Pamina Devi and the Metropolitan
It was interesting to see a Cambodian Dance and I’m glad I got a chance to experience it because it is doubtful that I would do this on my own. The music was incredible and I think I ended up watching the musicians more than the dancers. They seemed to be more dynamic and into what they were doing than dancers. Although their costumes were beautiful and vibrant, the dancers seemed to repeat the same movements over and over again. this made absolutely no sense to me until I found out that the simple hand gestures they do with their fingers actually mean things, its a type of sign language. This is why they didn’t have to interact with each other much, even touch each other, because their emotions were communicated by these gestures. They danced without any facial expression almost and often without regard for each other. The lighting was amazing and the way their costumes looked entirely different in two different lightings was very effective. Although they were they ones who were dancing and constantly moving, it was only the dancers who seemed to remain almost stationary. Every other aspect of the show, lighting, music, even the decorations on their costumes seemed to move be full of life. For a while, the dancers just seemed a bit listless.
Both Zhang Huan and the Cambodian dance performance took an ancient art or subject and utilized modern age mediums to convey the art to a modern western public on a different level. The Chinese artist and Sophiline Shapiro realize that for their art to continue living, it must be presented to a wide public, so that it has followers and people who are willing to be involved in it. This is the reason for the use of not only new technology but Western ideas incorporated into older forms of art. This fusion of Western and Eastern thought, ideology, and storytelling methods is beneficial because it brings the understanding of art to more people by giving them something they can relate to.
Like everything else, art has become a business. only paintings have been on the market for a long time but the Cambodian dance was a spiritual thing, done only for leaders or for those who sat high in society. The visit to the Metropolitan was interesting because we got to see some of Rembrandt’s work that he did not have patrons commission. Unlike the paintings, the prints were actually of Rembrandt’s own initiative rather than someone’s desire to have their portrait painted. Just like Em Thea complains that there is nobody to take her spot teaching Cambodian dance and even her best student is not fully aware of its significance, one could say that although art is still alive, people do not need to be such committed artists due to all the new technology. Rembrandt was a master of portraiture. Now, there are people who paint, even portraits, but whose work is not as detailed and painstaking, just because a portrait is a snapshot away.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
I agree with you in many ways. I also thought that the lighting gave the production “new life” especially in the Sun god’s temple where it was fiery red and the costumes were gold. Those two colors complemented each other. Even with the absence of special effects, it was nice to see the light portray that role. I also did not pay attention to the faces of the actors/actresses, but you’re right. I think the dancers had to concentrate more on the dance rather than emotion and that’s probably why they did not emote as much as you expected. I also see where you’re coming with the Western-Eastern ideology theme. I agree that it is significant for artists to breathe new life into their works of art so that people will relate to them. By relating to them, they are paying more attention to these works of art and they engage with them as well. Overall, your insight is very good.