Simon Silva- Art as a Means of Inspiring

This evening I attended a wonderful lecture and artist talk given by Simon Silva who is an artist and writer. His talk was so inspiring and his work was riveting. His use of color is what initially drew me but I was also captured by his narrative storytelling and his talk of nurturing ones roots. He spoke of family, morals and childhood. He talked about how the rough times in his life was what built character and made who he is today. He talked about the importance of a multi-culture society we are and how we must embrace it, how we are in reality, related to one another.

Something that struck me in his talk was he listed all the things that art isn't. For example, it isn't a filler class in your schedule, it isn't a hobby, etc. Then he went all to tell what art really is. In my mind I summed it to be "art is my religion."

Film Review: The Soloist - 9/15/2009

In class we reviewed a clip from the "Shawshank Redemption" film about the moment in prison when inmates get an opportunity to listen to music and to relate to the outside world. This moment in the film is very moving and it is a wonderful example how music is universal and how it can change the world.

Following this film, I screened the movie starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx entitled "The Soloist". It is a current film and reminded me very much of the scene I mentioned above except the entire films shares with the viewers how music enriches the lives of many but more importantly how it enriches the lives of two men from different worlds. Downey is a news reporter who is miserable in his divorced, rat race, stressed out world. He stumbles on Foxx's character who is a mentally ill homeless man. Foxx is a very skilled musician and lives to play his music. It is literally what keeps him alive. The story shows how these two men meet, become friends and eventually find themselves needing each other. The common thread is music. Music that is good for the soul.