TravelCent » Art

Sistine Chapel in Rome Inspires New Artist

Scott — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:20:07 +0000

I always thought art was, well pretty, but also kind of silly and pointless. I mean, come on, anyone can draw a few lines on a wall or canvas or even splash the paint on and someone will call it great. I guess I’ve just never been into it or the amount of money that people pay for it. Oh, and it actually cracks me up that there are university degrees in art. I mean, really? Okay, so actually, that has been my attitude up to a year ago when I went to Europe with my parents and my sister. We spent a week in Rome while we were there we did what most other people who visit the city do, we went to Vatican City and saw the Sistine Chapel. And you guessed it, I really wasn’t into the idea and the only reason I didn’t complain was I wanted to hurry through it and get to some pasta place.

Okay, and this is where I tell you, as ridiculous as it sounds, my whole life changed. Ha ha, I’m not kidding. Do you realize that Michelangelo painted the ceiling of that place? Not only that but he also painted at least one wall fresco, The Last Judgment. And I’m telling you that you just can’t imagine how, okay I’ll say it, beautiful it is unless you are standing before or under it. Michelangelo wasn’t the only artist who worked on the chapel. Other artists like Botticelli, Raphael and Bernini also had some paintings there, Michelangelo is just the most famous and also painted the ceiling, which is one of its major piece.

So, I stood there and didn’t move and, don’t tell my friend Mikey, but my eyes actually began to tear up. It was crazy. I couldn’t talk and I don’t know how much time had passed. My dad actually had to drag me away eventually and I had forgotten all about the pasta dinner we were going to have. I immediately started to look into all of Michelangelo’s work and when I returned from summer vacation I switched one of my electives and took a drawing class. And if all that isn’t enough, get this, this semester I switched from being a business major to, you guessed it, art.

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Sistine Chapel in Rome Inspires New Artist

Michelangelo in Seattle

Mozart on the Streets of San Francisco

Scott — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:50:26 +0000

When that was really invigorating and somewhat nerve wracking. I’m staring this new journal, of sorts as to collect my experiences and memories of establishing myself as a street musician in San Francisco. I have various reasons for going in this direction and one of them is to gain the most interactive and close solo performance experience that I can. I have played solo parts in my college orchestra though it is an entirely different experience being the only one out there and also being that close to your audience. I also like the idea of the freedom street audiences have. They aren’t in a concert hall where their behavior is sort of monitored by social etiquette and expectations. They can take or leave you on the street and their response to your performance is totally based on their opinion. And they aren’t shy about showing it either. It’s not like they throw rotten tomatoes at you or boo and hiss or anything, they’re enjoyment or lack thereof is just written all over their face.

Meanwhile another reason I’ve decided to do some street performance is because I’m trying out some variations on arrangements of some Mozart concertos and have also arranged some cello pieces for solo violin. I’m really pretty excited about this and figure that a random and unbiased audience is a great place to begin my feedback consideration. So, the only thing I performed today was a solo violin arrangement of part of Mozart’s Jupiter symphony. I know that might sound kind of odd at first, but I really liked my variation of the theme. I played it just off of Pier 35 down along Fisherman’s Wharf. This is where a lot of tourists straight out of their comfortable beds in one of the San Francisco hotels head out. I was relatively near where the cable car picks up and drops off people so I had a steady flow of audiences. I wanted to see how many I could attract and sustain. I also thought it would be less nerve wracking because I wasn’t the main focus of attention and when I felt my hands start to shake I just pretended like I was part of the background and that no one was paying any attention. It worked, when I looked up there was a small crowd of people surrounding me.

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Mozart on the Streets of San Francisco

Michelangelo in Seattle

Scott — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:00:51 +0000

In high school, before I had a chance to see any real art museums, a teacher would show a slide or a photo in a book and attempt to discuss the paintings, trying to explain that the copies couldn’t replicate the real energy of a painting. Books and slides could give you an idea of the photo, but never truly capture its essence, the thing that made people travel thousands of miles just to see a Van Gogh or a Rembrandt or drawings or sculpture by Michelangelo. I didn’t know how true that was until I started seeing masterpieces in London, and then St. Petersburg, particularly anything by Michelangelo. Over the next month, if you live near Seattle, or have an opportunity to stay over at a hotel Seattle most likely will have waiting for you, then you’ll have a chance to see some of Michelangelo’s brilliance in person.

The Seattle Art Museum, through the end of January, has a display of twelve original Michelangelo drawings. The exhibit is called “Michelangelo Public and Private: Drawings for the Sistine Chapel and Other Treasures from the Casa Buonarroti,” and has been running since October 15 and will continue until January 31, 2010. The show is meant to examine the artist’s personality as well as parts of his career and life (in addition to the twelve drawings, the exhibit includes decorative arts and personal documents from the Casa Buonarroti, the Italian museum and home that belonged to Michelangelo’s direct descendants, and who lived for centuries in the building). However, the exhibit is mostly concentrated on the artist’s work for Rome’s Sistine Chapel, including the working drawings for the chapel and the Last Judgement, offering some insight into the mind of Michelangelo as we see his process from sketch work to finished studies.

Apparently, Michelangelo would have abhorred such an exhibition; he burned a great deal of his drawings, specifically to give the impression that the work was divinely inspired and not the result of painstaking human planning. However, if your work lasts over four hundred and forty-six years, then perhaps it’s time to take some personal credit for it. The chance to see any work by Michelangelo, even preparatory drawings for his paintings is a terrific opportunity to see true genius at work, genius which can’t be appreciated from copies in a book.

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Michelangelo in Seattle

John Brack, Painter of Melbourne

Scott — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:26:30 +0000

John Brack was a painter who was born in Melbourne, Australia and is quite famous in his home town, as well as becoming very well known throughout the world, with the collectors and the other painters on the international art scene. The top Melbourne hotels, dining establishments and galleries have been appreciative of his style for years, and his paintings of the life in Australia have a modern edge that is intriguing and innovative. He paints landscapes, figures and still lifes, with a sensibility that does not employ the use of myth, legends, or history. He painted the sprawling expansion of the cities of Australia, as well as the singular man sitting with a drink in a pub. He documents the aspects of modern life in ways that are becoming iconic, much in the way some of the pieces of works by Andy Warhol became during that time period. His sense of irony and his keen wit made him a force to be reckoned with, layers of complex meanings detail the simple aspects of this modern world. His retrospective work will be on temporary exhibit at the Art Gallery of South Australia beginning in October, and will hang throughout the month of January, 2010.

When questioned Brack has stated that he had comments to make about society, but that for him, he had to make those comments without the use of words and language. He paints everyday aspects, but in a way that was very distinctive to his world view, and that sense of humor. To him, what was of utmost importance was the human condition, and the wish to have been able to understand that condition a bit more by studying it, as well as the desire to be able to illuminate that, and illustrate that in ways that the viewer could understand. He spent the earlier years of his career painting those that were part of his immediate surroundings, his wife, his children, his friends in the world of art, and those he passed on the streets. His art changed a bit as time went on, and he began to paint still lives more that he had in the past. It has been twenty years since a gallery has held a retrospective of his world, and those familiar with it, are waiting in eager anticipation.

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John Brack, Painter of Melbourne

The Artistry of the Jewelery Makers of Jaipur

Scott — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:53:49 +0000

Many international visitors travel to India each year to take advantage of the bargains, the selection, and the artistry of the country’s craftsmen and artists. The open air markets are a visual treat in and of themselves, and along with various items, there is the best of the cuisine located throughout the market places, where the cultural and the culinary traditions of the country are offered up. When one travels to a new destination, it is important to note where it is that the locals shop, or which restaurants are filled with the residents of the city, and in that way, one may gauge where they may wish to spend their time, as the locals in any given city often support those which are the best, the best deals or the best flavors. And the locals in the country of India, go to the city of Jaipur located in the state of Rajasthan. Well known countrywide as being the absolute best place to shop, this fact is becoming recognized world-wide, and people travel from far and wide, stay in one of the Jaipur luxury hotels, and hit the streets looking for bargains, or for that special item to bring home with them.

The Jaipur artists are known for their skills, their attention to detail and the historical traditions they adhere to when creating their works, every thing from pottery design, to carpet weaving, to wooden and marble sculpture, folks travel for days in order to purchase these works. and one of the most incredible traditions practiced in the city is that of the working with gemstones and design of the jewelry. The land in Rajasthan has produced precious gems in the mines for centuries, and just as the more expensive and exclusive shops are famous, so art the crafts of the those working from the bazaars and the open air markets in the streets of Jaipur. From bead work, to diamonds and from tribal fashions to pearls, there is something for every jewelry lover to be found. Amethyst, crystals and topaz are used not only for the creation of necklaces and earrings, but are often worked into the statues and idols of animals or the Hindu deities. The variety is outstanding and one must really view it with their own eyes to realize the amazing treasures to be found among the small shops and studios of the jewelers of Jaipur.

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The Artistry of the Jewelery Makers of Jaipur

New York’s Public Theater

Scott — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:07:06 +0000

The Public Theater in New York is the most well known repertory Shakespeare company in the United States. Known for excellent productions of Shakespeare’s work, the Public is dedicated to the production of new work as well. One of the goals of the company has been the continued artistic achievements while ensuring that the work they produce remains relevant in society as well as accessible to the public. While it is Shakespeare, they do not want people to feel intimidated, and work to produce musicals, comedies, and innovative and creative ways of staging the older classics. They work from the premise of inclusion, through their programs that support development and education to new artists from all backgrounds, through their practice of casting in non traditional ways, their outreach programs in the schools of the city and through endeavors that provide cultural and social contexts for the works that are being produced. They attempt to stage shows that reflect the current issues and the community interest.

All the communities in the city are represented by the Public Theater, and the company has always charged a nominal ticket price, or more often, offered the shows free of charge. This is in keeping with the philosophy of making these shows available to everyone, regardless of financial status. Many travel from all over the world to take part in the productions, staying in the small hotels New York is famous for, the historical and the charming buildings of the city. For the Public is well known to address the voices of all countries, all cultures and rhythms of the soul. Along with the main stage, the Public now houses a black box theater for new and experimental work as well as a smaller venue for musical performance. Joe’s Pub is the name of the smaller venue and is quickly becoming a popular spot along side the Public.

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New York’s Public Theater

New York City’s Nuyorican Poets Cafe

Scott — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:34:00 +0000

The Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York, began in the front room of Miguel Algarin. In 1973, Alagarin, wanting to create a venue for new works of theater and poetry, set up the space in the front room of his apartment in the East Village. In just two short years, his living room became too small to accommodate the growing number of poets, and the growing audience. Two of the poets who regularly performed there had become published and where beginning to win awards. Algarin realized that indeed this was a sign that the culture of poetry, and the live readings of that poetry was becoming a vital and a necessary force in society. So in 1975, Algarin moved the venue into an Irish pub that he rented, called the Sunshine Cafe. He changed the name to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, and five years later, it was became necessary for them to find an even larger space. Now the Cafe is in its permanent home on East Third Street, and has been able to expand the programs and the activities they now offer.

This has become one of the most respected organizations throughout the country and many travel to participate or to witness the performances that take place, staying in one of the many luxury hotels New York City has to offer in the neighborhood close to the theater. The Cafe is a non-profit group and has gained acclaim for the innovative performances in music, poetry, comedy, theater and the visual arts. They have remained true to their original mission statement, which has been to create a venue that offers multi-cultural events, that has various exhibitions of the works of the artists, and is a place where the artists and the community are nurtured and supported. An important goal being that the works on display or performed get seen by the widest audience possible. It is no secret that throughout the years, many talented people, be they painters, or writers or actors, go un-noticed, or are under represented in a world that attends the large Broadway shows, or simply sits and watches American Idol. This company supports these artists and is dedicated to finding the audience and bringing the art and the spectator to closer understandings of each other.

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New York City’s Nuyorican Poets Cafe

Choy Brothers and Yimin Opera Troupe

Scott — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:09:18 +0000

Cantonese Opera is an immensely popular art form in Singapore, having existed for many centuries. Since the Cantonese Operas are such a traditional and vital part of the entertainment culture, the selection of opera companies and their productions are numerous. There are many recognizable themes to the productions but the unique style each performer brings to their performance adds an additional measure of enjoyment for the audience. The love, dedication and passion the performers feel for their art is evident in their exciting and extremely skilled performances.

The Choy Brothers Opera Troupe and the Chinese Theatre Circle are among the most active and prominent Cantonese Opera companies in Singapore. These companies and others have many highly admired and respected performers. Tham Fung Meng and Chan Mei Yin are two of these. Meng studied with the Chinese Theatre Circle and many of the most renowned Chinese artists. The Yimin Opera Troupe and the Yi Meng Cantonese Opera Group were both created by Meng. She also directed the Echo Cantonese Opera Group at the Eunos Community Centre. To this day, one of her most outstanding, and most remembered performances was in 1999 as the Princess Turandot with Wu Suet Yee. The following year she performed with Yee again in a special engagement showing of three opera excerpts.

Chan Mei Yin is another highly regarded performer, appearing regularly with the Kreta Ayer Community Centre Opera Troupe. She also serves as the company’s director. This an extremely popular, long-standing opera company with the unique distinction of being an all female cast. Using her incredible singing skills and acting talents, Yin is usually playing the male character in these productions. Dining at the best Singapore restaurants and attending a Cantonese Opera is truly a remarkable and pleasurable evening for tourists staying at the best Singapore hotels. It also makes for a standard evening out for locals.

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Choy Brothers and Yimin Opera Troupe

The Ramayana

Scott — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:57:16 +0000

The Ramayana is an ancient Hindu sacred text. It is typically attributed to the sage Valmiki who composed the Sanskrit epic that was based on ancient stories and traditions. The oldest portions of the poem date back to the eleventh century CE. There are conflicting opinions about the actual authorship of some portions of the text. Regardless of the original authorship, the stories and themes it contains are fundamental aspects of Indian culture and tourists who are staying Delhi hotels will certainly recognize this in various aspects of their vacation. Also, many of the performances and other entertainment options are certain to contain some of the themes found in this epic text.

Though the main stories in the text date back to oral traditions found as early as 500 BC, the text was not actually composed until much later. Some of the main characters such as Rama, Janaka, Sita, and Vishwamitra are found in early Vedic literature. Rama is the hero of the epic and he is portrayed as the god Vishnu in his seventh incarnation. He is an extremely popular prince, the son of Dasharatha, the King of Ayodhya, and his wife Kousalya. Sita is Rama’s beloved wife, and the incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi. She is the essence of purity and female virtue while Rama is the essence of male virtue.

In the story, King Dasharatha is forced into exile and Rama and Sita go with him. The poem is divided into several separate books and each one deals with various phases and circumstances in the life of Rama. Some of the main themes it deals with include heroism, ethics and righteous living. Many of these stories can be interpreted with extreme relevance to life today and continue to be a source of philosophical and spiritual consultation. The epic has had a profound effect on the culture of India, which is evident in many aspects of the city of Delhi. Many performance arts such as drama and dance depict various aspects of this work. Throughout history, the stories have been performed in temples and regal courts.

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The Ramayana

The Scholar Maid

Scott — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:41:59 +0000

Every September and October Singapore hosts its annual International Cantonese Opera Festival. The Chinese Theatre Circle, which had its start in 1981, developed and organizes this cultural event. Traditional Cantonese opera is a standard element in Singapore’s society and is also extremely attractive to tourists who are staying in one of the best Singapore hotels. In addition to hosting the annual festival, the Chinese Theatre Circle is also the busiest opera company in Singapore. It gained its non-profit status in 1995 and has been offering an abundance of excellent productions since then.

There is a spectacular display of symbolic and colorful costumes in Chinese Opera, and while a tourist may wonder at their beauty, their social significance is a central component of their design. This is true also for the many graceful and harmonious movements that are incorporated into the dance. Most often the stories and plots of these operas relate to traditional Chinese themes and are based on the ancient classics. This is manifested not only in the movements and costumes but also in the set designs. Every aspect of the opera is stylized and employs an economy of gesture. A moral lesson is often incorporated into the theme and so are elements of patriotism, loyalty and honor.

One of the more popular productions that was produced by the Chinese Theatre Circle was the 2007 performance of The Scholar Maid. Hong Kong playwright, Mr. Tang Di Sheng, wrote the original script, and CTC’s Mr. Leslie Wong condensed it into a tour hour production. The story depicts a well known academic, Tang Bo Hu of the Ming Dynasty, who falls in love with a woman he met a court, Jui Xiang. He disguises himself as a servant in the home of the Prime Minister to win her heart. The Scholar Maid is a comedy, and as such includes many obstacles and situations that get in the way of Hu’s pursuit. Ultimately though, his plans succeed and true to its genre, the opera has a happy ending. One of the songs from this opera, Meeting at the Temple, continues to be a hit with Cantonese opera lovers.

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The Scholar Maid