Greetings from Maastricht!
Dear All,
I’m writing from Maastricht, where I’m deep in my Cultural Leadership program, a joint effort between the Royal Academy of Art in London and Maastricht University, and this week we are studying art law. As our group, drawn from all over the world, navigates different perspectives, accents, and values, I am reminded that culture is a conversation, and not always an easy one.
One of the true highlights of this trip was visiting TEFAF, the European Fine Art Foundation’s annual fair. There, I encountered two 17th-century interpretations of the Tower of Babel, just days after seeing the Pieter Bruegel masterpiece in Vienna. It got me thinking: why does this image still captivate us? Why have so many artists, including myself, returned to it?
The story is both a warning and a challenge. A civilization, pushing the limits of human ambition, builds toward the heavens—only to fracture under the weight of its own differences. The more they construct, the more fragile their creation becomes. It’s an artist’s paradox, too: we reach for something grand and unifying, while knowing that it is our differences, our individual voices, that give art its depth and meaning. Isn’t that what artists do? Strive for the impossible?
Ironically, even with today’s endless tools for communication—technology as our modern Babel fish—we are more fragmented than ever. The tools exists to connect us, yet something essential still gets lost in translation. That’s why I must believe in the power of art: a space where language barriers don’t matter, where differences don’t have to be obstacles, but can instead create something richer and more nourishing.
I’ve painted my own Towers of Babel twice—one was part of last year’s Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, the other was the centerpiece of my solo show at Brea Gallery. Seeing Bruegel’s in person, alongside so many interpretations, has only deepened my desire to return to the studio and continue building again with you!
Looking forward to seeing you all on March 30th.
Karima
Optional Homework: Speaking of building efforts, let’s not forget our plan for the real-world impact we can have—a quick reminder that the deadline for our World Central Kitchen fundraiser donations is March 24th. Let’s create something wonderful together! Find more information and submit your offering HERE
Looking ahead, our next FREE Sunday class is on March 30th at 10 AM Pacific on Zoom, where we’ll have a Venice-inspired show-and-tell and dive into costume design and fashion sketching. As always, these classes are open to everyone, and you can find more details and enroll on the Cammellot website HERE.
Honesty is a foundation, and it's usually a solid foundation. Even if I do get in trouble for what I said, it's something that I can stand on. —Charlamagne tha God