everyday i see the news on tv. i watch many stations from several different countries regularly. often i see misery, huge accidents, disasters and war. the daily news informs me about the situation all over the world.
but the daily news also contributes to my well being and to that of others. i do not like to look back or think about what i saw, feeling that disasters might happen everywhere and that is not the kind of emotional energy i need to cope with these things. i would like to have some news, sometimes a day that makes me smile, that makes me enthousiastic and that urges me to inform others about what i saw or what i heard. i know that that does not change the world, that that does not prevent disasters, but i feel that that at least might make a difference between having a day that might be inpsiring or a day that is different and difficult to get started. i think that art or architecture might help a little in this direction. i feel that a special project migth serve as a news item for many news stations all over the world.
i have in mind for example the many walt disney cartoons - films that are still a great pleasure to see and are still fun, allthough they were made many years ago. for good reason the mickey mouse films are classics, but also the popeye the sailor man films still offer a lot of pleasure to watch and help a little to forget the nasty parts of life. quite often i watch the news on different chaneels and come across one of these little beauties. after the fun of these "artworks" it is easier to go on.
i am working on a project that hopefully is able to create many smiles on many faces, in many different countries. it is meant for the world exhibition in shanghai and should start in rotterdam: of course it should be built by students from the professional schools in and around rotterdam and it should demonstrate their capacities even at a world forum like in shanghai in 2010. but besides that it should create a little smile, give a little pleasure and hopefully offer some inspiration for many people worldwide, and not only for those happy few that have chance to visit a museum now and then. i guess that many more people might be interested in art, also when it is presented outside of the "art world", in the "real world", in holland but even in the rest of the world.