… into my life. I’m a non-practicing art critic, philosopher by trade. I gave up art history/criticism after studying to be part of this world for about six years. The pull towards theory was always strong and, in the end, I became full-theoretic, by switching to philosophy.

Art, however, has stayed on my mind. Different types of art, given geographical limitations. In the Metropolis, art is everywhere: street art engulfs the grey; red, yellow, and blue become an invitation to joyfully live your life. If only one could forget the anxiety… “The dancing yellow” — I named it; isn’t it special, to have so much power, to give names when the artist is hidden in the shadows, unspeaking?

 

Second Ave/1st St, New York, NY -- Os Gêmeos: "The dancing yellow"
Second Ave/1st St, New York, NY — Os Gêmeos: “The dancing yellow”

I love going to art shows, but when I’m not gallery/museum adjacent, film takes precedence. After all, my last academic word on the visual arts was about the moving image, in its video incarnation. To give just one example, Bill Viola’s corpus was one case study in my MA thesis.

Film — feature, documentary, video — is interesting to me, primarily from a visual point of view. I am entertained by feature films; I like watching dramas, comedies, etc. But with these, I only consume. I do appreciate how well the actors play their roles, how they can transform the world and make it suit their movements. I am, however, more deeply moved by the composition, framing, colors used…

A favorite film: “Pan’s Labyrinth” — Guillermo has nailed it! Its story is sad to the tears; its visual imagery, fantastic. The mood is dark, the alternate world is scary. The cinematography is, however, amazing.

Life itself is on display, when art is not available: “criticism” is the key-word here. I am examining life so that I understand it better. There is much that one can miss when one isn’t paying attention; I am expressing the results of that attention here. In the interest of gratitude.