William Kentridge: Five Themes

Dear K,

Ever since we saw this fantastic exhibit at the Norton, I have been wanting to post about it. I think we both agreed that it was the most visually stunning, aesthetically overwhelming and comprehensive exhibit we have seen in a long time. Time Magazine agrees, and lists it in it's Top 10 of 2009. Pretty wonderful exposure for the Norton! I also love this interactive site dedicated to the retrospective at SFMOMA.

Hand-drawn animation shown in short film format sometimes leaves me wanting more. (Again, with the tactile issue, again). .. But Kentridge's charcoal lends itself beautifully to be drawn out on screen - rubbing, smudging and wiping away the residue was a warm surprise to see in a film piece. I loved the rawness of the imagery and mark-making and could appreciate the ambition of his character development of Soho Eckstein and Felix Teitilbaum.

I'm so glad that we got to see this show together.. it started the year off on an ambitious art foot. Which inspiring exhibit is next to leave us optically exhausted?

Love,

K

New Year, New Language?

Dear K,

It's been a great year for both of us... probably the best yet. I'm still inspired by not only your fabulous visit south, but these video found letters. I'm loving them! You could really be onto something with these.. a new series? What I love about them is the amount of sincerity and love that is communicated and felt by not only the production, but the careful method in which you construct each letter, word, and sentence into a traditional letter format. We seem to be "drawn" to letter writing. So often, I miss writing real letters...

Yesterday I read this great article and it got me thinking about the tactility of letter writing. If I were to work off of your inspirational videos (not copying, just collaborating ideas ;) . .. to suit my own obsessions, I would want my letters to be tactile. The feeling of touch is so important to me. While video offers a contemporary way to communicate, I love other peoples work in video, but I always feel the need for direct hand-to-artwork dialogue.

This might be a new direction for me in the new year. Tactile dialogues. These above photos are inspiring me to consider revisiting embossing, dots as sentences, and textural mark-making.

The photo to the right is just a silly one I found - thinking of all of the new love and life stages we have both jumped through this year. Here's to next year - I know its going to be great for both of us. I'm so thankful that we are still friends after all these years, "bumps on paper" and letter writing.

Love,

K.