Dream Anatomy: Science, Speculation, and Art
Tags/ Posted by Chris Al-AswadWhere do we take cover once the dying’s done?continue reading this poem
The origins of anatomical illustration–roughly parallel to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century–couldn’t be farther from the medical illustrations in the anatomy textbooks we know today.
Lives of the Artists: Alison Jardine
Tags/ Posted by Chris Al-AswadHow did I come to feel nothing satisfies more than introspection?continue reading this poem
I am a painter of large-scale “natural abstractions” in oils. Color and movement are the two key elements in my art. Color relates to emotions and perception; movement relates to the physical self, natural energy, and vitality.
The Reclusive Artist: Joseph Cornell and Fernando Pessoa
Tags/ Posted by Chris Al-AswadI was a spoke worked loose from a bicycle, a speed limit sign, the girl who sat on the park’s swing and wrapped its chain ropes taut with each turn, waiting to let go, waiting to spin.continue reading this poem
It may be argued that some of the most mysterious, paradoxical art has been produced by reclusive souls. There are many and I do not intend to list them all. But some of these artists and literary figures whose work I return to again and again share this same quality. Henry Darger, Fernando Pessoa, and Emily Dickinson are among my favorites.
Firmeza Total: A Videotrip to Brazil
Tags/ Posted by Chris Al-AswadVan Helsing unfastened the coffin lid, peeled the crucifix from the bone-white brow.continue reading this poem
Before the Dutch artists Dre Urhahn and Jeroen Koolhaas started developing the idea of creating community-driven art interventions in Brazil, they made a raw, powerful documentary about the vibrant hip-hop culture in some of the poorest areas of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, slums known as favelas.
