Meditating
Learning patience
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
PEN American Center - 2011 PEN World Voices Festival
PEN American Center - 2011 PEN World Voices Festival For those of us who believe that if they don't pay you-you don't have to be jerked around by them. If you were wondering about alternatives and haven't quit you day job you can have your say--find out ways and means for independents.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Secret Life of Poets: Two Sides of Emily Dickinson - She Writes
The Secret Life of Poets: Two Sides of Emily Dickinson - She Writes: "Wild Nights -- Wild Nights!
Were I with thee
Wild Nights should be
Our luxury!
Futile -- the Winds –
To a Heart in port –
Done with the Compass –
Done with the Chart!
Rowing in Eden –
Ah, the Sea!
Might I but moor – Tonight –
In Thee!"
Were I with thee
Wild Nights should be
Our luxury!
Futile -- the Winds –
To a Heart in port –
Done with the Compass –
Done with the Chart!
Rowing in Eden –
Ah, the Sea!
Might I but moor – Tonight –
In Thee!"
Monday, April 25, 2011
A John Ascroft moment in Kew Gardens-is public sculpture doomed!
Power and its Abuses
I have lately lost faith in the power of reason. I think the time has come for those of us who call ourselves art critics to fish or cut bait.
Recently the College Art Association, to which I have belonged since the 1960s, has opted to take a pass on writing a letter of support regarding saving a public work of art by the sculptor Frederick MacMonnies, entitled Civic Virtue (something sorely needed in these times). The work crumbles in Kew Gardens, while politicians--including my democratic populist representative--exploit it as a political football to advance their own ambitions. Killing two birds with one stone, Anthony Weiner (D-Queens, Brooklyn) contends that the work is an eye sore and sexist--that the City of New York should sell it off on Craigslist rather than conserve it. His statements would be laughable were it not that he follows John Ashcroft, Pied-Piper like, in his efforts to rid the country of works of art he deems valueless. And his precedent is encouraging others in turn. [This sort of hypocrisy recalls the disingenuous cant of the Nazi party concerning decadent art during the 1930s--cut???.] In Maine, for example, the governor’s recent efforts to remove a 2007 public mural devoted to the subject of laborers represent the same self-serving politics as those of Weiner (and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall). Yet their opinions decidedly do not reflect the sentiments of the local community. Add to this the efforts to relocate Charles Alston and Hale Woodruff's murals from their public perch in an historically important Los Angeles building to the Smithsonian's Museum of African American History, and the signals are clear. Together these events underscore the fragility of an idea that we tend to take for granted: that public art is designed as "site-specific," contributes to a sense of place, and serves as an economic engine for localities that aren't necessarily in the metropolitan center.
Queens, in fact boasts only the residues of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs and the MacMonnies monument as cultural artifacts. People (mostly politicians), as art historian Michele Bogart has noted, seem to believe that if they don't like the work of public art, that it should just be moved out of sight (sorry for pun) and out of mind.
Politicians knee-jerk reactions are not acceptable when they have the power to act upon them. We who have thought long and hard about art know much better, and it behooves us to stand up for what we know is right. Pastor Martin Niemöllers much-cited statement comes immediately to mind:
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists
and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me -
and by then there was no one left to speak out for me.
The CAA elects not to speak out against irresponsible political statements and actions (which have potentially disasterous implications for all public art) because “its members might have some considerable differences of opinion” about these works of art. In making this decision, the organization has abdicated of one of its central responsibilities as a professional arts organization. The CAA should be establishing mechanisms for members to mobilize quickly to fire back when politicians behave as did the governor of Maine, or, as was the case with Congressman Weiner, cavelierely disregard the fact that the municipality has a long-standing, charter-mandated process in place for the removal and relocation of works of art. The CAA should be looking out for the interests of its public artist members and actively supporting the idea of conserving works that have been selected for a city’s permanent collection. Civic Virtue is but one example. If we allow it to disintegrate, then any public work that fails to capture the heart of political representatives is potentially in jeopardy.
To ignore the corruption of basic values that we know to be true in both art and life is to collude in our own corruption. Niemöller’s statement affirms that we must all stay vigilant and go against the current if we hope to preserve the creative freedoms we value.
I have lately lost faith in the power of reason. I think the time has come for those of us who call ourselves art critics to fish or cut bait.
Recently the College Art Association, to which I have belonged since the 1960s, has opted to take a pass on writing a letter of support regarding saving a public work of art by the sculptor Frederick MacMonnies, entitled Civic Virtue (something sorely needed in these times). The work crumbles in Kew Gardens, while politicians--including my democratic populist representative--exploit it as a political football to advance their own ambitions. Killing two birds with one stone, Anthony Weiner (D-Queens, Brooklyn) contends that the work is an eye sore and sexist--that the City of New York should sell it off on Craigslist rather than conserve it. His statements would be laughable were it not that he follows John Ashcroft, Pied-Piper like, in his efforts to rid the country of works of art he deems valueless. And his precedent is encouraging others in turn. [This sort of hypocrisy recalls the disingenuous cant of the Nazi party concerning decadent art during the 1930s--cut???.] In Maine, for example, the governor’s recent efforts to remove a 2007 public mural devoted to the subject of laborers represent the same self-serving politics as those of Weiner (and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall). Yet their opinions decidedly do not reflect the sentiments of the local community. Add to this the efforts to relocate Charles Alston and Hale Woodruff's murals from their public perch in an historically important Los Angeles building to the Smithsonian's Museum of African American History, and the signals are clear. Together these events underscore the fragility of an idea that we tend to take for granted: that public art is designed as "site-specific," contributes to a sense of place, and serves as an economic engine for localities that aren't necessarily in the metropolitan center.
Queens, in fact boasts only the residues of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs and the MacMonnies monument as cultural artifacts. People (mostly politicians), as art historian Michele Bogart has noted, seem to believe that if they don't like the work of public art, that it should just be moved out of sight (sorry for pun) and out of mind.
Politicians knee-jerk reactions are not acceptable when they have the power to act upon them. We who have thought long and hard about art know much better, and it behooves us to stand up for what we know is right. Pastor Martin Niemöllers much-cited statement comes immediately to mind:
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists
and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me -
and by then there was no one left to speak out for me.
The CAA elects not to speak out against irresponsible political statements and actions (which have potentially disasterous implications for all public art) because “its members might have some considerable differences of opinion” about these works of art. In making this decision, the organization has abdicated of one of its central responsibilities as a professional arts organization. The CAA should be establishing mechanisms for members to mobilize quickly to fire back when politicians behave as did the governor of Maine, or, as was the case with Congressman Weiner, cavelierely disregard the fact that the municipality has a long-standing, charter-mandated process in place for the removal and relocation of works of art. The CAA should be looking out for the interests of its public artist members and actively supporting the idea of conserving works that have been selected for a city’s permanent collection. Civic Virtue is but one example. If we allow it to disintegrate, then any public work that fails to capture the heart of political representatives is potentially in jeopardy.
To ignore the corruption of basic values that we know to be true in both art and life is to collude in our own corruption. Niemöller’s statement affirms that we must all stay vigilant and go against the current if we hope to preserve the creative freedoms we value.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Why Queens politicians are not public servants but only serving themselves
To be truly ignorant one has to be unwilling to listen and learn. This the case with the democrats who are suppose to represent my interests and the interests of those culturally concerned people in Queens.
An art historian from Stony Brook University has joined forces with Queens residents to restore the “Civic Virtue” statue outside Borough Hall, which they said has been unfairly maligned by area politicians, who have called for its removal without looking into the artwork’s history.
“Civic Virtue,” finished by American artist Frederick MacMonnies in 1919, depicts a nearly nude man with a sword, towering over two female figures. The sculpture was recently called sexist by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens and Brooklyn) and Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst), who said they supported moving the statue out of the borough.
“I wouldn’t argue that politicians are wrong, or people are wrong, or stupid because they see this work as sexist in some way,” said Michele Bogart, an art history professor at Stony Brook and a Brooklyn resident. “I would argue they’re not paying close enough attention to the work. They’re reacting in a knee-jerk way and haven’t bothered to understand the history of it.”
Bogart, who had just finished writing a scholarly article on “Civic Virtue” when Weiner held a press conference calling for its removal in early March, said the statue could be used to teach students and the general public about the history of the city and the borough, as it was commissioned by the mayor in 1909 and ultimately dedicated in 1922. It was controversial from the beginning, with women’s rights groups calling it sexist after its dedication, which Bogart noted was just after the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
“Women’s groups looked at the work in a rather literal way and didn’t take account of the fact it was an allegorical personification of virtue triumphing over vice,” Bogart said.
Many residents have denounced the condemnation from Queens politicians. Community Board 9 recently passed a resolution calling for the statue’s restoration, which Bogart said could cost up to $1 million — far less than the $20 million price-tag Borough President Helen Marshall had cited. However, the more modest work of cleaning the statue, fixing some of the broken stonework, among other things, could cost in the range of $100,000 to $150,000, Bogart said.
“I wouldn’t believe there’s any government money for restoration, but we’re hoping to garner enough publicity so that private art organizations will find it worthy enough to at least try and dedicate some funds or help raise funds,” said CB 9 Chairwoman Andrea Crawford.
Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) said at a CB 9 meeting last week that it was highly unlikely any city funds would be dedicated to the statue.
“There’s no way we can put any city money into ‘Civic Virtue’ when we have to put money into infrastructure,” Koslowitz said at the meeting. “Roads need repairs, I’m putting money into parks and into the school system.”
CB 9 District Manager Mary Ann Carey said she has received a deluge of e-mails, phone calls and letters in support of restoring the statue and keeping it in the borough.
“This is a public work of art, and it should be conserved,” Carey said. “What other public art is there in Queens? There’s the Unisphere, and there’s this. Now they want to take this away.”
Bogart suggested the borough president allocate a small amount of money for the statue, which she said could be followed by support from private individuals and groups.
“The city does not have the funds right now, so all the community board is trying to do is get the backing of the Queens Borough president to provide a small amount of seed money that could be used to catalyze a movement to raise private funds to get the monument stabilized,” said Bogart, who began researching “Civic Virtue” while conducting research in the late 1980s for a book on public sculpture in the city.
Bogart suggested a plaque be placed by the statue summarizing its history.
“Use the work as a vehicle to educate people on the complexities of art, the representation of male-female relationships, about Queens and the city,” she said.
HEAR! HEAR but this plea has fallen on deaf ears and ineducatable brains. Don't believe what these people's media hype tells you. Experience and learn who these people are really for and what their ambitions really mean for the people of Queens. No vision-they fail to see a golden opportunity for tourism and education because they lack imagination and their minds are closed! Anyone who opposes them is labeled crazy (as in my case by Anthony Weiner and a sexists - this after I have authored six books dealing with the subject and hundredes of articles--so much for respecting those you are supposed to respect and who you want to work and vote for you. WOULD YOU? I don't think so.
An art historian from Stony Brook University has joined forces with Queens residents to restore the “Civic Virtue” statue outside Borough Hall, which they said has been unfairly maligned by area politicians, who have called for its removal without looking into the artwork’s history.
“Civic Virtue,” finished by American artist Frederick MacMonnies in 1919, depicts a nearly nude man with a sword, towering over two female figures. The sculpture was recently called sexist by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens and Brooklyn) and Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst), who said they supported moving the statue out of the borough.
“I wouldn’t argue that politicians are wrong, or people are wrong, or stupid because they see this work as sexist in some way,” said Michele Bogart, an art history professor at Stony Brook and a Brooklyn resident. “I would argue they’re not paying close enough attention to the work. They’re reacting in a knee-jerk way and haven’t bothered to understand the history of it.”
Bogart, who had just finished writing a scholarly article on “Civic Virtue” when Weiner held a press conference calling for its removal in early March, said the statue could be used to teach students and the general public about the history of the city and the borough, as it was commissioned by the mayor in 1909 and ultimately dedicated in 1922. It was controversial from the beginning, with women’s rights groups calling it sexist after its dedication, which Bogart noted was just after the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
“Women’s groups looked at the work in a rather literal way and didn’t take account of the fact it was an allegorical personification of virtue triumphing over vice,” Bogart said.
Many residents have denounced the condemnation from Queens politicians. Community Board 9 recently passed a resolution calling for the statue’s restoration, which Bogart said could cost up to $1 million — far less than the $20 million price-tag Borough President Helen Marshall had cited. However, the more modest work of cleaning the statue, fixing some of the broken stonework, among other things, could cost in the range of $100,000 to $150,000, Bogart said.
“I wouldn’t believe there’s any government money for restoration, but we’re hoping to garner enough publicity so that private art organizations will find it worthy enough to at least try and dedicate some funds or help raise funds,” said CB 9 Chairwoman Andrea Crawford.
Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) said at a CB 9 meeting last week that it was highly unlikely any city funds would be dedicated to the statue.
“There’s no way we can put any city money into ‘Civic Virtue’ when we have to put money into infrastructure,” Koslowitz said at the meeting. “Roads need repairs, I’m putting money into parks and into the school system.”
CB 9 District Manager Mary Ann Carey said she has received a deluge of e-mails, phone calls and letters in support of restoring the statue and keeping it in the borough.
“This is a public work of art, and it should be conserved,” Carey said. “What other public art is there in Queens? There’s the Unisphere, and there’s this. Now they want to take this away.”
Bogart suggested the borough president allocate a small amount of money for the statue, which she said could be followed by support from private individuals and groups.
“The city does not have the funds right now, so all the community board is trying to do is get the backing of the Queens Borough president to provide a small amount of seed money that could be used to catalyze a movement to raise private funds to get the monument stabilized,” said Bogart, who began researching “Civic Virtue” while conducting research in the late 1980s for a book on public sculpture in the city.
Bogart suggested a plaque be placed by the statue summarizing its history.
“Use the work as a vehicle to educate people on the complexities of art, the representation of male-female relationships, about Queens and the city,” she said.
HEAR! HEAR but this plea has fallen on deaf ears and ineducatable brains. Don't believe what these people's media hype tells you. Experience and learn who these people are really for and what their ambitions really mean for the people of Queens. No vision-they fail to see a golden opportunity for tourism and education because they lack imagination and their minds are closed! Anyone who opposes them is labeled crazy (as in my case by Anthony Weiner and a sexists - this after I have authored six books dealing with the subject and hundredes of articles--so much for respecting those you are supposed to respect and who you want to work and vote for you. WOULD YOU? I don't think so.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Romaine Brooks book
FinRomaine Brooks was an American expatriate, artist, interior designer, fashion icon and lover, friend,and confidante to a brilliant cast of characters including: Ida Rubenstein, Natalie Barney, Gabriele D'Annunzio, Jean Cocteau, Bryher (Winifred Ellerman), Djuna Barnes, Colette, Janet Flanner, Carl Van Vechten, Radclyffe Hall, Mina Loy, Gertrude Stein, Renee Vivien, and Somerset Maugham.
Her struggle to overcome her traumatic dhildhood shadowed her and ultimately affected the direction of her art and life.
This radically new critical study re-positions Brooks as a major figure in the rise of modernism at the beginning of the twentieth century
ally pulling it together for my Romaine Brooks book summary so here it is in a nutshell.
Her struggle to overcome her traumatic dhildhood shadowed her and ultimately affected the direction of her art and life.
This radically new critical study re-positions Brooks as a major figure in the rise of modernism at the beginning of the twentieth century
ally pulling it together for my Romaine Brooks book summary so here it is in a nutshell.
Fashion in Film Fest Opens in New York - EyeScoop - Celebrity Photos, Fashion and Lifestyle News - WWD.com
Fashion in Film Fest Opens in New York - EyeScoop - Celebrity Photos, Fashion and Lifestyle News - WWD.com This is just plain great. Talk about high style and outrageously glamourous! I have early stills of Marlene and other "goddesses" and they still knock me out.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Stonewall-National-Library---Archive-Welcomes-Author-R--Tripp-Evans.html?soid=1102026594214&aid=Paj4UqwqyEc
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Stonewall-National-Library---Archive-Welcomes-Author-R--Tripp-Evans.html?soid=1102026594214&aid=Paj4UqwqyEc This is a great read. Tripp did a wonderful job. I reviewed the book for G&LR international. See my www.romainebrooks.com for a link
Monday, April 11, 2011
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Stonewall-National-Library---Archive-Update.html?soid=1102026594214&aid=2e_fo0DFrHw
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Stonewall-National-Library---Archive-Update.html?soid=1102026594214&aid=2e_fo0DFrHw
New leadership-new possibilities. Building on a job well done, Brian will enhance this strong foundation of bringing in the best of our communities.
New leadership-new possibilities. Building on a job well done, Brian will enhance this strong foundation of bringing in the best of our communities.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
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