Displacing Cultural Assumptions
Our cultural perspective affects how we learn and imagine, and hence how we understand and communicate events with others. Here’s a simple story that reveals hidden cultural assumptions.
4 Capabilities of Cultural Awareness
What capabilities mark out those growing in cultural awareness? How can we build these characteristics in ourselves, our teams and our organisations? Cultural awareness might be something that you grew up with or were born into. Perhaps your parents’ decisions, … Continued
Exhibition at the seat of the Sultan
When Ottoman Sultans attended ritual prayer at an Imperial Mosque, they performed their namaz (prayers) from a raised, gilded loge, an ornately screened religious equivalent of a theatrical Royal Box. These loges (Hünkar mahfili) led back into a secret first … Continued
Standen House
My visit to Standen House was the result of happy chance and coincidence. Flying in to Gatwick, I had researched places of interest en route to the south coast and on a whim we decided to swing past and take … Continued
Pursuing the unattainable or journeying home?
When I was studying literature at university we came across the mythological story of Tantalus. It’s a pretty horrific tale containing many twists and turns (he steals the secrets of the gods and boils his own son for starters…). But … Continued
When an artistic legend makes you weep…
A month or two ago I found myself, completely unexpectedly, crying in public. It was a moment that will remain with me forever and, I imagine, define my course to come. So let me tell you the story… I was … Continued
When You Hate What You’ve Done (Part 3)
So the panel that defined so much of my last year came out of the kiln and I hated it, remember? I’ve been trying to work out why I had such a strong reaction so I can move forward more … Continued
When You Hate What You’ve Done (Part 2)
You will remember that when I finally saw the fired, finished panel that had taken me months to complete… I hated it! But why such a negative reaction? Last post I talked about time as a reason for my reaction. But … Continued
When You Hate What You’ve Done (Part 1)
A couple of weeks ago now I finally got to see the fired and finished panel that had taken me, all told, about 6 months to complete… and I hated it! After so much expectation and waiting and determination to … Continued
The Legacy of a Lifetime
Last summer I stayed in the beautiful house of some dear friends in England. They are an elderly couple and their home bursts at the seams with drawings, paintings, sculpture, books, pottery… and much of the art is their own. … Continued