António Olé's documentary film and the nostalgic memories it awakened ...

I have recently bought a documentary film on the artistic life path of an outstanding Angolan painter, whose Art I had been acquainted with some years ago when I purchased a small painting of his, solely based on my feeling for the colour blending technique he used then, not knowing much of who he was or the extent of his artistic skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I got to know a little bit more about him and gradually became aware of the way he approached life and Art in general I started feeling rather unsettled because in a way many of his opinions did resonate with mine and when the scenario setting where he was being interviewed, partly in Lobito (I have not been to, though some images reminded me of Sumbe) and particularly in Luanda "invaded" my inner thoughts as he took the viewers along the streets and areas that bore some importance in his life I broke down and barely managed to hear what he was saying ... images of a "recent" past, I realised were so "over modernised" despite retaining some of the characteristics I had fell for in Angola surfaced ... personal memories blended in and I was no longer in control ... nostalgy was awakened ...

I had to calm down and watch the documentary some hours later so as to thoroughly appreciate António Olé's artistic production and it was then that I realised that because of it I came to realise that Angola was where my teaching creativity brewed and I felt like doing and trying out new things ... from scratch ... a little bit like the artist who  in the documentary observed and collected material for the next discovering  "adventure" ...