The Met, window watching, and the movies
At the MET Museum we saw Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Creche, an annual display there since 1957. Cynthia asked us to make up a story based on the figures beneath the tree. Mine was about a sultan named Raj who traveled to Italy on his elephant. He couldn't find anyone who would celebrate the holiday with him because they were all scared of his elephant. The exception was a man named Filipe, who was unafraid because he grew up in a circus. We also saw the exhibit, Infinite Jest, about the history of satire. I agree with the New York Times' observation that, "caricature has not undergone the kind of extreme transformations that the finer, higher arts of painting and sculpture have." Throughout history you see some of the same techniques used by many artists-- turning people into animals, exaggerating physical features, etc. I think this is a good thing; it makes satire an art with longevity. Though you could see the humor in every image, it was helpful to have context to better understand the circumstances that inspired each drawing.
The windows at Bergdorf Goodman were absolutely spectacular. I found this video produced by Bergdorf Goodman that explains more about the process of making the windows and their significance. David Hoey and Linda Fargo are the head designers who have been working on the windows for over a decade.
Finally, saw the movie HUGO in 3D at the spectacular Ziegfeld Theatre. I truly enjoyed the film. The scene design and filming were so innovative I felt at times I was watching something entirely animated (actors included). I'm not sure the movie made any particularly BOLD statements...messages about finding one's purpose, and coping with loss etc. were poignant but not necessarily original. I don't think that mattered much though because the sentiment was good and the style was so specific and imaginative. Also the film must get brownie points for re-visiting the legacy of George Melies.
At the MET Museum we saw Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Creche, an annual display there since 1957. Cynthia asked us to make up a story based on the figures beneath the tree. Mine was about a sultan named Raj who traveled to Italy on his elephant. He couldn't find anyone who would celebrate the holiday with him because they were all scared of his elephant. The exception was a man named Filipe, who was unafraid because he grew up in a circus. We also saw the exhibit, Infinite Jest, about the history of satire. I agree with the New York Times' observation that, "caricature has not undergone the kind of extreme transformations that the finer, higher arts of painting and sculpture have." Throughout history you see some of the same techniques used by many artists-- turning people into animals, exaggerating physical features, etc. I think this is a good thing; it makes satire an art with longevity. Though you could see the humor in every image, it was helpful to have context to better understand the circumstances that inspired each drawing.
The windows at Bergdorf Goodman were absolutely spectacular. I found this video produced by Bergdorf Goodman that explains more about the process of making the windows and their significance. David Hoey and Linda Fargo are the head designers who have been working on the windows for over a decade.
Finally, saw the movie HUGO in 3D at the spectacular Ziegfeld Theatre. I truly enjoyed the film. The scene design and filming were so innovative I felt at times I was watching something entirely animated (actors included). I'm not sure the movie made any particularly BOLD statements...messages about finding one's purpose, and coping with loss etc. were poignant but not necessarily original. I don't think that mattered much though because the sentiment was good and the style was so specific and imaginative. Also the film must get brownie points for re-visiting the legacy of George Melies.
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