Art
Painting through the pandemic: How art helped me through grief and loss – CBC.ca
When COVID-19 began to shut down the world in February 2020, I was startling awake every night in a panic about my future as my parents’ only remaining child.
My sister Tej had died the previous year, when she was 52, and I was 50 years old. She was the person I loved most in the world.
Though we rarely lived in the same city as adults, we spoke most days, she calling me from her home in The Hague, where she lived with her daughter, or I calling her from my home in Toronto, where I live with my Canadian partner.
Her death was not my family’s first experience of grief.
Six years previously, my brother Bhaskar had died of a heart attack, leaving behind his wife and their two sons in California. He was 49 years old — the eldest of our parents’ three children.
At that time, I had channelled my energies into ensuring that our parents, who had retired in our home country, Nepal, would survive the loss.
This time around, I knew I was in trouble. I might not survive my sister’s loss.
I concentrated on holding my broken self together so that I might eventually mend.– Manjushree Thapa
It is customary in Nepal to take a year off to mourn for our loved ones. I let myself put aside my novel-in-progress and turn down new professional commitments.
In between organizing my sister’s memorial and settling her estate, I concentrated on holding my broken self together so that I might eventually mend.
Seeking solace
I sought help through therapy, Buddhist meditation, yoga, journaling — but mainly, I spent time with family in the Netherlands, Nepal, the United States, and of course Canada.
En route, I splurged on trips to Lisbon, Naples, and London in search of relief. My partner and I camped often, and trekked through the foothills of Mount Everest.
Along the way, I resumed writing in fits and starts, and had tentatively completed a draft of my novel. My partner and I were in the United Kingdom then, housesitting for friends in Oxford in order to spend time with my niece, who had started her first year of college shortly after losing her mother.
We returned to Toronto and settled into our new reality of quarantine, isolation, and heightened anxiety about ourselves and our scattered family.
I dabbled in a few “pandemic projects” to steady my nerves, listening to classical music, cooking tofu, trying out mocktail recipes, and reading Proust, before settling on one I’d put off for decades: to reacquire my lost art skills.
Returning to art
I had attended the Rhode Island School of Design in my youth, but had switched to writing afterwards, finding this discursive form of expression more suited to social and political subjects.
I’d always wanted to return to art — for love, not money — and had been stockpiling art supplies for years. But it took the pandemic for me to pick up a paintbrush.
I began by sketching simple household objects. The results were mixed, so I abandoned all hope of making “good” art and focused, instead, on keeping a visual journal of whatever was in front of me, or on my mind.
I played around with pencils and acrylics and gouache watercolour through our springtime isolation, painting the mundane: our last precious container of disinfectant; a houseplant; my shaggy, overgrown hair. I regained my grasp of colour theory over safe, socially-distanced summertime outings, painting on camping trips and a road trip to Lake of the Woods, where my partner gave me a crash course in sailing.
I could sit with my emotions, dark and light, as I painted.– Manjushree Thapa
Something powerful happened when I painted: my discursive mind — the overactive thinking mind — gave way to image, sensation, free-association, and feeling. I could sit with my emotions, dark and light, as I painted.
And I could reconnect with my younger self: the person I had been before my brother drifted away, in adulthood, into science and engineering, and my sister into philosophy and law.
I could appreciate how I — the impressionable youngest — had been formed by my siblings. I could feel their presence in my life.
I also experienced serenity while painting, and something else besides: joy.
“I love painting. I’m not sure why I ever stopped,” I wrote under a sketch of a dragonfly.
When I said as much to my mother, she replied, “Even as a child, you’d stop crying as soon as I handed you crayons.”
Painting through the pandemic has reminded me, mid-life, who I’ve always been. It has brought joy back into my days.
And that joy is mending me now. I would even venture to say I’m happy. I miss my siblings keenly, of course, but I’m grateful that I ever had their love.
Manjushree Thapa is a Canadian essayist, fiction writer (All Of Us in Our Own Lives), translator and editor of Nepali descent. She lives in Toronto.
Art
Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com
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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com
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Art
Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed
The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”
On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”
The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.
Blaze in the West Wing
The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.
About Somerset House
Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.
Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.
Art
Sudbury art, music festival celebrating milestone
Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.
The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.
Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”
With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.
The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.
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