From Cheers to Chess

Marcel Duchamp, French artist born from a traditional family of artists in the nineteenth century, on July 28th, was a revolutionary son of sun, a Leo, the king from the zodiac. He also used the rare name of Rrose Sélavy, but as odd as it sounded it was more than a pun, for it was something that in the French language could be transformed as a paraphrase "Eros, c'est la vie", which translates to English as "Eros, such is life". It has also been read or rather ready as an idiomatic expression such as "arroser la vie" which in English would mean "to make a toast to life".

In his late days Duchamp decided to devote the rest of his life on playing chess and he became so obsessed with its studies and schemes as much as the possible positions of each piece that some would say he dropped his artworks for good. He got the title of chess master, he performed his new art in the Olympiads of 1928 and 1933, and even played with the pioneer musician John Cage in an innovative process of exploring music using a series of photoelectric cells underneath each square of the chessboard which sounded in sporadic and spasmodic ways.

ENTRANCE(In Trance ENTREACT/EXTRACT

Powaqqatsi

Powaqqatsi means a sorcerer sucking out the life out of a body, or a parasitic way of life, like a zoombie transiting through life, in Hopi language. How many people live their own lives like Powaqqatsi?

In this movie by Italian director Godfrey Reggio, we can see how human beings are equal all over the world, how they react exactly the same in so many cultures, religions, places, or countries around this planet. It starts with the images of Serra Pelada, where workers like ants climb and descend a huge pile of people. Sebastiao Salgado, Brazilian photographer, also reflected that in his own lens. It also shows some parts of Santos, Cubatao and other big cities throughout the world. A Choreography of images no words would be able to describe, but only to watch and not to reflect about it would be a way of saying the name itself over and over again: Powaqqatsi

A Brazilian Artist Conquers Broadway

Actor Paulo Szot, winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading role in the musical "South Pacific" dedicates his Tony to all the Brazilian artists who struggle to survive and strive in the media for national and international re-cognition. He who, like me, spent his childhood in the small city of Ribeirao Pires, and wanted to be a dancer only to have his dream frustrated by a knee injury and decided to give a step further into his career when heard someone saying that he sang well. Now he has the whole musical theater world in his hand. He knows about the limitations that the artists in Brazil have to go through every day but to whom he openly sends his heart.

Thank YOU, Paulo!! So well deserved prize.