I feel inclined to explain the concept behind my art but I will not do that and instead let the art speak for itself. My inspiration came from a guy I met in my Grocery store today and he said that anything and everything can be described through bananas. I used the posts that I made that I am most proud of.
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Reading the text is not necessary, The text is just posts that are already on the blog.
Kyle Abraham’s interview struck me as the most engaging of the three readings. Kyle Abraham, in conjunction with visual artist Glenn Ligon and musician Robert Glasper, formulate a response to very complex and provocative topics like the Civil Rights Movement and the Emancipaton Proclamation in a very abstract and positive manner. A number of aspects stand out to me about this medium of expression. The first is, how do the choreagraphers deal with very different societal views on these topics from the time of the actual events to the present day? Secondly, can this be an effective way of channeling our thoughts and inclinations in order to truly effect the world we live in today?
One of Kyle Abraham’s dances
Abraham Lincholn prominently issued the Emancipation Proclamation on New Years Day of 1863. That is about 150 years ago and society’s sentiment was very different back then. The Southern half of the country vehmently opposed this ruling, as seen by the Civil War, and the Northern states embraced this. While today’s world is not perfect, minorites are in a much better place now than they were at that time. As you can probably see this issue is not one that can be summed up quickly so an abstract representaion of this is plausible and creative. Having said that, I applaud Abraham because if I was tasked with representing such complex issues abstractly I would not know the first thing to do.
Growing on my second point, Can we use abstract choreography or just abstract art in general to further the causes that we are fighting for today? Would– lets say an abstract artistic response to the Black Lives Matter campaign make meaningful difference? I do not know the exact answer to thse questions but I think that they would certainly help to further the cause. Art I feel many times can be a catalyst to societal progression, but that progression could be positive or negative. I read an article in high school about how Hitler utilized the cartoon sections of German newspapers to ostrasize Jews and Blacks, basically anybody he didnt like. Although these minute details were not the gas chambers that killed people, they were in fact the catalyst for the majority of the German country to begin to discriminate and seperate from Jews.
I hope that there is a way to use the art of Kyle Abraham and others like him as a soruce of good and positive change in society. I admire Kyle Abraham for doing what he is doing because I feel it is people like him that inspire the masses to go out and make a change. To end rascisim and discrimination. To reduce the prevalence of police brutality. To curb the wealth gap. There is so much that can be done through abstract representaion that is not as feasible through conventional means.
Turnadot is an unfair tragedy. Like Taylor Swifts’ You Belong With Me Liu is the woman that truly loves Calaf, but sadly unlike the song Liu does not end up in the arms of Calaf, she ends up dead. I don’t agree at all with the plot and the behavior of the characters; the family that someone is born into should not make them any more or less worthy to live than anyone else. Turnadot is a self-centered, wretched little brat who toys with peoples lives for fun. She is removed from conventional society manipulating cities on her littlest whims. The caricature of Turnadot is not obsolete at all because characters like her bring out so much hatred from readers/viewers. So many of these stereotypical characters come to mind, and although I despise these characters, they are a powerful presence in each of their respective works. For example the antagonist from The Mean Girls is utilized to keep viewers glued to their seats waiting for her to get what she deserves, like getting hit in the face by a bus.
Turnadot is still relevant today. (as seen by my Taylor Swift and Mean Girls reference) But in today’s censored world, the “good” always prevails over the “bad” in the end. I think this is a key reason as to why I was heartbroken when Liu and Calaf never “lived happily ever after,” I wanted Liu to win so bad because her devotion deserved it. But in the real world, sometimes the “bad” people are in a position that we cannot do anything about while they continue sucking on their pina coladas on the beach. My larger point is that media in today’s age and time is very censored and fluffy, it doesn’t show the the true world.
Should media, specifically media targeted to children and young adults, be so censored that they teach kids that no matter what there will be a happy ending? There is a trend throughout time of becoming more and more protective towards children but isn’t that hurting them in the long run because they are not being exposed the the world that they will eventually have to deal with? This problem extends past just media material. I was in my elementary school last month and a little boy in gym fell while playing soccer and scraped his elbow and knee. In my dad’s childhood times he said that any kid would just get up and continue on playing. In my childhood days, we would go to the nurse get a band-aid and be fine. This kid’s mother was immediately phoned to come pick him up and take him to the doctor. I see this trend as a hindrance to children. What do you think?
I can clearly understand why Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening had an aura of controversy surrounding it since its birth in 1891 . The themes present are somewhat taboo even in contemporary society and we are significantly more open and accepting. I felt that the scene involving adolescent rape was unnecessarily grotesque, I cannot seem to fathom any artistic advantages of including this. I understand that Wedekind was trying to comment on his society’s repression of sexual topics, and I agree that it should be done, but I do not appreciate the way he chose to express his opinions.
I would side with the people who chose not to have Spring Awakening produced in their theater. My rationale is that, after painfully reading the play and its suggestive qualities, I would not want to voluntarily subject myself to its performance especially 100 years ago where issues like homosexuality were strongly hated by the public. If the main characters are thirteen or fourteen year olds, then thirteen and fourteen year olds should be able to watch this plays performance, and I would never allow my thirteen year old sister within a mile of Spring Awakening. I think the biggest objection I have is the age of the characters, they are too young.
In a performance of Spring Awakening, the scene of Hanschen and Ernst kissing
I am not trying to say that Sexual subjects should not be allowed in society, because they are part of human nature and as a progressive society the topic should be discussed. However, discussion of our sexual nature contrasted with adolescent rape and masturbation are not even on the same planet. All people should be educated about Sex and the fact that sexual desires are natural and human to enhance the knowledge of safe sex. Furthermore, some of Wedekind’s expressions are correct and stand to better society like showing that Wendals mother hid what sex is,what pregnancy is and even the fact that Wendal was pregnant from her. Focusing on elements like misinformation of sex would, in my opinion, create a more beneficial play.
Original
Luxury is in the eye of the beholder is the crux of Kathleen Beckets’ article, V&a asks: What is Luxury? I had never thought about luxury in this way before, but when I did, I thought of all the people that are less fortunate than I who would think that the vegetables that I repeatedly toss away after dinner are luxuries. It is a very clichéd thought but I feel that it is labeled a cliché by the people, like me, who do not do enough to help the millions of people who do not know when their next meal will be, or even where they will sleep.
Our Garbage
His luxury
Why is it acceptable that Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world, is worth $55 billion dollars, enough money to run a small country, while nearly half of the world’s population lives in poverty? Upwards of 3 billion people live on less than $2.50 a day, more than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty, less than $1.25 a day. 22,000 children die EVERY DAY as a result of poverty. I still cannot fully comprehend the severity of these numbers and this is not an area that I have looked into before, but that in itself is a problem.
Our society amazes me by the fact that the people in countries as well off as America, myself included, worry about Bruce turning into Caitlin but not about any real problems. In the time it has taken me to develop this post thus far, 4,736 children have died. I am most likely going to forget about this post the second after I post it because of how emotionally devastating of a topic it is to think about. I don’t know if you guys can relate but I want something to be done for the less fortunate but I don’t see myself doing anything to significantly impact the problem.
I think that as soon as I post the article, I will move on and not act on any of what I am feeling right now. I just don’t understand why this happens. Why do we walk past the homeless on the street, is the overused excuse that “they might use the money I give them for drugs, so I won’t give” good enough? I realize that I am exactly the type of person that I am criticizing and that bothers me but not enough to start handing a dollar to every homeless I see, but not enough to travel to some of the most problem-ridden parts of the world and doing something to help.
Steve Rannazzisi, or as I know him Kevin MacArthur from the television series The League, fabricated an elaborate account of him nearly escaping death on 9/11. As I read this article, written by Serge Kovaleski, I did not think It would be useful for this blog but then an idea that was more important than this man’s lie; The struggle that is “making it” as an artist today. Elizabeth Day of TheGuardian reports that more than 90 percent of artists earn less than $10,000/year from their art alone. The arts are becoming less and less of a conventional choice because careers are not as stable as careers in other fields such as STEM or business, which many of us have chosen. Society as a whole is failing to support anything that does not equate to money gained.
This systematic subjugation is not an isolated incident, nor does it seem to be a temporary dilemma. Nationally, through the implementation of Common Core standards, focus on Science,Math and Reading is increasing but the arts and humanities are being neglected. My sister, who just entered Jr. High School, told me that the length of her Science and Math periods doubled. Her total time in school did not increase though, the double periods are taking the time of what used to be music and art. With the execution of all fields that are not neo liberal, students will eventually be competing for corporate positions starting in their first day of pre-kindergarten.
The colorful plane outside the window is flying “The Arts” banner, but the children are all being brainwashed into dull, test-taking robots
Except this IDC class that we are currently in, the last art class I was in was seven years ago in the sixth grade. When we analyze art in class I feel that I concoct a majority of what I say because I honestly do not know how to begin to understand art. I wish I did.
Arts such as dance and music and painting and film and photography and film are all essential aspects of developing our minds. A talented comedian should not have to fictionalize a story to become recognized, there should be a system in place to support people’s endeavors into the advancement of the arts. Steve Rannazzisi made a calculated risk the day he lied; I stand to gain more by telling this lie than I stand to lose through the humility of getting caught lying and this thinking makes me pity his situation. We need creative thinkers to remain creative. They should not be forced to work two to three odd jobs to get by while pursuing their passion.
“There is no standing still because time is moving forward.” (Gregory Lake) This quote captures the crux of what Debra Brehmer is trying to relay; nothing is still or permanent, everything and everyone is always changing, so make the most of every second because it will never come back. Portraiture, especially through the use of photography, is an unusual art form in which a snapshot, frozen in time, is created to last forever. The atmosphere, the time, and the emotions present in a photograph can never be exactly repeated. Portraits attempt to distill these elements. We should look back from time to time to see how we have grown and what has changed but we need to remember to move forward because “time is moving forward.”
I can personally relate to the idea of making the most of every second through my athletic experiences. My coaches drilled the idea of forgetting the past, and forgetting the future, and just giving maximum effort and attention to every moment that is now. Athletics are a prime example of the unrelenting march of time. A fraction of a second is the difference between winning and losing. After the game, from experience, I can tell you that the losing side discusses everything they could have done different in those seconds that would have changed the ultimate outcome, the losing team wishes they can relive those precious few seconds. But time just keeps moving forward.
As an athlete I have learned the importance of maximizing every second, and as I transition to college and being a student full time, many of the same principles apply. The time spent watching netflix or sleeping in before a test cannot be changed no matter how madly you wish to go back to that time and make yourself study. The concept of time management is an essential key for everyone to master so that we can limit the regrets we have with how we spent our time. I am learning to never let a second go to waste, I am learning to use every second I have to my benefit. Instead of playing 2048 on the train to and from school, I am reading textbooks. Instead of watching netflix all night, I am, albeit resentfully, trying to get to sleep on time. Instead of dazing off in class and having to study twice as much to retain the material, I am focusing on the lesson.
I would like to add that I thought that art, and the discussion of art, and the reactions to art were a waste of time, but after seeing the degree to which my reflections to these artworks allow me to open up to myself, I am beginning to truly admire art. Sarah Churchwell stated that “art is the perfect empathy,” but it is an abstract paradoxical idea to grasp. The paradox in the notion that art is tool to understand and share the feelings of another is the idea that one painting, a singular image for all, can empathize diverse feelings for every viewer.
I danced once at my cousins wedding, and I didn’t have the slightest idea of how to dance. I was dancing out of joy and at that moment I didn’t mind the fact that I probably looked like a bumbling, stumbling, drunk lunatic. The feeling that I remember stronger than the joy I had while dancing was the laughs and snickers erupting throughout my whole extended family as my dancing was played on the wedding film. I never danced again, I never let my immediate emotions dictate my actions again. I share with you this story only to underscore the courage and determination that John Singer Sargent had to have mustered up to ever paint again after Madame X, the greatest work that he had produced up to that point in his life, was publicly criticized and ostracized. Had John Singer Sargent shuddered in the face of his many critics and stopped painting altogether, he would have never discovered his artistry with watercolors.
How I felt when my cousins were laughing at me
I feel that in todays society we have people who can grow to be as talented and revered as John Singer Sargent, but these people are not being given the chance to explore the art as closely as Sargent did. Sargent was encouraged to explore the arts as a child, by his mother, and he eventually was granted the prestigious opportunity to train with Carolus-Duran. Society, the little cross-section of it that I have seen, does not value the arts as it had done once before. Painting, sculpting, musical instruments, and just the arts in general are foreign to me. My best representation of myself on paper is still a stick figure because in my schooling, drawing was not deemed as a useful skill to have.
I have never mastered an instrument because my parents and counselors informed me that taking the cheap, boring, and generic art history requirement would be an “easy A” and then I would not have to waste my time in the coming years in a band or orchestra class. I am amazed when I see people draw themselves and the drawing looks real and I wish that I knew how to play the piano or the violin or any instrument when I hear the performers in the subway putting up a concert with a single instrument.
John Singer Sargents life career was possible due to the motherly support he received and the time in which he lived, a time in which the arts and humanities were bustling. Too many times today stress is placed only in the areas that yield monetary returns. The problem is a societal issue that has developed over time and cannot go away overnight. I think the key to remember is that Jon Singer Sargent was taught “geography, arithmetic, reading, and other disciplines under his father’s tutelage” as well as the arts and three languages. Today, children are taught how to get the most points on a test. Today, our minds do not develop to the extent that minds did in Sargents time.
When we step on to that field, it is no joke. We are ready to sacrifice our bodies for the team. We must have a kill-or-be-killed mentality. To my right, Danny, I’ve known him since kindergarten, the elementary bus rides home were jovial, but this is different, this is real. A mistake here means one of our own going down, a mistake here is the difference between winning and losing. Danny and the rest of the team is trusting me to keep the enemy out, I must do this. If the hungry, 250 lb defender gets by me, there is nothing separating him from my quarterbacks blindside; He foams for this opportunity. Because of Football I have brothers, I have trusted and been trusted with the responsibility of looking out for my own. The experience that athletics, and specifically football, has afforded me is unlike any other. The camaraderie that is developed between teammates is awe inspiring. This is why I love sports.
Other than my passion about sports, I feel I am just like everyone else; I can eat till I pass out, whenever I start a new show on netflix that i really like, i watch the entire season in one night, I enjoy learning new things but I find myself annoyed with school whenever I stay up till 3 doing a paper thats due the next day.
Macaulay Honors College was my number one choice of college and I feel very blessed to be here. My favorite part has been meeting and talking to all my amazing new classmates. I look around in my classes and I hear the accomplishments that you all have made and the goals that you are striving for make me think to myself, “how did I end up here?” (in a good way).
The quarterback (white jersey) is being “blindesided” by the defender because number 62 (white jersey on left) failed to do his job
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