Dispel All Your Sorrows

Detail of Winter Sunday in Norway, Maine (c.1860) by artist unknown


William Billings is another composer that languishes in obscurity. Given his creative vision and early presence in the American timeline of the arts, you would think he'd be given a special place of prominence within musical history classes, at least in the States. I didn't learn about him until well after I had become familiar with the standard classical repertoire.

Now, it's true that I didn't sing in a church choir, which is where most of his works are currently performed as part of the Sacred Harp tradition. However, a student of classical music gets exposed to numerous choral works from European sources fairly early on in the course of their education. Why does Billings get overlooked in favor for yet another German baroque cantata?

I'm not saying that Billings should bump Handel off the syllabus. But I do think that there is a prejudice at work here that marginalizes "colonial" expressions. This is also true for composers from the Spanish colonies, such as Juan Garcia de Zespedes or Juan Gutierrez de Padilla. So, my position is that maybe a day can be set aside to focus on the works coming out of the European colonies in the New World.

Hieroglyphic of a Christian (1850-75) by artist unknown

Well, I'll get off of my soapbox and let Billings' music defend itself. ;-)

Friday Flowers: Paying the Floral Debt

Orchid: Little Gem Stripe


The Debt
(Paul Laurence Dunbar)

This is the debt I pay
Just for one riotous day,
Years of regret and grief,
Sorrow without relief.

Pay it I will to the end—
Until the grave, my friend,
Gives me a true release—
Gives me the clasp of peace.

Slight was the thing I bought,
Small was the debt I thought,
Poor was the loan at best—
God! but the interest!


LOL!!! No that's not how I feel, but it's good to finally deliver on my promises of flowers from the many shows and gardens that I've visited over the summer. I keep on writing things like "Oh, and I have some more Fuchsias to share with you all" and then I forget to share 'em.

Well, here's some sharing. ;-)

Fuchsia: Pink Jade

Lovely.

We Are All Made of Stars

Memory Gospel by Moby


Kopeikin Gallery is currently showing "Destroyed," an exhibit of photography by the electronica musician, Moby. I'm usually hesitant to view art produced by celebrities, but Moby has always struck me as having an engaging and comprehensive aesthetic foundation. Moreover, the premise of the work, a study of the dynamic expressiveness of crowds at a concert, stuck me as an interesting concept. It's the type of photography that really can only be done by a popular musician like Moby.

So I went to check it out. At first, I just walked around the gallery casually observing the images, seeing if anything jumped out at me. Eh, it was certainly a fun set of photos but nothing really packed a punch. Then, I did the deeper examination, scrutinizing each piece for composition, color, and distinctness. Hmm, it was impressive documentation with a good eye for image crafting, but it still didn't "wow" me. Then I did another gallery stroll but with my improved familiarity of the photos. Now, the unique energy of each shot shouted out at me.

Detail of Sunspot by Moby


The images have a strong tension between the Universalized and the Individualized. Yes, each photograph depicts a crowd, but each crowd has its own unique expressive vibe. And each crowd is composed of discrete individuals reacting to the specific focus of the camera. Yet, the individuality of the person is overwhelmed by the group identity and energy of the crowd. The particular becomes accumulated into an aggregate composite identity.

Variations on a Polish Theme

Karol Szymanowski (born October 6, 1882) was a Polish composer and pianist.

In the history of classical music, there is a strong focus upon the "Greats" of the tradition. That's as it should be, but it is nice to stop occasionally and take a listen to the music of the lesser accomplished masters. Their music may not have that special spark of genius, but, if it has authenticity and artistry, then it well worth our time and attention.

And so we'll celebrate the birth date of the Polish composer, Karol Szymanowski, born on this date in 1882 (although I've seen it listed as being October 3rd at some places.) I feel that his music is sadly overlooked. Yes, he wasn't a great innovator or paradigmatic of a style. However, he was an "explorer" of various trends within classical music of his era, from late Romanticism to Impressionism to Nationalism. His compositional style wandered through the turbulent influences of early 20th century, adapting and incorporating musical elements as fit his own interests.

Portrait of Karol Szymanowski (1930) by Witkacy

Therefore, let's appreciate his musical journeying. We can't all be geniuses, but we can honestly make the most of the talents which we have cultivated. I think Szymanowski's works fit that description.

Weekly Wrap: Wednesday Night #12

Detail of Ruby City 1 (2008) by Jeremy Kidd

Well, that week could have gone better. I guess getting sick, sleep deprived, and cutting up your fingers are not conducive to quality blogging. ;-)

Oh well, we'll try to do better next week. In spite of my difficulties, I had a good time with this week's posts. Sure, I didn't hit all the things in my schedule. But the most important consideration is fun. And, in that regard, it was a pretty good week of blogging.

Let's hope that we can combine enjoyment with productivity in future weeks.

Charlie Brown, you're a LOSER!!!

This week we had eleven posts.

There were three art posts. We visited the Torrance Art Museum to view the Cities: Visionary Places show. Then we saw Kukula's exhibit "Lonely Opulent Things" at the Corey Helford Gallery. Finally, we visited Blum & Poe to check out Matt Johnson's sculptures in a solo show.

We visited a view interesting sites this week. First, we went up to Van Nuys to take a stroll through the Japanese Garden, Suiho-en. Then we skipped over to Redondo Beach to take some photos of the Space Park campus which was featured in the classic Star Trek episode "Operation: Annihilate!"

Our Friday Flowers featured some waterlilies and lotuses from the Japanese Garden.

We celebrated a few birthdays this week. We combined a celebration of the classical composer Paul Dukas and Julie Andrews in a Disney related post. Gwen Stefani was just a Birthday girl for a post. Then we wished American figure skater Kimmie Meissner a Happy Birthday. Finally, we took note of the anniversary day of the Peanuts comic strip.

And we took note of the nominees for the Royal Society's Winton Prize for science nonfiction books. Good stuff!!!

Well, that's the week that was. Here's our weekly weird photo:

Fun times on Deneva with Kirk and Mr. Spock.

Enjoy!!!

Thus Shall You Think of This Fleeting World

Nuked Buddha (2011) by Matt Johnson

Blum & Poe are exhibiting six sculptures by Matt Johnson in a solo show. Known for his humor and quirky choice of materials, Johnson's work in this show feels a bit more subdued and introspective. Certainly, there is a light-heartedness that underlies the sculptures and the materials are as diverse as expected, but I feel that this is the most contemplative and profound display of Johnson's work that I've seen. There is a paradoxical sense of complex simplicity and expressive quiet to this show.

The easiest work to examine is the Nuked Buddha. It is a bronze statue, nine feet tall, which presents a warped and ruined surface to a traditional pose of serenity and transcendence. How does one view this image? Is it the triumph of the instant, in which a moment of violence defaces the beauty of human achievement? Or is it the exaltation of the enduring, wherein the serenity persists beyond the inessential results of the transient present?

This juxtaposition of the eternal and the ephemeral is also displayed in Touch the Void. Upon a granite boulder, Johnson has carved his handprint. It is not an obvious mark, but well integrated into the blended color and rugged surface of the rock. But despite the artful matching, the hand represents the fleeting presence of human life, which contrasts with the geologic ages of the stone. Yet, by carving his presence into the granite, this mark of mortality has gained lasting durability. Like early aniconic depictions of the Buddha as footprints, the handprint becomes a signifier of transcendence.

Detail of Touch the Void (2011) by Matt Johnson

But the reverse message is delivered in Pyramid of Dust, in which Johnson has created a four-sided pyramid of collected dust. This form is geometrically stable and associated with human structures noted for endurance. But it is crafted out of dust. It could crumble into a shapeless pile with a single jarring shake!

Cool Kid

Kimmie Meissner was the 2006 World Champion (Photo by Lloyd Fox, June 5, 2009)


I always root for Team USA in international athletic competitions, but American athletes usually aren't my favorites. But I am a fan of Kimmie Meissner, 2006 World Champion and 2007 US National Champion. I remember seeing her for the first time at the 2005 Nationals when she pulled off the triple axel, becoming only the second US woman to execute the notoriously difficult jump. It was totally awesome.

But what I especially liked about Kimmie wasn't her accomplishments on ice, but her spunky personality. Sure, there are plenty of likable figure skaters, but Kimmie wasn't just nice. She was shy, awkward, ironic, playful, and intense, all in a mercurial flash of emotions. Likewise, in spite of her focused concentration during performance, her emotions were clear upon her facial expressions. This openness was absolutely charming.

Kimmie Meissner was born on October 4, 1989 (Photo by Kathy F. Atkiinson)

The last few years have been tough for Kimmie fans, given her injuries and performance difficulties. There hasn't been an official retirement notice, but that seems to be the way things are going. Regardless, I'll always appreciate her exhilarating presence on the ice. And today we can wish her a Happy Birthday!!!

Welcome to Deneva

TRW's Space Park campus was used for the Star Trek episode "Operation: Annihilate!"


One interesting aspect to life in Los Angeles is that the city has been in the background to countless movies and television shows. So, you can go driving by buildings that you have seen in the movies numerous times a day. I'm not talking about "landmark" structures that even tourists can identify, but about structures that are relatively unknown even by locals.

In this post, we'll be looking at some buildings from the Space Park campus. It used to be owned by TRW, but in 2007 the company was bought by Northrop Grumman. This location was the setting to a Star Trek episode "Operation: Annihilate!" It was selected because the architecture had a "futuristic" design by the standards of the 1960s.

The TRW Tower of Space Park

Sadly, I couldn't get really detailed photos because the site is a secure facility. But it is adjacent to Redondo Beach public space. Therefore, I was able to stroll along the boundary and take some photos from afar. ;-)

Just a Girl

Gwen Stefani from No Doubt's video for Don't Speak


It's been a busy day, but I can't let it go by without wishing a Happy Birthday to Gwen Stefani, born on this date in 1969. It's nice to celebrate somebody from my generation for a change. ;-)

To be honest, I prefer Gwen Stefani's work with No Doubt more than her solo work. But I like the character and quality of her voice. It's got a weird mix of cutesy, sultry, and campy. She can sound both playful and pouty, sophisticated and awkward.

Gwen Stefani from the cover of Love. Angel. Music. Baby.


I wish I could write more, but time is pressing. And I lacerated up my right hand something fierce last night, making for the some error-filled typing. ;-)

Here Comes Ol' Charlie Brown!

Lucy and Snoopy share an apple for Halloween.



On this day in 1950, the first Peanuts comic strip appeared. This began a fifty year run that had a readership of over 300 million. It earned its author, Charles Schulz, a billion dollars over the course of his life. The Peanuts gang has been merchandised as just about anything imaginable and have "endorsed" countless properties.

Personally, I wasn't a fan as a child. Sure, I liked Snoopy and seeing Charlie Brown attempt to kick the football. But, as a daily read, the strip felt old-fashioned. That's because it was. The characters already had over two decades of development before I started giving it a read. The creative energy wasn't tapped, but it wasn't in full flow either.

Now, I can look back on the entire body of the series and appreciate it in full. Of course there are lag points, but the overarching vision of the comic carries you through. Peanuts is still not my favorite comic, but I can see why it was for so many people.

Don't do it, Charlie Brown!!! It's a trick!!!


And the football trick still amuses me. ;-)

Loco for Rococo and Kukula

Hazing (2011) by Kukula


"Lonely Opulent Things" is a solo show of Nataly (Kukula) Abramovitch's work on display at the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City. The basic theme of this exhibit is the valuing of the Self through Material possessions, exemplified by the opulent 18th century French Rococo aesthetic. The doll-like subjects of these paintings have actually been "objectified" by incorporating elements evocative of Limoges porcelain into their figures.

Precious and opulent though they may be, the subjects depict a spiritual emptiness. They are all ornamentation and little substance. Bored and directionless, they lounge around in beautiful idleness. Even when displayed upon pedestals, these "Lonely Opulent Things" can't seem to muster the spirit to pose and preen. They are creatures of brittle clay and are hollow inside.

Broken Limoges (2011) by Kukula

It is this sorrow, regret, and loneliness that stands out. Unlike the Rococo inspirations from Fragonard or Boucher, these figures are not gleeful or engaged in an eternal fete galante. There is no vivacious play of Blind Man's Bluff or exuberant swinging. There is only an enervated decadence. When the pretty objects break, so too does the owner's spirit.

Umbrellas and Brooms

Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice is featured in a scene of Fantasia (1940)

We've got a few Disney-related events to celebrate today.

The French composer, Paul Dukas, was born on this date in 1865. His most famous work was the Sorcerer's Apprentice, which has become inextricably connected with the Disney interpretation in the 1940 cinematic feature Fantasia. I have a special love for the Sorcerer's Apprentice because of how it serves as an example against the modern Disney-influenced concept of intellectual property.

Let me explain. The history of the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" story spans over 2000 years. In ancient Egypt, there was a believe that magical funerary figures, ushabti, could be enchanted so as to perform one's work in the afterlife. Playing off of this belief, the ancient Greek satirist, Lucian of Samosata, created the basic narrative as we now know it in his work, the Philopseudes, written c.150 AD. Centuries later, the German writer, Goethe, does a "remake" of the story in his poem Der Zauberlehrling. This poem inspired Dukas to create his tone poem. And Disney uses the music as the basis for the wonderful scene in Fantasia.

It's really cool to see how different minds shaped the underlying source material over the centuries. It's too bad that modern "property" restrictions make creating works of derived influence a risky legal endeavor. Fortunately, contemporary "mash up" projects in music and literature are bringing the Disney "property" paradigm into question.

Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins


And we're also celebrating the birthday of Julie Andrews. Happy 76th Birthday!!!