by Sandy | Jan 10, 2010 | Blogroll, music
Coming to a local Public Television Station near you this week is a new documentary about Sam Cooke (January 1931 – December 1964).
The contribution of the legendary singer/song writer will be explored in the PBS “American Masters” series “Sam Cooke: Crossing Over”. It includes some performance scenes and interviews with family and musicians to illuminate the short career that lifted our spirits with traditional Gospel music, but also gave us songs like “You Send Me” and the classic “A Change is Gonna Come” (rumor has it that he wrote this in 1963 after hearing Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”.)
“Sam Cooke: Crossing Over” – Amazing talent, not forgotten.
by Sandy | Jan 9, 2010 | Blogroll, Film, Movies
2 film options to learn more about the situation in Darfur, the western region of Sudan, Africa.
“The Devil Came on Horseback”, 2007 – The “Save Darfur Coalition” is an alliance of over 180 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations whose mission is to raise public awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and to mobilize a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of more than two million people in the Darfur region.”
“Darfur Now”, 2007 directed by Ted Braun – The documentary captures, thru images and interviews, the seemingly endless horror escalating among the Sudanese. This is a call for intervention – moral, diplomatic.
[ad#Adsense Link Unit]
by Sandy | Jan 8, 2010 | Art, Artist, Blogroll, Exhibits, Museums
“Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective“ is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until January 10, 2010 . The Armenian-born American Abstract Expressionist painter, 1904-1948, is considered “a seminal figure in the movement toward abstraction that transformed American art.”
“Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective” * Ends 1/10/10
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA
(Images: “Dark Green Painting”, 1948 and “Golden Brown”, 1943)
[ad#Adsense Link Unit]
by Bob Martin | Jan 7, 2010 | Art, Dance, Dancers
Ghetto Ballet, a very tight well put together documentary (a little of a half hour) which in a relatively short period of time tells a story of four South African youth who have varied aspirations to be “classical” ballet dancers. They are part of a small group of students from Philip Boyd’s “Dance for All” a dancing academy created to teach disadvantage boys and girls classical and modern ballet.
Dance for All, Cape Town South Africa
The group is followed over the course of one year as they attempt to overcome their challenges and the choices that they make. On issue that is brought up in the film that I personally have had an issue with is that of ballet dancers weight and the focus on body type and I realized as I watched the film that teachers, regardless of their discipline can only teach what it is that they know.
The kids are sweet, beautiful and like any young person in the world, desire to have a better life for themselves and their families, which is their right. What this film is able to do without preaching or judging is to illustrate that the world may be culturally diverse and yet there is no distinction between us in our desire to live a meaningful life.
[ad#Adsense Link Unit]
[ad#Google Mobile]
by Sandy | Jan 3, 2010 | Art, Blogroll, Culture, Museums
I love to look at these colorful, comforting coverings. They so often seem to represent what the quilter’s life and dreams are about.
The de Young Museum in San Francisco, until June 6, 2010, will present an exhibit called: “Amish Abstractions – Quilts from the Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown”.
48 pieces, quilted between 1880 and 1940 by Amish women of Pennsylvania and the Mid West. “Using a rich color palette and bold patterns, these quilts are truly a unique contribution to American textile history. The quilts highlight the beauty and complexity of the abstract patterns.”
“Amish Abstraction”
de Young Museum
Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA
Image: Crib Quilt, “Thirty Six Patch”, 1930
by Bob Martin | Jan 2, 2010 | Actors, Art, Directors, Film, Movies
Pedro Almodóvar has a delightful way of telling a story.
Lluís Homar
Without discussing the plot, Broken Embraces (Los Abrazos Rotos) is reminiscent of Hitchcock both in the telling of the story and visuals. There is something sinister going on and the audience is intrigued and charmed.
Blanca Portillo
It’s funny and sad and never forced. Penelope Cruz and Blanca Portillo both blessed with extraordinary faces that deliver comedic lines with a seriousness that add to the plot of the movie. The film also stars Lluís Homar a seasoned, rugged, good looking actor and director who is perfect in his role.
This is the kind of movie that requires more then one viewing (always with sub-titles). There is a lot more to see and to be fascinated with. Good flick.
[ad#Adsense Link Unit]
by Sandy | Jan 2, 2010 | Art, Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, Culture, Museums
In the 19th century, Siam (now Thailand) and Burma (now Myanmar) were neighboring kingdoms. Before they were touched by European imperialism, their traditions of luxurious arts and architecture flourished.
The Asian Arts Museum of San Francisco’s “Emerald Cities is the first major exhibition in the West to explore the rich but little known arts of Siam and Burma from this period. Many of the 140 stunning artworks—including gilded ritual vessels, mother-of-pearl inlaid furniture, colorful paintings, manuscripts, exquisite textiles, delicate ceramics, and more—were recently acquired by the museum from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and are on display for the first time.”
“Emerald Cities: Arts of Siam & Burma” * Until January 10, 2010
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA
by Sandy | Dec 29, 2009 | Art, Blogroll, Exhibits, Museums
Until January 10, 2010, the Frick Museum in NYC will have a program called, “Watteau to Degas: French Drawings from the Frits Lugt Collection”
Included in the exhibit are drawings by Degas, Watteau, Fragonard, Boucher, Delacroix and more.
French Drawings – until 1/10/10
The Frick Collection
1 East 70th Street
New York, NY
(Images: “Studies of Seven Heads”, Antoine Watteau, 1717 and “Head of a Soldier”, Edgar Degas, 1857)
[ad#Reviewpost 10-24]
by Bob Martin | Dec 28, 2009 | Artist, Culture, Theater
Le pont / Bamako / Mali / 2008 by Joel Andrianomearisoa
The Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art opening reception January 9th of “A Collective Diary:
An African Contemporary Journey”, featuring the work of 12 African contemporary artists.
Art always captures the truth, as it is witnessed by the artist. There is no attempt to conceal. This exhibit is a part of a group show that has been traveling the world and displays Africa’s cultural diversity in its art and thinking.
[ad#Adsense Link Unit]
by Bob Martin | Dec 24, 2009 | Art, Directors, Movies
An entertaining movie, especially on the giant IMAX
screen and a theater filled with kids impressed with 3D. and trying to touch everything. A couple of times I confused people walking in the isle as being in the movie. I had not seen a 3D movie in years and was surprised how much better the viewing was this time around.
Sigourney Weaver and Sam Worthington
I wanted the script to go someplace, away from the typical story line, “Dances 
with Wolves” or “Tarzan” which continues a myth that I find disappointing. So technically I found the movie excellent in telling the same tired story, it takes a westerner to save another culture from extinction that’s caused by western culture. A review in i09 brings up the issues of race, genocide and aligns Avatar with District 9, whose story although the same as Avatar I liked it better.
See it (almost everyone will) and there is no new insight in the story line, white man with a white hat saves the world again. Alien in 3D, now that would have been something.
[ad#Adsense Link Unit]
The contribution of the legendary singer/song writer will be explored in the PBS “American Masters” series “Sam Cooke: Crossing Over”. It includes some performance scenes and interviews with family and musicians to illuminate the short career that lifted our spirits with traditional Gospel music, but also gave us songs like “You Send Me” and the classic “A Change is Gonna Come” (rumor has it that he wrote this in 1963 after hearing Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”.)
