Ferlov Mancoba
Audio file 20-1
Ernest asks Ejler Bille about the CoBrA position of imitating a child because children are free and Bille responds that freedom is not following impulses - Wonga adds about the limit of freedom in the face of the infinite
Bille speaks of "poetic pictures", Chinese and "Eskimo" art as examples, which allows seeing in a new way; Bille tells a story of a mosquito who speaks in a human voice; Ernest summarises the symbollism of the mosquito story as a parable of humanity; Wonga adds that Sonja Ferlov Mancoba was interested in Chinese art with their relationship of a small human in a large landscape
Wonga returns to topic of freedom and the necessity of freedom with "answar" [Danish: responsibility]; Bille agrees that "responsibliity is freedom"; [tape stopped and restarted] group speaks of "fremskridt" [Danish: progress] going too fast leaving human relations behind; unknown male speaks of its impact on Danish society
Wonga replies that the phenomenon is universal in that small societies try to preserve their culture and incidences through history [Wonga speaks in English and Danish]; Bille agrees and unknown male speaks of Denmark destroying indigenous culture of Greenland [they speak in both English and Danish]; Bille speaks of industrial process and living
Wonga summarises by saying art is not an "anecdote", disagrees with Bertolt Brecht [German philosopher] on William Shakespeare [English writer] [ [Wonga speaks mostly in Danish]; Bille speaks of Brecht asking who built the Great Pyramids
Wonga brings up Roger Callois [a French writer], who translated Pablo Neruda's poetry on Machu Picchu, also asking who built the Incan city [speaks in Danish]; Bille speaks of various poets including Morten Nielsen and warns that cannot compare them [Danish poet] [speaks in English and Danish]
Ernest asks Bille about Danish journalism on art; [tape stopped and restarted]; Ernest states that art should not be made banal; Bille says there is a need for balance, to consider work after time has passed, everything cannot be beautiful, need distance; Wonga speaks of Marcel Duchamp [French artist] [he and Bille speak in Danish]
Facts
PDFAbout the recordings: Ernest Mancoba's son, Marc also known as Wonga, recorded interviews with his father. The interviews seemed to serve different purposes and are not in chronological order.
ca.1990-2002 (20-1)