A different tale

Tags

blur, elementary, haze, historic, inconspicious, inside, photography

The day of December two thousand and twenty, started with haze and drizzle, that kept some sort of lock over the day.

Still, face covered with mask in the train, we went to the city of Amsterdam, to visit the museum of photography ‘Foam’. Rarely do I make photos of photos. But there are other elements. My photos taken in the museum are given below, together with a few from the journey back home.

stubborn element (detail)

stubborn element (whole)

Now more than in earlier times, there is the need for refreshment of air within buildings.

grate for air vent (one)

Grate for air vent (two)

The artist Jan Schoonhoven might have found inspiration.

Grate for air vent (detail of one, B&W)

Somewhat hidden, there is a call for connectivity, dating from more than half a century ago.

electric wire and plugs

A crack in the window captures the focus.

crack in the window, museum Foam

Outside is different, but the view is still influenced. And strong light placed near historic facades of homes deviates the focus.

two lights near historic facade

While looking outside through the train windows, images are mirrors of movement.

speeds blurs the view outside (one)

There was no storm, just a train passing.

speed blurs the view outside (two)

• abstract
• archeology
• art
• Art competition
• assemblage
• creation
• Dada
• death
• Decay
• defense
• demography
• destruction
• development
• Figurative art
• France
• graphics
• Greece
• History
• inconspicious
• inside
• installation
• internet
• kunst
• landscape
• Le Pays
• mental health
• mushrooms
• nature
• natuur
• outdoor
• painting
• philosophy
• photography
• poem
• poetry
• poezie
• retirement
• rocks
• society
• street photography
• structure
• Uncategorized
• Urban nature

Message to suburban elements

Tags

environment, evolution, History, image, poetry, time

In order to divert your obsessive thinking about poor developments in the world order, close your eyes and ears, and take note:

What’s up there?

What’s there / up there?
just look, and think:
why?

Now that you are attentive, consider this:

Itching

Thre thre thre / dam ach sto gho per /

sell Rome never / sell less than ever /

you say words / just that /

words that itch / just that

empty mouth / movements

in vain action / of jaw muscles

The solution will not arrive from understanding, but acception might.

Clear water

Clear water is essential / in the acception of future events /

even if dark elements take control / over our movement /

and our experience gets blurred / by our inability to understand /

time / as the power of movement / and standstill.

Do not take things as these are, but start by improving yourself

Feathers and cones / Veren en appels

Tags

black & white, cones, feathers, Greece, philosophy, photography, poem gedicht

Feathers and cones

What drives the wheel

to move around

to the image

to be seen,

the words

to appear in ink.

Just three feathers

amidst the cones of

cupressus sempervirens.

 

 

Veren en appels

Wat doet het wiel

rondgaan

naar het beeld dat

te zien valt

de woorden die

in inkt zichtbaar worden.

Slechts drie veren

temidden van de appels van

cupressus sempervirens.

 

(photo in Edessa, Hellas, May 2019, poem January 2020, (c) Drager Meurtant)

Beds and Fences

Tags

bed spiral, fence, fotografie, gate, landscape, las hurdes, philosophy, photography, rural, Spain

People often buy a bed, when entering adulthood. A bigger bed, when living (and sleeping) together.

When getting old, the number of hours in bed often increases, even when sleep is more disturbed and irregular.

Then comes the time, that those who used the bed, will pass away.

In some regions, people tend to use the bed spiral base, that is left alone, for other purposes. Preferred is their use as part of a fence or gate.

Walking in Las Hurdes (Spain) in 2018, we encountered several such transformations.

Bed spiral turned into a fence (1)

 

Bed spiral turned into a fence (2)

 

Bed spiral turned into a fence (3)

 

Bed spiral turned into a fence (4)

One must not be surprised by the fact, that in the same environment, the number of abandoned houses is high.

House abandoned in Las Hurdes (Spain)

It need more research, to establish whether the transformation of (usable?) bed spirals inherited from parents or grandparents, is caused by unwillingness to sleep on such elements earlier used by people that have passed away, or by the wish to have better quality. Yet, the transformation into fences or gates has significance as signal of the border of states of existence.

 

“Curiosity and strangers / are good partners” (Las Hurdes, Spain, photos and text Drager Meurtant, 2018-2019)

Ensemble de Creatures and l’Autre Ensemble de Creatures

Tags

assemblage, collage, creation, kunst, painting, philosophy, poem, poetry, recycling-art, schepping, surrealistic

In 2014, and again in 2018-2019, artwork came into existence, that may be seen as ‘Ensemble de Creatures’

In 2014, en opnieuw in 2018-2019, ontstond een kunstwerk dat gezien wordt als een ‘Ensemble de Creatures.

(1) Ensemble de Creatures (2014)

Some creatures / placed behind glass and it’s double / others in front / all take their place / that is determined / by the other.

The house is a dream / which is within reach and / the cage protects against breakage.

Wings need a starting – or resting point.

The cadre / points to the space / outside.

Sommige creaturen / geplaatst achter glas en wel dubbel / anderen ervoor / nemen ze ieder een plaats in / die bepaald wordt door de ander.

Het huis is een droom / maar binnen bereik en / de kooi beschermt tegen breuk.

Vleugels hebben een start- of rustpunt nodig.

Het kader / duidt de ruimte / daar buiten.

(c) Drager Meurtant, 2014 (mixed media, wood, metal, glass, ‘objets trouvés’, paint, 75x53x27 cm)

 

(2) At the start of the next ‘ensemble de creature’, this panel – having been used to separate the doghouse and dog run – was taken.

Aan het begin van het volgende ‘ensemble de creatures’, dit paneel was gekozen – eerder gebruikt om hondenhok van – ren te scheiden.

 

l’Autre Ensemble de Creatures (2018-2019)

Already, the flamed / pattern of the wooden panel / held the design of this painting.

The nails of the dog / (think it was a bouvier de flandres) / added scratches, that were given company / by the cutting effects / of an angle grinder.

The fields that surfaced / became creatures of some kind / as colors were applied.

Het gevlamde patroon / in het houten paneel / bevatte al de opzet / van dit schilderij.

De nagels van de hond / (denkelijk een bouvier) / voegde krassen toe / die gezelschap kregen / door het bijtend effect / van een haakse slijper.

De velden die / aan het oppervlak kwamen / werden creaturen van enig soort / toen kleuren werden aangebracht.

Painting / Schilderij, winter 2018 – 2019. Poem / gedicht 6 Augustus 2019.

Alle text and images (c) Drager Meurtant.

http://www.meurtant.exto.org

Judges Report Final Round Figurative Art in Three Dimensions

Tags

3-D, abstract, Dada, decision, fotografie, installation, instruction, jury, kunst, nothingness, photography, ready-made, report, Spain, subversive, three-dimensional, wall

XXth Competion at Art Center VIMOMUX, year 2019

After thorough deliberation, trying to reach consensus and equal imput of the members of the jury, a final decision was reached on the three submitted art-peaces created by Drager Meurtant (NL, 1951)

During the process, the five members from the jury weighed the pros and cons of artistic protuberances, by applying the elementary principles prescribed for separation of figurative versus abstract (Instruction Report #A12B-567, 1983).

“Sorry Jean”

Art-peace One: “Sorry Jean” (2018)

Comments: the raw, primitive nature of the semi-figurative concrete relief, associates firmly with the wall and hence, the placement creates an actuality in addressing contemporary trauma. The integrative character expressed by the circumstantial placement on pre-existing background, makes the art an holistic event. The wholeness further enhances the pertinent relation with contemporary queries into the genesis of soul as sole force feeding eternality.

Decision: accept.

“Solitary Traveller”

Art-peace Two: “Solitary Traveller” (2018)

Comments: this ready-made, sculptural figuration really transpires the solitude, as the title implicates. By referring to the multiple miniature quadrants, the depth of research is enhanced, for the validity of use of objects – that in their history served a different role – in art practice, as this was first employed by Marcel Duchamp (Bicycle Wheel, 1913) or even earlier by the DaDa artist Elsa, the Baroness of Freytag-Loringhoven, with her Enduring Ornament (1913).

The blackish color reflects the loss of relevance of this art-medium for many art-historians. The use of one-sided lighting anguishes the perception by the viewer, in it’s ineluctable blow of the flow of time towards the end, without escape. In this way, the figure announces death, as already can be derived from the two title words.

Decision: accept.

“The Triangle”

Art-peace three: “The triangle” (2019)

Comments: the narrow margin lifting this work from two- into three dimensions serves a function as to elude from fixed barriers, frames and borders. The material applied, and the colors that follow at (superb) lighting are enchanting the spectator. With experience, however, the true meaning comes into vision: a play with prejudice, superstition and ordinary judgement. The host – when placed oppositive this well-crafted work, becomes a graft not able to suppress the primary reaction of being placed in a hostile environment. This conflict deepens the experience, since doubt opens the mind.

Decision: accept (special honor).

Members of the Jury:

Jacques de Santo Torres (chair)

Anna Viltan Navon (secretary)

Karl Hütting Wltack (member)

Vladimir Brosvokic (member)

Faith Runungongo (member)

Sense or no sense

Tags

antenna, antenne, connection, coping, Dada, digital, fotografie, gedicht, gezondheid, health, internet, kunst, philosophy, photography, poetry, poezie, verbinding

Where and when sense switches to no – sense, is illustrated by three poems and images.

Ears

The size of ears / devised to hear signals

of distant life

parallels / the loss of perception

from life nearby.

 

Call center

“Think simple and relax:

by moving this job to Asia / the lady has more time/ to go shopping

and that’s good/ for our economy.”

 

Digital death

We are digitally / close to death

after loosing three / of our passwords

and having forgotten / the birthdate of

our parents.

The screen will snow / and our ears hear

the whistle of / the amazone

going by.

(photos and text (c) Drager Meurtant)

Parque Tématico del Granite, Los Santos

Tags

abstract, fotografie, installation, kunst, landscape, photography, poetry, Salamanca, sculpture parc, Spain

In the province of Salamanca in Spain, close to the village Los Santos, there is the amazing Parque Tématico del Granite de los Santos.

Driving small and quiet road from Salamanca to Bejar, the parc is on the left. Huge blocks of granite, derived from nearby quarry, are placed as installations (see photos).

“if you are able / to put stones together / likes tones in a composition / the wind will whistle compliments.”

 

“The stand-still of stones is a dream that moves at a speed, unvisible for the human eye”

 

“The clang of rocks, hit by a hammer, produces a pain that can be tolerated by sculptors”

 

The artist puts a metal figure on rock: stone age preceded iron age.

the last sentence I leave to you…

Moment

Tags

abstract, condition humaine, coping, Dada, essential, fotografie, gedicht, kunst, philosophy, photography, poem, poetry

When emotions no longer

are stirred by elements

that pass.

When anger is frozen

by lack of a proper

target.

Then comes the moment

to turn the page.

Wanneer emoties niet langer

worden opgeroepen door elementen

die langs komen,

Als woede is bevroren

bij gebrek aan een geschikt

doel,

Dan komt het moment

de bladzij om te slaan.

(c) Drager Meurtant, text & photo, March 1, 2018

Water – H2O

Tags

assemblage, collage, Dada, fotografie, gedicht, kunst, nothingness, painting, philosophy, photography, poetry, poezie

Let us linger on the state of water, as fluid.

Laat ons stilstaan bij de staat van water, als vloeistof.

 

(1) Barges on the River Maas

Barges flatten the water / till waves / roll aside / from the prow, /

take distance / and break upon the river-bank. //

Reeds move / and dampen the billows. //

On the river /  the distance is crossed by foam /

that separates left from right, /

there, where the goal / has been passed. //

With eyes looking ahead / steers the skipper / the vessel /

towards another bend / in the counter current. //

Crawling crosspoint / in going / passed the mill-point.

(poem 2000, photo 2012)

(1) Aken op de Maas

Aken varen water, plat / tot golven, / uit de boeg / opzij rollen, /

afstand nemen / en breken op de wal. //

Het riet beweegt / en dooft de deining. //

Op de rivier / streept schuim de afstand door / scheidt links van rechts, /

daar, waar het doel / is voorbij gevaren. //

Ogen vooruit gericht, / stuurt de schipper / zijn vaartuig /

naar weer een bocht / in de tegenstroom. //

Kruipend kruispunt / in het gaan / voorbij het maalpunt.

(gedicht 2000, foto 2012)

 

(2) The Face of the stream

“The face of the stream / changed with the seasons . . . now it wore a gentle face”

 

(from: Morris West – The devil’s advocate)

(Het gezicht van de rivier / veranderde met de seizoenen . . . nu was het aanzicht vriendelijk”)

(uit: Morris West – The devil’s advocate)

(painting / schilderij, 21×29 cm, 2017)

 

(3) Currents

Still, I don’t know / whether to swim / against the current / or to drift along. //

For the time being / I watch what / happens to others.

(3) Stromingen

Nog steeds weet ik niet / of ik tegen de stroom in / moet zwemmen /

of me mee / moet laten drijven. //

Voorlopig kijk ik toe / naar wat anderen overkomt.

(Assemblage-collage, 2016, 30x21x3 cm)

 

(all texts and artworks by Drager Meurtant, unless stated otherwise)