A global moment to stand for something that matters...

Its been such a long time since I posted here...

Much has happened and most of it is reported on my Facebook Page or Instagram.

Tonight I wanted to take a moment to refer to the importance of the extraordinary mobilisation of  people all around the globe as preparations have been made for the Peoples Climate March ... 

Everyone is invited to participate and to even make their own event... a great idea if its too far or not possible for people to attend.

I decided to make a tribute to my newly born great niece Emmy-Lou... there are her beautiful little hands. She came into the world on August 3rd... born to my niece Lara and her husband Dwight.

Here I am below siting in a cafe on a recent trip up the coast to meet Miss Emmy-Lou! I also have three little great nephews ... all of whom I'm delighted to spend time when I can...  enjoying the precious years of their childhood.

Tomorrow taking to time to stand up and show support for the acutely critical matter of Climate-related matters seems SO essential ... especially where children are concerned. 

They are brought into this world unknowing and their inheritance now is an extremely vulnerable one. I've heard many my age say they don't believe in or wish to think about climate change... but for the sake of our children I would argue it's compulsory. 

Denial at this point is grossly disrespectful of consequences already clearly mapped... and my concern is about giving young people the language, concepts, empowerment and support to be able to face the future with as much eagerness and resilience as possible rather than with fear and loathing and or denial!

This 5 week old child is in the arms of loving parents who are blessed to live in a country with resources and opportunity... but this we cannot take for granted... nor should we be blind to what is happening elsewhere and how things are for others.

I hope that millions take time to rally tomorrow. to observe this mobilisation and in whatever way possible support it and discuss it.

For the sake of everything we consider precious may we find a way to preserve, celebrate and fight for the continuity of what is for the good of all peoples on this planet!

the linguascape ...

7000 world languages  |  6 official UN languages  | 127 official languages of UN member states.

image from
2008
United Nations
Year of Languages

Compiled by The World as Flatland

"A language ceases to be spoken every two weeks" ... 2008

UN image from above site.

Image from LONDON RELOCATION

image: Here

Q: what Radio programs or alternatives do you listen to whilst working?

I tend to have phases myself... for years it was always Radio National but then sometimes I prefer silence ... or talking books... even perhaps a video which I might watch several times so it doesn't matter if I miss bits. Plus if there's a commentary with director & actors I take that in too.

This radio provides often great food for thought. There are paintings I might have worked on intensely over days, even weeks, with a story or idea that I've heard having permeated my thinking... and possibly the canvas.

I listened to a series of talking books by one particular author once when working on an epic painting...the brushstrokes became infused with the themes of the book series.

One thing I have long wished for is to be able to speak or understand languages other than my own native tongue. My three years of Bahasa Indonesia at school was never grounded by travelling to that nearby country... despite the fact that Bali is heavily touristed by Australians and Java and other places have long been too.

I love to hear aboriginal dialects spoken and find it only increasingly interesting to learn more of the vast cultural history that grew out of the soil of this land.

Map of Aboriginal languages in Australia

Ive posted this map on this blog before...I will try and link to that post as this map is such low resolution it cant be read. Click to read the link above for some stats on use of aboriginal languages today.

Google language for an interesting read.

Below is a language Tree from Europe... with the link to the article where it was found which is worth a read.

read more on the Language Tree.

Listening to Radio National recently the weekly program Lingua Franca touched on linguascapes.

I was immediately taken with this concept and found the program which I assume can be listened to from anywhere round the globe.

SOCIAL INCLUSION IN MANY LANGUAGES

• Listen now
• Download audio

Broadcast:

Saturday 28 July 2012 3:45PM (view full episode)

Image: From the MyLanguage website, a national partnership project providing public library users with access to multilingual electronic resources via a readily available web portal. (courtesy MyLanguage)

MyLanguage is a partnership project between the public libraries of all the mainland states and territories of Australia, facilitating social inclusion by making these local hubs of information and communications technology multilingual, via a web portal that gives access to aggregated data in over 60 different languages. This online service provides links to information such as news, digital storytelling, as well as a calendar of events and activities.

It seems utterly important in this contemporary world that we have access to such programs and projects such as the one discussed here called MY LANGUAGE.

The term Linguascape wasn't so easy to read about online. An article I googled explained the concept as the linguistic nature of cultural, human-shaped landscapes... thats the simple bit ...read more here:

Landscapes, linguascaping and transmediality more by Dejan Ivković/ Дејан Ивковић Where: Toronto Semiotic Circle, University of Toronto Dates: 20th April 2012 - 21st April 2012 When: 21st April 2012

 Download (.pdf)

I'll leave you to ponder all that...

The concept of the linguascape is a rich one indeed ... 
worth considering  how it has shaped each one of us... 
what unique experiences have been part of our journey 
over many years.

cheerio,
Sophie

Art Found Out - World Arts Observed

Tonight home late after a peaceful session in the new studio I chanced upon an interesting blog called Art Found Out via the delightful La Vie est Belle.

both images from La Vie est Belle.

Shona Heath

ART FOUND OUT  is a fascinating blog "committed to artists who are informed by the world around them or driven by highly personal artistic vision". The statement in the right hand sidebar is most illuminating - comprehensively put together by Scott Rothstein over the last 4 years.

The range of artists presented is extraordinary - the accompanying text excellent - so much so that there is a rich archive here to trawl through and appreciate the diversity of art forms and individual expression.

One artist featured from Cuba is Jose Garcia Montebravo whose work is extensively archived at www.indigoarts.com - a site that contains a vast wealth of artists from many cultural backgrounds.

Montebravo was born in 1953 on the south coast of Cuba, about 4 hours from Havana where he still lives. A prolific artist who has shown many times in Cuba and abroad.

'Infanta con Pez', 2004

From India artist Lalitha Lajmi

images from Saffron Art - site for contemporary Indian Art.

Saffron Art Profile:

Coming from a family involved in the arts, Lalitha Lajmi was very fond of classical dance even as a child. "But we were from a middle class background and my family couldn't afford my joining a classical dance class," recalls Lajmi. She had the urge to paint too, and her uncle, B.B. Benegal, a commercial artist from Kolkata, (where Lajmi grew up), brought her a box of paints. "I am a self taught artist and have received no formal art training," she says. "I began painting seriously in 1961, and in those days one couldn't sell one's work. I had to teach art in school to earn a living." 

One of the best watercolorists in India, for Lajmi, nurturing her passion for art and cinema was a constant struggle. Indian films have been the biggest influence on my work, especially the ones made by my brother (Guru Dutt), Satyajit Ray and Raj Kapoor." 

Even though she read art books regularly and constantly experimented, Lajmi says, "there was no sense of direction in my work until the late 70's. I felt I had to evolve." By mid-80's, she was doing etchings, oils and watercolors. She held several exhibitions at international art galleries in Paris, London and Holland. In Lajmi's works, one finds a strong autobiographical element. In some of her later works, particularly the ones from late 80's and early 90's, one can find a reflection of hidden tensions that exist between men and women, captured in the different roles they play. Yet, her women are not meek individuals, but assertive and aggressive. "I use the images of Durga or Kali on the top of emaciated men who are kneeling, almost as if they were in the middle of some form of classical corporal punishment," laughs Lajmi. 

Lajmi has also depicted the natural bonding that exists between women, between mother and daughter figures, perhaps drawing from her own relationship with her filmmaker daughter, Kalpana. 

And from London....  a most curious one called The Museum of Everything: a space for artists and creators outside modern society. 

Go to the museum site and click on 'Some of our artists' ...then on an individual name to read these obscure yet fascinating bios.... I had a look at a number of the artist's brief bios then googled for more info.

One of many featured was Hector Hippolyte: 1894 -1948 - House painter and voodoo priest collected by Andre Breton who created his works with chicken feathers and furniture enamel spread by his own fingers.

Erzulie Auf Einem Delphin

Also at Art Found Out this link to a website:  Through the Sketchbook

 featuring many artists - click here.

below: From the sketchbooks of Beatrix Potter

From the Victoria and Albert Museum: At the age of 8 Beatrix Potter was already studying and recording the characteristics of a wide variety of animals, birds and insects in a home made sketchbook.