Wednesday’s Engraver
On Wednesdays I usually spout about some woman of note but not without endless resources. Here in Brazil while I am able to access much, it is in Portuguese. Also, and more important I promised myself a relaxed attitude to my daily post … especially in a environment where I am not used to being without internet at all moments of the day. So this morning when there was a lapse in the so far very good internet connection … I was a little impatient with the providers of my immediate good fortune … for which I apologise !
However, this space gave me an opportunity to look more closely at A gravura Brasileira na coleção Monica e George Kornis a catalogue of an exhibition in Rio during 2007 and two engravings that took my eye by Yolanda Mohaly (1909-1978) of whom I know nothing … I situation I plan to rectify
Weekly Photo Challenge … Symbol
I am, as you know on holiday … posting each day must be relaxed and without undue difficulties. So, killing two birds with one stone is a good option. While considering my post for Silent Sunday, I noticed than the subject matter is somewhat ‘symbolic’ and more so in the city of the torn off jeans!
I am an advocate of Levis and have enjoyed wearing them torn off in Rio for the last few years!
One Monday …
One outing on a Sunday afternoon we enjoy each time that we come to Rio de Janeiro is the walk from Leme where my daughter lives to Ipanema. It is about 6 kilometres and with a pit stop takes about an hour to stroll. It is carefully timed so that at the end we can celebrate with thousands of others as the sun goes down with a round of applause.
The walk along the esplanade above the beach, for Sunday only extends into the road as it is closed to traffic.
Instead, there is a jam of human traffic, on foot, skateboards, buggies, pedalos, bikes and more none without a dogs of every shape and size … to music!.
I grumble a little, as a Brit who likes a bit of order on the beach, road and the space in between, when in Copacabana while the cars are away the cariocas play without a care!
Silent Sunday …
CAMINHOS QUE FALAM
My son-in-law’s blog is worth a read …
On Thursday I …
On Thursday I joined my daughter, who is also a printmaker at her Print Workshop. Where she attends weekly for a monthly charge to make use of the printing equipment and the professional facilitator. It was my plan to teach her to do a reduction linocut and the need of registrations. For the exercise I bought from the UK a set of Schminke inks, that I had used early in my printing journey, when I was unsure of my progress. These proved to be OK for a learner, but I soon appreciated the value of better inks. So, this now discarded set might be suitable for the this session.especially as they are easily washed etc.
This proved successful for my daughter using as she was using easy cut lino and was able to hand print with a baren.
For using traditional lino it proved more difficult and more important time consuming. We wanted to do the reduction in day.
So while she was doing well (ish) I spied a nipping press; never having used one I saw an opportunity to learn. After some instruction I was able to do my reduction more quickly.
However, this was not without difficulties. The reduction plate had to be adjusted and the results we not as I might enjoyed at home with better ink and my hand printing or my kinder etching press.
I nipping press was not so generous with my rather hurried lino cutting. I persevered, and the result was pleasing as lesson in reduction but aesthetically not so nice.
I wonder:
How much should a nipping press be used with lino? Also, how much pressure?
Does a nipping press have place in art studio?
and the use of poor quality inks should be avoided at all cost!
Friday’s snapshot from a Museum
where the rain forest creeps in …
This week I have, as you know been in Rio de Janeiro and away from from the library unable to bring you a library snapshot.
Not a disaster, for sure, as there are plenty of other delights to record while here on holiday.
Nonetheless would like to keep to the library or museum theme if I can.
This week we visited the Museu Casa do Pontal described as being ‘o mundo da arte popular brasileira’ a lovely museum in a beautiful location outside the city centre; a good 2 hours on public transport. So the journey itself was wonderful.
Sadly, I wasn’t able to take photographs, but in some respects that may taken away some of the pleasure. I did buy a book (in Portuguese) so I will be able to ‘dine out’ on that when I return .
Meanwhile a couple of snapshots …
Alphabe Thursday … I is for Intelligence
Inteligência e ação
São as bases do poeta
Métrica, rime e oração
Que e origem correta
Tendo estas bases juntas
A poesia e completa
It would seem that; the ingredients are intelligence and action, then comes metre, rhyme and prayer
Mixed together the poem is complete.
Here I am in Brazil hoping that my family will help me with this translation … but domestic arrangements negate my desires … For instance; already we have had cocktails in a nearby bar and supper preparation, is it seems a little more demanding.
Also, we have an early start tomorrow so it it is a business as usual … even if I am a little happily drunk!
Wednesday’s woman … Maria Bethania
Wandering around the centre of Rio yesterday morning, we arrived at the Imperial Palace to see the exhibition to celebrate the 50 years of Maria Bethania, we found in the square nearby stretches of poems anchored to the ground with stones. Verses by poets such as Fernando Pessoa, Mário de Andrade, Sophia de Mello Breyner, Clarice Lispector and other authors influential to the Bahian singer.
The tribute fills several rooms on the first floor of the palace. Many works by artists, photographs, embroideries, ceramics, videos, paintings, installations from all corners of the country.
Weekly Photo Challenge
I had no difficulty with fulfilling this week’s challenge. This door, discovered me (here is a good place for an exclamation coma) in the favela; Morro de Babilonia where my daughter lives in Rio. The design is not unique in the area perhaps the work of the same artist or group. So it will be fun searching for other examples …
Coat Hanger Doll's House 