GOLDSWORTHY
Goldsworthy is not monumental; he is but a vehicle to amplify the world he loves. Small, subtle interventions in the landscape are the root of his practice. Sculptures that last as long as nature dictates, piles of leaves painstakingly organised are dispersed with the wind and formations of sticks live at the will of the tides. In their brief moments of life, Goldsworthy’s works are exemplars of staggering beauty, but this beauty can only exist if we accept that they are transient. Nature is Goldsworthy’s collaborator and his teacher. “I take the opportunities each day offers”, he says, “if it is snowing, I work with snow, at leaf-fall it will be with leaves; a blown-over tree becomes a source of twigs and branches. I stop at a place or pick up a material because I feel that there is something to be discovered. Here is where I can learn.”
MARDEN
Inspired by the poems of Hanshan, a 9th Century Chinese poet who lived in willing exile in the mountains where he wrote his poems on rocks, trees and cave walls, Marden created 6 large scale works. Hanshan’s poems are immensely spirituality in the Taoist and Zen traditions, and Marden’s work are implicitly informed by this. Bridging a gap between the real and the imagined, the formal and the abstract, the natural and the unnatural, Cold Mountain 6 is about the in-between space where peace lives. He painted the canvases from the bottom to top and left to write, so as to mirror the Chinese writing system and in this way the painting can be seen also as calligraphic abstractions. What is left behind when we remove meaning from beauty?
GIOTTO
Across the gulf of two eras, Giotto built a bridge. Out of the Byzantine tradition of flat, sharp and highly decorated art, he launched a revolution from a single building, armed with wet plaster, paint and a brush. That building was the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, and over two years Giotto painted a biblical narrative in immense frescoes that would inform the future of painting. Widely considered the father of the Renaissance, it is his work in Padua that warrants the claim. Here, death, mourning and resurrection as played out in a single scene. A Byzantine influence is clear: the gold halos that adorn the figures, moments of angularity in the faces and the decorative borders that surrounds it. Yet compositionally, Giotto was doing something radically new. The overlapping figures creating a sense of depth, the rising path that balances the work in two, the open display of emotion – all of these were to become trademarks of Renaissance painting but in 1305 it was miraculous. Giotto literally added a new dimension to painting, transforming flat planes into something that could represent the three-dimensional world. But he also added the dimension of emotion, and paintings became vehicles for expression and catharsis under his legacy.
Wayland Myers April 30, 2024
Fifteen years ago, learning that I'd written a book on Nonviolent Communication, my wife's Community Nursing professor asked if I would come to the community clinic and share some of what I knew about NVC with a small group of men. They were beginning the process of reintegrating themselves into civilian life after having completed multi-year prison sentences and a six-month stint in halfway houses. The evening was part of a support program made available to them and I was keen to share some of the wisdom and humanity I’ve derived from this unique framework for helping people create compassionate connections with others and themselves.I readily agreed...
Chris Gabriel April 27, 2024
The Priestess is the first woman of the tarot, we meet her enthroned, crowned, and bearing her book or bow. She is calm. From her we will learn a great deal about our journey through the Major Arcana. She is old and wise, yet ready to bear fruit, weep, or sing. She is the Feminine…
Tuesday 30th April 2024
Today, the moon transitions from Sagittarius to Capricorn, signifying a shift from the expansive and desire-filled energy of Sagittarius to the grounded discipline and ambition of Capricorn. As the moon moves, it reflects the influences of the zodiac in our human lives, reminding us of the cyclical nature of existence and the importance of timing. Throughout our journey through the twelve signs, we hold the power to interpret them and choose whether to embrace or resist their energies. This raises the question of which mindset grants us the most freedom. Navigating the zodiac enables us to appreciate the unique qualities of each sign; the practicality of Capricorn may provide a welcome respite following the excitement and impulses of Sagittarius. We can carry these reflections into our day and contemplate how they shape our interactions with our garden and the world around us.