It was surprisingly difficult to come up for a theme for this Crate – somehow nothing I came across for a good while clicked in my mind. And then all of a sudden there were two – a video clip on Instagram from 1969 where art critic David Sylvester (yes, the same one who interviewed Francis Bacon) is speaking about the artists’ right to do bad work and one of the many newsletters I get (that I cannot find any more) had a piece about the establishing AI-free spaces, which she called sanctuaries. Add to this the recent election results from nearer and further and there it was. SANCTUARY! A sacred place, but also a safe place, a place of comfort.
- Surely the first thought, when hearing ‘Sanctuary!’ turns to classic Disney – ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”.
- Here is the clip by David Sylvester – “Artists must be allowed to go through bad periods”
- Speaking about sanctuary as a sacred place, let’s not forget maestro Umberto Eco and his ‘Name of the Rose’ (‘Το όνομα του ρόδου’ in Greek edition).
- In the 90’s, there was a brief period where tribal and medieval music trended (remember Enya?). Among those was Karl Jenkins’ symphonic ‘Adiemus’ from the very suitably named album ‘Songs of Sanctuary’.
- Sanctuaries are not only for people – as for instance this animal shelter in Ierapetra, Crete.
- Speaking of which, let’s not forget Gerald Durrell (here introduced by young David Attenborough) and the wonderful ‘The Durrells in Corfu‘ series based on his book ‘My Family and Other Animals’ (“Η οικογένειά μου και άλλα ζώα” in Greek edition).
- And saving the best for the last – ‘Mamma Mia!’ and ‘Bride and Prejudice‘ (Yes, Jane Austen but in Bollywood version’ and yes, I have seen it at last 5 times).
- St. Francis of Assisi and the blue bird by Frank C. Gaylord in Chicago.
So long and until the next Crate!
Bonaramis Art blog 