International Arts Movement was founded by Mako Fujimura.

A Journey through NYC religions live-streamed a broadcast last Friday from the International Arts Movement. Our experiment with live-broadcasting went pretty well. We will be doing more of this in the future.

The purpose of Mako Fujimura’s talk at the event held in midtown Manhattan was to encourage artists who are facing a Great Depression in the art market. Fujimura recalled how he was encouraged during his depression after 9/11 by TS Eliot and his poems in the book “Four Quartets.”

After the devastating World War I, Eliot’s poem “The Wasteland” depicted a grim reality. It perhaps reflected Eliot’s own depression. Eliot came out of his depression through his faith in God who restored his optimism and health. He was able to get through the Great Depression in 1929-1936 and World War II with his hope intact  The poems of “Four Quartets” celebrated the end of all fears in the resurrected savior Jesus Christ.

After 9/11, Fujimura couldn’t write or paint. He was depressed. He grabbed onto Eliot as an example of coming out of the other side of darkness. Fujimura carried “Four Quartets” with him as a book of encouragement. He encouraged his audience to do the same in the face of the rough times ahead for artists.

Fujimura’s talk was accompanied by the hot rhythm and blues rock and roll of Kenyon Adams and band with Grace Weber as well as the lovely tunes of Phoebe Lyng and James Hall with his smoking jazz band.

 

Here is the complete recording of the event.