A Painting of Cancer Cells Inspired by Carl Sagan
by Maria Popova What supernovas have to do with cancer cells. When she lost her friend Cathy to cancer, artist Michele Banks (whose stunning biological watercolors you might recall) set out to tell her friend’s story in the language she speaks most fluently and eloquently: painting. But she didn’t want it to be another “cancer painting.” Instead, she found unlikely inspiration at the intersection of the deadly disease and Carl Sagan’s iconic, life-affirming idea that we’re all made of “star stuff” — she saw a striking parallel between supernovas and dividing cancer cells. I was reading about astronomer Carl Sagan, who often expressed the idea that humans are made of “star stuff”. Curiously, Sagan himself also had myelodysplastic syndrome, or “preleukemia,” and underwent three bone marrow transplants before losing the long and difficult fight in 1996. This painting, besides celebrating the cosmic connection that all living creatures share, goes out to Cathy and Carl. Donating = Loving
William Utermohlen's Self-Portraits Of His Decline From Alzheimer's Disease
For over twelve years, William Utermohlen's mind slowly unraveled. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1995, and "from that moment on, he began to try to understand it by painting himself," said his wife, Patricia, to The New York Times. Utermohlen's self-portraits reveal his decline from Alzheimer's disease, but they also show an artist rediscovering color. In one piece from 1996, his face is painted vibrant yellow, and his shoulders are outlined in a streak of orange. Utermohlen was born in 1933, and developed an early interest in painting. Currently, Utermohlen's art work is on view in a group show simply titled, "Trauma" at GV Art in London (until February 18). Let us know what you think of the slideshow below in the comments section. 1967. Related on HuffPost: Video no longer available We're sorry, but the video you are trying to watch is no longer available.
5 timeless insights on fear and the creative process, how the aurora borealis works and more
Hey <<Name>>! If you missed last week's edition – flowcharting your way to happiness, inside the haunting world of 19th-century mental institutions, how your nose works and more – catch up right here. And if you're enjoying this, please consider a modest donation. 5 Timeless Insights on Fear and the Creative Process From Monet to Tiger Woods, or why creating rituals and breaking routines don't have to be conflicting notions. "Creativity is like chasing chickens," Christoph Niemann once said. Despite our best-argued cases for incremental innovation and creativity via hard work, the myth of the genius and the muse perseveres in how we think about great artists. In the ideal – that is to say, real – artist, fears not only continue to exist, they exist side by side with the desires that complement them, perhaps drive them, certainly feed them. Steven Pressfield is a prolific champion of the creative process, with all its trials and tribulations. Are you paralyzed with fear? What is the self?
Music and Art – Good for Your Soul and Your Lifespan
Friedrich Neitzsche once claimed that without music, life would be a mistake. Researchers in Norway claim that without music, art, or other cultural events, life may also be shorter and less satisfying. A new study, published by the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, reports that visiting museums, attending concerts, playing an instrument, and creating art are associated with happier lives. The investigators surveyed more than 51,000 adults to assess their leisure habits and cultural participation and their self-perceived health status and levels of depression and anxiety. Overall, there was a strong correlation between engaging in cultural activities and happiness. A gender difference was observed in the types of activities that men and women preferred. A previous study reported a similar association, extending the findings not just to happiness, but to overall lifespan. References Konlaan BB, Björby N, Bygren LO, Weissglas G, Karlsson LG, & Widmark M (2000).
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Why did Osama bin Laden build such a drab HQ? | Art and design
If the death of Osama bin Laden tells us anything it's that life isn't like a Bond movie. Rather than running al-Qaida from some spectacular Ken Adam-designed lair under the ocean or inside a volcano, Bin Laden ended his days in an exceptionally ugly and ignoble townhouse – a bland, square, flat-roofed three-storey block with few windows or other features. Blofeld or Scaramanga wouldn't have been caught dead in such a design abomination, while Bin Laden very much was. But does his style-free crib betray a wider architectural pathology? Is there a case that the world's most evil man was at heart a frustrated architect? Let's consider the evidence. Let's not forget that Bin Laden's own design experiments were regularly thwarted. Most of Bin Laden's other homes were similarly destroyed by US air raids at some stage. If their virtual reconstruction is to be believed, it shows some progress in Bin Laden's design sensibility. Fundamentalist terrorism's gain was the Ideal Home Show's loss.
Decoding "art"
Of course, it started with craft. The craft of making a bowl or a tool or anything that created function. As humans became wealthier, we could seek out the artisan, the craftsperson who would add an element of panache and style to the tools we used. It's not much of a leap from the beautiful functional object to one that has no function other than to be beautiful. Art was born. When art collided with royalty, religion and wealth, a match was made. And that would be the end of it, except the camera and commercial printing changed the very nature of art on canvas (and mass production changed sculpture). Hence the beginning of our modern definition of art, one that so many people are resistant to. Marcel Duchamp created a ruckus with 'Fountain', which appeared in an art exhibit in 1917. About forty years later, Yves Klein created 'Leap Into the Void.' Between Duchamp and Klein there were two generations of a redefinition of art.
