By Linda Ibbotson
There are ten sets
of poem chairs
at the Palais-Royal,
separate, together,
love seats
waiting for
conversations,
an embrace,
or for sitting alone
in the quiet hour
of first light,
your iPhone, a portal
to Baudelaire, Jean Cocteau,
or Emily Dickinson.
Under a small window of sky
you slip between
two worlds,
sip takeaway expressos
that linger
on the palette -
still, with words
that move through
the broken parts,
to make you whole.
Les confidents is an art installation at The Palais-Royal Garden, Paris, by Quebec sculptor
Michel Goulet and François Massut - 2016
The Importance of Arts, Culture & The Creative Process
“Thanks to art, instead of seeing one world only, our own, we see that world multiply itself and we have at our disposal as many worlds as there are original artists”
- Marcel Proust
Creativity is the very essence and joy of life.
We are surrounded by colour and design; such as the hexagonal cells of a honeycomb, the layers of an artichoke, palatial architecture or the calmness of minimalism, the clothes you wear.
It is born from a need for self-expression and imagination, evolves from nonexistence, experimental, playful. It is freedom, passionate, nourishing, evolving, a witness to our existence.
The importance of the Creative Process - It fosters a sense of togetherness, connects different cultures, encourages, grows.
It is communication without words.
I would urge for more funding and support for all the arts, especially creative projects in schools and youth programmes, because we turn to the arts not only for pleasure, but for hope.
Tell us something about the natural world that you love and don’t wish to lose. What are your thoughts on the kind of world we are leaving for the next generation?
With the widespread use of chemicals and pesticides in food production, land control and industry, the balance of nature has been eroded, and hence climate change.
Rare are the fields of wildflowers, wildlife and vital pollinating insects such as hoverflies, bees, ladybirds and butterfly’s.
Companion planting, biodiversity, sustainability, the way forward to nurture nature again.
The bonus is healthy organic food. I use organic methods and companion planting in my own garden, an Irish field.
When in Venice, I wandered to Campo San Giacomo, a picturesque square in Santa Croce.
Far from the tourist areas this was an authentic Venetian community. The children were tending the communal garden, artichokes and other veg (under adult leadership.) Others were playing on bikes, while parents sipped a glass of wine.
I hope we return to the simpler ways of life, of community and carry these life giving principles forward.
