Author Archives: karissac

Speechless and Heavy and Warfare

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One of the most powerful social tools at our disposal is art because art has a voice, at least in our urban New York society.  At MoMA, I had the chance to watch a short film shot in Afghanistan.  At what appeared to be a co-American and Afghan alliance for serving a hot lunch to the community, there was an outdoor sort of “soup kitchen” where people waited on line for some food then went to sit down at park-like picnic tables.  Out of nowhere, in the midst of individuals enjoying their lunch, shots were fired; and, the whole place cleared out in about a minute, save the American armed forces shooting back at the perpetrators.

What was so moving about the piece was that it portrayed the Afghans accurately…as people, like us.  There was one clip shot outside of a building with an older Afghan man and a young American soldier.  The Afghan man was asking the American soldier various questions, such as if he was married.  When he answered that he was not married, the man asked if he at least had a girlfriend, to which he also answered no.  Plus, he had no children.  This cracked the man up.  Another scene showed a group a Afghans and a couple of armed American soldiers talking about either soccer or volleyball.  Although hesitantly reluctant at first, the soldiers agreed to play the sport with the other young men.

My two friends and I left that room, and all I was able to repeat was, “Man, that was heavy.”  One of my friends likened the war to the lesser of two evils.  Which is worse, to allow a country to be severely abused by an inhumane dictator, or cause extra attention and warfare by entering “the enemy’s” territory?  (This is not to say that the country is the enemy; it is not.  The group that our troops are fighting simply resides there).  This is one of the complications of war.  Where do we stand?  What are our boundaries?  How can you engage on a personal level with some citizens while grasping a machine gun in case another shoots at you?  I do not understand war.  I do understand the potential that lies in an artist’s craft to influence others, though.

Everyday Beautiful

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After learning the background behind Islamic art, I was somewhat leery about viewing the Met’s exhibit because I received the impression that it ran rampant with underlying, grotesque meanings.  I actually enjoyed the exhibit for a few reasons, including the detail present in everything, whether it was a textile, a piece of pottery, a book, or an arched entryway.  The armor was interesting, too, especially the one headdress adorned with long strands and feathers.  If I had to pick one aspect that stuck out to me the most, though, it would be the architecture.  My friend and I continuously walked through the exhibit and glanced at the windows, doors, and arched walkways, noting how much we would love to incorporate them into our future homes.  One of my favorite architectural pieces was the white arching structure located in a bright courtyard, with a petite circular fountain in the center.  The detail in the archways was exquisite and imperceptibly intricate.  In high school, I always found it interesting to learn about the Arab influence on Spanish society, and the Met certainly included some of these influences in its exhibit.  Furthermore, I found the brightness and density of the colors used in the tiny paintings incredible.  Most of the time, I associate eras around the sixteenth century with darker colors, much like what we have been exposed to with Renaissance artwork.  However, this was a pleasant contrast to the somber European works, with its bright turquoises and Turkish porcelain blues.

This exhibit helped me realize what I love about the Met- it offers history with art in a demonstrative manner.  It does not attempt to impose its artistic views on visitors like other museums.  More “trendy” museums have their place, as well, but the Met provides a pleasant alternative to the hip artistic culture because it leaves room for the spectator to make his unbiased decision.  Additionally, some might even claim that the Met portrays life as art.  After all, a large percentage of its pieces on display are articles from the everyday lives of our ancestors.  I wonder if people back then saw their everyday lives as art.  Hey, I wonder if we do.

Different Art, Different Obstacle

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According to a New York Times article, Antoni Muntadas has a new multimedia installation in the Bronx Museum of the Arts which addresses societal isolation.  This exhibit features audio and visual components to convey various aspects of social control tactics.  For instance, one piece boasts multiple stills and moving images of passionate fans at a soccer game, highlighting railings, fences, individual seats, et cetera.  I doubt that the article’s description does the work justice, though.

A more plausible aspect of the article is the end, where the author refers back to his opening, framing paragraph regarding what entities individuals are most frightened by and refracts it back onto the artist.  After offering a brief explanation as to why Muntadas’s work is lacking, the author suggests that Muntadas has placed limitations on his creative capacities that are similar to the confining societal factors of which he raises awareness.  The author describes, “It is as if he had erected a fence around his own creative intellect to keep out unruly impulses of imagination and emotion. What, I wonder, is he afraid of?”

Artists who seek to express disturbing societal injustices face a problem that other artists can shrug off.  To some degree, these artists need to be mindful of how their audiences will respond to their art.  In our English 110H class this semester, we had to write a persuasive essay to either a hostile, friendly, or indifferent audience; and, for each group, the “successful” approach varies.  The same applies to “art with a cause.”  When an artist (whatever his medium may be) realizes this, it certainly affects the final outcome of the piece.  If it is supposed to urge an audience to action regarding the societal ill, then it must be created with a fairly high concern of the audience itself.  On the other hand, however, this may prove detrimental to visual artists who are thinkers because there are not a few concrete manners in which art can move an audience.  Simple images of protesters at Occupy Wall Street can be as effective as an abstract drawing about the one percent.  Because art is such an innovative craft, artists seek new ways in which to express themselves effectively.  When a response is anticipated (or action called for), an artist’s options may become limited in an attempt to get the best desired reaction.

Was this Muntadas’s dilemma?  I do not know.  But it certainly addresses the unique roadblock faced by artists seeking societal change and response to their creations.

The More Genuine, the Less for the People?

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In an article from the New York Times about some new tunes, readers are able to sample innovative musical selections from four current, unconventional artists.  The first artist is actually a pastor of a church.  I found this particularly interesting because the author of the article found the lyrics quite moving, and the manner in which he describes the artist’s musical methodology is intriguing.  It is certainly refreshing and encouraging to know that music “made in churches” can have an impact outside of the building’s walls.

Another artist from the article creates more jazz-like music that is rearranged in irregular positions.  For instance, one song sounds like it is beginning in the middle of a song.  After all, who said that we have to start at the beginning?  Who said that there needs to be a “beginning”?

The third artist is actually an Australian duo that has created a nice jumble of jazz and electronic styles, to put it simply and broadly.  In a sense, you would expect to hear this music in a hipster community, yet even in that setting, it would probably still be a bit startling to hear.  And the last band seems to have found a way to hipster-ize pop music.

I found these artists interesting because most people are probably inclined to merely shrug their music off for various reasons.  It is comparable to abstract art, though.  Think of de Kooning’s work.  There are some pieces that we “get” and others that we would like to keep looking at.  Recently (and partially due to our class), I have become increasingly dissatisfied with the current music available, both in English and Spanish.  This article and a lot of what we have experienced in the art world this semester have taught me that, in order to satisfy this dissatisfaction, artists need not create for others–unless, of course, money is a huge obstacle.  Create with what is in you; get it out.  Be less concerned with what others will think of the piece than with how to successfully make intangible feelings tangible through sound, texture, and sight.  One of the artists from the article says, “You end up listening to music that you like. We ended up liking music because of the sound and not because the band was hip or trendy at the time.”

Eating is Art, Too!…and Not Just ‘Cause I’m Italian

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A few weeks ago, some fellow classmates blogged about Rirkrit Tiravanija’s “Untitled (Free)” installation in MoMA.  (For those who do not recall, he is the Argentine-born Thai artist who wants museum-goers to experience the artwork themselves.  With this inspiring motivational force, he serves curry to visitors.  For a quick synopsis, read the last section of this article, titled “Art.”  We saw the candy exhibit, too, but were hesitant to reach down and grab the silver-wrapped pieces).  On our way up to the sixth floor to visit de Kooning’s installation, my two friends and I made a pit-stop on the second floor for some curry.  We experienced art!

Somewhere in a corner of the second floor, Tiravanija’s installation is designed to make you feel as if you are walking through an unfinished apartment.  The framework for the rooms is up, but you can see through the entire section of the “apartment” that is on display.  When you first walk in (after a man kindly directs you to enter the exhibit the proper way), there are a bunch of cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other, filled with empty supplies for the curry, including the wok box, and beer.  As you stroll into the adjacent room, a man on your right clicks a counter, and you enter the kitchen area, complete with a refrigerator filled with water–which is also part of the experience.  Then, if you desire the full experience, you walk over to the tables adorned with the artist’s own recipe of fragrant green curry and rice; if you are a little skeptical, he lists the ingredients both on the table and on the door of the refrigerator.  After getting a scoop of rice and curry, you go to sit down among other museum goers.

The beautiful part of this exhibit was, indeed, experiencing art and tasting another’s culture.  However, it was more than that.  What the New York Times articles seemed to ignore is the effect of the exhibit.  It created a sort of home-like environment where I was given the opportunity to eat, chat, and experience something new with my friends.  Tiravanija recreates home with his installation, which certainly makes sense if he was raised in Argentina.  (One of my friends who joined us at the museum is Argentinian; her family is very close and bonds over food).  Maybe most cultures share the experience of familial and friendly bonding over meals but at a more personal, within-the-confines-of-home level.  Tiravanija succeeded in providing a setting in which strangers can create similar interactions.  The installation certainly would not have had the same effect had I gone alone.  Maybe Tiravanija’s main purpose was to demonstrate to visitors that home is not a location but rather a community, that home is composed of people.

I absolutely recommend and encourage you to check his installation out with some friends, maybe even ones that you normally do not get to spend much time with.  Hey, plus you get a free lunch.

I Like de Kooning

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This past Saturday, I walked throughout Willem de Kooning’s vast MoMA exhibit with two of my friends.  We pointed out which ones we would like to have hanging in our future homes and commented on various details in the pieces, such as certain textures in certain strokes, the presence of newspaper print, time periods, and mediums employed.  We did not read all of the descriptive cards next to the pieces; however, on the ones that I did read, my favorite portions were either explanatory phrases regarding how de Kooning arrived at the piece and de Kooning’s own words.  For example, in some of his pieces, it was obvious that there were newspaper articles in the background; yet, the description said that this result was accidental.  De Kooning simply used the newspaper to dry up the excess paint left on the canvas, thus never intending to have it transfer onto the canvas.  Did he cry about it?  No, instead, he let it be.

After seeing the exhibit, I’m beginning to more fully understand the discussion that we shared as a class last Thursday about de Kooning’s work and whether it was growth, experimentation, or something entirely different.   Although his “genre” of art is abstract, it amazed me how different his pieces were.  He certainly had separate periods, and the descriptive cards tended to relate these to his physical location at the time of the paintings, which, in itself, is significant.  Rather than waiting to get somewhere else or have a revelation, de Kooning let his current position inspire him, and that is what he worked with– a reminder that we can all learn from.

Though I certainly do not understand most of his pieces after viewing them once, I appreciate and admire them because they symbolize how he lived his life.  Sometimes, de Kooning specified what his painting portrayed in the title; other times, he just let it happen.  He was not afraid to try, even if it took a few years.  One of his quotations read, “Even abstract shapes must have a likeness.”  De Kooning had a plan, but when the gray areas surfaced, he kept moving.  In the words of a friend, “You can’t steer a ship that isn’t moving.”  In the words of de Kooning, “I have to change to stay the same.”

Broad Discussion of Occupy Wall Street

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This past Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending an informative session regarding homelessness in New York City, with representatives from the homeless community themselves.  Information that I had never heard before (or, at least, that I cannot recall having heard before) was shared, and my gut was filled with disgust as I left to go to my Spanish class.  Before I go any further, I want to point out the timeless saying “with a grain of salt.”  As humans, we have natural tendencies to exaggerate and skew certain things.  Everything that I say is exaggerated, every single day; in fact, I have not lived one day during which I did not exaggerate.  Yes, of course I remember every single day that I have lived.  Who doesn’t?  I think you get the point…Anyway, I brought that up because it is difficult to distinguish, sometimes, between fact and emotion.  Am I saying that these two women were insincere, untrustworthy, or deceiving?  Absolutely not.  I believe that they spoke from their hearts and their experiences.  Since these sort of stories really move me inside, maybe I’m merely trying to remind myself that we are emotional beings and that emotions can get out of hand sometimes.  Moving on…

According to what was shared at this event, the only reason that homelessness in the city exists is because of greed.  (Granted, I’m unsure as to whether this applies to homeless individuals in shelters or the entire homeless population of the five boroughs).  Information gathered by Picture the Homeless says that there are currently enough vacant apartments in the city to house all of the homeless who are living in the city’s shelters; not included in this figure is the amount of vacant land on which apartments could be built.  These representatives informed us that various government officials and foreign countries own these areas of land.  Research even found that some of those who own the land will not support Intro 48.  Various political figures own shelters, as well; and, as these women stated, why would they want to lose the seventy-two million dollars generated by each shelter?  According to Alease Lowe from the Daily News, “There should be no reason why there are so many homeless people…when there are so many homes without people.”

In addition to this greed, the homeless women who spoke shed light on the unjust treatments of individuals in shelters.  One of them, an upper middle-aged teacher with a master’s degree, said that in one shelter, the residents are not permitted to use the building’s elevators; only employees are.  Because of this, this women, in addition to others, had to climb over half a dozen stair cases just to reach their room.  Furthermore, she said that shelter workers tend to take clothes that are donated either for their own families or to sell, rather than giving them to those living in the shelter–for whom the clothing was intended.

It is an eye-opener to hear these things and be reminded of the deep, evil nature of the ugly monster: greed.  Maybe the words of the Christian writer Paul in his letter to Timothy centuries ago pin-pointed a truth found in every era; he wrote, “But if it’s only money these leaders are after, they’ll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble.”  Tell us about it.

This leads me to Occupy Wall Street.  I’m so glad that Professor Smaldone put the link to the New York City General Assembly’s website on the blog because I was able to read the Declaration of the Occupation of New York City.  Before reading this, I held the notion that the movement was some sort of political jumble that I had little concern for.  However, now I can say that I support the movement based on its declaration.  Not only does Occupy Wall Street stand for justice in our city, state, and nation, it speaks up on behalf of those who have no voice in front of Big Business– the countless of all ages from around the globe who are enslaved by our vicious cycle of robotic consumerism.  Occupy Wall Street is a stance that is shouting our disgust with the inhumane and, ultimately, evil actions that we have allowed to go on for way too long.  How executives can continue to gain profit from their companies knowing that it mistreats individuals boggles my mind.  In these cases, I think that we have lost the meaning of a life by misinterpreting it with merely a number.  Every single person is a name, has a face, to say the least.  Nobody is just a worker.  Nobody should profit over another’s misfortune.

Another appalling piece of information that I found regarding this movement was just published in the New York Times a few days ago.  According to this article, undercover detectives have entered churches where protesters are being allowed to sleep and have counted how many individuals were there.  It turns out that one of these men has been involved with the intelligence portion of the New York Police Department since 2006.  Not to jump-the-gun, but this scares me.  C.S. Lewis once wrote, “The safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”  We could very well be witnessing the beginnings of a new sort of government here in our country that comes to resemble the oppressive governments of many countries around the world–whose oppressive acts we rarely hear about.  I pray to God that He would have mercy on us as a nation and preserve the freedoms on which we were founded.

And this video from Berkeley is appalling:  http://youtu.be/buovLQ9qyWQ

Whenever freedom and justice are oppressed, ground is broken artistically. We can only be silenced for so long.  In one video that I watched somewhere on takethesquare.net, a group started to sing and dance about revolution.  On this website, I found images of posters that people had created to voice their beliefs toward the subject of Occupy Wall Street (they are quite creative).  It seems that both throughout history and now, art continues to unite us.  It gives us a tune to hum, with lyrics to move us forward.  Art provides us with visual and audio reminders of what it is that we are fighting for.

As far as art within New York City is concerned, Occupy Wall Street provides a crucial determining force as to what the future of our city’s art will be.  If conditions get “out of hand” and additional oppressive measures need to be taken, the arts will be oppressed because it has one of the strongest voices in the global community.  New York City is a world-renowned center of artistic expression.  If this movement continues into a full-out rebellion, there is certainly a chance that the arts will be oppressed right here.  Gradually, of course.  (We better take advantage of these Macaulay events!)

There is still a lot that I do not know about the call to Occupy Wall Street, but I would like to stand with protesters there, not in hopes that my face will appear on a website or newspaper somewhere, but so that my actions and convictions do not betray one another.

The Art of Letting Go

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“‘Singers are a little bit more careful now,’ he said. ‘I don’t know why. Maybe they fear reactions. Maybe they fear someone will say, “This is too much.” You have to forget everything about it not being beautiful enough and just do it…You have to forget yourself. I don’t lose control when I conduct, but I try to get into the scene and into the moment, into the action. I try to really let go, so it’s no more about technique or dictating, it’s about letting it happen.’” – from the New York Times article “‘Giovanni’ as Snapshot of a New Met.”

Even though we read this article a few weeks ago, this portion really inspires me because it can easily be applied to so much more than the creation of opera.  (I wonder if Mr. Luisi realizes that).  Although the concept is pretty abstract, this quotation applies to living artfully, as well.  A lot of times, we tend to refrain from doing things or pursuing certain dreams because, deep down, we are afraid of others’ reactions; but, according to Mr. Luisi, we simply have to let that go.

Just before this section of the article, the reporter says that Mr. Luisi believes that “there is a fine line between thorough rehearsing and overpreparation.”  Sometimes in life, we think we need to keep preparing for a certain opportunity when, really, we just need to step out and act, irregardless of what others may say.  What would happen if every actor and singer in the opera felt this tremendous pressure to always have everything perfect before performing in front of an audience?  Would they actually ever end up performing, or would they always be rehearsing?  As long as we put our best into what we are doing, the opinions of others should not weigh so heavily on us. Que será, será.

Let’s Create

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In a somewhat awkwardly pieced article, I was informed that MoMA will be holding a new exhibit as it embraces some new approaches to exhibition techniques.  First, Rirkrit Tiravanija, an Argentine artist, will be opening a meal exhibit in MoMA where free vegetarian curry dishes will be offered to the museum’s visitors.  This exhibit is a little different from its introductory one in the early 90s because, instead of preparing food in front of museum-goers (and thus violating safety regulations), Tiravanijia has agreed to have MoMA’s kitchen crew craft the dishes.  Despite this, the motivating factor behind both the original and current installations remains the same.  According to one of MoMA’s chief curators, “…it’s the act of doing things together, where you, the viewer, can be part of the experience.”

I find this particularly interesting because there is an enormous difference between viewing art and experiencing art– just because you have experienced art does not mean that you have engaged in it, which was the concept conveyed at one of Macaulay’s Meet the Artist events.  Even while attending various concerts with our class, I have noticed that my attention diverts from the musicians or dancers on stage and the music being created because the nature of these events permits spectating, rather than engagement.  Granted, this point can be argued based on safety and other points; however, I personally prefer to take part in the creation process.  Creating becomes a part of you once you truly engage yourself in it, sucking you into its grip.

Is there a time for spectating?  Yes, I believe so.  But spectating should lead us to creating and offering opportunities for others to engage with us.  In one sense, spectating is book knowledge, and creating is “street cred.”  As we continue learning though the experience of others and ourselves, we should also be implementing the knowledge that we have already gathered.  It is this constant, simultaneous cycle of learning and implementing.  When we do this, we can create art that moves and breathes and carries a legacy.  Maybe it is more like the art of storytelling.  Either way, Iet’s remember the words of Henry Cloud, a renowned speaker and psychologist, “Every breath goes somewhere.”  Let’s make it all count.

Orchestral Hip-Hop; Yes, Hip-Hop

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According to an article on the New York Times website, the Brooklyn Philharmonic is breaking musical boundaries, just as their performance did this past Saturday by combining rap and, well, orchestra.  Under new direction by Alan Pierson, the Brooklyn Philharmonic is attempting a new approach to their outdoor events, “each containing three events: an orchestra concert, a chamber performance and a community program.”  Not only is this ensemble experimenting with hybrid artistic genres, but they are focusing on the communities for whom they are creating music.  The article says that Pierson’s vision is to, basically, meet people where they are in their community.  In other words, he is going to flavor the orchestra’s concerts to make them appealing to the individuals where they perform rather than attracting a homogeneous group of concert-goers for the more traditional orchestral performance.  His attempts are plausible, indeed.  Surely we can learn from his approach to sharing the beauty of music with others, even in non-musical settings.  Especially in such a diverse city as New York.

More Than Mere Images

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After exploring the Frans Hals exhibit at the Met, I went to an exhibit featuring Chinese artwork that was created around the same time as Hals’ work.  First, I noticed that both the Hals and the Chinese artists employed perspective in their pieces; there was always a foreground and some sort of background.  However, the resulting appearances were drastically different because Hals used oil paint while the Chinese artists mainly used ink and watercolor.  Furthermore, the emphasis of the European and Asian pieces were polar opposites.  As our class observed, Hals’ paintings were mainly portraits that focused on one or more individuals, yet the Chinese paintings seemed to highlight more of nature and society as a whole.  When I realized this, I remembered when my high school Chinese teacher had taught us that Chinese society perceives the world in the order of the largest institutions all the way down to the individual (from the broadest category to the smallest), whereas American society views the world from the individual to society as a whole.  Although both Hals and the Chinese artists were creating during the same time, their focuses were worlds apart.  It was interesting to experience, firsthand, how art conveys the attitudes of society during a specific periods.

Not All Mainstream Musicians Are Snobs!

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(Although I could not find an article concerning this event, I felt compelled to write about it.  I’m currently still inspired).

Two Sundays ago, I attended a concert at Best Buy Theater in Times Square, mainly to witness a performance by Switchfoot.  After an enormous ticket fiasco with my friends, we finally went inside right before Switchfoot took the stage and were, thankfully, able to enjoy the concert.  However, we did leave early to go eat, but everything works out for good, right?  To our delight, Jon Foreman- the lead singer of the band- informed us via Twitter to meet him on the bleachers located in the center of Times Square for an acoustic session.

What a life-changing experience.  The front man- an amazingly gifted musician and lyricist, might I add- of a mainstream, renowned band took time out to meet with some New Yorkers in the midst of a chaotic touring and public appearance schedule.  Shortly after my friend and I arrived there, a policeman came by and told Mr. Foreman’s acquaintance (whether guard or manager, I’m not quite sure) that he needed to end the show after that song.  Upon being informed, Mr. Foreman somehow spoke with the officer and received permission to move to a different area, just yards away, to continue spending time with us.

Although I cannot speak for him, it was evident that Mr. Foreman did not meet with us all for publicity’s sake.  While playing a mixture of songs on his acoustic guitar and singing, he looked at every person in the crowd around him; he even had us all sing “Happy Birthday” to one of the girls in the crowd!  His body language was not arrogant or proud; his actions and interactions screamed humility in a manner only true humility can.  We might feel inclined to assume that musical groups, especially ones of Switchfoot’s caliber, would include pompous musicians and singers; but, Mr. Foreman certainly breaks this snob-stereotype as his life redefines what it means to use fame for positive influence.

I left Times Square that night knowing what it means to love God and love people.  Here was this California-native investing in the lives of New Yorkers- our fellow New Yorkers- which in turn, invests into our city.  Underneath an appallingly blatant, inappropriate lingerie advertisement (flaunted in the heart of our great city), Mr. Foreman offered his voice, time, and melodies in faith of transferring hope to us all, whether we were part of the crowd surrounding him or a foreigner passing by.  If what I acquired from this event can be felt from a recording of one song, I’m uncertain.  (Actually, it probably cannot because it lacks Mr. Foreman’s interaction with fans who chose to follow him as he walked back to his hotel, graciously speaking and taking pictures with them).  But, it’s worth an attempt.

 

Life As Art

Quote

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Near the end of the Cone Sisters exhibit at the Jewish Museum, one of Henri Matisse’s quotes stuck out to me.  I had not thought about the utilization of color by comparing it with the creation of harmonies in musical composition before.  Even though Matisse was simply comparing art and music in his statement, his main concept certainly applies to society, especially that of current-day New York City.

Independently, individuals have unique qualities that should not be dismissed.  When combined properly, these qualities, according to Matisse, should shine even more brightly in a manner that neither detracts from nor overshadows the individual.  Human lives were meant to compliment and contrast each other just as colors and harmonies.  Furthermore, the human race was made to operate as one unit, with its effectiveness hinging on the “organization and construction” of its components.  In other words, life can be a work of art.  In other words, life can be a masterpiece.

“Colors have a beauty of their own which must be preserved, as one strives to preserve pure tones in music. It is a question of organization and construction that is sensitive to maintaining this beautiful freshness of color….What counts most with color are relationships….No doubt there are a thousand different ways of working with color. But when one composes with it, like a musician with harmonies, it is simply a question of emphasizing the differences.” – Henri Matisse, 1945

The Cost of Uncertainty

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Quite honestly, I’m still undecided as to whether or not I’m a music snob; however, I’m always on the lookout for a new artist or sound that will pique my interest. As I was browsing The New York Times website, I came across an article on a British-born folk artist, Laura Marling.  As a songwriter, I can relate to what she shared with the author of the article, John Pareles.  In essence, she shared that her songs are vaguely revealing of her personal struggles; and, she cannot force a song into existence.  She states, “I feel like I’m creeping closer to finding the situation that triggers songwriting, which is obviously an extreme of an emotion. But also it’s late at night, with half a bottle of wine missing.”  Although there is never any wine involved in my songwriting, I often feel that my best songs come about when I’m tired and fail to fully wrap my mind around the lyrics that are penned onto paper.

 

Furthermore, Marling describes her uncertainty in the creating process.  She says, “I feel sometimes that I’m in a constant state of being lost in translation, and I guess that’s why I write songs…sometimes I struggled to really know what I was saying in this album.”  Without expressing it in detail, Marling seems to be deeply connected to her songs, emotions, and inner thoughts, which help to fuel her albums and her enormous success at such a young age.  This makes me wonder- is such emotional unsteadiness worth the fortune?

 

Feel free to listen to her entire album, located to the left of the article.  The sounds are soothing, and her style is one that I admire, reminiscent of Jon Foreman’s independent projects (the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer eps).

In the Wake

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This past Sunday, I attended two services (one of which was in English and the other in Spanish) at my church, Christ Tabernacle. Since it was the ten-year anniversary of September 11th, my pastor decided to have a portion of each of our five weekend services dedicated to the remembrance of our nation’s tragedy. My favorite portion of these times was when we prayed because, although it is good to ponder the injustices committed against our fellow Americans and remember those whose lives have been forever altered, it is even better to do something about it. Although I was sitting in a room with about two hundred people that I know (and five hundred individuals that I have not yet met), we all joined together to ask God to bless, comfort, heal, and protect our nation- from those personally affected by the attacks on September 11th to our current president.

 
In the English service, one of my pastors mentioned more specific examples of people who had been affected by the tragedy while he was praying. I cannot fathom being one of them- the widow, the orphaned child, the fiance, the girlfriend, the wife, the daughter, et cetera of one who passed away. It boggles my mind and overwhelms my heart.

 
Additionally, it struck me when our Spanish congregation took time out to sing the national anthem and pray, just as we had done in the English meetings. This past Sunday further reminded me that there is no boundary too difficult to cross to create something beautiful, be it a foreign language or a different upbringing.

 
In the wake of one of our nation’s most horrific events, we have an enormous opportunity to cross the barriers that have divided us as a people and truly unite like never before.