Guess who? Yes, it is I, back with more information, insights and gossip surrounding the New Imaginist movement! It’s been a big couple of weeks for Herman Bean, but this time he has pulled the other artists in with him making the studio very quiet indeed. Here’s the latest:

Artists captured on the High Seas!

Herman Bean has been rescued by the US Navy after being captured by pirates 130 nautical miles from the African coast.

Bean and a crew of four artists were reportedly aboard the 34 meter wooden vessel known as “The Temeraire” at the time of the incident last week. “The Temeraire” was apparently a remake of the famous 19th century battleship of the same name, and was only re-launched three weeks ago.

Bean said the pirates, who were armed with light munitions, threatened the ship from a distance before giving chase. Bean, knowing his crew were outnumbered, ordered the cannons to be loaded using a crude mixture of soap, bleach, butane and surplus sails, which sent fireballs across the ocean onto the attackers.

These attempts to save the ship and themselves were unsuccessful, as the pirates discharged hundreds of rounds into the vessel, before taking the crew hostage. One of the distressed crew members onboard “The Temeraire” was able to activate an emergency signal during the fire fight, alerting the US Navy, which arrived on the scene in a matter of moments to free the captive Bean and his crew.

Speaking from the bridge of the USS Roosevelt, Bean bizarrely said: “We were hoping for this to happen to us. We’ve been studying the Fighting Temeraire by Turner, as inspiration for our Making Art History series. Now we have experienced the fate of “The Temeraire” in two ways: one, we have witnessed what it would have been like during the Battle of Trafalgar and two, we now have a ship so badly destroyed that it won’t be repaired - it will be absorbed into the New Imaginist art form and used extensively in our quest to bring more immersive art to followers worldwide”

All five artists have since been returned to land and what’s left of “The Temeraire” has been abandoned. This seems to be a clue about their strange adventures.

Don’t Miss Out on Something Special...

On a bitterly cold Washington, DC morning in January 2007, a man with a violin made his way to a Metro Station platform, and proceeded to play six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2000 people passed through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds… and then hurried to meet his schedule.

After 7 minutes the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

After 13 minutes a young man leaned against the wall to listen to violinist, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

After 23 minutes a three-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

The violinist played continuously. Only six people stopped and listened for a short while. About twenty gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

After 45 minutes the violinist finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. The violinist simply placed his violin into its case, and slowly walked home.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played some of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the Metro Station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?

Don't miss the launch of New Imaginism by signing up now at www.NewImaginism.com/invite

New Imaginism Giveaway

In celebration of the upcoming launch of New Imaginism, the New Imaginists have commissioned a limited-edition commemorative gift entitled ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’. The tongue-in-cheek gift explores the recent evolution of modern art, from surrealism to conceptualism and to the breakthrough art form of New Imaginism.

The New Imaginists are giving this limited-edition gift to the person that introduces the most new subscribers to New Imaginism before 11:59pm, September 3, 2009. All you have to do is tell your friends all about us, and then make sure they write your name in the ‘Message’ box when signing up at www.NewImaginism.com/invite

The person that has introduced the most new subscribers to us will be notified by email on September 6, 2009.

Let the competition begin...

Love. Art. Imaginism
Ted, your Ed.