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The Arts in New York City
Baruch College Fall 2011, Section NWH
I found the article ‘Madoff’s on Madoff: Publisher Moves Up Release of Book” to be interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly, this is the first I’m hearing of this book being in the works and I would definitely be interested in reading it. I would love to get the takes of Bernie Madoff’s children on what his father did and especially his wife’s take because she supposedly knew what was going on and didn’t do anything so stop it. However, I think that the publisher calling this book “one of the most riveting stories of our time: a modern-day Greek tragedy about money, power, lies, family, truth and consequences” is a bit of a stretch considering Greek tragedies are classics and this is a story of a family of con artists. Regardless, however, I’m sure it will be an interesting read.
I don’t exactly know what to make of the upcoming Willem De Kooning exhibition at the MoMA, as mentioned in Hollen Cotter’s article, “Unfurling a Life of Creative Exuberance”. Frankly, I am very skeptical in regards to modern, abstract, and non-objective art, as I refuse to believe that an idea (which is what these artists are so famous for) can be just as, if not more important than, execution. De Kooning, a modern Dutch painter, was very scattered in his approach to art. I guess I appreciate that he is finally being recognized at the MoMA after years of being “neglected” since his art couldn’t be easily categorized, but at the same time, it makes me mad that his spontaneous strokes are labeled as paintings in general. I do like some of the pieces that I saw in the article, such as “Pink Angels” simply because of the mood they so accurately but subjectively convey, but it just bothers me that all of these complex explanations are being pulled out of nowhere (and that the author praises something that I feel he doesn’t fully understand, just to sound well-read on the subject matter). With that being said, I probably will check it out because, well, it generated a reaction from me, and a reaction (even if it’s a skeptical one) is better that no reaction.
Also, in response to Yana, I agree with your take on the Madoff article. I can’t see how Madoff’s story can compare to a Greek tragedy, as it is still relatively recent and the Greek tragedies are timeless. Maybe I’m too biased, but I don’t exactly see how the inside story of living with Madoff will change anything in the long run; what’s done is done, and many people were and remain scarred by what this man did. It would be interesting to hear the inside story from his family’s perspective, but if there are no interviews with Bernie Madoff himself, it is that much harder to get a more tangible feel of what went on.
I really enjoyed the article “Retrofitting the Feminine Mystique” (and the eventual reference to Betty Friedan) because I was already thinking about watching a few of the shows mentioned, Pan Am, Charlie’s Angels and even Playboy’s Club. That being said, the article makes a good point about a few things that have been on my mind since I checked out the EPKs. Two shows are set in the past where feminism was considerably more rampant and seem to bank on the sex appeal being the main draw. At first, I completely balked at the idea of an actual TV show dedicated to the Playboy Club for reasons that seem pretty obvious, but upon further reading, I found out that it was more than that and actually had the opportunity to perhaps provide some insight into what that era was like for women who did it for the freedom and the money.
Inversely, I have the same qualms about the new Charlie’s Angel series. Where as there was something genuine in the original and a quirky charm in the movie, the new series seems to lack any real depth other than three plastic looking girls without any real soul.
In the article, “Retrofitting the Feminine Mystique,” I find it interesting that upcoming television shows are depicting life a long time ago. This is similar to today’s fashion trends since many old trends have been coming back to life the past couple of years. I also find it interesting that the writer of this article found an obvious reason for men to watch these shows, but also a less obvious reason for women. She says that women would want to watch such shows as “Pan Am” and “Playboy Club” to see what their mothers struggled with.
In response to the article “Drop of Opera in a Downpour of Pop” the author expresses a little angst towards the little recognition of other musical talents. For example, he states, ” there was no introduction of Ms. Yende, a young artist from South Africa who was a co-winner of Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition this summer.” The author believes that although Andrea Bocelli performance was great, it is not the only great performance during the 3 hour concert. The author’s tone is bitter because he states that by the end of the concert he “was again left in awe at the money, power and appeal of pop culture.” He feels that people nowadays do not appreciate “real” music because they focus more on what is popular. I agree somewhat with his opinion because there is a certain point when an aritist becomes famous that the quality of his or her work is overlooked. It is much harder for lesser known artists to recieve recognition even if their artwork is good.
In the article, “Drop of Opera in a Downpour of Pop, “Anthony Tommasini recounts a free concert held in Central Park by Andrea Bocelli. Tommasini describes the chilly and rainy weather during the program. Despite the chilly weather, 60,000 audience members continued to show up and attend this event. When it was time for an encore, the rain magically disappeared and the crowd went wild as they listened to the last performance of the evening. I personally never really listened or appreciated opera before. However, this makes me want to listen to opera and figure out what’s the appeal for those 60,000 people to sit in cold and rainy weather. Also, it seems like a wonderful coincidence that the rain cleared up just in time for the last performance, providing quite a whimsical quality to the performance.
In the article, “No Blood, No Gore, Just Megatons of Steel,“ Seth Schiesel praises the new video game World of Tanks. Schiesel commends the fact that this video game does not require you to blow up any humans. Instead, it just requires you to blow up buildings using tanks. However, this video game seems to just be another form of perpetuation of violence. What exactly is so enjoyable about blowing up buildings? Schiesel insists that “teamwork and skill are much more important” in this game but I struggle to imagine what sort of talent is needed to play this game except for too much time on one’s hands.
Merce Cunningham, an accomplished choreographer, had said that after he died “his company should close after completing a two year world tour”. Cunningham died in July of 2009 and the company is therefore now finishing up its tour. The article I read discusses how “the remaining performances by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company are therefore the most exceptional events of the rest of the year”. I was pleased to learn that the rest of these shows will, for the most part, be in the U.S., with two different venues in NYC hosting them. After reading the author’s commentary on how spectacular and unique this experience is, I would love to attend one of these productions. Prior to attending one of these shows it would be interesting to learn more about the history behind the ballet production as I believe it would make the experience so much more meaningful. I am pleased with the group that they are continuing this man’s dream even though he is no longer able to experience it himself. It is this aspect, in my opinion, that would make the production so special and worthwhile.
I found the article, “Making Food Seriously Local”, quite entertaining and interesting. In a nutshell, the article describes Paul Smyth’s brilliant experiment called FARM:shop. His project “aims to discover how many different types of food can be grown in a small shop on a busy street in Dalston in East London.” Joined by Andy Merritt and Sam Henderson, Something & Son (the trio’s company) have loaded a small shop space with high-tech instruments to cultivate produce in cramped conditions. I find this very interesting because I do believe that more sustainable and eco-friendly food sources are necessary for the benefit of mankind. Going forward, Paul Smyth’s idea should be looked upon with much adulation, because this truly is a brilliant idea.
In the article, “Hot Seat for Sheen Promises the Warmth of the Limelight, Brian Stelter discuses Charlie Sheen’s less than flattering publicity this past year. When most celebrities would have crashed and burned under the bad publicity, Charlie Sheen positively thrived. Sheen raves about his own shortcomings and viewers can’t help but like him for that. Like Seth MacFarlane says, “’How can you embarrass a man who so thoroughly embarrasses himself?’” So the real question is- are we admiring Charlie Sheen for his honesty about his own eccentricities or do we merely appreciate the twisted entertainment he provides?
I agree with Ryan and also find the article, “Making Food Seriously Local” quite interesting. We should find ways to grow food that would lessen its impact on the environment. However, it seems like we have a long way to go until we can discover a way to grow crops that would feed a whole population and be harmless to the environment. Perhaps these creative and innovative ways of thinking can pave the way in solving our many environmental problems.
As a movie buff, I found the article ‘A heartthrob finds his tough-guy side’ very interesting. It is a profile on the very underrated actor Ryan Gosling. Gosling is not your typical movie star, he doesn’t make a lot of movies, but the ones he does appear in are always stellar. He is relatively unknown because he isn’t flashy, and does not consider money to be the main reason to partake in a film. In his newest film ‘Drive’, Gosling finds himself playing a completely different character than audiences are familiar with seeing him portray. Nevertheless, ‘Drive’ received five out of five stars from the NYT, and Gosling got some much deserved praise. The article also mentions another movie coming to theaters soon call ‘The Ides of March’, which looks to be very good and almost a sure best picture nomination. This article outlines the fact that actors like Gosling are becoming more and more of a rarity, and because of that we should appreciate him and his style all the more.
I agree with Sean about the article “A Heartthrob Finds his Tough-Guy Side”. I think Ryan Gosling is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood today. Although like Sean said, he’s not considered a Hollywood A-List movie star, he has definitely proven himself as an artist. His versatility in my opinion is what makes him truly stand out. He’s acted – and acted well – in comedies, dramas, action movies; almost every genre out there, he’s dipped his feet into. While many actors these days are confined to certain types of roles in every movie, Ryan Gosling shows talent in all areas, giving him much more room to grow as an actor. It’s actors like him that reassure me that the Hollywood industry isn’t dead yet, and we definitely need more talent like him and I’m glad the New York Times recognizes that.
After reading “Preserving the American Folk Art Museum’s Place in New York”, I strongly agreed with the stance the writer took on the matter. This museum was initially only going to be downsized but is going to end up being destroyed. An art form, no matter what it is, should be preserved. Whether it is a classic or whether it is very obscure, art inspires people, not only other artists. One does not need to be familiar with different types of art to understand and appreciate it. As the article also explains, art is constantly changing and modern art is a whole new specimen. However, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
I found “Making Food Seriously Local” by Alice Rawsthorn fascinating. The small London space was thought provoking as to some of the problems of (and solutions to) urbanization. I always worry about the growth of cities around the world and the food systems in place. Cities are famous for their restaurants. Many of which are cheap, fast, and terrible for you. This is a great model. Local, sustainable agriculture in an urban center. This completely revamps what it means to buy local and provides a totally new form of eating in city centers. I wonder if/when New York will catch on. That is if it hasn’t already.
I totally agree with Ryan, Kelly and Michael! That article “Making Food Seriously Local” really caught my eye, and it’s interesting to see how much our global “go green” efforts have come. Remember back in middle school when we were worried about the cost of recycling and the receding ozone layer? Now we’re growing agriculture in the middle of a city and truly showing an appreciation of the concepts of “ecofriendliness” and “sustainability. I hope that not just New York, but the world catches on!
An article I found really interesting was “Baton Diplomacy: Korean Conductor Aims for North-South Concerts”. As a Korean myself, the state of things with North Korea worries me, but it’s a strangely hopeful experience to read about how a composer seeks to unify the countries for at least the length of several concerts. It would be great to see that citizens of the two nations have enough respect for each other simply as artists to come together and create harmonious music. This may not be political peace, but the cultural unification is a good step towards a greater goal.
Mr. Nobel speaks with a heavy hand and and an open mind. His piece, “The Future, Retrenched,” an articles which carries with it explicit somber connotations of the state of the architectural world, with hints of optimism in his forthright approach. Mr. Nobel highlights several dissatisfying effects of the current worldwide recession on the present building development landscape such as less ambition, increase in genericism, and the comprise of artistic integrity, with a cathartic sense of inevitabilitiy.
Though he does note the current slowdown has yielded some positive gain. Indeed, architects have been pondering their artistic endeavors effects on society, the environment, and the human condition. In addition, with the dawn of a new age approaching, populations increasing and their centers shifting, many have come together to discuss what our next-generation standard community will look like. MOMA has already “announced an initiative to research architectual responses to the foreclosure crisis… imagining better-built futures for the country.” The Canadian Center for Architecture in Montreal has begun a project called “Imperfect Health” to determine architectures impact on human and environmental health. So Mr. Nobel may view the recent recent stasis of the building market with a disappointing lens, but he is quick to note the shining silver lining hidden just beneath it.
In the “Seeking the Paraphernalia of Grandeur” by Souren Melikian, he arises the problem, that people buy the imitations for way more than the real pieces. So, what it did remind me of was Pr. Sheehan’s project – whereas the real thing, let’s take the matches series, cost about 20 cents, the imitation’s cost went up to $ 19. What is this, that makes imitations so pricey? If Pr. Sheehan’s work was considered to be the work of art (please, don’t get me wrong), was it the same with, for example, candelabra sold for £73,250? Why that happens? Do people think, that the real thing would cost them double that price and try to get at least something for their money? So what’s the case with the real candelabra sold for much less? Can it be that auctions with imitations are attended mostly by rich unprofessional collectioners while the auctions with the real stuff are aimed at professionals?
Won’t be able to find the answer till the serious research is done. So, I gues, I will stay in my curious state of mind for now.
After reading the article “Singing Gladiator Time”, I am very interested to see how much of a following Simon Cowell’s ‘X Factor’ will develop. It is most definitely a spin off from American Idol. With a similar format and half the judging panel from the original American Idol now on X Factor, I thought that there was no way Cowell’s version would be able to attract more viewers. But after reading, I realize this is a possibility. Americans love everything bigger, and X Factor is certainly bigger. With more prize money offered, a wider variety of participants, and more drama, X Factor might just blow Idol right off television.
With the new TV season starting up this week, the articles in the paper that have really been grabbing my attention are of course, the ones about the shows I’ve been considering watching. Similar to the last article I made a comment about, “When It’s Payback Time in the Gilded Hamptons” also addresses the reason viewers might gravitate towards these kinds of shows too. During a time of economic crisis, we also want to see the rich hurt as much as we do, in the same way that we do. It’s not a very forgiving point of view and a quite a cruel way to think, yet the idea resounded with me because it made sense, as sad as that is.
In the article “The TV Watch: ‘Two and a Half Men’ Offers a Charlie Sheen Roast of Its Own,” I thought it was funny and clever to have the actors in the show have their own form of a roast for Charlie Sheen. It was smart by the writers to roast Charlie Sheen on the show on the same night as Comedy Central was having a roast for Charlie Sheen. I also found some of the jokes on the roast to be very amusing as well as on the show itself. I found it interesting that the writers of “Two and a Half Men” made Ashton Kutcher appear in several nude scenes in order to overpower the fact that Charlie Sheen had been replaced. It shows how writers are able to improvise.
Everybody has either watched or heard of the show “American Idol.” For years the judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson have been synonymous with the show. Arguably they are more popular than the artists who audition to be on the show. However, in the past year both Abdul and Cowell left the show as Cowell made his own show called the “X Factor” which aires Wednesday. Cowell invested 5million dollars of his own money into the show; however, according to the author of the article “Singing Gladiator Time,” the show is not as great as expected. First, one of the guest judges Cheryll Cole disapeared half way through the show only to have her spot filled in by Nicole Scherzinger. In shows that judge people based upon their talents, the Judges are even more important to the show than the singers. Ultimately, the viewer wants to hear what the judges think, and having a less articulate judge can afmake or break the show.
I found the article “Onstage in London, Works That Look Back in Time as They Move Forward” an interesting read for a number of reasons. Firstly, I found it very interesting that there is a play based on the 9/11 attacks. I think it’s odd that it debuted in London, however, because I think that it would do very well in NY especially considering the fact that this year is the 10th anniversary of the attacks. I also can’t help but wonder how one would be able to make a theatrical production based on the attacks. There are so many different angles to play, so many different things to focus on; I wonder how this one was executed. I think this show is one of the signs that 9/11 is slowly moving from a modern experience we all share to the place in history where it will always stay.
I have always been a big fan of ballet, so I was immediately and not surprisingly drawn to today’s article “American Dancer David Hallberg to Join Bolshoi Ballet”. The Bolshoi is a legendary theater committed to excellence in both technique and artistic expression. One can argue that the best dancers in the world call the theater their home. For the first time in history, an American from the American Ballet Theater will be joining the company and hopefully, gain recognition internationally. David Hallberg, a ballet dancer noted for his “noble” presence, was personally invited by the Bolshoi’s director via telephone to join the theater, while also participating in ABT events. He will be joining the likes of Natalia Osipova and Svetlana Zakharova in his role of the “premiere” dancer in the Bolshoi. This is very exciting for both Hallberg and the ABT because of the interest the legendary theater is taking to them. What’s also quite interesting is that this is the reverse of what happened decades ago with the unexpected arrivals of Rudolph Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov in the United States. Hopefully the end result of this merging of cultures and ballet techniques will be a positive one.
The article on the death of Tom Wilson, the creator of Ziggy, seems interesting because as a child, I enjoyed reading comic-strips. Every morning, I would go with my dad to buy newspapers; and when he finished reading one, I would look through the comic-strips. In the article, Ziggy is a comic-strip character that the reader can relate to. His creator, Tom Wilson, died of pneumonia at age 80. His son, however, has been drawing the comic-strip since 1987 and will continue to do so. It is a good thing that Ziggy will live on.
The article “Don’t Scowl, Beethoven You’re Loved” explores the concept of Beethoven’s music and how it has transcended to American homes for generations. I found it interesting how the article notes that Beethoven’s music was played during WWII both for the Nazis and the Allies. Beethoven’s music has been apart of pop culture for decades and his fifth symphony has been included in funny commercials as well as cartoons. I find this article very informative and like how it has a nice take on Beethoven’s legacy, it truly transcends the fact that Beethoven’s music has been used for both good and evil, and also can be seen in all mediums of music including rock and rap.