Category Archives: Art

First Impressions

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

On April 15, 1874, thirty artists, including Edgar Degas, Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Pierre Auguste Renoir, and Alfred Sisley, held an exhibition of their works in Paris, at the Boulevard des Capucines, the vacant studio of the photographer Nadar (Gaspard-Félix … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, History | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Maps, Art and AI

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

The very clever guys behind the website Brilliant Maps have utilized artificial intelligence programming to conjure up some quite interesting maps based on the painting styles of some great artists. You can see the results on their website and on YouTube in … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Art, Film, Maps | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Sun and the Moon and You

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

NASA commissioned gifted artists among their ranks to create an exciting series of posters commemorating the total solar eclipse that will cut a wide swath across Mexico, the United States and Canada today. On April 8, 2024, a total solar … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Travel, Art, Tech, USA | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

who gives up a cherished habit?

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

“Hell” by Virgilio Piñera translated by Mark Schaffer   When we are children, hell is nothing more than the devil’s name on our parent’s lips. Later, this notion becomes more complicated, and we toss in our beds through the interminable … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Tokyo Night Light

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I am absolutely fascinated by projection mapping technology. So, of course, I need to share this new project where Panasonic illuminates the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku, Japan using the world’s largest permanent projection mapping display and a series live animations. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Architecture, Art, Asia, Tech, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A Kafka Centennial

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Kafka: Making of an Icon is an upcoming exhibition that will mark the centennial  of the great writer’s death and celebrate not only his books and creativity, but also his continuing inspiration for new literary, theatrical and artistic creations around … Continue reading →

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Bilbo’s Last Song

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Bilbo’s Last Song (At Grey Havens) is a poem about leaving Middle-Earth. It first appeared, as seen here, as a poster published in 1974 by George Allen & Unwin Ltd., the original English publisher of his famous novels, with illustrations … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Cultural Connections

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I hesitate to promote apps because so many turn out to be disappointing. However, I really like the Bloomberg Connects app which offers access to exhibitions, collections and renowned artists at over 350 museums and other cultural organizations. Bloomberg Philanthropies … Continue reading →

Posted in apps, Architecture, Art, Asia, Canada, Europe, Libraries, Museums, South America, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Ghostwriter

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Designer Arvind Sanjeev has designed Ghostwriter , a smartly named answer machine that uses Open AI’s ChatGPT language model to answer queries manually entered by users, based on a modified old Brother typewriter. Tradition meets modernity. The Ghostwriter is a poetic intervention that allows us … Continue reading →

Posted in apps, Art, Tech, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

New York State of Mind

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Both branches of my family emigrated to New York City from Eastern Europe during the late 19th century. So, it’s natural that I’ve always viewed New York as the center of the known universe. Back in the 19th century, marketers … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Travel, Architecture, Art, History, Museums, Photography, Public Transport, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment