Chelsea Galleries

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The Chelsea Galleries is truly an immersive art experience. From the innovative High Line to the enclosed galleries to the brick nooks-and-crannies of the streets lined with graffiti, art is virtually everywhere. One of the pieces that really stood out to me was the 18 gold karat chains with the 24 gold karat Lenin pendants on display at the Lambard Fried Gallery.

It was not like many of the other pieces of art I was used to. Usually art works displayed on are canvas or in frames or monotone statue pieces. I think I was more used to graffiti art than the pure opulence that stood before me. However, I was able to rationalize that this was certainly art. Jewelry could be art, so why not this? I guess it was the sheer amount of lavishness. It did not help that this particular work was not exactly “out in the open,” compared to the statues (“Group of Teachers”) at the Matthew Marks Gallery, the High Line gardens where you could literally sit within the art, the graffiti you could lean against on the street walls, or even the photographs where you could inch closer and closer to.

The craftsmanship of the piece was masterful. The chains were done beautifully; the gold was absolutely stunning; the bust truly did capture Lenin very well. It certainly did look special. But then again, I think any shiny object made out of 18 and 24 karat gold would look heck of a lot of special.

The over the top lavishness did manage to add to the humor of the piece. Lenin and his Communist comrades threw out and exposed of the Romanovs for the same luxuries they kept for themselves and the poorer conditions they left the people in. They had fought for the poor and to have equal distribution of wealth. Yet they ended up with it all while the people again had to shoulder the few and their very expensive needs and wants. It really did capture what the lead Communists really were doing and what they really were all about (although Lenin is to have said to been a lot more genuine in the Communist philosophy and cause than his successors like Stalin). I think the artist did a good job of depicting this particular historical figure in choosing an interesting, but appropriate, medium.

The Armory Show at 100

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The Armory Show (at 100) is still turning heads after one hundred years. Although significantly smaller than the original showcase, the 100th anniversary was still able to capture what the original organizers intended: to show the progression of modern art to the controversial works of abstract art that had made the first Armory Show (in)famous.

Originally, the Armory Show was set up in a way to show the progression of the then well accepted “standard” of  “good” art, that is the classical style of art. This led to the final section, which was filled with what was then very nouveau art. Many of the first publications of the Armory Show referred to it as the “Chamber of Horrors.” Many of these works, such as Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2) by Marcel Duchamp and Blue Nude by Henri Matisse, were received with intense negativity, as they did not conform to the standards of the established art world back then. Some called it ugly; some flat out refused to call it art. However those pieces were confined in “Chamber of Horrors,” which was only one section of the exhibit that was located at the end.

While The Armory Show at 100 is much smaller than its predecessor, I think the organizers did a good job in selecting and gathering pieces to successfully reflect what the original exhibit was about. For example, two of Wilhelm Lehmbruck’s work, the Standing Woman and the Kneeling Woman, I feel were both great and smart pieces to put into the show. Wilhelm Lehmbruck was originally a hardcore traditionally trained classical artist, which is clearly obvious in the Standing Woman. His Kneeling Woman however shows his later development as a progressive and modern artist and his rejection of the traditional expression of art. The Kneeling Woman’s pose and shape, though still beautiful, was very different in that she was very exaggerated, elongated, and distorted. She nowhere near resembles Standing Woman, who was formed with traditional technique and realism in mind. With these two statues, Lehmbruck himself is an example of the radical art movement, the ever-changing art trends, and the fluidity of art itself.

The Armory Show, both then and now, were both also smart to include The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. This piece was included to show the earlier forms of artwork leading into the progression of the emerging modern art. It looks like a typical, run-of-the-mill classical painting. The irony of it being shown in the Armory Show as an example of accepted traditional art is that, when Pierre first completed the piece in 1869, it was considered unappealing for its rather stiff and weak composition. Later in 1913, it was praised for the same reasons it was frowned upon when it was revealed to the public. So, it is another beautiful example of progressive art and how art is always progressing.

While I enjoyed nearly every piece of art featured in the exhibit, the one I personally enjoyed was Young Girl by Jacques Villon. Visually, it was stunning, especially since it was displayed next to a much duller piece [Man on a Balcony (Portrait of Dr. Theo Morinaud) by Albert Gleizes]. The center of vibrant orange surrounded by light greys and green and blue hues as brighter shadows helped it shine against the beige monochrome pieces that of Man on a Balcony (Portrait of Dr. Theo Morinaud) and Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2) by Marcel Duchamp. At first, I saw it be some profoundly intricate portrayal of a young girl transitioning out of her girlhood. Later I found that this was not the case.

Very much like his brother Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2), Villon had literally painted what the title implied, a young girl. The subject was the brothers’ sister sitting in an armchair. When I became aware of this, I immediately saw it, how she sat poised and rested, and I could point out where her head and dainty feet were. Then it hit me. Like wow, it is just another painting, another glimpse into the eyes of the artist and how they wished to see things. They were not trying to baffle and confused the audience, but reveal and introduce a new way to view the world. I also later learned that there was an exact science behind how he painted the piece. Villon had used the triangles and colors in the mathematical proportions of the Golden Section. Maybe these abstract pieces were not so abstract at all.

Our Ah-Ha moment – Cindy and Carolyn

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This semester, we went to many different events that took us to places that we might not have normally gone to. The first event that gave us a taste of what was to come was the play “You Never Can Tell” at the Pearl Theatre.  This play introduced us to the world of theatre and showed us the importance of conveying emotions to the audience. What we particularly liked about this production was the acting. The director and actors gave more life to the play with their actions and their way of interpreting the script. The scene that comes to my head is when Mr. Valentine is crawling on his knees to Gloria and the way that Gloria is trying to back away from him. They show what is happening in a comical way and they keep up with the rapidly changing emotions they have, from hate to loving each other.

The “Fall for Dance Festival” at the New York City Center was another exciting event for us. It showed us how dance and music can tell a story without any actual words. The show kicked off with an extraordinary tap dance called SOUNDspace created by Michelle Dorrance and performed by her remarkable ensemble of dancers, Dorrance Dance. The dance did not incorporate any other outside music but it didn’t need it since the tapping was rhythmic enough without it. The lighting in this dance was also well thought out because, at first, you only saw the dancers’ feet tapping, but as the dance continued, the lights grew bigger and the tapping gradually grew stronger. The tap dancers also compete with each other through their dancing. They challenge each other and try to outdo their fellow dancers in a fun and witty manner. The fact that the dance solos were improvisations by the dancers even impresses us more. This piece animated us through the use of tap as music and the usage of the stage by the whole group of dancers, the trios and even the individual dancers. The Fall for Dance Festival was an enriching experience. It effectively combined different dancing styles into one show. The pieces presented each had their own story to tell but didn’t necessarily overshadow one another. The dancing styles might have been different but they all showed just how powerful dance could be.

The way the Globe Theatre production at Belasco Theater is maintaining the balance between the 17th century characteristics of the play and the way people appreciate art in the 21st century.  As a result, this classical was still understandable to the contemporary audience. In the performance, even thought there are several female characters, the director still employs males to play all the roles.  Not only is an accurate presentation of the 17th century stage practice, but also it creates an amusing atmosphere in which a male plays a female role in which she pretends to be a male.  However, what most amusing the audience is the actors’ exaggerate action/movement.  For example, when Olivia (Mark Rylance) tells Cesario (Samuel Barnett) how much she loves him, Andrew suddenly appears to the stage. Olivia immediately rises up her arm and almost throws her basket toward him, reflecting how mad she is and also promoting laughter from audiences. With a relatively silly action, the actors actually reduce the audience’s fear to a classical production.  As a result, because of a slightly change to the original production, the production still generate the audience’s laughter in Belasco Theater.

Our Ah-ha moment was the “Rigoletto”. This event gave us an appreciation for opera as a form of art. In the production, by setting the opera in Las Vegas, the director moves the 18th-century opera to the 1960s.  As a result, this performance becomes closer to the modern audience.  In addition, with a club setting, the play does not reduce but underscore Duke as a playboy.  By applying exaggerate using of light, the stage setting highlights the glamour and luxury of the club and the people’s life style in Las Vegas.  As a result, contradicted to the setting, Gilda’s innocent, purity, and unconditional love is highlighted.  By setting the play into a club in Las Vegas and the groundbreaking using of light, the director presents a piece of classical art that is more in the time of this generation, and today’s society.

While the lighting was good in some aspects, such as reflecting the mood through the elevator and background lights, the lighting was sometimes too much and distracting. One such occasion was in the last act in the scene where Gilda is going to sacrifice herself for the Duke. The lighting here was overdone, the lights to show the rain and lighting was too flashy and took away a little of the drama that was suppose to be in that tragic moment where Gilda sacrifices herself for who she thinks is the love of her life. Even though the lighting was overdone in some places, the opera had magnificent singers that effectively represented the characters and whose voices were not lost amidst the combination of voices. This was an ah-ha moment for us because it showed us that opera is not what we thought it would be and helped us realize the appreciation we gained of art through this seminar.

Final Blog by Brian Rivera & Sarah Hussain

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Video editing and Prezi done by Brian Rivera

Written Blog done by Sarah Hussain

 

Throughout the semester, we attended several events; each event provided us with an “Aha moment,” or a moment where we came to some sort of conclusion or understanding about art. A collective “Aha moment” we had was at Fall For Dance at New York City Center. We both felt this was a thought-provoking performance for both a dance expert and novice. A dance novice, such as Brian, was thoroughly entertained by the variety of dances being performed as it encompassed tap, hip hop/contemporary, ballet, and modern. The simplicity of the entire performance and the absence of dramatic lighting and backdrops allowed the audience to solely focus on movement.  This performance enlightened newcomers as to how dance appeals to emotions. Not only can tap dance create its own music, but dance can also be used to tell stories. Someone familiar with dance was able to critically analyze the choreographic elements of each dance and note the differences and similarities. I was able to form an opinion about choreography after watching this performance. I decided that dance movement is an art form in itself, and no additional music and lyrics are necessary to drive the dance. In fact, I believe sometimes the music can overshadow the music as it did in “Mo(or)town/Redux” choreographed by Doug Elkins. This piece had brilliant choreographic elements included such as tempo change, level change, partner work, breakdancing, and stillness. Yet, I believe the well-known ‘60s music and storyline of Shakespeare’s Othello overshadowed the dancing for audience members that did not understand the technicality, difficulty, and athleticism of what was being performed. It was too dramatic in both of our opinions.

We preferred The Royal Ballet performance entitled “Fratres” and choreographed by Liam Scarlett. Brian admired how the duet partners melted into one another and appreciated seeing the fluidity of ballet live. I admired that there were no lyrics, gimmicks, or props driving the choreography. It was thought provoking to see Scarlett, as a choreographer, create both feelings of unison and disjoinment within the movement. We both agreed that the emotions coming from the performers seemed real and genuine. The movement was powerful enough to speak for itself. We realized no theatrical elements are always needed in dance performances if the performers have enough passion and energy. After comparing the two pieces, we came to the conclusion reasons why we preferred “FRATRES” over “Mo(or)town/Redux.” It was because we liked the fact that there was no set storyline for the ballet. We believe dances should be ambiguous and left up to interpretation for the audience. That is what essentially makes dance an art. Mere movement can evoke emotions within people and allow viewers to connect with it in any way they choose. After attending this performance, we decided that when art is vague, it is more powerful.

Our other overall “Aha moment” was at “You Never Can Tell” at the Pearl Theatre. After seeing this play, I had a new appreciation for theatre since I was avidly looking for scene changes, smooth transitions, backdrops, and character interaction. As an avid theatregoer and performer himself, Brian came to realization about how necessary character development is and how difficult it is to have mannerisms of the characters unfold. In both “You Never Can Tell” and “Twelfth Night,” we came to conclusions about written plays and performed plays have a completely different deliverance. After reading “You Never Can Tell” and watching it, different emotions were evoked from us. When watching the play, characters delivered lines quickly, driving the plot, and keeping the audience entertained from beginning to end. When reading “Twelfth Night,” the Shakespearean literature was at times difficult to understand. When watching “Twelfth Night,” jokes were delivered in a very straightforward manner and there was much comic relief. After reading and attending both plays, we came to the conclusion that they are both obviously forms of art, but it is easier to interpret themes when we have a visual.

The Brooklyn Museum was a great introduction to the seminar because it forced students to collaborate, analyze, and interpret painting and portraits. We agreed that the different European sculptures and even household and common daily items presented in the museum were thought-provoking and helped set the tone for the entire seminar. Going to this event and collaborating ideas with others helped us form opinions about are and decide how/if it affected us and how/if we could connect with the piece. To us, the discussion of art should be valued.

Visiting the Louis Armstrong House, which was right in Corona, Queens gave insight into the personal life of Armstrong . We came to the conclusion that whether consciously or subconsciously, learning about an artists influence how we view his/her work.  The area surrounding Chelsea also influenced the way we viewed the galleries. It was exciting to be immersed within the Chelsea environment with all of the graffiti, purposely placed street art, and High Line.

After attending the opera, “Rigoletto,” we both had a new outlook on opera. It was not a boring, dry, upscale event that we had once perceived it as. The third act was incredible and kept us entirely entertained despite it being in Italian. Not only was the singing incredible, but also the acting and scenery were captivating. We now have a new appreciation for opera as an art.