John Lautner, visionary architect and artist, honored in Los Angeles
Oct
10
2011
The John Lautner Foundation and the Los Angeles Conservancy co-convened a marvelous panel discussion comprised of passionate professionals who have purchased and/or restored modern homes designed by architect John Lautner (1911-1994). The L.A.-based architect would have turned 100 this past July.
Bad boys of Lula’s China tour: Marcus Miller & Freedom Jazz Movement
Marcus Miller – Drums Kamasi Washington – Tenor Sax Ardom Belton – Upright Bass Mahesh Balasooriya – Piano Last June, I had the unspeakable joy of being the writer on the bus of Lula Washington Dance Theater’s three-week tour of China, primarily in Henan Province. It was a spectacular, gargantuan life experience. What added art ...
Balanchine’s “Symphony in Three Movements,” from 1972, to Stravinsky
Alastair Macaulay, in the New York Times, reviews the work in 2008, performed by NYCB, Macaulay at his most inspired: I marvel in particular to watch and hear the many strangenesses with which Balanchine answers Stravinsky’s “Symphony in Three Movements.” He makes you hear the music better, and yet he often does so by springing ...
LA Filmforum contributes “Alternative Projections” to Pacific Standard Time
Los Angeles Filmforum screens a wonderful line-up of short experimental films under the rubric of Alternative Projections: Experimental Film in Los Angeles, 1945-1980. The next chapter of the multipart series happens on October 16 with “Industry Town: The Avant-Garde and Hollywood.” Alternative Projections is part of Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945 – 1980, ...
All hail the “Kings”!
Oct
6
2011
Courtesy of my Facebook Friend, Marcelo Gomes, here’s Gene Schiavone’s marvelous portrait of the dancing dudes, their Royal Heinesses, er… Highnesses, THE KINGS OF THE DANCE. You gotta love these kingly kreatures … Impresario Sergei Danilian clearly does, as he’s producing ballet’s premier testosterone showcase for a fourth time.I’ll be there, opening night in Costa ...
Oy. Harry. Would you please lighten up? Harry Houdini goes for a dip.
European financial system on the brink … Steve Jobs dead at 56 …. distraction and dissolution everywhere. It all feels so dire. Not sure whether this photo of major meshuggenah, Harry Houdini, will lighten your mood or not. Something in this shot of Mr. Ball-and-Chain spoke to me. Seems to suit the zeitgeist. World, could’ja ...
From the people who killed LACMA’s classic film program: a film museum 1
Oct
4
2011
It’s really difficult living in this city if you have a memory that operates longer than two weeks. It can drive you insane. Having wiped the slate clean by annihilating the perfectly superb classic film program at the County Museum, and installing in its stead an incoherent line-up of movie gobbledy-gook, along comes LACMA Trustee ...
Segerstrom Center for the Arts: 25 years of stellar international dance
The Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Photo by RMA Photography, Courtesy SCFTA On California’s huge map, Costa Mesa forms a relative pinprick. But for the past 25 years, the Orange County city has been a beacon of international ballet, as world-class troupes perform at the House that Henry (Segerstrom) Built 45 miles south of L.A. ...
The back side of HOLLYWOOD, viewed from Palermo
Oct
2
2011
Maurizio Cattelan, “Hollywood,” 2001 color photography, plexiglas, 180 x 400 x 15 cm Weserburg Museum of Art, Bremen, Germany Yes, Palermo. Palermo, capitol city of Sicily, the tip of the boot of Italia, home of the Spaghetti Western. Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s restaging/replica of the Hollywood sign, erected among palm trees and olive plantations, sits on ...
What David Hallberg seeks 1
Sep
30
2011
This video excerpt from Russian television broadcast of the Bolshoi Theatre shows what David Hallberg wants more of … detailed personal coaching on Russian ballet classicism. He’s had a taste of it, and he’s going back for more. Apparently ABT could not offer him this. Otherwise why would he go? But you gotta laugh at ...