12 thoughts on “NYTimes Arts, 11/10-11/16”

1. One stigma that the “art world” seems to possess these days is that it’s only for the upper classes to enjoy and afford. The article “The Fever Bubbling in Contemporary Art Sales” demonstrates this to an extent, and speaks about how a number of wealthy people have been buying art more and more, taking their money from falling stocks and investing in more “tangible assets”. The article points out a number of contemporary works that have recently sold for millions of dollars, the cheapest one mentioned, being sold for a bargain of $422,500. However, although the majority of us cannot imagine spending the price of a house on a piece of art, it is not to be assumed that we cannot still enjoy it. Galleries are open to the public, usually for free, and although you may not go home with that piece, you are still free to look and enjoy. Similarly, as exemplified in the article “Spare Times – For Children, for Nov. 11-17” there are also a number of art events around that don’t cost much at all. The BAM festival, which is talked about in the article, offers a variety of short films for at most $12 a ticket, a price that almost anyone can afford on an artistic experience.
   These articles – which showcased two major extremes in the price of the art world of New York, reminded me a lot of the experience I had at the Metropolitan Opera. Prior to my visit, I had the preconceived notion that the opera was solely for the classy, wealthiest upper-class – with four figure seat prices, and I expected to stick out like a sore thumb. However, after going I realized that the opera can be and is enjoyed by a variety of different folks. Of course there are the front row orchestra and box seats that cost thousands and are reserved for the wealthiest of patrons, but there are also seats that go for as little as $30, which is a price any theatergoer would be willing to pay. This experience made me realize that art can be enjoyed by people of any walk of life and that although it is not often realized, it is easily accessible.

2. In article, “Spinning Webs, Then Chasing Sugarplums,” Rebecca Milzoff describes choreographer Daniel Ezralow’s adventures in Shanghai as he attempts to choreograph a dance called the “Nutcracker.” The plotline of the performance involves a young girl whose dream is to dance. Specifically, the girl wants to audition for a dance competition that takes place on a cruise. Mr. Ezralow comments on how bizarre it was that the plotline emphasized so much on the “cruise.” Mr. Ezralow also experiences language difficulties when trying to communicate with the Chinese dancers concerning the movements and steps he wants them to execute.

   In another article, “With Help, Chinese Artist will Contest a Tax Bill,” Sharon LaFraniere describes Ai Weiwei, one of China’s most famous artists. Ai Weiwei is convicted of tax evasion, which he claims he was wrongfully accused of. Ai Weiwei claims that the interrogators asked him more about his activism than his finances

   The two articles caught my eye because the articles both dealt with Asian art, specifically Chinese art, which rarely show up in the New York Times. Both articles highlight the cultural differences between Western art and Asian art. The differences between Western and Asian art not only involve style, but also language, culture, and ideologies. Such as when Mr. Ezralow went to Shanghai, he was bombarded with the apparent differences in language and culture. Similarly, an American might be horrified by the idea that Ai Weiwei might be wrongfully accused of tax evasion because of his political activism. These differences and barriers might make it more difficult for people who aren’t familiar with Asian culture to fully enjoy or understand Asian art. For example, the Chinese puppeteer performance that I attended required some basis of Chinese knowledge, seeing that the plot of the performance was based on a traditional Chinese folklore story. As a result, this might deter many people from attending the event. However, by not attending the event, they also miss out on a wonderful experience. Once people get past these differences, they might be able to finally appreciate the value of Asian art.

3. This week I read two articles discussing the idea of culture and internationality in forms of art in the US. The first article I read, “An Outpost for Old Spain in the Heights” discusses the Hispanic Society of America located in Washington Heights. This museum, although one might consider to be “off the beaten path”, appears to portray a genuine and real outlook on “old world cultures of Spain and Portugal”. Although there are many different places that also celebrate and explore these cultures, this museum is not trying to compete with museums like “Museo del Barrio”. This exhibit does not necessarily want to become popular but simply wants to display works of authentic art from both Spain and Portugal. It seems like a common theme in this week’s New York Times Art Section was culture and internationality. Another article I read that follows this same theme, “Reality TV Goes Where Football Meets the Hijab”, discusses the various television shows that try to incorporate aspects of various cultures into American reality television. In particular, the article focuses on “All American Muslim”, suggesting that “through these families and their diverse experiences, we will explore how they blend their values and traditions with everyday life in America”. The author discusses her difficulty of being a foreigner as a child growing up in America and the various reality TV shows’ attempts at incorporating nationalities. This article, as well as that discussing the Hispanic Society of America, follow a similar theme as the Cloisters Museum branch of the Met. This museum incorporates the history and traditions of various parts of Europe, with actual architecture imported from various countries and then combined into one magnificent piece of architecture. After visiting and taking a tour of this unique building and museum at 190th street, I gained a whole new understanding of what architecture looked like in Medieval Europe.

4. Two articles I enjoyed reading this past weekend, recount humans’ abilities to find in solace in their own loss and shortcomings, and the profound effect relationships have in helping others cope with their misgivings. The articles were related to films which have explored this subject-matter. “Battered Souls, Seeking Salvation in Each Other,” is a review of the new film; “Tyrannosaurus.”
   Directed by British actor Paddy Considine”Tyrannosaurus” tells the story of the developing friendship between an emotionally hardened alcohol named Joseph and a good-hearted charity worker, Hannah, who suffers terrible domestic abuse at the hands of her husband. I paralleled this article with another titled “The Director of ‘Sideways’ Sees his Life Go Forward.” Alexander Payne, director of the critically acclaimed film, “Sideways,” and highly anticipated movie “The Descends.” The article chronicles the life of Mr. Payne since “Sideways’s”heavily lauded debut. Since the release, the director has been undergoing bouts of depression, a divorce, and attempting to find himself. Through this he contends, he has somehow found complacency with life and his position in it. The two articles allowed me to reflects on my first blurb, an review of the movie “The Debt.” That movie also covered way in which people cope with their own failures, as it traced the effect of a botched assassination of a top Nazi official by three Mossad secret service agents. The common themes which permeate are people’s inadequacy in life and how they find strength in other. Often times they look in interesting places to find commonality in other people. It is a natural inclination to look to others for inner strength, when one has been sapped of his or her’s own supply. This is indeed what families are for, and why human’s seek out others. By sharing our innermost fears, hopes, dreams, and sadness we relax the burden on ourselves and defuse it into a healthy outlet. The listening ear of another.

5. To many people, art is viewed as something complex , abstract, and composed of many small details. However, in the article “Keyed to Detail, No Matter How Crazy,” Dutch artist Aldo Bakker takes detailed art to a new level. Bakker structures his art around many small details to make his piece “complex, layer by layer.”Bakker takes art to a new level, because he takes typical house items like tables, pitchers etc and transforms them into something unique but also useful. For example, he designed a milk jug that pours the liquid from its side because dust usually accumulates on the top. This goes to show how creativity can significantly change how things are done. In comparison, the article “A Pianist’s Composition Rounds Off Debut Recital” is about a very talented Japenese piano artist Nobuyuki Tsujii. Tsujii is blind; however, this obstacle rarely challenges him. According to the author, Tsujii’s “acheivements are considerable;” “he has acheived an impressive technique.” Tsujii learns music through Braille scores or by listening to specially made recordings. During his performance at Carnegie Hall Tsujji only has a “few slips” but overall the performance was remarkable because he has to navigate the keyboard at a fast paced and know where to place his fingers. In both articles Tsujii and Bakker are creative genuis whose attention to detail sets them apart from other artists. For Tsujji his attention to the notes and sounds of the piano makes him a remarkable piano player. Likewise, Bakker’s attention to detail in everyday home items led him to create unique but useful furniture. Both these articles can be related to the art at the Rubin museum, more specifically the narrative paintings. The narrative paintings each tell a unique story and it requires the guest to look carefully otherwise it can seem overwheliming. The art at the museum offers both an aethethic and meaningful quality, because the colors are nice to look at, but the stories behind the painting are more satisfying for the viewer.

6. In the article, “New Albums from Caveman, Los Campesinos! and the Fall,” Jon Pareles talks about the songs on Caveman’s debut album, “Coco Beware.” He points out that there is always something flickering and hovering within the mix. The guitars that are used in the band are all handmade by one of the band’s two guitarists, Jimmy Carbonetti. Pareles claims that the deliberate soft focus lends depth and an air of mystery to what might have rather been a cool-headed, straightforward indie-rock song. In another article, “A Crab Walk Amid Quiet of a Library,” Brian Seibert describes a rare musical event at the New York Public Library on Sunday night. The Rose Main Room shook with sound of six electric guitars being endlessly strummed and a brass sextet on the balcony. There was also a dance choreographed by Lee Serle. Some of the viewers became the viewed as the dancers whispered in their ears to come dance. These two articles are similar to the musical event, “East Meets West.” This performance also displayed very unique musical instruments and a different style of music by playing the violin along with the sitar. This is similar to the first article because of the alteration to normal instruments to make music that is unheard of with the combination of two different instruments from different regions of the world. The interesting sounds produced by the sitar accented the soft sounds of the violin and the drums that were also played made the music seem very fast-paced. The man who was playing the drums was having so much fun and his hands were moving so fast that it actually seemed like he was dancing, much like in the second article.

7. The recent articles “A Pianist’s Composition Rounds Off Debut Recital” by Vivien Schweitzer and “Singer and Pianist Continue Their Onstage Dialogue” by Allan Kozinn made me strongly question the standards of which a pianist is held to. Specifically it made me think of Simon Crawford-Phillips, the pianist in East Meets West at the 92Y back in October.

   In “A Pianist’s Composition…” a blind Japanese pianist, Nobuyuki Tsujii is profiled. His debut performance in the U.S. is regarded as stellar in this review, yet some mistakes are noted and seemingly brushed off. Was he allowed to play at a stage like Carnegie Hall not necessarily for his absolute skill, but because of his skill in spite of his blindness? In “Singer and Pianist…” the performance of musician Jean Yves Thibaudet and vocalist Angelika Kirschlager is explained. I was surprised that in this article there was very little mention of Thibaudet’s actual playing, more so on the compatibility of him and his partner. Can a pianist become just as successful by performing duets, due to the lower standard of excellence required?

   It’s obvious that a soloist should be subject to a stronger critique but is this fair to those artists who prefer only to do solo performances? Can collaborators essentially hide behind the performance of one or more artists? Was Simon Crawford Phillips subject to more or less criticism simply because Daniel Hope’s name was printed the largest on the program?

8. I grew up around ballet, and I can easily and truthfully say that it is still a big part of my life. Although I know that I will never make it to the professional level, I am very fond of it and have a lot of respect for not just professional ballet dancers, but performers in general. After stumbling upon Daniel J. Wakin’s article “Bolshoi Is Stung by Loss of Two Stars”, I immediately felt compelled to read it and voice an opinion. The two soloists the are leaving the famed theater are Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev. They are a couple, and two of the most famous and most illustrious dancers of today’s ballet world, so it is shocking to hear of their departure. Furthermore, they are leaving for a much smaller, more independent theater called the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg to pursue personal creative goals and step out of their comfort zones. Vasiliev made his decision because he was growing tired and weary of the Bolshoi typecasting him in heroic roles, and Osipova simply had hope regarding the Mikhailovsky’s creative opportunities. I saw Osipova perform in the United States this past summer, and I was blown away by her technique, precision, and energy. The Mikhailovsky is lucky to have acquired such an astounding performer. I, like most followers of ballet, can’t help but consider a theater’s reputation before going to a performance. The Bolshoi is arguably the best and most famous theater in the world, and it is a given that the performers are of the highest caliber. My ballet teacher had the honor of performing there, and from what she told me, it truly lives up to its name. From what I’ve heard about the theater recently, it seems to be going through a tough time, with its recent loss of two performers (who knows who else will follow?) and its recent renovation. According to my teacher, the renovation, although beautiful–and expensive–is ineffective and even dangerous to the dancers. One example of this is that the changing rooms for the corps de ballet are all the way on the seventh floor, while the stage is on the second. Even a non-enthusiast can see why this is a problem for the corps de ballet, who are not allowed to use the elevators during the performances. I am anxious to see how the Bolshoi will handle the amounting dilemmas; I hope that some good will come out of the controversies.

   Another article I read this week was a review by Zachary Woolfe entitled “A Little Old Work Fills a Big New Space”. It is a review of Mozart’s opera “Così Fan Tutte”,which the Lyric Opera of Kansas reinvented into a poetic piece set in the 1920s. The reviewer praises the production and the theater as a whole. He described the production and the set as “simple but effective” and full of promising young artists, whose talents stayed true to the theater’s intent.

   The two articles, and more specifically, their discussions of the performers, relate directly to this season’s opera “Don Giovanni”. There had been much talk regarding the lead performer’s talent, status, and recent injuries, just as there is talk about the Bolshoi’s departing artists and dwindling reputation, and the Lyric Opera’s unique artists. Each theater relies heavily on its performers, and these three examples prove this to be true.

9. I was quite surprised to see the Stephen King is still…in work mode.But “Errol Morris Interviews Stephen King” and that means that the latter is still of interest. He should have written several hundreds of books by now. This mass production confuses me (yeah, it’s easy reading, but…) and at the same time I have immidiate associations with Don Giovanny. There is a chasm between them, but it’s the same part of mass production just of different class. There comes the question – does it have an impact on the quality, the idea? To answer that, one should know the background of such author or production, and I lack any knowledge about these.
   Another thing that makes me avoid a book/an author (oh yeah, focus-group me) is a series with the alike titles. It’s witty,smart? – Yes, it(wa)’s, but these times have passed. Now it just shows a mass-market approcah to the series/books or not-so-good writing(naming) skills. And that’s exactly what I’ve seen in “Gathering at the Wake for Western Dominance”: “Empire”, “Civilization” – the same big titles, but while the former one has something to do with the content of the book, the second one doesn’t really work. The “masses” approch is not appropriate these days – people have simply recognized it and no one want’s to think of themselves as a particle of those “masses”. They are something distinct and ordinary, who wants to be ordinary? The book is going back on its dusty shell.

10. In the article “‘Grobanites’ Get What They Came For,” Stacey Anderson reviews Josh Groban’s concert at Madison Square Garden. Midway through the show, he called up a member of the audience to sing with him in “The Prayer,” a duet. Coincidentally, the fan shared the same name and birthday as Mr. Groban. In “Jazz at Lincoln Center to Expand, First in Qatar,” a New York City jazz organization will be creating a new jazz club in Doha, Qatar. Both of these articles remind me of “East Meets West.” In Josh Groban’s performance, he had to collaborate with another person in a duet. In the second article, a type of Western music (not really Western but I don’t know what to call it) will be brought to a Middle Eastern country. In many ways, the two articles and the event consist of a meeting of two groups that form an unexpected, but admirable combination.

11. The performance ‘East meets West’ was a musical example of the struggle to united to opposites while creating something pleasant, in this instance melody. This struggle can be observed everywhere in our daily life, provided we look for it. In the article ‘Drake Pushes Rap Toward the Gothic’ we are told how Drake is quickly becoming the center of the Hip Hop universe. He is accomplishing this by slowing adding more and more of his unique and unusual style to his music. His new style is quickly becoming the prime example, and now other artists must try and adjust to stay in the spotlight. In the newly released movie ‘The Descendants’, George Clooney struggles with polar opposite feelings inside of him. He feels a love for his wife, who we learn is on her death bed, and a hatred toward her and her extramarital lover. Clooney spends the movie trying to reconcile these two feelings, but weather he has the same success as Drake or ‘East meets West’, we have yet to find out.

12. I for one believe that if a story is good, it can be told well regardless of what medium is being used. When I watched the Don Giovani I seldom realized that we were watching an opera. To me, it just felt like another movie or TV show. The the author of the article “Adventures Worthy of the Big Screen” talks about how Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is “he finest, most exciting action-adventure movie in years.” Its funny that despite Uncharted 3 being a game, many people see it as a great action-adventure movie. Although there is a clear different in the mediums of art, the story telling and action-adventure oriented portions of Uncharted 3 are so good that it would be a crime not to compare it to hollywood’s best action narratives. Another article that demonstrates a confusion of medium is “Recruiting the Inner Military Hero in Men.” The article talks about how many first person shooter games try to appeal to a sense of fantasy. On the other hand, some recent games like Battlefield 3 have embraced the idea of being a military hero in the game. Unlike Call of Duty which focuses on being outright “fun,” Battlefield 3 prides itself on realism. While most games avoid alluding to real life conflicts, Battlefield 3 took the risk of taking place in Iran. As the author points out, audiences dont have much interest in the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq because it doesn’t feel “particular heroic or vindicating”–two things that games are able to succeed in being. The game’s story is fictions and it isn’t a documentary, but nonetheless, it succeeds in feeling like a truly theatrical experience.