5 Cultural Suggestions — Tomás Cunha Ferreira
Every week, UMBIGO invites two people to share their 5 cultural suggestions. What can we do at home? From a book to a podcast, album or film: here are recommendations from artists, curators, gallery owners, cultural activists, friends.
We will share the recipe for what makes us better, and we remain united and positive.
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Tomás Cunha Ferreira
In some online bookstore: Harry Smith, Paper Airplanes and String Figures
These are the first two volumes, each better than the other, from the integral of Harry Smith, a brilliant artist / anthropologist / mystic / etc.
http://anthologyfilmarchives.org/collections/smith-catalogue
John Cage / Diary: How to Improve the World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse)
For me this is better than any Netflix series: an 8-volume diary, which is more a kaleidoscope of ideas than a diary, and which you can read or listen – written between 1965 and 82, and recorded by John Cage in 1991, with the volume of the voice and the length of each entry corresponding to a typographic change. The sound version can be found here: http://www.ubu.com/sound/cage_diary.html, and the books have been reissued by Siglio Press.
Manuel Graça Dias, Ver Artes
Now that I have to stay home indefinitely, I miss wandering around the city, I miss Lisbon, the people of Lisbon, the streets, the buildings. Reviewing the programs that Manuel Graça Dias did for RTP2, and that are in the RTP online archive, helps a little. They are all made with immense humor and intense love for the city. My favorites: Words in the City, Cranes and Ships, Mysteries of the City, Cova do Vapor, Mobile Homes. https://arquivos.rtp.pt/conteudos/palavras-na-cidade/
Two albums that came out now and are fully on youtube, to listen loudly at home, and make friends among the neighbors: Iowa Dream, from Arthur Russell’s bottomless chest
and also: We’re New Again, Makaya McCraven / Gil Scott-Heron
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Tomás Cunha Ferreira lives and works in Lisbon. In his work, the artist combines various supports, in a cross-border and open circuit practice. Recent projects include shows at Factor Cavalo – Bienal de Cerveira 2017 / Verbivocovisual – Concrete, Visual and Experimental Portuguese Poetry at ZDB, Lisbon 2017 / Ontemporâneo at CIAJG, Guimarães 2016 / Partitura – at O Armário, Lisbon 2016. His practice extends to teaching, radio, writing and music.