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Tag Archives: music

Metaphor for a bizarre Western value

11 Tuesday Jun 2019

Posted by Floreva in Life in style

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

#inkdrawing, Life, music, Our world

Hi Folks,

I think this drawing is self-explanatory.

It’s called the Race to the top (and it needs more inking).

Update : It’s  a metaphor for the highly praised value in western societies : money and how to make more of it than the neighbour/colleague/friend/anyone else. Now, dont’ get me wrong, money’s a good thing. What’s not optimal is when what’s engrained in our brains is that it is the only value one must seek, detrimental to ethics, kindness, generosity, help to others, a sense of community. So, the end is grim, as shown in the drawing, when it’s the only ladder steps some of our fellow humans climb in pursuit of a sense of identity, when one’s identity = how much money one makes, and how badly they want it ( even crushing/mistrating/etc others to get it).

Not that I am cynical (because cynism allows for no hope), but rather a realist (eye-opened and sad, but doing something about it) that happens to have a sever condition of unshakeable enthusiasm and love for life coupled with a deep-rooted trust that humans will eventually do good on a regular basis, with a mild itching of humour (sometimes very dark), peppered with noir tendencies ( I watched too much noir movies as a teen, probably).

Race to the top

The race to the top – Ink- copyright Florence Vitel 2019-2020

The musical conterpart to my condition could be the blues, and the literary genre could be linked to the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, right there, between an everlasting awe for the Creation and creativity humans can display and master and achieve, also the  brutal thruth that human as an evolving race is quite fucked up (pardon my French) and rather fucks up everyhting it comes in contact with.

Ugliness (in behaviours, treatment of our planet, of  the air, of other species and of the variety of people within our own species) as the polyester-ic (poly-hysteric?) lining of this shimmering cloak of beauty that covers this wonderful sphere we will no longer be able to call home if we contiue, as a group, to behave like imbecile spoiled brats lead by ignorant , greedy, power-thirsty and crass-stupid corkcroaches . (Hum, not very appealing).

No apologies for the long complicated sentences, that’s part of my literary charm, I guess, can’t deprive you of that, right? 😉

BUT, there are many good reasons to rejoice too, when we see independent actions and groups of persons all around the world coming together to trigger change, to induce new behaviours and implement sustainable ways of living, more in harmony with this marvellous paradise (Scientist & neuro researcher Bruce Lipton says we are born in heaven, and what do we do with it?).

Creative in destruction,  but more creative in creation, that’s us, the paradoxical little annoying bugging colony on this big blue planet.

Let’s rejoice, for times a-changing. For the better.

Plus, summer’s almost officially here. What’s not to love?

Floreva

 

 

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Music lovers

19 Saturday May 2012

Posted by Floreva in Caffeine, Life in style

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Arabian Dance, Ballet, Ben Stevenson OBE, classical, Houston Ballet, music, Nutcracker, romantic, Tchaikovsky

Most of us are music lovers. Music inhabits our lives. Surreptitiously, boldly, evidently or discretely. Music usually floats in the air in my place at various hours.

I like it when it is romantic, swing, bop, baroque, rock, pop, Johnny Cash -and Creedence Clearwater-style-country.  Amidst many others. In any case, it has to be swinging and being able to be hummed or sung (shower or car, no preferences).

Among the classical composer, Tchaikovsky is a favourite of mine.

A middle-aged man with grey hair and a beard, wearing a dark suit and staring intently at the viewer.

The Russian composer is the immortal  creator of “Nutcracker”.  Each musical piece of that ballet is so perfectly amazing, it’s hard to pick just one. The whole masterpiece carries the audience away in a land of fairy-tale dreams and search for the self through courage and the poetry of grace.

I do not know if you remember  the Arabian Dance (The “Coffee Dance”), with its languorous rhythm. I saw a performance by the Houston Ballet last December, in a choreography by Ben Stevenson, OBE.

Houston Ballet perfoms The Nutcracker

Ballet: The Nutcracker
Dancer: Nozomi Iijima
Photo by: Amitava Sarkar

Overall, the ballet choreography is masterfully developed, the Scenic and costumes designs are striking and inventive.

My  imagination just flied away as the dancers perform the Coffee Dance. Tightly draped in their silky coral costumes, the performers  are as light and voluptuous as the aromas and flavours one can find in a cup of black coffee.

The ethereal fabric of the costume floating around them evoked the sinuous lace of the dense foam that tops an espresso. The intricate moves of their arms intertwined in a delicate sensuality matched the music so well, it was frustrating to see it end and be replaced by the  stronger and bolder “Tea dance”.

The previous Snowflakes and Angels dances were by no means less interesting, and the Arrival at the Sugar Plum Fairy palace prolonged the magic.

Thinking of the performance I saw, as I am just listening to Tchaikowsky’s music now, brought all those images and souvenirs. And the most vivid is the Coffee Dance.

Strange, maybe. Or maybe not, given my taste for the brew…

Thanks, Mr Tchaikovsky. I thank Mr Stevenson and the performers of the Houston Ballet for the magnificent moment they gave to their audience as equally as I praise their talent.

(I’ll post later on Oldelaf and the funny song “Le café”. visible on Youtube).

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