Arts

Washington, DC Scalper Interviews

Admin — Thu, 03 May 2007 20:52:50 -0500

An interesting video of scalpers outside the Verizon Center.

Dancers in Dupont Circle

Admin — Thu, 03 May 2007 20:24:49 -0500

Saturday April 28th, a bunch of random people dancing in dupont circle.

“Modernism: Designing a New World 1914-1939” at the Corcoran Gallery of Art

Admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:32:02 -0500

Modernism is certainly a controversial word. In the history of Art and in literature, the time frame of Modernism is debatable however it is usually deemed to denote the very specific time period between the first and second world wars. However, traces of Modernism are found in the every day lives of people across the globe. In theory, a museum exhibition of Modernism would be an almost impossible endeavor if one wanted to truly show the far reaching reign of the ideals of Modernism, how they affected nearly every single aspect of life during that time, and how consequently, our “modern”, as in, the present, world has been wholly influenced by this brief period of time nearly 100 years ago. Read more »

"Die Walküre" by the Washington National Opera

Admin — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 20:22:46 -0500

Its always a treat to see Plácido Domingo. You can imagine my disappointment then when an announcement was made prior to the beginning of the Washington National Opera’s performance of Richard Wagner’s Die Walküre, that Mr. Domingo was feeling a bit under the weather, and that, although he intended to still perform, he was apologizing in advance for a less than stellar performance. I couldn’t thereafter discern if Mr. Domingo had popped an airborne before curtain call and suddenly, within the ten minutes it took him to get on stage, had a resurgence of health and vibrancy, or if the earlier announcement was a prank because as it were, Plácido Domingo sounded typically phenomenal. Read more »

All Hail Princess Ja’Ski – The Abstract Princess

Admin — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 14:10:29 -0500

She signs her work Ja’Ski, but you can call her Ja’, or simply...The Abstract Princess. She defines herself as a Fine Art Artist, but her work is much more than that – it’s fly, unique, provoking, refreshing. Not knowing a lot about art, I stopped by a recent art show Ja’ had at Mr. Henry’s in Eastern Market. From first glance, it’s not hard to see the inspiration behind her strokes. Each painting tells its own story and if you don’t look hard enough, you might miss something. Her free-style attack of the canvas leaves you breathless, and her exploitation of colors is energizing. Read more »

The Pillowman: More intimidating than the Boogeyman?

Admin — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:34:18 -0500

An interesting play in its story line and relationships, The Pillowman focuses on the brief imprisonment of one Katurian Katurian (his parents were funny people he claims) and his semi-retarded brother Michal who live in a totalitarian state and find themselves the main suspects in the murder of three young children. The main subject of this play however is not murder or the effects of living under a totalitarian regime like one might guess – it is about story telling, family and the realities and consequences of our existence. If you have ever thought you had a strange family, or had wished your upbringing was on the whole more “ideal” well then this play may reset your bar on troubled childhoods and dysfunctional families. Read more »

Moving Pictures: American Art & Early Film at the Phillips Collection

Admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:54:07 -0500

Moving Pictures: American Art & Early Film, now showing at the Phillips Collection*, is certainly worth its price in admission to see. This intelligent show, which draws parallels between art and the emergence of moving pictures as a new genre of art, is certainly relevant to all of us who live in a society in which moving images serve as main sources of news and information, entertainment, inspiration and have been generally incorporated into our innate perceptions of reality. This show, which is broken down themes by subject matter, focuses on the first twenty years of moving film – a time before Hollywood mattered. Read more »

Busboys and Poets: Progressive Coffee in the U-Street Corridor

Admin — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 09:22:16 -0600

It’s a typical night at Busboys and Poets. Progressively-minded urbanites peruse political and international literature in the tiny bookstore, and college students study over mint tea on one of the many comfy couches and tables. In the Langston Hughes Performance Area, activists in dreadlocks and hippie clothes gather for a spoken word poetry performance, surrounded by pictures and photographs of peace activists and Civil Rights leaders. Read more »

Jasper Johns: An Allegory of Painting (1955-1965) at the National Gallery of Art

Admin — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:30:33 -0600

For anyone who is a Jasper Johns aficionado, this is a wonderful exploration of a very specific moment in the body of Johns’ work. The show, organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, does exactly what it sets out to do –to explore, through some 80+ works, a handful of specific themes which occur in the work of Jasper Johns during the period between 1955 and 1965. Read more »