Those drawings were naturally not finished or polished but they did have certain vitality and flair, which I am struggling to regain:
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
My Baby Steps
During my last visit, my father handed me a small package of some very old drawings I made when I was a child. I was very surprised by this artifacts and quite touched by this gift.
Those drawings were naturally not finished or polished but they did have certain vitality and flair, which I am struggling to regain:
Those drawings were naturally not finished or polished but they did have certain vitality and flair, which I am struggling to regain:
Monday, February 7, 2011
Why Can't We Just Trust Words?
Obama's recent State of Union speech was quite well received and people who watched his speech on TV or internet were particularly appreciative of the liveliness and subtlety conveyed through body languages and facial expressions of the speaker and those who surrounded him.
So far so good. However, if you ask anyone to name one or two the most effective and memorable lines from this speech or backwards for several years, we usually don't get much. The truth is that many speakers, including the former and current presidents rely on things beyond words. I am not trying to find fault; I just hope the words themselves would carry enough weight so when we read them we will get it all.
It is no wonder that we haven't heard any speech on the par of Lincoln's Gettysburg adress for a very long time.
This distrusting of words is not limited in the public speaking arena. Even in the legit theater, many are guilty of distrusting of words and over produce plays with saturated music, scenic and special effects.
I long for the days of simple essence but not optimistic at all.
So far so good. However, if you ask anyone to name one or two the most effective and memorable lines from this speech or backwards for several years, we usually don't get much. The truth is that many speakers, including the former and current presidents rely on things beyond words. I am not trying to find fault; I just hope the words themselves would carry enough weight so when we read them we will get it all.It is no wonder that we haven't heard any speech on the par of Lincoln's Gettysburg adress for a very long time.
This distrusting of words is not limited in the public speaking arena. Even in the legit theater, many are guilty of distrusting of words and over produce plays with saturated music, scenic and special effects.
I long for the days of simple essence but not optimistic at all.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Story Ballet or Not?
Yesterday, I attended San Francisco Ballet's performance of three pieces - two established masterpieces and a new commission work's world premiere run. The former two are Symphonic Variations choreographed by Frederick Ashton, set to music by César Franck, and Symphony in C choreographed by George Balanchine, set to music by Georges Bizet. The new work was RAkU, choreographed by Yuri Possokhov and set to a commissioned score by Shinji Eshima.
It was a richly rewarding afternoon at the theater. Many years ago, after attending a gala performance by the visiting Bolshoi Ballet, I decided not to attend any plotless ballet performances. However, I was persuaded to attend a performance of Balanchine's Jewels and concluded not I was not against plot-less ballet, rather I did not like gala performances of highlights from various works and seemingly randomly grouped together to earn applause. That kind of demonstration seems brainless and purely showy.
A well choreographed abstract ballet, however, can convey a full spectrum of drama and emotions and without the fussy trapping of background stories and sometimes obligatory mime to move plot along, they can be even more evocative and satisfying, such as these two abstract pieces, particularly the Symphony in C. Tiit Helimets led large cast in both pieces and was truly godlike, either in movement or stood still.
This said, I still love see dance as drama, therefore, I still love story ballet and was eager to be satisfied by RAkU. It was an intense piece and wonderfully danced by Yuan Yuan Tan, Damian Smith, and Pascal Molat. The music was very dramatic and intense, as well as haunting and beautiful. The scenery and costume design were superb as well. The choreography was good, except for a couple rather cliched hand gestures assigned to the love-mad monk who set a temple on fire. What was less than fully satisfying was the story. The plot was not clear as if the princess returned love to the monk or not and what triggered the final dénouement. The timing of the appearance of the Prince's ash was when the confusion started. If it appeared a bit early or late, it would have cleared the plot very much and added layers of human emotions, follies and fragilities. As it is, it was not a story well told and reduced the psychological insight.
If tell a story, it must be well told. Otherwise, abstraction would be preferred.
That said, I'm eager to attend Winter Dreams and Coppélia later this season.
It was a richly rewarding afternoon at the theater. Many years ago, after attending a gala performance by the visiting Bolshoi Ballet, I decided not to attend any plotless ballet performances. However, I was persuaded to attend a performance of Balanchine's Jewels and concluded not I was not against plot-less ballet, rather I did not like gala performances of highlights from various works and seemingly randomly grouped together to earn applause. That kind of demonstration seems brainless and purely showy.A well choreographed abstract ballet, however, can convey a full spectrum of drama and emotions and without the fussy trapping of background stories and sometimes obligatory mime to move plot along, they can be even more evocative and satisfying, such as these two abstract pieces, particularly the Symphony in C. Tiit Helimets led large cast in both pieces and was truly godlike, either in movement or stood still.
This said, I still love see dance as drama, therefore, I still love story ballet and was eager to be satisfied by RAkU. It was an intense piece and wonderfully danced by Yuan Yuan Tan, Damian Smith, and Pascal Molat. The music was very dramatic and intense, as well as haunting and beautiful. The scenery and costume design were superb as well. The choreography was good, except for a couple rather cliched hand gestures assigned to the love-mad monk who set a temple on fire. What was less than fully satisfying was the story. The plot was not clear as if the princess returned love to the monk or not and what triggered the final dénouement. The timing of the appearance of the Prince's ash was when the confusion started. If it appeared a bit early or late, it would have cleared the plot very much and added layers of human emotions, follies and fragilities. As it is, it was not a story well told and reduced the psychological insight.
If tell a story, it must be well told. Otherwise, abstraction would be preferred.
That said, I'm eager to attend Winter Dreams and Coppélia later this season.
Friday, February 4, 2011
My Flickr Phote is SFMOMA Blog's Picture of the Week
I took a snap shot of a group people who spontaneously participated art making at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The picture was on both Flickr and my blog Introduction to Fisher Collection and the 75th Anniversary Exhibit at SFMOMA.
Now, SAMOMA's blog - Open Space just chose it as Visitor Flickr Photo of the Week. Wonderful!
Now, SAMOMA's blog - Open Space just chose it as Visitor Flickr Photo of the Week. Wonderful!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
3D Virtual Galleries via Google
Google just revealed its 3D Virtual Galleries showcasing most lauded museums in the world and their amazing collections.
The exulted list is expanding fast and it so far has included NYMOMA, MET, Uffizi in Florence, Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam,etc. Visitors can navigate the 3D museum space and see how the art collections are displayed in their homes, or view individual paintings in amazing details. A mobile app can give museum visitors a real-time guide as well.
New York Museum of Modern Art
The Birth of Venus - Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
I suppose that this will be a new way to present two-dimensional artworks. Incidentally, I just accepted an invitation from 3D Virtual Art Space online gallery to showcase my works. It was only last week that I blogged about my first 3D gallery. I've created four of such galleries and three new additions, beside the first Portrait Gallery, are below:
3DVas Gallery - Birds and Fish
3DVas Gallery - Landscape
3DVas Gallery - Still Life
Unfortunately, 3D Virtual Art Space requires users to download a small software if not pre-installed and many are hesitating. I hope that the operation systems of computers will have an update to fix this soon. The host ascerted that the software is absolutely safe and gave me two well known websites using this technology: NASA and Unity Fast Facts.
3DVas Gallery - Birds and Fish
3DVas Gallery - Landscape
3DVas Gallery - Still Life
(use arrow keys to navigate) For details, please read Figure and Self-Portrait Galleries on 3D Virtual Art Space (3Dvas)
Label: 3D Virtual Art Space
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Chinese Lunar New Year (Spring Festival)
Today is the eve of traditional Lunar New Year observes in China and other regions culturally connected to that ancient civilization.
In the U.S., it is not without controversy regarding how to address that holiday. Calling it Chinese New Year, then Koreans and Vietnamese might feel left out. Calling it Lunar New Year, then other cultures observing their lunar new year in entirely different seasons might feel robbed too - for example, Thai lunar new year falls in April, and the Jewish lunar new year (Rosh Hashanah) is usually in September.
In mainland China, at least the time I lived there, new year is simple first day of the Gregorian calendar year and the traditional new year is usually called Spring Festival or amongst the seniors, Old Calendar New Year or Lunar New Year. I prefer to call it Spring Festival.
It was in the U.S., that I was greeted first time during the Spring Festival time with 恭禧發財 (traditional Chinese) or 恭禧发财 (simplified Chinese), which pronounced as Gong Xi Fa Cai (Mandarin) or Gong Hey Fat Choy (Cantonese).
An internet search resulted in such explanation as what this phrase means: Gong Xi (恭禧) is congratulations or respectfully wishing one joy, Fa Cai (發財) is to become rich or to make money. Thus, Gong Xi Fa Cai means wishing you to be prosperous in the coming year.
Well meaning for sure. However, I had to exert strong self-control not to cringe when I was greeted thus.
For people who grew up in China, especially in families value scholarly achievement and societal contributions, such greeting is rather too mercenary and crass.
The assumption that all Chinese greet each other during lunar new year time with this phrase is false. It has been mostly used by merchants whose life goal is making money. People who came to the U.S. several generations ago were mostly in the lower social-economical tiers and many of them became small merchants in the U.S. in order to survive and prosper and this phrase states their collective desires perfectly.
I personally will choose not use this phrase but have learned to smile back when I heard such greeting by well-wishers.
Happy Spring Festival to all!
In the U.S., it is not without controversy regarding how to address that holiday. Calling it Chinese New Year, then Koreans and Vietnamese might feel left out. Calling it Lunar New Year, then other cultures observing their lunar new year in entirely different seasons might feel robbed too - for example, Thai lunar new year falls in April, and the Jewish lunar new year (Rosh Hashanah) is usually in September.
In mainland China, at least the time I lived there, new year is simple first day of the Gregorian calendar year and the traditional new year is usually called Spring Festival or amongst the seniors, Old Calendar New Year or Lunar New Year. I prefer to call it Spring Festival.
It was in the U.S., that I was greeted first time during the Spring Festival time with 恭禧發財 (traditional Chinese) or 恭禧发财 (simplified Chinese), which pronounced as Gong Xi Fa Cai (Mandarin) or Gong Hey Fat Choy (Cantonese).
An internet search resulted in such explanation as what this phrase means: Gong Xi (恭禧) is congratulations or respectfully wishing one joy, Fa Cai (發財) is to become rich or to make money. Thus, Gong Xi Fa Cai means wishing you to be prosperous in the coming year.
Well meaning for sure. However, I had to exert strong self-control not to cringe when I was greeted thus.
For people who grew up in China, especially in families value scholarly achievement and societal contributions, such greeting is rather too mercenary and crass.
The assumption that all Chinese greet each other during lunar new year time with this phrase is false. It has been mostly used by merchants whose life goal is making money. People who came to the U.S. several generations ago were mostly in the lower social-economical tiers and many of them became small merchants in the U.S. in order to survive and prosper and this phrase states their collective desires perfectly.
I personally will choose not use this phrase but have learned to smile back when I heard such greeting by well-wishers.
Happy Spring Festival to all!
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