MOMENTS OF PLEASURE - OUR LENS ON THE WORLD

While most of us would not claim to be an artist, with a bit of gentle persuasion, we might admit to being artistic, and given the right tools and plenty of time to learn we could thrash out a fair still life in oils, or a recognizable landscape in watercolors, or a usable cup in clay. But with a camera, we can be artistic in perhaps the most immediate, direct way of all; just by observing the world around us.

Not even 20 years ago a camera was a cumbersome and complex piece of engineering, and the preserve of ‘the photographer’. Today, the opposite is true. Everyone has one in their pocket that’s every bit as sophisticated, and taking a photograph is as easy as switching on a light.

But the camera also has a superpower. It has the ability to allow us to be artistic even when we are not using it; just by being in our pocket it makes us more aware of the world around us. Walking along the street, beside a river or up in the hills, with a camera in our pocket, we are unintentionally scanning for a moment to capture; unconsciously poised to take the photograph as it appears to us. With a camera in our pocket, our artistic superpower is switched on the moment we leave the house.

That’s not to say taking good photographs is easy. Far from it. It’s is a skill to learn and it can be difficult and challenging. Correct framing, good light, angles, subject, time of day… all need consideration. But with such immediate results, and with easy to use technology, we can progress quickly and develop an artistic style of our own in a very organic way.

Armed with our camera we naturally, almost effortlessly see the world a little differently. We instinctively look for things that are interesting, funny, moving, and unusual to capture. We look up at the sky and up at buildings, or down on the ground, or into the distance. We do it because we have a camera in our pocket. And even if we don’t use it, we still look, and we still see the world a little differently. Our camera has opened our eyes. And while we may not be about to be exhibited or claim to be an artist, and even if we don’t take the picture, we see it; we see the world through a new, artistic, lens.

AN INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS

When discussing the value of arts and culture, we should start with its intrinsic value – how it illuminates our lives and enhances our world. 

"Art for art's sake," the English rendering of a French slogan from the early 19th century, "l'art pour l'art," expresses a philosophy of the intrinsic value of art - one that needs no justification or that it need serve no political, academic, or moral function. We participate in the arts because we enjoy doing so, and it is an enriching experience. Besides being an enjoyable experience to many - art broadens horizons and promotes personal growth.  In addition to intrinsic, art also has an educational, economic, and social value. Arts education is vital for our development as individuals - stimulating creative thought, analysis, and opinion-making skills. Among the economic outcomes of the arts is consumer spending on art activities within our local economy and significant employment within the arts sector. And lastly, the arts have a significant positive impact on social outcomes. From the increased knowledge of social issues and the empowerment of all identities; it serves as a vehicle for raising awareness of issues around social justice; as a mechanism for promoting mental health; it contributes to increased self-confidence and social skills; and finally, the arts create inclusion and a sense of community.  During COVID -19, artists have brought solace and teased out smiles when it was almost unthinkable. At the same time, our arts organizations have re-imagined programs to share moments in time, and experiences with old friends and new acquaintances. The creative sector will soon be in line to work with our young people as they start to regain their footing and separate from the shock of our collective lockdown.  The relationship between the arts and social change is not a straightforward one – philanthropists must play the long game and support art for its capacity to help us think deeply, critically, and beautifully. As we begin the cautious pivot to re-opening and recovery, let's work together and keep our artists and cultural organizations flourishing.  Because now is the time for more art, not less.

Together, we can do this!

Molly

121 pieces, 56 artists, 25 countries. The World Takes a Breath opens April 18, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Molly Demeulenaere

Paper Plane Consulting

www.paperplaneconsulting.com

US +1 617-875-3175 UK +44 (0) 776 992 7772

molly@paperplaneconsulting.com

Exhibition website: www.theworldtakesabreath.com

The World Takes A Breath

An online exhibition of artistic and creative responses to COVID-19

121 pieces, 56 artists, 25 countries. The World Takes a Breath opens April 18, 2020, to answer this question. Can anything good come out of COVID -19?

The World Takes a Breath is curated and produced by museum professionals and experiential geeks, Rob Warren and Molly Demeulenaere. The couple split their time between the US and the UK and are co-founders of the boutique museum consultancy, Paper Plane Consulting. They spend their days' fundraising for innovative projects, creating exhibitions, and designing museum collateral. Rob and Molly launched this project to highlight artists and art during the global shutdown when galleries and museums are closed to the public. They are also curious about the possible positives that can come from having the entire world focused on a singular subject. Something that has never happened in their lifetimes.

Rob Warren says, "we want to show work that shines a light on a 'better future,' and asks can this adversity somehow unite a divided world?" Demeulenaere adds, "will there be benefits from a worldwide social and industrial shut down? Will the case for global warming be more accepted after seeing the precise data around the reduction of human-generated pollution?"

Broken into four elements of the air we breathe, the galleries are nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide. Within the galleries, artists are represented in fine art, sculpture, photography, poetry and prose, film, and various documentations of creative sessions while in quarantine. Many new works have been created for this exhibition, and others have been reinterpreted as the artist's consider their new normal. There will be multiple live stream events throughout the life of the exhibition, and due to the overwhelming response of interested artists and creatives, new work will be unveiled each month.

For more information or interviews, please contact Molly Demeulenaere or Rob Warren.

For artists interested in submitting work, please submit your proposal through the web portal at www.theworldtakesabreath.com.

PAPER PLANE CONSULTING – www.paperplaneconsulting.com

A boutique museum consulting firm, founded by experiential geeks with a sense of wonder, strong business acumen, and bold creativity. Graphic Design USA recently awarded them a 2019 Graphic Design Award for the ART ON TWO WHEELS Exhibition Catalog.