Tasha Blank‘s video manifesto shook us loose from a stuckness we didn’t know we had, mired as we were in the mighty anxiety of the zeitgeist, dire news, contentious opinions… The international DJ, dancer, coach, somatic practitioner and music producer has much to offer in the form of music, events, courses and meditations so you…
Read MoreA Body Language Vaccine for Stress and Overwhelm (S.B. Dworski)
Since the convergence of Covid-19 and the run-up to the election, I’ve been increasingly bombarded with homemade mini zeitgeist-videos expressing the pent-up emotions we’re all sharing during this rocky time. The best of these I forward to good friends; mostly, I enjoy a good chuckle, then hit delete. I’ve kept this one on my desktop,…
Read MoreAn Astonishing Poem of Instructions for Eating Persimmons and of Course, Way More (Reprise)
Yi-Young Lee’s astonishly beautiful poem Persimmons tells a number of tiny stories, and lovely very precise instruction about choosing and eating persimmons, which are in season now. What could be better: stories, poetry, something exquisite to eat..?
Read MoreYayoi Kusama’s Reflections on the Year 2020
Early on in the pandemic, Yayoi Kusama sent out a defiant message “to the whole world”. We found it deeply heartening in the face of the very dark time. Recently, she shared this affirming message with her reflections on the year 2020…
Read MoreHow to Redeem Life’s Spoilers (Andy Goldsworthy and Hala Alyan)
For over a week, the work of a poet and an artist seemed to be in conversation,
helping us understand a fearsome part of living.
Improvising: on the Edge
In the 16th century, an Italian artist named Cesare Vecellio began to use the long “fourth” outside edge of books as a canvas on which to make small paintings… a reminder of possibilities hiding in plain sight…
Read MoreEnzo Mari’s ‘Ecolo’ Transforms Plastic Bottles into Sculptural Vases
In the 1970s, legendary furniture designer Enzo Mari pioneered the idea of “autoprogettazione”, roughly translated, “self design”, projects that he hoped would empower people to create with their own hands. With “ecolo” he applied the idea to plastic bottles…
Read More“You Are Made by All the Hands that Touch You” (Elisa Moro)
Amid the subtle hues of black in the negative images of Elisa Moro’s photographs, only hands are in positive gray tones. “You are made of all the hands that have touched you” points to one of the great absences caused by the pandemic, and raises a compelling question…
Read MoreMan, sometimes it takes you a long time to sound like yourself.Miles Davis
Life’s a Mess, Channel ‘Pura Vida’
Understanding the nuances of “pura vida” made me wonder what if, in the face of all the chaos and uncertainty and rage and sadness, we were to embrace it as our daily mantra?
Read MoreEssentials for Voters from Patti Smith, Jenny Holzer, Sojourner Truth…
We’ve been seeing a lot of very cool VOTE images from artists peppering the instagrams of arts galleries and museums. Here’s a trove along with essential resources for planning your vote.
Read MoreThe “o my god at the heart” of Trees
Some remarkable writings and images describing intimate encounters with trees got us thinking about what really happens when we sit inside one, climb one, sit in its embrace…
Read MoreImprovising on a Rainy Day in Paris in 1924
This image with the caption, “Parisians navigate flood waters by walking across rows of chairs, 1924”, reminded us of the essential nature of improvisation.
Read MoreBillboards Advocating an Alliance of Science AND Religion
One of the tragedies of our very polarized society is the idea that spiritual belief precludes believing in science, as though the two were mutually exclusive. So, we are heartened by the latest project of Class Action, a graphic design collective that creates visual messages to advocate social change and promote civic dialogue.
Read MoreS.B. Dworski on Escape, Noodles, Ecstasy
Fueled by a quarantine fantasy of hiking the Appalachian Trail, S.B. Dworski’s path took her into unexpected territory…
Read MoreThe Subversive Mind-Altering Power of Random Poetry
I came to loving poetry late in life when I realized what was happening when I read a great one. It was just as Emily Dickinson described… subversive words with the power of a drug…
Read MoreGratitude for Money and Love
After a year of big transitions — to a new platform, with a disbanded paywall, free content for everyone and new publishing schedule — here’s an update on Improvised Life and its fantastic community.
Read MoreHope and Direction in RBG’s Enduring Wisdom
Reflecting on the passing of legendary Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I found her life and words full of hope, wisdom, and direction.
Read More