Monday, July 07, 2008

The Power of Art DVD's (Simon Schama)

There is a series of DVD's put out by the BBC with Simon Schama narrating on the Power of Art.
The three DVD series highlights Caravaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt, David, Turner, Van Gogh, Picasso and Rothko. I picked up the Picasso/Rothko video and it was sooo well done.

Simon Schama posed a number of questions in this video:
Can art cut through the white noise of daily life?
Can art connect us with the basic emotions that make us human- ecstasy, anguish, desire, terror?

He says the power of art is to take people somewhere where they would recover their humanity.

Mr. Schama says that you can tell a great work of art when you turn your back on it and you can still feel its presence.

This video really spoke to me. I completely resonated with what he had to say! I so agree with him that great art grabs you and won't let you go.

If you go to the BBC site, you will see the synopsis of these videos.
Got some time? Find/rent/buy these DVD's.
They are completely worth your time.