"The sharp knife of a short life

I've had just enough time..."


- "If I Die Young" The Band Perry


I see Beauty in many things. And like the ghosts that only speak to you if you notice them, they tell me wondrous tales. With my camera and my thoughts, I captured these as faithfully as I can to share with you. And by doing so, they gave me the reasons. And though the thousand reasons may not all be sweet and some indeed bitter; they are still reasons to live. Come to think about it, that is Life, isn't it?

Sunday 23 December 2012

Help KLPac, The Arts Need Help too – Part II



I've had just enough time to...   be pierced in the heart.


 A place to be creative...



I was asked by an artist friend just a week ago “Art… Luxury or Necessity?” I do not know the correct answer so I gave a personal one - “One thing I find in many of my travels - poverty and wealth never have any correlation to happiness. If anything there is a bias of happiness towards poverty ironically. To the rich, art is more often a luxury. They can do without it. And if they do enjoy it, it ranges from entertainment to passion. To the poor, after the essential of survival and if they enjoy art, it is quite often a need. A need to lift themselves off the depressing life they live and gave them hope and fulfillment. Like happiness, there really is no correlation but a bias and intensity.” I concluded by saying, that I hope I was making some sense. We could expand the term ‘poor’ from beyond ‘materially poor’ to ‘culturally, emotionally and spiritually poor’ and we can then understand how an organization like KLpac touches the lives of so many of us. It enriches the lives of the 'rich 'and transforms the lives of the 'poor'.


A place to chill out...


I personally think that KLpac is modest when they declare “while KLpac has served the general public, it impacted 3 groups – artistes/arts group, youth and the under-privileged”. Nurturing, developing, and providing the avenue for growth for the first group. Exposing, stirring interest and expanding the horizon of the second group.  Reaching out, touching them and giving hope for the third group. All these KLpac had done and is doing.



A place to get the rhythm...


However, KLpac may have impacted the general public more than it gave itself credit for. Many years ago in the early days, I asked a local singer, songwriter friend – “what is so different about performing arts?” It seems so, ‘inefficient’ (they could put it in DVD, couldn’t they?). I could not remember the exact words he said but some words stuck like – ‘communicating with the audience’, ‘closeness’, ‘touches you like no other medium’, before he went into the really bloody stuff like – ‘tearing out your heart and chewing it raw!’. That was when I said – ‘Enough!’ and dismissed him as those artsy-fartsy type. Chewing my heart. Imagine!



A place to have fun...


Then I went for this performance. And this beautiful lady sang till the tears rolled down her cheek. Those couldn’t be real tears could they? Not when she got to do the same thing again for another 5 nights! Then she stabbed me right in the heart from where she stood 10 meters away. I felt a piercing pain in my chest and a chill ran up my neck to the side of my face. Why are my eyes welling up? 

You came through such an experience transformed, humbled. And some of the words made sense for the first time. You have been touched. It is like a high. You went back seeking it again and again. You do not find it often but that does not stop you from looking and I believe it makes you if not a better person, a more sensitive and caring one.



A place of dreaming...


Oh! For that sublime, exquisite moment when your tender pulsating heart was torn from your rib-cages setting all your senses afire! 

Oops! I am going to have that term thrown back at me if I am not careful. It is the dream of every artist to be able to touch you this way. That is when the sublime moment is shared between the artist and the audience. What is more meaningful than to feel life with the sharpness of a razor’s blade? KLpac is the place where moment like this happened. For that reason alone, its fire should never be extinguished...



A place to keep our balance...



A place for the young and matured...


A place for the child and woman in us...


A place of magic...


A place to learn...


A place to participate...


A place to ponder...


A place of movements...


A place to reach out...


A place of sharing...


But I’ve not mentioned the one reason, which I do not have a photo which can do it justice.


It is – A PLACE OF LOVE!



9 comments:


  1. ★ineedathis added this photo to his favorites.
    Oh she is just so cute:-)
    Well said dear friend,
    Have a wonderful Sunday!

    A 1000 Reasons
    Dedicated to Oola who asked me that question which I put to good use in such a short time. This is how we travel Life, "as roads leads on to roads...", we will never know where it leads us. Most of the pictures taken in this series - 26 of them have never been published or seen by anyone except the taker :) Then the question about Arts came in last week and I was able to use both for this post in my blog to raise awareness of KLpac. I don't how much my little effort can yield but the result should never be due to a lack of trying or conviction. If not anything, it is to let those wonderful folks in KLpac know that their efforts are more appreciated than they realised. Kudos! My friends!

    Kathy_9
    Great shot and very profound thoughts and once again I find myself nodding my head and agreeing with you.

    ★onasill added this photo to his favorites.
    …-) this is wonderful. Well caught and a great additive....Kudos.
    Have a wonderful weekend Thou-San

    Rajagiri
    A truly candid shot...Love the expression on their faces..
    Interesting comment....

    ReplyDelete

  2. A 1000 Reasons
    "Keeping our balance" is among the most important thing today is the hectic, stressful and rapidly changing world. Old values are being subsumed by new ideas without firm foundations. The most idolized value these days seem to be more and more from the line of a song - "it is a material world". We have become "lost souls" seeking nourishments that cannot be found in our daily diet of accomplishments. Arts kept us in balance by putting us in touch with our feelings. With what makes us human...

    onasill
    Noving with grace...Light in their feete. Compliments
    ★onasill added this photo to his favorites.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. sethph88
      excellent!
      ★sethph88 added this photo to his favorites.

      ana_lee_smith
      The performer doesn't always find it either, thou, that transformative state. It's an instinctive factor that is both magical & elusive. It cannot be forced. Or falsified. And on those occasions the performer relies on technique to fulfill the illusion of that state. But once experienced it is virtually impossible for the performer to be satisfied with less. Is always hopeful to attain that perfect alignment that feels like a gift from the gods when it does happen. But, that same X factor is the elusive ingredient of all art forms , I believe. Performance & visual & written.
      ★ana_lee_smith added this photo to her favorites.

      A 1000 Reasons
      Yes, Ana you should know being a performing artist yourself :D
      Thank you for the insight.

      Delete

  3. A 1000 Reasons
    When was the last time you cried for someone else?

    Even if it is a fictional character. Or more so if it is a fictional character. Muscles grow with exercise. Intelligence grows with mental juggling. Our hearts whether to beat or to feel, becomes stronger through the blood that is pumped through it. When do a heart grows cold? It does through being uncaring and indifference. And if our heart dies, what is the worth of Life?

    ★onasill added this photo to his favorites.
    Wonderfully caught and your text is so appropriate Thou-San

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. sethph88
      fitting title..... excellent!

      ana_lee_smith
      Your eloquence speaks with the heart of a performing artist, thou. Well said!

      The headless sculpture that inspired Shelley to write the sonnet is actually in Egypt, thou. Of one of the Ramses (can't remember whether I or II) but he created the fictional name Ozymandias to represent all & any ruler/emperor/king/ power-seeker etal, not just Ramses. Truth is, I don't know who that is a sculpture of, that I shot at Dougga. It was my friend Will who made the fitting association to Ozymandias, (using the 2 key lines in his comment) just as Shelley intended.
      ★ana_lee_smith added this photo to her favorites.

      Delete

  4. ishratzakiasultana
    Good to know about KLpac with this lovely shot! One thing I must tell you that I've gone through your profile today and became highly impressed to see the justification of naming your stream a 1000 reasons. I appreciate your optimistic perspective! Also like the truly meaningful words 'roads lead on to roads and we never know where does it lead us...'. 'Wishing you all the best throughout your journey called 'life'!
    And don't forget to plan to visit Bangladesh sometimes to enjoy world's longest sandy sunny beach at Cox's Bazar, chanachoor at Dhaka and many more...
    Thanks very much for your visit and kind comment on my stream!

    sethph88
    lovely girls..... touching shot.....excellent image!!!!!!!
    happy holidays..............

    Eyemdreaming
    Your observations and insight are always interesting!
    For those without they seek within.

    nilliske
    Well done. May I wish you Happy days and a healthy and properous New Year.

    ReplyDelete

  5. Geo_grafics
    Threw truth and conviction you shall succeed :)
    The smiles on there face are powerful with your wonderful edit !

    ★Pagan Eyes and 娜 娜☂Nana added this photo to their favorites.

    娜 娜☂Nana
    What a lovely little girl... super cute capture !

    娜 娜☂Nana
    Happy Weekend and Merry Xmas!!
    My friend !!
    A Sweet night!! :)

    ★henrhyde (gill) added this photo to her favorites.
    Beautiful and sensitive image.
    Many do not see beauty --only material possessions.

    ★Gabriele Dalla Porta added this photo to his favorites.
    Ritratto realizzato molto bene, complimenti !!

    ★true companion and Steve Taylor (Photography) added this photo to their favorites.

    Steve Taylor (Photography)
    Such a wonderful portrait

    ★oola * added this photo to her favorites.
    lovely... sensitive... excellent portraits

    ★Geo_grafics added this photo to his favorites.
    You sure have an outstanding outlook :)

    ★娜 娜☂Nana added this photo to her favorites.
    Beautiful dance and pretty girlS :))

    娜 娜☂Nana
    一個女孩傷透你的心了嗎?

    ★Gabriele Dalla Porta added this photo to his favorites.
    Molto bella e dinamica complimenti ! ! !

    ★Steve Taylor (Photography) added this photo to his favorites.
    This image put a smile on my face

    ★oola * added this photo to her favorites.
    mmmm the delicacy and precision... you caught a perfect instant

    ★ana_lee_smith and Geo_grafics added this photo to their favorites.

    Geo_grafics
    And I believe this presentation is provocative art in it's self :)

    ★娜 娜☂Nana added this photo to her favorites.
    Beautiful lighting and Stage atmosphere ...

    ★Steve Taylor (Photography) added this photo to his favorites.
    I love this picture. Have a very beautiful Christmas and an interesting New Year

    ★oola * added this photo to her favorites.
    so sensitive... wow

    ReplyDelete

  6. 娜 娜☂Nana
    聖誕佳節快樂喔 !! .晚安~
    Merry Xmas:))

    ★Yasmin de light - on and off added this photo to her favorites.

    Yasmin de light -
    Such a sweet and lovely portrait of mother and daughter Thou. A wonderful vision of happiness and contentment. Generally speaking I think everything is relative - two people could have the same amount of money and still one will feel rich and another moderately off or poor. Spiritual and emotional wealth comes first in my book but the need for material wealth (or at least having sufficient material to survive and have something left over) is also important in that it buys us the freedom to do more things in life - including the luxuries in life. Though like most things in life nothing is certain or reliable so ultimately inner emotional and spiritual strength is the best thing. Wishing you the best in your campaign in support of KLpac.
    I don't know if you celebrate Christmas but I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year filled with health, happiness, love and prosperity. : ))

    ★i_still_believe_in_u added this photo to their favorites.

    ReplyDelete

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