The passionate Isabel Allende on equality

Author and activist Isabel Allende discusses women, creativity, the definition of feminism -- and, of course, passion -- in this talk.

Transformation: Questions from The Field's Jennifer Wright Cook

I'm so glad that this is the kind of arts blog that already has the word "transformation" in its list of labels (tags). No need to add it fresh! :-)

I just read an e-newsletter from The Field's executive director, Jennifer Wright Cook, who is about to take a month-long sabbatical for the purpose of engaging with "me" time, transformational time. She writes:

Today, as I prepare for my seventh year sabbatical (yup, one month of transformational 'me' time, this August!), The Field's inspiring history and our artists' fresh desires, challenges, successes and even fears have got me percolating on the potency of transformation. I urge you to take some time this hot summer to ponder your potential for transformation too. Who or what has transformed you? Who or what have you transformed? You just may be surprised by your own transformational history and how it informs your future (and ours too)!

She also offers this TED talk by noted graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister as food for thought.

I wanted an official August sabbatical this year, too--it is my birthday month, after all--but will only have a weekend getaway (for birding at Pennsylvania's Hawk Mountain) towards the end of the month. However, I love the questions she's asking here, and wanted to offer them for your consideration, too:

Who or what has transformed you? Who or what have you transformed?

You don't need a lot of time off--ideal though that might be--to give some thought to these questions. We could be asking them of ourselves every day.

As Maddow would say, "The best thing in the world!"

OMG! This is such fun!

 John Bohannon: Dance vs. powerpoint, a modest proposal

Music by: Greg Brosofske (Minneapolis, USA based composer)

Dancers: Jessica Elhert, Bryan Godbout, Stephanie Laager, Edward Bruno Oroyan, Nelle Hens, Camille Prieux, Mariel Blaise, Gabson Nenaks, David Zagari and Marcio Canabarro

This performance originally took place at TEDxBrussels, on November 22, 2011
Information: http://www.tedxbrussels.eu

Ai Weiwei's TEDtalk

presented by TEDtalks

From David Byrne

Here's an announcement I got today from the always intriguing David Byrne!

The Venue Makes The Music - Creation In Reverse

I was honored to do a TED talk this year - back in February. It's about 16 minutes long and now, today, they are posting it online. It is also available as a video podcast, downloadable free from the iTunes store. I am hooked on watching these podcast versions of their famous talks, which they've had available for a few years now. You can carry them with you and watch a short talk from an array of incredible thinkers (many of whom are pretty well known) whenever you feel like it. Inspiring stuff. 

David Byrne

My own talk (it wasn't a musical performance) was based on the idea that the acoustic properties of the clubs, theaters and concert halls where our music might get performed determines to a large extent the kind of music we write. We semi unconsciously create music that will be appropriate to the places in which it will most likely be heard. Put that way it sounds obvious...but most people are surprised that creativity might be steered and molded by such mundane forces. I go further - it seems humans aren't the only ones who do this, who adapt our music to sonic circumstances - birds do it too. I play lots of sound snippets as examples, with images of the venues accompanying them...

Enjoy.

David B
Soho

Elizabeth Gilbert on creativity

Elizabeth Gilbert: A new way to think about creativity
TED Talks