The last few weeks have been ones of intense activity- finishing a commission, repairing a damaged painting, starting some new work, going to exhibitions, meeting and contacting new and old friends and generally looking at the art world from a new perspective. Part of the reason for this feverish period has been through lively conversations with family members and viewing an Oscar winning documentary film “The Lady at Number 6” about a 109 year old concert pianist, Alice Herz-Sommer who not only survived the Holocaust but became a role model for so many due to her warmth, happiness and forgiving nature – a truly inspirational figure. Her story partially influenced a work I produced a few years ago called “Theresienstadt” (or Terezin) in Czechoslovakia where she was imprisoned . It was also inspired by the music composed by other talented artistic individuals confined to this Jewish Ghetto situated some 60 kilometres north of Prague.
By coincidence and through my interest in art I met Tereza Miksikova, a new intern at “La Galleria”, who by chance encountered the remarkable Zdenka Fantlova, a fellow inmate of Alice Herz-Sommer at Theresienstadt. Zdenka wrote a book “The Tin Ring” and appeared with Alice in the award winning film about her life. Zdenka’s story is also truly amazing as she survived six concentration camps, witnessing unimaginable scenes of cruelty, yet retained the will to live and kept optimistic for a better future throughout her horrendous experiences. The music composed in Theresienstadt has been collected on an album by Anne Sophie Von Otter, the Swedish Mezzo Soprano, and some of this music is also extremely positive, reflecting the wonderful attitude displayed by Alice and Zdenka. I am extremely grateful to Elizabeth Mitchell D’Anna, the owner of La Galleria (www.lagalleria.org) for her kindness and generosity over the last few months which has helped me continue to persevere with my painting. I also owe much to my wife, Christine, and the rest of my family who are my sternest critics and keep me on my toes. What is more, they are invariably right and almost always I have to accept their advice!
A few years ago I became fascinated by the Renaissance Sculptor and Goldsmith, Benvenuto Cellini, and the Opera about him composed by Hector Berlioz. Both men were impulsive and crazy, leading fairly adventurous and tempestuous lives. At the time I did a rather surreal painting showing Cellini’s Perseus sculpture with the Medusa’s head replaced by that of Berlioz. The original with the head of the Medusa can still be seen in Florence. This month, Terry Gilliam is directing and part set- designing a production of the Berlioz opera at the Coliseum in London which, as always with his involvement, is likely to be unconventional. Here is the original painting, which I am currently revising, and will also be included in the People section of the website when I have finished repainting it. I am unhappy about the figure of Perseus!
The next few weeks will be busy too as there are many ideas floating around in my head which I need to explore and then create art. I have added another earlier picture (below), based on Stravinsky’s “Right of Spring” to the “People” section of this website and will shortly be publishing some photos of the latest paintings. The Stravinsky work was on the BBC website in 2006 along with an abstract about Richard Strauss and his music which also featured in a Promenade Concert broadcast on BBC Television that year.
