film

Silent Light

October 8th, 2008 No Comments

I saw Silent Light last night. Lovely to watch for the most part, although I wandered off a few times. The opening scene is stunning, though. One of those fantastic ‘how did they do that?’ cinematic moments. Have a look: The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw thinks it’s done with time-lapse, but how come the stars don’t [...]

Tags: cinema · film

Barthes – What is Sport?

January 22nd, 2008 No Comments

Popped into my local bookshop on Saturday and was intrigued to see the slim volume above. It’s a treasure. ‘What is Sport?‘ (google books preview here) was written by Roland Barthes as the commentary to a Canadian Broadcasting Company documentary, made by the little known Hubert Aquin. Essentially, Barthes was invited to write 5 pieces [...]

Tags: books · film · football

Zidane

March 6th, 2007 No Comments

‘Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait’, by Douglas Gordon and Philippe ParrenoÂ over on cityofsound is aÂ great review of self-same film/portrait.Â It’s as poetic and well-considered as the film is enthralling. I’ve only seen it on the big screen and now I’m going to have to get my hands on the DVD for that ‘making [...]

Tags: art · film · football

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Briliant!

Dave Brubeck with young Russian violinist

“During a visit to Moscow in the 80’s, Dave Brubeck met the faculty and students in Moscow Conservatory. While he was improvising on a “Ei, uhnem”, a Russian folk song, a young man downstage stood up to play Stéphane Grappelli-style violin jazz with him.”

(by afahsu)

via @openculture

(via Ai Weiwei Piles 1,200 Bikes On Top Of Each Other, For Dazzling Effect | Co.Design)

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(via Iconic Photographs With Their Subjects Removed)

“I have only my talent for drawing, so I drew.”

austinkleon:

Ronald Searle, Les Très Riches Heures de Mrs Mole

47 jewel-like drawings by Ronald Searle made for his wife, Monica, each time she underwent chemotherapy. On New Year’s Eve 1969, Monica Searle was diagnosed with a rare and virulent form of breast cancer. Each time she underwent treatment, Ronald produced a Mrs Mole drawing ‘to cheer every dreaded chemotherapy session and evoke the blissful future ahead’. Filled with light and illuminated in glowing colours, the drawings speak of love, optimism and hope. Like the mediaeval illuminated manuscripts such as the 15th-century Les Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, to which the title of this book refers, the 47 drawings are on an intimate scale and were never intended for publication.

When asked about the drawings, Searle said, “I have only my talent for drawing, so I drew.” Here’s a little more about them:

Prior to the cancer shock the couple had bought a decrepit house in the south of France and, despite her illness, Monica continued to devote her time making this house a home.

Devastated with his wife’s diagnosis Ronald did the only thing he knew how to do to cheer her up. .. draw.

Before every chemotherapy session he gave his wife a painting. Monica was depicted as a mole, a very happy mole celebrating life in their new home. (The Mole idea came after their discovery of a large celler that they made into a cosy room)

‘Everything about them had to be romantic and perfect,’ says Ronald. ‘I drew them originally for no one’s eyes except Mo’s, so she would look at them propped up against her bedside lamp and think: “When I’m better, everything will be beautiful.”

Searle died last week at 91.

(Images via bluedoorbooks)