Lánchíd söröző

a frenetic night 

and a new composition from szuzsa and mapet on the iPad

Kaleidoscope and the Model of the Universe

E8, Garetti Lisi's New View of the Universe

Garetti Lisi's model of the universe places all known particles and the four fundamental forces of nature (electromagnetic, the strong force, the weak force and gravity) onto an exceptionally complex eight-dimensional 248-point mathematical model known as E8 that was formulated in the late 19th century.

Since E8 is perhaps the most beautiful structure in mathematics, it is very satisfying that nature appears to have chosen this geometry. Elegant simplicity and complexity combined with the inherit reflective qualities of our world; natural forms repeat themselves over and over, the fundamental structure of the universe is incredibly beautiful.

Patterns as seen through a kaleidoscope tube

The beauty of the colourful mirrored systems is the base of the geometric imagery of the kaleidoscope - a finite box containing an infinite vision that creates the sensation of being part of infinity. You feel like the whole universe is a hall of mirrors: reflections reflecting reflections.

Yayoi Kusama: Dots Obsession 2004

In today's art there is a progressive effort to move towards defocusing, in which no single element of the composition is given more importance than any others: there is a desire to break down the hierarchy of the elements.

Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese contemporary artist has an obsession for infinity. She perceives the world as an array of infinitely repeating patterns, which she has termed infinity nets. Her work is the expression of these visions. You are drawn into Kusama’s world like the centerpiece of an echoing, infinite landscape and experience the dissolving into the world around you.

Kusama currently lives in a mental institution in Tokyo by choice while creating her infinity works. For a normal brain to imagine infinity seems to be impossible.

Structure is God

Concert of Péter Mátrai in Budapest

When God enters into the creative process, you sense the divine structure of the Universe.

This is how you feel if you listen to the concert or Peter Matrai on electric instruments. There is a clear structure of the whole performance: preface, treatment and epilogue. And there is the clear structure of every piece with composition, melody and rhythm which build up the whole circle until the catharsis at the end.

The preface: the 'Intervals' with its dynamism invites you to leave your everyday self and enter into the world of art, into the world of the artist.

Small etudes follow: atmosphere, memories, sequences of feelings and thoughts, all this with different and unusual electronic instruments, computer samples, new sounds and noises. The concentration is intense, every element has meaning and is part of the whole. This is the journey of a soul: in his past and present, in his feelings, in his love for music. The small pieces have concrete themes, and you enjoy the correspondence of the music with them. You smile, you enjoy, you feel the music, you feel what you are inspired to feel.

And then comes the epilogue, the 'In memoriam' piece to the memory of two architect-friends. This is a small theatre-performance with candles, staggering, brutal hits and noises, flame, fire and ashes at the end.

Catharsis is what you feel: this is life, this is all.

The Music of Life

Céleste Boursier-Mougenot at Barbican Centre, London

40 zebra finches are exploring an aviary for three months at Barbican Centre on amplified guitars and cymbals installed on sandy islands planted with grass. The spontaneous everyday activity of the beautiful tiny feathered creatures on the sensitive strings makes a complex soundscape from the speakers around the gallery.

There is no composition, structure and melody in this music. This is the music of the self-abandoned, free life, the repetition and interference of the patterns of continuous everyday activity.

Arranging the twigs, toddling on the strings, the different types of arrival: the gliding stir and tumbling throb; the light and dynamic variations of departure, the positioning and preening - these are the continuously flickering patterns without any compositional intent which have a comforting, captivating effect on the visitor.

There is a joyful aesthetic contrast between the tiny soft animals with their beautiful coloured feathers and the masculine, professional instruments: the sight and the sound together gives you a lightweight happiness.

A meditative experience.