Art From the Heart

Mayan and Aztec culture fascinates me. Their complexity and organization juxtaposed by their naturalism is something I will was more apparent in Western culture. When the Spaniards came to Mexico, they wrote that the Aztec capitol was as glorious a site as any city in Europe. I believe it. Ancient Mexican societies used a number of different types of art medias. Sculpture was a significant aspect of both cultures. What most impresses me (which is a stretch because all of the stuff I have looked at is just breathtaking...in my opinion) is the use of color, repetition, and ceremony in their works. Creating convolved, chaotic, and rhythmic scenes seems the specialty of these cultures. I wish I could post a series of Mayan and Azetc works...(maybe I will....... ) The last thing I want to say: these cultures did not fear death, and I find that to be extremely noble. This is a work from the Mayan culture - it has to do with declarations of kingship, sacrifice, ritual, and the Gods. Very complicated. Do you see anything today that might remind you of this? In art or culture?

This week in photos.

Just wanted to share a couple of shots from the past few days!


Click here to see the rest of Marisa's headshots.

Click here to see the rest of Camille's headshots.

Click here to see the rest of the publicity shots for SCU's production of Idols for the Winter One Festival.

Time Passes Silently

Breathe in breathe out - reflect.

Best wedding photography.

Each January, the people over at Junebug Weddings choose the fifty best wedding photos of the previous year. The collection contains some absolutely stunning shots, ranging from traditional to completely innovative. Here's a few of my favorites.

Take a look at the rest of the photos here.
Beautiful, right?

The street art debate.

What is your view on the phenomenon that is "street art"? While street art is a subculture that has yet to become incredibly popular here in the US, European street artists who have been creating pieces for years like Invader and Banksy are beginning to gain some mainstream recognition. I think we can all agree that in many situations, "street art" is nothing short of vandalism. At the same time, however, some of these pieces are full of artistic merit. Where do we draw the line?

Daniel Lahoda heads the LA Freewalls campaign, which promotes the installation of large-scale murals on what are called "permission walls" (walls upon which street artistry is condoned and encouraged) of downtown Los Angeles, California. Such a project is groundbreaking in that it actively prevents the stifling of street artistry; instead, it uses it to bring aesthetic interest to the walls of failing businesses, drab school gyms, and otherwise unsightly buildings. When there are initiatives like LA Freewalls, i's easy to chastise street artists that continue their illegal activity; many say that if these artists are producing great works, they ought to submit them to museums - commentary that sometimes brings with it the passive agressive assertion that street art is almost a bastardization of true art. It is important to realize, however, that pieces of street art carry with them certain messages that resonate only within public contexts. Lahoda recently made a statement on this issue that spoke volumes: "Looking at street art in a gallery is like looking at animals in a zoo." That is: it works and it may even be enjoyable - but it's unnatural.

While studying abroad, I ventured to Paris and found this work by Invader (the pixelation in the right hand corner) amidst some other pieces.
Paris, France.
Florence, Italy.
Florence, Italy.
Florence, Italy.

The bedeviled face of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Florence, Italy.

Street artist DopePops installs a piece using wheatpaste on a permission wall on Valencia Street in San Francisco. The wall has been covered and recovered so many times with so many layers of artwork that apparently it is soft and flexible to touch!

Arts Education

I am currently taking a course titled Teaching the Performing Arts. For the class we are volunteering at local community centers to educate children in the arts. At my placement five other Santa Clara University students and I are in charge of teaching the first and second graders. We have only been once so far and I am already disheartened. At such a young age, the students are already very dismissive of the arts. In fact some do not even consider music, dance or theatre to be art. During our reflection on the question of what constitutes art, one of the little boys exclaimed, "I hate dance." I was heartbroken. As a dancer, better yet as an art lover, I could not believe that a boy so young would already have such negative feelings towards dance.

My experience at this community center made me wonder, what caused these adverse reactions to art? My strongest guess is the lack of a strong arts education program in their normal school day. The program, ArtsReach, that we are volunteering through, is great and a very honorable attempt at bringing arts to these children's lives, but it is not enough to do the trick. We do not have the budget, time or space to really introduce the kids to the wonders of art. And unfortunately the kids do not have the money to attend outside arts education. There is much research on the benefits of early and continued arts education in schools. It not only boosts creativity, but it also improves academic achievement and work ethic.

So, what are we going to do to change this? How are we going to get states to increase funding for arts education in the schools?

Add a Little Color to Your Picture Frame

I know...another art nut writing about the great Picasso...what a yawn. But seriously - come on - its PICASSO we are talking about! Pablo Picasso is arguably the most influential, dynamic, and creative artist of the 20th Century. While in Seattle this winter I was fortunate enough to see a major collection of his work at the Seattle Art Museum. While I found some of his cubist pieces a bit repetitive, the sheer number of works, periods, and mediums he mastered is shocking to me. (I think it is cool how after spending a few hours in a museum, thoughts and feelings one rarely considers are roused to the forefront of the mind...almost like a good day at church...)While many like to this of Picasso as a hero like genius, his family had a long tradition in the arts, were well situated, and his father was a fine arts instructor. Picasso, while remarkably talented, was not "Picasso" just because of his God given talent. I think the fact that Picasso was so well trained in art and financially stable does not take away from the work he produced. Rather, I think it suggests that his mastery was more than a bunch of unorganized scribbles that people enjoyed to look at, but was a purposeful intellectual examination of what visual art is and how it can function as an expressive medium.

The ability to express emotion through the visual arts is an amazing gift. No one did this better than Picasso. Throughout all of his work, one consistent reality continues to present itself - Picasso understood the human condition, the complexities of the person, the realities of living in modernity. Whether expressing the squalor of war, the levity of the human figure, or the condition of cultural misfits (his series on circus performers is TO DIE FOR! I know...I am the clown guy...) Picasso took everyday realities and made them novelties. Throughout all of his work, I think Picasso's love for his craft and the process of transformation shines brightly though. The color, line, asymmetry, flatness, and simplicity of shape in Picasso's cubist works are truly remarkable.

Picasso's ability to communicate his reality in a way that expresses its essence is unmatched; I look at this work and feel it in so many different ways. Making us reflect on the visual world we inhabit seems as big a gift to the Western world as Picasso's art at large. If only we could all look at our worlds with the passion, creativity, and elegance as did Picasso....what a world we can exist in if we only adjust our eyes to the correct setting!

It's all in the process.

Kristin Kusanovich, an amazing resident dancer and choreographer at SCU, is putting together a piece for the university's biggest and most popular dance show, IMAGES 2011. I was a little taken aback when she asked me to take photos of "the process" of the dance coming together. It was a daunting task, it seemed, to try to capture the nitty-gritty of what was sure to be an awesome dance. Ultimately, however, the results were incredibly intriguing and beautiful.






More photos here.

Isn't art-in-the-making such an interesting concept? In a way, isn't art-in-process an artform itself?

SCU's IMAGES 2011 will take place in the Louis B. Mayer Theatre February 3rd through 5th at 8pm and February 6th at 2pm.

Hallucinations

The Middle Ages in Europe was a period marked by uncertainty. With battle between political rivals, wide spread famine, disease, and a constant challenge presented by harsh weather, surly this was a difficult age in which to survive. Folklore was a means by which common people learned to cope with their ever changing and threatening world, religion was used as a sanctuary for the suffering, and Kings were relied on for sustenance.

Hallucinations were common among people of the Middle Ages. Due to an inability to properly store food and water, not to mention the general unsanitary conditions (people routinely shared their homes with animals), documented episodes of 'madness', in which people during moments of broad daylight had other-worldly experiences, are well documented. (Maybe we now better understand where our Rumpelstiltskin's of the Western tradition come from.....)

This is a religious work from Northern Europe, made during the Dark Ages. Where did these eccentric figures come from? Is the chaos expressed in this work only a conception of "hell", or could it be a reflection of the insanity that was life during this moment in European history?

Review: "Charisma!"

Every year, the SCU Theatre and Dance Department oversees the student-led production called Charisma! The show is advertised by the department as "an exploration of faith through all the arts." The cast and content of the show varies drastically from year to year. Essentially, though, it is a collection of vignettes in varying forms of word, song and dance, both created and chosen specifically by the cast of people who have come together to effectively piece together a deeply personal show. Charisma! 2011 just completed its three-show run this past weekend – and received very positive reviews.

Let me preface the remainder of this post by explaining that smaller productions like Charisma! rarely get the publicity that bigger, more recognizable shows might – which is not saying much, given the fact that a lot of the time, we over in the Theatre and Dance Department struggle to fill all of our seats. And perhaps I’m a bit biased, what with my personal involvement – I have to admit that I did operate the lightboard for Charisma! this year – but I cannot help but think about what a pity that is, and how many people yearly miss out on something so wonderfully poignant.

Because Charisma! is an annual production, and because I am a junior, it was my third time seeing the show – each one wildly different from the rest. Though it is apparently a commentary on faith and spiritually, Charisma! is areligious and aims to speak to all audiences. Most often, it follows the turbulent journey we all go through as relates to our personal beliefs. As a member of the technical team, I watched as the cast of Charisma! 2011 finalized their show. Upon my first viewing, I felt struck by the show - it touched me in a way previous versions of the production had not. I wracked my brain to realize why.

This year, the cast adopted “belief” as its theme and “I believe” as its slogan – which I found to be essential to its positive reception. Bear with me as I get a bit deep. The content of Charisma! productions has always been wrought with heavy content and sensitive subjects; it has also always been carried by an undercurrent of distant hope. The moral always seems to be, “One day – someday – we can find a way to get through our trials and tribulations.” This year’s production, though, seemed to be overabundant with hope. That was the reason for its success. The moral of this show seemed to be “Here, now, in this moment – with the help of our family, our friends, our very beliefs – we are working through our hardships.” Instead of focusing on the issues, this cast focused on the solutions; instead of focusing on the negative circumstances and the possibility of happiness one day, they focused on finding happiness in the journey.





All photos are my own; the first two I shot; the rest are for me courtesy of Eileen Jao.

Who Needs a Studio?

These guys definitely don't! Besides, who says dance has to be confined to the typical dance studio? Why do we always have to dance inside? In our jazz class today we even took class outside and did our hip hop routine on the grass! As dancers continue to push the limits of choreography, it only makes sense that they should be pushing the limits of their dance space, as well. So, where's the coolest dance 'studio' you've danced in lately?

Nine Dragons

Detail from 'Nine Dragons', a handscroll from the Southern Song Dynasty in China. Ink on paper.

I know a work of art penetrates when, after months of viewing it, I still think about it. The last time I saw this work was May of 2010. I love the detail, intimacy, and elegant ferocity of the dragons. The fog reminds me of San Francisco; always a mystical touch in Chinese ink works.

Dragons were featured in Daoist folklore throughout China as powerful mythological creatures.

Don't they kind of look like humans?

On busy and hectic days, sometimes I feel like a Dragon.

Is Dance Making a Comeback?

Dance, especially classical ballet, has never seemed extremely popular in my lifetime. Boring and outdated were usually the general descriptors applied to the art form. And the recession in the pasts few years has not helped the situation. People no longer have excess money to spend on tickets to see the ballet, or any dance performance for that matter, and so dance companies are not making enough to stay afloat. It's not just dance companies, either. The San Jose Symphony Orchestra, one of the oldest symphony orchestras in California, dissolved in 2001 from lack of funds. I find it sad that a city of about 1 million people cannot keep one symphony orchestra funded. Is it just that people no longer have an interest in these art forms? Or is it all to blame on the recession?

Dance does seem to be making a comeback in popular culture, though mostly in television and film. With shows such as So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, America's Best Dance Crew, etc, more and more people are coming out to show off their dancing skills. And, even more recently, the newest dance movie hit theaters: Black Swan. Unlike movies like Step Up or Take the Lead, which are focused to the younger generations with more popular dance forms, Black Swan takes us back to the days of The Red Shoes and Center Stage, bringing ballet to the forefront. Black Swan was not only a major grosser and big hit among audiences, it was also nominated for a variety of awards. So, is dance making a comeback? Should we expect fuller audiences and increased ticket sales during the upcoming dance seasons? I sincerely hope so.

*photos of American Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake and the third is myself

Hi everyone!

Hi there, I'm Callie. I love all the arts... music, visual, written, performing, all of it! Now that is not to say that I am proficient or even good for that matter at all these art forms. I mean, I can't even carry a tune! My specialty does lie in dance though. When I was seven, my friend took me with her to one of her kiddie dance classes and I've been hooked ever since! Growing up I primarily danced ballet with additional training in jazz and modern, but since coming to college have completely fallen in love with the contemporary style. With this blog I want to share my passion about dance and keep everyone updated with current performances, festivals and master classes in the Bay area!

Caravaggio: David Holding the Head of Goliath

Caravaggio is one of my favorite artists of all time - great historical figure, highly revolutionary in terms of Western art, unique subject matter/style.
Among other things, at the height of his career he was banished from Rome after killing a man...sent this work from his hide out in Southern Italy to the Pope (who had placed a reward on his head because of the killing)...guess whose head Caravaggio painted as Goliath?...(pretty gutsy artist if you ask me!!)

Artist Spotlight: Amanda Wachob.

The other day, a fellow blogger shared this post on artist Amanda Wachob.



In addition to being a fine artist, recognized for her canvas pieces among others, Amanda is also an extremely innovative tattoo artist. While opinions on body modification may vary wildly from person to person, I think it would be kind of hard for any of us to deny the artistic merit of Amanda's work.



Click here to visit Amanda's tattoo artistry website or here to visit her fine art website.

What do you think of tattoos or other forms of body modification as self-expression - as art?

Everyone loves a Clown

This is a mixed media painting by Don Fritz (2004). A pop-surrealist, Fritz deconstructs popular imagery from 1950s 'Americana' as a means of revealing assumptions, biases, and cultural values in the USA.

What are the myths that perpetuate our culture today? Looking back on our culture is 200 years, what will historians say about us? About our rituals, beliefs, and customs? How do some of the things we engage in today look when they are taken out of context and place on a white background? Doesn't everyone love a clown...

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hello All!

My name is Jaz, a senior at Santa Clara University studying Art History. This is my first blog, which is both exciting and a bit nerve racking. Basically, I want to share with all of you my passion for visual art. When I started taking Art History I began to understand not only the emotional power of art to relate to people at a primitive level, but also how great works can reveal interesting things about society - past and present. I love art from all time periods, areas of the world, and styles; studying the history of art has really shown me a variety of different types of art that I am excited to share with you. I also work for an artist at SCU, and so I am able to stay quasi-on top of the modern art scene. Ultimately, I hope my posts help you see art in a different light - or on realer level, that at least you find the works entertaining and fresh!

Introduction: Grace.

Hi! I’m Grace and I love art. As far as my involvement with it, I am a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none. I have been a performer for as long as I can remember – I act and sing, but for all of our sakes, I try to stay far away from dancing. Five or so years ago, I became more interested in visual arts – specifically photography, around which I have established a sort of amateur career of sorts. I used to be bitter that I could not draw or paint for the life of me, but being able to set up a good photograph seems to make up for that fact. While photo is one of my biggest passions, I am also crazy about good graphic design, illustration and web design (that’s why my first order of business on this blog was to tackle the HTML and CSS coding to create something a little more aesthetically-pleasing). I am a firm believer in the idea that art is everywhere. I look forward to the coming weeks, throughout which I intend to bring to this blog posts about everything from street art to high art, from theatre to dance, from do-it-yourself-projects to simple snapshots of the beauty of this world. :]