Posts by michellegaykov
Club 57
One piece of art that definitely left a mark on my experience at Club 57 was Cosmic Closet by Kenny Scharf. This piece of art was the most interesting one in my mind because you are instantly entranced by the bright neon colors, random objects, and surreal environment this piece creates. This piece of art is not simply a painting or something to look at but it brings you into the experience. A room, coated in neon paint and covered with objects ranging from chairs to headless dolls, takes you out from the real world and brings you into this extraterrestrial-like world within this room. All of the absurd objects in this room come together to create a kid-like curiosity within the viewer. When you walk in, you can really feel the happiness that Kenny Scharf had when creating this piece. This piece captures the feelings, lifestyle, and energy of New York even in todays day and age.
This piece represented what life was like in New York city in the 70s and 80s. In my eyes, the neon colors represent not only the excitement of life and energy that New York had but the excitement of being an artist as well. When you walk into that room, you really feel as though you are transported to another world and I believe that Kenny Scharf was trying to do exactly that: capture the moments of his life as an artist in the 70s and keep that energy, feeling, and passion encapsulated in this room for people in the future to feel what it was like to live during this time, to be alive. This piece absolutely belongs in this exhibit because it challenges the definition of art, much like the rest of these pieces. It makes art, something that many people deem serious and perfect, into something full of energy, joy, imperfections, and alive.
M. Butterfly- Acting and Set Design
M. Butterfly was one of the most unique plays I’ve seen. Not only did the acting completely break the 4th wall, but the set design was so mobil and fluid which I believed allowed for such fluidity in the acting. The show starts as a story told in the perspective of Rene Gallimard but as the story grows more complicated and intricate we begin to get glimpses of Song Liling’s perspective and see what he had to go through while Gallimard was going through his own problems. This style of acting is so interesting to me because it makes me feel as if I am the person he is talking to; everybody in the audience feels interconnected with the story as if they are the only ones in the room. The ending shows an interaction between Gallimard and Butterfly and what I like about this interaction is that you don’t know if it is the story or if its out of context and a moment they share away from the story as the ending becomes a mix of storytelling and actual story. My favorite moment was when Gallimard says to Song Liling that the story is over and we actually see the set designers get on stage and begin stripping the set design. It was such a raw moment where we got the chance to see Gallimard’s emotions without anything else to focus on.
Set Design allowed the piece to move as smoothly as it did. There were scene changes that took place during Gallimard’s monologues to the audience and it just worked. I feel this is one of the many aspects of the play that made it so unique from the rest. It allowed for scenes to occur at the same time, for our own interpretation of some scenes, and for the actors to participate in the set design as we saw when the soldiers were spinning the huge “walls” that represented the pride in the revolution. All in all, I feel that this play was created beautifully and really allowed for the story to come to life in our own eyes.
Visit #2
The second visit to our site really brought together everything that we were thinking of doing. It gave us a much more defined and structured plot, an effective way to incorporate our urban space, and a better feeling of what our plan was for the final piece. We were able to finalize our decision of specifically which subway to use and even focused on a specific station. Our idea for the Urban Space iMovie is to create almost a dream-like setting while incorporating significant events we have seen, heard, and felt while on the subway line. The subway is a very diverse place in of itself from the smells, sights, sounds, and overall atmosphere it is a world of its own. We wanted to show what the subway is like while still creating a story focused on a girl and her flashbacks to the train ride or rides she has taken in the past. Although it may seem at parts to stray from the sight, we always bring it back with flashbacks or eerie videos of the subway in its prime.
The thing I love about the Q line is that although it is a new subway line, there is still a sense of age to it and every time I pass over the bridge and see the city as a whole, I get this familiar feeling that almost brings me back in time. The view is absolutely breathtaking and its so interesting to see others on this line because they do not even for a second look up from their phones to see what could be one of the most beautiful views of New York City. Every time I am on this line I am simply mesmerized by it, and that is something else we would like to capture in this iMovie. Even something as insignificant as a subway line has the power to capture a whole new world of experiences.
Views from Different Perspectives
For our iMovie project, our group decided to focus on the most original, useful, and under appreciated part of the city: the subways. Although they may cause mayhem for tourists who try to maneuver their way to popular sites, for everyday New Yorkers they are a necessity. Our iMovie project will focus on a person’s journey, both physically and mentally, through the subways. It will focus on the different encounters a person could have on a train whether it be performance, a beggar, a fight, being on a crowded subway car, or being completely alone. I thought it would be very interesting to use the Q train for this
assignment. This train connects all the way from Brooklyn to Manhattan and unlike many trains, we get to see an above ground view of where we are going. The Q is rarely packed, and connects two separate islands to one another. I feel it is perfect for our iMovie because people who use the subways every single day rarely understand the feeling of seeing a whole city pass right before your eyes, considering we are stuck in a metal box for the entire ride. It would be interesting to focus on the different sights, sounds, smells, and views that come from different subway stations. As somebody who goes home many weekends my mother always drops me off at the Q station either in Brighton Beach or on her way to work in Brooklyn. I always look forward to seeing the train cross the bridge and it always elicits feelings of joy and astonishment; I feel like a kid in a candy shop. This feeling needs to be expressed in our iMovie project and this subway line is the perfect line to focus on. It gives a person the chance to really see the city for what it is.
Buried Child Character Representation
The play Buried Child has many dark, gruesome, and depressing undertones. After watching the 1996 production of Buried Child, many parts of Sam Shepard’s play came to life. The way actors portray the characters, express the lines, and capture the essence of the play truly gives a greater understanding and appreciation towards it. For example, the portrayal of the characters completed the image I previously developed and captured Sam Shepard’s requests perfectly. The way Hallie was yelling at Dodge, Tilden, Bradley, and Shelly portrays Hallie as a person who believes she is always in the right. There was never a moment she thought she was wrong or gave even the slightest bit of attention to another character. As she spoke, she did not expect others to listen to her, she just talked to herself so she could express how great she is in comparison to the rest of her family. She truly believes that everybody in the house is crazy except for herself. Tilden is another character that, when seeing on stage, completed the image Sam Shepard created. Tilden does not talk too much, but his movements and the tone in his voice when he does say something encapsulate him. He seeks out attention and love from others because he lost what he loved; his child. In addition, the movements done by Tilden play a significant role in the play. For example, when Tilden went over to Shelly and held her jacket, he cradled it like a baby. Seeing this action done in person gives a whole new idea to the play. It not only gives a deeper meaning to what Tilden will say about his child, but it also shows how badly Tilden wants to love something again. Finally, in the 1996 production, one can see just how dependent Dodge is on others. The stage opens up to him and one can see just how dirty, scrappy, and weak he looks. He depends on Tilden to take care of him. This dependency even angers him to a certain degree because he used to be an independent man who ran a beautiful farm and had a great family. In the production, one can see how he represents his distress and anger through his shouting, flailing of limbs, and facial expression. He hates what he has become. There were moments in the play where he would hide under the blanket in order to not be seen. He would much rather not exist than need people to keep him alive. All in all, seeing the production gave a greater sense of what Sam Shephard wanted to portray.
Similarities and Differences of Pina Bausch’s work
As somebody who does not watch dance or has ever gone to a dance performance, this one clearly stuck with me. It most certainly left me on the edge of my seat in both confusion, curiosity, and awe. The two performances Café Muller and The Rite of Spring by Pina Bausch physically contrasted while still holding on to similar underpinnings.
At the start of Café Muller, I could not keep my eyes open because I was so uncomfortable looking at the single woman walking along the wall in all white. I felt as though I was watching a horror film. As the performance progressed, it held on to this eerie energy with aggressive and repetitive movements. However, these movements were mostly done individually; each dancer played their own role. It seemed that each dancer was independent of the next. I felt as though I was watching a choreography for a play rather than a dance due to its informal and unconventional style.
In The Rite of Spring, the energy was so powerful that there were moments when the performers would have to release themselves through grunts or shouts. This piece, also containing repetitive movements, was much more put together in the sense that all the movements were done in a group rather than sporadically among different individuals. In addition, I had a greater understanding for what the work was portraying through the movements and use of the red cloth/dress due to its contemporary style. One can say that the red fabric represented evil, sexuality, or sin and once the dancer had the dress on she was cast out by her group and danced herself to death.
In both pieces, there is a strong connection to the setting. In Café Muller, the setting added to the eeriness of the play. There were chairs everywhere all empty and as the performers danced, another performer would come over-almost to save them-and move all the chairs out of their path as if they could not control themselves. The use of chairs in this manner could show the relationship of trust between people or even the for caretaking of the dancer out of control. In similarity, The Rite of Spring used setting to convey a connection to the earth. Through the use of dirt or soil in this piece, the dancers seemed to be more primitive in nature or more grounded and connected to their roots of life. There are so many ways one can interpret this performance and Pina Bausch did a wonderful job allowing the audience to be able to compare and contrast these two pieces.
Details in Design
One of the ma
ny things that intrigued me about the High Line was the amount of detail and thought that went into the simplistic design. Many people focused on the art that is displayed along the manmade, cement path reminiscent of the railroad as well as the art displayed in the natural, self-sustaining shrubbery. However, art lies within the design as well. The design team, James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio, and Renfro, was able to represent the High Line in even the most minute details such as the benches. As I walked along the cement slabs and viewed all of the art, I began to notice that every bench reminded me of the exact thing I was walking on. The bench, made of the same cement as the pathway, raised itself from the ground and flattened out much like the High Line rises into the air and supports itself. The natural and manmade elements that coexist on the High Line can be seen in the bench design as well. The bench uses the manmade cement to support something natural: People. The bright, yellow light underneath each bench represents the hustle and bustle of the Manhattan streets that one can only see when looking down. However, the light does not make its way past the cement seats of the benches, just as the constant liveliness of New York City cannot be heard from just a few feet above the streets.
Each bench had different people sitting on it, different thoughts, different actions going on all at once. This is exactly what, in my eyes, the High Line allows for; people coming together but managing to stay within their own world. Each person having their own thoughts on the pieces of art and experiencing each piece differently than the person next to them even if everybody is walking along the same exact 1.5-mile pathway in the sky.
Comments by michellegaykov
"I really like how you pointed out the warmness of the palette used in contrast to the piece created. This piece definitely creates a feeling of discomfort much like many of the pieces in this exhibit but you don't want to look away. I really like how you discussed the importance of the history of this exhibit as well. It is very important to note that this exhibit is more than just art instillations but also meant to bring social awareness to problems people did not want to talk about. This time period not only created beautiful works of art but forced people to look at the problems in society as well."
--( posted on Dec 5, 2017, commenting on the post
Tabboo! )
"I really like how you talked about the use of nudity. In shows, especially in such a well known area of the city, we very rarely see any kind of nudity or any type of affection out of the normal "woman loving man" or "man loving woman." When we do get stories of love, there is never any actual action to occur and it always feels like such a fantasy or fake. But, in M. Butterfly that was not the case. Just as David Hwang wanted to challenge gender norms and the idea of gender, he allowed for the creation of a uncensored and raw experience that you could not find anywhere else. This play really sheds a light on how stigmatized the nude form is in shows and in public while pushing the comfort of the audience and making them realize it is okay to feel uncomfortable."
--( posted on Nov 21, 2017, commenting on the post
M. Butterfly Production )
"I find it very interesting that although the tram and train are both modes of transportation, the actions and the atmosphere the the environments differ to such a degree. It is very important that you pointed this out because it shows that even something nuance like the way you get from one place to another has serious visible differences to it. In addition, I liked the way you showed that the tram, much like all of New York City, is about diversity. There is no separation, no discrimination, no uncomfortableness and this shows the similarities to the subway."
--( posted on Nov 7, 2017, commenting on the post
People of the Tram )
"I really liked how you compared the everyday hustle and bustle to the stillness and peace of the park at that time of day. I have been to this park quite recently with my mom and I completely understand the juxtaposition between the old and the new. Interestingly enough, this is something I talked about with my mom that day. I feel like the new has only added to the park. It has kept its beloved essence and people come here for the same reason they used to come. This is an excellent choice of structure to focus on and I believe that it will make for a great iMovie project."
--( posted on Oct 24, 2017, commenting on the post
The Clash of History with the Modern Age )
"I really liked how you discussed the use of only one room setting. I now see that it truly does give a greater look into the lives of this family. It lets one focus on every aspect of the house and not only lets us look closer at the lives of the people physically, but it lends to fewer distractions and more focus on the characters themselves. I really like that you pointed out Hallie not being present physically and that paralleling to her actual mental presence in the family as well. It is interesting to note that Vince and Shelly end up falling into the same mindset as the rest of the family. This is truly seen when Vince takes Dodge's hat and sits on the couch."
--( posted on Oct 10, 2017, commenting on the post
1996 production of Sam Shepard’s Buried Child )
"I really enjoyed how you captured your own thoughts within both performances. Although you may not have grasped the complete idea of Cafe Muller as many people did not, you were able to still have a sense of what Pina Bausch is trying to convey within this dance. I completely agree that Cafe Muller had a much creepier vibe to it while The Rite of Spring was completely alive and filled with energy. You do a good job at comparing the two pieces not only in their energy but in the representation of the dances which, although created by the same person, represent completely different things."
--( posted on Sep 26, 2017, commenting on the post
Pina Bausch’s Works )
"Your analysis of the High Line and pointing out the juxtaposition between old and new, manmade and natural really intrigued me. From this image, one can see the new, cement pathway while admiring the originality of the structure from the self-sustaining plants that carve out the pathway. In addition, the use of depth within this picture emulates how one feels while walking along the streets of Manhattan. The buildings are cut off due to their immense height and in order for somebody to really see this, they have to bend their head all the way back. With this, you get the sense of being a small part of something much bigger than yourself. In addition, you were able to perfectly capture the difference between the structures that are crumbling at their foundations while viewing the grandeur of the new buildings behind the old, as if one is walking into the future."
--( posted on Sep 10, 2017, commenting on the post
new vs. old )
"got it!"
--( posted on Aug 31, 2017, commenting on the post
test announcement 2 )
