1. “Physics” by Tama Janowitz

Photo of Tama Janowitz courtesy of the LA Times

Tama Janowitz’s short story, “Physics,”  was published in the New Yorker on September 30, 1985. Of all the short stories we read, I could relate to this one the most. It was fun and quirky, yet deep and thought provoking. Eleanor and Stash seemed like they could be a modern day couple in New York City today. Their relationship dynamic, two struggling artists in their mid-20s, is representative of a lot of people these days. What intrigued me the most were the ideas of chance and time that Janowitz questioned. As Eleanor reflected upon her past and future, she deduced the idea of chance to be actually very much calculated, setting her on a path to take control of her life.

2. 4’33” by John Cage

John Cage, Paris 1981 (courtesy of the Creative Hours)

Composed in 1952, 4’33” is a musical piece consisting of three sections with any amount or kind of instruments. What makes this piece unique is its 4 minutes and 33 seconds of no instrumental playing; so basically silence. It caused a great stir amongst the public, becoming a controversial topic. But at the same time, it propelled Cage’s career. The idea was groundbreaking. I find it to be very interesting and innovative. Cage believes that any sound can be music, even the sounds and ambience in a quiet music hall. I think this is the future of music; perhaps not complete silence, but the embracement of pauses and breaks. This gives an appreciation for the unheard sounds. I think this is the brink of a new discovery.

3. Virgin Martyr St. Cecilia by Kehinde Wiley

Virgin Martyr St. Cecilia (2008) by Kehinde Wiley

Kehinde Wiley created the painting, Virgin Martyr St. Cecilia, in 2008. It’s a recreation of the 1600 sculpture also called, Virgin Martyr St. Cecilia, by Stefano Maderno, a Renaissance artist. Wiley combined his formal art training at Yale University with his own modern style to often replicate classic artworks. Here, Wiley is trying to show the unfortunate death of so many young African Americans at the time. The piece is so powerful and speaks volumes of society. What I love most is the detail he puts into his pieces. He specializes in portraiture and so you can see the keen details he puts into every aspect of the subject’s body and clothing. It looks almost lifelike.

 

4. Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” movie cover

Released in 1989, Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” was not an immediate success. Its controversial take on racial issues was a first for the movie industry. Many producers and critics feared it would spark tension and violence within society. However, as it became more widespread, people could not deny the ingenuity and raw social awareness the movie represented. What I liked most about this film was the unique cinematographic techniques Lee used. Not only was the movie a groundbreaking social achievement, it was also artistically well-made. Spike Lee went to extremes, redoing neighborhoods and burning cans just to achieve the desired look. His work is both commendable for its powerful meaning and innovative movie techniques.

5. The Campbell’s Soup Cans by Andy Warhol

Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962

Made in 1962, the Campbell’s Soup Cans is a prime example the origins of pop art. Andy Warhol, having grown up during the Great Depression, knows the struggle of the lack of variety and luxury. He turned this mundane item, in which he ate almost everyday for 20 years, into art. He replicated each can, to reflect the uniformity like in a factory. However, each can is also slightly different, varying in hues of color and flavor. I like how he took a seemingly simple object and gave it meaning. It shows that art can always be redefined and its boundaries always pushed. I admire Warhol for his innovative art at the time, pioneering the way for pop art.

6. Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock

Blue Poles, 1952

Jackson Pollock was an abstract expressionist painter. He was known for his inventive ways of using different methods and materials to paint. Most popularly, he would drip and splatter paint, never actually touching the brush onto the canvas. He painted downwards, instead of right-side up. Blue Poles was made during a difficult time in Pollocks life. He was struggling with alcoholism, and he reflected this journey through his art. Once again, using unconventional methods, there are footprints and shoe prints on this painting, and even pieces of glass. What I like most about this piece is the story Pollock tells with his art. The foot prints kind of represent his journey and the glass shards represent the difficulty and danger of it. It’s a very powerful piece, and all drawn from seemingly unrelated splatters of paint.

7. Glass Tears by Man Ray

Les Larmes (Glass Tears), 1932

Born Emmanuel Radnitzky to Russian-Jewish parents, Man Ray grew up in Philadelphia, but moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. There, he grew interested in art through the Ashcan School, and soon became involved in the Dada movement. Dadaism was an art movement that questioned the boundaries of art, exploring and redefining what it meant. Man Ray took everyday objects and modified them to convey meaning. They were usually a critique of the upperclass. In Man Ray’s photograph, Glass Tears, he was mocking the insincerity of human emotion. What looks like a real person is actually a mannequin, and the name, “Glass Tears,” itself suggests an unauthentic display of emotion. I really admire Man Ray’s inventive and meaningful art that expresses volumes about society. His art was truly unique and visually aesthetic.

8. Le Cadeau (The Gift) by Man Ray

The Gift, 1921

This is one of Man Ray’s most popular art pieces. It was made originally as a gift for the owner of a gallery. However, it was later stolen that very day. Normally, one would be shocked and outraged if their art was stolen. But part of the Dada movement ideals was a detachment from materialism. Instead, Man Ray took the opportunity to make another one. Simply put, it is an iron with tacks going vertically down the center. It looks like a useful object was made into something of no use at all. The meaning is suggested by his parents’ professions; his mother, a seamstress, and his father, a tailor. I particularly like this piece, because it’s interesting yet confusing. I think the best pieces of art are the ones that make you think.

 

9. Brooklyn Bridge by Joseph Stella

Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme (1939)

Joseph Stella was an Italian-born immigrant who came to America to pursue his education as a doctor. His entire family were doctors, and he was expected to follow the same path. However, after only two years in school, he dropped out, unable to see himself in this profession. Instead, he enrolled into the New York School of Art, beginning the journey of his art career. Stella often got homesick, so would travel back to his hometown in Italy. While there, he was exposed to the futurist movement and brought it back to America. He saw it was fitting for the rapidly growing and expanding city of New York. He became the first futurist painter in New York City. This painting he made was of the Brooklyn Bridge, using his futurist techniques to show the advanced architecture. I really like this painting, because it looks like a futuristic utopian kind of city. I feel like it embodies NYC very well, and Stella was truly a man of the future.

10. Brighton Beach Memoirs

Released in 1986, Brighton Beach Memoirs was a reproduction of the play by Neil Simon. It was directed by Gene Saks and produced by Ray Stark. A comedic coming-of-age film, it was about a poor Jewish family in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Brighton Beach. The main character, Eugene Morris, directs life in his family through his point of view. He explains the tribulations of being a teen in a house full of family. With a secret crush on his cousin, he navigates through the difficulties of puberty and poverty. The movie tackles the issues of patriarchy through the stress and responsibilities of Eugene’s father who must support his family and his wife’s sister’s family. It also touched upon issues of immigration as well. I actually really enjoyed the movie, despite the mixed reviews. I thought it was very funny, light, and entertaining.