The thing about Art is that for it to reveal its secret you have to do more than just glance at it.
You have to engage, participate – let IT worm its way into YOU.
But how do you do that with stone and glass, walls and a roof?
Le Corbusier’s Notre-Dame du Haut(“Our Lady of the Heights”) is a good architectural example, and in this video I suggest a way to stir up the fireflies.
“When Cold Stone Warmly Beckons” is the second installment of LIT BY FIREFLIES: Art That Sparkles. Dive in if you are curious as to how a building can talk.
Artists are uniquely capable of capturing the spirit of the times, and in less than a week the release of at least four protest songs directly condemn ICE for the Minneapolis murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good.
Hastily created, the obvious question is: are they any good?
What about the following, for example: Minnesota Anthem – does it effectively engage your attention?
Having listened to it, does the accompaning statement by the creator impact your feelings/judgment about this song?
[This song] “was created by a friend from Stockholm, Sweden who was concerned about what was happening in my home of Minneapolis. He created it using AI and the website: http://www.suno.com. I created the video that provided a visual for the song. The images are from recent events during the ICE occupation.”
On the flip side of originality is Bruce Springsteen’s “On The Streets of Minneapolis.” (The title, of course, parallels the famous song for which he won an Academy Award in 1994.)
‘The Boss’ is no stranger to protesting police brutality. American Justice (41 shots) previously explored the killing of an unarmed student reaching for his ID by 4 plainclothes NYPD detectives in 1999. To be fair, it should be noted that both the police and the victim’s point of view are represented in the lyrics.)
Two additional protest songs just released are:
1. Minnesota – A reworking of a John Phillips tune made popular by Scott McKenzie’s “Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair”. (New lyrics, same melody)
2. ICE, F**K You – A Protest Song for Minneapolis. (Partly AI generated)
Musicians, it seems, are tuned in to current events, quick to rise to the occasion – and Generative AI is now part of their skill set.
The thing about Art is that it’s a baptismal experience that will only nourish those who immerse themselves.
But how to enter into an I-THOU relationship with a work of art is not always obvious. This new series – Lit By Fireflies: Art That Sparkles – is designed to address that concern.
“When Gibberish Is Eloquent” is the first installment. Dive in if you are curious about “Lucky’s Speech” in Samuel Beckett’s play, Waiting For Godot.
giblets & flapdoodle 