Today is the birthday of Diego Rivera (12/8/1886-11/24/1957). A majestic example of his painting can be seen at the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) downtown. Edsel Ford commissioned the work during Great Depression years 1932 and 1933. Frida Kahlo accompanied him. According to Rivera: “Never before had a woman put such agonizing poetry on canvas as Frida did at this time in Detroit.” There's a sumptuous book on Rivera's output that includes telling photos of the two painters -- Linda Bank Downs, Diego Rivera: The Detroit Industry Murals (DIA, 1999). And there's a rowdy biopic about the two, the painters' version of Walk the Line -- Frida (2002), directed by Julie Taynor, starring Salma Hayek and Alfred Molina.
It's also the birthday of precocious badboy Jim Morrison (12/8/1943-7/1/1971):
"Yeah, that's right baby I am a Sagittarius, the most philosophical of all the signs... But anyway, I don't believe in it, I think it's a bunch of bullshit myself. . . . . I don't know what's gonna happen man, but I'll tell you this: I'm gonna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames" (Jim Morrison, An American Prayer, 1978)
Another book worth checking out, with heavy input from the surviving band members and also from members of Morrison's blood family (including his father): The Doors by the Doors with Ben-Fong Torres (Hyperion, November 2006).
Today's Rune: Warrior.
Bon Voyage!
3 comments:
Greetings from New Mexico! Frida and Diego are pretty big around here. "Frida" is an excellent movie, by the way.
I suspect there was plenty of hype about Jim Morrison; perhaps, the new book, with insight from his family, will be more realistic.
Ray Manzarek(Doors' keyboardist)takes a good look at Morrison and the genesis and death of The Doors in his book "Light My Fire: My Life With The Doors."
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