Earth rising as seen from the lunar surface via Apollo 8 (Photo: NASA/Bill Anders) Lessons learned from the last U.S. election cycle are still being processed and discussed. A big theme for me is just plain epistemological: How do you know what you know? The strange and the unreal took over somewhere in this process, […]
The Optimism of Uncertainty
Howard Zinn (Photo: History is a Weapon) What is left to be said? Ten days in, I have read hundreds of opinions about the outcome of the election, conversed with sympathetic friends and family, sought for ways to stay grounded in this increasingly surreal landscape we now share in the United States. For all the […]
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Benedictions
Sally Mann (Photo: Liz Liguori) Finding fully immersive distractions to defend against the relentlessly ugly political news has become a daily ritual. Like so many others, I go out each day in search of sustenance in a landscape that has been ravaged by the locusts of lies, hatred and distrust. Protecting the inner landscape and […]
Pfaffability
Judy Pfaff at Wheaton College Judy Pfaff is an artist’s artist. Perhaps I should be more specific and say she is my kind of artist’s artist. And “my kind of artist” is a much bigger category than me and my friends. Legions of us have followed her for years, and we keep being compelled, enthralled, […]
Touchability
Edmund de Waal, detail, Princeton Museum Continuing with themes inspired by Edmund de Waal in his latest book, The White Road… In a profile of de Waal that appeared in the New York Times, Sam Anderson describes de Waal as an evangelist of touch. “Thinking is through the hands as well as the head,” de […]
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When a Stack of Bowls is a Chord
Edmund de Waal installation currently on view at the Princeton Museum With the publication and international success of his family memoir, The Hare With Amber Eyes, Edmund de Waal became a literary sensation before many knew he was, first and foremost, an artist whose specialty is ceramics. Notoriety tends to spills over, and soon his […]
Memory’s Truth: Three Memoirs
Family diary of Florentine merchant Pepo d’Antonio di Lando degli Albizzi from the 14th century (Photo: The Newberry Library) Memoirs have been around for a long time, but their occurrence increased significantly around 1990. Interest in that literary category has continued, growing 400 percent between 2004 and 2008 alone, which has led many to call […]
Guided by Stars
The Starry Plough flag, at the Irish National Museum, Collins Barracks We are going through a period in our history that feels like a Rubicon crossing. Decisions made now will have ramifications that will be long, deep and unperceived from our current viewing spot. Brexit was one of those ramifying decisions, and the U.S. presidential […]
Show Opens at Morpeth Contemporary
Sharing a few photos from the opening of the exhibit at Morpeth Contemporary in Hopewell New Jersey. Such a great night and turnout. My thanks to all who were able to stop by. The show is up through October 16. Deborah Barlow Ayami Aoyama Morpeth Contemporary 43 West Broad Street Hopewell New Jersey 609 333 […]
New Work at Morpeth Contemporary
“Circasan 2″, 24 x 24” on wood panel If you are going to be in the environs of Princeton, Trenton and Philadelphia next weekend, please stop by the opening reception for a new show at Morpeth Contemporary on Saturday, September 24, from 6-8pm. I will be there and would love to see my friends in […]