life class

Here's the scenario: You discover an author whose work you love, then find out her latest (2007) novel is full of themes that are tailor made for you (art, war/history, London, love, social alienation and change) and wait for it to appear at the library. Actually reading it turns out to be somewhat anti-climactic, though. I'm still not sure why Life Class ("Barker uses three artists' lives to bear witness to the brutality of the trenches") was a bit of a disappointment for me, so I had a look at a few reviews ~ which were uniformly positive. The one that best describes the book for me, though, is this one, neatly summed up in these words: "...it is rendered with the quick hand of a sketch rather than the textured layering of an oil painting." I was looking for a Guernica I guess, something full scale and meaty. I definitely recommend it, though, as I believe my expectations were a little unrealistic.

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I have some links from Rudy stashed away for summer browsing. Enjoy.

Painted Billboards from Pakistan: http://pakistaniat.com/2008/02/23/pakistan-lollywood-billboard-art/

Painted Trucks also from Pakistan: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abro/sets/72157594312151038/

Rice Paddy Art from Japan:
http://www.pinktentacle.com/2008/06/rice-paddy-art-in-yamagata/

"Artlog is part social network, part gallery directory, and part portfolio display case"
http://mashable.com/2008/06/04/artlog/

Historical photos from the Smithsonian: http://flickr.com/photos/smithsonian/

Photographing Light:
http://www.lightmark.de/overview.htm

Really big drawings: http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/06/largest-human-made-art-on-earth.html
http://www.jimdenevan.com/images.htm