Author Archives: Christopher Pun

Living on Long Island is…

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Like a sanctuary.
The place where I can always come back to,
The place where countless memories flood in,
As I set foot within this place.

Anything beyond this place,
This long island,
Is like a whole new world,
Beyond my wildest dreams.

But people tell me it’s dangerous out there,
Rampant with chaos, injustice, and disorder.
People fighting just to survive each day;
How can anyone live like that?

Deep down I know,
That my Dad is out there somewhere,
Fighting for his life and country,
Fighting for his family.

And one day I’ll fight alongside him,
We’ll fight together,
Protect each other.
Yeah, that’s what we’ll do.

But for now,
I think I’ll stay here on this long island,
My sanctuary,
The place I call home.

– Pun
I know this is extremely out of the blue, but this is a poem I wrote a while back in english class in high school. I think it can be interpreted in many different ways depending on the background of the reader. I’m curious to know what kind of thoughts this might instill for you guys, so feel free to let me know! It’s perfectly okay if you don’t like it, no hard feelings. 😀

Tara Sabharwal & Daniel Kelly Visit

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Delayed thoughts!

I’m really glad we had the opportunity to be able to grab a glimpse behind these two artist’s lives. It was really interesting hearing about their stories and how Ms. Sabharwal came to be the artist she is today, and how Mr. Kelly came to be the musician he is today.

In Mr. Kelly’s visit, I really enjoyed seeing how he got himself involved with a community he’s not necessarily familiar with, and allowed himself to not only learn from all kinds of people from different cultures, but also to create original music with them and incorporate their individual stories. I thought it was interesting and awesome to see how he experimented with incorporating voice recordings into his music as well as playing with musicians who played instruments that are completely different from the piano itself in order to develop this new type of sound and music.

In Ms. Sabharwal’s visit, I really enjoyed being able to see and hear how she had the opportunity to earn residencies within different countries and how even to this day, she is still learning different styles of painting and still incorporating new methods and mastering old ones. Like I said in class, I think the idea of having a residency is absolutely amazing and being able to have the opportunity to do that I think is such a blessing and I can’t even begin to imagine all the things you’d be able to see, experience, and learn. I also thought it was funny how Ms. Sabharwal described her painting process, and how once she decides to use certain colors, she begins to see those colors in everything, wherever she goes.

All in all, it was a pleasure meeting the two of them and hearing their stories and insights. Thanks for taking the time to come out and talk to us, and I wish you two the best as you both continue to pursue your passions!

ICP – Sebastião Salgado: Genesis

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I’m extremely glad that we switched our exhibition to the ICP, because Salgado’s photography has shown me an entirely new meaning to how powerful one photo, or in his case, over 200 photos can be. Salgado captures a collection of images that shows us a perspective of nature, animals, and indigenous peoples that we would never have even dreamt of seeing with our own eyes, even though everything he has captured is present at this very moment. There were countless photos where it makes you wonder how in the world was he able to take a photo from an angle like that? But I discovered that in order take many of his photos, he travelled by light aircraft, seagoing vessels, canoes, and balloons, which I think that in it of itself is pretty amazing. The compilation of his Genesis project took 8 years to capture and select the photos displayed at the ICP now and so many of them are simply just breathtaking.

I truly recommend you guys to stop by the ICP before Salgado’s exhibition ends, because it’s really worth seeing the world through a perspective you’ve never seen before. Also, it’s free with your Macaulay Passport!

Zero – @Guggenheim

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It was my first time being at the Guggenheim and I really like how the interior is structured. There are six rotundas but they aren’t separated by stairs, but rather it’s all connected by a gradual spiral of walking area from the bottom to the top. As you’re walking around, gradually going up from rotunda to rotunda and observing the different types and forms of art displayed, once you reach the top, it’s almost surprising that you’ve already reached the top when you’re not keeping track of time.

The exhibition itself was for the most part, pretty interesting to see. They created art through methods of lights/shadows, colors, sculptures, vibrations, kinetic energy, slashing & burning, and several others. Some of the art seemed extremely simple to create, such as certain solid colors on a canvas. Although it was simple however, it stuck to their theme of redefining and rediscovering art post World War II which was definitely enjoyable to observe. Each floor had its own sort of theme for the art displayed as the artists progressed in redefining it in their own way. One of the best parts of the exhibitions was the way they used light to manipulate certain objects and create art with a balance of lights and shadows. Other pieces of art that stood out to me were the ones involving fire and vibrations despite how simple it seemed, because well, I never thought of doing something like that.

Straight White Men

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This one performance was able to effectively compile several touchy subjects that most people are afraid of confronting directly, into a perspective that we could all relate to in some way and understand. It addressed racism, sexism, sexual orientation, white privilege, and what entails each one.

During the performance, two of the actors (the two younger brothers) began playing a game called “Privilege”, (which I thought was subtly powerful, but powerful nonetheless) which was not only meant to be a joke, but it also put privilege into the perspective of a reality. This act also foreshadowed the fact that only the two younger brothers had grown up using their privilege whereas the oldest brother felt like he didn’t deserve it, and had to earn it instead.

It was definitely interesting to see how they presented different views of privilege through each actor in the family and how each one ultimately decided to take advantage of it if they did at all. I also thought it was powerful how one by one, each of Matt’s (the oldest brother) family members, left him because of the fact that he didn’t know what to do with his life and with his privilege, but he knew for sure that he didn’t want to use and abuse it like his brothers had.

The Waste Land

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By far, the best and most eye-opening documentary screening we’ve had thus far. This was not just about the amazing art that was made, this was about the people. Behind each work of art, there was a human being. Each of them had a unique character, personality, and a story behind each portrait. It was amazing to see how each of their lives were changed even though the conditions they were in didn’t necessarily change. One of the most important lessons that Vik Muniz wanted to accomplish with this project was for each of the individuals to see the work of art and to not think to themselves that, “Wow, Vik Muniz did this”, but rather, “Wow, we did this…I did this.” Vik wanted them to realize that this was all done through their hard work and created with their hands. I thought that that was really powerful. It was also extremely humbling to see how Vik became so involved with each of the people he worked with. All in all, it’s amazing to see how even art made of garbage can have the potential to change someone’s life in so many ways.

Pirandello’s Six Characters…

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Late thoughts on Six Characters in Search of an Author

First things first, thank you so very much Professor Drabik for the press tickets! They were absolutely amazing and the play was confoundingly great. My apologies for not bringing up my thoughts about the play during class, but here they are.

The play was pretty brilliantly produced. The way they used the lighting, the shadows, and the stage in order to alter the way we saw certain things and make us view things the way they wanted us to. It was all just so brilliantly planned and acted out. There were a couple of things that I was wondering about after the play:
1) Who exactly was the woman sewing at the beginning, and what was her purpose in the play? Could she be the author (although unlikely, just kind of a random thought)? – I only recall seeing her at the beginning, at the end, and when she brought out the bird with the cage.
2) Why was the name of the little girl (Rosetta) mentioned once and only once, while every other time she was just referred to as the child?
3) The director said at one point that the characters themselves were the authors or something along those lines. Could the six characters be the authors themselves?

During class many people were debating the idea of whether it was fiction or reality. In my opinion, there was no doubt it was fiction. During the scene where they were behind the curtain and both the actors and the characters were yelling “Reality!, Fiction!”, but afterwards only the actors appeared up front, dazed and confused. I think that this meant the actors were so “into their roles” during rehearsal, for lack of a better term, that they essentially brought to life these six characters and their story. Of course the experience is real, but that still doesn’t make the fiction a reality. The six characters and their story are still just words on a page.

 

Carnegie Hall – Orchestra of St. Luke’s

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This was my first time ever setting foot in Carnegie Hall. I’ve only actually seen the outside of Carnegie Hall a total of two times; the first on the way to Fall for Dance, and this was the second. I played in my high school orchestra as the 1st chair Violin myself, and I know the feeling of walking out on stage by yourself and hearing the audience applaud you. It’s exhilarating, but it also puts a huge amount of pressure upon your shoulders.

The inside of the hall is quite beautiful and it’s such an amazing privilege, and what a luxury, to be able to just sit inside and do nothing but listen and enjoy. My favorite piece was the one by Luigi Dallapiccola with the full orchestra. I’m not sure how to quite explain it, but I just really enjoy the sound of a complete orchestra. There are certain parts in the music that sound as if different sections of the orchestra are having a conversation with one another. One section plays a couple of lines and another answers back, sometimes mimicking, sometimes in response, sometimes almost in retaliation as if they were in a friendly competition. Those are the parts of the music that I enjoy the most, whether it’s listening to it as the audience, or playing it in an orchestra.

American Journey

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For the most part I really disliked the production of the film itself. It was literally painful to watch a film that was 75% blurred throughout the journey in Robert Franks footsteps. I guess it most likely was done on purpose, but it just doesn’t seem worth doing in a logical sense. I think that sole aspect alone would turn away many viewers.

There was one thing that stood out to me, and stuck with me throughout the film however. That one scene where it was stated that both passion and purpose are necessary. One cannot exist without the other, it just doesn’t work that way. Well, those are my short thoughts about that film.

~Pun

Fall for Dance!

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That day was a pretty great overall day. My group went out a couple hours before the performance to take pictures of public art, and afterwards we ate at Shake Shack, chilled at Starbucks, and then watched the performance!

Overall, the entire performance was really, really good. I have a ton of respect for the dancers and their ability to do what they do. The first half of the performance, although it was good, and required much skill, those types of dances don’t interest me too much. I didn’t enjoy the first half as much as I did the second. But man, was I glad that they ended the second half with strong performances that I truly enjoyed. Shout outs to the Wang Ramirez duo who kept me on the edge of my seat during their performance, and were nice enough to take a picture with us afterwards! The intricacy, preciseness, and story within each of their moves were breathtaking needless to say. I also thoroughly enjoyed the last performance, as it was not only powerful, but humorous as well. They lightened up the mood and created a fun and interactive performance for the entire audience. Much respect for every dancer that performed.

~Pun

“You are the sky before the sky.” (Skyscraper, by Matt Rasmussen)

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It felt almost as if, no matter where I walked through the city, this overarching Freedom Tower, now officially the One World Trade Center, towered over me and everyone else in the area. No matter where I turned, no matter where I looked, this Freedom Tower was there, proclaiming its existence to the city’s inhabitants and the rest of the world. Rasmussen describes skyscrapers as a sword thrust into the city, and I think that perfectly describes the Freedom Tower. This tower, this sword, was thrust into the city from the ashes and rubble that was 9/11 and now it stands tall. I believe that it strongly represents New York, its city, and its people, in that although sometimes we get knocked down, we have the ability to come together and stand tall once again.

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~Pun

The Weary Blues

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My favorite part of this poem is the way the words flow as you read it out. There’s this sort of natural rhythm to it and when read aloud in the right tone and the right attitude, it’s really something. I really like how it mimics the rhythm and the sound of actual blues as well as how the writer uses slang to really capture the time and the language that was used. If you can’t tell already, I really like it when something sounds good and pleasing to the ear, whether it be a poem or music, etc.

Meant to Live – Switchfoot Concert @ Columbia University hosted by Pulse

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This past thursday night, after receiving a guaranteed ticket (from the CCNY Intervarsity) to an already free concert featuring Switchfoot, I made an impulse decision to finish my English 210 paper within 2 and a half hours so that I could attend this concert. After finishing class at around 4 pm, I sat myself down in my dorm room and got to work on my paper. Luckily, I finished my paper and submitted it literally 5 minutes before I had to leave for the concert. And man, was I glad that I did.

Now here comes the good part after the hard work. Upon arriving in front of Lerner Hall at Columbia University with the Intervarsity group, my eyes immediately saw the enormous line (those who didn’t have tickets) that stood awaiting to get in. For those who did have tickets (mostly Columbia students and intervarsity groups) were able to enter straight in without a wait. To my surprise not too many people actually obtained tickets, which meant we were able to get pretty decent seats. The concert opened with the Colton Dixon band (I’ve never heard of them before then, but they’re pretty good) and then Switchfoot came on afterwards. In comparison to classical music and the music played at the opera, it is much, much different. But both were really good in their own aspects and style. So, what would have been a regular and boring night, had I not went out to the concert, turned into a great night with new friends, good fellowship, and late night pizza. Also, who doesn’t love free concerts in NYC?

Le Nozze di Figaro

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Boy, was I in for a surprise Saturday night. Although I had to attend the opera on my own, it did however, provide a whole different experience for me. I walked into that beautiful Met Opera House at Lincoln Center, preparing myself mentally for a long, long night of opera singing. The atmosphere that was created was in a way, exhilarating, with everyone wearing formal and elegant attire. It definitely felt nice just being a part of that environment. My favorite part of the opera was hands down the music being played by the orchestra in the pit. In high school I was a part of the pit orchestra for the school’s musical for 2 years in a row. So, personally I know the level of intensity and the seriousness within the pit to perform well, perfect rather. In my opinion, without the music played by the orchestra, the opera and musicals, would be nowhere near as good as they are. It would simply become a show featuring acappella singing. The orchestra sets the mood, creates the drama, pleases the ear, enhances the story, and much, much more. So, my heart goes out to them, and I applaud the orchestra for doing such an amazing job, which in turn helps the cast do their job better as well. It felt wonderful to simply be able to sit there and rest. I couldn’t help but close my eyes at certain points just to take in each note played by each instrument, enjoy the music, and forget about any sort of worries that were in the back of my head.

Man On Wire

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For some odd reason, I feel as if the beginning of any documentary is bound to bore me, however, as this particular film went on, past a certain point I could not peel my eyes off that screen. I was so intrigued by the process Phillipe and his crew had to go through in order for him just to walk that tightrope between the Twin Towers. So to me, the feat that amazed me and demanded my attention the most was not necessarily the actual walk across the wire itself (although it was extremely out of this world), but rather the successful act of breaking into both Twin Towers and stringing the wire between each tower before daylight without getting caught or seen.

I’m pretty into video games that involve stealth and not getting caught, so I guess that explains why I was so drawn to the whole process of breaking into the Twin Towers and setting up their equipment in the middle of the night.

~Pun

The D(ance) Train

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On the way back from what was an unfortunate failed trip to Smorgasburg at Central Park, (we arrived, but police wouldn’t let us in due to “too many people” at the event) me and several friends took the D train back to the towers at around 9:30 pm or so and I witnessed something out of the ordinary to me for the first time on the subway.

Between the long 59th Street/Columbus Circle and the 125th street station stop, a group of 8 or so guys provided entertainment during the ride that otherwise would have been a normal NYC train ride. In the middle of the train car, they blasted music and one by one, each of them break danced with their own particular style as well as humor. They cheered one another on and brought the train car to life, eliciting quite an applause and earning what seemed to be a decent amount of money.

I was extremely impressed and they for sure earned my respect as well as a couple dollars for their performance. As a group they had such energy and synergy together and I admired their talent and courage to perform publicly without fear of failure or being judged especially on a moving train car. I’m glad I was able to see this group do what they were passionate about, and I hope and look forward to seeing more things like this and what else this city has to offer.

~Pun

Christopher Pun – A Punny Intro

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Why hello there!465388_2692786642871_642572276_o

My name is Christopher Man-Kat Pun. Yes, you read correctly, my name is Christopher. You can call me Chris or simply, Pun. But perhaps you’re more curious about my middle name and my last name. Your English speaking tendencies are probably making you pronounce my middle name like Man-Cat, and I don’t blame you, however in Cantonese it’s actually pronounced Mun-Keet. So, no, I’m sorry to say that unfortunately I’m not Catwoman’s protégé and I don’t have a superhero double-life.
Also, please don’t ask me if I know any good puns. I honestly don’t know that many!

~What d1512168_10203332430658323_1502285047_ooes a clock do when it’s hungry? It goes back FOUR SECONDS. HA.
Well, that pun leads into my ever increasing love for food. While living in New York these past 18 years, I have developed an ever growing appetite for all things that is great food. As we speak, I continue to roam the earth in search of all kinds of amazing food from different cuisines across the world. (Although, the only country out of the U.S. that I’ve been to is Canada…) But nonetheless, the search goes on!

~I used to have a fear of hurdles, but I got over it. 🙂
Second to my love for food, I have an innate passion for sports and video games. I love to play soccer, tennis, volleyball, and frisbee the most, among a couple of other sports. The video games that I currently enjoy playing are                                                       League of Legends, and CS:GO.

220610_10201086082101013_54464082_oAlso, most people don’t know that I secretly enjoy both dancing (choreographed hip-hop and such) and singing. Sorry, I don’t have a pun for this.
In high school I was a part of a Filipino dance group for 2 years and I experienced a ton of cultural arts specifically through dance and music via my school’s International Culture Club.

Well, to sum myself up, I guess I’d say I’m a pretty down-to-earth kind of guy.
Most people think of me as the guy who’s calm, chill, and reliable. I like to think of myself as a pretty simple guy, but with a hint of mystery that will always make you curious and keep you guessing since I often enjoy being adventurous and trying new things. 🙂

Well that’s about it. I look forward to getting to know you all and experiencing NYC with you guys! I also hope we all are able to rise to the challenge of getting to know each other more and more throughout the next four years, because well, frankly, no pun in ten did. Ha. ha. ha. 🙂
Don’t worry, that’s most likely the last pun you’ll ever hear from me ever again.

~C. Pun signing out!