Past and Preasant
In both the pieces that we saw this week, the past had to be brought into the preasant. At the Cambodian Dance, an ancient art form was adapted to a more modern and western backgroung. Also, at the Met the four century old works of Rembrandt are shown again in a modern day museum. The challange of each endeavour is equal. The past must be placed in a preasant day setting while not comprimising the integrity of the past. In The Magic Flute, this was done beautiflly. The age old form of cambodian dance was maintained. It stuck with the ancient tradition. However, this tradition was placed on a new background. The story portraied in the dance was not a traditional one. It was a motzart opera. The past was preserved, while also updated at the same time.
At the Met, however, the past must not be updated. The art of Rembrandt as well as the other artists of the time must not be changed or altered in any way. Rather, the curator must decide what context to place them in. Depending on how the curator decides to arrange an exhibition, that exhibiton may have a diffirent feel and give a diffirent message, but at no time may the art be changed.
In comparison Zhang Huan, the dance and the Met maintain strong tradition. Zhang Huan was extremeley original and progressive in his performance art, and was not nessacerely adhering to any one tradition. While the Cambodian dance was adhering to one specific form.
October 16th, 2007 at 12:21 am
I like the way you noticed a clear cut difference between the two experiences, where the point of one is to change an art form and the focus of the second is to keep it from being altered.