Isle of the Dead

Detail of Island of the Dead III (1883) by Arnold Bocklin


Sergei Rachmaninoff was born on April 1, 1873.

I'm not the biggest fan of his work, but there are some memorable compositions. My favorite piece is Isle of the Dead, Op.29, a symphonic poem written in 1908. It captures the late Romantic aesthetic perfectly, with heavy orchestral sounds and a focus on the Sublime.

In my youth, I was very ambivalent about Rachmaninoff. Sometimes I would dismiss his music as "schlock" or "overweight and overwrought" or some over such insult, but, upon hearing Isle of the Dead, I noticed the artistry in the thickness of sound, the lyricism that can only emerge from lush orchestrations.

I can't say that it converted me into an enthusiast, but I looked upon his work anew, appreciating the unique vision for its own values, for its own approach to art.

So, take a mental trip on Charon's ferry across the River Styx. But don't drink of the River Lethe; you will want to remember this music. ;-)

View of the Village

The view from the Hammer Museum gallery floor, looking past the Skylight Gardens dome towards the Fox Theater. The cupola of the Janss Dome is barely visible to the left.

I was visiting the Hammer Museum today to see the current exhibition, "Alina Szapocznikow: Sculpture Undone, 1955-1972". The show was excellent, a comprehensive and educational survey of this undeservedly obscure Polish artist.

It was a surrealistic display of biomorphic constructs, legs and breasts and lips emerging from black foam or sprouting like flowers from a plastic stem. Creepy but compelling.

Anyways, after viewing the show, I stood overlooking Westwood Village and was struck by the interesting shapes and patterns that are on view. So I took a picture to share with you. ;-)

Petit Dessert I (1970) by Alina Szapocznikow

Interesting stuff to be seen in Westwood, both in and out of the galleries.

Borne by the Channel Of a Green Stream

View from the Chinese Garden Pavilion at the Huntington Botanical Gardens

Not much to say right now, but I wanted to share this photo. I took it last weekend while visiting the Huntington Gardens. The view is from the Chinese Garden looking towards the Japanese Gardens, which will be reopening on April 11. Yeah, my anticipation is building somethin' fierce. ;-)

You can bet that I'll be sharing some photos with you.

But, for now, we can only gaze from afar, dreaming of the beauties awaiting in the hidden garden.

Friday Flowers: Clivia

Clivia: Baby Doll

Snow
(By Adrienne Rich)

when it comes down turning
itself in clusters before the flat
light of the shortest day

you see how all turns away
from us how we turn
into our shadows you can see
how we are tested

the individual crystal on the
black skirt of the maxi-coat
under the lens

was it a whole day or just a lifetime
spent studying crystals

on the fire escape while the 'Sixties
were running out
could you see

how the black ladder spun away from us
into whiteness
how over and over
a star became a tear

if no two are alike
then what are we doing
with these diagrams of loss


Adrienne Rich passed away this week. Given her age, it came as no great shock, but it is sad news nevertheless. She was an inspiration for generations of women poets. Her poetry went through many phases over the course of her long life, never growing stale or redundant.

Her distinct voice has made the world a better place. I will treasure her poems and will read them again to experience anew Adrienne Rich's unique insights.

Clivia: Bodacious

As regards the clivia, I attended the annual show at the Huntington Gardens. Many gorgeous flowers were on display. Here are a few lovelies to start the weekend right. ;-)

Girl from Ipanema

Astrud Gilberto was born on March 30, 1940


"When she walks, she's like a samba that swings so cool and sways so gently that when she passes, each one she passes goes -- aah."

I don't do Internet memes, blogfests, or networked "pass along" posts. That's not because I look down upon them or believe that they are an inferior sort of writing. Not at all!!! Anything that inspires one to write is totally cool with me. The reason that I don't do such posts is because I always have something that I want to write about; there just isn't the time or energy to pick up a blog challenge, like the very cool "A to Z Challenge", which would totally dominate my blogging focus for a whole month.

Just to use the A to Z Challenge as an example, it would be easy to make up a list of Los Angeles galleries and museums to highlight over the course of the month: Angles, Blum & Poe, Corey Helford, DNJ, Edward Cella, Frank Lloyd, George Billis, Honor Fraser, Icon Projects, JK, Koplin del Rio, La Basse Projects, Mark Moore, Nicodim, Otero, Patrick Painter, Quarum, Richard Heller, Schlesinger, Thinkspace, UCLA Fowler, Vielmetter, William Turner, laXart, Young Projects, Zask. But I have other things that I'd rather write about on any given day.

But sometimes things synch up. So, over at Spunk On A Stick, they are doing a Sad Songs blogfest, which goes with my selected birthday celebration of the day. Astrud Gilberto was born on March 30, 1940. Her most famous song is "The Girl from Ipanema", which, in spite of its mellow and sweet bossa nova sound, is actually a song about being ignored, overlooked by the focus of your desire, unrequited admiration.

Astrud Gilberto, the Queen of the Bossa Nova

But we shall not overlook this classic songbird from Brazil. ;-)

You Want It. You Need It.

Detail of Surplus II by Michael Krebs


Currently on exhibit at dnj Gallery is "Surplus" by Michael Krebs, a critique of consumerist corporate social influence and the commodification of desire, in which iconic images of war and armed strife are reimagined within a banal "market" context.

To be honest, I'm of mixed feelings about the appropriation of such imagery for this premise. Although the image of a girl screaming and running down a toy store aisle lined with packaged plastic dolls, fleeing as though in mortal danger, conveys both an absurdly humorous feeling and a creepy consideration of how children are indoctrinated into consumerist mindsets, the fact that it is a reflection, a tableau malsain of Nick Ut's iconic image of a Vietnamese girl fleeing from a napalm bombing, leaves me a bit uncomfortable. And perhaps that is the intention; perhaps it raises the question of how materialist values harm the individuals of a society.

I suppose it comes down to envy and banality. War is instigated by envy on a societal scale and implemented by the most basic and brutish and banal methods of coercion. Likewise, consumerist society is predicated on envy, "keeping up with the Jones" or constantly buying the newest model merely to preserve a social standing, never satisfied when others have "more" or "better" without making a raise or call, even if that which is desired is banal mass marketed trash, empty pablum.

Detail of Surplus I by Michael Krebs

In the end, both result in destruction. In war, the devastation is measured in lives and suffering. In consumerism, it is in wasted resources and misguided lives, a painful opportunity cost squandered on mounds of rubbish.

It Is Love Alone That Gives Worth

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa (1647-1652) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini


It's been a long time since I posted about religion or spirituality, but Saint Teresa of Avila is one of my favorites. I was going to write about her back in October, on her Feast Day, but the circumstances regarding the dating of her death are so absurd that I feel inappropriate honoring her on that day.

St. Teresa passed away either just before midnight October 4, 1582, or, moments later, after midnight on October 15. How the heck can eleven days be "moments later"?! Well, because of the concurrent implementation of the Gregorian calendar, replacing the outdated Julian calendar, there was no October 5 through 14 in 1582.

In any case, St. Teresa of Avila writes with a simple authenticity, avoiding wild cosmological expressions or fanciful apocalyptic visions. Her mysticism is experienced and conveyed with humility and compassion. Although visionary, Teresa never obfuscates or ornaments her insights, attempting to sound profound. I don't know if I believe in that which she experienced, but I certainly do believe that she had a "mystical" understanding and is attempting to share it with her readers, in a spirit of generosity and tenderness.

Teresa of Avila (1827) by Francois Gerard

Moreover, I find her insights beautiful and inspiring. Her world is one where Love is the divine spirit, which dwells within our souls. For humanity, salvation is to be found by accepting this Divine Love and allowing it to be your eternal guide.

The Divine One

Sarah Vaughan was born on March 27, 1924


We can't let this day pass without paying tribute to Sassy, the Divine One, the wondrous Sarah Vaughan!!!

Born on March 27, 1924, Sarah Vaughan become one of the leading Jazz vocalists of her generation. Considering the competition, that's an impressive feat. Her voice, smooth but sassy, is seductive and playful, soulful and light, expressing a mercurial mood.

I'm always reluctant to name my favorites, but, for tonight at least, Sarah is my favorite Jazz songbird. ;-)

Sarah Vaughan, "Sassy"

Let's listen to some music.

Adorable Little Trees

Bonsai: Japanese Black Pine

This weekend was the California Bonsai society's 55th Annual Show, held at the Huntington Gardens. I've been eagerly awaiting the reopening of the Japanese Garden, set for April 11. So, this show was like a delicious appetizer. ;-)

It's actually been a long time since I showcased a Bonsai show. Well, here are a bunch of photos to make up for my slackitude.

Bonsai: Blue Atlas Cedar

Amazing artistry. More after the jump:

2012 Weekly Wrap #7

Detail of Dandelions (1867) by Jean-Francois Millet

While I would have like to have put this post up on Friday, circumstances prevented it. And my Friday Flowers, a weekly feature which I haven't skipped for ages!!!

Well, it's better late than never. So, here's our "Weekly" Wrap.

It was actually a decent week, with solid productivity and a nice variety of posts. I'd have liked to get more art and gallery stuff up. But I'm happy with the three that I posted. We had a couple "whimsy" articles, but, so long as we keep up the quality and reliability of our normal type of blogging, there's nothing wrong with that.

Anyways, I'm open to suggestions. If there is something you want to see here at Paideia or some topic you want me to elaborate upon, then feel free to leave a comment. Although I'm writing primarily for my own pleasure, if I can entertain you all as well, then I'm open to requests. ;-)

Detail of The Wizard Has No Friends by Dirty Donny Gillies

So, let's look at our posts:

There were three Art posts. Our only gallery visit was to Dirty Donny Gillies' "Vantastic Voyage" at CoproGallery. We then had two featuring LACMA topics. First, I expressed my support for Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass, a monumental work featuring a 340-ton boulder which was transported across the Los Angeles area to great media attention. Second, we took a look at the awesome Surrealism exhibit "In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States". Good stuff!!!

In Music, we had four posts. Two were birthday celebrations, Johann Sebastian Bach and Nat King Cole. That's quite the contrast in musical style. Then, we had a "whimsy" post regarding dandelions, inspired by a photograph that I snapped while walking past a field. Finally, we had our monthly dance party with nine fun songs, ranging in musical performers from the Beatles to Abba to Neil Young. "I want to live. I want to give." ;-)

As mentioned above, we missed our last Friday Flowers, but, since this "Weekly" Wrap had two Fridays, we still had some Spring variety to usher in the new season.

Additionally, we had our seasonal Mucha-admiring post for Spring with appropriate art and music. Moreover, we had a couple St. Patrick's Day posts. First, we looked at some ads for Jameson Irish Whiskey. Then we looked at the empty bottle aftermath. Urg. . .

Over at Madrona Musings, the posting has been sparse, given that there is no exhibit currently on view at the Torrance Art Museum. However, I did take a couple photos of a work that will be on display when the museum reopens, Adam Bateman's As the Rose. It's mighty cool.

And that's all for this Wrap. I hope you've had a great time. Looking forward to the upcoming week and all the fun that we'll consider.

Lucky Charms advertisement form 1965

Enjoy!!!

Dance Party: March

Cover image from Vanessa Williams' "Save the Best for Last" (1992)

It's time for our monthly celebration!

This time around is a whiplash of styles, but I love them all, for different reasons both aesthetically and personally. Whether you want to be "There beneath the blue suburban skies" or "Feel the sun on your face and tell me what you're thinking" or feel that the "Night is young and the music's high. With a bit of rock music, everything is fine", there's something for all types tonight. ;-)

And we love variety!

Image from Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" concert film (2006)

So let's listen to some music!

Dreaming as the Days Go By

The Chess Queens (1944) by Muriel Streeter


I recently visited LACMA's exhibit "In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States" which was an eye-opening experience. I found it so profound for two reasons. First, the works on display were exceptionally strong, powerful expressions of surrealist aesthetics.

Second, there were many "forgotten masterpieces" on display, works that should have greater prominence and fame; I'm reasonably learned in art history, but there were many awesome pieces that were unfamiliar to me. I can't help but feel that these artists have been neglected by art historians because of gender bias. The fact that some of them were from Latin America or lived there put a double whammy on them, making them beneath the notice of the male-centric Euro-centric art cognoscenti.

So, kudos to LACMA and the Museo de Arte Moderno for putting this show together. It's about time that these treasures got the appreciation that they deserve.

Detail of Celestial Pablum (1958) by Remedios Varo


Although I found the actual layout to be confusing, the exhibit was segmented along a variety of themes that pervade the works of these artists. From the use of games and chance in composing works to the conceptualization of the Self, the exhibit examined topics both philosophical and technical. Yet, it always presented the subject in a coherent and accessible manner, never drifting off into deep Art Theory or Formal Techniques territories.