One of so many tragedies occuring in Egypt and surrounding countries...

Have a read of Judith Dobrzynski's superb blog Real Clear Arts for a little insight:

Details on Bombing At Cairo Museum

January 26, 2014 by Judith H. Dobrzynski Leave a Comment

Renewed bombing in Cairo has destroyed the highly decorated facade of the Museum of Islamic Art there, and severely affected much of the art and artifacts inside. The damage occurred on Friday, when a powerful car bomb exploded in front of the adjacent headquarters of the security police, according to Ahramonline.  The bomb, which killed four people and injured dozens more, also damaged the nearby Egyptian National Library and Archives building.

It’s unclear what can be salvaged inside the building, which dates to the 19th century. The collection includes wood, metal, ceramic, glass, crystal, and textiles objects “of all Islamic periods from all over the world.” Ahramonline said:

“The museum building is in a real mess,” said [Minister of State for Antiquities Mohamed] Ibrahim, describing the interior of the museum as “topsy-turvy.” According to Ibrahim, a number of ceilings inside the building collapsed, and some artefacts were damaged.
“Until now I cannot move freely inside the museum to continue my inspection tour due to safety reasons, as the ceilings are still on the verge of collapsing,” he said.

The Associated Press article dated Jan. 24 has a full report, including:

Centuries-old glass and porcelain pieces were smashed to powder, a priceless wooden prayer niche was destroyed and manuscripts were soaked by water spewing from broken pipes…
…Ceramic and Gypsum pieces dating to the Fatimid and Mamluk periods suffered the most damage, along with ancient lanterns once used in mosques during the holy month of Ramadan. Of the world’s 300 rare lanterns, the museum houses 60, and five of those were ruined, said Rafaat el-Nabarawy, an Islamic antiquities professor….
…Among other destroyed treasures, he said, were glass pieces dating back to 750, including an ornate pot of a rare type of glass believed to be pioneered by the early Egyptians.
Other priceless pieces that were damaged or destroyed included a century-old wooden niche or “mihrab” used in mosques to point to the direction of Mecca during the five daily calls to prayer. Arabic inscriptions and verses from the Quran were carved on the piece, which belonged to Ruqaya, a daughter of Ali, a successor of Prophet Muhammed…

Today, the Associated Press reported that a UNESCO team was on its way to Cairo to assess the damage. UNESCO promised $100,000 to help the museum recover.
UNESCO’s statement condemning the bombing is here.
The AP also reported that the museum “recently completed $14.4 million renovation [that] included 25 exhibition halls, as well as state-of-the-art security and lighting systems, a fully-equipped restoration laboratory, a children’s museum and a library, much of which was gutted by the blast.”
The pictures I’ve posted are before and after shots.
Photo Credits: Courtesy of UNESCO (top), of Ahramonline (bottom) 

For the original article click here

26th January 2014

A rather belated Happy New Year to everyone! January seems to have whizzed by and Spring is certainly just around the corner, unless you live in the many parts of the world experiencing strange weather these days. We, in the UK, have had a wet & windy time of late and there’s a good deal of flooding still around. I also feel for my many friends in the USA & Canada who have experienced some of the coldest weather in memory. It hasn’t really had much impact on me as I’ve been pretty well tied to my desk or edit suites since before Christmas. 

The good news is that yesterday we ‘Picture-Locked’ IN SEARCH OF CHOPIN. It’s been more or less a 4 year journey so to finally say ‘That’s it! No more picture editing’ is a great moment. There is still a lot to do with grading, audio mixing, subtitling and credits but I do feel a mountain has been climbed. Am I happy with it? Yes, definitely. I guess I wouldn’t have stopped editing were I not. But more than that, I admit there were times when I struggled with Chopin – it seems strange to say (after life stories like Mozart & Beethoven) but there seemed to be endless hard choices about what not to include. As ever, summarising (in an entertaining, accessible way) someone’s full and significant life in only 110 minutes is always going to be a challenge. The first good news for me is that one eminent historian of the period and a key Polish Chopin Institute have all given a full thumbs up. The Chopin Museum in Warsaw want to be able to show it regularly in their (wonderful) gallery – and actually that’s the best recommendation I could have got. The film is not yet finished but that’s a good sign. A lot of time is also being spent on sorting out the film’s distribution….and that goes well too.  We will be announcing officail release dates soon. So posters, press stills, social media and all that kind of thing are being worked on. What’s nice is those countries want to take the opportunity to reshow MOZART, HAYDN & BEETHOVEN. Well, we’ll see….let’s hope financially we can at least break even! 

 In a musical vein, I’ve been working on the other music film too which is the film about Beethoven’s 5 piano concertos – with Leif OveAndsnes and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Having filmed (a 5-camera shoot) two more of the concertos in Brussels recently, we had a chunk more material to start playing with ideas in the edit suite. That’s always such an exciting, important and creative moment in any film’s life… This is a film that just has to avoid me messing up. I have the best music, performed by ‘the world’s best pianist’ `(The Irish Times) and a great orchestra. I’ve been hamstrung as always by the horrors of funding but I don’t think it’s impacted on the filming or the film…So I’m getting excited about that one too (which will be released in 2015). As for EXHIBITION ON SCREEN…we’re getting lots of requests for repeat screenings (To book a screening visit seventh-art.com). More on all that another time…. One last thing, if you’re in the UK, do try to see Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies at Stratford – brilliant.

27 November 2013

Now this is a day I have looked forward to for some time….  I guess I have been working on the IN SEARCH OF CHOPIN script for two or three years…tweaking, amending, cutting, revising….  Sometimes weeks go by with nothing and other times it’s highly engaged and productive.  Gone are the days that one could focus on one project at a time – and the EXHIBITION ON SCREEN project has been extremely time-consuming.  But I have always had Chopin in my head and certainly in recent weeks, as the date of final narrative readings approached, my mind has been very focused on this.   It’s one thing to have a general sense of things in a script – a note-form paragraph, something roughly done, a marker.  But when you know that within days Juliet Stevenson is going to be reading the final script and David Dawson reading the letters of Chopin, there is no longer any room for inaccuracy or flaccid writing. Everything has to be precise, accurate, flowing and accessible.

On the early train to London, I make last minute changes and alterations…As I walk from Victoria Station past Buckingham Palace to the voice-over studio in Soho, I am still going over it all in my head…Every word, one has to think how will Juliet and David deliver it.  The studio is a smallish basement on Berwick Street but they’re good. Except they don’t have a printer for three 83-page scripts…Possible delay is averted though by a professional printers next door.  Juliet is first up.  What can I say about Juliet that you don’t already know?  Simply one of this country’s finest actors – as well as being smart, sensitive, gorgeous, friendly and highly professional.  Choosing her to be the narrator of Mozart was a brilliant suggestion (by a colleague of mine in 2005) and being able to use her subsequently for Beethoven, Haydn and now Chopin is simply fantastic.  She makes sentences come to life.  Any of you that listen to her audio books will know she is a born story-teller.  It only took us two hours to read the whole script…and she did it so well.   Then in came David Dawson – a brilliant actor that I first saw playing Romeo in Stratford. I thought long & hard about the right voice for Chopin and decided that David was absolutely right – not only for the skill with which he can deliver lines but the ability to carry that mix of frail body but fiercely competent and endlessly sharp intellect.

By the end of the session, I felt as close to the ‘real’ Chopin as I think I’ll ever get.  Now it’s all electronic signals on their way, via email, to my editor and into the film.  In 20 years time, there they’ll still be…..it’s done, it’s locked, any faults are mine and mine alone.   There still remain two months of finishing the film but the end is in sight….

Sunday 17th November 2013

Middle of November already? Really? Gee. As always, my excuse for not having blogged in a short while is my crazy schedule. It really has been crammed – and no sense of it letting up. IN SEARCH OF CHOPIN is coming to a conclusion – and looking good. We did a guide read through of narrative and Chopin’s letter’s with Juliet Stevenson and David Dawson. This is always a very exciting moment in the production process when finally I can strip my voice out and lay in a top professional’s. All of a sudden both elements come to life….The final read is on the 27th November so all hands are on deck to ensure that Mr Chopin’s life has been accurately summarised into 1 hour and 50 minutes….with no factual errors! Luckily I have four superb historical advisors who will spot any mistake…. It’s been a harder journey than I had expected – finances of course but also in terms of creativity: I feel I’m having to leave so much out – whole periods seem to have to be contained in a short example of music, a letter or two, an interview or two and a bit of narrative. But imagine if I had to make a film about your life and try to keep it in a film of under 100 or 110 minutes. So much would invariably be left out…. That’s the trick. What to keep in and how to present it in a film that folk will enjoy. I don’t want to tempt fate but I think we’ve done a good job with Fryderyk: and the performances of Leif Ove Andsnes, Lars Vogt, Ronald Brautigam, Daniel Barenboim and others are wonderful. Should be releasing to cinemas in Australia and New Zealand in May – watch this space.

Talking of Leif Ove Andsnes, tomorrow I am off to Brussels to film the next stage of my film about the 5 Beethoven piano concertos – all of which will be played in the film by this master of the piano. We’re set up to do a 5-camera shoot (on stage) including a full dress rehearsal (so I’ll have ten camera angles in the end). I’m nervous but also confident it’s going to be great. Leif Ove and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra are a formidable combination. To remind you, this is for a May 2015 release….

Meanwhile, our brand EXHIBITION ON SCREEN also keeps us busy. The film from the Vermeer exhibition at the National Gallery was very well received with screenings ongoing. Art…and art lovers, sign up to the ExhibitionOnScreen newsletter, Twitter or Facebook site to keep in touch.

This Event Cinema is such a great new genre though – the RSC Richard II was in cinemas last week and by all accounts sold out. I saw it live at Stratford two weeks ago and it is a great show. David Tennant is super. I’d have loved to see the cinema relay but was busy on Wednesday at a Brighton Film Festival event – where Benedict Cumberbatch very kindly gave me an autograph for my daughter (an aspiring actress) and hoped ‘we work together one day’. Benedict, you’ve a fan for life now (me!). Another actor I think is wonderful is Henry Goodman – I went to see his Arturo Ui show at the Duchess Theatre in London last weekend. He is a ‘tour de force’ in it. I have mixed feeling sometimes about the heightened realism or exaggeration of Brecht but I thoroughly enjoyed this show – and especially Henry. If you love acting, go see this – quick.

To end, one sad note: Antony Caro died on the 23rd October. I really liked Antony and tried hard to make a film about him – even financing some filming of an installation he was doing in France – but simply couldn’t get a broadcaster on board. And now he’s gone. A great artist. One small postscript, just for fun: if you’re looking for a musical recommendation today, how about Mozart’s K207 – violin no1 in B flat major. And, if you fancy looking at one painting today, try the Double Portrait of Constantin Huygens and Suzanna van Baerle by Jacob van Campen. At the Mauritshuis, the Hague, Netherlands. You’ll think Suzanna is sitting right next to you……

31 October 2013

Hi all, just a quick post to let you all know that I am in USA working with galleries this week & will write a longer post about my trip next week. In the meantime here's something UK folk might well be interested in...
   

Dillington House

The Big Art Weekend

Dinner Friday 29 November – Lunch Sunday 1 December 2013

Art doesn’t come much bigger than Manet, Munch and Vermeer. Well, you could make up your own list but these particular artists will feature prominently during the weekend. In addition there will be presentations and discussions about the purpose of the visual arts both in the past and today. The timing couldn’t more perfect following hot on the (high) heels of Grayson Perry’s Reith Lectures on Radio Four. The documentary filmmaker, Phil Grabsky, will describe his involvement with some of our major galleries in broadcasting live, around the world, exhibitions of real significance and we will see some of his films. Early evening on the Saturday Phil Grabsky and Dillington’s Director, Wayne Bennett will be joined by a panel of speakers, including writer and art historian, James Russell, Chief Curator of Dulwich Picture Gallery, Xavier Bray, and artists David Chandler and Jenny Graham. They will kick off the discussion on what is art for today after which everybody will be invited to join in.

Speakers: Wayne Bennett, Phil Grabsky, Xavier Bray et al.

Although the weekend finishes at lunchtime on Sunday there is a further opportunity to hear James Russell who will be presenting an afternoon public lecture by writer and art historian, James Russell, who is on an epic mission to bring to prominence the life and work of one of England’s most evocative artists, Eric Ravilious.

Timetable

Friday

Arrival, tea & registration from 5.00pm
6.45pm Welcome reception and introductions, followed by dinner
7.00pm Dinner (wine included) followed by

Session 1 A Beginner’s Guide to the History of Art with Wayne Bennett

Saturday

Breakfast 8.00am-9.00am

Session 2 9.30am – Filming the World’s Greatest Exhibitions – Phil Grabsky

10.30am Coffee

Session 3 11.00am – Édouard Manet – Talk, Film and Discussion – Phil Grabsky

1.00pm Lunch

Session 4 2.00pm - Edvard Munch – Talk, Film and Discussion – Phil Grabsky

4.00pm Tea

Session 5 4.30 to 6.00pm - What is Art For Today?

Panel and Public Discussion

Phil Grabsky, James Russell, Xavier Bray, Wayne Bennett,

David Chandler& amp; Jenny Graham

7.00pm Dinner (wine included) followed by

Session 6 Marlow Meets the Pythons – two short films – Phil Grabsky

Sunday
Breakfast 8.00am-9.00am

Session 7 9.15am – Vermeer from the National Gallery– Phil Grabsky

11.00am Coffee

Session 8 11.30am– Putting on a Show - talk by Xavier Bray, Chief Curator of Dulwich Picture Gallery

1.00pm Lunch and depart

Click here for more info and tickets.

Residents wishing to stay on for the Public Lecture by James Russell may purchase tickets from the Bookings Office on 01460 258613

 

A Guardian article you readers might be interested in...

Grayson Perry shows us how the art world works - as a formidable cartel

Grayson Perry's opening Reith lecture - the first ever by a visual artist - hinted at the wholly undemocratic but highly dynamic nature of the art world, and it was fascinating

 

Click here to go to the article

The Esterhazy Palace, Eisenstadt, Austria. 16th September 2013

In the endless to-ing and fro-ing of our busy lives, it’s easy sometimes to miss the special moments. If I have to rush out of my house one more time with my laces undone because ‘I don’t have time’ to do them up, I think I might just curl up in a ball in a quiet corner somewhere and hide. Things now are SO busy that I work in 15 minute blocks. It’s presumably how a politician feels…endlessly trying to clear their in-tray and ministerial boxes. Therefore (get to the point Grabsky!) I made sure that I noticed and appreciated the fact that right now, as I write, my IN SEARCH OF HAYDN is playing in so-called Haydn Hall in the very palace in Eisenstadt, Austria where Haydn himself lived, composed and performed for so many years (on and off for 40). Indeed, we’ve made history tonight: this is the first film ever shown in this famous and revered hall. The Director Dr Walter Reicher of the Haydn Festival should be rightly proud of pulling this all together. It looks and sounds fabulous – and a real honour. Indeed, it was a thrill to see our film being sold as the key biographical film in the Haydn House and here in the Palace shop too. That’s true also in the houses of Beethoven and Mozart in Vienna and Salzburg – and for me that’s worth more than any great review or chunky award. If I can manage that for the Chopin film, I will be so pleased. On the other hand…I am also sad that the hall tonight is not busy. In fact, it’s a poor turn-out as the photo shows. Maybe 100 people. I’d really expected a sell-out. Monday nights in the drizzle are not ideal for films perhaps, especially as the festival lasts three weeks and the weekends are very busy but still…Now I’m beating myself up thinking why didn’t we send more flyers, hustle more radio, do more social media, etc, etc. I had a screening last night in Lewes (near Brighton) of Manet and again it was a small showing. I admit there was a big storm outside but still! I’ve had full and I’ve had not-so-full and I know which I prefer….I also screened The Boy Mir last week…so a lot of cinema showings going on and more coming up. All this while finishing VERMEER (October 10^th release) and editing IN SEARCH OF CHOPIN…and signing up lots of major galleries for next year’s EXHIBITION ON SCREEN. There really are not enough hours in the day.