Cartagena, Colombia is a historic city of superb beauty lying within centuries-old colonial stone walls. Cartagena’s Old Town is a Unesco World Heritage Site and so colorful, charming and bursting at the seams with fabulous Latin music.
Posts Written Byzestandcuriosity
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Cornelia Parker – I got lucky in Sydney
One of the most important artists working today, Cornelia Parker is known for her transformation of everyday objects into unexpected, haunting scenarios – things are exploded, shot, turned back to front and rearranged in often surprising ways. Her subjects hang at the very moment of their transformation, suspended in time and completely still.
Iconic Bondi Beach – Sydney, Australia
Bondi Beach is the iconic beach in Sydney, Australia. Even there are many ocean pools in Australia, the most famous is probably the Bondi Icebergs. Bondi has its own rhythm which is absolutely enchanting.
Desert Rose by Jean Nouvel
I was riding in a taxi when I first laid my eyes on the National Museum of Qatar. The locals affectionately call Jean Nouvel’s magnificent architecture the Desert Rose. The structure felt like a mirage. So unusual, futuristic, yet somehow very organic. Its form evokes the desert – endless, timeless…
Jade Hale-Christofi – Choreographer, Dancer and Artist
Jade Hale-Christofi is contemporary choreographer and classically trained Royal Ballet dancer. He has choreographed two amazing videos – Hozier’s Take me to Church and Surprise Yourself.
Wildest Dreams – ‘East-West/West-East’ by Richard Serra
These captivating sculptures in the middle of Qatari desert by Richard Serra is what a wildest dreams are made of – bravado, creativity, making the impossible possible. There are no roads to get there, no maps and, no signs.
Radcliffe Bailey – Atlanta’s Own International Artist
Radcliffe Bailey is a world-renown contemporary American artist. He is noted for mixed-media, paint, and sculpture works that explore African-American ancestry and identity, linking diasporic histories with potential futures.
Nyaman Gallery – the Contemporary Gem of Bali
I was in heaven at Nyaman Gallery. Every stylish room had a great artist to discover or something to inspire. Bali is a very creative space, with so much talent. Nyaman Gallery was the artistic highlight of the trip featuring marvelous artists like Jean-Michel Aucler and Lukman Fauzi.
Frank Lloyd Wright – Iconic Fallingwater
Named as “The Best All-Time Work of American Architecture,”, Fallingwater is hailed internationally as a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. Fallingwater is located in the mountains of Southwestern Pennsylvania, in Mill Run, about 70 miles east of Pittsburgh.
Marina Abramovic comes to Belgrade with “The Cleaner”
For many years, I have followed work of performance artist Marina Abramovic and had a pleasure of meeting her in Atlanta. Andrej Vidovic, joins me with the captivating review of Abramovic’s lectures in the latest exhibition “The Cleaner.” The Belgrade exhibition holds unique significance because of the artist’s return to her estranged place of birth.
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Hairstyles Around the World
So far, I have been in over 60 countries. I believe in more than 40 countries around the world I have done my hair. I was curious about how my life would be if I lived in any of these places. What would life be like if I did regular things like going to market or to the hair salon to style my hair?
Every hair salon in the world could be its own story.
Emmanuelle Moureaux – Over the Rainbow
French architect and artist Emmanuelle Moureaux used over 100,000 paper number cutouts to create this multihued installation designed to visualize the passing of time. She lives and works in Tokyo.
The Biosphere – Buckminster Fuller
I have been long fascinated with Buckminster Fuller and wanted to make a blog post about him. Imagine my pleasant surprise when I discovered that Michael Parker, an architectural photographer whose work I follow, had photographed Fuller’s iconic Montreal Biosphere.
Deconstruct me, Lucio Fontana
New York visit cannot happen without seeing art in every corner of the city. This time it was Lucio Fontana at the Met Breuer. For me, Fontana’s slashed paintings held a sense of powerful rebirth in the act of their creation. The Met Breuer itself, designed by Marcel Breuer, is also a work of art.
Tadao Ando – Church of the Light
Probably one of my absolute favorite architects is Tadao Ando. The focus is on the light, materials, and flow of space and simplicity. It’s worth traveling across the world to Japan, just to see it.
Iris Van Herpen – the Future is Now
Meeting Iris van Herpen at the High Museum of Art was one of the biggest pleasures along with experiencing her fascinating exhibition “Transforming Fashion”. I went four times to see it.
The Art of Detours
On my iTunes, California Dreamin’ is blasting. There is something about road trips, that sense of freedom, living in the moment. Making decisions on instinct, and having sweet detours when something inviting takes your full attention. And, you stop.
Find your Glo
You had me at the first Glo.
There was almost a serendipity how I found Lauri Stallings and her incredible breadth of creative work that spans over many mediums. I was at the art gallery where I have picked up a brochure about art events happening in Atlanta.
Magic of Fabien Prioville Dance Company
I was first aware of Fabien Prioville, as a dancer, through Wim Wenders award-winning documentary “Pina”. He was also in Pedro Almodovar’s opening dance scene for “Talk to her” choreographed by Pina Bausch. Over the last 10 years, Fabien has been choreographing compelling contemporary works with his own fabien prioville dance company.
Feeling Good, Nina Simone
Nina. Where we should even begin with Nina Simone? Brace yourself – because this post is filled with plenty of music videos that tell her story. But first, you must hear her legendary voice and music. In a different time, she would have been an accomplished classical pianist. Despite all…
Chairs, Chairs, Chairs at the High Museum of Art
As a member of the High Museum, I often take my time to enjoy just a few works per visit. There are many wonderful pieces of iconic furniture exhibited as art; the Glass Chair by Shiro Kuramata stole my heart.
Here is looking at you, Trench Coat!
Trench coats are one of my more unique passions. Why and how that passion started is a bit of a mystery. Perhaps, watching many French films – by Éric Rohmer, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnes Varda, Jacques Rivette – during college days had something to do with it. For me, they have that quintessential French “Je ne sais quoi.”
I Loved You at the First Dot – Yayoi Kusama
Yayoi Kusama’s exhibitions are always exciting and breathtaking. From paintings to sculptures and infinity rooms, her artwork captivates. Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese contemporary artist who works primarily in sculpture and installation mediums but is also active in painting, performance, film, fashion, poetry, fiction, and other art forms.
The Amazing World of Joshua Trees
Joshua Tree National Park, home to the breathtaking Joshua Trees. On the edges of the park lies the town Joshua Tree, named after the beloved icon. This tiny outpost is the best place to stay and experience the physical beauty of this stunning desert landscape.
The Magnificent Colors of Taos
Taos Pueblo is a very unique place. Walking through the village feels as if you have stepped into another time. The most surprising quality is the colors. Asides of the colorful doors, Taos Pueblo adobe houses are all in the intense desert tones. The houses literally become part of the landscape.
Alvar Aalto – the Art of Seeing
It was love at first sight for me. The unique and abidingly contemporary form is just as fresh today as it was in 1937.
Aalto vase is exhibited at the worlds most prominent art museums, including MoMA, the Met, British Museum and many others.
Gently, Snow Blanketed the Beach
Seeing snow at the beach is such an unexpected and unique sight. It was so astonishing to discover all these photos that I had completely forgotten until this day. Somehow, the photos have since turned into digital dust. Isn’t it bemusing that we can forget something like this?