Choose Love
|
|
Native American Bear Clan Member Opens Own Art Gallery In Buffalo New York | Alternative Fruit17/9/2020
What does it mean to be marginalised? Is it when your individual rights seem over-looked by the more populous culture? Is it when your stories are mis-told or forgotten in favour of those from other sources? Is it when your culture has been so deeply romanticised that no-one truly understands you any more? Perhaps it is all of these things, and many more.
Seneca Nation and Bear Clan member Dave Kimelberg wanted to do something about this for his own people. The Iroquois-language indigenous people of the Lake Ontario southern region are not forgotten. Kimelberg's K Art Gallery in Buffalo is owned and run for Native American contemporary artists. Of course, anyone from any culture can go and visit but the works on display are guaranteed to be from the hands of authentic Native Americans. When it turned out that the plans were to be laid over with pandemic reaction, it did seem that things may not happen as hoped. Never-the-less, the K Art Gallery went up as scheduled and beat the odds against it. Sound familiar? It must be that survivor spirit conjured up over years of marginalisation. What does Kimelberg have to do with arts though? After-all, he's the Chief Executive of the financial wing of the Seneca Nation. He doesn't work in the arts. That's where we are all wrong. Just because his professional history is not in the arts, as a human being and a genuine descendent of the original American people, there's no better qualification. Of course, he had help and the artists who's work is on display have skills they have learned. When these people work together, the congeniality of the tribe manifests. The theme of this gallery is to awaken people to the modern face of Native America. When we think of the culture, we often think of cowboys and Indians, feather head-dresses and tomahawks. We've seen the films, we've read the history books, we've felt bad for what they endured, but do we know who they really are? This K Art Gallery idea really pushes home the truth about this culture and demonstrates that the Seneca People still live and work in the modern age. Via Forbes Nirvana Drummer Dave Grohl Foo Fights With Ten Year Old Maestro Online | Alternative Fruit15/9/2020
Lockdown has us all trying new things, and getting good at the things we can already do. Whether it's baking delicious cakes or keeping the house tidy, we've all found ourselves looking for ways to spend the time. What about musicians? Imagine how much time our rising stars have had to hone their skills? Do you think in five to ten years we will have a new wave of virtuoso musical talent? I hope so. Never-the-less, one particular ten-year-old girl is a massive fan of Foo Fighter's front-man Dave Grohl. The life-time friend of the late Kurt Cobain has kept on going strong long since his first band ended abruptly. Now known for singing and playing guitar, many true fans know that Grohl is a multi-instrumentalist who can play everything he needs to release a great metal-rock album.
When a YouTube video of ten-year-old Nandi Bushell from the UK playing a perfect rendition of Everlong by Foo Fighters went viral, the composer was challenged to beat it. After not too much pressure from only about a hundred friends, the legendary rock-star felt obliged to comply. He returned the favour by playing a special version of Dead End Friends by Them Crooked Vultures. When Bushell saw this, she was of course over the moon to have got a response from her hero. And being who she is, she also couldn't help but respond with absolute authority. Nandi repeated the customised performance beat for beat and with a huge grin. Grohl of course conceded, and accepted graceful defeat. This wasn't the end of it though. Dave Grohl promised to return, and so he did. When the next video emerged, it featured Dave on drums and lead vocals with his band, the Grohlettes. They were actually his daughters. What happened next blew Nandi away. He performed a song written about her and how she is a superhero. This homage to a ten-year-old drum prodigy really showed us that we have a true gentleman as our rock legend. It also gives us plenty of faith in the future of British music. “This is so so so EPIC!!!! I think its the best song EVER, in the WORLD, EVER!!! Thank you so much Dave. You have raised the stakes to all instruments! I accept your next challenge! Thank you to the whole Grohl family! I love you all so much!” I cant believe Mr. Grohl wrote a song about me!?! This is so so so #EPIC!! I think its the best song EVER, in the WORLD, EVER!!! Thank you so much Dave. You have raised the stakes to all instruments! I accept your next challenge! Thank you to the whole Grohl family! @foofighters pic.twitter.com/rWgTBwEtyb
Via LA Times
Racism is playing a large part in the day to day conversation. Thanks to the American media who have widely published incidents of racism, the whole world has a subject to enlist them into this global debate. What do we do about intolerance and fear of different skin colour or culture? We of course respect anything that isn't harmful, however a lot of stories depict opposing beliefs and social groups like skin colour as an outside intruder. An us and them dynamic is knitted through our culture, and it will be a lot of work to create new stories that incorporate all who do no harm as us.
Being black in Iran has its own set of difficulties. The closeness to Africa means that black people of all tone have been present in Iran since its early days. It's nothing new to see a black man or woman living in Iran. There still remains a culture of difference, though, as the collective recognise. "We are part of the tapestry of what it means to be Iranian. If you look closely, you will see us." You may wonder why making a point of being black will help build inclusive relationships, and you'd be right, it's the message they promote that really matters. Their message is one of enlightenment, it states the hidden obvious and reminds Iranians that black culture has always been there. One piece on display is a multimedia work called “Can You See Us?”. It's made from snippets of African-Iranian voices. The whole work of the collective project is to entangle personal stories with the written history in order to create new and positive associations. With this inclusive accumulation of culture that's based on actual lives and actual events, the thread will no doubt spread into many other areas. "We talk about how knowing your roots is a very empowering thing that we sometimes take for granted," Eskandarkhah says, "At times it's a luxury. As a Black person, I know a lot of guys that didn't have that luxury." You can see and follow the Collective For Black Iranians on Twitter Via Aljazeera
Amanda Castle paints and draws fantastic images that strike us with their ephemeral moments captured in fiery and evocative splendour. The creation of such wonderful and arresting work lays in the culmination of a long journey. Since leaving school with very little to her name, Amanda Castle has refused to stop climbing as continual ladders have made themselves apparent.
Although she is dyslexic, Amanda's art teacher had seeded the beginnings of a fantastic art career by recognising her certain potential. When she was 18, Amanda found the confidence to attend art classes in her home of Huddersfield, where she eventually went on to take up a BTEC in art and design. This was soon joined by an A-level in art and then later, a full Art Degree from Bradford College.
As she rises in the world of art, Amanda Castle has featured in many venues and exhibitions. Always looking for further reach, her creativity is finding itself at home further and further afield. Some of her highlights so far have been playing a leading role in Longley Special School's art and local history project, a mural for a local nursery, and for the art group Artists In Mind.
Amanda Castle also works with students in schools with all kinds of things, including maths. She's illustrated for a working man's club and for two children's books – Sam The Monster and Princess Mandy.
Amanda Castle also produces work for display that covers painting with acrylic and oil, drawing with pencils and crayons, 3D ceramics and crafts, and screen printing. She reveals that painting and drawing are her preferred methods, but there is plenty of room left for working with other media.
These impressionist images offered for display on Alternative Fruit are from 3 pieces, which are as follows:
Title: Wasteland- 2019 Pencil, coloured pencils and primer. Title: Mischance of Sorrow- 2020 Pencil, coloured pencils and primer Title: Unknown- 2010 Oil on canvas You can find more art by Amanda Castle on Facebook Visit Amanda Castle's online shop and Wordpress
The doors are open and the antiquities are in. People from all over the capital are making their way to the British Museum to witness their latest exhibition. The Mexico Exhibit takes us deep into the history of this ancient land. Since its discovery by Europeans in the sixteenth century, a deep and rich history of culture has been revealed spanning back nearly 4000 years. The earliest items and finds are accurately dated to around 2000 BC which coincides with the construction of the stone palace at Knossos in Greece and the creation of Babylonian mathematics, the first people to divide a circle into 360 radians.
This beautifully adapted display intends to demonstrate the beautiful and diverse culture that Mexico provided right up until the European invasion. The gallery provides a webpage with a long list of historical and interesting information which links directly to a Google Tour of the entire showcase. It doesn't matter if you live next-door to the museum or in Mexico itself, you too can pay attention and examine the display provided for everyone. You can visit the Mexico Exhibition at the British Museum here.
These are disturbing times during the Covid-19 pandemic, frightening and uncertain. While some of us want comfort, some find comfort in the uncomfortable. Perhaps the shocking and gut-churning elements of the horror genre are just what we need to take us away from the reality of things. There are plenty of comics with a slightly grizzly edge however we're interested in the strange and the terrifying. So let's take a look.
A Trail Of Blood / Blood On The Tracks
Prepare to be terrified. Forget Covid, this really will make you check behind the door. One man and his mentally ill mother provide the backdrop for some seriously upsetting and nerve bending drama. Dare you read this alone? Will you want to call for your mother after reading this? See what you think.
Scott Snyder's Severed
Scott Snyder made a name for himself through his work on Batman yet real fans know him for his original and intelligent horror fiction. Severed is an exploration of human darkness through the guise of family settings in everyday but awkward life. While travelling the rails as a hobo, the star searches for his missing father. It seems all is lost when he finds someone who claims to know him. Alas, this stranger bearing gifts is a cannibal who has other plans for the character.
Bela Lugosi's Tales From The Grave
This spooky comic book story narrator gets knee deep in the sinister and obscure with this selection of horror tales. Prepare to be scared witless as we meet ghosts and ghouls that come back from the afterlife to haunt unfortunate souls.
Vincent Price Presents
So, Vincent Price is a narrator/character who introduces the reader to an anthology of horror and gruesome stories. The indie publishing house responsible kept a trick up their sleeve which we can let you in on, Vincent Price is none other than Lucifer himself in a dapper human form.
Hack Slash
Monster hunting at its most brutal. The story stars Cassie Hack who takes out her aggression on reborn spirits of people who died filled with hate. These monsters, called slashers, are the source of misery for people all over the land and Cassie Hack is tasked with obliterating them. Why Cassie? You might ask. She's the daughter of an infamous dinner lady who put all the bullies into the next day's stew.
The Wrath Of The Spectre
This side-plot character from many DC stories and a once-upon-a-time hero in the epic “bronze age of comics” returns for a fully fledged and modern(ish) adventure. The claws are resharpened and the child-friendly baddie element has been replaced with his original brutal personality. Check it out.
Hell Girl
So we've heard of Hellboy but Girl? What's this then? Getting in touch with a demonic entity through a website that only appears at midnight, that's what. Who contacts this demon? Innocents, people who are being abused and tormented by evil individuals. They are given the opportunity to put things to right through this dark and mysterious power.
MonsterMen (And Other Stories)
Created by Dark Horse Comics, this entertaining and inventive selection of horrible tales makes use of macabre imagery and fun plot-lines to create a Scooby-Doo spookiness that keeps readers guessing.
Sandman: 24 Hours
This well-known series has a particularly dark tale hiding in its cannon. The 24 Hours edition sees Dream lose all of his special belongings, including his Ruby. This magical item falls into the hands of a classic DC villain called Doctor Destiny. He takes the weapon to a 24 hour diner where he proceeds to send all the visitors insane.
Creepy
All American and all horror, this combination of culture and style clashes in the genre of the gruesome. Relive disturbing and horrific tales that send chills and shivers through your spine. Each issue looks at various horror tinged ideas then makes them as traumatic as possible. Lovely.
Fatale
Lovecraftian crime drama set in period dress? Yes please! Here we get to see battles between classical good and evil in which the lines are rarely blurred... or are they? A woman with magical powers of seduction travels the land while being hunted down by an odd and terrifying cult.
Afterlife With Archie
So you want flesh eating zombies? You've got them. Horror fans probably already know of the Riverdale Gang, and their beloved Archie leads them on an undead slaying adventure filled to the brim with terror, blood, and narrow escapes that don't always work.
Locke And Key
Locke And Key wants to take everything from the horror spectrum and mix it up to make one bright light. Reversing the rainbow and focussing the scare into one complete adventure through everything that makes our skin creep, this horror seems to have it all. You've got slasher stories from the present day with costumes and devilry mixed with atmospheric hauntings.
You read the title correctly, another great in the Black American community who put his name to fame with vivid and emotional paintings is now online. It's about time you may ask? Basquiat always adopted an up-close and personal edge that perhaps lent opinion to galleries in the flesh. However, there comes a time when a name becomes so synonymous with its cause that another layer of interest is created.
And indeed, it was possible to witness the exhibition in person as well. Those with the lucky location were able to visit the Brant Foundation and see the exhibit. Now fully online, the culture of virtual art is setting deep roots. There is virtue in virtual after-all, when it makes the world a more accessible and open place to live in. With help from Dr Dieter Buchhart and Fondation Louis Vuitton, a collection of Basquiat's most iconic and moving specimens were displayed and then adapted for online viewing. As a pivotal player n the communication of Black Struggle in America, the feelings and sensations brought about by his striking and raw depictions of life, it's a perfect moment to highlight this great artist. Even now, 30 years after his death, the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat resonates and preaches across a complete spectrum of culture. You can witness the exhibition yourself here. Choose Love on Alternative Fruit has been in hiatus mode since the international quarantine saw many nations closing to the public. Stay safe, stay home has been the key phrase in English speaking countries the world over. Now that we understand how covid19 is transmitted and who is the most at risk, it's possible to begin opening essential peripherals to society with safety in mind. Art exhibits are one of those things that have been pushed to the side while people's lives are in the balance however in Illinois, at least, the creative flag is unravelling.
Balance is a showing of work from four unique artists. Using a mixed media selection of creators, the dimensions of each work lend their vectors to the others, creating a once-in-a-lifetime set of co-ordinates that offer resolution on the universe. What does balance mean? What does it symbolise? These were the questions posed to the artists when planning their projects. From July 5th to August 16th, works by Mark Witzling, abstract painter; Garry McMichael, realist painter; Diane Tessman, fiber artist; and Jerry C. Williams, ceramics artist are on offer for viewing and cerebral exploration. Witzling and McMichael have worked together before. The abstract and realist images seem to offer a complimentary aspect which serve to balance one another. Perhaps this is why their names appear once again on a bill of talent. Is this the art world's version of a double act being born, like two stars in a binary system, or is this passing flyby of two independent satellites? Witzling's oil and wax creations leap from their dreamscapes while McMichael's truisms and detail draw us right in. Diane Tessman has been exhibiting her textiles in the St. Louis area for decades. Her dab-hand and evocative mind have been an awesome team and still have much more to offer. She often creates unique yet functioning objects and garments however she is always willing to let go of all practical reasoning when asked. Tessman's work has been designed to show the comparable longevity between wood and weave, both natural ingredients with different qualities. In the case of Jerry Williams, his ceramics are a full-time occupation with many functional pieces with artistic soul finding their way into people's homes. For this exhibit, Williams has created pieces that complement the work of the other artists. The almost crazy designs that vividly decorate the pottery sit in equilibrium with the functional and practical objects. That's the Jacoby Arts Center, Broadway, Alton, IL. From July 5th to August 16th, works by Mark Witzling, abstract painter; Garry McMichael, realist painter; Diane Tessman, fiber artist; and Jerry C. Williams, ceramics artist are on offer for viewing and cerebral exploration. What about you, how could you explore the concept of balance with your work? We've seen a truly phenomenal effort from all kinds of arts and entertainment providers in recent days. The lockdown that is affecting the majority of the world has meant many of us are looking for alternative things to get stuck into. Museums are usually a sure bet when looking for a way to spend the day but since they've been forced to close thanks to COVID-19 the corridors are almost silent. Only the essential staff are still wandering the empty lanes. Someone at the British Museum has been busy recently, as they've just put their biggest digital collection to date online. The image collection boasts 300,000 brand new uploads as well as the entire library of previous digital examples. Their collection spans centuries and it has an easy to use search bar to dig deep in the filing system. Any term you can think of will likely pull something out of the ether, after-all, with nearly two million examples, it's hard to think what they won't have. This image of some 18th Century tarot cards can show us all the familiar icons in an ink-plate style print that's been coloured much like the work of William Blake. This image of a bat flying with a fairy on its back is reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings. Are you a fan of antiques? They have plenty to examine. This stunning Italian calendar clock is a miracle of engineering. If you want to get a closer look, the resolution is so good that the zoom function does a brilliant job. People who use images for their own purposes are completely free to do so as they've all been listed as creative commons 4.0. This means we can print them out, put them on art, use them in things, and adapt them for our own purposes. Taking the time to have a look at what they have will help to relieve the boredom, elevate your culture, and maybe get the family excited about world history and art. If you find anything cool then send a link in the comments! Visit now.
Digital and analogue collage involves taking images from one media and mixing them into a new media. We combine various things with differing artists and design objectives to combine their stories. This can leave us with a deep and interesting picture that, with a little help from designers and artists, we can create for the first time. This juxtaposition of thoughts, ideas, and feelings in novel ways is a concept used in DaDa. This form of comedy takes random statements and re-enactments that have a humorous jump between them. It's the linking of the two elements which creates the form, and the skill of the art is in how well this is done. Collage of action to collage of image, the link formed by artist, professional dog walker, and music wizard Stan Reed is DaDa too.
Stan Reed isn't just any image creator. His life has involved some unusual and harrowing circumstances which ultimately make his work even more potent. Since being given up for adoption as a new-born, Stan struggled to find a place of belonging. When adopted, his new family treated him poorly. They would beat him, and Stan ended up being placed in mental health care as a teenager. One particular institution that hasn't been named had some disturbing practices. Apart from humiliation and deprivation of necessities such as food and sleep, a form of therapy put in place was attack therapy. This involved sudden and unexpected assaults on the mind and body. Clearly this would leave anyone battered and bruised with a serious need to escape from life as we know it. For Stan, and like many others who suffer with CPTSD, he turned to drugs. Those who know the on-going Our Nexus Of Sorrows poetry series by Scott Free will be familiar with CPTSD. This happens when traumatic events occur during development for prolonged periods of time with no reasonable means of escaping them. For children this is especially common as they are mostly powerless throughout this period. Now at the tender age of 50 and over two decades clean, Stan Reed takes art to the next level. His digital collages use literature, pamphlets, illustrations, and magazine clippings among many other things. Stan even goes hunting for skulls of wild animals to add to his macabre collection. Is Stan Reed using art and collage to explore the landscape of memories and feelings that exist within his soul? Are these images a reflection of the inward chapters that flicker from page to page? To us, as viewers, the symbology and emotivations have a personal language to ourselves. Our own subconscious can draw on each image and its constituent parts to form likenesses with our own stories and situations. This open ended strategy helps the work to be accessible and full of extra dimensions perhaps the artist did not even contemplate. You can catch up with and see more of Stan Reed Art online Follow Stan Reed Art on Facebook Deviant Art and Instagram |
Choose Love on Alternative Fruit is reader supported. Because of you, more people get to discover creativity and art for themselves. Thank you so much!
Follow the editor on Twitter
Archives
October 2021
|
Shop to Support Alternative Fruit
|
Thanks for supporting Alternative Fruit
Read our Privacy Policy here For people, for peace, with love. Made in the UK by Homunculus Media |