the late Leonard Cohen
It’s been a
strange year. Thank goodness for the culture that helps us make sense of things
and navigate ourselves through it all. Here are some my own personal highlights
from things I’ve read, seen, listened to and experienced this year, old and
new. I guess you could call them recommendations.
writer and songwriter,Willy Vlautin
Books:
‘The Free’,
Willy Vlautin
‘Born To
Run’, Bruce Springsteen
‘On Being
An Artist’- Michael Craig Martin
‘Night
Studio: A Memoir of Philip Guston’- Musa Meyer (the artist’s daughter)
‘Killing
and Dying’-- Adrian Tomine
‘Lean On
Pete’- Willy Vlautin
‘Us’- David
Nicholls
‘Journey To
Nowhere: The Saga Of The New Underclass'- Dale Maharidge and Michael Williamson
an extract from 'Hortisculpture' in 'Killing and Dying' by Adrian Tomine
Exhibitions:
‘My Back To
Nature’-George Shaw at the National Gallery, London
‘Quick
Light’-Alex Katz at The Serpentine Gallery, London
‘Tragic
Forms’-Ken Currie at Flowers East Gallery, London
‘Abstract
Expressionism’ at The Royal Academy of Arts
a painting by George Shaw from his excellent 'My Back To Nature' exhibition
Records:
‘Flotus’-
Lambchop
‘You Want
It Darker’- Leonard Cohen
‘Winter Garden’-
Eraldo Bernocchi, Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie
‘Astronaut
Meets Appleman’- King Creosote
‘You Can’t
Go Back If There’s Nothing To Go Back To’- Richmond Fontaine
King Creosote
Films and
DVDs:
‘Fear
Itself’
‘The
Warriors (Ultimate Director’s Cut)’
….
I’m
struggling to recall any particular films or things I’ve watched that have
stayed with me. I seem to watch less and less these days.
70's movie classic, 'The Warriors'
Event of
the Year:
Bruce Springsteen
at the Ricoh Stadium, Coventry
The Boss.
Happy New Year....
