Being a huge fan of theatre I was super excited just waiting to go into the space.  As we walked in, I observed a cite set of a 1980’s american kitchen, that seemed so close I felt like I should go sit in the chair on the set.  I feel this show had to be very close to the audience, there is no other way of putting it on.  It gives it a sense of intimacy and draws you in that much more.  As for the show itself, I was defiantly not expecting such an emotional power house.  The whole time, about 10 minutes in, the audience is given an uneasy mood, not knowing the secret Chris had.  The show did not fail to keep that emotion and energy sustained; giving the audience what they wanted: Something the could think about and something they could feel.  What I got from it was this idea of identity and acceptance in society, and the effect it has on the people in our world.  The acting was on point!  However, I do think the father of the family (the name escapes me) did the best job.  Looking back, the character was very real and was put in a very tough situation.  Needless to say, I feel the actor did a superb job displaying his inner conflicts.  This process had to be a team effort.  I can’t really say that I saw one part of the show falling behind in comparison to another.  Though I do wish I saw more of what Chris had to say about who she was and why she felt what she did was necessary.  I really like to see a show where we can see the inner most thoughts of a character.  However, the building conflict, tension and drastic measures taken by characters made up for it.  I was lucky enough to meet the play write.  He didn’t say much aside from the fact that when he wrote it in the late 70’s-80’s no one would touch it.  After seeing it, and reflecting on the times, I can see why.  But it’s nice to see that the show was in the end put on.  I would recommend the show in a heart beat to anyone who enjoys theatre or just wants something to think about.

1) Would art exist independently of human existence?  Why?

2) Do limitations on art stimulate or hold back creativity?

I had some experience with opera before going to see Carmen at Lincoln Center, so I had some idea of what to expect.  However, when the show started and I saw the stage turn, my mind was blown right from the start by the amazing set the show had.  I can’t say that opera is one of my favorite forms of art, but I do enjoy listening to it every now and then.  It is very impressive to see the singers able to reach the back of the theatre with no microphones and only their voice. Actually the whole show was impressive; the set, voices, music, dancing, everything was spot on.

The only thing that I can say was not so great, was the length of the show.  It came out to a little over three hours, but it felt like seven.  I love going to the theatre and seeing shows, but this was just way to long. A part of me feels thats what our culture has turned story telling into.  T.V. shows are only in 30 min to one hour  intervals with breaks in between those!  At the Opera we just had one… It was just so different to see, the singers/actors explain their emotion.  It is usually just implied but most of the time, at the opera, they would sing on about it for quite some time.  They would even sing about an action before doing it! This was a main reason for it being quite long.

Regardless of the length, I did have a few favorite parts, well two to be exact.  Surprisingly, both of these parts were at the end of the show.  My first was when the overture music (which I’m in love with) was playing and the bull fighter was walking in.  The colors of costume, the roses falling, and the music just created such a great atmosphere I fell in love with.  My other favorite part was when the stage turned at the end and there was the imagery between the death of Carmen and the death of the bull.  Says so many things about the opera, some that we went over in class.

All in all I would probably go see another Opera if I had the opportunity.   It is defiantly something everyone should experience even if they come out not liking it.  It is just so different than what we see and hear every day that it will defiantly give you something to think about after you leave.  Next time, I would like to see one that maybe just a little bit shorter!

It’s almost impossible for me to write this post considering I was speechless after walking out of Lincoln Center Theatre… It was simply perfect.  I had done ballet for about two or three years and seeing them on stage made me miss it so very much.  Dance would have to be one of my top three favorite forms of art.  I feel dance is something almost everyone can relate to.  Its something we do every day, whether we realize it or not, with body language; it’s all about inner expression through, the simple idea of, movement of the body.  I defiantly got that from the dancers at the performance the other night.

Ballet is known to be one of the more strict forms of dancing.  However, I still got a sense of emotion, passion, expression, and all the elusive characteristics art has to offer through the slightest movement of the dancers.  Though what I noticed the most was the placement of the head, over exaggerated character movement and the connection the dancers made with each other and the audience.

I remember after the first act turing around and talking to (who, if I remember correctly, was Norma) and saying how I felt the dancers were not completely in sync with one another.  She agreed and we found it a little strange.  But it was, without a doubt, made up for during the next two pieces; I was blown away completely.  While watching I was just amazed how communication was established.  There was a presence of bodies on stage and no words were spoken, yet almost everyone in that theatre was on some sort of elevated emotional level.  I of course admired the artistic genius behind the performance but was reminded constantly of the physical demands this art form demands.  It was beyond impressive to see the, almost super human, stamina, balance, and strength; all while being graceful, and seeming weightless, made it that much more impressive.  Leaving the theatre speechless, holding on to all the emotions that were given to me, somewhat as a gift, was something that I never want to forget.

Visiting both the 9/11 and Vietnam Memorial was an interesting experience.  Both Memorials were beautiful to look at and there was something a little otherworldly about being there.  Almost as if ( especially at the 9/11 memorial) people were all having the same thoughts, feelings, and were all understanding of where we were and how serious the atmosphere was.  What I liked most about the 9/11 memorial was the constant running water on the two different levels.  It sounded out the constant noise of the city around us and just gave us time; time not to think or analyze, but, to remember and feel.  On thursday we had a pretty long conversation about how we felt going to these memorials.  And as I was reflecting on my time there, I felt more and more uncomfortable talking about these places as art works.  For example, I saw people taking pictures and, yes, even selfies at the 911 memorial constantly.  Now snapping a quick picture for memory is understandable.  But some people were photographing the whole time trying to capture the beauty of the memorial.  However beautiful it may be, I feel like we forget why this beautiful piece of architecture was built, for remembrance.  There were not to many people at the Vietnam memorial but I’m sure it works just the same.  It’s an interesting idea, making memorials as a work of art… looking at them, as a work of art.

As for the Vietnam Memorial, I did enjoy my time there too.  It was harder for me to emotionally attach myself to this site than it was for the 9/11 memorial.  I guess it has something to do with me having some memory of what happened on 9/11.  Although I couldn’t empathize there was a sense of sympathy because mourning is a universal act, no matter how or where.  One thing I liked about the Vietnam memorial was the two door ways that i could go through to get to the other side.  Again, I think this had something to do with me not being around for why this memorial was put up; and a part of me felt that I was able to walk back to a time where I could understand how these people felt and be there for those who have lost their loved ones, as people did during 9/11.  Maybe a ice quote on the inside of the door ways would have given it that extra touch, regardless the writing on the walls was a good idea.

The memorial trip is one that everyone should make.  It does something to you, that I wish I can explain… No one I  know passed during 9/11 or even experienced it but I was almost brought to tears.  It is a place where people can connect and share their sorry with those who are there for the same reason.  Both these sites are probably the more powerful sites of NYC.

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI9EgzgXskg

This is such a great song! It is catchy and has amazing lyrics.  However, I feel it’s the innocence of this song that makes it beautiful. The la la la part (No other way to describe it…) is so… child like.  The diction of the lyrics; the comparing of his love to a carousal, a falling start, a wishing well etc.. resonate with innocence and simply make the song what it is! Beautiful.

Attending the Metropolitan Museum of Art is always a great time.  However, I found myself captured (all puns intended!!) by his work in more ways that I would have thought.  I hadn’t really looked into, or learned much, about the art of photography before going to the collection; which, in my opinion, was nice to experience it purely from a personal lever; as opposed to an academic level.

First off, I have to say I loved his work.  It may have been the simplicity of what was on the outside but it was really moving.  I really loved how he captured everyday people doing just everyday things and making a whole other reality out of it.  My favorites had to be the ones where men and women, old and young, were all at some sort of party, I believe they were all part of the same collection.  Every picture told its own story of each guest at the party and their state of being.  Some shots were of the same people just the next moment after the first one.  It was its own little story picture book.  Like many of his photos, you could easily tell how people were feeling or what they doing.

One thing that really stood out to me was a few of his pictures didn’t have a focus at times.  For example, there would be pictures of a large group of people, but also a very scenic background.  This is very different from a painting which has a focus or a sculpture that usually, again has a main focus.  I would assume that photography works the same, but I saw so many smaller focuses.  It added a certain intimacy to the people and places in the photos.  Another one that I really loved was of a very young, beautiful, (I think blonde) woman lighting a cigarette.  It looked like she noticed she was being photographed but she also looked surprised, as if, she didn’t request to be photographed.  You could see the surprised, yet happy and flattered, look on her face.  It seemed so natural.

After leaving the museum and reflecting on that specific picture, the idea of its natural being resonated with me.  And I feel that photography, or at least Garry Winogrand’s work, is the most natural art form.  Most art, if not all, is imitation; imitation of the world we live in and all aspects of it.  But photography is a still frame in time showing us our reality.  Its literally the world we live in, frozen for us the reflect on.  It does not get any more natural or real than his collection of work.  I simply loved it and recommend it to anyone even slightly interested in art!

[quicktime]http://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/ugoretz14/files/2014/09/Art-Relfection-Video1.mov[/quicktime]

Night at the Museum was an experience that I could only imagine having.  I tend to go to different museums such as the MET and MoMA; but never have I gone to Brooklyn Museum of art.  The two other times I have been to museums, it was not as engaging as night at the Museum.  I feel like when you are at a museum during the day, when most people are there, you feel that it is almost inappropriate to speak aloud to others around you.  It reminds me of the same atmosphere a library has during the day.  People go to quietly engage in their own thoughts and silently work out what ever thought process they are having;  but I am  learning otherwise.  That while at a museum, it adds a whole other layer of experience when discussing your thoughts aloud and finding yourself talk about art as almost its own entity or sometimes reality.

I believe that this event really speaks to what art really is.  With little instruction, or education on art history, we are sent on on an adventure to recreate the captured creative minds and times in history using only our minds, and more importantly, each other.  It is a great way to feel a connection to the living culture around us and get us to understand that sometimes the answer is not always the right answer, but the question is the right answer.  The night at the museum allowed me to interpret rather than answer an introduced me to the wonders of a simple, or complex, work of art.  It also helped me learn a little about myself; showing me which works of art I prefer over others and why I feel certain ways about one work of art, and another for others.

I hope everyone that went kept something that they learned with them, it was a very fun night with lots of surprises about myself, the art, and those I had worked with.