Friday, April 29, 2016

"Vida Matrimonial" - A short story by Alejandro Bentivoglio


"Married Life"

"On the train I met a blonde girl who told me I was the man of her dreams. At first I believed her, but then I saw the ticket inspector approaching and I realized she didn't have a train ticket. As any other gentleman would have done, I paid for it without a second thought. During the rest of the journey we didn’t exchange one word. As soon as we got off the train, at the end of the line, I asked her for a divorce."

Taken from Alejandro Bentivoglio's book "Dakota/Memorias de una Muñeca Inflable" Translated by Douglas 

Thursday, April 28, 2016

"Zaepert" - Luxembourg artists claim another building before demolition

Following from the success of their previous intervention, 'Quartier 3', in Esch Sur Alzette (see post 2015 Ephemeral-art-before-demolition) the Luxembourg artist collective created by Daisy Wagner, Jeff Keiser, Sergio Sardelli and Théid Johanns, hosts a new intervention/exhibition with no less than 40 artists participating.

This time it's the former slaughterhouse in the 'Zaepert' district, rue Joseph Kieffer in Esch/Alzette. Before the building is demolished, the artists have occupied, shared and transformed  the 'Zaepert' space of 640 m2 into a free art gallery. The exhibition will end on the 08/05/2016 when the former slaughterhouse will be demolished. Here is what you can expect, but only for a little time:






























Saturday, April 23, 2016

"A Man Is An Island" - Από τον John Donne, στο Γιώργο Θεοτοκά, στον Paul Simon


Τα περίφημα λόγια του John Donne δεν γράφτηκαν ποτέ σαν ποίημα. Ήταν απόσπασμα ενός κειμένου γραμμένου το 1624 με τίτλο Meditation 17, από το έργο του Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions. Με τα αγγλικά και την ανάλογη ορθογραφία της εποχής, το κείμενο έλεγε:

'No man is an iland, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee....'
John Donne
Meditation 17
Devotions upon Emergent Occasions

Στο βιβλίο του "Ώρες Αργίας" του 1931, ο Γιώργος Θεοτοκάς επικεντρώνεται στο αιγαιοπελαγίτικο νησί, του δίνει φωνή και πρόσωπο και αυτό μιλάει και λέει:

"Είμαι όλο φως, νιότη, χαρά και ελευθερία [...] Πιο μακριά, ολόγυρα μου, σεισμοί και καταποντισμοί, κόσμοι γεννιούνται, κόσμοι πεθαίνουν. Εγώ δεν σκοτίζομαι για τίποτα. Καμαρώνω τα λευκά πανιά που καθρεφτίζονται στα νερά μου, τα αγόρια και τα κορίτσια που φιλιούνται μεσ' στα αμπέλια μου, και γελώ με τα βαριά και μάταια κονταροχτυπήματα των ανθρώπων και των θεών. Είμαι ο αιθέριος πύργος απάνω από τις φουρτούνες. Είμαι πάντα Εγώ..."
Γιώργος Θεοτοκάς
"Ώρες Αργίας" του 1931

Και ο Paul Simon στο τραγούδι "I am a rock" σαν να μελοποιεί την παραπάνω υποθετική συζήτηση παίρνοντας όμως περισσότερο το μέρος του Θεοτοκά με τους στίχους:

"...I have my books
And my poetry to protect me;
I am shielded in my armour,
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries."
Paul Simon 
"I am a rock"
from the album "The Paul Simon Songbook" (1965)
Listen to:
Simon and Garfunkel - I am a rock