Inspirations

"Life is a gift, that is why it is called the present"

This week was a difficult week for me, in that I lost my focus and my inspiration. As artists we come to this space from time to time, and there is no definite way out of it. My way out, materialized in the Monk Tenzin Yignyen, who has been creating a sand mandala at MassArt for the past week. He creates a beautiful Mandala completely out of sand, using metal instruments that he rubs together to carefully distribute the sand. This richly colored Mandala contains symbolism and spiritual meaning for all who come upon it.

It is then wiped away and the sand is ceremoniously taken to the river, where it disperses. While some are dismayed in the "destroying" of the artwork, the art is really in the process, the creation. We all live life, and we all die. How we are living it is what matters. Our process. Our days and what we make of them are our art.

For Further Inspiration:

At MassArt right now there is an exhibit on the artist William Kentridge.

William Kentridge is a South African Artist who is best known for his animated films that are based on charcoal drawings. He also works in prints, books, collage, sculpture, drawing and performing arts.

Seeing his work in person is a whole experience in itself. The work up close is masterfully designed, composed and executed. His prints carry a gritty, handworked quality that can only be appreciated in a personal way.

His subject matter revolves around social and political issues while illustrating them in beautiful, graceful and even poetic ways.

Some images that particular struck me were:

Three Shadows in a Landscape, 2003

Sugar Lift and Drypoint

Reeds, 1996

Etching, aquatint, drypoint on handmade paper

General, 1993-1998

Drypoint with hand coloring on handmade paper

Blue Head, 1993-1998

Drypoint and two hand-colored plates

What I appreciate about his work, are all the scratches, the handmade elements that extend over the entire surface. You can see his arm in the work, you can see his hand. I love that the whole surface is worked on, and it is raw, just like his imagery. He is not afraid to cut and to slice. The work is not precious, it represents struggle but also strength through the hard times that we all must go through.