It really is all about the legs. Forget about the talent, the artistry, the work ethic. Dedication to the Art of Ballet and commitment to excellence are evident; but we’ll forget them too. The grace of her every move; moves that are angelic and elegantly personified. Misty Copeland’s mystic is within her ability to entrance her audience through the command of the power of her body using the sinew and muscle of her magnificently structured and developed legs. She is a beautiful wonder.
Translate
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Prima Ballerina Misty Copeland
It really is all about the legs. Forget about the talent, the artistry, the work ethic. Dedication to the Art of Ballet and commitment to excellence are evident; but we’ll forget them too. The grace of her every move; moves that are angelic and elegantly personified. Misty Copeland’s mystic is within her ability to entrance her audience through the command of the power of her body using the sinew and muscle of her magnificently structured and developed legs. She is a beautiful wonder.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Niki de Saint Phalle
It was on a bright, beautiful, balmy Saturday morning down
town in the North Carolina City of Charlotte that my daughter; Gail and I
chanced upon something incredible and very interesting. We were just outside
the newly opened Bechtler Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. A large (fifty three foot) flat- bed trailer
truck was being unloading by workers and museum staff members. They were in the
process of installing a mammoth sculpture. As my daughter and I witnessed the
piece was being stacked to a magnificent height right there in the museum’s
plaza. The structure was an extravagant, mosaic-like work with a reflective
silver surface. What was becoming a fantastic creature of gigantic scale (granted
slowly and methodically) was the Niki de Saint Phalle original; “Firebird.”
Just how fortunate were my daughter and I to be privy to this amazing and fantastical
event?
Miss de Saint Phalle came to the world’s notice first as a
model for Vogue and Harpers in the late fifties. Her intelligence, beauty and
sophistication radiated with undeniable elegance and style. Her artistic and
creative skills would develop after a nervous break-down.
Painting was therapy
and a way of coping with the troubles of her early life. Niki would take her
pain, resilience, imagination along with every part of her being and use them
in the creation of pieces that continue to resonate and thrill. The paintings
evolved into mixed-medium expressions that would lead her into the “Shooting
Paintings.” These paintings were literally created by Niki attaching polythene
bags of paint to a designed surface and bursting them by firing a loaded
shotgun. The making of the paintings would become performance pieces and
through them Niki became the only female member of the elusive and respected
“Nouveau Realists.”
The works that were most identified with Niki de Saint
Phalle; her signatures, her alter egos, her “Nanas.” The sculptural statements
of the “Nanas” were representations of robust colorful women; the
“every-woman.” As magnificent in their glory as they were
playful in style and execution. Her crowning and most celebrated Nana was a
work entitled: “Hon-en- Katedral.” It
was a large scale dwelling like work that visitors entered through what Gustav
Courbet would have refer to as “The Origin of the World.” It was credited with
a jump in Sweden’s birth rate the year it was exhibited. It seemed the work was
enjoyed on a truly unpresented, inspirational level by the many.
“Life … is never the
way one imagis it. It surprises you, it amazes you, and it makes you laugh or
cry when you don’t expect it”
Niki de Saint Phalle
“The Tarot Garden” in Tuscany, the “Miles Davis” sculpture
outside the Hotel Le Negresco in Nice and on a smaller scale (but no less
monumental) her impressively unique Niki de Saint Phalle” perfume bottle were
among the great and truly wonderful achievements of Niki’s vastly creative
life. Her career and out-put continually expanded especially during her
marriage to sculptor Jean Tinguely who she also collaborated with on multiple
projects including film and video. The personal
price of Niki’s creativity was ultimately the highest. The polyester fibers in
her favorite medium would cost her life. Her lungs were scare by breathing in
the destructive, fine particles of the material. Within her time and continuously through our own
Niki de Saint Phalle towers and sustains. We are left with the brightness, the
beauty, the spirit of adventure that was Niki de Saint Phalle.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
David Finch Pencils
Lichtenstein, Warhol
and Ramos “discovered” comic books in the 60’s and made large, beautiful and
intellectual pieces from the imagery. Somehow the art world forgot to laud the
original creators: Bob Kane, Roy Thomas and Curt Swan. A number of the original
artists of the comic book genre ironically didn’t see themselves as artist
either. They were happy to be working in a field they loved as they entertained
their readership. There were still
others like Carmine Infantino that studied and sited artist including French Impressionist;
Edgar Degas as a major influence on his style of drawing. Infantino would
produce many of the most iconic and reproduced images from comics “Silver Age.”
We now come to the contemporary where comic book creators are recognized as
artist in their own right. Robert Crumb, Alex Ross and Daniel Clowes are
definitely “Comic Book Guys” and favorites of the “High” art world as well. Another
artist to watch that has all the gifts of any master is David finch. His work
is to note.
Drawing is critical and the heart and soul of any great
work. Go to the core of every work of refinement and you will find
draftsmanship is foremost. Film, design, portraiture and scientific development
depend heavily on drawing. Story boarding, studies and sketches are critical as
well as informative. The mind and hand come together on page as problem solvers
and developers. The act and result of drawing by hand as especially expressed
with pencil is the alpha.
Finch’s pencils are of a confidence and grace that rival any
draftsman of the day. His is an elegance and refinement that transcends all
labels and genres. The lines, shadows and nuances from his hand are treasures
as well as joyous to the eye of the viewer. Finch’s portfolio is extensive and
possesses’ many remarkable things. Some of his best are displayed here and they
are to delight and to please.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
FIVE PHOTOGRAPHS Gordon Parks
The release of the sound track to the motion picture “Shaft”
starring Richard Roundtree was to be a major event. It featured the music of Maestro;
Isaac Hayes for which he would win the much coveted Oscar and sold in the
multiple millions. The album was released a few weeks earlier than the film and
I had become engrossed in the music. The cover too, was itself an achievement
of advertising art featuring the action hero/detective in a pulp fiction moment
of triumphant motion with grim expression and guns blazing.. The bold, original concept “Shaft” logo most prominent!
The liner notes spoke of many things including the film’s remarkable director;
Gordon Parks. There was also a photo of Isaac Hayes with Parks and the creator
of Shaft; Ernest Tidyman standing on the MGM studios film lot. All
distinguished and excited about their collaboration. This was my introduction
to Gordon Parks; an illustrious and variously talented man; one most gifted and
accomplished.
From the starting point of film director I would discover that Mr. Parks had earlier directed the celebrated account of his own autobiographical novel “The Learning Tree.” He had even scored that film himself as well as having written the screen play. Parks had another major star point in his universe of expression. He was a photo-journalist of the highest order. He had been a staff member of the most lauded photography magazine in history. The legendary magazine; “LIFE” was his home for a number of brilliant years. His contributions to the magazine included essays and photos on fashion, sports, Broadway and racial segregation. Parks remains a standard bearer for the ages; he is one among the greatest generation of photographers.
From the starting point of film director I would discover that Mr. Parks had earlier directed the celebrated account of his own autobiographical novel “The Learning Tree.” He had even scored that film himself as well as having written the screen play. Parks had another major star point in his universe of expression. He was a photo-journalist of the highest order. He had been a staff member of the most lauded photography magazine in history. The legendary magazine; “LIFE” was his home for a number of brilliant years. His contributions to the magazine included essays and photos on fashion, sports, Broadway and racial segregation. Parks remains a standard bearer for the ages; he is one among the greatest generation of photographers.
The films, writings, music and teachings of Gordon Parks have served as testaments to his journey to understanding, self-expression and the enrichment of the human experience. The catalogue of Gordon Parks’ efforts is eclectic, extensive and extraordinary. I have selected five pieces to illustrate his photography. They are his voice and speak to our pleasure.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
The Great Gonzo: Ralph Steadman
The great gonzo journalist; Hunter S. Thompson made famous
as much for his erratic behavior, drug abuse and bravado as he was for his
craftsmanship of writing. He excelled with his prose but he did not work alone.
His “criminal” partner was another equally talented, equally erratic, balistically
bombastic and gloriously flamboyant artist; Ralph Steadman.
The art of Ralph Steadman is intriguing; bold and shocking
with explosions of ideas, and unfettered recklessness. The colorful products of
the hand and mind of the genius/madman; Steadman can equally amuse, shock and
many times disturb. He recently designed a piece for Newsweek magazine. It was a response to the Charlie Hebdo murders. The article “The Right to Offend”
written by Robert Chalmers features exerpts from a conversation between the two
on satire, religion, terrorism and questions of artistic freedom and
responsibility. It is highly recommended reading.
“Looking at what has happened in Paris, I now feel that I
have succeeded. I did manage to change the world, and it is a worse place than
when I started.”
Ralph
Steadman
This comes at a time of extreme low for Steadman and all
lovers of freedom (particularly lovers of satirical illustration and
commentary.) I am not at all certain of Steadman’s observation of his life. He
is as much a hero and inspiration to his supporters and admirers as he is in
any way a detriment. He does what all great artists do he shows the world a
particular truth and in the moments we
are engaged with his work we are distant from the pain of life as we see that
same pain more clearly.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
The Charlie Hebdo Assassinations
There is no shortage of death and killing in our world.
There are although; those killings and deaths that are more senseless, more
heinous, and somehow, more disastrous. The attack on the cartoonist and
publishers of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo early this week were
such killings. The French citizens and free nations around the world are in
shock and mourning of this unthinkable tragedy that transpired in Paris. In a
world where such deaths are ever increasing people of good faith; believers of
personal and civil liberty, inalienable rights and freedom; particularly, freedom
of expression are shocked and appalled. This is certainly because we refuse to
accept the brutality, hate and total disregard by the few who would deny the
right to express opinion and views different from their own and those views
that even we ourselves do not hold or believe. We do mourn, we are shaken, we
can even be confused but we will not bow. The citizens of Paris and all who cherish life and freedom
will return stronger and with a greater will to survive, to debate and yes; to
satirize the ignorant and misguided who kill the seekers of truth through the
power of humor and that of the pen.
As of this writing thousands have covered the streets and
avenues of Paris in respect and reverence for their slain countrymen. The
offices of Charlie Hebdo will publish on time and schedule the next issue of
their weekly. It will be an expanded and astonishing million copy release. The
voices of freedom sing out ever louder, ever stronger. The suspects (murderers) have received their
self-ordained fates. They will not kill again.
Expressions of defiance, regret, consolation and
unity were posted and printed from the first moments that the news of the
events at Charlie Hebdo were made public. This; sadly was not the first attack
on Charlie Hebdo and may not be the last. But again; we stand firmly in
support. Editorial cartoonist in particular expressed their heart-felt and
stinging messages from Paris and around the globe in remarkable, relentless
fashion. Some of the best are on view here. Je Suis Charlie.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)