A is For ART

And Arcade Fire

Simple equation - You need to see art to make art. I'm not getting drawn into another high/low art discussion, because I'm post-modern, see, and I don't think there's a high/low divide. So by art I mean whatever you can get your hands on, especially if it's not something you usually do or see.

Last night, in the yucky, sleety rain, I took my husband out to the National Theatre in London. OK, not really, but we did go to the Ambler in PA to see a screening of Frankenstein at the National Theatre. First we hopped across the street to the pub for a swift pint, then we sat down to watch semi-live theatre in an old fashioned movie palace (pictures here, gorgeous place).

It was as close to being there as you could get and the production was stunning. The sets and music were breathtaking, but the acting, especially by Johnny Lee Miller as the creature, was off the charts. It was actually filmed beautifully, not overly orchestrated so that (most of the time) it let you feel the play unfold as the live audience does. It was exhilarating to watch and thought provoking. Check out this trailer:




My train of thought after the play went something like this: Does the creature have a soul? If he is man made, can man make a soul? Does the fact that he thinks he has a soul make him have one? Hmmm. The catholic church used to say that animals and woman did not have souls. Hmmm. I wonder if Qrs have souls...

Suddenly, I wanted to get home quick so I could sketch out a new scene, one where Hero and the Queen discuss the possible existence of Qrs' souls.

Art can do that, it can spark ideas like crazy. Go out and get some art.