Further thoughts

Still Life at the Penguin Cafe

Seeing 'Home' has reminded me of the power of art. It harnessed the artistic medium of film to send a message. Someone else who did this to fantastic effect was choreographer David Bintley, with his piece 'Still Life at the Penguin Cafe'. It is an 8-section dance piece, which is about endangered species and our destruction of same. It begins with a voiceover by Jeremy Irons which tells of how mankind has recently caused the extinction of the Great Auk.

Each section focuses on a different animal. Each animal dances in the setting 'the Penguin Cafe' where the waiters are penguins and they introduce the piece by dancing with the human customers. The music was composed by Simon Jeffes, whose ensemble is called The Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

I was introduced to it for GCSE Dance and it has stayed with me as one of my favourite ever dance pieces. The dancers, choreography, costumes, music and message are all very beautiful.

These two links are both for the 'zebra' section - my personal favourite. Very soulful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiXeqkKSuDM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh0TPvus7r4

In case you didn't get it (like some of the utter numpties who have commented on these vids) the ladies in this number are representing the fashion industry and how it exploits animals. Thankfully these days there are a lot more laws governing this kind of thing - fur, crocodile skin etc. But it's not over, so it is still poignant. The ladies are wearing zebra skulls on their heads.

These are real zebras.
This is a horse, but if we put stripes on it it could be a zebra. (jezzikart.co.uk - Original piece by Jessica Bradley 'Jump')


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAi3VTSdTxU
What about sunrise, what about rain?
What about all the things that you said we were to gain?
What about killing fields, is there a time?
What about all the things that you said were yours and mine?
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth, it's weeping shores?
Thank you Michael


If you make art, may you make socially conscious (but not in a pretentious annoying way) art.