Alex Honnold: Some call him brave, a genius,some call him crazy, others call him stupid... whatever your angle, there's no denying that Honnold is carving out his own legacy, even when proverbially picking up Dan Osman's baton - I can only tip my hat to you sir - the level of commitment needed, where a mistake is unthinkable - when considering his movement, technique, ability and courage... it does lean very strongly toward art! Age: 28 Country: USA Occupation: Professional rock climber Known for: Being a mind bogglingly astounding rock climber. Free solo ascents of big walls (including his recent work on half-dome El Capitan in the Yosemite National Park) Random Facts:
The next video is fairly "tame" by his standards, but the scenery and photography is just breathtaking. Reminder: click the full screen button when viewing - its a lot better that way! This one's more like it - The second half of this short clip from 'Alone on the Wall' is heart in mouth stuff! If you've got time to spare, here's the link to the piece on him by 60 Minutes. The video below by The North Face I found on "Never Stop Exploring" - you can find the link at the bottom of the post. “When all the movements just feel so crisp, and precise and perfect, you don’t feel pain in your fingers so much. You can tork on them super hard…you just feel stronger…”
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Benjamin John Howard - aka, Ben Howard... is a man who knows how to make music. If you're tired of the superficial, overproduced, loud collaborations of the music industry today (despite many of them actually possessing some talent - only to be drowned out by commercialism), then I implore you to lend your ears to this man's sound. It's deep, it's instrumental and some might even call it an acquired 'genre specific' taste (only if you like this type of music) - regardless of your taste-buds, you will have to admit that whatever he does, he does it well. He's the sort of musician that's a rather rare or dying breed in the modern music landscape - a throwback to the acoustic artists of old. Rising to prominence in Britain in 2008 (at the age of twenty) with his first self released EP (followed by two more in the next two years), he finally released his debut album Every Kingdom in 2011. His early fame can be attributed to word-of-mouth advertising, gaining traction through the most personal of mediums. So, from humble beginnings in rural Devon, spending considerable time out on the waves surfing (when not playing music), to being featured on David Letterman's Late Show. Officially released late last year, his latest EP The Burgh Island (named after a tidal island off the Devon coast) is, in my humble opinion, a bold and intriguing step up from his debut album which is still entrenched in my playlist. I've played that album to death but it seems to never tire, and now this... The Burgh Island EP, which only contains four songs: Esmerelda, Oats in the Water, To Be Alone and Burgh Island - all of which I listen to on repeat. His new sound is rich, dark and brooding, and personally, I can't get enough - The contrast in album/EP covers is a clear indication of the change in direction he's taken. There is of course the similar sound to all his tracks - the common thread - (it is his voice after all), but each one has a distinctive personality; some will make you sit still and listen, others will be slower in drawing you in, while others still will have you with your eyes shut in plain appreciation. He has a variety of instruments at his disposal which sometimes flirts with a few jazz notes in the way his songs sometimes don't quite resolve, but he's never afraid to push the envelope whilst keeping everything centered on the strings of his acoustic guitar. This may sound corny or preachy, but at twenty five - one of the things most impressive is the maturity in not only his voice (both vocally and artistically) but also in his lyrics. But enough writing, lets get to the listening (and looking), so you can soak in the melodies... (FYI - I updated these videos - The previous vimeo vid I posted of 'Oats in the water' was a fan-made video - still beautiful mind you - but these two were taken from Ben Howard's official Youtube channel) Here's a (I think anyway) fan made video of the mesmerizing song Esmerelda of the Burgh Island EP. Ben Howard quotes: "'Black Flies' is the best song I've ever written" "We’re getting a bit more creative with the songs and I’m looking forward to doing some solid rehearsal days and adding a few new instruments" "Anyone’s debut record becomes their greatest hits really... "It comes down to the mental space you’re in; the songs just depend on how much you invest in them. If you really put your heart and soul into them and believe in what you’re singing or what you’re playing, then it comes across. That slightly loose edge when you’re not overly conscious of what you’re doing, but you’re really in tune with what you’re singing about." "Once you get onto a D28, you don’t really go back" - (referring to his Martin guitar) We’re getting a bit more creative with the songs and I’m looking forward to doing some solid rehearsal days and adding a few new instruments "Ben brings a crisp freshness to the world of acoustic troubadours, he’ll make you feel like it’s the first time you’ve ever heard anything like it, but still having a rootsy lustre seemingly as old as the country side in which he wrote the songs Like on FACEBOOK Follow on TWITTER Link to BEN HOWARD's Official Website Ben Howard music channel on YOUTUBE ... and/or some more thought provoking pictures (yes I know - my titles need work) I've been a little distracted lately, with other work, and yes this does kind of show my hand with regard to this blog - it is rather a little "off the cuff" at times... I reserve the the intricate thought processes and planning for other endeavors. However, I do like to mix it up a little between words and pictures (among other things - keeping it simple), so here's some images from my 'reserve' files. (FYI - find more from the above photographer here.) National Geographic photo contest 2012 contenders: for the full list, click HERE... Simply amazing nature: Street Art - by Alice Pasquini: (there's more from Alice Pasquini in the archives - check the first month in the categories!) And finally - a look at Syria, today... ... just to keep things in perspective. Is Art stagnating? Where is modern art going? Will we ever see another Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, Raphael, Modigliani, Picasso, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh or Pollack? Logically, when you think of it in context, my instincts says “NO”… they were all innovators (paying specific attention to painting here) – pioneers, but has everything that can be done in the art of ‘paint of canvass’, already been accomplished. Of course that’s what the challenge is for today’s artists – to be the next big thing, to forge a new path, a new direction in their field. Part of the problem, in my opinion, is that too many people want to be the next great artist… just hear me out here. Here’s what I mean: The oldest art school in the world, still active today, is a little over two hundred years old, yet in its early days it’s pretty safe to say that few people knew about it (although art schools existed as far back as the Middle ages - VanEyck in Flanders f.e. 13 -1400's. (Michelangelo, just by the way, learned through early apprenticeships, first as a 13 year old working under Florence painter Domenico Ghirlandaio, and then under a retired sculptor, creating his first major sculpture at the age of 17 - The Battle of the Centaurs.) Then you think about how many art schools there are in the world today, anyone with vague artistic flair can apply, and a percentage of those applicants will manage to forge a career in the art world, most finding their place, or niche, within the corporate/commercial world. What this means is that art has grown exponentially in the last century, accessible to every household – which is, for clarification, a VERY GOOD thing. Many will argue that that was (and was for the renaissance crowd) the ultimate goal of those earlier pioneers – to bring art to every person. Art is part of life. Without art, the world would be an unliveable place for most. Plainly put, we need art as an outlet of our creative selves… the sad reality of it though, is that all forms of global art forms might have diluted the craft. The trouble now is distinguishing the good from the brilliant, and then there are the blatant publicity stunts… (I’m not a fan of blank white walls or installation art – using light fixtures for instance). Media has played a huge part in the dilution of the craft. I think there are many new forms that have popped up recently that grab me – performance art (using a large crowd of people) as well as sand art (creating pictures and stories using sand on an illuminated screen). And yet, can we say that there is a definitive new art form or artist/painter, who is doing something new and revolutionary, and will be talked about for many years to come, much in the same vein as the artists of old. I heard it put a different way: The experts and genuinely gifted artists of today are pushing the envelope – but are they just doing it in incremental fashion – a little at a time. Where is the giant leap forward (or sideways) in the thinking and/or application on creating something people have never seen before? I admittedly am not on the pulse of what’s the most spoken about thing in the art world right now, but like many, am very receptive and attentive to it, always on the lookout for something that will grab my attention whilst also admiring the works of old. When you think about it, Art as we know it today, where everyone can say they know an artist, is very new – yes it has been around for as long as people have – noting rock paintings etc… but artists in the truest and purist sense of the word were always rare and in certain places revered, they certainly were not on virtually every street corner, so in a way it’s a catch 22 scenario… you want art to be present in some form or another in every household, but I for one, still want that something new, which will be universally recognised as something no one has ever seen before. My prediction: The next great artist or art form (in the purest sense) will come from Africa. I’m not saying that just because I’m African but because I believe it’s the most untapped resource in the global context. Admittedly though, I do say this more out of hope and prayer. For it to happen, something in the art industry must be corrected; that of the “classification system”. You may have, once upon a time, come a upon a curio in your day, I speak specifically of those wooden animal statuettes. You can go around, round up 100 to 1000 people and give them all a lump of wood and say “carve something that will sell” – I’m betting you’ll only find a couple worth keeping (let alone worthy of a sale), yet this industry (somehow has been shunted from labelled as sculpturing) is relegated by the art industry and labelled “Arts & Crafts”. Just because someone doesn’t own a degree or even a formal education (specifically in the Arts), does not mean that person’s work is less good, or less relevant. That individual was inspired by a variety of things, most times pure circumstance, whatever the case; the result is a piece of art which they have toiled over, more often than not with their entire livelihood at stake… Just the other day I saw paintings of a 5 year old American boy selling for thousands of dollars (and that with no tertiary training); hence formal education has little to do with the product. It says something that practically all the great artists were poor in their day, some even trading their works for a meal… living, creating, day by day… So, to conclude; on the earlier question of art stagnating, and thence the future of Art... Art has been described as an indefinable and boundless thing/form, meaning the possibilities are endless, and as is so often the case when initially exploring a theory on a topic (in this case), one is enlightened and finds new avenues. Here's a quote of an artist friend of mine who was happy to share his opinion on what the future holds: The next great artist and art form will be found in the digital environment, is my opinion. We are still in an experimental stadium... Technique is taking all over, so obviously this also will happen in art… So, the Digital environment then, as the world wades through the plethora of new technology and how best to apply/implement it in/to our lives - so Art is in a veritable stage of self rediscovery (hence the labyrinth image) - exploring where it will venture to next. If you're still in the dark on this, then I urge you to explore it. Here's some images and quick links into this realm - the future: Digital Art - (& mini Artist Feature) Soul singer Laura Mvula Here's a cool song by a new artist, British singer Laura Mvula (nee Douglas). She released her debut album "Sing to the Moon" earlier this month. I decided to do a mini pseudo 'Artist Feature' spot today as I was really intrigued by both the song and the music video since they're both quite different from what (I believe) we've seen in the music industry recently. Give it a look & listen, just to experience something different, soulful and somewhat retro... For more from her check out the links below - with singles "She", "Like the Morning Dew" and the recently released "That's Alright". Laura was also a guest on the Graham Norton Show, so expect even greater things from her on the horizon as she carves out a niche in the ever more eclectic British music scene... Image from her official website. Ukraine, a country which has intrigued me to no end… and it was they who were the primary target of Soviet propaganda since they were the biggest country, the biggest population outside of Russian territory to have to submit to the Soviet Union. Because of this fact, the USSR rightly saw them as the biggest threat and as such, tried to rob the people of their identity. For years Ukrainian art and Literature were destroyed in an attempt to wipe out their heritage… Thankfully, the Ukraine, through all its problems, today stands on its own two feet. It’s an enigmatic country much like its former northern rulers, and similarly with great potential, great mystery, deep pain as well as overwhelming beauty. For a long time it had been hidden in shadow, behind an iron curtain, under the Soviet fist and within its own insecurities. To the north and central region lies a very physical scar on the country, a very real stain if you will. Over a quarter of a century on from that day in April in 1986 and a large patch of land still lies predominantly vacant, save a few citizens on the outskirts who have no alternative but to stay and grind out a dangerous living. The nuclear effects of Chernobyl will live on for many more generations. Experts estimate that it will be some 20 000 years before the area at the core of the disaster will recover, to be liveable again… Deep within that desolate region known as the ‘Zone of alienation’ is the ghost city of Prypyat… - One commentator even went so far as to call it a Soviet Union time capsule. A year or two ago the Ukraine opened up sections of the area to tourists to learn about (and from) the disaster. From these images it’s easy to see why it spawned a Hollywood horror film (Chernobyl Diaries - click for the trailer). Sad though that LA got the rights for this film – if they’d wanted it done properly, it should have been placed in European hands, perhaps even a Ukraine/Russia collaboration (that would have been scary on so many levels, whilst also doing the story more justice). Prypyat, before '86: Sources: www.buzzfeed.com - 50 pictures of Chernobyl... www.thehuffingtonpost.com - Touring Chernobyl www.villageofjoy.com/chernobyl-today-a-creepy-story-told-in-pictures/ From his Facebook page - Daniel sporting a wet mullet. ... I am, however, a firm believer that some of the best people are. (Artist Feature - sort of - Guest post by Judith Benjamin) Two firsts for me here: 1) seeing Daniel Bedingfield live and in concert and, 2) attending a Kirstenbosch Summer Concert. I attended the carols by candlelight once and nearly burnt the place down (who decided that one should place a lit candle in a combustible brown paper bag anyway?). Daniel Bedingfield is supremely talented. His music would, I suppose, be classified in the pop section however, I believe that to be a great disservice to the artist he is. I’ve been a fan for many years owning both his albums (I bought them) and downloading his latest EP (direct off his site www.danielbedingfield.com - he gave it away). I was thus slightly disappointed that he did not offer up a few more tracks from the 23 on the CD’s. I believe there were only 3 and not one was ‘Wrap my words around you’. That said, I don’t blame him for not performing this track as it’s rather intimate (IMO) and would probably be better suited to a smaller and more appropriate room. I got the sense that Daniel (I’m going to forgo using his surname any further as its lengthy typing) was treating himself as a brand new artist, to a certain extent. It has been 8 years since ‘Second First Impressions’ and that time-lapse has seen his sister, the delightful Natasha, rise to stardom slightly eclipsing her brother (thus some may know Daniel as Natasha’s brother but I am one who knows Natasha as Daniel’s sister). He alluded to this during the concert by implying that we (the audience) just wanted her autograph and then he sang one of her songs - funny guy. But I digress. Back to the concert: The band was made up of SA natives, thus we were supporting our own and they did a stellar job. The audience was treated to a great deal of reggaesque sounds which I believe may have surprised some but as I pointed out to my sister, you can hear it in his CD’s. We were also treated to his beat boxing and beat making skills, which was a musical delight. Daniel is a very personable artist who enjoys connecting with his audience. This he does by begging for beer, complementing audience members who’ve piqued his interest, getting down from the stage and singing directly to the audience by weaving about through them and by being a fun picture taker. His cheeks must be in pain from all the smiling. Sadly, despite him walking past me numerous times, I have no picture with the man himself, only of him. All in all, I had a sublime time. Daniel is definitely worth seeing live. Testament to this is the fact that the day after seeing the show, I listened to all his songs again, looked at the short videos we took at the show and agreed with my sister that we wanted to go again. He’s a wonderful character and a truly talented artist with amazing vocal range and wonderfully lyrical songs, which we do take to heart. Also, due to his diverse musical style range, there’s a song in there for all tastes. To end off: an amusing moment which took place pre-show. When I took my grassy seat, I looked up and there he was looking at the audience from the stage ‘wings’. I immediately noted the sighting to my sister and friends who all looked about asking “where?” Daniel then proceeded to come down from the stage and wonder through the crowds to meet, greet and connect. It took a moment but people cottoned on, with a chap next to us cheerfully piping up “it’s DAVID Bedingfield!” Daniel, I beseech you, not to disappear again or allow yourself to be silenced for such a long period, and please come back to Cape Town and SA because I … er … we love you too. Thanks for the show. p.s. Check out his music video for ‘Secret Fear’ on YouTube. Be warned, it strictly 18+ and NSFW. For concert streaming: www.skyroomlive.com Kirstenbosch Summer Concert Series tickets and lineup info: www.danielbedingfield.com by Judith Benjamin Concert date: 25 November 2012 |
[Banner illustration by Joel Kanar]
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