Glocalize and Mobalife

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to friends and readers around the globe. I am very grateful to live in a time where I reach so many people and live a more active life. As the year closes, it is a good time to look back.

John Powers covered his TOP 10 Cultural Trends 2007. So I wanted to dig a little bit into what some artists in Chicago are thinking about at the wrap up of 2007.

I spoke with the Chicago-based artist, choreographer, dancer, and teacher Paul Sanasardo . Mr. Sanasardo is a respected American artist and has been working in the arts for well over 50 years. For his 80th birthday he will celebrate by launching a new performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

We spoke about possibilites for digital visual arts, looking at what is happening with digital music and video. As a dancer and painter Mr. Sanasardo is aware of the differences between entertainment and performance art.

He said, "When you perform, you keep one eye on the public,but the other eye is for one person in the audience who truly understands your art."

In one sense, artists are sales people-- they are selling themselves and their creative vision to an audience of consumers. But this one aspect cannot take over the deeper more authentic side of artists which is connected to values greater than themselves. In short Mr. Sanasardo said:

ARTISTS ARE 20% WHORES AND 80% SAINTS.