The Arts in New York City

MHC Seminar 1, Professor Casey Henry

Author: lesly (Page 1 of 2)

The Manhattan Grid: A Work of Art in NYC

November 29, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Link to Google Slides Presentation

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/

1mEDjqVJ5iMcQDfagVlxAeBL4PTx_xFZaBXwCaExQXvk/edit?usp=sharing

About the Project

The Manhattan grid is an integral part of the identity of New York City and I chose to focus on the history of this massive construction to further understand the city I live in. My interest was to explore the history of Manhattan and through research, I learned about the origins of the name “Manhattan” and about the people who lived on the island way before European arrival. What was interesting about the research process was coming across the “Mannahatta Project,” which was developed by landscape ecologist Eric Sanderson and introduced me to the further history of the island of Manhattan. The project recreated the Manhattan of 1609 with its many hills, valleys, and streams. The model is an important part of my project because it showcases the evolution of Manhattan over the years supports the idea of the Manhattan grid being a work of art within the city.

Introduction Slide

 

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Before and after picture of Manhattan – Manhattan in 1609 vs. present day

 

Commissioners Map of Manhattan – Grid System Display

 

               Time Lapse Video – Manhattan from 2016 back to 1811

 

 

Art and Commerce

November 21, 2017 / / 0 Comments

After reading the assigned articles, it became clear to me that the authors view commerce, advertising, and fashion as a distinct for of art. In the article “Like Art,” O’Brien writes about his journey in finding the right career for himself. His passion was set on art early in his life, but soon he realized that making a living solely as an artist would be a difficult task. O’Brien noticed that to make it as an artist, he had to learn to work with advertising, a practice in society that had gained momentum with the evolution of technology. Over the years, advertising became a new form of art in which artist are required to learn and bring a creative mindset into their working environment. O’Brien points to the fact that advertising opened the doors to aspiring artist seeking working opportunities in society today. In the second article, “On Business,” the author refers to a commerce as a form of art. The process of learning how to run a business and how to work with people to help it improve overtime takes both time and effort. These skills are not learned overnight and this is part of the real why he believes business is a form of art. A person seeking to start a business and make it a successful one starts off with a blank canvas that is later filled until the final product is reached.

From the Interview with Virgil Abloh and Kanye West Excerpts, one of the prominent ideas expressed by the authors is that fashion is heavily influenced by celebrities. social media has become an important tool in dissipating information to the public, and many fashion designers have become icons due to their connections to these celebrities or even because of their own celebrity status. An example in this case is Kanye West, who when asked if fame makes being a successful fashion designer easier replied “you need fame to sell your shit, that’s why people pay for advertisers.” In the interview with Virgil Abloh, the author defends this claim by writing that “celebrity is influence, influence is power, and the digital realm provides an ever-expanding series of platforms from which to wield it.” To some extent, I do agree with these authors. In our society, people tend to lean towards the trends of the time which are usually set by celebrities. A few examples can be seen in the business of cosmetics with Kyle, KKW and FENTI products being amongst the most popular due to the celebrities behind their launch.

 

Rodin and Michelangelo Met Museum

November 20, 2017 / / 0 Comments

The Weeping Burgher

By looking over both the artworks of Rodin and Michelangelo, subtle differences can be seen through careful observation. As I looked over the sculptures of Rodin, I noticed that his works of art focused on some state of the human body in connection with emotions. Rodin is able to portray emotion in his sculptures by giving states of being a recognizable pose. Take for example “The Weeping Burgher,” in which Rodin decided to portray a character in grief. The way Rodin accentuated the feeling of grief in this particular piece is by having the figure cover its face in distress and arched slightly forward as if to show that the sadness it feels is too much to bear. Another example of how Rodin plays with emotional representation through his work can be seen in “The Thinker,” which shows a male figure in a position that suggests he is in deep through about an issue. In this case, Roding has the figure in a sitting position with his body leaned forward and his head resting on his hand made into a fist. The thinker is a popular sculpture of Rodin and it helps to show the way in which he portrays emotion through his work.

The Thinker

 

One feature I noticed in Michelangelo’s work that is different from Rodin is his practice of exaggerating the physical features of the human body. Michelangelo add a touch of masculinity in his work by accentuating the muscular tone of the subjects he focuses on. In the unfinished sketch of “Madonna and Child,” Michelangelo portrayed the faces of both Madonna and the baby with light physical features. Their skin is smooth and free of harsh distinguishable lines. The bodies of these subjects, nevertheless, add significant contrast to the sketch. Madonna and even the child are showcased with heavy muscular tones that are not usually seen in other sketches. The muscular focus of this sketch perhaps is meant to develop the idea that the women and the child, despite the fragility associated with their faces, are strong and fierce characters.

 

Madonna and Child

Mean Streets and Ghostface

November 12, 2017 / / 0 Comments

 

Mean Streets introduces the viewer into a world of unattended crime in the of New York City, specifically in a small area in Little Italy. Johnny, one of the protagonists of the movie, is introduced as a crime seeking character by setting an explosive for reasons still unclear out on the street. In another scene, Johnny and his friends are shown taking advantage of teenagers looking to pay for drugs. Gambling is shown to be a big part of the crime that takes place in the movie as well as debt counts and friendship confrontations. The friendship aspect is what makes Mean Streets so compelling, in my opinion.

In one of the scenes in the movie, Johnny becomes involved in a fight with one of his friends. Charlie then comes in and reminds the two that they are all fiends. Friendship appears to be the one of the bonding forces between these group of men who actively participate in crime and at the make time look out for each other. In the movie, Charlie looks after Johnny and making sure he pays off his dept to Michael. Charlie pressures his friend into keeping up to date with his payments after seeing Johnny enter the bar with two women by his side and without a single trace of preoccupation on his face. Charlie, nonetheless, appears to have hidden motives for taking care of Jonny. Later on in the movie, Charlie is shown in a relationship with Johnny’s cousin and he promises her that very soon they will move out together.

One of the moral paradoxes in the movie is depicted in the scene in which Charlie goes to church for confession. He expresses his frustration with the religious system in handling the forgiveness of sin and points out that praying does not absolve him of his wrong doings. What adds on to the moral paradox in the movie is that Charlie knows what he is doing is wrong because he makes it clear that he goes to church every week, perhaps because of the remorse he feels for what he is doing in his neighborhood. As a result of his dissatisfaction with the way the church “absolves” him of his sins, Charlie goes on to create his own way of paying for the wrong he has done.

“You don’t make up for your sins in church; you do it in the streets; you do it at home. The rest is bulls–t, and you know it.”

What makes Mean Streets different from Ghostface Killah’s “Shakey Dog” different is the level of violence portrayed in each. In “Shakey Dog,” it is clear that people participate in face to face confrontations and that they are ready to either live or die if they have to. Such example is seen in the following lines from “Shakey Dog.” In Mean Streets, on the other hand, the pool fight scene takes place while an upbeat song is played in the background, which takes away seriousness behind the fight.

Frank shot the skinny dude, laid him out
The bigger dude popped Frankie boy, played him out

 

Studio Museum

November 6, 2017 / / 0 Comments

After reading Langston Hughes’s “Weary Blues” and listening to Bobby Womack’s “Across 110th Street,” I understood that both of these works depicted the difficult early life experiences of African Americans in New York City. The places in which people of color lived in is hinted as being marginal and at times even dangerous. In “Across 110th Street,” Bobby Womack tells the life of a character living in Harlem. The character is said to be “the third brother of five” who had to do whatever was at reach in order to survive. The character of the song goes on to explain the difficult reality of living in Harlem with the lines “Trying to break out of the ghetto was a day to day fight/ You don’t know what you’ll do until you’re put under pressure.” In “Weary Blues” a character listens to the singing of an African American “down on Lenox Avenue.” The man sings about his dissatisfaction with life, and how being alone made him long for death.

 

While looking through the works of art on display in the “We Go As They” exhibit at the Studio Museum, one artist that captured my attention was Andy Robert. Robert’s Check II Check work depicts a check cashier in Harlem near the museum. Reading the depiction of the painting helped me understand the possible motives behind the authors choice of focus for Check to Check. By making the check cashier place the main focal point of the painting in Harlem, Robert perhaps wanted to get across the idea that people in Harlem get ready day after day for what will come. Financially, making a living is does not come without its problems. The painting captures the vibrancy of Harlem at night on Malcom X Boulevard with bright, almost glowing, colors that create a sense of change in the neighborhood from the previous descriptions of Langston Hughes and Bobby Womack. With Check II Check, Robert in this was is able to capture the life in Harlem today. By walking the streets of Harlem today, one is able to appreciate the evolution of the neighborhood through the countless of new businesses running as well as through the greater diversity of the people living in the area.

Studio Museum

November 5, 2017 / / 0 Comments

After reading Langston Hughes’s “Weary Blues” and listening to Bobby Womack’s “Across 110th Street,” I understood that both of these works depicted the difficult early life experiences of African Americans in New York City. The places in which people of color lived in is hinted as being marginal and at times even dangerous. In “Across 110th Street,” Bobby Womack tells the life of a character living in Harlem. The character is said to be “the third brother of five” who had to do whatever was at reach in order to survive. The character of the song goes on to explain the difficult reality of living in Harlem with the lines “Trying to break out of the ghetto was a day to day fight/ You don’t know what you’ll do until you’re put under pressure.” In “Weary Blues” a character listens to the singing of an African American “down on Lenox Avenue.” The man sings about his dissatisfaction with life, and how being alone made him long for death.

 

While looking through the works of art on display in the “We Go As They” exhibit at the Studio Museum, one artist that captured my attention was Andy Robert. Robert’s Check II Check work depicts a check cashier in Harlem near the museum. Reading the depiction of the painting helped me understand the possible motives behind the authors choice of focus for Check to Check. By making the check cashier place the main focal point of the painting in Harlem, Robert perhaps wanted to get across the idea that people in Harlem get ready day after day for what will come. Financially, making a living is does not come without its problems. The painting captures the vibrancy of Harlem at night on Malcom X Boulevard with bright, almost glowing, colors that create a sense of change in the neighborhood from the previous descriptions of Langston Hughes and Bobby Womack. With Check II Check, Robert in this was is able to capture the life in Harlem today. By walking the streets of Harlem today, one is able to appreciate the evolution of the neighborhood through the countless of new businesses running as well as through the greater diversity of the people living in the area.

O’Hara Assignment

October 24, 2017 / / 1 Comment

 

Frank O’Hara draws ideas for his poetry from the surrounding environment. He focuses on the daily aspects of life in the city and is subsequently able to mold his experiences into poetry. O’Hara’s poetry resonated with me because they made me acknowledge how often I tune out my surroundings when I am in a rush. We live in a world driven by how productively we use our time. As a result, many are guilty of not taking the time to stop for a moment and appreciate what is taking place around. In A Step Away from Them, for instance, O’Hara points out the events he witnesses while on his lunch break. Rather than rushing to get something to eat, like most people in New York would do, O’Hara decides to go on a walk and simply take in the vibrancy of the city. After having roamed the streets of New York for what seems to be a long journey, O’Hara ends his poem by returning to work with “a glass of papaya juice.” In a limited amount of time, O’Hara was able to take the reader on an intricate journey around the streets of New York. From reading A Step Away from Them, my main takeaway is that it is important for people take some time to appreciate what they have in front of them. Life is not all about work. Sometimes it is important to take a break from our routine. and making it to an important meeting on time. A good example of this idea can be seen on this time-lapse video of Columbus Circle. There is so much to marvel at in this particular New York City area, and yet people seem to miss out on it because they hurry to get to their destinations.

Living in a city such as New York tends to have this effect on people. With so much going on in one place, people are forced to move around as quickly as possible in order to keep up with their rapidly changing environments. This idea is expressed in the reading by J.G. Ballard titled “Billennium.” While I do not agree with the idea that New York City is terribly overcrowded, I do acknowledge that at times, a city can feel confined. I feel this way in particular when I use public transportation or when I head over to placed such as Columbus Circle, Times Square or 34th Street. These places make a city feel clustered and to some this may be a wakeup call to moving out into a more rural environment. To me, a city offers the freedom to travel and explore. With the simple ride on the train, I can be in a completely different neighborhood than my own in a matter of minutes. I also enjoy the contrast in culture that a city offers.

Ballet Response

October 15, 2017 / / 0 Comments

The opening ballet piece, Liturgy, is an introduction into the work ballet. What I enjoyed about this first opening piece is the integration of music, dance and trust by the dancers. Ballet dancers Maria Kowroski and Jared Angle brought the music composed by Avro Pärt with each move they performed and the relationship between music and dance was evident through the choreography of Christopher Wheeldon. In Liturgy, both dancers worked with every move in sync and adhered to the changes in the music played for their piece. When there was a sudden change in the music being played, such as a slower playing of the violin or the sound of a ding, the dancers followed into a new series of choreographed steps. As the music played on, the two mimicked the changes by accentuating their moves on the stage. Maria Kowroski, for instance, is lifted up by her partner as the violin playing slows. Jared waits until the playing of the violin once again speeds up in order to turn Maria around. All while staying focused on the music in the background, both dancers had to stay keep close attention to each other. When one moved left, right, or anywhere on stage, so did the other. The dance was carried out in unison by both characters in the ballet and the level of success the two had in doing so shows their extensive dedication.

 

 

Kara Walker Post – Blog # 4

October 3, 2017 / / 1 Comment

Blog # 4

https://www.rd.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/01/01-statue-of-liberty-facts.jpg

 

Kara Walker’s exhibit is one that has to be observed with a close attention to detail. One is not able to point out all of the elements that make it up her artwork with a first look. Kara Walker’s art is made up of many different components that are essential to the full meaning of her intended message. One piece in particular that I at first overlooked is titled Slaughter of the Innocents (They Might be Guilty of Something), 2017. Looking more closely at this piece, i was able to point out both adult and children figures. What called my attention the most, however, was what was happening to the children. In this piece by Walker, children are hunted down and murdered by some of the adult figures. In another part of the piece, a female figure is show holding a baby, perhaps her very own dead baby.  Kara Walker makes extensive use of silhouettes against a white background in her work to get her message across.

The image I chose for this blog depicts the Statue of Liberty,  a standing figure that for years has inspired many to flee from their countries and dream of a better life in America. The meaning behind this figure is powerful; It conveys feelings of freedom, liberty and opportunity like never before. The statue of Liberty serves as a welcome symbol to those who get to see it, but if we think about it, to what extent are those values carried through today in our country?  In the poem titled The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus, people are encouraged to believe that the United states is a country of new opportunity. The lines below portray the idea of acceptance in America, and yet for years the United States has battled with problems concerning immigration.

 

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

In the year 1931, for example, in the midst of the Great Depression, many Americans blamed immigrants for taking their jobs. Even today, in the year 2017, we are able to witness just how divided the nation is on the topic of immigration. We hear talks about deporting illegal immigrants, placing bans on travel for Muslims and even the construction of a wall that would contradict rather than promote the values expressed by the Statue of Liberty.

Blog # 3: Florine Stettheimer

October 1, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Prior to watching John Berger’s “Ways of Seeing Episode 3,” I viewed works of art only after doing research. When I look at a work of art, it is important for me to have some background knowledge on the subject in order to feel comfortable in a discussion setting. The reason behind doing research stems from my experience working at a museum. As a museum intern, I was responsible for guiding museum visitors around the museum. I, as a result, had to learn about the museum exhibits and to have an idea of what each section focused on. Watching the video, however, helped me understand that looking at artwork does not require having prior knowledge on the idea being presented. Berger emphasizes the idea of making detailed observations when looking at pieces of artwork and this is the approach i took for viewing Florine Stettheimer’s work.

While observing the artwork by Stettheimer, something that stood out to me was the floral designs she included in many of her art pieces. One in particular that caught my attention was the piece titled Family Portrait II, 1933, in which Stettheimer centered three flowers with her family gathered around. When looked at more closely, the foreground of the painting also depicts a large floral figure on which the three flowers in the center seem to rest on. The flowers in this painting are most likely symbolic of a certain aspect in the family of Stettheimer, for they are set to be the focal point of the artwork rather than her family members themselves. From the way the people were dressed in this particular painting, I was able to infer that Stettheimer came from a wealthy family. The women in the painting wear elaborate dresses and as Berger pointed out in his video, an attention to detail in a painting most often shows the social status or wealth of the people being depicted. The painting dates back to 1933, a period in which the country was still under the effects of the Great Depression. Despite the economic burdens of the time period, nevertheless, Stettheimer portrayed her family surrounded by fancy curtains and wearing clothing most closely associated with those of the upper class at the time. Something else I noticed as I looked at Stettheimer’s art is that her work is abstract. One example is the piece titled Family Portrait I, 1915 in which Stettheimer once again makes extensive use of floral design around the members of her family. Stettheimer takes on a modernist approach to her work by making use of symbols. In Portrait of Myself, 1923, Stettheimer appears to be blooming from a flower.

One final observation I made from the paintings by Stettheimer is that she was an artist who focused on family throughout her artwork. She has several portraits of herself in the collection showcased by the museum and she also included friends of hers in her work. Her sister must have been a strong figure in her life, given that she dedicates a portrait to her in the piece titled Portrait of My Sister, Ettie Stettheimer.

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The Arts in New York City

Macaulay Honors College

Seminar 1, Fall 2017

City College

M/W 3:30-4:45

NAC 6/110

Professor Casey Henry

caseymhenry@gmail.com

ITF: Becky Fullan

rebecca.fullan@gmail.com

Office Hours by appointment- email to schedule.

Office: Honors Lounge, NAC 4/150

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