In B&W

As you can see, I continue to linger in the somewhat hypnotic shades of black and white. And this time around I bring you some very striking pieces of fine art by painters, some of whom you may already know and others who you may be introduced to for the very first time. Nonetheless, what you will witness are highly accomplished expressions in B&W. Awe inspiring, thought provoking and sometimes just plain beautiful. Take a look.

Untitled by Mark Rothko

Symphony of the city II by Jorge Azri

Bullfight III by Pablo Picasso

Las Meninas by Pablo Picasso

The shell by Rembrandt Van Rijn

Three Worlds by M S Escher

Deco Rhapsody I by Mali Nave

Still Life by M S Escher

In B&W

In my current B&W mood, I seem to have made a rather remarkable discovery of sorts. Floral photography in B&W/sepia. The very idea was a bit of an oxymoron at first. How can nature’s vibrant colour palette be reduced to boring shades of black and white? If one wanted to photograph flowers at all, I would imagine one of the key influencers would be colour. The various hues and tints that have inspired much poetry and prose through the ages must at the very least be captured faithfully in photography if not enhanced and glorified to ethereal proportions. So it was a bit of a shocker to come across some of the most sublime floral photographs in B&W/sepia ever. I bow to the artistic genius of Steven N. Meyers, Harold Silverman, Dennis Frates, Sondra Wampler, John Rehner for opening my eyes to this wonderful phenomenon.

When flowers are photographed in B&W/sepia, you will notice that a rather interesting transformation takes place. Stripped off their natural pigmentation as it were, these pretty, delicate creatures now assume a depth of character that can be startlingly compelling. They are now suddenly hard to dismiss. Their beauty now acquires a certain timelessness. You have very little choice but to pause and soak in their absolute magnificence.

Here are a few of those breathtaking photographs that have completely bowled me over. Hope they move you as well.

Dogwood Blossoms by Steven N. Meyers

Fleur No. I by Sondra Wampler

Droplets on water lily by Dennis Frates

Anthurrium by Harold Silverman

Orchid Dance II by John Rehner

Magnolia

Anemone by Deborah Schenck

Goat’s Beard IV by Jim Christensen

Rose Petals II by Nicole Katano

Zinnia by Harold Silverman

In B&W

I appear to be in one of those black and white states of mind this week. And as a fitting tribute to my prevailing mood, I figured I’d post a few of my absolute fav music videos. Yes, in B&W of course.

Meditations in colour

The almost childlike simplicity of Mark Rothko’s art is what makes him rather special in my eyes. The swatches of colour that he so boldly used in his large canvases, is extremely arresting in its appearance. As an observer, when I look at a Rothko, the fluid transition from one colour to the next seems almost inevitable in its choice. And the borders that separate them seem to respectfully pause in order to accommodate this transition. To me these fields of colours seem saturated with life and meaning. Perhaps, that’s what gives it a spiritual slant that the artist claimed to have attempted through these untitled pieces.

Mark Rothko refused to explain these pieces by simply numbering them or giving them the year in which they were painted. He wanted people to experience the awe and grandeur that these works evoked without being handicapped by a description. In that sense, these larger than life canvases that overpowered the viewer and sucked him into the realm of the unknown was also intimate and personal like no other small painting could ever be.   

If one were to get down to specifics, then the descriptive nature of Rothko’s art would be abstract expressionism. But this Russian-born American painter rejected the label and even resisted being classified as an “abstract” artist. These colour field paintings that he developed as his signature style towards the latter half of his career gave birth to the idea of the famous Rothko Chapel.

To me Rothko’s art is minimalistic at first appearance and deeply engaging thereafter. One can be enthralled by it endlessly, as if under a spell. If you ask me, that’s quite an effortless way to slip into meditation if ever there was one.

My Diva playlist of the week

To me the following videos are just as much about the visual aesthetics, choreography, storytelling as they are about the music. Each one of these creative, graceful and most of all unapologetic acts are a sensory treat of sorts. Kylie, Annie, Norah, Stefani and Shirley just ooze delicious style and uber sexy attitude that’s the ultimate promise of a Diva.

Watch. Listen. And prepare to be charmed if not totally floored.

Soundtrack to my life: Playing now

There is a lot of music in my life right now. Melodies that melt and flood my head. Rhythms that breathe life into my aging bones. And words. They speak to me like they recognize me from somewhere. I am flattered. Overwhelmed. And most of all grateful for all the music that is coming my way. Old and new. But music that I am discovering serendipitously for the first time as my own. They are the soundtrack to my life at the moment.

The musical influences in my life have always been rather eclectic. Like most people of my generation, I too grew up on a staple diet of Rock ‘n roll. On the side though, one made concessions for pop, country, reggae, hip hop and even rap (remember 2Pac, Eminem). As the 80’s and the 90’s drew to a close, all of those musical styles, bands and artists became tinted with nostalgia. As a matter of fact, there came a time when I just couldn’t hear another Runaway train, November rain, or Hysteria any more. All great songs no doubt, but I just wanted new music, fresh sounds to enter my life. I was ready to move on. But let me tell you that before I stumbled upon my kind of music again, there was a period in absolute doldrums. The sound of silence was the only soundtrack playing in my life then. Now when I look back, I get what was going on. The necessary hiatus or a rite of passage if you will, that marks the old slowly making way for the new.

This time around I found myself turning to Swing, Soul and the Blues. The deeply soulful voices of Nina Simone, Etta James, Peggy Lee, Macy Gray and Duffy entered my world for the first time. Delightfully earthy and honest. Sounds that resonated with who I was becoming now. Of course, the occasional surprise was always around the corner, like the British trip hop band Morcheeba or the acid-Jazz and funk group of Jamiroquai. You see, I’ve always been big on rhythm. I love dancing. So some of the music that I like is not about profound lyrics or protest-poetry (a certain gentleman comes to mind here). They are simply groovy tracks that coax you to leave that drink behind and take to the dance floor. And no, that doesn’t make me shallow. Just someone who can let go and have a good time.

Interestingly enough I also realize, as you no doubt will, that I am drawn to more and more female artists from across generations as well as genres. Joan Baez, Skye, Annie Lennox, Barbara Striesand, Kylie Minogue, Shirley Manson, Gwen Steffani, Mary J. Blige, Alannis Morisette, really the list is embarrassingly long. It seems to me now that I am far more appreciative of the gender sensibilities that these women bring to their music. The social, political and personal space has now acquired a definitive woman’s perspective. An alternate narrative to man’s idea of the universe. In other words, I am no longer at the mercy of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Michael Stipe and all the other baritones out there. I have a whole sisterhood that is all grown up and ready to take care of me now.

If you think this smacks of freshly-minted feminism, well, you may be right there. Only, in this version, men count too. The ones who have made it to my list include the likes of Paolo Neutini, J.J Cale, Seal, Tom Jones, yes Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler, James Blunt and my favourite  band U2. So, is there a pattern here? While you figure that one out, let me get down to the good stuff. The music. Hmmm….so, what am I listening to these days?

Well, here are three of my current favourites from youtube. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Slow

Look, the rain has washed the night away

Day light waits for life to begin afresh

I lie half awake in the middle of a dream

There is no need to hurry anywhere,

I do not wish, I do not will, I simply am slow today.