"Dance, dance, otherwise we are lost"

Wim Wenders is one of my favourite directors. His work is so subtle, spare and beautiful. A true artist. So it has not surprised me that he has created an exquisite homage to the late modern dance choreographer Pina Bausch on film. AND presented it in 3D. 


Ms. Bausch saw art as a vehicle for social criticism. She wanted her audience to react as they felt. It didn't matter whether they simply liked what they saw. She wanted a response. It had to engage you - positive or negative.

The film premiered at The Berlin Film Festival 2011 and opens in Europe in April. I can't wait for it to come to Toronto. It looks magical and beautiful.


"Dance, dance otherwise we are lost"  Pina Bausch

Colour

At this time of year I fall completely and madly in love with this colour palette. Firey reds and oranges bursting with life and passion but beautifully balanced by plums, burgundies, grey greens and more subtle burnt oranges. Some people call these jewel tones.

The textures in the flowers and the old world vibe of this picture totally speak to me.

Both arrangements convey a sense and feeling of autumn yet they're filled with spring flowers ! Did you notice the tulips and ranunculus ?

Colour is definitely a seasonal thing for me. In the fall, it's jewel tones as in the pics above. It doesn't matter that there are Spring flowers in the arrangement. The colours remind us of the time of year.

The winter calls for deeper reds and burgundies with even deeper greens or alternatively wintry whites. In early spring I'm loving pale lavenders, blues and soft yellows which lead into the softer pinks, peaches and creams of late spring/early summer. And high summer is all about fuscha pinks, corals, hot reds and bright greens.

How does colour speak to you ?

Apologies for not crediting the photos. I seem to have lost the photographer's name. If anyone recognizes, please do let me know and I will gladly credit.

Modern still lifes

Robin Derrick, former Creative Director for British Vogue has a wonderful eye for composition and light. Last year he exhibited some of his very beautiful floral photography in London at The Old Train Depot in Battersea. The work takes its' inspiration from the still life paintings of Dutch artists of the 17th century. 

He collaborated with Nikki Tibbles of famed florists Wild at Heart, who created the magnificent arrangements. Have a look.....

A close up of the large rectangular photograph seen above.

You can get a behind the scenes peek at how the process evolved at Vogue.co.uk.

The last painting is from Jan Davidsz de Heem, painted around 1660.