art that makes a difference

i’m dedicating november to the arts. for example, all the fireside chats this month will be about art that made a difference in our lives.

so, readers, let’s hear it from you!

tell me about works of art that made a difference in your life.

is there a book that you want the whole world to read?
a movie that changed your life?
a piece of music that makes your heart swell every time you hear it?
a special play?
some other creative work that you can’t forget?

here are my answers:

book: the idiot, by dostoevsky
what brings me back to this book over and over again is the richness of human experience, as well as how dostoevsky treats the concept of mental illness.

movie: sacco and vanzetti
this movie solidified my political convictions.

music: glenn gould playing bach’s goldberg variations
not only is bach my favourite composer, but i never cease to be gripped by how deeply glenn gould not only shows his deep understanding of bach but also takes it further with his own creative input.

play: michi’s blood, by franz-xaver kroetz.
i’ve seen this play many times, mostly in the viennese version with nikolai nothof and cornelie mueller. it brilliantly portrays the utter lack of communication of a couple trapped in poverty and misery – and yet, when you look very closely, you can see a little love and tenderness. its almost zen-like approach showed me the value of producing a tight, lean piece of art.

(hm … i notice that with the exception of the goldberg variations, i’ve come to love these pieces before my 20th birthday. interesting.)

so, my friends, tell me about art made a difference in your life.

i’m also tagging a few of my blogger friends with this question – carol, cato, jan, jay and ray.

isabella mori
counselling in vancouver

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