the continuing conversation between art and life
treats for the ears
The bookshops are full of Michelle Obama's autobiography: "Becoming". Here is an audio recording of her reading her own words (on BBC), recording the start of what it was like to become First Lady. Click here to access audio recording, if you live in the UK. (I'm not quire sure how you'd access this, if …
Continue reading "Sudden Life Changes – Michelle Obama"
How low can you go with "low budget" video. Try Zero.
Listening to "The Verb" BBC Podcast (episode 3 Feb 2018) on writing, yesterday, on a bus, I was astonished and captivated by comments on writing, by A L Kennedy: What a writer should write: "From the writer's point of view, if you're not saying what it's burningly necessary for you to say, absolutely to …
Random words gathered from litter and woven into choir pieces for singing... https://vimeo.com/235406337 Music by Joshua Stamper; video by Ben Stamper.
For the first time, I watched "Rocky" through - best of all, the attached DVD commentary by Sylvester Stallone - who comes across clearly as a writer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6bLJrQE4QY He talks about finding the heart of the story - and how financially broke he was when writing. There are wry and ironic looks back - and …
Continue reading "Writing his First Movie Script: Sylvester Stallone"
"I don't analyse it too much, otherwise I'd freeze up and fall over, like a fridge". Interviewed at the Edinburgh Festival, on BBC Radio 5 Live, this is sparkling, fascinating, honest talk on political power, the world, the universe and writing comedy. The interviewer, Nihal Arthanayake, talks to him about how he goes about writing …
I'm always on the hunt for good pieces of instrumental music, because I find it gives me creative space: I can be writing words and generally being creative, without someone else's lyrics breaking in with their thoughts. The right music gives me a background and sense of pace. So here's a new album for my …
Basically, you need never be bored again. An immense archive of the great audio interviewer and social historian and researcher, Studs Turkel, speaking over 40 years with great thinkers, movers and shakers as well as people less famous - has been properly curated and placed online. This is America, talking to itself, about its hopes and …
Continue reading "The Art of Conversation – Studs Turkel Archive"
Mary Oliver on modern poetry, her writing practice, early morning as a time to be creative, and loving concern for the environment
I've watched with interest the dawn of curators describing their exhibitions to possible attenders. The small Dulwich Picture Gallery in London started really well with its director, Ian Dejardin. In a few minutes, he would tell us what to see, in a quietly enthusiastic way. Now this - the gallery has TWO curators having a …
Continue reading "CURATORS INVITING VIDEO – Dulwich Picture Gallery, London"
