Tribal & Textile Arts at Fort Mason Center this weekend, Feb. 13-15, 2009 is magnificent once again. Hundreds of collectors, artists and vendors have recreated micro-gallery spaces within one of Fort Mason's huge pier buildings. Thanks to those dear gallery owners, and the Kasky Lees production, I was able to stroll through hundreds of galleries in one afternoon, once again, pausing in the beautifully designed central plaza for some soup along the way. The chance to get glimpses into hundreds of tribal antique shops all at once always makes the show truly splendid. And the central cafe plaza designed into the show works very well too. I paused, reflected, rested and loved seeing all the gallery people, and the artists who did both-- sold some antiques and crafted new jewelry from antique components.
I can peek into tribal arts galleries from L.A., Brussels, Paris and New York, too, each little booth uniquely designed to showcase the treasures they'd collected over decades. Shelving, glass cabinets, tables and tribal furnishings were all used well, with considerate placement of charming objects reflecting the artistic and spiritual modes of their times-- the visual flow of those objects was imbued with art itself. They left just enough space around each item to give us a good look, but played up common elements, graphically and topically. I may have seemed a bit foolish gushing my thanks to the proprietors present, thanking them for the artful arrangements, and for bringing so many beautiful textiles to our town. It been a highlight of my years here for nearly a decade now. Tribal treasures filling a pier the size of an airplane hangar.
The prior weekend the giant pier becomes a glorious exhibition of The Arts of Pacific Asia, with hundreds of galleries sharing their collections again. This year I felt too sad to check that one out. But I returned to my early beloved Tribal Arts & Textiles show by myself and wandered around.
This time, Tribal Arts showcased sculpture, with lots of masks and human forms in very abstract images, from a large span of time, in human terms. I was rather blue at first, having reminisced again recently, but this year's focus was on sculpture, and there were enough of those wildly amusing objects and masks to shake me out of the doldrums. I gained a new appreciation for those sculptural treasures like little statuettes and big masks.
The masks have an abstract representation that I found very freeing. They seemed like direct renderings of emotion. And I loved the ones with dizzy expressions-- designed to elicit a chuckle. There were so many objects whose minimalist design, while hundreds of years old, captured such an essense of a mood, that they drew me in and away from my daily concerns. I found myself calling some of them operatic-- human emotion in all its glory, for better or for worse. For some seemed like embodiments of angst, so seeing the shared feeling was freeing. This guy sure gets it-- across the centuries, and continents, I've got friends.
And as in other museum visits, some of the tiniest items can speak most intimately of a shared sensibility. Moments in their time, now in mine.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Dear Madam Speaker: The Democrats Won
Basic Message = YOU WON.
Please STOP CAPITULATING to the GOP because their methods and recommendations are the destructive ideas that led to the collapse of our economy. They're declaring that they'll vote against Obama's plan anyway, so all of that capitulation you have already done isn't worth much to them. Except for GOP marketing value. The party of Newt Gingrich knows that capitulation makes Democrats look weak, which disappoints your base and makes the GOP look tougher. They're playing power games. So go ahead and strip their goodies back out of the stimulus package. Obama and the Democrats offered concessions and they still obstructed, so the offers are withdrawn. That would really shake up the pompous Republican leaders who continue to promote failed policies and myths. It would also inspire your constituents to see Democrats finally standing up for their more effective policies.
We are in a BUSH RECESSION, supported by the Republicans who are fighting Obama. The GOP ruined our economy and international reputation. Enough is enough with them. Since they've continued to obstruct, even when given some concessions, you have the permission of the 83% of us who support Obama to strip those concessions back out of Obama's stimulus package. Since the GOP seems determined to obstruct Obama, no matter what he does, don't give them anything, and withdraw the items put in there to appease them. Don't keep trying to give them more and more. That rewards their obstructionist behavior.
PUT BACK family planning into the stimulus package. Condoms are expensive and family planning helps the economy. Democrats usually support the poor who need Medicaid. It's been sad to see you guys ignore your principles just to placate the destructive GOP leaders.
ELIMINATE some of the tax breaks. The GOP obstructionists still aren't satisfied and are said to be planning to vote against Obama anyway, so go ahead and strip their goodies out. Replace those with more infrastructure spending to create jobs. Democratic ideas that have worked, not Republican myths from people who want to destroy our government.
Republican policies favoring privatization and deregulation drove this country into the ditch. They are ignoring their recent history, so you have the permission of the 83% who support Obama's efforts to fix our battered country to STOP REWARDING the disgusting GOP leaders who think this is a great time to play some power games.
When the GOP threatens filibusters this time, MAKE THEM DO IT. Let the US public see them wasting time just to preserve BANKRUPT IDEAS like trickle down economics. The Republicans have talked trickle down while practicing trickle up, including shameless war profiteering. Their privatization and deregulation schemes HAVE FAILED and even if they can't feel it and think they've got the time to play power games, the public does not agree. If they insist on power games in a time of crisis, make them go all the way through a filibuster. Let the public see the pampered GOP leaders waste time during this national crisis.
Please STOP CAPITULATING to the GOP because their methods and recommendations are the destructive ideas that led to the collapse of our economy. They're declaring that they'll vote against Obama's plan anyway, so all of that capitulation you have already done isn't worth much to them. Except for GOP marketing value. The party of Newt Gingrich knows that capitulation makes Democrats look weak, which disappoints your base and makes the GOP look tougher. They're playing power games. So go ahead and strip their goodies back out of the stimulus package. Obama and the Democrats offered concessions and they still obstructed, so the offers are withdrawn. That would really shake up the pompous Republican leaders who continue to promote failed policies and myths. It would also inspire your constituents to see Democrats finally standing up for their more effective policies.
We are in a BUSH RECESSION, supported by the Republicans who are fighting Obama. The GOP ruined our economy and international reputation. Enough is enough with them. Since they've continued to obstruct, even when given some concessions, you have the permission of the 83% of us who support Obama to strip those concessions back out of Obama's stimulus package. Since the GOP seems determined to obstruct Obama, no matter what he does, don't give them anything, and withdraw the items put in there to appease them. Don't keep trying to give them more and more. That rewards their obstructionist behavior.
PUT BACK family planning into the stimulus package. Condoms are expensive and family planning helps the economy. Democrats usually support the poor who need Medicaid. It's been sad to see you guys ignore your principles just to placate the destructive GOP leaders.
ELIMINATE some of the tax breaks. The GOP obstructionists still aren't satisfied and are said to be planning to vote against Obama anyway, so go ahead and strip their goodies out. Replace those with more infrastructure spending to create jobs. Democratic ideas that have worked, not Republican myths from people who want to destroy our government.
Republican policies favoring privatization and deregulation drove this country into the ditch. They are ignoring their recent history, so you have the permission of the 83% who support Obama's efforts to fix our battered country to STOP REWARDING the disgusting GOP leaders who think this is a great time to play some power games.
When the GOP threatens filibusters this time, MAKE THEM DO IT. Let the US public see them wasting time just to preserve BANKRUPT IDEAS like trickle down economics. The Republicans have talked trickle down while practicing trickle up, including shameless war profiteering. Their privatization and deregulation schemes HAVE FAILED and even if they can't feel it and think they've got the time to play power games, the public does not agree. If they insist on power games in a time of crisis, make them go all the way through a filibuster. Let the public see the pampered GOP leaders waste time during this national crisis.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Poetry is Back in the White House !
From the multicultural classical tribute composition specially written by John Williams, which had its funny moments and deeply moving valleys, through the rest of the ceremony, pure poetry flowed.
Our new CEO's speech will be one of those inaugural addresses remembered for generations. I am already looking forward to hearing it all the way through again. What I remember is the elegant way it incorporated some logical outlines interspersed with passionate poetry to inspire us all to participate in living out the better nature prescribed in our founding documents. He did that brilliantly-- appealing to all to rise above the static to our young country's original aspirations. And to take responsibility for the amount of and manner in which we use the earth's scarce resources, when others in the global community are still starving. He called on us to rise above the rhetoric, analyze, debate and do what works.
Then came poetry from the people. A beautiful poem that touched on similar themes as his speech had, beginning with finding one's way through some dry brambles and on to a healing journey and hope. The poem was quite epic in scope, so I look forward to hearing it again.
And the benediction was gloriously poetic as well. Calling upon universal themes that motivate us to plead to our gods, and prompt us to live up to our ideals. And he, too, called upon us all to remember our place in history, and the global community of nations.
Pure Poetry that outdoor stuff was-- and the uniting themes were love and hope and community action.
Our new CEO's speech will be one of those inaugural addresses remembered for generations. I am already looking forward to hearing it all the way through again. What I remember is the elegant way it incorporated some logical outlines interspersed with passionate poetry to inspire us all to participate in living out the better nature prescribed in our founding documents. He did that brilliantly-- appealing to all to rise above the static to our young country's original aspirations. And to take responsibility for the amount of and manner in which we use the earth's scarce resources, when others in the global community are still starving. He called on us to rise above the rhetoric, analyze, debate and do what works.
Then came poetry from the people. A beautiful poem that touched on similar themes as his speech had, beginning with finding one's way through some dry brambles and on to a healing journey and hope. The poem was quite epic in scope, so I look forward to hearing it again.
And the benediction was gloriously poetic as well. Calling upon universal themes that motivate us to plead to our gods, and prompt us to live up to our ideals. And he, too, called upon us all to remember our place in history, and the global community of nations.
Pure Poetry that outdoor stuff was-- and the uniting themes were love and hope and community action.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Songs I Have Loved to Sing
Before quittting smoking, when composing the motivational list, i thought about the songs I loved to sing, how those celebrated how to use the voice, so much like ambling through the gorgeous fashions of YSL this past weekend, let me amble now and in the near future, about songs I've loved having the breath to sing...
- Good Morning Heartache
- Gloomy Sunday
- Lover Man
- The Long & Winding Road
- Unlucky Woman
- Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
- Hey There
- Knock on Wood
- Ain't to Proud to Beg
- Lean on Me
- Up on the Roof
- Prince of Peace (Leon Thomas)
- On a Wonderful Day Like Today
- Foyo Suvelavimwai La Meze Meyeyo
- You Don't Love Me No More
- Masquerade
- For No One (Lennon McCartney)
- I Shall Be Released
- We Can Work It Out
- I'll Be Seeing You
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Slumdog Millionaire -- dazzling urban visual rhythms
Slumdog Millionaire is NOW PLAYING at the Embarcadero Theater in S.F. I just got home from it and highly recommend it. Here are some thoughts. (I talk about the story line but not in enough detail to be a spoiler.)
I am still dazzled by Slumdog Millionaire, built around the slums of Mumbai. It is perhaps the best movie I've ever seen. Visually very dense in the most intricate sense. The visual equivalent of the poly rhythmic world music I love. The director was able to capture the action within the living city of millions bustling about. The humming activity sometimes seems like a split screen and yet it is not. That is just Mumbai, here there and everywhere. Seething and dancing urban India. And a few charming years the main characters spend in rural areas.
This dazzling city life is but the canvas for a story that evolves seemingly as chaotically organically as life itself. The editing together of the story is another remarkable feat. A nimble touch. No clunkiness in getting from point A to point B.
"Slumdog Millionaire" is about a slum kid who wins Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in Mumbai and is interrogated by police as a fraud because how could a young man raised in the slums know that?-- So the film takes you through each of his answers in the program and shows the intense experiences that imprinted the answers into his brain. Very smart thread for the story. Very organic weaving of events into the mix. And very intense urban busy-ness throughout the film. Multiple scenes of action simultaneously, as happens in a city-- cars driving here, folks running there, train over there, and chase scene in the forefront through the alleyways... Super graphics-- billions bustling in Mumbai nee Bombay. And scenes filmed in the slums which were adjacent to the garbage dump in which our lead character was a wee tyke...
Came straight home after the movie tonight because it was so dazzling. I feel like I've spent one intense week in Mumbai back streets, with some scenes in other cities that flow right in to the plot and then our orphaned slum kids get tossed on to the next part of their lives...
Wherever you are, if it hits a big screen and you're up for a dazzling urban adventure with a sweet storyline melody thread too, I think you will love it.
I'd love to see it again. My eyes feel like a full week of walking through a famous city, Yet there were also those quiet shots-- moments of stilness that slip into some city time. Glances of calm. Or suites of colors that are pleasing in spite of their being corrugated roofing in varied stages of decay... And often the raw city sounds were fed in. Or some very R&B like bhangra tunes pounded away briefly for city set ups... The history of three kids who grew up in the urban underbelly of India. Sheer enchantment.
Yes I do believe I could go on for hours... I am still in awe...
I am still dazzled by Slumdog Millionaire, built around the slums of Mumbai. It is perhaps the best movie I've ever seen. Visually very dense in the most intricate sense. The visual equivalent of the poly rhythmic world music I love. The director was able to capture the action within the living city of millions bustling about. The humming activity sometimes seems like a split screen and yet it is not. That is just Mumbai, here there and everywhere. Seething and dancing urban India. And a few charming years the main characters spend in rural areas.
This dazzling city life is but the canvas for a story that evolves seemingly as chaotically organically as life itself. The editing together of the story is another remarkable feat. A nimble touch. No clunkiness in getting from point A to point B.
"Slumdog Millionaire" is about a slum kid who wins Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in Mumbai and is interrogated by police as a fraud because how could a young man raised in the slums know that?-- So the film takes you through each of his answers in the program and shows the intense experiences that imprinted the answers into his brain. Very smart thread for the story. Very organic weaving of events into the mix. And very intense urban busy-ness throughout the film. Multiple scenes of action simultaneously, as happens in a city-- cars driving here, folks running there, train over there, and chase scene in the forefront through the alleyways... Super graphics-- billions bustling in Mumbai nee Bombay. And scenes filmed in the slums which were adjacent to the garbage dump in which our lead character was a wee tyke...
Came straight home after the movie tonight because it was so dazzling. I feel like I've spent one intense week in Mumbai back streets, with some scenes in other cities that flow right in to the plot and then our orphaned slum kids get tossed on to the next part of their lives...
Wherever you are, if it hits a big screen and you're up for a dazzling urban adventure with a sweet storyline melody thread too, I think you will love it.
I'd love to see it again. My eyes feel like a full week of walking through a famous city, Yet there were also those quiet shots-- moments of stilness that slip into some city time. Glances of calm. Or suites of colors that are pleasing in spite of their being corrugated roofing in varied stages of decay... And often the raw city sounds were fed in. Or some very R&B like bhangra tunes pounded away briefly for city set ups... The history of three kids who grew up in the urban underbelly of India. Sheer enchantment.
Yes I do believe I could go on for hours... I am still in awe...
Show Ideas for a Style Channel
Cinematic Style -- Movie series of films featuring fashion: like Funny Face; Slaves of New York; ADD MORE
-- Documentaries about designers and fashion. I have seen such docs on Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, not sure if Givenchy has one. ADD MORE
Fashion Drama Series-- Does the BBC have any more besides The House of Elliott? Would AbFab be that since they both play in chic circles? Check international networks.
Makeoverama -- Purchase makeover segments of popular shows like Oprah, Tyra and others past and present. Could be fun to show retro makeover segments too. And the international edition-- you can probably find great makeover segments in England, Australia and Scotland. And if you're willing to subtitle, I'll bet makeover shows from other countries would be cool too.
Trinny and Susannah, What Not to Wear UK, have been so funny in their books that just because BBC America won't play them doesn't mean we should miss out. A style channel would like to share what the UK thinks a successful style transformation to be, with the witty commentary of Trinny and Susannah.
-- Documentaries about designers and fashion. I have seen such docs on Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, not sure if Givenchy has one. ADD MORE
Fashion Drama Series-- Does the BBC have any more besides The House of Elliott? Would AbFab be that since they both play in chic circles? Check international networks.
Makeoverama -- Purchase makeover segments of popular shows like Oprah, Tyra and others past and present. Could be fun to show retro makeover segments too. And the international edition-- you can probably find great makeover segments in England, Australia and Scotland. And if you're willing to subtitle, I'll bet makeover shows from other countries would be cool too.
Trinny and Susannah, What Not to Wear UK, have been so funny in their books that just because BBC America won't play them doesn't mean we should miss out. A style channel would like to share what the UK thinks a successful style transformation to be, with the witty commentary of Trinny and Susannah.
Dave Chappelle gets my Mort Sahl Award for 2008
He came on stage with just a stool there and his cigarettes and talked for nearly two hours, covering all kinds of topics including lots of politics and then before you knew it, he was done. A generous long set had elapsed in waves of delightful talk.
Dave Chappelle. Saw him on November 1st. Before the election, so he joked about what those reluctant to vote for Obama might be worried about.
I was lucky enough to be in the third row at the Punchline and enjoyed every story. He, too, is a brilliant writer who wove a lot of material into nearly two enchanting hours. Lots of laughs and new perspectives.
That was the thing about Mort Sahl, he'd come on stage with just his newspaper, in a cardigan, and sit on a stool or stand and just reel off interesting, varied material about current events and before you knew it a long set had elapsed and you were still smiling, wanting more.
Dave Chappelle. Saw him on November 1st. Before the election, so he joked about what those reluctant to vote for Obama might be worried about.
I was lucky enough to be in the third row at the Punchline and enjoyed every story. He, too, is a brilliant writer who wove a lot of material into nearly two enchanting hours. Lots of laughs and new perspectives.
That was the thing about Mort Sahl, he'd come on stage with just his newspaper, in a cardigan, and sit on a stool or stand and just reel off interesting, varied material about current events and before you knew it a long set had elapsed and you were still smiling, wanting more.
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