Author Archives: Ana Asano

A Supposed Acquired Taste: de Kooning

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Modern abstraction always provokes a strong reaction from me. It could be either good or bad, but nevertheless it is always a strong one. I walked into the Willem de Kooning exhibit at the MOMA with two immediate thoughts: This is a big exhibit and This looks like rubbish. Big collections can either prove to be redundant and overwhelming or lavish and extensive depending on the proficiency of the curator. I became restless as I tried to size up the entire exhibit, genuinely trying to give each piece a chance as I moved robotically along with the flow of people.

Suddenly, I wasn’t actively giving the pieces a chance, but standing in front of them because I was mesmerized. Towards the end of the exhibit were the pieces that I enjoyed most. I often scoff at the wannabe art connoisseurs who talk about the art in front of the art for all to hear, using the characteristic hand motions to convey their moved emotions. But, I found myself along with Kat, discussing the pieces, trying to interpret the meaning behind the paintings that on the surface, could just be written off as scribbles and blobs. I liked how the paintings towards the end provoked an emotion from me. And with abstract art, the emotion cannot be quickly attributed to an element of the piece because you cannot explain if you don’t understand. So, I tried to figure out why each piece instilled feeling in me and suddenly came to somewhat of an understand of de Kooning’s art.

I sometimes found myself positioned like this, pondering yet perpetually confused.

Abstraction such as de Kooning’s can have meaning. Many meanings. Everything is open for interpretation. It can also have no meaning. And that is the beauty of his work. The purpose of each work is not known because de Kooning left the interpretation to the viewer. When an artist masters this technique of leaving interpretation to the viewer, he/she has become a master. The goal of every artist, in my opinion as an artist myself, is to be able to create an intimacy between the artwork and the viewer. The artist does this by conveying emotion in the work and thus, leaving the meaning of the work up to the viewer. This suddenly makes the art very personal. I believe that this is the point of art and that de Kooning is a master. This might be arguable, some might say that anyone can do what he does because he does not display the conventional techniques of a master. I can throw blobs of paint on a canvas. Sure, you can. I don’t doubt any of you skeptics. But, with those blobs, can you invoke feeling? Can you create an intimacy? Can you give infinite meanings to your work and yet have it remain elusive? It is my turn to be a skeptic and say that most of you can’t answer yes to these questions. But, I’m sure if you can, the MOMA would open its arms to such a master.

The Book of Mormon: Politically Incorrect

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Two of my closest friends are big fans of the show South Park. So, as soon as advertisements for Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s new musical, The Book of Mormon, were splayed across every MTA bus, they would not stop talking about it. The musical, which has been playing on Broadway since March of this year, has already won 9 Tony Awards among others. The profanity and blasphemy, all done in catchy numbers and joyful choreography, is very characteristic of both Parker and Stone and is perfectly up their alley. Tickets are nearly impossible to get and my friends and I have been waiting for this winter break to try to get student rush tickets after listening to the soundtrack countless times over the summer.

The story follows two young and rather naive, Mormon missionaries as they travel to an AIDS ridden and God hating tribe in Africa. The young men try and spread the word of God, but the harder their attempts are, the more futile the mission reveals itself to be. Both Parker and Stone love stirring up some religious controversy so they display the ridiculousness of the missionaries and the beliefs they so valiantly preach through songs and dance that mock the validity and conviction of faith in a modern context.

The musical is filled with profanity and crude dialogue, but all in good taste…if that’s possible to claim. The musical obviously is respected judging by how many awards it has won, but the musical is also extremely approachable and not intimidating at all. I’ve attached one of my favorite numbers, All American Prophet, so I could share the hilariousness and genius with all of you. However, viewer discretion is advised.

watch?v=LHuKr746Csw&feature=related

 

 

The Ultimate Love Story Coming to Broadway

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The author of the The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks, has recently announced that his novel which claimed its spot as the contemporary ideal love story when it was adapted for film, is now coming to Broadway. The Notebook follows two young adults who come from different worlds and backgrounds, but fall in love regardless. It was the tear jerking romance of our generation when it came out in 2004. To keep the city relevant, he revealed that the setting will be altered to take place in Manhattan. Casting is going to be difficult considering actors will have big shoes to fill, namely Rachel McAdams’ and Ryan Gosling’s.

As popular as this love story is, it’s hard to imagine the show retaining the same level of profoundness as the movie if the actors are going to be dancing and singing about the stage. Imagine the famous “I wrote you everyday” scene set to a swooning orchestra instead of the pitter-patter of rain. That’s not to say that there haven’t been romantic dramas that retained seriousness once they enter the world of Broadway. But, sometimes it’s not always better to have a soundtrack to everything. Maybe the revamping of this classic love story will sit well with the elements of a musical or maybe some things should be left alone in their greatness. Perhaps, the phrase “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” applies. It will not be known until critics get their seats to the much anticipated show which has not a release date yet.

 

Art’s Progress is in its Process

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As a final reflection, I’ve decided that as our Arts in New York City Seminar explored the arts and subsequently, current events, both political and cultural, we’ve learned that the process of an artist is just as important as the final product. Arguably, innovation as an artist is not easy, and even much harder than it used to be. There are claims that everything has been done before. The box has been filled. So, the contemporary artists who maintain vision learn to work outside the already filled box.

I saw a pattern in the art that we looked at and experienced as a class; much of contemporary art seeks significance in the process of creating it. Many artists claim that the importance and value of their piece is during the creation and rendering of it instead of the final product. I believe that aesthetic is not as stressed as it once was and as artists are testing new boundaries on abstraction and unconventionality, art has more than a surface meaning.

To name some examples, Pontus Lidberg’s Faune, which we saw at Fall For Dance wasn’t something I liked at first. It wasn’t conventional and it wasn’t easy to understand. Traditionally, we tend to like things that are easy to understand because the unknown is frustrating especially if we can’t wrap our minds around it. But, innovative artists want to show that art is not easy. That it attempts to explain what we cannot understand and that there is more to it than its presentation or end product. Another example is Aaron Young’s Greeting Card which possessed the ‘wow factor’. Young’s piece proved innovative because of the display of its process. The end product wouldn’t have proven valuable if emphasis wasn’t placed on the process. Contemporary art has proven that there certainly is more than what meets the eye.

Art of Islam

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Since we were unable to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a class, I decided to go myself to see the new exhibition, “The Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and later South Asia.” The exhibit was organized coherently and cleanly even though there was a lot of art, textiles, and ceramics to be displayed. The careful placement and display of all the acquisitions were purposeful and very important as this opening of this gallery has been anticipated and built hype for since 2003. As I entered the exhibit, I was greeted by a large ceramic bowl. It was a spectacular and lustrous 10th century, Islamic bowl. The galleries are organized in a circular manner with an open atrium in the middle which is where the Roman and Greek statues are located. The choice of how to display the pieces was something at the forefront of the curators minds since they knew that many people would be seeing the exhibit. Only decades earlier curators aimed their exhibits and displays to the local community, but now, as we’re deep in the age of the internet, curators must keep in mind that the exhibits will be viewed all over the world. Much of the Islamic community will be watching the exhibit and curators have widened their audiences when designing their galleries.

The new Islamic Art Wing at the MET is a prime example of how the new age of technology has revolutionized art and how people think about art. The world is now interconnected and in constant communication. This has affected the arts and how art innovations and movements are now on a global scale. The audience is no longer a local one, but a global one as the internet has become the most accessible medium to view art. So, as we see through the Islamic Art exhibit, curators not only have their museum visitors in mind, but also the rest of the technological world.

Poetry for Precaution

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This article by Benjamin Sutton explains New York City’s innovative idea to make pedestrians and drivers pay attention to street safety by launching their Curbside Haiku campaign courtesy of the DOT (Department of Transportation). Due to the number of accidents, it seems like the attempts of the DOT were mostly in vain: thick traffic lines, bike lanes, and increased amount of traffic signs. They hope that the “power of poetry” will make people listen to transportation safety laws.

Initially, I didn’t understand the enthusiasm behind this campaign. If people didn’t even spare a second to glance at a traffic sign, what would compel them to actually read a haiku instead? I’m a fan of poetry and the occasional clever haiku, but I was still skeptical about the efficiency of this idea. It wasn’t until I read a couple of the haikus that I realized that they were concise, clever, and surprisingly morbid. They focused on the consequences and dangers of not listening to traffic laws and signs instead of just displaying a dry warning or rule.

Maybe it is about time that the DOT integrate some of the arts to get their message across. They realized they couldn’t command attention the conventional way and in New York City, art is one of the most powerful mediums to get a message across. Ideally, everyone will be moved by the new campaign and change their traffic safety ways, but from a cynical perspective, who really has a New York Minute?

The main artist behind the Curbside Haiku campaign is John Morse and illustrations by Saul Bass.

Read the full article here.

 

Occupy Wall Street and its Design Icons

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Occupy Wall Street claims no hierarchy and is, obviously, completely non-profit. Keeping this in mind, the cause relies heavily on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to promote awareness of the cause and gain support around the globe. Since the commencement of Occupy Wall Street, the idea has spread to many other cities around the world such as Occupy Tokyo and Occupy Rome. This is all thanks to the speed of communication of the internet.

Alice Rawsthorn, author of “Elements of Style as Occupy Movement Evolves,” praises the movement for exhibiting smart marketing tactics by naming the movement “Occupy…” not only because it is easily translatable, but also because it is simple and customizable and for this reason, has become almost an icon. She also explains how the visual symbolism of Occupy Wall Street differs from other political and economic movements in that it incorporates historical and modern motifs. The most common icon is the raised, black fist along with #OccupyWallStreet. The clenched fist is reminiscent of black power movements in Assyria and the Russian Revolution while the hashtag promotes the cause through Twitter.

Ironically, as Occupy Wall Street is trying to fight the overbearing influence of corporations and lobbyists, they are using the same tactics as their business rivals to gain support. The occupiers want to stop the chokehold that large businesses have over the economy and politics, but I believe that a great part of that chokehold is due to the power of media advertising and marketing. Sadly, money does make the world go ’round and this is the perfect example that capitalism is so deeply ingrained into our minds. Big corporations and Occupy Wall Street are both acknowledging the power of advertising in our capitalist society and maybe this is a sign that we won’t be able to shake our capitalist ways. Maybe our country isn’t ready for revolution.

Read the full article here.

Occupy Wall Street: Second American Revolution?

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Apart from the scheduled demonstrations and rallies, Occupy Wall Street at Zuccotti Park resembles a flee market. The park is filled with makeshift information kiosks, food stands, first aid/nurses stands, a small lending library, a section where people can play music, recite poetry, and even a place to charge your electronics. All of this, with the addition of the no longer existing tarps, created a tight labyrinth that led deeper into the park and finally out. To be in it was to be consumed by the refuge these protesters have created and it is forgotten that the glitzy Brooks Brothers boutique is right across the street. Completely ironic yet absolutely necessary.

In New York City, a change in political perspective usually affects the arts also. The Occupy Wall Street movement is no exception. Artists such as Shepard Fairey and Eric Drooker have designed posters for the movement. To see more of the OWS posters, click here. Fairey talks of this particular piece of replacing Obama’s campaign poster with the Guy Fawkes mask to symbolize the protesters’ hope that Obama will support their cause. However, many artists have been inspired by the movement in more subtle ways. As history will prove, it seems as though the idea of the tortured artist is an accurate one. As Jerry Saltz explains in his Has Money Ruined Art? article, art seems to be of higher quality and serve deeper purpose when it is inspired by something other than money. And what greater inspiration can political, economic, and cultural turmoil be to New York City artists? Declared underrated painter by Saltz, Jason Fox says, “In these conservative times, it’s easy for art to become hollowed out from any progressive or radical energy and exist only as a bourgeois decoration.” Since the value of art has always been subjective and a bit undefinable, the group of self proclaimed art connoisseurs who just happen to be rich art collectors have measured the value of a piece by the price tag. Art has become celebrated by how much money can be thrown at it and as Fox says, is simply a decoration instead of a creative expression of the artist.

Occupy Wall Street has also affected and inspired popular culture such as the comedy website, Collegehumor.com. With over 10 million website visitors over a 5 month period, their political banter can potentially educate their many viewers. Recently, they uploaded a video which parodied OWS’ motto of “We are the 99 Percent!” They created a video called “We are the 1%” which was a mocking take of how the top wealthiest one percent are reacting to the movement. It insults the one percent’s defenses with dry humor while educating their audience.Watch We Are the 1% here. As established and high brow artists and pop culture entertainers draw inspiration from the movement to create higher quality work, the Occupy Wall Street movement is only gaining more attention and thus, support spreading like wildfire.

Don Giovanni vs. Cenerentola

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Last year, I went to see Cenerentola, a small opera production, depicting the story of Cinderella. “Cenerentola” means Cinderella in Italian. The venue was seedy at best, but I had never been to an opera and thought that the story of Cinderella was one of the less intimidating operas for a first-time goer. I was right. I found out that opera was not my favorite style of singing and that I could go on with my life without it, but I loved the staging. The characters were extremely animated and the set was simple yet well done. I think that the stage direction in an opera is very important because most of the time, it’s hard to understand what’s taking place unless the story is already familiar. I tried my best to translate the frenzied Italian in both Cenerentola and Don Giovanni, but even my mother, a native Italian, says it’s hard to fully understand everything the actors are singing. With the importance of stage direction in mind, I did not enjoy Don Giovanni as much as Cenerentola. And it wasn’t the plot that turned me off because I thought that libretto to be amusing and suspenseful. I think it’s safe to point my fingers at the lack of stage direction. The set was lavish and impressive, but for me, it wasn’t entertaining to watch the actors stand still, belting plot that I couldn’t understand without the translator. At times, I found myself mesmerized by the tiny screen in front of me instead of the talented actors who worked so hard to command my attention.

Minuscule Paintings with a Major Impact

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It can be quite overwhelming when trying to choose which exhibit to visit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As I was quickly scanning the brochure for temporary exhibits, I decided that I’d go see Master Painters of India collection. I knew next to nothing about Indian art so I thought it would be eye-opening. And I sure had to open my eyes wide for this exhibit. When I first entered the exhibit, I noticed an older woman holding a huge magnifying glass up to the paintings. Most of the paintings were smaller than a standard 8 x 11 piece of paper with great attention paid to excruciating detail, but I thought she was taking it over the top. I shrugged it off and continued to squint at the tiny paintings. Most of these paintings were from epics and scrolls so in order to view the paintings, I had to stand really close to the paintings to appreciate the details. After walking around for a bit, I noticed more people holding magnifying glasses. Did I miss the memo? Were we all supposed to come equipped with the proper viewing apparatus? I walked over to the gallery assistant and was about to ask about the magnifying glass when he smiled and handed me a magnifying glass that he had been holding. He’d been watching me enough to know why I was approaching him.

I enjoyed the exhibit very much and would need to return to be able to view everything. The exhibit was so vast; it showcases about 5 or 6 paintings per painter and 40 painters were included in this exhibit. That’s over 200 paintings! And each one requires a good amount of attention. I was certainly impressed with the exhibit, but left a bit dissatisfied with myself and frustrated that I didn’t have the time and admittedly, nor the patience to view all 200 or so paintings.

Hiyao Miyazaki’s 10th Anniversary of Spirited Away

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On Friday, the 14th of October, New York Film Festival showed a special 10th anniversary screening of Japanese Studio Ghibli director, Hiyao Miyazaki’s, Spirited Away. The showing was at Francesca Beale Theater in Lincoln Center. The Beale Theater recently opened last summer and features modern architecture with a clean, stylistic flare. However, the modern design does not take away from the intimacy of the theater; it can only seat 144 people. As for the actual film, Spirited Away, was about an young girl who gets trapped in a spirit world and must work in a traditional Japanese bathhouse to save her parents and return to the human world. The story focuses on her transformation from an immature to an independent child who learns the value of love, friendship, and hard work. Being one of my favorite films, I wasn’t expecting any surprises,

but I continuously noticed the music. Studio Ghibli films always have an exceptional soundtrack, but for some reason, the music seems foreign and new to me despite having seen the film. I almost questioned if the Beale Theater featured new music, but I suppose it was the new theater setting with great acoustics that commanded my attention to the profound soundtrack.

Quantity Isn’t Always Quality

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This year’s annual New York Film Festival will mark it’s 49th anniversary and is apparently grander than ever. Showcasing 18 percent more films than last year, critics agree that the festival is “sprinting” to its 50th anniversary next year. It is also believed that the large showcase is attempting to outshine its well-established downtown competitor, the Tribeca Film Festival. With impressive titles such as Roman Polanski’s “Carnage”, Béla Tarr’s “Turin Horse” and the never before played “My Week With Marylin” directed by Simon Curtis, I’d have to admit that the long list of established and renowned directors meant nothing to me. Admittedly, the only name drop that incurred any of my interest was Hiyao Miyazaki and perhaps his most famous animated film, “Spirited Away.” This year will mark its 10th anniversary release and the New York Film Festival will be playing it twice at the Francesca Beale Theater. Miyazaki has written and directed many of my favorite animated films and even though I own “Spirited Away”, I’m gladly spending 20 dollars to go see it on a big screen at the New York Film Festival.

Read more on the big titles and big names that will be at the New York Film Festival here.

The Ultimate Form of Snobbery and Ignorance

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As a self-proclaimed connoisseur of the fauvist movement, I was delighted to see such an extensive collection of two of my favorite artists, Henri Matisse and Paul Cezanne, at the Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore exhibit at the New York Jewish Museum. I also enjoyed seeing some of Picasso and van Gogh’s work. Overall, this was an impressive collection including exotic textiles and jewelry from Europe and Asia.

However, despite the extraordinary exhibit, it was one of the worst museum experiences I’ve had in a while. I have not been in such a crowded museum since viewing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. I suppose it’s excusable because admission is free on Saturdays, the day that I went, but it was not crowded with respectful, quiet art enjoyers,

Festival of Flowers by Henri Matisse

but with obnoxious, oblivious snobs. Personally, I like to view artwork from a distance and then, perhaps observe it under closer speculation. However, I am always mindful of my surroundings, careful not to block anyone’s view. Clearly, with these people, that was not the case. Everyone was standing inches from the artwork, hovering over it, pretending to read every informational plaque while grunting and nodding. I thought, who are you trying to impress? Isn’t the point of immersing yourself into a cultural experience just that? It shouldn’t be to brag about where you’ve been or what you’ve seen, but that was the impression these people made upon me. By the time I worked my way to the end of the exhibit, I was so frustrated that I curtly asked two ladies to move as I was trying to view the painting that they were standing in front of. They weren’t even viewing it, but having a loud conversation in front of it.

After I was pushed by a man who was trying to leave claiming that he “already knew everything about the Cone Sisters,” I had decided that I had had enough. I went to the other permanent exhibits on the upper floors and basked in the silence and unobstructed artwork. It’s a high price to pay to see your favorite artist’s works if it means being exposed to so many snobs in a confined space, but for Matisse and Cezanne, it’s a price I’d pay.

Memorial Service at the Riverside Church

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I attended the memorial service at the Riverside Church in Manhattan this past Sunday. The service included a concert in memorial of those who served us on 9/11 and those who were affected by the earthquake in Japan this past Spring. The service began with a memorial service honoring those who have served our country and remembering the ones we have lost during that tragedy. A performance followed by the Queens College Orchestra and Chorus and the Japan and U.S. Memorial Orchestra and Chorus. I was particularly touched by Mozart’s Requiem KV626 because of its drama and numerous changes in tempo and dynamics.

Courtesy of Flickr

I found it captivating yet unsettling how the piece was divided into many movements which structured the long piece and also gave it fluidity and kept it from being strenuous and redundant. It gave it contrast between movements which commands attention. The origami paper cranes given out at the end of the memorial served as a nice and joyful touch to this time of mourning.