A Macy*s Christmas

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Has anyone realized how powerful Macy’s Inc. is? It wasn’t until recently, when I wrote a six-page paper on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (I still don’t know how I got six pages out of that one), that I understood the power Macy’s has on the economic prosperity New York City. Granted, it’s been at it for a long time. However, just the Thanksgiving Day Parade alone shows how powerful it is; millions of people around the world tune in to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade every year. The message of the parade is to celebrate the history of America and blah, blah, blah… No one is being fooled; every one knows that the Parade exists to start the shopping season… I mean, the “holiday” season. So, what does this have to do with art?

Let’s use the example of the famous Macy’s holiday window displays. People from around the world visit New York City during the holiday season to see/visit the Rockefeller Tree, Times Square, and Macy’s in Herald Square, “the largest store in the world”.  And this is where they’ll find Macy’s holiday lane and the renowned window displays that take approximately half a year to create and fully develop. In this article you learn the steps taken to create these intricately beautiful and “jolly” displays. They are meant to tell a story within six windows (this year it is, “Yes, Virginia…”). More than 7000 people pass by them a day, during the peak of the season!  This form of artwork requires 14 paper artisans, 4 carpenters, 6 electricians, and the designers. If it weren’t for Macy’s these displays wouldn’t be as popular; if they weren’t in the famous Macy’s at Herald Square, this beautiful form of art wouldn’t be regarded with such high esteem. It’s interesting to see how a department can do so much for New York City and the artwork within it, even if it’s just holiday display.

New Renaissance Exhibit at the Met

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art is opening a new Renaissance exhibit this coming Wednesday. It will hold 160 different pieces and promises to be quite unique. Keith Christiansen, chairman of European paintings at the Met, says that one of the most unique things about this exhibit will be the sculptures, which will be placed in the center of the room as oppose to against the wall so that viewers can  get a good look at the very fine details from every angle. Many of the details in the sculptures have gone unnoticed for centuries.

Mr. Christiansen also said that “the 15th century is the first great century of portraits”. Before this time period,  it was only aristocrats or royalty who had them, and most were made for tombs. (This could very well be where Frans Haals got the idea to start painting for the upper-middle class.) Mr. Christiansen also said that these portraits experiment with “portraiture, and the age-old notion of identity. This is the foundation on which European portraiture is based.” Paintings and sculptures from masters like Donatello, Filipo, Lippi, Boticelli, Mantegna, and Bellini will be displayed, among other artists.

 

Our class this year has talked about the relationship between society and the arts. It seems that this exhibit at the Met will do a similar thing. They will try to give the viewers a functional understanding of not only 15th Century European Renaissance art, but also an understanding of European society and culture through paintings, sculptures, and other artifacts from that time period. Together, it can possibly tell a good deal more about European Renaissance history than a standard textbook. And it’s a lot more interactive.

A link to the article about the exhibit can be found here.

Stellated Dodecahedrons

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“Huh?”

Yeah, that’s what I thought too. It’s possibly the single least likely phrase I expected to stumble upon in a book about an artist. But there it was. Out of context, I suppose it really doesn’t make any sense. But if I said that the book I was reading was about M.C. Escher (called The Magic of M.C. Escher), it would probably be an “Aha!” moment.

Escher's famous "Drawing Hands" explores the idea of paradoxes and "strange loops"

The well-known, innovative 20th century artist M.C. Escher was the creator of, in a phrase, “art for science and math lovers.” Infinity, polyhedra, geometric distortions, tessellations, impossible constructions – they’re all there somewhere in his work. Crazy, no? He didn’t even have any formal mathematical training. That’s even crazier.

I cannot pretend to comprehend much of what I read about him. There isn’t exactly a lot of discussion about technique and aesthetic. Instead, it’s more about Penrose triangles and orthogonal forces of gravity. Not quite the type of thing that I like to involve myself with. I have nothing against it. I just admittedly don’t understand much of it.  That’s what I think makes Escher so remarkable. I’ve spoken to quite a few Mathletes about art, and many of them told me that they just don’t “get” it. It’s markedly outside their comfort zone. Well, here comes Escher to the rescue. Scientists and mathematicians arguably enjoy his work more than anybody else.

It’s a remarkable feat, but Escher effectively managed to tether the worlds of art and technical logistics in a way that I do not believe anyone ever has. I mean, it’s art that penetrates a world that is inhabited by its theoretical opposite. In that way, it’s art that almost transcends the barriers that usually serve to confine it. We’ve talked a lot about the ever-expanding artistic intersection in our class – which includes politics, industry, and commerce, among others – and I think that Escher, with his mind-boggling work, adds mathematics to the list. So to those with a penchant for science I say you’ve found a remarkable associate in Escher. To those who are not quite so scientifically inclined (myself included) I say Escher is yet another brilliant artist to marvel at.

What We Learned from the War In Iraq

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The war in Iraq has torn this country apart, and the source of this elongated war may have just been resolved; the issue? A couple of old ornamental dishes belonging to the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.  The Iraqi mission at the United Nations heard of the plates and after hearing of the existing dishes claimed that the plates were taken illegally out of Iraq and they must return to its country.

Creative Time, a public art institution that “helps contemporary artists realize their weirdest and wildest dreams, turning entire buildings into musical instruments or creating signs for Coney Island merchants”, bought the dishes. They were bought for artist Michael Rakowitz, who used the dishware for his fine-dining performance piece, “Spoils.” The artist created this dish with a venison-and-date-syrup entree that guests could be perceived as loot from an unnecessary war or the culinary trophy for crushing a foreign dictatorship.

After reading this article, my first thought was, “Really? This is what you’re going to fight for? The silverware remains of your old dictator?” I then answered myself by reasoning that these dishes were now considered art! (Yes, I am going to be tackling the age-old question of what is art). I am not arguing the validity of the artist quality of “Spoils” by Rakowitz, as I have already stated in a previous blog post (“Edible Art”) that there should be no reason why food can not take on the form of art, especially here, where it is created with a meaning. The question then is, what is up with the dishes?

Taking the dishes away from “Spoils”, are we still considering the dishes art? My answer? Why not!. If we have learned anything in our class, it’s that art can take on many different purposes and mediums.  What one may consider art, the other may consider rubbish. Sometimes art doesn’t have to be a painting, sculpture, or a canvas with nice polka dots; it can sometimes just reflect history. This idea that art can sometimes just be art for its reminder of history, hit me when I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Egyptian exhibit. The exhibit itself felt like it was there to take me back in time, to show us a period that once was. Nothing that was on display was made for art. It was all either made to record history and tradition, or, the objects on display were part of the lives of the Egyptian people. Some objects that I saw were utensils, vases, pottery, and other daily objects. What was history is now art.

If we are supposed to appreciate the lives of the Egypt that once was, why shouldn’t the Iraq of the past be recorded as history. This history could then be translated as art. The tyranny of Saddam Hussein was a dark time period for the Iraqi people. Although I’m sure people would want to forget the horrible times, there is still a need to preserve a country’s history. History is not to be looked down upon but rather be looked at for guidance, as to learn from our mistakes. Art then takes upon itself this heavy burden of encompassing all that we are. Art, now as history, has the ability to show the beauty in the world we live in, no matter how one interprets our world.

 

Historically Political Art

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Looking through previous post, it becomes clear that more often than not, art has political effects. The art of occupy wall street, the Exit Art museum in NYC, and even political cartoons, are amongst the many examples we have blogged about that use art as a means of political change. In my art history class, I learned of two  influential paintings inspired from the horrors war. Goya’s The Third of May,1808 The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid (1814) and Pablo Picasso’s Guerinca (1937). Both artists depict war’s brutality on the innocent Spanish civilians of their respective time periods. In 2006, the two paintings were even showed in the same room at an exhibition at the Prado and the Reina Sofía.

As Napoleon voraciously expanded his power across Europe in the early 1800s, his troops marched into Spain and seized the Spanish throne. Infuriated by the removal of the Spanish royal family to France, the people of Madrid rebelled on May 2, 1808 in the Dos de Mayo Uprising. The French retaliated swiftly and viciously; the next day, hundreds of Spanish peasants were round up and shot. This massacre of civilians is the subject of Goya’s The Third of May, 1808 The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid.

The Third of May, 1808 The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid

Painted in “glowing whites, golds and scarlets against the sombre blacks, greys and browns of the background, the doomed men are immortalized,” explains art critic Robert Hughes. In fact, the only illumination comes from a lone oil lantern at the soldiers’ feet. The stark contrast heightens the painting’s emotional pitch, drawing the viewer towards the young victim with raised arms.  Art historians have speculated that the papered lantern functions as the bitter core of the painting. The lantern symbolizes the Enlightenment that Goya, like so many other Spanish civilians, had anticipated the French would bring to Spain. But the French only brought a reign of terror; the lantern is controlled by the French soldiers, as they mercilessly murder innocent peasants; the Enlightenment contorted into evil. Goya employs light to make a bone-chilling point– war is cruelly savage.

A century later, in 1936, the Spanish Civil War erupts. On April 27th, 1937, the little village of Guernica in northern Spain is pounded with bombs for over three hours. 1,600 civilians are left dead or wounded. Pablo Picasso captures this horrific event in Guernica.

guernica

Guernica

Picasso refined sketch after sketch to include a remarkable amount of abstract symbols, often holding many contradictory meanings. When asked to explain his symbolism, Picasso remarked, “It isn’t up to the painter to define the symbols. Otherwise it would be better if he wrote them out in so many words! The public who look at the picture must interpret the symbols as they understand them.”

However, Picasso’s alteration of light from good to evil is certainly obvious. Light is the instrument of slaughter in Goya’s painting. In Picasso’s, the bodies seem to be reaching towards the upper left of the canvas, to the evil eye. And in the eye is the merciless glare of a single light bulb. Art historian Simon Schama explains that the bulb is “the incandescence of the exterminating angel, the searchlight of the death squad and the targeting bomber, the bare bulb of the tortuous cell.” The electric light bulb is juxtaposed against the flame of a candle, held straight out by a heroic arm, depicting the battle between the good and the evil lights.

Both Goya and Picasso encountered the monstrosities of war directly. Goya’s  The Third of May, 1808 The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid and Picasso’s Guerinca are paintings which remain standing as personal testimonies of war’s vicious cruelties. Each artist utilized their canvases to highlight the brutal victimization of innocent civilians.

Lysistrada Jones, A New Musical

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First off, I would like to promote Studentrush.org because they asked me to, and I’ve seen some great shows because of them for the most, $5.00. Second, I would like to promote the new musical, Lysistrada Jones, that made its Broadway debut less than a week ago. It was young, fresh, comical, and great entertainment and I recommend it to everyone. What’s different about this musical is that it plays into pop culture, which makes it a great show for a Broadway Show “Virgin” (BSV) to see. I’m looking forward to taking my roommate and her friends, all BSVs, to see this one.

Lysistrada Jones is a musical comedy about Lissie J., a student at Athens University, who gets tired of people losing and giving up around her. So, she gets herself to have the will-power (along with her posse of girlfriends) to stop having sex with their basketball-player boyfriends (who are on a team that hasn’t won in 30 years), in order for them to have the incentive to win a game. It’s a show about determination, student activism, and living life to the fullest. I find it fascinating that this show plays on the Greek classic comedy of Aristophanes, Lysistrada, by adding modern twists and turns that are sure to have you laughing. So, go on, and get yourself a ticket for this musical and you’ll be able to say that you were one of the first to watch a show that may end up being Tony-nominated sometime in the future.

Here’s a review on Lysistrada Jones!


V for the 99%

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Graphic novels have been used in many different purposes by those creating them. Some are there to make a statement. Some are for pure enjoyment. Some, like Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta, are critical of government and too much centralized power. Art is, and has always been, an excellent medium though which an artist gives over a message. What is unique about V for Vendetta is how it is currently being used, not by the artist, but by the public.

Odds are that by now, you have seen at least one Guy Fawkes mask involved with some sort of protest group, whether you know what it is or not. It has become the symbol of many groups demanding change, including Anonymous, WikiLeaks , and many of the Occupy Wall Street protestors. It has jumped from the graphic novel into the real world in a very strong way, and the creators of the book have taken notice. Alan Moore, the author of V for Vendetta, has been quoted as saying, “I suppose when I was writing V for Vendetta I would in my secret heart of hearts have thought: wouldn’t it be great if these ideas actually made an impact?  It feels like a character I created 30 years ago has somehow escaped the realm of fiction.” David Lloyd, the artist who drew the book, visited Occupy Wall Street to see the masks in action.”The Guy Fawkes mask has now become a common brand and a convenient placard to use in protest against tyranny – and I’m happy with people using it,” he noted. “It seems quite unique, an icon of popular culture being used this way.”

But what is the mask and where did it come from? It starts back in 1605 when Guy Fawkes, in what has come to be known as the Gunpowder Plot, attempted to blow up parliament on November 5th. In England, this day has become Guy Fawkes day, on which children would create stuffed effigies of Guy Fawkes (wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, of course) to burn in memory of the Gunpowder plot. The mask was then used by Alan Moore in V for Vendetta as the mask worn by the titular V, who, while fighting a post apocalyptic fascist english government, actually succeeds in blowing up parliament. The mask was then used in the popular 2006 adaptation of the novel, which changed the focus from a fascist regime to big government and bug business. It is the movie adaptation that has likely inspired the recent political uses of the mask.

The idea of a group coming together and wearing all the same mask is pretty advantageous. The group becomes a collective as apposed to a scattered assortment of people, with their statement literally written on their faces. In the case of Anonymous, it also kept their identities a secret. What is most fascinating is the almost unsolvable issue being posed to Warner Brothers, the producers of the film. On the one hand, they most definitely do not agree with these groups. On the other hand, sales for these masks have skyrocketed since they have started being used by them. It’s almost ironic how Warner Brothers is making so much money off protestors who are directly against the kind of capitalist greed that Warner Brothers is participating in by taking their money.

For more on this, check out these two articles on the topic.

“Lego-Bending”

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While perusing Facebook, I came across an interesting link on a friend’s wall to this blog and Discovery News article about Lego brick bending, discovered and refined by Jeff Sanders while playing with Legos with his daughter. Sanders discovered that the old-time Lego bricks were somewhat flexible and could be reshaped into various geometric structures. Over time, he has made several artistic pieces of various shapes and colors. His most recent creation is a Lego sunflower.

Lego has always been a classic form of children’s art, but unfortunately does not quite seem as popular a toy and form of art as it once used to be thanks in good part to the fact that it is not “technologically advanced” enough. However, this is a prime example of modern art – some guy comes along with a brand new idea and it becomes popular (maybe not quite MoMA material, but maybe one day). The concept also requires a basic knowledge of geometry, so when people (kids or adults) create these masterpieces, it is an educational experience as well. Modern art is not limited to de Kooning’s blobs and streaks, or a guy giving out candy; it can even be normal things and normal artistic material, but with a novel “twist” (pun intended).

Maybe Books Aren’t Doomed After All…

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For years now, many have been wondering about the fate of physical books after E-readers made their debut. After the Amazon Kindle came out, people began seeing the possibility of finding new ways to read and help the environment (myself, included). Now, someone may argue that E-readers are decreasing the value of physical books and EVEN literature when their being placed in machines. They might argue that you don’t get the same effect when you don’t have a physical book in your hand. I completely agree with them! However, being a Kindle owner myself, I can argue that it helps the environment by using less paper (sorry I had to go there, but it’s the truth). It’s also less expensive if you’re an avid reader because E-books are cheaper. And honestly, I read more often with my Kindle. How, you may ask? I can read or have MULTIPLE books at a time (something not everyone can do) while commuting and traveling wherever.

Because I’m a fast reader and can read a 600-page book in a couple of days, I love that I can go on vacation and not have to worry about how many books I can take on my trip. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have not completely converted to fully E-book reading; I have a good-sized collection of printed books, but it definitely has changed how much I read. Why am I talking about this? Apparently, many people are feeling the same way about E-readers. There’s a universal idea that E-readers are handy to have and very convenient, but as more and more of them are being commercialized, for example, in the holidays, people are becoming less attracted to buying them and buy physical books instead. Maybe after seeing the second-largest bookstore chain, Borders, go out of business, made people fear the fate of books and made them go back to the “old ways.” What ever happened, I think it’s a smart idea to balance it out. For example, when at home, I prefer to have an actual book in my hand, but when out and and about, I use my E-reader.  Here is an article that talks about people are buying actual books for the holidays rather than E-readers this year.

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.

Itzhak Perlman

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On Saturday, December 10th, I was lucky enough to be able to see Itzhak Perlman (violin) and Rohan De Silva (piano) perform at the Tilles Center. The show was absolutely amazing. On the program, there were only four songs that he was going to perform (Schuberts Rondo for Violin and Piano in B minor, Brahms Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano in A major, Op. 100, Brahms Three Hungarian Dances, and Saint-Saens Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano in D minor, Op. 75). Of course, he performed all of these songs wonderfully, all the more impressive because he is now retired. Though my friend said that a few of Mr. Perlman’s sixteenth notes were out of tune, there was only one note I heard that was a little off.
Out of the the four songs on the program, the Brahms Three Hungarian Dances was the flashiest. He played some of the highest notes I have ever hear on violin, and performed–with ease–insane sixteenth note passages. As to be expected, the overall quality of the performance was nothing less than spectacular.

After Mr. Perlman finished playing the songs on the program, he took a list out of his pocket and randomly picked another four or fives songs off of that list to play. The list was comprised of songs that he performed the last time he played at the Tilles Center (which was a long time ago). I could tell that this was impromptu, because after Mr. Perlman chose a song, the piano player shuffled through his music to find the piece–unlike the first four program pieces that Mr. Silva had ready. I do not recall the names of these songs, but my friend knew most of them. He told me that they were basically the songs that most violinists would play if they wanted to commit musical suicide. And here is Itzhak Perlman just picking these songs on a whim and playing them perfectly after retiring from performing. It was absolutely amazing.

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.

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.

The Snobs of Brooklyn

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Even without our Macaulay ID, as New Yorkers, we have free access to one of the biggest museums, the borough of Brooklyn. As a New Yorker I sometimes realize that I am jaded to have access to some of the greatest art outlets in the world. It is sometimes a good idea to step back and realize though that art didn’t originate in museums, but rather it originates from everyday (talented) people. Yes, there is great art found in the MoMA, and the MET, but what about on the streets?

Jaime Rojo and Steven Harrington has taken this idea of street art, although I wish there was a classier name for it, and has compiled a video showcasing the art pieces that are seen every day, whether one is passing it on the train or just walking to get a slice of pizza. This street art genre, if you will, can be added to that never ending question in class of  “what is art”. For me personally, this is art. The technique on some of the morals is incredible! If one would give me a can of spray paint or a bucket of paint, you would be lucky enough if I could write my name out clearly rather than it look like a combination of squiggly lines. Not only is there technique, but there is a thinking process to many of the art pieces. They aren’t just doodles; they require time to think what the piece should look like and how it can be connected with other works surrounding it.

The video itself has a touch of artistic genius inspired by the streets of Brooklyn itself. The soundtrack of the video is made up of sounds heard in Brooklyn and then mixed by electro duo Javelin.

Step back from being the art snob that would only look at the trendiest style and newest exhibit in the MoMA, and appreciate the art that surrounds you. Watching the video above might help you to realize the truly cultural and artistic land that you live, and to not just shrug off the next mural you see on the side of the street as some deadbeat with extra time on his hands.

Politics in Art

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After experiencing the Occupy Wall Street protests and learning about protesters’ efforts to support the 99%, we have concluded that art can have a big part in politics.  Aside from the artistic sense that many of the protesters have with creating signs and memorable images, the protesters are also seeking support for art related matters such as in education.  Overall, though, it is significant that the protesters were and are using art to get their ideas across.  Peter Schumann is doing the same thing in his Bread and Puppet productions.  His productions express “political outrage and satire”; in other words, he sends a blunt message to his viewers through his art.

Mr. Schumann uses papier-mâché heads, masks and costumes in his productions, and a narration for them is provided through a megaphone.  The music of the production is also much more dominant than the dialogue.  While the plot isn’t always completely straight forward, the images created by the papier-mâché art is undoubtedly memorable.

Bread and Puppet Theater is presenting "Attica," a 1971 piece, at the Theater for the New City.

“Man of Flesh & Cardboard,” is one of his recent productions which is meant to protest the foul treatment of an Army private, Bradley Manning, who is now in prison for leaking government files such as a video of an American helicopter attack in Baghdad.  The usage of the papier-mâché heads are quite entertaining in fact:  an old, compliant woman is used to portray complicit news organizations, figures in black pirouettes are the prisoners, and skeletons participate in a dance of death.  All in all, his point is to expose the irony of Private Manning’s imprisonment “for having committed the crime of exposing war crimes.”  Private Manning will soon be having his first public hearing.

It is quite amazing that art can have such an amazing impact.  Read more about it here.