Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Artists in the Calais Jungle



What happens if you're a refugee but also a dreamer? This mini documentary takes us inside the life of stateless artists who make time for their calligraphy, painting, or filmmaking. (Link to YouTube)
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Thanks, Dan

8 comments:

Joseph F Askew said...

I am surprised you are showing this, I imagined you were on the other side, funny how art makes us all equals. Thanks for sharing.

Eljohani said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Eljohani said...

James, you've consistently created high quality content across all mediums for many years. How do you manage your time to be this productive, do you follow a strict schedule?

Aljosa said...

Deeply moving and thought provoking. Thank you for sharing.

James Gurney said...

Eljohani, Thanks. I devote a few minutes every morning to presenting a new blog post, and when a new idea occurs to me for another one later in the day I quickly write it down, and try to stay ahead.

Aljosa, I thought so, too. I thought the production made us identify with the people who were featured, rather than looking at them as oddities.

Joseph, I realize that the issue of immigration policy is a divisive political topic. I haven't staked out a position on that, and I don't think this video is primarily focusing on that, either. As I see it, it explores how these people are able to balance their desire to make art with the challenges of living. A similar video could have been made with American living in homeless encampments.

Steve Gilzow said...

Beautiful, profound, and disturbing. Thank you. Not sure what it means to be "on the other side" in regard to humanity. One planet.

Virginia Fhinn said...

This video kept popping into my mind all week after seeing it. It's cold here, the wind blows and I go outside to paint sometimes, but then I come home to a nice warm house. I was lucky enough to have been born in this place where there is no conflict, and others were not, and it's not fair.
Art is the gift of all humanity, it's not just for those who have gone to university. It's not just for the rich. It unites us all.

James Gurney said...

Fhinn and Steve, you both said it very profoundly. This documentary spoke to the power that art has to reach each of us in our darkest places and give us a way to connect with others, regardless of our circumstances.