Luminous Landscape Forum
Site & Board Matters => About This Site => Topic started by: Anon E. Mouse on March 07, 2006, 08:05:09 pm
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Gordon Parks (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060308/ap_on_en_mo/obit_parks)
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That's sad news. He was certainly a brilliant and extremely versatile artist and human being.
Eric
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Mr Parks seemed like a man who continually redefined and rediscovered himself. His life had many phases, many acts as he followed his interests and excelled in new domains.
For those of us who dream of quitting their day jobs and following their dreams, that's inspiring stuff.
Plus, I really liked Shaft with Isaac Hayes' funky soundtrack and that over-the-top acting. Once heard a standup comedian ribbing on Richard Rountree's characterization of John Shaft, the "private dick" central character of the movie, as having only two moods: angry, and more belligerent.
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Some years ago in Washington DC I attended a tribute to Gordon Parks at the Kennedy Center, which co-incided with an exhibition of his works at one of the major museums there. Gordon Parks was in his eighties then, and addressed the audience. For all his fame and all the well-deserved acclaim, he came accross as a humble gentleman and a very wise human being. His autobiography is an inspiration for anyone to read. It's lasting message is that we can be what we set-out to be, if we approach life with determination, some smarts and optimism regardless of the odds, which in his day were considerable. The World has lost a truly remarkable artist and human being.
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http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1727776,00.html (http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1727776,00.html)