Yayoi Kusama; Infinity Rooms, Polka Dots and One Incredible Night

Part I

It was a dark and stormy night…in February; in Atlanta. Just outside the High Museum we waited; waited for tickets. This was a night and darkness that seemed would never end. The waiting that started for myself and a number of others began around midnight Thursday Feb. 7^th. This would continue into daylight Friday morning (the 8^th) around nine thirty. 

In the course of the night we would face wind, rain, cold, the dark and no available toilets. We would have to be resourceful on all accounts. There were people in tents, sleeping bags, blankets, coats and hoodies. I was arrayed in a sweater, scarf and blanket with snacks, books and an MP3 player. There have of course been worse conditions but really; for tickets to an art exhibit it was unusual. For the record; I had waited outside the Metropolitan in New York with two of my grandkids just the year before in below zero wind chills to see Michelangelo. These temperatures we faced now were at least above freezing; a little.

About the time conditions seemed at their worst; it was almost as if the darkness would not end. One of my fellow, brave and generous art lovers appeared in front of me offering coffee. She was a Heaven send. Her name was Veronica and we would eventually buy scalped tickets for a reasonable eighty dollars each. 

Part II

The exhibit we were dedicated to seeing was Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms. This phenomenal exhibit had started at the Hirshhorn in Washington DC and played in several major cities around the country and in Canada. 

Yayoi Kusama is one of the most fascinating and creative artist’s working today. Her career began in a major way when the Japanese born artist came to America and became a part of the 60's Pop/Happening Scene. Polka Dots are something of a main stay for her as she covers everything from sculptures to film, fashion and paintings with different expanding and ever changing dot patterns.  She befriended and in many ways competed with the greats of the period like Larry Rivers and Andy Warhol for publicity and space. Her zeal and exuberant work ethic led her to a nervous breakdown. She to this day lives in a mental institution where she checks herself out and in daily to work in her nearby studio.

The Infinity Mirror Rooms are among her greatest intellectual and artistic gifts to the world. They are marvels that the viewer is limited to seeing in 30 seconds intervals. Like the finest gourmet servings a small bit is savored with a much larger delight and relish than an unlimited, gratuitous buffet.  

Kusama’s work has been meaningful for viewers from around the nation and the world that came like myself to Atlanta for a life time’s opportunity. I was able to meet enthusiastic visitors from New Orleans, to Pittsburg to Paris at “The High.”  I had traveled from the tip of South Western Virginia, across the Carolinas and into Georgia myself. It was worth every bit of what it took for me to behold the mastery and spectacular vision of Yayoi Kusama. 

A Video Report from The News Hour

Hey Veronica;

It was fabulous meeting you at the Kusama Exhibition in Atlanta. As you said while waiting overnight for tickets; “...this is (was) a Great Adventure!”  I arrived late that afternoon and we didn’t have a chance to touch base. If you’re reading this: thanks again for “the Best and Warmest Cup of Coffee” I’m likely to ever have. I hope someday, to be able to return the favor and meet for a coffee and a doughnut.

All the Best;

James

jartistt@yahoo.com

Art Basel Miami Beach 2014

There was a gluttonous amount of art on view in beautiful down town Miami Beach Fla. at the end of last week for a solid four days. Along with the art on exhibit there were close to a million viewers; beautiful people of all ages contributing to the look of sophistication and style of this remarkable event; Art Basel Miami.

Between Art Basel, Art Miami, Pulse Miami and the many other satellite fairs it was a weekend nothing less than utterly amazing. The scene was extravagant and excessive but worth every effort in this; the “World Cup/ Main Event” of the art world. It was very much a carnival happening and in that way remarkably refreshing in all it’s luxuriant extremes.

I was able to meet and talk with gallerists, gallery girls and artists among the art market’s high end sellers and shoppers.   There were great conversations with people from around the world and US cities. The nations included Brazil, Bogota, China, South Africa and the UK. The US cities included (of course) New York, Chicago, LA, San Antonio and DC. The grand host city; Miami, is breathtakingly beautiful and the population is incredibly welcoming. The blue water and skies, cruise ships and yachts mesmerize; while the modern and art deco architecture complement each other in spectacular form.    

Great and important works of painting, photography and sculpture including Helmut Newton’s Sie Kommen, Jim Dine hearts, Jeff Koon’s banalities, Chris Ofili’s dung art and Picasso’s cubism available and on view in various galleries. All these works and thousands of others not only on view; but, most importantly for sell. 

There was also live performance art, video, mixed-medium, design and decorative art, supplemented by the many stunningly elegant and high fashion patrons. Yes; there were the "odd ball" one of a kind character dressers too, which in honesty made for a thing remarkable. Refreshment comes in the form of push cart girls selling the original champagne; Ruinart.  It is actually the Ruinart that makes me return to Basel. It is definitely one of the many unique extras that adds to the experience.  Attending Art Basel Miami Beach, Design Miami, Pulse Miami Beach and a few other fairs combined for a complete adventure in art fashion design and culture. It is as exhausting as it is exhilarating and by the way; I’m ready for next year. 

The Art, Fashion & Style of Kanye West

For all his blusterous bad-behavior and ballistic bile, Kanye West possess a certain sense of style, refinement and knowledgeable taste in regards to fashion and the arts.  Kanye is a man/child blessed with talent; the ability to compose intricate Raps as he dresses well and completes drawings that are much better than good. West is also able to solicit the great artists of his time and collaborates frequently with those peers. Talents to note and include are Takashi Murakami, George Condo and Rapper/Mogul Jay-Z.   

West is a champion of the art of media manipulation as is evident in the attention given his recent wedding; while orchestrating and including the Vogue Magazine cover featuring himself and his then bride to be Kim Kardashian. Another important recent artistic feat for West was the February Interview Magazine cover story and immensely innovative and provocative photo spread (many of the photos included here) highlighting the radical artist. He continues to release new music and videos while developing a fashion line conforming to his unique sensibilities and ideals. This month’s issue for the fashion conscience male; GQ displays West at his best and highlights his monochromatic flair for originality and compositional matches and pairings. An arresting interview explaining his inner dinosaur and blowfish are found inside it pages too.  

One of Kanye’s best and most interesting art pieces is his “Heartless” video. West produced and essentially directed this tribute to the inspired animation of Ralph Bakshi. The classic Bakshi film release “American Pop” is the background and driving force of the West video. Scenes are recreated directly from  Bakshi’s superb animated Historical Fiction. It tells the story through several generations of an immigrant family’s journey and escape from Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution to the United States.   They eventually achieve both political and musical freedom as they find their place in life and the world. I’m certain West sees a comparison to his personal life and struggles in the narrative. Within the video West includes a nod to Warhol and the American classic Hanna-Barbara studios. 

"Heartless"

In the course of his career West is often infuriating and polarizing but he is never short of surprise, invention and “the shock of the new.” Kanye West remains among the seminal artists and fashion mavericks of this; his times.

Santana Abraxas

There was a time (really not so distant) that music was pre-packaged and sold in physical stores. Some of these stores were large chains while others were smaller specialty shops. The music was actually cut into large black vinyl discs. To transfer and replay the original music a sharp metal stylus was placed directly onto the disc as a device rotated it at a prescribed speed. The information relayed from the intricate indentations cut into the surface grooves became electronic signals.  The sounds (vibrations) were projected through speakers as remarkable; exacting and sometimes beautifully enhanced versions of the music. Generations were delighted to listen to music in this manner and were not in the least bothered or unhappy to pay reasonable prices for the privilege.

The packages for these collections (albums) were decorative, intricate and witty compositions. They ranged from professionally designed original works to reproductions of popular art and many times photographs. Often the recording artist themselves displayed their own art or those of their friends and colleagues. The images would often wrap around the flat square shaped objects into mural like extravagances. The inner folds of the packaging contained along with the vinyl discs; information, lyrics, notes, poetry, photographs and posters. 

The second album for the now immortal rock band “Santana” was memorable both for the remarkable, visionary music and it’s daring, innovative packaging. The cover was the creation of artist Mati Klarwein. It was a wrap-around reproduction of a biblical event “The Annunciation.” Klarwein chose to depict the virgin as a nude Black woman and the angel Gabriel as a red and blue winged, tattooed herald. The painting of Klarwein was so dense with images and detail that it could be studied many times over as it engaged and challenged the viewer.   What was the symbolism? What were the subliminal messages? The questions remain and are subject to continuing interpretations and discussions. There was also a poster included in the first pressings of the release that was to adorn many a dormitory and bed room wall. The title of “Abraxas” was adopted from the Hermann Hesse novel “Demian.” A line from Demien was inscripted on the cover:

“We stood before it and began to freeze inside from the exertion. We questioned the painting, berated it, made love to it, and prayed to it: We called it mother, called it whore and slut, called it our beloved, called it Abraxas…”

                                                                                                              
                                                                                                         Hermann Hesse

                        

             “Santana Abraxas” was an event; an enduring treasure, a cherished thing.