The Arts in New York City

Enhanced Podcast Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Draw closer the controller, its “x” to start
Sit down, it’s the conclusion of your part
So wes about to step into the ring
Put up all defenses cause here comes the sting
You put out those weak rhymes for all to see
But listen up, cause you aint got nothing on me g
Been spittin rhymes since I was about yay high
And ima continue till the day I die
You think you can see, but you’re blind to it all
Step out of your comfort zone and you’re bound to fall
Ima bout to educate you in some verse
Think those clothes, that hair makes it better,
na that jus makes it worse
Givin in to a society, artificial and untrue
Never think bout the reason for what you do
Is that any way to live a life?
Everyday cuttin deeper with that infected knife
Government got you blinded to the strife
Everyday overseas, violence takin somebody’s child, somebody’s wife
But hol up cause I’m not tryin to offend
It’s not a message of hate but of hope I send
Friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears
So that I may rid you of those infernal fears
Everyday we feel like a cog in the gears
Unite as a generation as we dry the tears
I think its about time that you resigned
The psychophilosopher takin you on a journey of the mind
Must rid myself of the visions of the gore
Ima about to take flight, about to soar
Allow me to show you to the door
Quote the Raven, NEVER MORE

(Yes, you are on Ravendra’s part of the blog, and yes it is kind of a rap, feel free to comment!!! lol)

Being a college freshman, one would think I would like nothing better than to forget about the dreaded SAT’s.  This charming story resulting in the pairing of a young girl and her SAT tutor, is a far cry from ridiculous films, such as The Perfect Score, that have used the test as a theme.  It fuses the elements of comedy, drama, and teenage angst into a perfect storm, resulting in a play that will appeal to a wide range of viewers (especially the large teenage audience).  The concept is modern, and Broadway has been crying out for one of its kind.  You become swept into the seemingly futile situation of the tutor, Clark.  Contracted to get Jamie a perfect score on the SATs so that her father, whom he is indebted to, will cancel his debt and pay his graduate school costs, you truly sympathize with the character.  The happy ending seems all but impossible when Jamie receives a 2390 on the exam.  Clark seems as if he will remain in debt and Jamie will have to live without the man she has grown to love.  You experience relief, along with the rest of the audience, as Jamie finds the loophole in the contract that gives life back to Clark.  The contract having been written when the old SAT was instated abided by those standards.  That being said, under those policies, a 2390 was considered a perfect score.  Perfection, we see, is not a matter of a number, or other objective criteria.  It is what we interpret, what we see.  Any situation can be deemed “perfect,” if we are willing to let it be.

I can still remember the street performers I encountered outside the MET after seeing the newly renovated Greek and Roman wing.  They had immense personality with their cultural and racial jokes that got a rise out of the crowd. They were very acrobatic and generating suspense and anticipation with their music and commentary.  Furthermore, they asked for volunteers from the crowd and they were readily available.  They had a break dancing exhibition right in the middle of the sidewalk as they cleared the area.  The balance and speed was truly amazing.  I will never forget the finale as one performer jumped through the open legs of another doing a handstand and over three volunteers.  I hope to see them on my next visit to the MET and encourage future visitors to keep an eye out should they be in the area.

Enhanced Podcast Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, The Cosby Show and Mrs. Doubtfire.  Yes, I did say Mrs. Doubtfire.  This museum simply overcame me with a sense of nostalgia.  It appeals to people of all ages through media covering many eras of American culture and even has the coveted interactive component.  You can listen to the soundtracks of the classics such as Casablanca and Raiders of The Lost Ark.  The actors and actresses also share their experiences and mindset with you through recordings that walk you through scenes.  A mini model of a temple houses a screening area, one of the main attractions of the museum.  Freddy Kruger’s hand and a model of Yoda are also some of the more attractive components.  Another is the most massive collection of Star Trek and Star Wars memorabilia I have ever found.  I recommend this museum to children and adults of all ages and any connoisseur of truly amazing media.

One definition of culture characterizes it as the beliefs, customs, practices, and social behavior of a particular nation or people. Truthfully, it is a fallacy to attempt to create any single term to express such complex and subjective concepts as a collective. However, we do it for the purpose of standardization. Is this the right road to take, or do we risk the danger of oversimplification? Through various mediums, including paintings, photographs and installations, the exhibition, ‘Making a Home: Japanese Contemporary Artists in New York,” explores the ideological components of both Japanese and American culture and attempts to distinguish between their divisive and harmonious features. (more…)

Here are the cultural passport sites

(more…)

I would have never thought I, a skeptic and cynic, could have deemed it “art.” I continuously challenge, fight and question the legitimacy of self-expression to be deemed as such. However, I found myself torn due to the sincere emotion it elicited. “It” was a pure and simple game of basketball being played in my neighborhood playground, in Parkchester. The event itself was not set on a grand stage, but the true meaning was below the surface. I saw one player dive to the floor and scrape his knee on the cold, hard concrete, leaving a slight gash. Amazingly, he simply got up and played as if nothing had happened. It was like the body in motion consumed with emotion. The muscles stretch and contort at the will of the controller, just so the team may preserve a single possession. Desire in it’s simplest and purest form; it was beautiful. I couldn’t help but remember a time not so long ago when I had just started to play the game. My skill level was poor at best but my effort had been unparalleled. I developed work ethic in this way until my other skills progressed. However, I never lost the urgency, and never will. I suppose I have expanded my definition of art, but I’m still not ready to accept “blank expression” into the category.