fields... but if you trek up into the mountains around here, you can be in untouched wilderness soon. I love it-you see something magical every day, like a quarter-mile patch of wild rhododendron in bloom. I go through Tryon often-let me know if you are going to be back this way. Brevard Music Center just started-they have Mahler 3rd in a couple of weeks.

[robertlouis]

Prospero-Yes there are bears here. If you stay on the main highways, you see a pleasant, mostly pastoral scene,with cattle farms, corn fields, wheat fields... but if you trek up into the mountains around here, you can be in untouched wilderness soon. I love it-you see something magical every day, like a quarter-mile patch of wild rhododendron in bloom. I go through Tryon often-let me know if you are going to be back this way. Brevard Music Center just started-they have Mahler 3rd in a couple of weeks.

Hi Paige, sounds beautiful. Do they have other musical festivals round your way? I'm a singer-songwriter and I'd love to do some gigs on the east coast. Got offers around New England, NY state, DC etc, but a few further south would make the trip economically viable. Any thoughts would be gratefully appreciated.

And I'll still be happy to discuss Mahler and Sibelius with you if/when I get there!