Author Archives: angelikapokovba

The Christmas Spectacle starring The Rocketts

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It is that time of the year again when one feels the desire to talk about Christmas (ironically my favorite time of the year as a skier, as well.) In New York City, Christmas is clearly a big Deal! From decorations, shows and holidays shopping, Christmas transforms New Yorkers into characters from cliche Christmas movies. Indeed, the Holidays are an essential part of the city and they turn our wonderful city even more charming and magical.

The Rocketts

The Rocketts dancing to “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

In order to experience a bit more Christmas spirit, Nabila, Sophia and I went to see The Rocketts. We were very surprised to see a full house at Radio City because it was not nearly even Thanksgiving yet. Essentially, I believe that the Christmas Spectacular is so popular because it prepares the city for the Holiday season. The intent of the show is to entertain the audience, but also to sparkle some love, happiness and magic into the atmosphere. After the show, everyone felt incredibly elated. It was a very lighthearted show that transported us into a different dimension, Santa-land, leaving behind our troubles.

The Nutcracker performed by The Rocketts

The Nutcracker performed by The Rocketts

The show was highly led by distinct dance numbers from The Rocketts ranging from traditional ballet, tap dancing and even ice skating. While every dance number was wonderful, The Nutcracker performance was my favorite because it took a completely different twist on the traditional story. In this act, the dancers wore oversized costumes, yet still managed to appear completely gracious. It was a humorous act and Tchaikovsky’s music made it even more wonderful.

Everything in the show sparkled some magic over the audience, even the fake snow at the end of the show. I recommend that everyone sees this show because one can experience such innocent, childish happiness while watching it.

-Angelika

P.S. Happy Holidays!

P.S.S. 

ZERO: Countdown to Tomorrow

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The New York Guggenheim Museum presents the ZERO: Countdown to Tomorrow, 1950s-1960s exhibit that is shown in the United States for the first time.

Yves Kleine "Blue Monochromes" (forces one to change their perspective by looking at the floor)

Yves Kleine “Blue Monochromes”
(forces one to change their perspective by looking at the floor)

The Zero Network initially began with Otto Piene and Heinz Mack in 1957; Gunther Ucker joined the German post World War 2 group in 1961. The group further became associated with distinct international artists that identified themselves with the Zero philosophy; the Guggenheim presents the works of 37 artists. They chose the name in order to indicate the post-war situation in wounded Europe, Zero represents “a zone of silence and pre possibilities for a new beginning as at the countdown when rockets take off (Piene).” The artists shared a desire to redefine the art in the aftermath of World War II by rejecting the existing European styles such as Tachisme and Art Informel. These styles emphasized personal expression and spontaneity, but Zero artists wanted to banish any trace of personal style or signature from their work and rather bring in elements of the “non-artistic” world into their art.

"The Yellow Picture" by Gunther Uecker

“The Yellow Picture” by Gunther Uecker (an example of monochromes and use of distinct materials: nails)

Zero artists concentrated on pure color, pure light and pure media as the fundamental premise of their art. The artists reduced their color palette to only ONE color and often their work was bland because the use of vivid colors was limited. Further, the artists incorporated a wide range of materials, such as aluminum, plastic, and sand into their work. They used lines and grids to emphasize the structure of their works. Some members even used destructive elements, such as burning, cutting and nailing in order to create something new in the aftermath of the war. The artists emphasized the creation involved in destruction, thus fulfilling their main objective by “making it new”-Ezra Pound.

 

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Jan Henderikse (1962) Bottle Wall (demonstrates use of space and materials)

For the exhibit, artists employ space as both subject and material, and they explore the “interrogation of the relationship between nature, technology, and humankind.” Light, movement and space were the central themes for the ZERO network. The audience is not supposed to ponder about the artwork because the artist completely rejects his trace in the piece and wants the viewer to simply see the final product. The artists emphasized a sense of nihilism; their art works are not supposed to have meaning but because the art pieces are meaningless they in turn gain meaning. The ZERO network incorporated some of the most avant-garde artists of the 20th century that defined the post-war era.

-Angelika, Nabila & Sophia

Tara Sabharwal

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One of the greatest gifts that this class provided us with is Tara Sabharwal’s visit. It was a wonderful experience to meet such a lively, open artist. She was very genuine in her answers to our questions and I felt that she really wanted to express her art in the best way possible for us (and she did!). As Tara mentioned, she never plans out her art (her work is not conditioned), it is candid. It is really rare that an artist can explain his/her work of art in detail as well as Tara did. She gave us an insight on her influences and her thoughts while she makes art, Tara provided us with a personal tour of her work. Her overview of life is very interesting in that she does not plan anything but rather just adjusts to life conditions. Tara traveled to different countries, took different opportunities and this entire life journey is evident in her art.

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This is my favorite of Tara’s work

As to her art itself, it is absolutely great. Tara uses aspects of Indian and international art in her pieces. She expresses who she is intrinsically. She also adds elements from each of her trips into her work to show how she evolves with her art throughout her life travels. Her art is truly something to marvel about.

-Angelika

Andy Warhol

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Andy Warhol is one of the most important artists of pop art. He became extremely popular during the second half of the 20th century. He is best remembered for his paintings of Campbell’s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe, though he created a myriad of other works including commercial advertisements and films. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, celebrity culture and advertisement that flourished by the 1960s. He was greatly inspired by the bohemian and counterculture lifestyle of his friends and himself. However, Warhol is a controversial artist because many critics criticize him for being merely a “business artist.”

The photo that Robert took of Andy Warhol.

The photo that Robert took of Andy Warhol.

As a kid, he was somewhat of an outcast because he was quiet, could always be found with a sketchbook in his hands, and had shockingly pale skin and white-blonde hair. Warhol also loved to go to movies and started a collection of celebrity memorabilia, especially autographed photos. A number of these pictures appeared in Warhol’s later artwork.

He discovered the blotted-line technique during his college years when he would tape together two pieces of paper, mark one paper with ink, and then fold the two papers in order to replicate the design on the other paper as well. The result was a design with irregular, smudged lines that he would further fill in with watercolor. After college, Warhol moved to New York and became well known for his blotted-line technique during the 1950s. His technique was used for many shoe commercials, book covers, album covers and even Christmas cards.

Around 1960, Warhol had decided to make a name for himself in pop art. Pop art was a new style of art that began in England in the mid-1950s and consisted of realistic renditions of popular, everyday items. Warhol turned away from the blotted-line technique and chose to use paint and canvas but at first he had some trouble deciding what to paint. He paid his friend $50 for the idea to paint a can of soup. This became one of his most famous and expensive works of art.AM_Warhol_MOCA

Unfortunately, Warhol found that he couldn’t make his paintings fast enough on canvas. Luckily in July 1962, he discovered the process of silk screening. This technique uses a specially prepared section of silk as a stencil, allowing one silk-screen to create similar patterns multiple times. He immediately began making paintings of celebrities, most notably a large collection of paintings of Marilyn Monroe. Warhol would use this style for the rest of his life.

During the 1960’s he continued to paint and create pop art, but began to create films as well. In 1968 he was pronounced clinically dead after being shot, but the doctor saved Warhol’s life by cutting his chest open and massaging his heart. He then founded the Interview Magazine that still flourishes to this day. Warhol died 20 years later; he was 58 years old.

In the book Just Kids Patti and Robert admire Warhol. He is sort of an artistic celebrity for them, but a celebrity that they often see in bars and at shows that each of them visits. When Robert became famous for his photographs he made several photos of Andy Warhol.

-Angelika

Art is …

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SO, I read through some of the comments left on the other post about the final project and as I can tell everyone is interested in combining poetry and art. I have an idea that might perhaps interest some of you.

A few years ago (I don’t remember the story behind this) many walls around the world emerged with the words “Before I die….” Everyone would sign these walls with the things that they desire to do before death, this activity brought communities together.

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This is how the wall looked.

I was thinking that perhaps we can do something like this but instead write “Art in NYC is…” and everyone would sign what they believe it is. This could be in poster or collage form. It would turn into our own, personal poem in a way. If some of us did not know what to write, we could also add pictures. Basically, we could put all of our creativity into this by making it colorful and unique.

What do you guys think? It doesn’t seem like too much work, yet it’s very representative of what we did all semester.

-Angelika

123rd Street Rap

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One of the most important things that I look at in a poem is structure. Willie Perdomo does a fantastic job in mimicking  the life on 123rd Street by the structure in the poem. The poem is a bit choppy and the lines are very short, perhaps reflecting the neighborhood and creating an eerie vibe of the street. The structure of the poem creates a bit of a disturbing, starting atmosphere in the poem. Clearly, the street was a filled with crime and violence which Perdomo represents by saying, “Automatic bullets bounce off stoop steps.”

As to the content of the poem, I initially argued that the poem reflects the hopelessness on the street and in the neighborhood as well. It seems that even the poet thinks this way. He says, “And I can’t tell what’s wrong fro what’s right.” But, I do not believe him anymore. By noticing the terrible situation itself, Perdomo knows what is wrong and what is right. Further, by writing this poem to express himself, Perdomo gives hope to this street. The hope lies in the poem itself.

-Angelika

Just Kids by Patti Smith

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I read much further into the book than we were required because I could not get enough of Patti Smith’s frank and simple style of writing. She is very candid about her lifestyle with Robert and provides a glimpse into the life of an artist during the 1960’s. Smith shed light on an entirely different world for me: a world of rebellion, disorientation and yet artistic genius. I greatly admire her decisiveness in leaving her parents’ home, living a homeless life in NYC at the beginning and further confronting all her struggles with diligence. When she desired to go to Paris, she simply began saving up money and she flew out to Paris. This kind of reckless character trait is very important to her being. Often we have great dreams, but fear to pursue them; Patti Smith did not fear to pursue her dreams.

Another aspect of the book that I would like to emphasize is that the book is not about Robert as it may seem. He is a bit of a whimsical, lost “Kid.” I believe that the book is about Patti Smith finding herself in life and creating meaning for herself. For a long time, she tends to emphasize the genius in the Robert and in the book she highlights his importance and her subordination. Though, I believe that she is the pure artist in this book and that she is the outmost important character in the book. Perhaps I will get a better impression of Robert as I continue reading.

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My favorite picture of Patti Smith

-Angelika

New York Festival of Lights

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I really enjoy being from Brooklyn and representing this part of the New York City because sometimes Brooklyn gives a great show as well; especially DUMBO, which is essentially the center artistic expression in Brooklyn. As soon as I found out that the first New York Festival of Lights was happening at the tunnel under the Manhattan Bridge I was surely to attend this spectacle.

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On November 7th at 7PM I visited NYFOL. It was a completely free event, accompanied by a great DJ and a super interesting audience. Not too many people knew about this event and thus all the visitors were interested and knowledgeable.

I was mostly surprised by the fact that no where in this installation was thephoto 3 (1) artist(s) mentioned. Clearly someone had to create this masterpiece but the artist’s input was not recognized. Perhaps, the artist wanted his work to become of the people and he wanted the people to emphasize the work rather than him?The entire installation was very interactive and dependent on the audience rather than the artist; wherever one would stand, they would see the installation differently. Finally, viewers even got a chance to put input in the installation by signing a scratch board.

In general, this was a very interesting and enjoyable installation despite the fact that it was really cold that day. I am very proud of Brooklyn for staging such events!

-Angelika

Waste Land

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An image from “Avenida Brasil”at Jardim Gramacho

I was initially introduced to Jardim Gramacho through a Brazilian soap opera Avenida Brazil. It was through this telenovela and through Waste Land that I discovered the human input at the dumpster. One would think that this is an atrocious, pitiful job to have; it is a shame for all of Rio de Janeiro. However, I was amazed by how much pride the pecadores take in their input at the dumpster. The pecadores are proud to be helping their city and the environment. It seems that by recycling the garbage the pecadores cannot possibly improve the situation very much, but in reality they are responsible for most of the rubbish from Rio de Janeiro and surrounding areas. As the elderly pecador said, “99 is not 100” and by joining in this common effort to recycle, each of the individuals matters.

Vik Muniz emphasized the importance of each individual at the dumpster through his portraits. These portraits were a collective job, just like the dumpster. They reflect the human input at the dumpster and in art. Often when looking at an art piece one forgets the human input involved. However, Vik Muniz highlighted the importance of every individual in the process of making art. I marvel at how he said that “I didn’t do it, we did it!” Art is a collective job; it involves the artist(s), the subject and the audience.

Vik’s work at Jardim Gramacho is remarkable in every way and his input in the lives of the people is wonderful. He is a true artist and a true idol because not only did he create a wonderful work of art, he changed lives with his pieces. I believe that the highest reward of any artist is that his/her work makes a CHANGE. In this manner, Muniz is a complete artist and I am very proud that artists like Vik exist during our time period.

This movie moved me very much because I realized that any job is a noble job, whether it is sorting garbage or creating art. One must always accept their importance as an individual in the world and further they can accomplish wonderful things!

P.S. I really hope that the man whose portrait was sold in London will further become the president of Brazil because I certainly loathe the current corrupt presidency in the nation.

-Angelika

“The Tempest”

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I share the awe that many of my classmates experienced after listening to Tchaikovsky’s “The Tempest.” This was certainly my favorite performance from the four that we saw at Carnegie Hall because it was very engaging since the piece seemed to tell a story, yet at the same time this performance was calm and pleasant. I was utterly surprised at how well the piece portrayed a serene and yet, an eerie atmosphere at the sea. It seemed as if we were in fact hearing the sea rather than an orchestra. Further, the piece perfectly flowed through an occurrenMiranda_-_The_Tempest_JWWce of events in Shakespeare’s play.

Tchaikovsky is a VIRTUOSO in his contributions to classical music. However, our conductor Pablo Heras-Casado also deserves many compliments because he was spectacular in the manner which he led the orchestra in playing Tchaikovsky’s work. The music and the instruments lived along side with him. He lived with every note played through his body motioning, it seemed as if channeled the music through his body.

P.S. By the way, this is what was happening in the piece:

“Starting with the sea, the uninhabited island, the mighty and forbidding figure of the magician Prospero, then switching to the graceful and womanly Miranda, rather like the primordial Eve, she has never laid eyes on any breed of man (besides Prospero), until struck by the tempest she is flung ashore with the handsome youth Ferdinand; they fall in love with each other, and I think at this point in the first half of the overture there should be a wonderful and poetic motif, as Miranda gradually becomes more animated and leaves behind her childhood innocence to become a young woman in love. In the second half of the overture her and Ferdinand’s passion should already be in full sail, as they embrace the fires of love… the middle section of the overture would be grouped into three main sections: the half-beast Caliban, the enchanted spirit Ariel, and his chorus of elves. The overture ought to end by depicting Prospero’s renunciation of his magic powers, the blessing of the young couple’s union, and the return to the mainland.”

-Angelika

 

Just Breathe

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photo (1)This photo was taken by the Tribeca Hotel on my way to a yoga class. It perfectly describes my relationship with the city. Tribeca has one of the greatest vibes in the city and it reminds me of how beautiful our city is even where there are not many skyscrapers. This neighborhood possesses a welcoming atmosphere with its small streets, a plethora of restaurants and cafes, and super friendly people. It is a pleasure to walk the streets of this neighborhood.

I titled the photograph “Just Breathe” because as I was on my way to a yoga class this was my state of mind.

Fall For Dance

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I have been waiting to write this post because I absolutely love dance and believe that it is one of the greatest forms of expression of emotions. It is one of my passions! I apologize because this will probably be a lengthy blog post.

I am ever thankful to Professor Drabik for giving Nabila and me Orchestra seats because they were absolutely wonderful. Because we were so close to the stage, we could experience the action happening on the stage. We could feel the dancers’ energy and the emotions that they portrayed with their performance. It was absolutely wonderful! I genuinely wish that our entire class could have had such incredible seats and I am sure that this way we all would have enjoyed the dancing even more.

I found a very interesting review from The New York Times about Fall for Dance by Alastair Macaulay (ironically). However, I do not necessarily agree with the author.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/13/arts/lucinda-childs-and-alvin-ailey-troupe-at-fall-for-dance.html

Lucinda Childs’s “Concerto” did not impress the author of the article at all and I many spectators disliked this piece as well. In contrast, I really enjoyed this dance because it reminds me of Merce Cunningham, a pioneer of contemporary dance. In the very precise dance sequence, the dancers had upright posture and there were moments of stillness. The dancers wore black attire in order to emphasize the movements of the body. Moreover, the females’ hair was pulled back to make it seem as if there was no difference between the male and female dancers. This further emphasized the bodies of the dancers. Overall, I believe that this was an inspiring performance due to its minimalism. It was a wonderful introduction to the other performances.

Dresden’s Semperoper Ballet did not interest the New York Times’ journalist as well. “Nueu Suite” was actually my favorite performance this evening. Macaulay described it as being “inexpressive,” though this performance was everything but inexpressive. The modern ballet was amazing with all the jumps, footwork and lunges. The performers were wonderful. In addition, I thought that each performance portrayed a different mood and feeling. The first performance had a romantic aura, the dancers in red were passionate, and the dancers in purple seemed to be bickering through their dance and movements. The final performance drew a connection between old-school ballet and contemporary dance. This was certainly an astounding performance that I really enjoyed. I believe that the New York Times’ journalist overlooked this performance.

Sebastien Ramirez and Hanji Wang were fantastic as well. I admire how Ramirez and Wang made their performance seem very casual and natural. They awe-struck the entire audience with their very modern, “circusy” (as Alastair Macaulay calls it) performance.

Ailvin Ailey’s Dance crew made an impressive statement as well. This performance was a favorite this night. The performance combined humor, dance and strong messages. In my opinion, the dancers were making a political and a social statement in two of the performances. In the performance involving the audience, apparently one of the women is an American ballerina that will present her performance later this week and others may have been professional dancers as well. I admired this performance; yet, I believe that perhaps the choreographer tried to combine too many things into one performance.

Finally, I just want to mention that I noticed that all the dancers that danced this evening had a fundamental ballet education. I find this very interesting because contemporary dance tends to distance itself from ballet in order to emphasize other movements.

Anyway, what do you guys think about this article? What you agree/disagree with?

Thank You Professor Drabik for taking us to see this wonderful performance!

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City Center is beautiful!

 

Angelika

Broadway Boogie Woogie

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We seem to talk a lot about New York City poetry and writing. I would like to focus my attention on art for a moment.

“Broadway Boogie Woogie” (1942), Piet Mondrian 

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Piet Modrian, Broadway Boogie Woogie. (1942)

What does this painting seem to depict? (Think about this question before reading any further.)

I visited the MOMA in the late spring and discovered “Broadway Boogie Woogie” by Piet Mondrian. This painting displays NYC in a very distinct way. Mondrian created abstract art, yet this particular painting is based on a real world example. This painting represents the city grid of Manhattan. The artist illuminates the streets with a bright yellow grid of intersecting lines. The intersections between the lines are blocks of different colors as well. In fact, “Broadway Boogie Woogie” depicts NYC streets and traffic lights. Mondrian demonstrates the movement and dynamics of the city through the use of this particular palette of colors. The city seems to immediately illuminate and it becomes alive. NYC is just like the Boogie Woogie, it is filled with energy and shining lights.

My friends and I initially through that “Broadway Boogie Woogie” is displaying the NYC subway system. The subway, however, is an essential component in the dynamics of the city. Therefore, we weren’t far off in understanding Piet Mondrian’s idea for the painting.

What do you think about this painting? Does it depict New York City accurately? Were you able to immediately realize that the painting is depicting NYC? 

Angelika Pokovba- Introduction

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kgHWQh6IRksHello everyone! My name is Angelika and I currently reside in Brooklyn. I was born in Western Ukraine (by the border with Hungary) and my family moved to the United States 10 years ago. As a result, I am fluent in both Ukrainian and Russian languages. Moreover, I speak Spanish on a proficient level. 

 

At City College I am looking forward to major in International Journalism with a minor in Spanish, yet I still have time to decide what it is that I definitely enjoy doing. As of now, I know that I certainly enjoy learning foreign languages. In fact, I am studying French at CCNY right now. I also love traveling and hope that as a journalist, traveling and languages will further aid me to succeed. My dream profession would be at BBC or perhaps The New Yorker. 

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Whiteface Mountain Peak, Lake Placid

Aside from college, I am a passionate skier. I’ve conquered all the highest peaks on the Eastern Coast and will hopefully acquaint myself with Salt Lake City, British Columbia and European peaks soon as well. Skiing is one of my absolutely favorite things ever because it makes me feel completely free. I have complete control over where I roam, with only a bit help from nature. When I ski I tend to completely shut off my brain and rather feel what I am doing. Skiing provides me with great adrenaline and makes me feel as if in a single moment I have everything that I can possibly need and desire. I am clearly in great anticipation of winter already and cannot wait for another snowy season. Anyhow, if you haven’t tried skiing or snowboarding, I greatly suggest that you do!

In addition, I also practice yoga and absolutely love to dive! 

In general, I am super curious to learn about other cultures and explore whatever has been previously unknown to me. I am currently very interested in Spanish and Latin American culture. I find it absolutely fascinating to the point that my playlist are now almost entirely Spanish and that many of the movies that I watch are Spanish as well. In fact, I absolutely adore Spain and plan to Study Abroad there for at least one semester. Further, I hope to live in Spain one day or perhaps somewhere in Europe. 

I do love NYC and anticipate to discover new elements of New Year in the following course! 

Here is a song that always puts me in a good mood: