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Portait of a Lady on Fire
What a wonderful film review of by Renate Stendhal ("The Female Gaze"). It readily brings this exquisite film back to mind, touching upon all major themes in it -- and then generously expanding our understanding of it by bringing to light the director's references, to other movies, to painters, writers and historical figures. Particularly relevant and valuable is Stendhal's underlining at several points the distinction between the female gaze vs its all too familiar patriarchal equivalent, and her apt comparison to such rarely mentioned movies as Rivette's "La Belle Noiseuse". If anything, I wish she expanded further on that... . Ultimately and happily, as full and enrapturing as this movie experience was,
Stendhal's detailed explication of it does not detract, but rather enriches one's recollection and understanding -- which is an accomplishment and a rare gift for a film review!
Philip Gerstein
Renate Stendhal's article: Portait of a Lady on Fire
From Gaudi to Kandinsky
What an arc of architecture this is and so complemented by the rest of the issue (February 2020). If everything is wiped away by climate change, the visions and minds of these two great artists will bring it all back. Kind of over hopeful, huh? Kudos to Stendhal, Wolfe and Renaud.
Lou Laird
Renate Stendhal's article: Art and the City
Ross Wolfe's article: Kandinsky and Architecture
Some Joy
This issue (February 2020) is simply amazing and congratulations on continuing to always do an outstanding job every month. The photographic work of Jon Rendell in this issue blows my mind. He certainly has an eye to see what's really going on out there. The black swans photo is beautiful and the way he captures the smoke from the fires in Melbourne takes my breath away. Thank you so much and also great thanks to all the other writers and artists because I love their work just as much. When ever I see the new Scene4 Magazine I start to smile before I start to look at it. Thank you for adding joy to my life.
Mikael Wagner
Making Sense of It All
"Human beings are the only creatures on earth with the potential to make themselves the only creatures on earth." As usual, Michael Bettencourt has that marvelous writing skill to merge cynicism and optimism into a stand-still overview of the human condition. I only wish that he were there every day. But Scene4 is a monthly. It's a long wait for good writing.
Tom Pierman
Michael Bettencourt's column: Making Sense of Non-Sense
SS. Burrus
There is so much spirtuality in SS. Burrus' painting, so much rich and mysterious feeling. Thank you for publishing this retrospective of her work, especially of her last artworks.
Sophi Dietrich
The Art of SS. Burrus: Eye to Eye
Impossible Bird
What is so delightful about this display is that it is not a fantasy. It is real, and your photographs are wonderful, there really are black swans. Moreso, the portait of the swan, up close and personal, is a breath-taker, especially when it is presented on the cover juxtaposed eye-to-eye with Kenneth Branagh as Shakespeare. Happy for you that you are back in Australia and I gather that you are too. More, please, more.
Charla Tintari
Jon Rendell’s photography: The Impossible Bird
How Anorectic Can A Homily Be?
Hilarious as this is, it also churns my anxiety (which doesn't need much churning these days). A one long sentence that flashes through dangling its invitation to be read again and again. Very clever! But what happens is that my "future" brain matter collides with my "past" brain matter and raises so many questions, such as: Who the hell is Clementine? and How did your good doctor ever get a Ph.D.?
Louis Laird, Ph.E.
Arthur Danin Adler's column: A Brief Anorectic Homily On Time
Lives of the Lens
There's no doubt about it, Penn was brilliant and so is Freson. I met Penn once in New York and always followed his work especially his photojournalism. I believe and still do that he edited his shots in the camera, in his eye, in his mind and didn't rely on darkroom wizardry to capture and produce the image. How far we've come from Penn's vivid and nuanced portraits to what passes for photography today: filmless, paperless and mindless. Today, the camera shoots the photo, not the photographer.
Hans Ivganz
Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold's article: Lives Intertwined by the Lens
Banjerd Lekkong
Yes, a very world class artist. Janine Yasovant writes about him with compassion and trust. She lets him speak and he speaks with the passion and strength that he creates in his sculptures. He should be in the art headlines everywhere, but then we would lose him to New York and Paris and Thailand cannot afford to lose him. Bravo and thank you for this inspiring view of a great artist.
Timo Sunchai
Janine Yasovant's article: Banjerd Lekkong
Votes for Women
I think of Gertrude Stein's Tender Button, "Mildred's Umbrella," which one may posit has something to do with the Suffrage Movement(s). "A cause and no curve..." Perhaps sons, grandsons, et.al. should come along for this ride, too! A thank you to Karren Alenier for her report on this exhibition.
Teri Rife
Karren Alenier's column: Votes for Women
Journal Regrets
Whatever the reasons, Patrick Walsh echoes those of us who cannot reconcile our innermost thoughts and memories with the everyday life we lead. Journals are important, I agree, but they are also destructive and deadening in that they stalk our living memory, which continues to change, and make it blurred and forgetful. Who are journals for anyway? Certainly not the journal keeper.
Andrew Mendelsen
Patrick Walsh's column: The Journal I Never Kept
From Satie to Monk and Back
This is a very hip analysis. Thank you Gregory Luce. You give us a slant that spurs a thousand angles. The one that tickles me the most is what if Monk came first and Satie after. Would he lap up the great Thelonius? No doubt in my mind as his great protege Maurice Ravel drank up the jazz of his time. Monk still cuts through the noise and leaves space for Satie to follow.
Michael Aptrow
Gregory Luce's article: The piano ain't got no wrong notes
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