Category Archives: Art

Freedom is a Fable

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Freedom, A Fable: A Curious Interpretation of the Wit of a Negress in Troubled Times.Illustrated book with offset lithographs on paper and laser-cut pop-up paper silhouettes, 1997. I have always been emotionally moved by Kara Walker’s powerful art work, especially … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Art, Books, Film, History, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Restoring Rome

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

During the past few weeks, I have been pondering a story from the news about a project to restore parts of the ancient Roman Colosseum and open those areas to tourists. The story claimed that for the first time ever, … Continue reading →

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

Always Check Your Bookmarks

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Researchers recently discovered an unassuming bookmark in a 19th century French novel that featured three sketches by Vincent Van Gogh. In 1883,  the artist gave a friend the book and more than a century later, researchers discovered that the novel … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, History, Museums, Tourism | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Bad Bunnies or the World Turned Upside Down

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I have long been intrigued by the variety of marginalia found in medieval European manuscripts. While it’s not uncommon to discover colorful and playful images of mythical creatures, dogs, cats, snakes, snails, or sexualized caricatures or people, I only recently … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Writer’s Block

Posted on June 26, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

 

Posted in Animation, Art, Books, USA, Writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Symptoms of Hibernating

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Anais Nin : “You live…sheltered, in a delicate world, and you believe you are living. Then you read a book…or you take a trip…and you discover that you are not living, that you are hibernating. The symptoms of hibernating are … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, South America, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Flamboyant Gothic Meets Street Art

Posted on June 22, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I love it when historical and modern art forms come together, so of course this amazing project caught my attention. To celebrate the 800th anniversary of the groundbreaking for the Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Europe, History, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Tourist Information

Posted on June 20, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Last Spring, the Vienna-based Austrian artist group Steinbrener/Dempf & Huber installed the cliffhanger — a faux tourist information booth attached to the sheer rock face next to the scenic Mirafallen in Ötschhergräben Austria. The installation was designed to underscore the impact … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, Tourism | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

We Lurk Late

Posted on June 19, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

The paper-cut puppetry video below was commissioned by the Poetry Foundation and created by Manual Cinema in association with Crescendo Literary,  it animates a May 3, 1983 recording of Gwendolyn Brooks speaking during an Academy of American Poets reading series held at the Guggenheim Museum in … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Art, Books, Film, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Watching the Detectives

Posted on June 18, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I am always impressed by the brilliant graphic mash-ups created by LA-based renaissance man Todd Alcott. He continues to come up with clever takes on books and music in the form of pulp paperback covers and album art work. You … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Music | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment