MAIRA KALMAN IS AN AMERICAN LIVING NATIONAL TREASURE

THERE, I SAID IT.

Over the years I keep thinking about the designation of individuals as Living National Treasures in Japan. Living National Treasure (人間国宝 Ningen Kokuhō) is a Japanese popular term for those individuals certified as Preservers of Important Intangible Cultural Properties (重要無形文化財保持者 Jūyō Mukei Bunkazai Hojisha), that is people who are masters at their craft that have high historical or artistic value.

   “Amid the clamor of technological and economic success, a reverence for age, custom, and tradition endures in Japanese culture. The honorable title, ‘Living National Treasure’, is the highest award that can be achieved in the Japanese arts. Some seventy master craftsmen and performers are bestowed with this title and are charged with passing on the country’s artistic heritage to future generations.

   Ostensibly, it refers to the concept of protecting the traditional arts of a country through government support of the people who participate in those arts. But, in my mind, it not only keeps alive those traditions, but sets the foundation for up-and coming artists, designers, and craftsmen who have attained a mastery in their craft and have spent years passing it along to future generations. Those individuals who not only preserve a nation’s cultural legacy, but inspire those around them to become masters of their own craft.

   So, in my mind, we have many Living National Treasures among us, here at home, and many who have passed away (just think about Miles Davis, Charles and Ray Eames, Alice Waters, Julia Childs and countless others, in many creative fields—you get the picture).

   This is the first in a series of many individuals that I’ll acknowledge for their significant achievements in their chosen field.
   Maira Kalman has worked as a designer, author, illustrator and artist for more than thirty-five years. She has produced a vast body of work that is basically a visual record of her life — what she sees, what she experiences, what she finds absurd or interesting. Her use of color, her incorporating hand-drawn words into her illustrations, her use of personal photos in her work, her uncanny eye for finding a quirky, but compelling way into a person’s life and a situation are unparalleled.

   Watch the wonderful video above of her giving a talk at Creative Mornings in New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. A true gem of a person, artist and inspiring and humorous talk.
   And check out her many books at your local bookstore. They are full of wit, wisdom and humor, not to mention a wonderful painting style that is completely captivating. An American Living National treasure in my book, and hopefully yours. Dive deep and enjoy.
   More American Living National Treasures to come in future posts.

ART IS OUR NEW RELIGION AND MUSEUMS ARE OUR NEW CATHEDRALS

LECTURE @THE SCHOOL OF LIFE: The founder of The School of Life, Alain de Botton examines the purpose of art. We often hear that art is meant to be very important; but we're seldom told exactly why. Here de Botton argues that art can be a form of therapy.

Alain de Botton on Art as Therapy

This is an amazing talk given by Alain de Botton who is a Swiss/British writer and philosopher (among many other talents), is well know for discussing philosophy’s relevance to everyday life. When you have a spare moment, spend the 40 plus minutes and soak up his many insights. It is quite rewarding. He is an incredible speaker.

Alain posits that “. . . culture can fill the gaps left by the departure of religion in modern life and art can help us with the problems of the soul. I believe that art should be propaganda on behalf of something else, not theology, but psychology. I believe that art should serve the needs of our psyche as efficiently and as clearly as it served the needs of theology for hundreds of years.”

Here are a few of his main points and quotes from his talk.

1. Art is a tool for memory. Art is a bucket that holds our experiences and our emotions. It also draws our attention to those things that are most significant and opens us to facets of the world which would otherwise be invisible.
2. Art has a very important function in giving us hope. Art is a life raft to ferry us through darkness and prettiness is part of its mission.
3. Art reminds us that we are not alone in our suffering. Art provides us with moments of communion around the dark realities of our lives, in a way that is eloquent and dignified. Art is like putting on a Leonard Cohen CD when things are bad. It doesn’t drag us down. It brings us up by acknowledging that we’re all in this together
4. Art can rebalance us. Art is a rebalancing agent. The kind of art that moves us and draws us in, is very often a work of art that our unconscious recognizes contains a concentrated dose of our missing virtues. What are we missing? What are we afraid of? What have we lost touch with?
5. Art is fantastic propaganda tool on behalf of the good. Art can stir us, motivate us. The problem about life is not that we don’t know what being good or kind, or meaningful involves or is, but that we aren’t motivated to act on the knowledge that lies sterile within us. And the point of art is to get us motivated.
6. We need role models around us in order to keep us on track. Art does this. Many works of art have a philosophy of life within them.
7. Works of art have always attempted to open our eyes to the neglected value of the everyday. Art helps us to re-see certain jaded aspects of our lives that we’ve grown spoiled about.
8. Art can induct us toward essential truths of life. We are creatures that lose perspective easily, producing great anxiety. Our eye is stilled in front of something huge, dignified and beautiful.
9. Art allows us to rediscover the virtues and values in each other. Art expands the conversation. It makes us less lonely with the more sad and private parts of us. Art reminds us that love is an attempt to harmonize the jagged, to regularize the irregular. Art reminds us of the failure of curiosity in modern life and the desperate need to remain curious.
10. Art helps us to feel proud and involved with our community.
11. Art is very good at showing us how things can be.
12. And finally, art is a living resource for our hearts. Not just an academic or historical exercise.

I hope you enjoy this talk as much as I did. So many kernels of wisdom, so lovingly presented.

BRIAN ENO IS A LIVING TREASURE

“Everything Good Proceeds from Enthusiasm.”

I’ve decided not to limit myself to highlighting American Living National Treasures, but Living Treasures in general. There are so many interesting individuals on the planet, doing amazing things that I’ve decided why not be open to all Living Treasures (that speak to me and hopefully you) and now and then, adding shout outs to non-living treasures, those who have passed on, but whose artistic and creative legacies live on and are well worth re-examining for their perspectives on art, design and life.

A recently released interview (watch video above) from Alfred Dunhill also gives a glimpse into Eno’s general philosophy and approach to art, which gives you a flavor of the quality of his thinking and a quick window into this amazing creative person.

“Art offers you the chance to surrender. The chance to not be in control any longer.”

So, this time Brian Eno is top of the queue. Brian Eno has always been know as a trail blazing musician, what with Roxy Music, partnering with David Bryne, with David Bowie and countless others, he has been little known to be an incredible thinker about life, music and art. Many years ago in San Francisco, I attended a lecture about music and art, and he spoke for almost 2 hours. The people in the auditorium were transported by his deep insights and generosity of ideas and we all left the lecture changed just a little bit.

Most people are not aware of Brian Eno as an arts educator and teacher, and he has recently made a visual and sonic installation for a hospital in England called “Quiet Room for Montefiore.” The piece is designed to be soothing for patients (and hospital workers) in the hospital and provide a sense of respite from the harsh realities in the clinical environment.

“What we like doing—that is why we like sex, drugs, art and religion—what we like doing is surrendering. They’re really all ways of losing me.”

His most recent “immersive” installation piece is called 77 Million Paintings and uses generative music techniques to ensure endless unique combinations of video and music, that has been seen in many cities around the world and is still traveling to many more venues.

He has also recently released an app for the iPad and iPhone called Scape . Scape makes music that thinks for itself. Scape is a new form of album which offers users deep access to its musical elements. These can be endlessly recombined to behave intelligently: reacting to each other, changing mood together, making new sonic spaces. Scape employs some of the sounds, processes and compositional rules that we (Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers) have been using for many years and applies them in fresh combinations, to create new music. Scape makes music that thinks for itself. Check it out.

Many years ago (1975), Brian Eno released a deck of cards, called ObliqueStrategies , that he collaborated with the artist Peter Schmidt, where each card is printed with a suggestion, tactic or small aphorism. They are meant to be chosen at random to give new contexts to creative decisions. It has become legendary in stature and something worth looking up or buying.

This is only a small window into the creative world of Brian Eno, but, by all means, dig deep and enjoy.

VISUAL STORYTELLING: THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF CRAIG FRAZIER

Noted illustrator Craig Frazier discusses his approach to the art of storytelling. His work can be seen at http://www.craigfrazier.com Watch in HD full screen for best viewing.

I’m trying to find a story.

Here are some wonderful illustrations from illustrator/designer, Craig Frazier. Watch the short video about his process. Such simple and surprising work that sticks in your memory.

 “Each illustration carries a story. Without a story, it is just a drawing. With a story, it is an invitation . . . ”

“Every illustration comes from a sketch.”
“It is important to trust your ideas.”

“By keeping your hand in the work, using simple means, it keeps the images clean and builds in a level of simplicity.”

“If there is any magic about an illustration, it happens at the sketching stage. Because, this is when it comes out of your pen.”

and finally, Craig’s website: http://craigfrazier.com/