Asian Landscapes

These photos were sent to me from a friend, a teacher I used to work with in Russia, so I thought I would share them. A mood of serenity perhaps with a touch of melancholic wistfulness is evoked; a temporary sanctuary from the pressures of work and studies. 

Reading a Russian novel on a Spanish island

While I was reading Saturday's Guardian newspaper I came across an engaging little piece on a writer's experience of reading on a relatively remote Spanish island. It was actually Formentera, one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean. 

"It was early summer and I'd gone on holiday to the island of Formentera, feeling particularly ragged and exhausted after a play I'd written, acted in and produced. I booked to stay in the same hotel I'd stayed in as a child, not knowing for sure if there were any other hotels, and arrived to find that it was on the top of a hill almost an hour's walk from the coast. So every day I set off with my costume, a towel and a book – Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, and spent the afternoon lying on the beach immersed in Russia, romance, philosophy and suspense. As the days passed, these worlds began to tangle together, Anna's soaring feelings for Vronsky, the white sand of the beach, Levin's discourses on nature, a quick, cold dip in the sea. I never think now about Kitty's frustrations, or the terrible suffering of Anna as she is forced to choose between her lover and her child, without remembering the long trudge up the hill to La Mola, and the sense of peace as I sat on the terrace eking out the last pages in the fading light. I arrived back in London, refreshed and restored; though I've never been back to Formentera, I've reread Anna Karenina many times."

 (Esther Freud)

To read the summer book recommendations by various writers and artists then try:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jun/17/best-holiday-reads?INTCMP=SRCH

A Real Community Spirit

On a recent trip to Canterbury, we came across these posters just outside the cathedral. It was both moving and inspiring to see people of all ages and backgrounds contributing to such a great and sacred work of heritage and architecture. 

A warming sentence starter: "I love my cathedral because ..." 

The Films of Michael Winterbottom

One of the most versatile British directors at the moment is Michael Winterbottom. I've found many of his films compelling and often moving. Apparently he enjoys filming on location preferably outside and with a hand held camera creating a sense of immediacy as well as intimacy with his cast. For instance in his film "A Mighty Heart" through continually panning to each character's facial expressions, he is able to convey their sense of tension and fear. Similarly in "Genova" again shot on location, he expresses an almost palpable sense of  loss and rootlessness as the family members attempt to come to terms with their grief. These as well as "Code 46" and "The Claim" are my preferred films and are the ones well worth watching. Admittedly some of his work doesn't really appeal to me but the films mentioned I enjoyed, largely on the basis of their exploration of character and how people could react in such unsettling circumstances. 

The director at work:

A Mighty Heart 

 Genova 

Code 46 

The Claim 

Here's a link to an engaging overview of his work:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/aug/30/michael-winterbottom-british-cinema