Banksy in Malmoe! I have no idea how many of you are fans of Banksy, but for me he is an icon. The exhibition in Malmoe is very well presented, and whatever you think of the fact that they are not original works, it would never be possible to show his originals, would it? I believe his genius shines through anyway. Let’s go!
Bristol born Banksy has been wellknown to the world since the 1990’s, and the story of his Girl with Balloon tells us something of how his mind works.
In general, no explanations are needed – his works speek for themselves.
Anti-war and…
… anti-consumerism graffitti marks his engagement in today’s society.
And the elephant in the room is –
– the billions of people who are living below the poverty line.
Nothing escapes his irony,
and this week we all learned about the content of the latest IPCC report, didn’t we?
If this exhibition comes to your city – go see it!
Learning to distance yourself from all the negativity is one of the greatest lessons to achieve inner peace. ― Roy T. Bennett
Tina is our host this week, and she wants to know how we find peace in this busy world. For me, it’s a struggle, but in short, I need alone time and to immerse myself in Nature, Beauty and Art.
A combination of architecture – old and new – and books, is just perfect. It is enough for me to enter a library – any library… But, an exquisite one, like the Long Room in Trinity College, Dublin, is unforgettable. There is an atmosphere around all these books, the authors’ aura peacefully descending on you.
Art – especially otherworldly and fantastic art, like this of Yasec Yerka, expands my mind and thoughts. Yerka’s Surrealistic art is inspired by old masters like Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel. I often sit in my armchair and wander through his books, resting in peaceful wonder.
On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it.
– Jules Renard
Looking at beauty in the world is the first step of purifying the mind.
– Amit Ray
Lose yourself in nature and find peace.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Time spent amongst trees is never time wasted.
– Katrina Mayer
Wander often. Wonder always – Anonymous
Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
—John Muir
Thank you for all your inspiring images and words on Alone time! I enjoyed every piece of them, and I think we also got to know each other a bit more. This week Tina is taking last week’s theme a bit further – hopefully we will get many ideas on how to find peace in this busy world. Please visit Tina for more inspiration, and don’t forget to use the Lens-Artist’s tag when you link to her original post.
Next week it is John’s turn to lead, make sure to visit his site for more about the challenge.
Photosketcher for fun today. It has been a sunny day, and in my windows the flowers are coming alive! Outdoors it is still too cold, but I am in the mood.
Enjoy your search for messages in photography this week. The options are endless. ”Does the message from your last fortune cookie resonate with you? Clouds? Is there street art, neon signs, or store fronts that grab your attention? What about the underlying messages from marketing logos, or the message you want to portray in your photography. Just have fun”. And then, please link your post back to Donna and use the Lens-Artists tag so we can find you.
Ever since life started on earth, messages have been essential for our communication. Every living creature depends on the ability to communicate. Here are some different messages that I have found…mostly they speak for themselves.
Who left this place, seemingly only some seconds ago…? A dear friend who used to love lying in frosty grass. Happy to have captured his message now that he is gone since long.
I was here! Territorial messages can be marked in many ways.
I have never driven one of these, but many youngsters around here have one…Good message for the police to know what kind of car this is…
You don’t have to know the language if there is a message like this on the building. Pictures delivering messages are essential. This one represents one of our oldest theater forms, a craft almost forgotten in many countries.
One of my dear students is a Swedish champion in Jousting…
– taking a break maybe? Or, did he lose or win? I am sure he will return though, for his coat of arms, sword, armour and mask.
Play of words gives me great pleasure – here at the newest aquarium in Denmark – The Blue Planet. I will come back in a year or two with my grandchild.
Art almost always carry messages for us. With open eyes and senses we will understand. The problem is – will we learn?
A special thank you to Anne as she inspired us to take a One Lens Walk last week. Your interpretations to the challenge were creative and inspiring. Hearing more about what lenses people prefer was also interesting. Not surprisingly a zoom lens was very popular.
Now we are looking forward to your messages! Next week, Patti will lead with Shadows & Reflections in Monochrome. Make sure to visit her at Pilotfish for more inspiration.
Interested in joining the Lens-Artists Community Challenges? Click here for more information.
One year ago, we went to visit one of my favourite artists, Lars Lerin’s, gallery. I posted on some of his work in February. But, I believe he is good enough for many posts. His Värmland shows the old countryside where he grew up and used to visit old farmers, portraying their daily chores.
Somehow I feel these cupboard fragments are reminding of his paintings of daily life moments. The colours, the mood.
Driving home in the late evening, this view through the car window seemed to share the same harmony and mood. And for the light, in the header, a piece of Lofoten.
We who live in the southern part of Sweden often visit Denmark. Good food, nice people, lovely architecture and several great art museums. This time we had a nice surprise – snow! I have never seen a piece of Denmark in snow, and some Danes hadn’t either it seemed…
The walk from the train to Louisiana art museum is a treat with the lovely architecture – different in every house.
The park at Louisiana was the main attraction this time – not only because of the snow. We had excellent weather with a cold sun and no wind.
People were photographing everywhere, the snow and the calm sea. It is Sweden at the other end of the water. 20 minutes by ferry.
We spent a lovely hour walking around the grounds. Sculptures, installations and special art spread out everywhere.
A day of serenity
The small island at the horizon is a Swedish piece of land. Hven, the home of the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe. His observations are generally considered to be the most accurate of his time. (16th century)
Of course there is no such thing as a ”perfect” pattern…but it could be perfect in Your eyes, perfect for camouflage or perfect for its purpose…or simply radiating ”perfect”! This week we challenge you to find perfect patterns and it would be great if you wanted to tell us why you think they are perfect.
For me, the first thing that comes to mind is the natural world. Seemingly perfect, and more often than not – pleasing to the eye.
In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.
– Alice Walker
A giant lotus at Kew Gardens, and DNA strands –
The more perfect a thing is, the more susceptible to good and bad treatment it is.
– Dante Alighieri
I went to Copenhagen in search for more patterns, and found Musselmalet Ribbed, the first tableware decor of Royal Copenhagen. It was designed in 1770, and today, centuries later, it is one of the most famous and coveted porcelain decorations in the world. Every piece is still painted by hand. So,…they cannot be perfect…or?
We often think that a perfect pattern should be symmetrical…but does it really have to be? These are licorice bottles.
Many more patterns would be almost perfect, if humans did not mess with them. I never walk on newly fallen snow – if I am not forced to do so… but I have to feed the birds!
A room in one of the wineries of Porto. Surely designed to look perfect – but as it showed up in my computer – I realised it is not. The lines are asymmetrical, but somehow we don’t notice that at first. What can we learn from this?
To understand is to perceive patterns.
– Isaiah Berlin
Why do I believe there are perfect patterns in this shopping window? I liked the white trunks spreading out just like the photo model’s hair, and the dots of snow and her blouse are corresponding. The scale of colours too suggests a Nordic/Scandinavian thought from the decorator. I guess it’s the harmony of different patterns that makes this window perfect in my eyes.
Back to nature again – a young eagle owl being released in freedom – as you can see, the feathers are not completely perfect – but,
I think every single imperfection adds to your beauty. I’d rather be imperfect than perfect.
– Sonam Kapoor
To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.
– Jane Austen
Did you know that if you destroy a spider’s web too many times, it will not be spun as meticulously perfect anymore?
For my knitted caps, I make up ”perfect” patterns according to what I know about the person who is going to wear them. Most of these were my children’s, but the sheep cap with mittens I made this autumn (Christmas gift) for my little granddaughter.
Finally – nothing is completely perfect – at least never when a human is involved. But, let your own eyes and feelings decide what is perfect for you!!
Many thanks to Patti for last week’s Diagonals – your creative and thoughtful posts really made us think, and maybe even revise our approach to photography.
Now we’re looking forward to seeing what patterns you will find! Be sure to include a link to my original post and to use the Lens-Artists tag so we can easily find you in the Reader. If you’re new to the challenge and want to join us, click here.
Next week, it’s Tina’s turn to be our host, so be sure to visit her inspirational site for LAPC #230. Have a great week ahead and hope to see you soon!
We visited Västervik this summer, and we happened to visit on the last days of this excellent exhibition of original cirkus posters. They were rather worn, and were to be digitalised and saved for future generations. These original posters come from one of the most extensive collections of cirkus posters in the world. Amazing.
From my childhood memories, cirkus posters mostly looked like the left one, Trolle Rhodin’s cirkus. But here, we found an interesting collection of Polish posters from Cyrk and the Polish School of Posters. See the stunning difference between these two. I just had to post a gallery with some of them. I don’t have to say that my most loved one is the lion having humans jump through the ring… As a child that was my greatest wish…, and a wish for bulls chasing humans in the fighting arena too.
I just loved the simple and clean approach in these Polish artists’ hands. And the hidden messages. I also learned that long ago the cirkuses often had ”real” artists making their posters. Like this left poster by Tolouse Lautrec. The middle one is a poster from a time when ”strange and abnormal” people where shown to the audience. These two girls were albinos. (19th century)
The last advertisment is about Cirkus Madigan (also 19th century) and the beautiful Elvira Madigan. I guess some of you have heard her story or seen the movie on her tragic loveaffair with Sixten Sparre. It is always strange to realise that some movies were built on real persons, and real fates. We will never know the true story of course, but seeing her name there made her come alive to me. I loved that movie.
Leya 