I've written about my sources of inspiration for art projects for other blogs and publications. On my own blog, I call these sources "Stitchsperation."
Here is a wonderful example of a perhaps insufficiently recognized well of inspiration: the news media.
Recently, I participated in an art project that rose from a news story, all of the players half a world away from me and from each other.
Danish artist Hanne Bang's amazing In A War, Someone Has To Die installation art piece was inspired by a television interview she heard of an out-of-work, professional African soldier, who uttered the line, "in a war, someone has to die."
(Read more about the evolution of the project here.)
The exhibition opened last night in Copenhagen at Den Frie at KE12 Autumn Art. (Hang says, "KE12 is one of the most important juried exhibitions for contemporary art in Denmark.") It included my work and that of my friend Katherine, among 240-plus other contributors from around the world.
So hear is my recommendation: Sit down with your local newspaper and sketchbook and play. There are layers and layers of ideas and stories and images to be found in the ink, on the gray paper.
Go.
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| Hanne Bang's studio. Photo by Bang. |
Here is a wonderful example of a perhaps insufficiently recognized well of inspiration: the news media.
Recently, I participated in an art project that rose from a news story, all of the players half a world away from me and from each other.
Danish artist Hanne Bang's amazing In A War, Someone Has To Die installation art piece was inspired by a television interview she heard of an out-of-work, professional African soldier, who uttered the line, "in a war, someone has to die."
(Read more about the evolution of the project here.)
 |
| Contributions by Katherine and me. |
The exhibition opened last night in Copenhagen at Den Frie at KE12 Autumn Art. (Hang says, "KE12 is one of the most important juried exhibitions for contemporary art in Denmark.") It included my work and that of my friend Katherine, among 240-plus other contributors from around the world.
So hear is my recommendation: Sit down with your local newspaper and sketchbook and play. There are layers and layers of ideas and stories and images to be found in the ink, on the gray paper.
Go.