In the late 1700s the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828) created a series of eighty etchings he titled Los Caprichos (The Caprices). An irrational thought or action can be a “caprice,” and Spanish society at the time provided Goya with myriad examples of ferocious caprices. For instance, Goya created paintings and prints that wryly scrutinized the Spanish…
On this day, March 30, 1890, Vincent van Gogh was born in Zundert, Netherlands. He once wrote: “What am I in the eyes of most people… a nonentity, an eccentric, or an unpleasant person, somebody who has no position in society and will never have; in short, the lowest of the low. All right, then… even if that were absolutely…
In 1774 Patrick Henry was a delegate to the Continental Congress held in Philadelphia. Along with his associate Samuel Adams (founder of the Sons of Liberty in Boston), they agitated for a war of Independence against Great Britain. As the Continental Congress proceeded, Patrick Henry rallied the colonists to unite against British rule, he proclaimed: “The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians,…
Today’s chaos in France evokes vivid memories of President Charles de Gaulle repressing the student and worker rebellion of Paris, May 1968. As you may or may not know, French President Emmanuel Macron used Article 49.3 of the French Constitution to ram a bill through the National Assembly without giving the Parliament the right to vote on it. That bill…
On March 4, 2023, six eco-extremists from Die Letzte Generation (The Last Generation), attacked the monument to the German constitution that sits just outside of the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. The story went largely unreported by the US corporate media. The radicals raided the Grundgesetz 49 (Basic Law 49) art installation located in front of the parliament building that is known…
On March 13, 2023, a brand new redesigned version of the Art For A Change blog was uploaded. Along with a revamped design, it offers larger images, clearer text, and improved navigation. Specifically reconfigured for cell phone users, it is a long overdue step into the future. I am astonished to think that I published my very first post on…
This essay is not about the Art Nouveau movement, but it is about famed folk singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. On March 1, 2023 Mitchell received the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. But first, before I detail my reaction to the award… a repentant confession. I’m writing this as someone who, once upon a time, was a youthful enthusiast…
