It's minimal, and temporary, but today's storms have brought some relief from the heat, which has seen 8 days in a row of 90+ F temps in our area. So far today we have only had 0.4" of rain--we need about three times that amount to ease our drought. Some parts of the county get it, but not here at the homestead. It's been unrelentingly hot and dry.
Dino has sent 7 images of his recent paintings. They are all quite stunning, very bright and colourful, immediately likeable. They represent part of his response to the virus lockdown, and mostly take a Nature theme for their subject matter. I'll ask if I can post some of them here on the blog.
Deb has completed work on her most recent Yorick series, 7 short animated films following the intrepid adventurers on their journey into deep space to find the ancestors of the three eldritch rats. The detail is overwhelming, and she has been receiving some very positive reviews. Here is a link to the series. Please feel free to leave comments on this blog.
In film news I continue to choose Fassbinder films, in chronological order. We recently watched his 4th movie, The American Soldier, from 1970. In addition we have now watched the first 4 parts to Berlin Alexanderplatz. Soldier could easily be renamed "Awkward Moments in Cinema," as this film contains more awkward scenes than any other movie in my memory banks. Fassbinder is still a kid in 1970, infatuated with American crime movies, and trying to create his own unique style. He certainly has his own style. There is not a lot to like about early Fassbinder movies, but the camera eye is certainly improving. The opening shot of three card players is a recreation of the Cezanne painting, and pretty funny in its static way. Now we know why the man is staring at his cards! The ending shot is probably the most awkward three minutes in cinema history, conclusive proof that the director is not taking himself very seriously. Likewise the maid's suicide. The director stars as a friend of the American, just back from Vietnam, who is being used by our favourite corrupt Munich police officer (from two previous films) to murder other criminals, along with the cop's unfaithful girlfriend. Hardly worth an evening out, at least we get to watch it at home.
Fassbinder's 4th feature, now showing on Criterion.
Turning to the DIA for today's landscape painting, Georges Michel's Storm: Quarry at Montmartre is very apropos for today. It is among my favourite landscape paintings, and I always seek out his works when visiting other museums.
Storm: Quarry at Montmartre, between 1820-40. Georges Michel, French (1763-1843). Oil on canvas, 28.5 x40", unframed.
Unlike previously shown paintings on this site, there are no spectators or artists visible. Instead, we are faced with nature in the raw, on a very dramatic day. One of the Barbizon painters, his work is always incredible and worth a long look. It also harkens back to some of the very best Dutch landscapes from the 17th C. Below are 4 details.
Mapman Mike
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