The lyrics and the images are fabulous. I need say no more.
Khaled
Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Friday, February 19, 2010
Stairway to Heaven: Modern art with a message or just Israel bashing?
I am not a follower of the world of art, but I came across this article in Haaretz Israeli newspaper.
Spain sculpture offensive to Jews, Israel says
I am sure non-Jews may also find it offensive for different reasons, but it all depends what you think he is saying. As for me, I found that sculpture on display in Madrid's contemporary art show ARCO 2010 interesting, so I did some looking around online.
I was actually amused and entertained by some of the other work of the Spanish artist, Eugenio Merino. He definitely has a message (see some photos below) and he does not seem to play favoritism.
He is bashing political right and left, terrorists and politicians, big corporations and the individual's pop culture attitudes, sports, and even the dalai lama.
If you search Merino's name you realize that, outside Israeli concerns, the bigger controversy is not about his Stairway to Heaven (see photo on the right) and what Israel thinks of him, but about his parody sculpture 'of the richest artist alive', Damien Hirst who recently sold a piece of art called 'For the Love of God' for 110 million dollars. The precious piece is a sculpture of skull laced with diamonds.
The parody sculpture is called '4 the love of Go(l)d' where he portrays the rich British artist committing suicide to raise the value of his own artwork.
By the way, I am not claiming I am well versed with the work of these artists. And until yesterday, I never even heard of either of them. But some of Merino's work is eye-catching, and seems to have a very strong social commentary element. I thought some of you may find it interesting.
Khaled
Other links:
'Suicide' sculpture of Damien Hirst causes controversy in Spain | Art and design | guardian.co.uk
Eugenio Merino - artist website
Provocative, funny, confusing: Eugenio Merino - the artist to watch - Swide Magazine
Spain sculpture offensive to Jews, Israel says
I am sure non-Jews may also find it offensive for different reasons, but it all depends what you think he is saying. As for me, I found that sculpture on display in Madrid's contemporary art show ARCO 2010 interesting, so I did some looking around online.I was actually amused and entertained by some of the other work of the Spanish artist, Eugenio Merino. He definitely has a message (see some photos below) and he does not seem to play favoritism.
He is bashing political right and left, terrorists and politicians, big corporations and the individual's pop culture attitudes, sports, and even the dalai lama.
If you search Merino's name you realize that, outside Israeli concerns, the bigger controversy is not about his Stairway to Heaven (see photo on the right) and what Israel thinks of him, but about his parody sculpture 'of the richest artist alive', Damien Hirst who recently sold a piece of art called 'For the Love of God' for 110 million dollars. The precious piece is a sculpture of skull laced with diamonds.
The parody sculpture is called '4 the love of Go(l)d' where he portrays the rich British artist committing suicide to raise the value of his own artwork.
By the way, I am not claiming I am well versed with the work of these artists. And until yesterday, I never even heard of either of them. But some of Merino's work is eye-catching, and seems to have a very strong social commentary element. I thought some of you may find it interesting.
Khaled
Other links:
'Suicide' sculpture of Damien Hirst causes controversy in Spain | Art and design | guardian.co.uk
Eugenio Merino - artist website
Provocative, funny, confusing: Eugenio Merino - the artist to watch - Swide Magazine
African skinny kid & Diet Coke
African Bart
Friday, March 27, 2009
A Chrisitian Palestinian Cartoonist, and the Hysteria of the Anti-Anti-Israel crowd.
The double 'Anti' in the title is not a typo. Following the horror of the Gaza war, a lot more voices were heard harshly - and correctly so - criticizing Israel and its pattern of brutal handling of the Palestinians (in Gaza as well as the West Bank). Coinciding with that is usual the increase in charges of 'antisemitism' by the blindly Pro-Israel chorus, and regardless of what Israel ever does.
A group that is usually mostly ignored in this ongoing conflict is the Christian Palestinians. Their marginalization in the product of framing of the Israeli Palestinian conflict as a 'anti-Jewish Islamic endeavor', thus blurring the reality that it is a territorial conflict in which the harmed parties are, and have always been, Christians as well as Muslims.
One of the Christian American Palestinians effective voices is that of Ray Hanania, and journalist, political cartoonist and a radio talk host of stature. I thought this cartoon summarizes the usual situation after a scenario like what the world witnessed in Gaza a couple of month ago, and the subsequent revelation about Israeli army behavior against civilians, as admitted by Israeli soldiers.
The denial came from the Israeli Military chief of staff, and was reviewed by the American Jewish journalist Richard Silverstein, who usually gets more than a fair share of insults from the pro-Israel chorus for his balanced presentation of the Israeli-Palestinian issues. As most of you know, the slanderous scream 'antisemites' does not stop if the 'accused' is Jewish. And many liberal Jews have suffered from that slanderous accusation, as well as the usual charge of being a self-hating Jews. But as you see below, it can get even worse.
The Israeli Newspaper Haaretz was the first to published the damning reports of the IDF morality problems in Gaza, and thus suffered from even a more grave slander: being an accomplice to blood libel against Israel.
This is a serious insult (and for those not familiar with the term, see here and here).
If you click on the article title, you can read it on Haaretz web site. It is worth reading. Also, take a look at Ray Hanania activities. He is a very funny Stand up comedian i addition to his many talents as a journalist, talk-show host, cartoonist and an activist for Justice for Palestinian
Check this video from on of acts in a Reform Synagogue.
I am hoping to talk about the activism of Christian Palestinians in this conflict, but that will have to wait for another posting.
Khaled
A group that is usually mostly ignored in this ongoing conflict is the Christian Palestinians. Their marginalization in the product of framing of the Israeli Palestinian conflict as a 'anti-Jewish Islamic endeavor', thus blurring the reality that it is a territorial conflict in which the harmed parties are, and have always been, Christians as well as Muslims.
One of the Christian American Palestinians effective voices is that of Ray Hanania, and journalist, political cartoonist and a radio talk host of stature. I thought this cartoon summarizes the usual situation after a scenario like what the world witnessed in Gaza a couple of month ago, and the subsequent revelation about Israeli army behavior against civilians, as admitted by Israeli soldiers.
The denial came from the Israeli Military chief of staff, and was reviewed by the American Jewish journalist Richard Silverstein, who usually gets more than a fair share of insults from the pro-Israel chorus for his balanced presentation of the Israeli-Palestinian issues. As most of you know, the slanderous scream 'antisemites' does not stop if the 'accused' is Jewish. And many liberal Jews have suffered from that slanderous accusation, as well as the usual charge of being a self-hating Jews. But as you see below, it can get even worse.
The Israeli Newspaper Haaretz was the first to published the damning reports of the IDF morality problems in Gaza, and thus suffered from even a more grave slander: being an accomplice to blood libel against Israel.
This is a serious insult (and for those not familiar with the term, see here and here).
If you click on the article title, you can read it on Haaretz web site. It is worth reading. Also, take a look at Ray Hanania activities. He is a very funny Stand up comedian i addition to his many talents as a journalist, talk-show host, cartoonist and an activist for Justice for PalestinianCheck this video from on of acts in a Reform Synagogue.
I am hoping to talk about the activism of Christian Palestinians in this conflict, but that will have to wait for another posting.
Khaled
Sunday, March 16, 2008
A beautiful song and a captivating video: I want to live in a Land called Paradise
This weekend, I was almost decided to post something that has nothing to do with violence, suicides, racism, fundamentalists, etc. And, while there was no shortage of bad news this weekend, I managed to stick with my plan.
This is a truly beautiful song by a very talented American Muslim musician/singer/song writer (with a degree in chemical engineering, and a soon-to-finish degree in Law!!). This is the kind of song that I like to listen to with the volume set to maximum. And even if you do not like country music, I bet you will like this one (By the way, he is of Egyptian ancestry so I have more reasons to like him).
Art, especially music, is a blessing. In 4 minutes and 13 seconds, Kareem Salama manages to inspire a lot of feelings and beauty that is difficult to match - for me at least.
I know this has been around for a while, and many of you may have seen it before. Still I hope you will enjoy it as much as I still do.
Khaled
This is a truly beautiful song by a very talented American Muslim musician/singer/song writer (with a degree in chemical engineering, and a soon-to-finish degree in Law!!). This is the kind of song that I like to listen to with the volume set to maximum. And even if you do not like country music, I bet you will like this one (By the way, he is of Egyptian ancestry so I have more reasons to like him).
Art, especially music, is a blessing. In 4 minutes and 13 seconds, Kareem Salama manages to inspire a lot of feelings and beauty that is difficult to match - for me at least.
I know this has been around for a while, and many of you may have seen it before. Still I hope you will enjoy it as much as I still do.
Khaled
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