Fado related paintings at Museu do Fado, Lisboa - The 2nd of August 2015

I visited the Museum of Fado for the first time over the weekend and despite having found the way the overall exhibition was organised  rather interesting my atttention was focused on the various fado related paintings spread around the numerous galleries.

 

My personal liking of fado and its lyrics  didn't exactly start as a young girl but rather at a later stage of my life and particularly because of working reasons as I had to accompany a group of foreign visitors and colleagues from different aiports abroad in the 90's. The fact that they couldn't understand the lyrics of the songs being sung by random fado singers in a tavern in the heart of Alfama led me to having to translate them some of those, which I found to be profoundly deep and poetically beautiful. I soon bought the film by Carlos Saura "Fados" which highlighted quite a few of the exquisite nuances of this musical genre and I finally surrendered to its magic.

 

I feel particularly proud that the young generation is keen on fado and many will certainly become (some already are) the embassadors of such a musical genre in the world because that clearly means fado will live on.

The first painting I came across in the Museum was the famous 1910 oil on canvas named Fado by José Malhoa followed by other equally interesting ones by well known Portuguese painters from various epochs.

The 1913  three panel oil on canvas (two of which I photographed) named Sailor by Constantino Fernandes.

Undated charcoal on vegetal paper depicting the guitar player Carlos Paredes by Julio Pomar (left).The 1995 print on canvas titled Fado by Paula Rego (right).

 

 

 

 

 

The 1952 oil on canvas titled Lisbon dweller by Cândido da Costa Pinto (right). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A 1997 print on canvas titled Amalia in black by Leonel Moura (left).  A 2012 oil on paper titled Fado by José Luis Tinoco (right).

 

A 1998 artistic mixed painting by Rui Pimentel titled Lisbon alley

Dress worn by Luz Sa da Bandeira during one of her fado performances.

(To be continued)

 

The latest film I've seen ...

I've been strongly moved by the film Coming home I've been to see today and which I undoubtedly consider among the best, if not the best I've seen lately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Said to have been based on a novel by Yan Geling The criminal Lu Yanshi I haven't read but which certainly bears resemblance to many accounts I have read on the cultural revolution epoch, the story was turned into a powerfully beautiful and emotional film in the hands of the director Zhang Yimou as the revolving political events richly nuanced by an historically dramatic and contemplative approach unfold and with them the visibly severe scars embedded in the soul of the main characters.

 

 

Apart from the profoundly meaningful theme and majestic interpretation on the part of the two main characters played by Chen Daoming and Gong Li, the unconditional love, personal loyalty, utmost patience and on-going committed efforts are what seems to shake the viewers suggesting an ultimate triumph (despite being a rather painful one) and acceptance of the blows of fate one cannot control.

 

 

 

 

This film is really worth seeing and if possible more than just once as the message is clearly too strong  and the infinite details too meaningful to be fully apprehended as the story unfolds on the screen.







 

 

 

 

 

The latest book I have read ...

I didn't think I'd love this book as much as I did the moment I started reading it but the truth is there were even several ocasions where I did  get obsessed with some of Leonardo's sketches, the many that were interspersed in the 291 pages of the book.

Stefan Klein's  book "Leonardo's legacy - how Da Vinci reinvented the world" takes us through the many facets of Leonardo's visionary world, the world of the great genius, the inventor, the scientist, the artist and above all the undeniable pioneer of a new world, but the way he does it is particularly intelligent because at no time does the reader get bored. 

"Leonardo's legacy tracks the many creations of Da Vinci, and parallels them with key events in Leonardo's life, weaving a tapestry of inventive motivation for the ultimate Renaissance Man, all while posing thought-provoking questions ... the book has some exceptional moments ... it will provide an enjoyable look at the mind of an icon." - San Francisco Book review.

 

Views of a fetus in the womb - c. 1510-12 (left). Study of brain physiology - c. 1508 (right).

 

Coition of a hemisected Man and Woman - c. 1492 (right).

Studies of shoulder and neck - c. 1509-10 (left). Design for a flying machine - c. 1488 (right).

Studies of water passing obstacles (left). Old man with water studies - c. 1513 (right).

 

Five characters in a comic scene - c. 1490 (left.) Study for the head of Leda - c.1505-07 (right).

  

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" ...



 

 

  

Modern Art temporary exhibition (cont.) at Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa - The 26th of July 2015

(...)

I walked about the gallery exhibiting the paintings of a Portuguese painter I had never heard of - António Charrua (1925-2008),  and despite not being too drawn by geometric compositions I was nevertheless attracted by the colour blending.

Horizontal black X - 1988 oil on canvas (left).  Labyrinth - 1988 oil on canvas (right).

Dilema -1981 oil on canvas (left). Angelus - 1988-89 oil on canvas and object (right).

Hiroshima girl (left and right) - 1994/95 oil on canvas

As I made my way to the Museum gardens I came across an installation which had certainly been placed there recently as it wasn't there last time I had been around. A small text standing close by provided the explanation - it is an archive-type of house, whose walls partly covered by either the Near Future Programme published newspapers or  related to seven years of debates, productions and creations therewith associated in what may be seen as a way of paying one's respect to all of those who colaborated in that programme.

Authors - António Pinto Ribeiro and Jorge Martins Lopes with paintings by Celestino Mondlane and advertisement placards from former temporary exhibitions and published newspapers from the Near Future programe.